Amid escalating tension between the Israeli and Palestinian authorities, Palestinian militants infiltrated Israel on Saturday by air, sea, and land from the Gaza Strip and some parts of the occupied West Bank. This surprise attack has led to a tragic loss of life, with Israeli medics reporting 22 casualties and the Palestinian authority reporting over 100 casualties.
The severity of the situation has prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare a state of war. He has vowed severe retaliation and warned of an unprecedented price that the enemy will have to pay for this attack.
Hamas, the Iran-backed group controlling the Gaza Strip, has claimed responsibility for the attack. They released a video showing the capture of three men described as “enemy soldiers”. The Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s armed wing, announced Operation Al-Aqsa Flood and claimed to have fired more than 5,000 rockets in the first 20-minute strike.
The Israeli army is currently engaged in ground combat with Palestinian militants in several locations near the Strip. The operation, named “Swords of Iron”, is ongoing.
The rocket barrage from Gaza has caused extensive damage in Ashkelon, an Israeli city about 10 kilometres north of Gaza. The attack occurred on Shabbat and during a Jewish holiday.
Israeli Major General Ghasan Alyan warned Hamas that they had “opened the gates of hell” and would have to pay for their deeds. Israel’s military has begun air strikes on Gaza in response to the rocket attacks.