Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, Oct 9: Israel on Sunday initiated a war against the Palestinian militant organization Hamas following its unexpected infiltration from Gaza.
In the ongoing three-day conflict, the toll has already surpassed 1,100 casualties on both sides, with over 700 fatalities in Israel, which includes 44 soldiers.
In the meantime, authorities in Gaza have confirmed at least 413 fatalities following Sunday’s continuous Israeli bombings.
Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, declared that Hamas’s attack marked the start of a “long and challenging war” and vowed to wipe out the terrorist organization’s safe havens.
Hamas launched a massive onslaught by firing thousands of rockets into Israel and dispatched a group of fighters who targeted civilians, resulting in casualties, along with the taking of at least 100 hostages.
Zaka, an Israeli rescue service, stated that their paramedics have retrieved approximately 260 bodies from a music festival that was targeted by Hamas. Videos shared online show festival attendees running in panic and seeking shelter in vehicles in the aftermath of the attack.
Many UN Security Council members denounced Hamas on Sunday, while the United States expressed its regret over the absence of a unanimous consensus. Both the United States and Israel called for a firm condemnation of the Palestinian Islamists during an emergency session.
US President Joe Biden ordered “additional support for Israel in the face of this unprecedented terrorist assault by Hamas”.
The Defense Secretary, Lloyd Austin, ordered the USS Gerald R Ford aircraft carrier and a fleet of warships to be deployed in the eastern Mediterranean. He also announced that Washington is increasing the number of fighter aircraft squadrons in that area.
