SRINAGAR: It is almost a war in Middle East. Hours after the Hamas militia barged into Israel territory, the Tel Aviv has launched one of the fiercest aerial attacks and the high-rise buildings are roof- knocked and it is being telecast world over.
Reports appearing in international media suggest almost 200 Palestinians are killed and in Israel nearly 100 people are slain. Both sides have claimed a number of injured and many captures. Gaza Health Ministry has put the deaths at 198 as more than 1,600 are wounded.
In retaliation to Operation Al-Aqsa Flood by Hamas, Israel has initiated Operation Iron Swords in Gaza.
“Israel’s national rescue service says the death toll has risen to 70 in the Hamas militant group’s incursion in southern Israel, making it the deadliest attack in Israel in years,” CBS News reported. “The Israeli military confirmed Saturday that Hamas militants are holding Israeli civilians and soldiers hostage in Gaza. The military did not say how many hostages were seized, but their capture marks a major escalation in the fighting. Six hours after the invasion began; Hamas militants were still fighting gun battles inside several Israeli communities in a surprising show of strength that shook the country. Civilians in the southern and central regions of the country have been warned to shelter in place.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country is in a state of war, and his army’s priority is to “clear out the hostile forces”. Tel Aviv declared a “state of readiness” for war after Hamas fired an intense barrage of rockets early Saturday toward Israel. Reports said not all the rockets hit the target as Israel’s Iron Dome defense system intercepted many.
“Israeli media reported Palestinian fighters opened fire on passers-by in the town of Sderot, in southern Israel, and footage circulating on social media appeared to show uniformed Palestinians engaged in clashes in the border area,” al-Jazeera reported. “Another video on social media appeared to show a burning Israeli tank surrounded by jubilant Palestinians.”
“Hours after the incursion began, Israeli troops were still fighting Hamas gunmen in 22 locations near the Gaza Strip, including towns and other communities, army spokesman Daniel Hagari said — a startling sign of the breadth of the assault, Associated Press reported from Jerusalem, claiming almost 100 Israeli people were killed so far. “An unknown number of Israeli soldiers and civilians were also seized and taken into Gaza, an enormously sensitive issue for Israel. Hagari said militants were holding hostages in standoffs in two towns, Beeri and Ofakim, which is 15 miles (24 kilometers) from the Gaza border.”
Gaza Strip is one of the dense population areas on earth. More than 22 lakh people live in a 41-km long strip that has barely 10 km width.
The attack was initiated by Hamas during wee hours on Saturday. They barged into the Israeli side in good numbers and began gun battles under the cover of rocket fire from the strip. While Hamas claimed “5,000 rockets and shells were fired from Gaza towards Israel in the first 20 minutes of operation,” Israeli army confirmed “about 2,200 rockets.” Later in the afternoon, the social media was flooded with clips and images showing the intruding Hamas militants engaged in gun battles within Israel.
The United Nations, US, UK and many other countries have condemned the Hamas attack saying it has the potential of escalating tension. Egypt and Saudi Arabia called for an immediate halt to the ongoing clashes between the two forces.
“The Kingdom is closely following developments in the unprecedented situation between a number of Palestinian factions and the Israeli occupation forces, which has resulted in a high level of violence taking place on a number of fronts there,” the Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement, according to the official news agency, SPA. It called for “an immediate halt to the escalation between the two sides, the protection of civilians, and the exercise of restraint.”
Egypt has well established diplomatic relations with Israel and Saudi Arabia is in the process of mending the fence.
The escalation followed within a day after Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir reiterated on Friday that the life of Israeli settlers is more important than the movement of Palestinians. He was commenting on the Israeli army closure of Palestinian shops in Huwara town, northern West Bank, following an attack by a Palestinian against a settler’s car on Thursday.
“Our lives come before the freedom of movement (and trade) of the ‘Palestinians’. We will continue to tell this truth and work towards its realisation,” he was quoted as having said.
The Saturday escalations are said to be grave by all standards. Till the escalation started, 230 Palestinians had been killed in Israeli fire since January 2023, even as 35 Israelis were killed in Palestinian attacks during the same period, the highest Israeli toll since 2005.
While the Israel army has launched massive retaliation, it continues to investigate, how the apparently impregnable border was compromised. “Hamas fighters used explosives to break through the border fence enclosing the long-blockaded Mediterranean territory, then crossed with motorcycles, pickup trucks, paragliders and speed boats on the coast,” the AP reported.
