The Israeli death toll after the surprise attack by the militant group Hamas on communities in the country’s south exceeded 700 yesterday, including 44 soldiers, after Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was embarking on a “long and difficult war ”.
In Gaza , which was pummelled by Israeli air strikes , officials reported at least 400 deaths.
With thousands of Palestinians and Israelis wounded since Saturday morning, Israel said more than 100 Israeli citizens, including women and children, were believed to have been abducted at gun point by Hamas and taken to Gaza. Many of the Israeli victims were civilians who were murdered in their homes, on the streets or at other locations along a swath of territory bordering Gaza, leading the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken , to describe the Hamas assault as an “ indiscriminate terrorist attack ”.
In a call to Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, Joe Biden said that US military assistance “is now on its way to Israel with more to follow over the coming days”.
The US defence secretary, Lloyd Austin, said the USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier and its strike group of warships would be moved closer to Israel in the Mediterranean while US air force squadrons in the region would be reinforced in a show of strength.
Blinken added that Washington had not seen any evidence that Iran was behind the attack.
As Israel’s security cabinet signed off on a wide -ranging authorisation for military action, Israelis were struggling to comprehend the scale of Saturday’s attack , and the likelihood of a ground invasion of Gaza and a wider conflagration with Hezbollah in Lebanon loomed large.
This story is from the October 09, 2023 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the October 09, 2023 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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