’Israel at War’ as Militants Kill 22, Injure Hundreds and Kidnap Troops, PM says
By Worthy News’ George Whitten and Stefan J. Bos
JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel “is at war” after Palestinian militants entered the Jewish nation from Gaza, killing 22 Israelis, injuring hundreds, and kidnapping soldiers and civilians in a massive surprise attack on the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur war.
In what critics say will be remembered as an intelligence failure for the ages, Gaza militants broke through the border fence into southern Israel, surprising local military positions after firing thousands of rockets in devastating strikes on Israel.
Gunmen kidnapped and murdered Israelis in the southern border communities, filming their assault as they advanced in numerous locations. In one instance, a Gaza television journalist delivered a stand-up report about one attack from inside Israel, an almost unthinkable moment, reporters said.
Observers did not exclude that fighters from Hezbollah in neighboring Lebanon, which congratulated Hamas, would join the fight against Israel that both terror groups have pledged to destroy. That would mean Israel being attacked from two different territories.
Elsewhere in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry said it is “closely following developments” and called for an immediate halt to the escalation. The Saudi ministry repeated warnings about what it called Israel’s “occupation” and reiterated a call for a credible peace process.
With Israel being confronted on several fronts in the worst armed conflict in years, Israel hit back as Israel’s defense forces scrambled fighter jets, striking 17 military compounds and four operational command centers belonging to Hamas in Gaza, officials said.
Netanyahu made clear that the Iran-backed Hamas committed a “grave mistake” after Saturday’s latest attacks and thousands of rockets reigning down on Israel, including even in Jerusalem, overnight, and in previous days.
GUN BATTLES REPORTED
He spoke as reports of gun battles emerged in towns in southern Israel. Israel’s government said Hamas had declared war on the Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest, as Israel’s army was now fighting with militants in several Israeli cities and military bases near Gaza, and Netanyahu vowed to retaliate.
Yet saying “enough is enough,” the leader of Hamas’ military wing, Mohammed Deif, defended the attacks in Israel and said his group launched a new military offensive called ‘Operation Al-Aqsa Storm.’
He said 5,000 rockets were fired on Israel Saturday, while Israeli authorities put the number at 2,000.
The day began when a deadly barrage of rockets fired from Gaza slammed into southern and central Israel on Saturday morning, including in Jerusalem, where sirens wailed at around 8:15 a.m. local time.
At least one rocket fired from Gaza directly hit a building in the Gederot Regional Council, killing a woman in her 60s, according to rescue agency Magen David Adom, quoted by Israeli media. But soon, the death toll kept rising, and some 550 Israelis were reported injured, overflowing hospitals.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) made clear that a counter-offensive was underway from Israel in and towards Gaza.
“The IDF declares a state of readiness for war,” the army said in a statement. “There has been widespread rocket fire into Israeli territory from Gaza, and terrorists have infiltrated Israeli territory through various entry points.”
MILLIONS ORDERED INDOORS
The IDF ordered millions to stay indoors near bombing shelters. “Residents in the south and center of the country are required to be in close proximity to protected areas, and those in the Gaza periphery should remain within a secure space.”
The announcement came as Worthy News obtained footage showing several cars on fire near an apartment complex in the coastal city of Ashkelon on the Mediterranean coast, 50 kilometers (30 miles) south of Tel Aviv.
Other footage showed clouds illuminated by apparently incoming rockets towards Tel Aviv on Saturday.
The sound of outgoing rockets whooshing through the air could be heard in Gaza, and sirens wailed as far away as Tel Aviv, some 70 kilometers (40 miles) to the north, witnesses said.
The early morning barrage lasted more than 30 minutes, according to several sources.
Despite the massive attacks and reports of Israeli hostages now in Gaza, Netanyahu tried to encourage his nation. “We are at war, and we will win it,” Netanyahu said in a video address to the country.
(This is a rapidly developing BREAKING NEWS update; stay with Worthy News for more details).
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