On Tuesday, Israel announced that it had regained control of areas in the south that were attacked by the Palestinian militant group Hamas over the weekend.
After Hamas threatened to execute an Israeli hostage for each unannounced airstrike on a Palestinian residence, Israel launched a new wave of airstrikes in response.
The Israeli military mobilized an unprecedented 300,000 reservists and enforced a blockade on the Gaza Strip, sparking concerns of a potential ground invasion in retaliation for Hamas’s boldest and most lethal attack in recent years.
The conflict has resulted in over 1,500 fatalities, prompting global expressions of solidarity with Israel, street demonstrations supporting the Palestinians, and calls to cease hostilities while ensuring the safety of civilians.
Israeli media outlets reported that the Hamas attack led to 900 Israeli casualties, with approximately 2,600 injured and several taken captive. Notably, 260 victims, mostly young individuals, were shot at a desert music event, where some were also taken hostage.
In a statement broadcast on Israel’s Army Radio, the chief military spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, confirmed that there had been no infiltrations from Gaza since Monday.
Addressing speculation about attackers using underground tunnels, he clarified that the military found no evidence to substantiate such claims.
On Monday, Gaza’s Health Ministry reported that Israeli airstrikes on the blockaded region, following Hamas’s attacks on Saturday, had resulted in at least 687 Palestinian deaths and 3,726 injuries.
Numerous sites, including residential buildings, a religious place, and medical facilities, were targeted. News outlets and onlookers stated that several infrastructures like roads and homes were demolished.
The private Palestinian Telecommunication Co.’s main office was also hit by Israel, potentially impacting landline, internet, and cellular communication services.
The bombings continued into Monday evening. Israeli forces claimed to have targeted locations in Gaza from both sea and air, hitting a weapons storage they claimed was associated with Islamic Jihad and other Hamas sites along Gaza’s shoreline.
Hamas representative Abu Ubaida announced on Monday a warning to end the lives of Israelis held post their unexpected Saturday assault. He declared that for every unannounced Israeli bombing of a civilian residence, an Israeli hostage would be executed publicly.
There was no immediate Israeli military reaction to this warning. Israeli Foreign Affairs Chief Eli Cohen revealed that Hamas had captured over 100 individuals during the weekend’s intense cross-border incursion.
Palestinians received calls and messages from Israeli security urging evacuation from Gaza’s north and east due to upcoming military actions. Many in Gaza City’s Remal district fled their homes.
In the southern part of Israel, where the Hamas attack took place, the chief military spokesperson stated forces had regained control over the Israeli communities previously overtaken. However, isolated clashes continued as certain gunmen remained operational.
