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| Netanyahu warns of ‘long and difficult war’ after surprise Hamas attack on Israel | Netanyahu warns of ‘long and difficult war’ after surprise Hamas attack on Israel |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Israel warns Gaza residents to ‘get out now’ and says it will stop supplying electricity, fuel and goods, vowing unprecedented retaliation | Israel warns Gaza residents to ‘get out now’ and says it will stop supplying electricity, fuel and goods, vowing unprecedented retaliation |
| Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has said the country is embarking on a “long and difficult war” after a surprise attack by Palestinian militants from the blockaded Gaza Strip led to hundreds of deaths, the seizure of dozens of Israeli hostages, and sparked fears of a regional escalation. | Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has said the country is embarking on a “long and difficult war” after a surprise attack by Palestinian militants from the blockaded Gaza Strip led to hundreds of deaths, the seizure of dozens of Israeli hostages, and sparked fears of a regional escalation. |
| According to some media reports, as many as 100 Israeli citizens, including women and children, may have been abducted. | According to some media reports, as many as 100 Israeli citizens, including women and children, may have been abducted. |
| On Sunday morning, as Israelis struggled to comprehend the scale of Saturday’s attack, the possibility of a ground invasion into Gaza and wider conflagration with Hezbollah in Lebanon loomed large. Israel announced it had ordered the evacuation of communities bordering Gaza. | On Sunday morning, as Israelis struggled to comprehend the scale of Saturday’s attack, the possibility of a ground invasion into Gaza and wider conflagration with Hezbollah in Lebanon loomed large. Israel announced it had ordered the evacuation of communities bordering Gaza. |
| Despite the announcement of war by Netanyahu and a call-up of thousands of reservists, Israel’s war aims remained unclear on Sunday, including whether it would seek to remove Hamas from power in Gaza and how long any operation might last. | Despite the announcement of war by Netanyahu and a call-up of thousands of reservists, Israel’s war aims remained unclear on Sunday, including whether it would seek to remove Hamas from power in Gaza and how long any operation might last. |
| While the Israeli defence forces said they had retaken control of more than 20 locations attacked by the militant Islamist group, fighting was reported to be continuing in Kfar Aza where 10 Hamas gunmen were reported to be holed up. | While the Israeli defence forces said they had retaken control of more than 20 locations attacked by the militant Islamist group, fighting was reported to be continuing in Kfar Aza where 10 Hamas gunmen were reported to be holed up. |
| As the United Nations security council prepared to go into emergency session later on Sunday, and the UN secretary general, António Guterres, urged “maximum restraint”, the Iranian-backed armed group Hezbollah said it had fired rockets and artillery into northern Israel “in solidarity” with the Palestinian people. | As the United Nations security council prepared to go into emergency session later on Sunday, and the UN secretary general, António Guterres, urged “maximum restraint”, the Iranian-backed armed group Hezbollah said it had fired rockets and artillery into northern Israel “in solidarity” with the Palestinian people. |
| Israeli forces responded with artillery strikes into Lebanon and a drone attack on a Hezbollah post near the border, the military said. There were no reports of casualties. | Israeli forces responded with artillery strikes into Lebanon and a drone attack on a Hezbollah post near the border, the military said. There were no reports of casualties. |
| As the scale of the deaths and injuries on both sides from the first day of conflict became apparent, the official Israel death toll stood at 250 dead while more than 313 Palestinians were reported to have been killed. | As the scale of the deaths and injuries on both sides from the first day of conflict became apparent, the official Israel death toll stood at 250 dead while more than 313 Palestinians were reported to have been killed. |
| The Israel police service alone said it had lost 30 officers in the first day of fighting. As relatives of missing Israelis gathered at hospitals and made online appeals, the Israeli military opened a call centre for families of “unresponsive” soldiers seeking information about their fate. | The Israel police service alone said it had lost 30 officers in the first day of fighting. As relatives of missing Israelis gathered at hospitals and made online appeals, the Israeli military opened a call centre for families of “unresponsive” soldiers seeking information about their fate. |
| Among those listed among the dead on the Israeli Defence Forces memorial page was Amir Fisher, a general in a commando brigade. | Among those listed among the dead on the Israeli Defence Forces memorial page was Amir Fisher, a general in a commando brigade. |
| Hezbollah said in a statement its rocket and artillery attacks had targeted three posts including a “radar site” in the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms, a slice of land occupied by Israel since 1967 that Lebanon claims. | Hezbollah said in a statement its rocket and artillery attacks had targeted three posts including a “radar site” in the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms, a slice of land occupied by Israel since 1967 that Lebanon claims. |
| On Saturday, backed by a barrage of rockets, hundreds of Hamas operatives broke out of Gaza and fanned out into 22 Israeli towns, shooting at civilians, in an attack that stunned Israel. | On Saturday, backed by a barrage of rockets, hundreds of Hamas operatives broke out of Gaza and fanned out into 22 Israeli towns, shooting at civilians, in an attack that stunned Israel. |
| Video footage showed several people being abducted by gunmen. In some places, militants roamed for hours, targeting civilians and soldiers, as Israel’s military scrambled to muster a response. | Video footage showed several people being abducted by gunmen. In some places, militants roamed for hours, targeting civilians and soldiers, as Israel’s military scrambled to muster a response. |
| Early on Sunday, the Israeli military said its forces were still fighting incursions by the militant Islamist group in eight places, and that two hostage situations had been “resolved”, but did not clarify whether all the hostages had been rescued alive. | Early on Sunday, the Israeli military said its forces were still fighting incursions by the militant Islamist group in eight places, and that two hostage situations had been “resolved”, but did not clarify whether all the hostages had been rescued alive. |
| As the full scale of the carnage became clear on Sunday, survivors of the Hamas assault in various locations described playing dead under the bodies of family members or fleeing through fields from Hamas gunmen on motorbikes pursuing attendees at a rave near the border. | As the full scale of the carnage became clear on Sunday, survivors of the Hamas assault in various locations described playing dead under the bodies of family members or fleeing through fields from Hamas gunmen on motorbikes pursuing attendees at a rave near the border. |
| Nava Avadia, 60, said her son, 27-year-old Etai Hadar, was at a party when the attacks took place. “His girlfriend managed to make a call to her sister saying they escaped into the kibbutz from the field where the party was, but since then we have heard nothing. | |
| “We hope it is just they have no battery. We have no idea. We pray for good news. The army won’t let us go down there.” | |
| As Israel prepared for a substantial ground invasion of Gaza, the Israeli cabinet announced it had cut off all electricity, fuel and goods going into Gaza. | As Israel prepared for a substantial ground invasion of Gaza, the Israeli cabinet announced it had cut off all electricity, fuel and goods going into Gaza. |
| Israel struck 426 targets in Gaza overnight, the IDF said, flattening residential buildings in giant explosions. That included a 14-storey tower that held dozens of apartments as well as Hamas offices in central Gaza City. Israeli forces fired a warning just before, and no casualties were reported in the strike. | Israel struck 426 targets in Gaza overnight, the IDF said, flattening residential buildings in giant explosions. That included a 14-storey tower that held dozens of apartments as well as Hamas offices in central Gaza City. Israeli forces fired a warning just before, and no casualties were reported in the strike. |
| Before daybreak on Sunday, militants fired more rockets from Gaza, hitting a hospital in the Israeli coastal town of Ashkelon, said a senior hospital official, Tal Bergman. | Before daybreak on Sunday, militants fired more rockets from Gaza, hitting a hospital in the Israeli coastal town of Ashkelon, said a senior hospital official, Tal Bergman. |
| In a televised address on Saturday night, Netanyahu, who earlier declared Israel to be at war, said the military would use all of its strength to destroy Hamas’s capabilities and “take revenge for this black day”. He warned: “This war will take time. It will be difficult.” | In a televised address on Saturday night, Netanyahu, who earlier declared Israel to be at war, said the military would use all of its strength to destroy Hamas’s capabilities and “take revenge for this black day”. He warned: “This war will take time. It will be difficult.” |
| “All the places that Hamas hides in, operates from, we will turn them into rubble,” he added. “Get out of there [the areas that will be targeted] now,” he told Gaza residents, who have no way to leave the tiny, overcrowded Mediterranean territory of 2.3 million people. Hamas and Israel have already fought four wars since the group took over the strip in 2007. | “All the places that Hamas hides in, operates from, we will turn them into rubble,” he added. “Get out of there [the areas that will be targeted] now,” he told Gaza residents, who have no way to leave the tiny, overcrowded Mediterranean territory of 2.3 million people. Hamas and Israel have already fought four wars since the group took over the strip in 2007. |
| Writing on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, early on Sunday, Netanyahu said the “first phase” of the counter-operation had ended, and that Israel had fought off the majority of Hamas militants inside its territory. He vowed to continue the offensive “without reservation and without respite”. | Writing on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, early on Sunday, Netanyahu said the “first phase” of the counter-operation had ended, and that Israel had fought off the majority of Hamas militants inside its territory. He vowed to continue the offensive “without reservation and without respite”. |
| Much of Gaza was already thrown into darkness by nightfall after electrical supplies from Israel, which supplies almost all of the territories’ power, were cut off earlier in the day. | Much of Gaza was already thrown into darkness by nightfall after electrical supplies from Israel, which supplies almost all of the territories’ power, were cut off earlier in the day. |
| After nightfall, Israeli airstrikes in Gaza intensified, flattening several residential buildings in giant explosions. Soon after, a Hamas rocket barrage into central Israel hit four cities, including Tel Aviv and a nearby suburb, where two people were seriously injured. Throughout the day, Hamas fired more than 3,500 rockets, the Israeli military said. | After nightfall, Israeli airstrikes in Gaza intensified, flattening several residential buildings in giant explosions. Soon after, a Hamas rocket barrage into central Israel hit four cities, including Tel Aviv and a nearby suburb, where two people were seriously injured. Throughout the day, Hamas fired more than 3,500 rockets, the Israeli military said. |
| Israelis across the centre and south of the country were woken by the thud of missile fire and wailing of air raid sirens from about 7am on Saturday, the last day of the Jewish high holidays. Simultaneously, an unknown number of Hamas operatives blew up or used bulldozers to tear down 29 sections of Israel’s hi-tech separation fence on the Gaza boundary. From there, they fanned into into neighbouring Israeli towns and villages, some up to 15km away. | Israelis across the centre and south of the country were woken by the thud of missile fire and wailing of air raid sirens from about 7am on Saturday, the last day of the Jewish high holidays. Simultaneously, an unknown number of Hamas operatives blew up or used bulldozers to tear down 29 sections of Israel’s hi-tech separation fence on the Gaza boundary. From there, they fanned into into neighbouring Israeli towns and villages, some up to 15km away. |
| Hundreds of people who attended a rave in Kibbutz Re’im were filmed fleeing across the fields as booms and thuds could be heard in the background. The Israeli news website Ynet reported that contact had been lost with the partygoers. | Hundreds of people who attended a rave in Kibbutz Re’im were filmed fleeing across the fields as booms and thuds could be heard in the background. The Israeli news website Ynet reported that contact had been lost with the partygoers. |
| Esther Borochov, who fled the dance party attacked by the gunmen, told Reuters she survived by playing dead in a car after the driver trying to help her escape was shot point blank. “I couldn’t move my legs,” she told Reuters at the hospital. “Soldiers came and took us away to the bushes.” | Esther Borochov, who fled the dance party attacked by the gunmen, told Reuters she survived by playing dead in a car after the driver trying to help her escape was shot point blank. “I couldn’t move my legs,” she told Reuters at the hospital. “Soldiers came and took us away to the bushes.” |
| The Hamas incursion fell on Simchat Torah, a normally joyous day when Jews complete the annual cycle of reading the Torah scroll. | The Hamas incursion fell on Simchat Torah, a normally joyous day when Jews complete the annual cycle of reading the Torah scroll. |
| Several airlines have cancelled flights into Israel and the Federal Aviation Association issued a warning to US pilots to use caution over Israeli airspace. | Several airlines have cancelled flights into Israel and the Federal Aviation Association issued a warning to US pilots to use caution over Israeli airspace. |
| The US president, Joe Biden, said from the White House that he had spoken to Netanyahu to say the US “stands with the people of Israel in the face of these terrorist assaults. Israel has the right to defend itself and its people, full stop.” | The US president, Joe Biden, said from the White House that he had spoken to Netanyahu to say the US “stands with the people of Israel in the face of these terrorist assaults. Israel has the right to defend itself and its people, full stop.” |
| An emergency UN security council meeting has been called for Sunday afternoon. | An emergency UN security council meeting has been called for Sunday afternoon. |
| Saudi Arabia, which has been in talks with the US about normalising relations with Israel, called on both sides to exercise restraint. The kingdom said it had warned repeatedly about the danger of “the situation exploding as a result of the continued occupation [and] the Palestinian people being deprived of their legitimate rights”. | Saudi Arabia, which has been in talks with the US about normalising relations with Israel, called on both sides to exercise restraint. The kingdom said it had warned repeatedly about the danger of “the situation exploding as a result of the continued occupation [and] the Palestinian people being deprived of their legitimate rights”. |