Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared the nation’s entry into a “long and arduous conflict” following a shock attack by Palestinian militants from the besieged Gaza Strip. This unexpected assault has resulted in hundreds of casualties, the abduction of numerous Israeli hostages, and raised concerns of a broader regional escalation.
As Israelis grapple with the enormity of the preceding day’s attack, the specter of a ground invasion into Gaza and a broader confrontation with Hezbollah in Lebanon looms large. The Iran-backed Hezbollah group claimed responsibility for launching rockets and artillery into northern Israel in a show of solidarity with the Palestinian cause. Israeli forces promptly responded with artillery strikes in Lebanon and a drone attack on a Hezbollah outpost near the border, with no reported casualties.
Hezbollah disclosed that its rocket and artillery strikes targeted three locations, including a “radar site,” in the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms, an area contested by Lebanon since 1967.
On Saturday, bolstered by a barrage of rockets, numerous Hamas militants infiltrated Israeli towns, stunning the nation. Gunmen were seen abducting individuals in various locations, while militants roamed freely, targeting civilians and soldiers, leaving the Israeli military scrambling to respond.
Early on Sunday, the Israeli military announced that its forces were still engaged in battles with the militant Islamist group in eight areas. While two hostage situations had been “resolved,” the status of all hostages remained unclear.
Israel conducted airstrikes on 426 targets in Gaza overnight, including the leveling of residential buildings in massive explosions. This included a 14-story tower that housed apartments and Hamas offices in central Gaza City, with a warning preceding the strike and no reported casualties.
In the pre-dawn hours on Sunday, Gaza militants fired additional rockets, striking a hospital in the Israeli coastal town of Ashkelon, causing injuries, according to senior hospital official Tal Bergman.
In a televised address on Saturday night, Prime Minister Netanyahu, having declared Israel at war, pledged to utilize the nation’s full military might to dismantle Hamas’ capabilities and “avenge this dark day.” He cautioned, “This conflict will be protracted and demanding.”
Netanyahu issued an ultimatum to Gaza residents, urging them to evacuate areas targeted for strikes, though many in the overcrowded territory of 2.3 million people have no means of escape. This conflict marks the fifth confrontation between Hamas and Israel since the militant group took control of Gaza in 2007.
Taking to the platform formerly known as Twitter, Netanyahu stated that the “first phase” of the counter-operation had concluded, and Israel had repelled the majority of Hamas militants within its borders. He pledged to continue the offensive “without reservation and without respite.”
Furthermore, Netanyahu’s office announced that Israel would cease the supply of electricity, fuel, and goods to Gaza. A significant portion of Gaza had already been plunged into darkness earlier in the day due to the cessation of electrical supplies from Israel, which provides nearly all of the territory’s power. The security cabinet approved measures to cripple the military and governmental capabilities of both Hamas and Islamic Jihad “for many years.”
Following nightfall, Israeli airstrikes intensified in Gaza, resulting in the destruction of several residential buildings in massive explosions. Subsequently, Hamas fired a barrage of rockets into central Israel, striking four cities, including Tel Aviv and a nearby suburb, leading to severe injuries. The Israeli military reported that Hamas had fired over 3,500 rockets throughout the day.
Israeli officials have reported at least 250 casualties among its citizens, including senior military officers. Israel’s health ministry disclosed that over 1,590 Israelis had been wounded, marking the deadliest day of violence in Israel since the Yom Kippur War 50 years ago.
Palestinian casualties have also been substantial, with at least 256 deaths and 1,610 injuries reported in Gaza as a result of Israeli retaliatory strikes.
The security situation across Gaza, Jerusalem, and the West Bank has been steadily deteriorating over the past year and a half, with this unprecedented Hamas offensive representing a new and frightening chapter in the decades-long conflict. The Israeli security establishment’s failure to anticipate this attack has shocked a society that had come to believe that increased surveillance and technology had made the Gaza blockade and Palestinian occupation more manageable.
As the crisis unfolds, several airlines have canceled flights into Israel, and the Federal Aviation Administration issued a warning to U.S. pilots regarding Israeli airspace.
In a statement from the White House, U.S. President Joe Biden expressed support for Israel’s right to self-defense and condemned the terrorist assaults, pledging solidarity with the Israeli people.
An emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council has been scheduled for Sunday afternoon to address the escalating crisis. Saudi Arabia, engaged in discussions with the U.S. about normalizing relations with Israel, called for restraint from both sides and highlighted the danger of the ongoing occupation and the deprivation of Palestinian rights.
Hamas’s operation is believed to have been in planning for months, if not years, and likely involved regional cooperation with Iran, a sponsor of both Hamas and Hezbollah. The Israeli security apparatus’s inability to prevent this attack could have far-reaching consequences for years to come, akin to the shock of the Yom Kippur War that began half a century ago.
When questioned about how Hamas had caught the army off guard, Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, an Israeli army spokesperson, could only respond, “That’s a good question.”
