An Israeli airstrike demolishes a building in Gaza
The death toll from the “war” between Hamas and Israel that commenced over the weekend crossed 1,000 early on Monday, including over 700 Israelis and 400 Gazans.
According to the Israel Defense Forces, over 700 Israelis have been killed since Hamas launched a large-scale assault that included gunbattles, a barrage of rockets, and infiltrations into towns in south Israel. Gaza officials, meanwhile, said least 413 people were killed in the Gaza Strip after Israel targeted 800 targets, including homes and apartment complexes, in retaliatory airstrikes.
Since the weekend assault, described as a monumental intelligence failure by Israel, troops have fought to regain control of the region around the Gaza Strip and evacuate settlers living along the border. While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had initially vowed to ensure the enemy paid “a price the type of which it has never known,” on Sunday he warned citizens to prepare for a “long and difficult” conflict.
In response to Saturday’s assault, Israel claims to have amassed 100,000 reserve troops near Gaza to participate in the ongoing conflict. “The enemy is still on the ground,” military spokesman Daniel Hagari said on Sunday night. According to Israel, at least 100 citizens have been taken hostage by Hamas fighters and shifted to Gaza. This is a common practice of Hamas, which uses such hostages to secure the release of Palestinians who have been detained by Israel.
Reacting to the assault, U.S. President Joe Biden “pledged his full support for the government and people of Israel in the face of an unprecedented and appalling assault by Hamas terrorists.” According to the White House, he has ordered U.S. ships and warplanes to move closer to Israel in a show of support. Washington has also announced fresh military for Israel.
According to the White House statement, “several” American citizens have been killed in the violence. Officials said many more might have been taken hostage, but there has been no independent confirmation of this.
Hamas, in a statement, has accused the United States of “actual participation in the aggression against our people” by moving the aircraft carrier. The group has termed its assault “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood” and called on “resistance fighters in the West Bank” and “Arab and Islamic nations” to join the battle. Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh has predicted “victory” and vowed to press ahead with “the battle to liberate our land and our prisoners languishing in occupation prisons.”
The assault has been heavily criticized by Western nations, who have mostly expressed support for Israel, but the country’s opponents, including Iran, have come out in favor of Palestine. Throughout the weekend, demonstrators have take out rallies—either in support of Israel or Palestine. A call from the U.S. for a unanimous condemnation of the assault by the U.N. Security Council, meanwhile, failed to make significant headway.
The Hamas attack came 50 years after the outbreak of the 1973 conflict, the Yom Kippur War.