NEWS DIGEST– Hamas, a Palestinian armed group, has launched a significant attack against Israel code-named “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.” It is the most serious escalation since Israel and Hamas fought a bitter 11-day war in 2021.
According to Hamas, they fired 5,000 rockets, while Israel confirmed that the group’s fighters entered their territory. The first round of rockets was fired at 06:30 am local time (03:30 GMT).
The Israeli army has responded with “Operation Iron Swords” against the Hamas group in the Gaza Strip. The early morning strikes took place on Simchat Torah, a Jewish holiday that falls towards the end of the week-long festival of Sukkot, also called the Feast of Tabernacles. Rockets were also fired as far north as Tel Aviv, and Hamas also sent fighters into southern Israel.
READ ALSO: Israel shuts down 7 Palestinian NGOs in West Bank
Read Also:
There have been reports that gunmen opened fire on passers-by in the town of Sderot, and videos circulating on social media show clashes in city streets, as well as gunmen in jeeps roaming the countryside. Israel’s army confirmed that it is fighting Gaza militants who entered Israel by land, sea, and air, using paragliders on Saturday, after a barrage of rockets was fired at Israel from the Palestinian enclave.
Army spokesman Richard Hecht told reporters, “It was a combined ground raid that happened through paragliders, through the sea, and through the ground. Right now we’re fighting. We’re fighting in certain locations around the Gaza Strip… our forces are now fighting on the ground in Israel.”
READ ALSO: Israel launches attacks on Syria in response to rocket fire amid Easter celebration
Hecht confirmed that there were casualties, but he would not discuss details or reports of multiple Israelis captured by Palestinian militants.
It is expected that thousands of military reservists will be drafted for Gaza, as well as for northern Israel, near foes Lebanon and Syria, and the occupied West Bank. Hecht said, “We’re looking at all arenas… we understand this is something big.”
With the escalation of conflict, many people are inevitably caught in the crossfire, and both sides will endure significant hardships in the coming days. It remains unclear at this point how the conflict will end and whose side will come out on top.
