Hundreds dead, hostages, Tel Aviv hit...A look back at Day One of the war between Hamas and Israel

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The team will keep updating you to any major developments. For now we will take a short break to be back with you in the best conditions tomorrow morning. More news and analysis on our L'Orient Today website.

US support for Israel "etched in stone"

Joe Biden emphasized, in a brief and solemn address at the White House, that the United States' support for Israel was "etched in stone and unshakable."

"Israel has the right to defend itself, period," the American president said, describing it as a 'terrible human tragedy.

Netanyahu: "We will beat them to death"

Haaretz reporting Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, statement to the media tonight, Saturday:

"Hamas started a cruel and evil war. We will win this war, but the price will be heavy," he said.

"What happened today will not be seen in Israel, and I will make sure that it does not happen again. The entire government stands behind this decision. The IDF will immediately use all its power to disable Hamas' capabilities."

"We will beat them to death, we will take revenge on them for the black day they have inflicted on the State of Israel and its citizens," he continued.

Police officers on a street in Tel Aviv hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023. Photo by JACK GUEZ/AFP

Will Hezbollah join the war with Hamas?

This is the big question on everyone's mind tonight. In April, Hezbollah announced “unity” among the key players of its axis, stretching from Iran to Lebanon and encompassing Syria and Gaza. Will they now stand side by side with their Palestinian allies, especially since there has been a call to the armed factions in Lebanon to join the battlefront?

While caution appears to be the prevailing sentiment for now, the possibility of escalation can't be ruled out. Read more analysis here from L'Orient Today's politics reporter, Salah Hijazi.

(Photo: Hezbollah militants with flags of the Shia party, May 25 2021 in Kfar Kila, near the Lebanese-Israeli border, REUTERS/Aziz Taher)

Video from Tel Aviv of destruction from rocket attack

British Channel 4 Reporter is on the ground in Tel Aviv at the scene of a rocket attack.

Latest casualty count:

Palestinian: according to the minister of health in Gaza, 232 Palestinians have been killed since the morning, and 1697 injured.

Israeli: according to the Israeli authorities at least 200 Israelis have been killed. At least 1,104 people have been injured.  

Statement from the United States

"The United States unequivocally condemns the appalling attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israel, including civilians and civilian communities. There is never any justification for terrorism. We stand in solidarity with the government and people of Israel, and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks. We will remain in close contact with our Israeli partners. The United States supports Israel’s right to defend itself"

The Israeli army has shared a map, on the X social media platform, which they say shows the number of rockets that were launched into Israel from Gaza.

Rockets fired at Tel Aviv and other parts of Israel

The Israeli firefighting service reported the collapse of a building in Tel Aviv following a rocket strike, as reported by Haaretz. Two injured people were rescued.

In addition to the Tel Aviv incident, four other missiles have been reported in central Israel, in Holon, Bat Yam, and Givatayim.

Latest fighting

According to Israeli media, fighting continues between Hamas militants and Israeli soldiers in several areas in southern Israel. According to these reports, Hamas fighters still have hostages in the Be’eri and Ofakim kibbutzim.

The Israeli army has not yet regained control of the entire southern region of the country

Israeli intelligence "failure"

The Israeli Ambassador to France, Raphael Morav, acknowledged the possibility of a failure in Israeli intelligence services and insufficient preparation of his country in the face of the Hamas offensive, in interviews with French media.

"If we had any information, we would have taken measures to counter-attack. We would have been ready. So, there must have been a failure at the intelligence level, I don't hide it. Now, what is important is to give a significant response to this attack," the diplomat told BFMTV.

"Following this surprise, we were not sufficiently prepared, one could even say barely prepared," he added on Europe 1 regarding this spectacular attack that has already claimed 70 lives on the Israeli side, according to Magen David Adom, the Israeli equivalent of the Red Cross

Casualties in Israel

The Israeli Ministry of Health stated that 200 people are severely injured, 226 people are in moderate condition, and 451 have sustained minor injuries. Additionally, according to the ministry's statement, 11 people suffered from anxiety attacks, and 142 are currently undergoing medical evaluation

Breaking news: Hamas armed wing says fired barrage of 150 rockets at Tel Aviv. Haaretz also reports a heavy rocket barrage on southern, central Israel

Israeli planes bombed the house of Hamas Gaza chief Yehya Al-Sinwar in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, Hamas media said on Saturday, with no reports of casualties.

A spokesman for Hamas’ military wing, Abu Obeida, said the group was holding dozens of Israeli soldiers captive in “secured places” and tunnels in the Gaza Strip.

In a televised speech, Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, addressed the Arab countries that have normalized ties with Israel in recent years. "We say to all countries, including our Arab brothers, that this entity, which cannot protect itself in the face of resistors, cannot provide you with any protection," he said. "All the normalization agreements that you signed with that entity cannot resolve this (Palestinian) conflict."

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held phone calls with his Qatari, Saudi, Egyptian, Palestinian and Iranian counterparts on Saturday to discuss the conflict between Israeli forces and Palestinians, a Turkish Foreign Ministry source told Reuters. The source did not provide any further information.
Earlier, Turkey's foreign ministry said Ankara was in close contact with all parties and stood ready to help de-scalate the situation.

Israel ordered its state-run electricity company to halt supply to the Gaza Strip on Saturday, the energy minister said. "I have signed an order instructing (Israel) Electric Company to stop the electricity supply to Gaza," Energy Minister Israel Katz said in a statement.

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh claimed the group was on the "verge of a great victory and a clear conquest on the Gaza front". "Enough is enough," he said in a televised address. "The cycle of intifadas (uprisings) and revolutions in the battle to liberate our land and our prisoners languishing in occupation prisons must be completed."

The United Nations Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Sunday on the violence in the Middle East, the body said in a statement. The council will convene Sunday at 3:00 pm local time (1900 GMT) to discuss "the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question," according to a statement released Saturday.

"There are kidnapped soldiers and civilians. I can't give figures about them at the moment. It's a war crime committed by Hamas and they will pay the price," AFP reports Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari as telling journalists.

Protesters and Lebanese soldiers stand at the border with Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 in a photo taken from the town of Metula on the Israeli side of the frontier. (Credit: Jalaa Marey/AFP)

Smoke and flames billow after Israeli forces strike a high-rise tower in Gaza City, Oct. 7, 2023. (Credit: Mohammed Salem/Reuters)

A spokesperson for the Israeli army, quoted by Haaretz, claims that more than 2,200 rockets have been fired at Israel from Gaza since the start of the offensive. “Hamas launched an offensive from water, air and land,” says Daniel Hagari.

UN chief Antonio Guterres calls to “avoid a widening of the conflagration” between Israel and Hamas.

US President Joe Biden has warned "against any other party hostile to Israel seeking advantage in this situation" after Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a large-scale surprise attack.

Biden said in his statement that he had spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and underlined that the United States stood "ready to offer all appropriate means of support."

Brazil, which currently holds the presidency of the UN Security Council, announced that it would convene "an emergency meeting of the organization" to address the situation in Israel and the Gaza Strip.

“The Brazilian government condemns the series of shootings and attacks perpetrated today in Israel from the Gaza Strip,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement, calling for “maximum restraint” from the parties to the conflict to “avoid escalation of the situation.”

The Israeli Health Ministry says 985 injured Israelis have been transported to hospitals across the country.

UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti tells L'Orient Today that reinforcement measures have been taken at the border between Lebanon and Israel in light of the clashes between Hamas and Israel that began this morning.

"We have deployed more personnel on the ground and strengthened our anti-rocket system to prevent any missiles being fired between the two countries," he says.

The UN peacekeeping force has been monitoring the situation on the Blue Line, which demarcates the border between Lebanon and Israel, since the beginning of the clashes between Hamas and Israel.

"Our objective as peacekeepers is to prevent any escalation between the two sides and thus avoid the devastating consequences this could have on the populations living in these areas," Tenenti says.

"We are in constant contact with the Israeli army and the Lebanese army to avoid any misunderstanding," he adds.

A recap of the day's developments:

Shortly before 6:30 a.m. this morning Hamas launched a surprise armed operation against Israel from the Gaza Strip.

Not only were thousands of rockets fired towards Israel, some reaching as far as the center of the state, but hundreds of fighters from the party's military wing managed to infiltrate Israeli territory — some by land, notably via the Erez crossing; others by sea, and still others by air, using motorized paragliders. These fighters took dozens of Israeli civilian and military hostages.  There are reports that some of these hostages may have been taken to the Gaza Strip.

“We have decided to put an end to all the crimes of the occupation” and “more than 5,000 rockets” have been fired since this morning, Mohammad Deif, commander of the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, in an audio recording broadcast by Al-Aqsa TV, Hamas' television channel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later said,“We are at war, this is not a [simple] operation …. The enemy will pay an unprecedented price … we are at war and we will win.”

The Hamas offensive has been widely condemned internationally. Several Arab countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, have called for an immediate end to the escalation between Israelis and Gaza. In Iran, a military advisor to the Iranian supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, welcomed the “proud” offensive launched by Hamas.

In Lebanon, Hezbollah and Palestinian factions welcomed Hamas' war against Israel.

At 6 p.m., according to Israeli emergency services, 70 Israelis had been killed and nearly 1,000 injured since morning, while, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry, 198 Palestinians had been killed and 1,610 injured. 

People queue to fill up their cars with gasoline at a petrol station in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron, on Oct. 7, 2023, amid uncertainty in the country. (Credit: Hazem Bader/AFP)

Palestinians in the West Bank city of Nablus celebrate on Oct. 7, 2023, after fighters from the Gaza Strip infiltrated Israel. (Credit: Jaafar Ashtiyeh/AFP)

The Palestinian Red Crescent reports that around 30 Palestinians were injured during clashes with the Israeli army in the West Bank today, with one suffering serious injuries and another in critical condition.

A view of a junction shows the aftermath of a mass-infiltration by Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip, in the Sderot area, southern Israel, on Oct. 7, 2023. (Credit: Ammar Awad/Reuters)

According to an Israeli police official cited by Haaretz, between 200 and 300 Hamas militants infiltrated Israel this morning, and dozens of them are still hiding in Israeli territory.

Images of bikers carrying at least one Hezbollah flag and reportedly traveling close to the Israeli border in southern Lebanon are being circulated on social media networks. Security sources confirmed to our correspondent, Montasser Abdallah, that these images are authentic and date from today. However, Andrea Tenenti, spokesperson for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), told L'Orient-Le Jour that UNIFIL has is unable to confirm these images at this stage.

Israel's Haaretz newspaper is now citing rescue services as saying 70 Israelis have been killed and hundreds of others wounded since morning.

In an interview with al-Jazeera, former Israeli Justice Minister Yossi Beilin said he believes that once the military phase is over, questions will be asked and investigations launched to understand how Israeli intelligence services could have found themselves in this situation, blindsided by the Hamas operation.

Israeli media reports that an Israeli army spokesperson has confirmed that Israeli civilians and soldiers are being held hostage in the Gaza Strip. According to media outlets, hostage situations are still ongoing in two villages in southern Israel.

UNIFIL, the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Lebanon, says it has 'enhanced presence' in South Lebanon, including 'counter rocket-launching operations,' Reuters reports.

A man rides his motorcycle as people wave the Palestinian flag in Lebanon's southern city of Saida on Oct. 7, 2023. (Credit: Mahmoud Zayyat/AFP)

Israeli emergency workers mobilize to evacuate wounded people in Sderot, southern Israel, on Oct. 7, 2023 after the start of the Hamas offensive. (Credit: Menahem Kahana/AFP)

In addition to the 198 people killed in Gaza, the Health Ministry in the enclave says some 1,610 people have been wounded. 

In Israel, 40 people have reportedly been killed, while the Israeli Health Ministry reports that 908 people have been wounded and brought to hospitals.

A young Palestinian rides a bicycle near a building destroyed by an Israeli strike in Gaza, Oct. 7, 2023. (Credit: Mohammed Abed/AFP)

Palestinians flee Gaza City following Israeli airstrikes on Oct. 7, 2023. (Credit: Mohammed Abed/AFP)

US President Joe Biden has been briefed on the "appalling Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel," the White House said in a statement.

"Senior national security officials briefed the President this morning on the appalling Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel," the statement said, adding that Biden will remain in close contact with Israeli partners on the situation.

Israeli rescue teams evacuate the wounded near the southern city of Sderot on Oct. 7, 2023. (Credit: Menahem Kahana/AFP)

A man carries a crying child as he walks in front of a building destroyed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza City on Oct. 7, 2023. (Credit: Mohammed Abed/AFP)

Hamas deputy chief Saleh al-Arouri has reportedly told Al Jazeera that the group has captured “a big number” of Israelis, adding that there are “senior officers” among them.

Gazans tell our reporter Noura Doukhi that the atmosphere on the ground is proud but tense, as residents fear an oncoming “unprecedented” retaliation by Israeli forces for Hamas’ “Al-Aqsa Flood” operation. Read Noura's reporting:

‘All Palestinians are proud of what Hamas has done’

‘All Palestinians are proud of what Hamas has done’

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has also condemned today's "terrorist attacks by Hamas against NATO partner Israel," a spokesman for the defense alliance said.

"Our thoughts are with the victims and all those affected. Terrorism is a fundamental threat to free societies, and Israel has the right to defend itself," said spokesman Dylan White.

Palestinians react as an Israeli military vehicle burns after it was hit by Palestinian gunmen who infiltrated areas of southern Israel, at the Israeli side of Israel-Gaza border earlier today. (Credit: Mohammed Fayq Abu Mostafa/Reuters)

According to Haaretz, fighting is taking place in two kibbutzim: Be'eri and Re'im. The Israeli media also reports that gunshots have been heard in Sderot. According to the same source, negotiations for the release of hostages are taking place in Be'eri and in the kibbutz of Ofakim. All these localities are in the south of Israel.

Kuwait has expressed its "grave concern" over developments between Israel and the Palestinians, blaming Israel for what it called its "blatant attacks."

AFP cites the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry as in a statement calling on the international community to "stop the provocative practices by the occupation" and the "policy of expanding settlements."

People gather in the Mar Elias area of Beirut in support of Palestine/Gaza. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin)

Update: 198 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, BBC News reports, citing Gaza Health Ministry.

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reports that the Israeli army has launched strikes from both inside Israeli territory and in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli media, citing an army spokesperson, also reports that Palestinian fighters were hit at the Erez crossing between the Gaza Strip and Israel.

International airline Lufthansa, Europe's leading carrier, is reducing its flights to Israel today, a spokesperson told AFP. "Given the current security situation in Tel Aviv," the German group is maintaining only one flight to Frankfurt, and "all other Lufthansa flights to and from Tel Aviv have been canceled for this Saturday," he said.

The question of hostages: Numerous reports have been circulating since this morning about dozens of Israelis are being taken hostage by Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Israeli police, cited by Haaretz, estimate that “60 terrorists in 14 different locations” have infiltrated Israeli territory from Gaza. The figure of 52 hostages is circulating in several Arab media outlets but has not yet been confirmed by an official source. Islamic Jihad, for its part, claims to be holding several Israeli hostages.

BBC news reports, citing the Palestinian Health Ministry, that 161 people have been killed in Israeli airstrikes today.

The Pentagon has reaffirmed the United States' "unwavering" commitment to Israel's right to defend itself with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin issuing a statement saying, "Our commitment to Israel's right to defend itself remains unwavering" and adding that his agency would work "to ensure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself and protect civilians from indiscriminate violence and terrorism."

In Lebanon too, celebrations are underway. In this photo, a member of the Al-Aqsa Brigades, in fatigues and a balaclava, distributes treats to passers-by in the Beddawi Palestinian refugee camp in North Lebanon. (Credit: Fathi Al-Masri/AFP)

Tens of Palestinians have been killed in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, Reuters reports, citing health officials.

Military operations undertaken by the Palestinian people today are a natural result of decades of "systemic oppression" by the "Zionist Occupation authority," Reuters cites a statement by the Iraqi government's official spokesperson as saying.

According to Reuters, the statement also warns of a continued escalation in the Palestinian territories, which it said could affect the stability of the region.

In Jordan, a crowd celebrated the Hamas offensive against Israel, as shown in this photo taken near the Israeli Embassy in Amman today. (Credit: Jehad Shelbak/Reuters)

US National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson has issued a statement regarding today's attacks.

"The United States unequivocally condemns the unprovoked attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians. There is never any justification for terrorism. We stand firmly with the Government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has spoken to Israeli National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi and we remain in close contact with our Israeli partners," the statement reads.

Egypt's foreign minister calls on “all parties” to “show restraint” in Gaza.

Palestinians transport an individual believed to be an Israeli hostage today in Khan Younes, in the Gaza Strip. (Credit: AFP)

In Lebanon, the leader of the Lebanese Forces, Samir Geagea, a staunch opponent of Hezbollah, took to X (formerly Twitter) to issue an apparent appeal to keep Lebanon out of the conflict in its neighbor. "The most important thing is not to involve the Lebanese in something they can't stand, when they're already enduring a difficult situation," he wrote.

The UAE has called on Israelis and Palestinians to prevent further escalation and preserve the safety of all civilians, Reuters reports citing an official statement.

AFP journalists report that at least nine people have been killed so far in today's assaults on Gaza.

Isreal's N12 News channel says at least 40 Israelis have been killed and 740 wounded in Hamas' attack.

Our editor-in-chief, Anthony Samrani, considers how Hamas' actions today could affect the region:

How Hamas’ attack on Israel could change the game in the region

How Hamas’ attack on Israel could change the game in the region

Medics report that multiple dead and wounded have been taken to hospitals in Gaza following Israeli airstrikes.

Israeli army reservists are transported in military vehicles to join their army base, south of Tel Aviv. (Credit: Gil Cohen-Magen/AFP)

The White House has added the US to a growing list of Western powers condemning today's attacks on Israel, describing the perpetrators as 'Hamas terrorists.'

Smoke rises over Gaza City as Israeli airstrikes continue this afternoon. (Credit: Mahmud Hams/AFP)

Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, says Israel has 'indisputable' right to defense.

Analysts, meanwhile, struggle to make sense of today's events. Michael Stephens, a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute has this to say: 

The Russian Foreign Ministry calls for an "immediate ceasefire."

India is “in solidarity with Israel,” says Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Qatar says Israel alone is responsible for the ongoing escalation of violence and calls on both sides to exercise restraint.

Haaretz reports that Islamic Jihad claims to be holding several Israeli soldiers hostage, without giving further details at this time.

We’re watching live footage, being diffused on the BBC, which shows retaliatory strikes from Israeli security forces in Gaza. Large plumes of smoke are rising in the air. The strikes are reportedly aimed at Hamas militants in Gaza, from where thousands of rockets were fired early this morning.

Thousands of people live in this densly populated area.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has condemned the taking of civilian hostages as a violation of international law after attacks launched by Hamas on Israel.

"News of civilians taken as hostages in their homes or to Gaza are appalling. This is against international law. Hostages must be released immediately," he said on X, formerly Twitter.

A senior adviser to Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has expressed support for Hamas's surprise attack, calling it a "proud operation."

"We support the proud operation of Al-Aqsa Flood," Rahim Safavi said at a Tehran meeting held to support Palestinian children. "We support this operation, and we are sure that the resistance front also supports this issue."

Palestinians inspect an ambulance hit by an Israeli strike, after Hamas gunmen launched a surprise attack against Israel, in the southern Gaza Strip. (Credit: Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters)

Saudi Foreign Ministry: 'We call for an immediate cessation of violence between Israel and the Palestinians'

In Beirut, dozens gathered on the street to celebrate Hamas's offensive against Israel.

In this photo sent to L'Orient Today by photographer Hussam Chbaro, a man carries a child holding a Palestinian flag.

In southern Lebanon, off the coast of Saida, fishing boats display Palestinian and Lebanese flags in support of the Hamas offensive against Israel. (Image courtesy of: Mountasser Abdallah)

So far, no Gulf Arab country has reacted to the Hamas offensive against Israel and the subsequent Israeli military action against the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian men carry a wounded youth following an Israeli airstrike at the Erez crossing between Israel and the northern Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, 2023.  (Credit: Bashar Taleb/AFP)

Twenty-two people have been shot dead in Israel so far in fighting with Palestinian militants today, the Magen David Adom emergency medical services said in a statement.

"As of 13:00 (1000 GMT), Magen David Adom teams have pronounced 22 victims deceased. They have also treated hundreds of further victims," the statement said.

Today is an "historic day," Chakib al-Aini, an Islamic Jihad official in Lebanon, tells L'Orient-Le Jour when asked for his reaction to the Hamas offensive against Israel.

“The resistance has gone from defensive to offensive,” he says. “This operation is the beginning of the liberation of Palestine.”

Hamas has released a video showing that its fighters have captured three men dressed in civilian clothes.

"Scenes of Al-Qassam Brigades capturing a number of enemy soldiers in the battle of Al-Aqsa Flood," reads a sentence appearing on a black background at the start of the video.

Signs in Hebrew in the background suggest the footage was filmed on the Israeli side of the Erez Crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip.

EU officials have reacted to this mornings events.

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen says she "unequivocally" condemns the "terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel," adding that the attack represents "terrorism in its most contemptible form."

"Israel has the right to defend itself against such odious attack," she says.

Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell says, "This horrific violence must stop immediately. Terrorism and violence solve nothing. The EU expresses its solidarity with Israel in these difficult moments." 

And the European Council president Charles Michel also condemns the "indiscriminate attacks launched against Israel and its people this morning inflicting terror and violence against innocent citizens," saying, my thoughts are with all the victims. EU stands in solidarity with Israeli people in this horrific moment."

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged Israel and Palestinians "to act reasonably" and avoid a further escalation.

"We invite all parties to act reasonably and to stay away from impulsive steps that raise tensions," Erdogan, who strongly supports the Palestinian cause, said.

Israel's "Iron Dome," an anti-missile defense system, intercepts Palestinian rockets over Ashkelon on Oct. 7, 2023. (Credit: Ammar Awad/Reuters)

Smoke billows over Ashkelon, Israel, as vehicles hit by Hamas rockets fired from the Gaza Strip burn, on Oct. 7, 2023. (Credit: Ilan Rosenberg/Reuters)

Macron “strongly condemns the terrorist attacks” by Hamas against Israel.

Palestinian fighters approach the Israeli fence in Khan Younes, in the Gaza Strip, on Oct. 7, 2023. (Credit: Said Khatib/AFP)

Spain says it is shocked by the “indiscriminate violence” of the attacks against Israel.

Palestinians during the funeral procession of a man killed in an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, on October 7, 2023.

Photo by SAID KHATIB/AFP

London "unequivocally condemns the horrific attacks by Hamas against Israeli civilians."

Russia calls for 'restraint' after Hamas attacks on Israel.

Hamas will "pay an unprecedented price" for its 'war' against Israel, warns Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.

Response from Hezbollah

In its first official response to Hamas's military offensive against Israel, Hezbollah stated in a press release that this operation "is a decisive response to the crimes of the occupation and the ongoing aggressions against the sacred and dignity."

"It proves once again that the will of the Palestinian people and the weapons of the Resistance are the only option to confront the enemy and the occupation. They send a message to the Arab and Muslim world, as well as to the international community, especially those seeking to normalize their relations with the enemy, that the Palestinian cause does not die", they added. 

According to the Israeli newspaper, Haaretz, Israeli police say that "60 active assailants are in Israel in 14 different areas."

In the picture: Palestinian fighters from the Ezzeddine al-Qassam Brigades, aboard a pickup truck, head towards the Erez crossing point with Israel, on October 7, 2023, in the Gaza Strip. Photo by Mohammed ABED/AFP.

In southern Lebanon, according to our correspondent in the region, Mountasser Abdallah, scenes of celebration were reported in response to Hamas's military operation against Israel.

Palestinians celebrated this news in the camps of Rachidiyé, Bourj el-Chamali, Aïn el-Héloué, and Bass, according to several Palestinian sources within these camps.

Mohammad Yassine, a representative of the Palestine Liberation Front in Lebanon, told L'Orient Today that "it's time to open the Arab borders to Palestine."

"This operation has been prepared for a while by Palestinian factions in response to Israeli aggressions against our land and our people," he said. "Open the borders so we can go to Palestine," he added.

In pictures: Palestinians in the Beddaoui refugee camp in northern Lebanon celebrate the launch of Hamas's military operation against Israel on October 7, 2023.

(Photo sent by our correspondent Michel Hallak)"

Haaretz, citing a Israeli army spokesman, reports that around 2,200 rockets were launched on Israel from the Gaza Strip on Saturday.

Response from Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon

In northern Lebanon, in the Palestinian refugee camps of Beddaoui and Nahr el-Bared, our correspondent in the region, Michel Hallak, describes an atmosphere of jubilation in response to the Hamas offensive against Israel.

Arkan Badr, a member of the Political Bureau of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), stated that 'Operation Al-Aqsa Flood' is a "natural response to the daily crimes of the occupation and the policy of the right-wing Israeli government."

He further called for "all Palestinian factions and their armed wings to unite."

The Israeli army says it is declaring a "state of readiness for war".

"Hamas has declared 'a war against the State of Israel,'" the Israeli Defense Minister has announced.

Hundreds of residents from Gaza are fleeing areas near Israel, according to an AFP journalist. Men, women, and children carrying blankets and supplies were seen leaving their homes to move further inside the Gaza Strip as hundreds of rocket launches continued from the territory towards Israel since the morning.

Israelis taking refuge in a shelter after Palestinian rocket attacks from Gaza, on October 7, 2023. Photo by Jack GUEZ.

In pictures: Destroyed vehicles in Ashkelon, Israel, on October 7, 2023, after Palestinian rocket attacks from Gaza. Photo by Ahmad Gharabli / AFP

Unconfirmed videos circulating on social media appear to show armed gun men, reportedly from Hamas, entering an Israeli neighborhood.

'The Hamas terrorist organization will pay a heavy price," says the Arabic-speaking spokesperson of the Israeli army, Avichay Adraee, on X.

A residential building in Tel Aviv damaged by a rocket fired from Gaza, on October 7, 2023. Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP.

What Hamas is saying:

Hamas military commander, Mohammed Deif, announced the start of the operation in a broadcast on Hamas media, calling on Palestinians everywhere to fight:

- "This is the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on earth."

- “We’ve decided to say enough is enough."

- “We have already warned the enemy before. The occupation committed hundreds of massacres against civilians. Hundreds of martyrs and wounded died this year due to the crimes of the occupation."

- “We announce the start of Operation Al-Aqsa flood, and we announce that the first strike, which targeted enemy positions, airports, and military fortifications, exceeded 5,000 missiles and shells.”

What the Israeli media is saying:

- Haaretz reported: “It seems as if Hamas has declared war on Israel.” They describe the attack as being a “surprise” and cite reports which suggest that the militants used “paragliders” and “forcibly broke through gates used by IDF forces near the Gaza Strip border.

- The Jerusalem Post: “The IDF and Israel Police have requested that residents stay in their homes. Shelters have been opened across the country. “

Rockets fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel, on October 7, 2023. Photo by SAID KHATIB / AFP.

A rocket fell on the city of Yavne, south of Tel Aviv, where a man was slightly injured by shrapnel, according to Magen David Adom.

A woman in her sixties was killed, and 15 other people were injured in southern Israel, announced Magen David Adom, the Israeli equivalent of the Red Cross, according to AFP.

Warning sirens sounded on Saturday morning in Jerusalem, where an AFP journalist witnessed two explosions in the sky, indicating rocket interceptions by the Israeli anti-aircraft defense system.

This Saturday morning: The leader of the armed wing of Hamas announced the initiation of an operation, "Al-Aqsa Flood,” against Israel, as hundreds of rockets were reportedly fired from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory.

"We have decided to put an end to all the crimes of the occupation" and "more than 5,000 rockets" have been fired since this morning, stated the head of Hamas' military weing - Mohammed Deif, commander of the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, in an audio recording broadcasted by Al-Aqsa TV, the Hamas television channel.

As a reminder: In May, Israel launched an offensive against the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip, triggering a five-day war. This offensive resulted in the loss of 34 Palestinian lives and one Israeli woman.

A statement on the Israel Defense Forces Twitter reads: “Israelis across the country—on Shabbat and the holiday of Simchat Torah—woke up to sirens sounding and Hamas firing rockets at them from Gaza this morning. We will defend ourselves.”


They added the sirens were sounding in Jerusalem and surrounding areas.