Israel – Palestine War: 700 Jews Killed
Israel – Palestine War: 700 Jews Killed: Invasion by hundreds of Palestinian terrorists from Hamas and Islamic Jihad resulted in at least 700 Israeli deaths and at least 1,000 injuries. There are many women and children among the civilian Israeli casualties.
The terrorists have also kidnapped and dragged back into Gaza more than 30 Israeli citizens as hostages. Along with American citizens, other hostages include Jewish women, children, and the elderly.
Along Israel’s northern border, Iranian-backed Hezbollah also joined the war, firing dozens of rockets and shells into Israel. But that battlefront appears to have subsided as Israel focuses heavily on Gaza which is the headquarters of the Iranian-backed Hamas terrorist group.
“Israel is at war,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced after Israelis woke up under attack by air, land, and sea on Saturday, their Sabbath.
Israelis fled for bomb shelters early on Saturday as thousands of rockets fired from the Gaza Strip toward Israel attempted to batter the Jewish state. Terrorists from Gaza had fired almost 3,000 missiles towards Israel by evening. A coordinated offensive that included truckloads of armed terrorists crossing the border into southern Israel by land, paragliders crossing by air, and others crossing by sea took place at the same time.
“Citizens of Israel, we are at war, not in an operation or in rounds, but at war. This morning, Hamas launched a murderous surprise attack against the State of Israel and its citizens. We have been in this since the early morning hours,” Netanyahu told his nation.
“I convened the heads of the security establishment and ordered – first of all – to clear out the communities that have been infiltrated by terrorists. This currently is being carried out,” he said. “At the same time, I have ordered an extensive mobilization of reserves and that we return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known. The enemy will pay an unprecedented price,” he added.
“We are at war and we will win it.”
Some areas were reported to have fallen under complete control of Hamas. By evening, the IDF was still fighting terrorists in 22 locations inside Israel.
From about 6:30 a.m., sirens blared first in southern Israel around the Gaza Strip and then in the Negev Desert, Tel Aviv area cities, and Jerusalem.
By Israel’s Iron Dome anti-rocket system, many of the rockets were deflected. Rockets, however, have reportedly fallen within of populated areas. Israeli state-run television channel KAN highlighted unsubstantiated allegations of soldiers being abducted and brought into Gaza.
Media reports said dozens, dead or alive is unknown, had been taken hostage and carried into Gaza.