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| Version 8 | Version 9 |
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| Israel: Gunmen from Gaza kill at least 22 in major attack | Israel: Gunmen from Gaza kill at least 22 in major attack |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Watch: Rockets launched from Gaza streak across sky | Watch: Rockets launched from Gaza streak across sky |
| Watch: Rockets launched from Gaza streak across sky | Watch: Rockets launched from Gaza streak across sky |
| At least 22 people have been killed in Israel after a major surprise attack with militants crossing into Israel from Gaza during heavy rocket fire. | At least 22 people have been killed in Israel after a major surprise attack with militants crossing into Israel from Gaza during heavy rocket fire. |
| There are unconfirmed reports that a number of Israelis have been taken back to Gaza as hostages. | |
| Israel has launched waves of air strikes on targets in Gaza in response. | Israel has launched waves of air strikes on targets in Gaza in response. |
| Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is "at war" and vowed that Hamas, Gaza's rulers, will "pay a price it has never known". | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is "at war" and vowed that Hamas, Gaza's rulers, will "pay a price it has never known". |
| "This morning Hamas launched a murderous surprise attack against the state of Israel and its citizens," he said in a video address. | |
| The unprecedented attack saw Palestinian militants cross the perimeter fence just after dawn, as barrages of rockets were launched from Gaza. | |
| How the gunmen managed to penetrate one of the most heavily fortified borders in the world is unclear. | |
| The Israeli military has said that 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. | |
| At least two Palestinians have been killed in the strikes, local health officials say. | |
| The rocket barrages from Gaza began just after dawn on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath and the day of the festival of Simchat Torah. | The rocket barrages from Gaza began just after dawn on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath and the day of the festival of Simchat Torah. |
| As sirens sounded across Israel, the IDF announced that "terrorists" had infiltrated Israeli territory "in a number of different locations". | As sirens sounded across Israel, the IDF announced that "terrorists" had infiltrated Israeli territory "in a number of different locations". |
| It told civilians in southern and central areas to stay next to shelters, and inside shelters in the area surrounding Gaza. | It told civilians in southern and central areas to stay next to shelters, and inside shelters in the area surrounding Gaza. |
| Footage posted online appeared to show a group of heavily armed Palestinian militants dressed in black fatigues driving around Sderot in a pick-up truck. | Footage posted online appeared to show a group of heavily armed Palestinian militants dressed in black fatigues driving around Sderot in a pick-up truck. |
| In one video, the same militants seemed to be exchanging fire with Israeli forces on the streets of the town, which is only 1.6km (1 mile) from Gaza. | In one video, the same militants seemed to be exchanging fire with Israeli forces on the streets of the town, which is only 1.6km (1 mile) from Gaza. |
| There are also unconfirmed reports in the Palestinian media that a number of Israelis have been taken hostage by militants. | |
| Footage is also circulating of Palestinians in Gaza driving Israeli military vehicles. | |
| Palestinians gathered near an Israeli tank that was set alight on the Israel-Gaza perimeter fence | Palestinians gathered near an Israeli tank that was set alight on the Israel-Gaza perimeter fence |
| Some 545 Israelis have been wounded in the Hamas attacks, Israel's health ministry says. | Some 545 Israelis have been wounded in the Hamas attacks, Israel's health ministry says. |
| 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 rocket barrages meanwhile continued throughout Saturday morning, with thousands of projectiles launched towards Israel. | |
| Hospitals in the southern city of Ashkelon and central city of Beer Sheva are treating casualties. | Hospitals in the southern city of Ashkelon and central city of Beer Sheva are treating casualties. |
| "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 system, first of all I instructed to cleanse the settlements of the terrorists who had infiltrated - this operation is being carried out during these hours." | "I convened the heads of the security system, first of all I instructed to cleanse the settlements of the terrorists who had infiltrated - this operation is being carried out during these hours." |
| "At the same time, I ordered an extensive reserve mobilisation and a retaliatory war with a strength and scope that the enemy has never known." | "At the same time, I ordered an extensive reserve mobilisation and a retaliatory war with a strength and scope that the enemy has never known." |
| A senior Hamas military commander announced the start of the operation in a broadcast on Hamas media, calling on Palestinians everywhere to fight. | A senior Hamas military commander announced the start of the operation in a broadcast on Hamas media, calling on Palestinians everywhere to fight. |
| "This is the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on Earth," Mohammed Deif said. | "This is the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on Earth," Mohammed Deif said. |
| Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas chaired an emergency meeting, and has defended the right of the Palestinian people 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. | |
| Residents say they do not remember a situation like this for a long time, while streets in the capital Tel Aviv have been locked down and the streets are empty. | |
| 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" and "the UK will always support Israel's right to defend itself". | |
| European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the attack as "terrorism in its most despicable form" while the United States condemned the violence and urged both sides to refrain from retaliating. | |
| Iran has backed the Palestinian attack, saying it congratulated the fighters. | |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Israel | Israel |
| Gaza | Gaza |