Early on Saturday the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas surprised Israel with a land and air attack. They launched missiles in several cities in the country, while armed combatants Israelis were murdered on the southern borderpublishing images of the assault on social networks as they advanced on the ground. Other militants kidnapped dozens of Israelis and transported them to Gaza.
Israeli intelligence believes that the attack has been planned for months. The assault occurs at a time of serious tensions between Israel and the Palestinian authorities, with the murder of Palestinians in the West Bank, constant attacks by Israeli settlers and the increase in clashes over Al-Aqsa, the temple disputed by both communities.
Is about the largest escalation since the 11-day war fought between Israel and Hamas in 2021. Nearly a thousand Palestinians from the Hamas group have infiltrated Israel by land and air, in an attack that has caught Israeli intelligence services off guard. The group would have shot more than 5,000 missiles in Israelmainly in southern areas but also in large cities such as Jerusalem or Tel Aviv.
The group has posted videos on social media of its fighters taking control of Israeli military vehicles, capturing soldiers or parading through the streets looking for civilians to take hostage. Hamas spokesman Khaled Qadomihas announced that It is a “war against invaders”while the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahuhas promised to respond to the attack and also declared that his country is “at war.”
The Palestinian military incursion has occurred in at least 25 Israeli towns. Rockets have fallen north of Tel Aviv, while gunmen have opened fire on bystanders in cities such as Sderot, Sufa, Nahal Oz o Magentowns near the border with the Gaza Strip.