Over 300 killed in Israel, PM Netanyahu says ‘long and difficult war’ lies ahead

Israel is gripped by a nightmarish scenario as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) initiated an extensive mobilisation, and bracing for what appeared to be a full-blown war.

This is a result of one of the darkest and most devastating days in Israel’s history, marked by an unparalleled terrorist onslaught on its southern communities. The assault led to hundreds of casualties on both sides, with over 300 in Israel alone, over 1,800 injuries, and the apparent abduction of dozens by the Hamas terror group, reported the Times of Israel.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country is embarking on a “long and difficult war” after a surprise attack by Hamas terrorists led to over 300 deaths, while 100 Israelis have been held hostage.

On Sunday morning, 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. 

The Lebanese group Hezbollah issued a statement Sunday claiming responsibility for targeting three Israeli sites in an area known as Shebaa Farms using missiles and artillery.

Shebaa Farms is considered by Lebanon as Israeli-occupied, reported CNN. 

The three sites include the Radar site, the Zabdin site, and the Ruwaisat Al-Alam site, the statement by Hezbollah said. 

In an assault of shocking breadth, Hamas militants infiltrated as many as 22 locations in southern Israel, reaching towns and communities situated up to 15 miles (24 kilometres) from the Gaza border.

Their rampage persisted for hours, targeting both civilians and soldiers, while Israel’s military scrambled to mount a response. Gunfights persisted well into the night, with terrorists holding hostages in standoffs in at least two towns.

Overwhelmed hospitals and ongoing operations

Hospitals found themselves inundated with wounded patients, with the latest count at over 1,800 casualties, including 300 in serious condition and 19 in critical condition, reported the Times of Israel.

Many civilians remained trapped in their homes, fearful of roaming terrorists hunting for victims. Security forces engaged in hostage situations, house raids, and confrontations with gunmen, successfully neutralising armed threats.

Simultaneously, social media platforms were flooded with photographs and videos that conveyed the scenes of devastation from the targeted towns. These visuals were accompanied by distressing footage of frightened people, including men, women, and children, being forcibly taken from their homes to an uncertain fate in Gaza.

Meanwhile, relentless rocket barrages persist, forcing hundreds of thousands of residents in southern and central Israel to seek shelter repeatedly.

Rockets that evaded the Iron Dome defence system inflicted serious injuries on some people.

The situation prompted pointed questions and demands for answers concerning multiple facets of the crisis, including intelligence failures, deployment issues, and policy decisions that contributed to a national catastrophe. 

In response to the crisis, Israel was in the initial stages of a military operation that its leaders pledged would be unprecedented. The IDF conducted strikes on terror targets throughout the Gaza Strip. 

Four divisions of reservists were deployed to the Gaza border, augmenting the 35 battalions already stationed there. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel was at war and discussed the potential formation of an emergency government with opposition leaders.

In a late-night address to the nation, Netanyahu vowed to harness the full capabilities of the IDF to dismantle Hamas’s capacities and urged Gaza residents to evacuate. He characterised the day’s events as unprecedented and pledged to ensure they would not recur.

Watch | Israel-Palestine Conflict: Women captured, taken hostage after Hamas militants storm Israel

Key hotspots and successful rescues

Throughout the day, several flashpoints emerged, including intense gunfire at a police station in Sderot controlled by unidentified terrorists, an ongoing hostage situation in Ofakim, gun battles in Netivot, and efforts to free Israelis held hostage for hours by Hamas gunmen within the dining hall at Kibbutz Be’eri.

In the early hours of Sunday (Oct 8), authorities confirmed the successful rescue of hostages in Sderot, Ofakim, and Be’eri, with the Hamas terrorists involved in those standoffs neutralised.