The death toll in Israel resulting from the Hamas rocket assault has climbed to 40, according to a report by The Times of Israel on Saturday, citing information from the Magen David Adom emergency service. Alongside this tragic loss of life, over 700 individuals have sustained injuries, as reported by the Health Ministry, which has recorded 779 people hospitalized.
This surge in casualties follows a barrage of rockets that struck southern and central Israel in what Hamas described as a “surprise attack” on Saturday morning. According to reports from the Times of Israel, terror cells affiliated with Hamas managed to infiltrate several communities in the southern region of the country.
Hamas has also asserted that it has captured five IDF soldiers; however, the IDF has not yet commented on this claim. Mohammed Deif, the commander of Hamas’s military wing, has called for an all-out assault on Israel, as reported by the Jerusalem Post.
In response to the “surprise attack,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement declaring that Israel is “at war.” He emphasized that this is not merely an operation or a series of engagements but a state of war. Netanyahu further outlined immediate actions to clear out infiltrated communities.
Meanwhile, global leaders have expressed condemnation for the heinous attack carried out by Hamas terrorists on Israel. In light of the infiltration by Hamas fighters and missile attacks from Gaza, Israel has declared a state of war within its borders.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have launched “Operation Iron Swords” in response to Hamas’s assault, with IDF forces targeting Hamas positions in Gaza. The IDF is currently engaged in combating Hamas militants in various locations in southern Israel along the Gaza Strip border, including the towns of Kfar Aza, Sderot, Sufa, Nahal Oz, Magen, Be’eri, and the Re’im military base, according to The Times of Israel.
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