Every time Israel strikes a Palestinian home without giving advance notice, the Islamist terrorist Hamas movement has threatened to kill an Israeli captive. At the same time, Israel has activated an unprecedented 300,000 reservists and established a siege on the Gaza Strip, fueling concerns that it is planning a ground invasion.
After a catastrophic weekend attack by Hamas, the carnage that has killed more than 1,500 lives sparked international statements of sympathy for Israel as well as pleas for a stop to the war and the protection of civilians.
Israeli TV stations reported that 900 Israelis had died as a result of the Hamas onslaught, along with at least 2,600 injuries and dozens of hostages. 260 Israelis, the majority of whom were young, were shot to death during a music festival in the desert, from where some of the people were taken as hostages.
In a ferocious speech, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged vengeance and accused Hamas—which is backed by Iran—of killing children who were tied up and other horrors. “This vile enemy wanted war and it will get war,” he declared.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, since Saturday, Israeli airstrikes on the blockaded region have resulted in at least 687 Palestinian deaths and 3,726 injuries. According to media sources and eyewitnesses, the strikes also destroyed some roads and homes, as well as apartment buildings, a mosque, and hospitals.
Additionally, Israel struck the private Palestinian Telecommunication Co.’s headquarters, which may have an impact on landline, internet, and mobile phone services.
On Monday, the attacks persisted well into the night. According to the Israeli military, it attacked Hamas positions along Gaza’s coast as well as a weapons stockpile it claimed belonged to Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip.
The threat to kill Israelis among the scores of hostages taken as a result of the surprise attack on Saturday morning was made by Hamas spokesperson Abu Ubaida on Monday. According to him, Hamas will broadcast the execution of one Israeli detainee for each unannounced Israeli attack of a civilian home.
The Israeli military didn’t react to that danger right away. More than 100 persons, according to Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, were kidnapped by Hamas during the horrific cross-border assault over the weekend.
Israeli security personnel reportedly called and left voice messages on Palestinians’ cell phones asking people to avoid certain areas, mostly in the northern and eastern parts of Gaza, because the army would be operating there.
In Gaza City’s Remal neighbourhood, dozens of residents left their houses. Overnight, sirens blared in Israeli neighbourhoods close to the Gaza border as a warning of impending rocket fire.
“We took ourselves, children and grandchildren and daughters-in-law and we ran away. I can say that we became refugees. We don’t have safety or security. What’s this life? This is not a life,” resident Salah Hanouneh, 73, said.
Rear-Admiral Daniel Hagari, the chief military spokesman, said, “We have never drafted so many reservists on such a scale. We are going on the offensive.”
Washington, which gives Israel $3.8 billion in military aid annually, announced that it was supplying Israel with new ammunition, air defence systems, and other security equipment.
The top general of the United States urged Iran to stay out of the conflict and declared that he did not want it to get any worse. Iran openly supports Hamas and has praised the weekend attack while simultaneously denying any connection.
Israel’s top military spokesman reported that troops had regained control of overrun areas in the south of the country where the Hamas attack took place, but scattered battles persisted as some militants continued to be active.
The news that 300,000 reservists had been called up in just two days increased rumours that Israel would be considering a ground invasion of Gaza, a region it abandoned nearly a decade ago.
