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Israel attack: PM says Israel at war after 150 killed in attack from Gaza Israel attack: PM says Israel at war after 250 killed in attack from Gaza
(about 2 hours later)
Watch: Massive explosion as Gaza high-rises destroyed by jetsWatch: Massive explosion as Gaza high-rises destroyed by jets
Watch: Massive explosion as Gaza high-rises destroyed by jetsWatch: Massive explosion as Gaza high-rises destroyed by jets
At least 150 people are reported killed and 1,100 wounded in Israel after the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched its biggest attack in years. At least 250 people are reported killed and 1,500 wounded in Israel after the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched its biggest attack in years.
Dozens of gunmen from Gaza infiltrated southern Israeli communities after dawn under the cover of heavy rocket fire.Dozens of gunmen from Gaza infiltrated southern Israeli communities after dawn under the cover of heavy rocket fire.
They have taken both Israeli soldiers and civilians hostage, and some have been brought back to Gaza.They have taken both Israeli soldiers and civilians hostage, and some have been brought back to Gaza.
Israel has responded with a wave of air strikes on Gaza that have killed 232 people and wounded 1,600, medics say.Israel has responded with a wave of air strikes on Gaza that have killed 232 people and wounded 1,600, medics say.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was "at war" and vowed that Hamas, which rules Gaza, would "pay an unprecedented price". Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was "at war" and vowed that Hamas, which rules Gaza, would "pay an unprecedented price".
The Israeli military has mobilised tens of thousands of reservists and is now expected to launch a ground operation in Gaza.The Israeli military has mobilised tens of thousands of reservists and is now expected to launch a ground operation in Gaza.
Meanwhile, fighting is continuing with militants who still hold pockets of southern Israel. Barrages of rockets are also being fired at Israeli cities and towns, with Tel Aviv and Rishon Lezion among those hit in the evening.
LIVE updates: Israel launches major strikes in Gaza after surprise Palestinian attackLIVE updates: Israel launches major strikes in Gaza after surprise Palestinian attack
How shock Hamas attack unfolded - and what comes next
'I have literally never been this frightened''I have literally never been this frightened'
How did Israeli intelligence fail to stop major attack? Israel's nightmare scenario - armed Palestinian militants at large in the south of the country - began early on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath and the day of the festival of Simchat Torah.
This is one of the most serious escalations in the Israel-Palestinian conflict in years. It is believed that dozens of gunmen crossed into Israeli territory in a number of different locations. Some cut through the perimeter fence from Gaza and others entered by sea.
The attack by Hamas saw fighters cross the perimeter fence just after dawn. At the same time, barrages of rockets were launched from Gaza - some reaching as far as the cities of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. How they managed to penetrate one of the most heavily fortified borders in the world is unclear.
How the gunmen managed to penetrate one of the most heavily fortified borders in the world is unclear. Videos shared on social media showed shooting as the militants arrived in Israeli villages and towns, including the town of Sderot, which is only 1.6km (1 mile) from Gaza.
The Israeli military has said dozens of fighter jets are carrying out air strikes on Hamas sites in Gaza, and it has hit 17 Hamas military compounds. It also said it has mobilised tens of thousands of reservists.
Israeli bombs destroyed an 11-story tower in downtown Gaza City which houses Hamas radio stations in the rooftop.
Medical aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres said a nurse and an ambulance driver were killed in Israeli strikes on two hospitals in Gaza.
Reuters news agency reported Israel's energy minister, Israel Katz, as saying that Israel would cut off Gaza's electricity supply.
The rocket barrages from Gaza - the biggest attack by Hamas on Israel in years - began just after dawn on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath and the day of the festival of Simchat Torah.
As sirens sounded across Israel, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) announced that "terrorists" had infiltrated Israeli territory "in a number of different locations".
People in towns close to Gaza have been calling in to Israeli news stations saying they were trapped in their homes, as militants entered their towns and villages.
In the town of Sderot, only 1.6km (1 mile) from Gaza, videos posted online appeared to show a group of heavily armed Palestinian militants driving around in a pick-up truck and exchanging fire with Israeli forces.
Watch: Video appears to show Palestinian gunmen in SderotWatch: Video appears to show Palestinian gunmen in Sderot
Watch: Video appears to show Palestinian gunmen in SderotWatch: Video appears to show Palestinian gunmen in Sderot
The BBC understands that dozens of hostages, both military and civilian, have been taken by Hamas - an unprecedented development. People in a number of communities called in to Israeli news stations, saying they were trapped in their homes or were taking cover elsewhere.
Some are thought to be being held in some of the small towns near the Gaza Strip, while others have been taken back into Gaza. "I went out, I saw loads of bodies of terrorists, civilians, cars shot up. A sea of bodies, inside Sderot along the road, other places, loads of bodies," Sderot resident Shlomi said.
Hamas claimed it has captured 53 "prisoners of war" including senior officers from Israel's army, and that many were being held in tunnels - which have been prime targets for Israel in previous wars. The leader of one regional council in southern Israel, Ofir Liebstein, was killed in an exchange of fire with militants when he went to defend his community.
A spokesperson for the IDF confirmed that "soldiers and civilians" had been abducted, and some soldiers had been killed - but denied reports that a top general has been kidnapped. Videos were also shown of Israelis being taken as hostages - an unprecedented development.
The IDF said they were fighting Hamas in 22 locations - and militants had also entered into Israel by sea, at Zikim on the coast just north of Gaza. Watch: Party-goers recall militant attack
Footage is also circulating of Palestinians driving Israeli military vehicles in Gaza. Watch: Party-goers recall militant attack
The BBC understands that militants are currently holding dozens of soldiers and civilians. Some are thought to be being held in some of the small Israeli border towns, while others have been taken back into Gaza.
Hamas claimed that it had captured 53 "prisoners of war" including senior officers, and that many were being held in tunnels - which have been prime targets for the Israeli military in previous conflicts with militants in Gaza.
An Israeli military spokesman confirmed that "soldiers and civilians" had been abducted, and some soldiers had been killed - but denied reports that a top general had been kidnapped.
Videos were also circulated of Palestinians driving captured Israeli military vehicles in Gaza.
At the same time as the infiltration, militants in Gaza began launching thousands of rockets towards Israel, reaching as far as the cities of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
Some rockets evaded Israel's Iron Dome missile defence system and damaged residential buildings and vehicles.
Residents said they did not remember a situation like this for a long time, with streets in Tel Aviv locked down and empty.
"There is a heavy feeling of surprise, of shock and of fear from what is still expected to happen," English author and journalist Gideon Levy told the BBC. "When the first rockets fell, I was still jogging in the park, the noise was terrible."
Watch: Video purportedly shows captured Israeli tank in GazaWatch: Video purportedly shows captured Israeli tank in Gaza
Watch: Video purportedly shows captured Israeli tank in GazaWatch: Video purportedly shows captured Israeli tank in Gaza
Israeli media cited the Israeli health ministry as confirming that 150 people had been killed in Israel and 1,104 others wounded. At a meeting of his security cabinet, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: "Our first objective is to clear out the hostile forces that infiltrated our territory and restore the security and quiet to the communities that have been attacked."
The rocket barrages continued throughout Saturday morning, with thousands of projectiles launched towards Israel. A new barrage of rocket strikes was launched in the evening, towards the central cities of Tel Aviv, Bat Yam and Giv'atayim. "The second objective, at the same time, is to exact an immense price from the enemy, within the Gaza Strip as well. The third objective is to reinforce other fronts so that nobody should mistakenly join this war."
Residents say they do not remember a situation like this for a long time, with streets in Tel Aviv locked down and empty. Bowen: Israel blindsided by most serious attack in a generation
"There is a heavy feeling of surprise, of shock and of fear from what is still expected to happen," English author and journalist Gideon Levy told the BBC. How did Israeli intelligence fail to stop major attack?
"When the first rockets fell, I was still jogging in the park, the noise was terrible." Dozens of Israeli warplanes and other aircraft have been carrying out strikes in Gaza in response to the attack, causing large explosions.
The leader of one regional council in southern Israel, Ofir Liebstein, was killed in an exchange of fire with militants when he went to defend his community. The Israeli military said it targeted 17 Hamas military compounds and four operational headquarters in the first few hours of what it called "Operation Iron Swords".
"Citizens of Israel, we are at war, not an operation, not an escalation, a war," Prime Minister Netanyahu said in a statement. "I convened the heads of the security establishment and ordered - first of all - to clear out the communities that have been infiltrated by terrorists. This currently is being carried out. Later, missiles destroyed the 11-storey Palestine Tower in downtown Gaza City, which houses Hamas radio stations in the rooftop.
"At the same time, I have ordered an extensive mobilization of reserves and that we return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known." The Israeli air force said it struck "military infrastructure in two multi-storey buildings used by senior Hamas terrorist operatives for carrying out terrorist activity", and that it had warned occupants to evacuate before the attack.
Israeli military drive on a road in southern Israel, as rockets are launched from the Gaza Strip Watch: Rockets launched from Gaza streak across sky
Mohammed Deif, a senior Hamas military commander, announced the start of the attack on Hamas media. "This is the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on Earth," he said, and called on Palestinians everywhere to fight. Watch: Rockets launched from Gaza streak across sky
Ismail Haniyeh, the leader-in-exile of Hamas, later claimed that Palestinian factions intended to expand the violence to the West Bank and Jerusalem. Medical aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres said a nurse and an ambulance driver were killed in Israeli strikes on two hospitals in Gaza.
Ghazi Hamad, a Hamas spokesman, told the BBC World Service that the group had direct backing for the attack from Iran. An adviser to Iran's supreme leader had earlier said the country would "stand by the Palestinian fighters until the liberation of Palestine and Jerusalem". As night fell, Israel's state-run electricity company also cut the power supply to Gaza. Gaza's power company said about 80% of the territory's electricity had been coming from Israel.
Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif called on Palestinians everywhere to join the group's operation.
"We have decided to put an end to these Israeli offences with God's help, so the enemy understands that the time of wreaking havoc without being held accountable is over," he said.
Ismail Haniyeh, the leader-in-exile of Hamas, claimed that Palestinian factions intended to expand the violence to the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem.
Ghazi Hamad, a Hamas spokesman, meanwhile told the BBC that the group had direct backing for the attack from Iran, which pledged to "stand by the Palestinian fighters until the liberation of Palestine and Jerusalem".
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas - a political rival of Hamas - said the Palestinian people had the right to defend themselves against the "terror of settlers and occupation troops".Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas - a political rival of Hamas - said the Palestinian people had the right to defend themselves against the "terror of settlers and occupation troops".
A major investigation has been launched as to how Israeli intelligence failed to see the well-coordinated Hamas attack coming, Israeli government officials have told the BBC There has been strong international condemnation of the Hamas attacks.
What is Hamas, and other questions President Joe Biden said the United States "unequivocally condemns this appalling assault against Israel by Hamas terrorists from Gaza" and that it stood ready to offer "all appropriate means of support" to Israel.
There has been strong international condemnation to the Hamas attacks, with UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly saying the UK "unequivocally condemns the horrific attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilians". UN Secretary General António Guterres said he was "appalled by reports that civilians have been attacked and abducted from their own homes".
Nato condemned the "terrorist attacks" by Hamas against Israel, while the UN secretary general said he was "appalled by reports that civilians have been attacked and abducted from their own homes". The UK's Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, said it "unequivocally condemns the horrific attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilians".
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described it as "terrorism in its most despicable form" - while the US said it "unequivocally condemns the unprovoked attacks" and "there is never any justification for terrorism".
Qatar's foreign ministry said Israel alone was responsible for the ongoing escalation of violence.Qatar's foreign ministry said Israel alone was responsible for the ongoing escalation of violence.
Additional reporting by Francesca Gillett.Additional reporting by Francesca Gillett.
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