Jerusalem:Â In retribution for a violent assault by Hamas militants, Israel boosted bombings on the Gaza Strip and cut it off from food, fuel, and other supplies on Monday, as the war’s death toll reached 1,600 on both sides. Hamas also aggravated the situation by threatening to execute captured Israelis if assaults on civilians were launched without prior notice.
Israel was still recovering bodies from Hamas’ spectacular weekend raid on southern Israeli towns on the third day of the conflict. After a protracted hostage crisis with terrorists, rescuers discovered 100 fatalities in the little rural village of Be’eri – roughly 10% of its population. Thousands of people left their homes in Gaza as constant bombings destroyed structures.
After the onslaught caught its renowned military and intelligence establishment entirely off guard and resulted in severe street fights for the first time in decades, the Israeli army claimed it had gained mainly control in the south. More than 130 troops and civilians who were kidnapped from Israel, according to Hamas and other terrorists in Gaza, are in their custody.
Israeli tanks and drones were stationed at border fence breaches in Gaza to stop further invasions. More than a dozen Israeli towns close to Gaza had to evacuate thousands of residents, and the military quickly called up 300,000 reservists.
The actions indicated that Israel was gradually moving to the offensive against Hamas and threatening to use force, along with its formal declaration of war on Sunday.
The actions suggested that Israel was progressively going to the offensive against Hamas and threatening further harm in the heavily populated, desperately poor Gaza Strip, further supported by Israel’s formal declaration of war on Sunday.
In a nationally televised speech, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated, “We have only begun striking Hamas.” The actions we take against our enemies in the upcoming days will affect them for decades.
The possibility of a ground invasion into the tiny Mediterranean coastal enclave arose as the Israeli military deployed more troops close to the border. 2014 saw the final ground assault.
According to the Israeli military, Israel has already seen the deaths of almost 900 persons. Authorities in Gaza report that over 680 people have died there; Israel claims that hundreds of Hamas fighters are among them.
Abu Obeida, the Hamas’ armed wing spokesman, declared Monday night in reaction to Israel’s aerial assaults that the organization will execute one Israeli detainee whenever Israel bombs people in their houses in Gaza “without prior warning.”
Israel’s foreign minister, Eli Cohen, warned Hamas that any hostage abuse would not be tolerated: “This war crime will not be forgiven.”Â
Netanyahu selected a veteran military leader to handle the hostage-taking and missing persons problem.
