In the early hours of Monday, Israel continued its relentless assault on the Gaza Strip amid ongoing fighting with Hamas, pushing the death toll from the conflict with Palestinian militants to over 1,100.
During overnight clashes, the Israeli army reported striking more than 500 targets in the besieged and impoverished Gaza Strip. At the same time, skirmishes persisted in seven to eight locations inside Israel near the enclave.
This escalation followed a massive attack by Hamas just two days prior when they launched a barrage of rockets and sent fighters into Israel, resulting in the deaths of civilians and the abduction of at least 100 hostages—an action that caught Israel by surprise. Consequently, the Israeli government officially declared war on the Palestinian militant group that controls Gaza.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a sobering warning to Israel, urging the nation to prepare for a "long and difficult" conflict. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed that over 700 Israelis have lost their lives since the launch of Hamas's large-scale attack, with another 1,200 people critically wounded.
In retaliation, Israeli airstrikes continued to pound the densely populated and blockaded Gaza Strip, home to 2.3 million people, resulting in at least 413 Palestinian fatalities. The IDF revealed that overnight, fighter jets, helicopters, aircraft, and artillery targeted more than 500 sites affiliated with Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza.
Military spokesperson Richard Hecht informed reporters that combat operations were ongoing, with Israeli forces engaged in battles against terrorists in seven to eight locations around Gaza. He expressed hope for regaining full control by the end of the day, although the situation remained fluid.
As thick plumes of smoke billowed from the Palestinian enclave, the conflict showed no signs of abating. Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus, an army spokesman, estimated that approximately 1,000 Palestinian militants participated in Hamas's Saturday assault—an event he described as "by far the worst day in Israeli history." He emphasised the unprecedented scale of casualties, likening it to "a 9/11 and a Pearl Harbor wrapped into one."
To address the crisis, Israel deployed around 100,000 reserve troops to the southern regions as they continued their efforts to expel Hamas fighters from Israeli territory. Additionally, Conricus reported that a "very large number" of Israeli civilians and soldiers remained held inside Gaza, underscoring the complexity and urgency of the situation.
