Israel-Hamas conflict: Death toll surpasses 400 in Israeli territories
Tel Aviv, October 8: The death toll in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has risen to over 400 and continues to climb, as reported by the Times of Israel on Sunday. Among the casualties, dozens of soldiers and police officers were killed in the attacks.
Additionally, the Israeli-based media outlet stated that more than 2,048 individuals injured in this deadly offensive are currently receiving treatment in hospitals, with 20 in critical condition and 330 seriously wounded.
Over 24 hours after Hamas initiated rocket attacks followed by an unprecedented ground assault, clashes between Israeli forces and terrorists were still underway in Kfar Aza, near the Gaza border. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) were actively working to neutralize any remaining terrorists, according to The Times of Israel.
In a significant escalation on Saturday, Hamas launched a "surprise attack" on Israel, firing a barrage of rockets into southern and central regions of the country. The toll from the rocket attacks and ground assault by Hamas surpassed 300 on Sunday, with an additional 1,864 individuals reported as injured.
According to reports, several Israelis were taken hostage in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a stern warning to Hamas, declaring that a grave war had begun and that the IDF would use all its strength to undermine their capabilities.
"Hamas forces invaded Israeli territory this morning, on a holiday and Shabbat morning, and killed innocent civilians, including children and the elderly. Hamas has initiated a cruel and evil war. We will prevail in this war, but the cost is too heavy to bear. This is an extremely difficult day for all of us," the Israeli PM stated on 'X' on Sunday.
Netanyahu emphasized, "Hamas seeks to murder us all. They are an enemy that kills children and mothers in their homes, in their beds. An enemy that kidnaps the elderly, children, and girls. Murderers who assault and slaughter our citizens, including our children, who went out to celebrate the holiday." He vowed to ensure such events do not recur in Israel.
Earlier on Sunday, the IDF announced that Israeli fighter jets had targeted a military facility at the residence of Hamas' intelligence chief in Gaza. Providing an update on the ongoing counter-offensive on the social media platform 'X', the IDF posted a video and stated, "Fighter jets recently struck a military infrastructure at the residence of the head of Hamas' intelligence department."
"At present, the IDF continues its operations throughout the Gaza Strip," the IDF added in its post.
The attack, which commenced at 6:30 am local time (03:30 GMT) on Saturday, involved Hamas fighters infiltrating Israel via land, sea, and air. In response to the attacks, Israel's military conducted a series of air raids on Gaza.
Senior Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif declared that these attacks marked the beginning of "Operation Al-Aqsa Flood" and urged Palestinians worldwide to resist Israeli occupation. The Israeli military warned citizens residing near the Gaza Strip that Hamas would pay a "heavy price for its actions" and instructed them to remain indoors.
Significantly, Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, referred to Saturday's attack on Israel as an effort "in defense of the Al-Aqsa Mosque," a disputed religious site of significance to both Muslims and Jews.
- With inputs from agencies
