Worst day in Israeli history, says IDF, as more than 1,100 dead in Israel and Gaza
[ad_1]
srael has suffered “the worst massacre of innocent civilians in Israel’s history”, the country’s defence force has said, as the death toll across Israel and Gaza tops 1,100.
Fighting continued in several locations on Monday after Israel formally declared war against Hamas on Sunday, following the surprise attack a day earlier.
Israeli military said it struck hundreds of Hamas and Islamic Jihad targets in the Gaza Strip overnight on Sunday after 700 Israelis were killed by gunmen from Islamist group Hamas and dozens more were abducted.
It has been described as the deadliest raid into Israeli territory since Egypt and Syria’s attacks in the Yom Kippur war 50 years ago.
Israeli air strikes on Sunday hit housing blocks, tunnels, a mosque and homes of Hamas officials in Gaza. The Palestinian health ministry said more than 400 people including scores of children had been killed.
The Palestinian foreign ministry denounced what it called a “barbarous campaign of death and destruction” by Israel.
Live updates
260 bodies recovered from Israeli music festival
More than 260 bodies have been recovered from a music festival in southern Israel after a Hamas attack.
The bodies were recovered from the site of the Supernova festival, held in the desert in southern Israel to coincide with the Jewish festival of Sukkot.
One of the partygoers Ortel said sirens went off at around dawn, warning of rockets, before gunmen opened fire “in every direction”.
Read more here.
Pictured: Residents inspect damage in Israel
Israeli residents inspected damage to their building in the southern city of Ashkelon on Monday after it was hit during the night by a rocket from the Gaza Strip.
‘We will make sure that Hamas cannot govern the Gaza Strip’
Israeli military has said it will aim to end Hamas’ rule of Gaza.
“Our task is to make sure that Hamas will no longer have any military capabilities to threaten Israel with this,” said spokesperson Jonathan Conricus in a video tweeted by Israel’s military on Monday.
He added: “We will make sure that Hamas is no longer able to govern the Gaza Strip.”
It comes after the Israeli military estimated 1,000 Hamas fighters took part in Saturday’s initial surprise attack.
What happened overnight?
- Israeli military says fighting continues in at least seven locations near Gaza and Hamas fighters continue to cross into Israel on Monday
- Israel has called in around 100,000 soldiers, a military spokesperson said
- Fighter jets, helicopters and artillery struck over 500 Hamas and Islamic Jihad targets in the Gaza Strip overnight on Sunday
- Oil prices were up on Monday as the violence deepened and raised concerns about supplies from Iran
- Several international air carriers have suspended flight services with Tel Aviv in light of the Hamas attack
- In southern Israel, Hamas gunmen are still fighting Israeli security forces
[ad_2]
