Israel and Hamas have once again plunged into conflict, triggered by a significant aerial and ground operation launched by the Palestinian militant group from the besieged Gaza Strip. This operation marks their largest attack in years.
Sirens reverberated throughout Israel, reaching as far north as the disputed city of Jerusalem around 7 a.m. on Saturday. Hamas claimed responsibility for launching approximately 5,000 rockets from the blockaded Gaza enclave. Concurrently, Hamas gunmen initiated a ground infiltration into Israeli towns and villages on the outskirts, a development unprecedented in the 16 years since Hamas took control of Gaza. According to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), Hamas currently has control over seven villages and towns, while the Israeli military estimated the number of projectiles launched to be around 2,000.
In response to these attacks, which took Israeli security services by surprise, Israel declared a state of war. In a televised statement, Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, vowed that their enemy would face unprecedented consequences, declaring, “We are in a war, and we will win it.”
Initial unconfirmed reports and disturbing images and videos suggested that gunmen had opened fire in the border town of Sderot, resulting in the deaths of several Israeli civilians and soldiers. One elderly woman was confirmed dead due to a rocket attack, and four others in Bedouin villages in the south of Israel were killed by rocket fire.
As of now, twenty-two Israelis have been confirmed dead, and 545 have been injured, with the death toll expected to rise. There have also been casualties in Gaza due to retaliatory Israeli airstrikes, including five Hamas militants killed inside Israel.
An unknown number of Israelis have been captured by fighters, with unverified social media footage showing elderly individuals and a young woman with their hands tied inside Gaza. The IDF acknowledged these reports but did not confirm the details.
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In a statement, Hamas’s military commander in Gaza, Mohammed Deif, announced the start of a new operation aimed at liberating Jerusalem’s sensitive al-Aqsa mosque compound, which has seen increased visits by Jewish visitors in recent weeks during the Jewish high holidays. Deif stated that this was only the initial stage of Hamas’s renewed efforts against Israel, calling on Palestinians in the West Bank and within Israeli territory to launch attacks.
Another faction in Gaza, Islamic Jihad, later announced their involvement in the conflict via a statement on Telegram. There are concerns of a regional escalation if the violence spreads to the occupied West Bank, which is currently under lockdown, or if it escalates on the northern front involving the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, or even within Israel, as was seen in 2021.
Both Hezbollah and its backers in Iran expressed support for Hamas’s operation. The Israeli military declared that a number of terrorists had infiltrated Israeli territory from Gaza, urging residents in the surrounding area to stay in their homes.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office stated that he would meet with top security officials in the coming hours, and reservist soldiers had been mobilized. The Israeli military acknowledged their presence inside Gaza but provided no further details.
These developments on Saturday represent the most serious escalation in the volatile region since the 10-day battle between Israel and Hamas in 2021 and appear to be on a more dangerous scale.
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Since Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007, there have been four wars and several smaller conflicts against the ruling faction and other active groups in the area. These conflicts have taken a devastating toll on Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, who also face severe restrictions on freedom of movement and deteriorating infrastructure.
As the situation escalates, civilians in Gaza remain on edge, with significant movement reported among armed factions, and many anxiously await the duration and outcome of this latest escalation.
This surge in violence follows a recent period of heightened tensions in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank, marked by the deadliest clashes in two decades and widespread fears of a new Palestinian uprising, or intifada.