Israel, reeling from the deadliest attack on its territory, declared war on Hamas Sunday as the conflict’s death toll surged above 1,100 after the Palestinian militant group launched a surprise assault from Gaza.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu steeled the nation for a “long and difficult” war a day after Hamas fired a barrage of thousands of rockets at Israel and sent a wave of fighters who gunned down civilians and took at least 100 hostages.
More than 700 Israelis have been killed since Hamas launched its large-scale attack, according to the latest toll from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Monday — the country’s worst losses since the 1973 Arab-Israeli war.
“Israel was caught flat-footed by the unprecedented attack,” said Jonathan Panikoff, director of the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative. “I’ve heard multiple comparisons to 9/11, and many Israelis are struggling to understand how this could have happened.”
Gaza officials reported at least 413 deaths in the impoverished and blockaded enclave of 2.3 million people, which was hammered by Israeli air strikes on 800 targets ahead of what many feared may be a looming ground invasion.
US President Joe Biden ordered “additional support for Israel in the face of this unprecedented terrorist assault by Hamas”.বিস্তারিত