Israel Declares State of War as Gaza Escalation Sparks Full-Fledged Conflict
07.10.2023 posted by Admin
Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, declared a state of war on Saturday in response to a major escalation in the ongoing conflict with Gaza. The escalation began when militants from Gaza launched a deadly barrage of rockets and sent gunmen into Israeli territory.
In a video message, Netanyahu emphasized that they were not in an operation or rounds of conflict but in a full-fledged war. This early morning rocket attack from Gaza was described as "massive" by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), resulting in at least one fatality and over 100 injuries in two hospitals.
Hamas, the Palestinian militant group governing Gaza, claimed responsibility for the rocket attack and called for a general uprising against Israel. They urged people to take up arms and rise against the enemy.
They dubbed this operation "Al-Aqsa Storm," stating that they targeted Israeli positions, airports, and military sites with a substantial number of rockets. They framed this assault as a response to attacks on women, the desecration of the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, and the ongoing siege of Gaza.
According to IDF spokesperson Lt Col Richard Hecht, Israeli forces were actively engaged in ground battles at several locations, including Erez Crossing, Nahal Oz, Magen, Kibbutz Beeri, Rehim Army Base, Ziikim Army Base, Kfar Azza, and Kibbutz Beeri. In response to the attack, the IDF struck multiple targets belonging to Hamas in Gaza and announced the mobilization of thousands of reservists.
The IDF issued a warning to Israelis living near Gaza, advising them to stay in their homes or seek shelter due to ongoing rocket attacks and infiltrations by terrorists.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog acknowledged the severity of the situation, offering support to the IDF and expressing solidarity with all Israelis under attack.
CNN reporters in Jerusalem reported the continuous sound of rocket warning sirens and intercepted incoming rockets. The initial round of rocket fire occurred early in the morning, catching many Israelis off guard.
It is a rare occurrence for Palestinian militants to breach Israel's heavily monitored and sealed-off border with Gaza. Reports indicated that infiltrators from Gaza entered Kibbutz Beeri and even took hostages in Netiv HaAsara, although official confirmation was pending.
Social media footage showed masked gunmen in a pickup truck driving through the streets of Sderot, an Israeli city, with the sound of gunfire in the background.
The militant attacks resulted in the death of one woman and injuries to at least 15 people in southern and lowland regions of Israel. The Magen David Adom rescue service provided updates on the casualties, urging people to follow instructions from authorities and seek protection during alarms.
The rocket strikes were not confined to the immediate border region; they reached as far north as Tel Aviv, east to Beer Sheva, and various locations in between. Footage from Ashkelon showed the aftermath of a rocket strike, with burning cars and billowing smoke.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant conducted security assessments at IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv in response to the escalating situation.
Gaza, one of the world's most densely populated areas, is home to almost 2 million people within a confined space of 140 square miles. It has been subject to an Israeli blockade since 2007, severely restricting civilian movement and goods importation, with Egypt controlling its southern border at Rafah.
In a video message, Netanyahu emphasized that they were not in an operation or rounds of conflict but in a full-fledged war. This early morning rocket attack from Gaza was described as "massive" by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), resulting in at least one fatality and over 100 injuries in two hospitals.
Hamas, the Palestinian militant group governing Gaza, claimed responsibility for the rocket attack and called for a general uprising against Israel. They urged people to take up arms and rise against the enemy.
They dubbed this operation "Al-Aqsa Storm," stating that they targeted Israeli positions, airports, and military sites with a substantial number of rockets. They framed this assault as a response to attacks on women, the desecration of the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, and the ongoing siege of Gaza.
According to IDF spokesperson Lt Col Richard Hecht, Israeli forces were actively engaged in ground battles at several locations, including Erez Crossing, Nahal Oz, Magen, Kibbutz Beeri, Rehim Army Base, Ziikim Army Base, Kfar Azza, and Kibbutz Beeri. In response to the attack, the IDF struck multiple targets belonging to Hamas in Gaza and announced the mobilization of thousands of reservists.
The IDF issued a warning to Israelis living near Gaza, advising them to stay in their homes or seek shelter due to ongoing rocket attacks and infiltrations by terrorists.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog acknowledged the severity of the situation, offering support to the IDF and expressing solidarity with all Israelis under attack.
CNN reporters in Jerusalem reported the continuous sound of rocket warning sirens and intercepted incoming rockets. The initial round of rocket fire occurred early in the morning, catching many Israelis off guard.
It is a rare occurrence for Palestinian militants to breach Israel's heavily monitored and sealed-off border with Gaza. Reports indicated that infiltrators from Gaza entered Kibbutz Beeri and even took hostages in Netiv HaAsara, although official confirmation was pending.
Social media footage showed masked gunmen in a pickup truck driving through the streets of Sderot, an Israeli city, with the sound of gunfire in the background.
The militant attacks resulted in the death of one woman and injuries to at least 15 people in southern and lowland regions of Israel. The Magen David Adom rescue service provided updates on the casualties, urging people to follow instructions from authorities and seek protection during alarms.
The rocket strikes were not confined to the immediate border region; they reached as far north as Tel Aviv, east to Beer Sheva, and various locations in between. Footage from Ashkelon showed the aftermath of a rocket strike, with burning cars and billowing smoke.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant conducted security assessments at IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv in response to the escalating situation.
Gaza, one of the world's most densely populated areas, is home to almost 2 million people within a confined space of 140 square miles. It has been subject to an Israeli blockade since 2007, severely restricting civilian movement and goods importation, with Egypt controlling its southern border at Rafah.