Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, and Israel responded with airstrikes. At least 198 Palestinians and 250 Israelis have been killed, and more than 1100 have been injured.
Hamas has taken hostages and prisoners of war, according to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spokesperson, Brigadier General Daniel Hagari.
Israel Defence forces have Destroyed “Palestine Tower” in the Gaza Strip which was a 14-Story Building being used by Hamas for Weapons Storage and Planning Operations pic.twitter.com/SQDQ5juZqQ
— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) October 7, 2023
Hamas says it fired thousands of rockets and captured “a big number” of Israelis after its fighters crossed into Israel from the Gaza Strip.
The armed branch of the Palestinian resistance organization Hamas – known as the Al-Qassam Brigades – stated on Saturday that they are continuing with their planned “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood” to hold Israel responsible for its acts of aggression.
Media coverage: “New scenes show Palestinian resistance fighters from the Gaza Strip entering Israeli colonies and towns in the 1948-occupied Palestine as the Palestinian resistance in Gaza announced the start of the “Al-Aqsa Flood” operation against Israeli occupation, today.” pic.twitter.com/LjffXaMcIQ
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) October 7, 2023
Hamas says it is fighting to protect Al-Aqsa Mosque and to stop the settler violence.
Israel says Hamas started the conflict and that it will continue attacking until Hamas is “degraded”.
The operation comes after thousands of settlers in recent days carried out provocative tours of the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem during the Jewish holiday of Sukkot.
