Originally published October 9, 2023 7:17 am PDT
In a significant escalation, Israel has declared a “complete siege” on the Gaza Strip, following a series of deadly attacks by Hamas across the nation over the weekend.
As a result, all supplies, including water, food, and electricity, are being cut off from entering the region.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant confirmed this strategy stating, “I have ordered a complete siege on the Gaza Strip. There will be no electricity, no food, no fuel, everything is closed.”
He further likened the confrontation by saying, “We are fighting human animals and we are acting accordingly.”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have commenced “widespread” air strikes targeting Hamas sites throughout the enclave.
Signifying the seriousness of the situation, IDF’s top spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, announced the mobilization of a record 300,000 reservists over the last two days.
He emphasized, “We have never drafted so many reservists on such a scale. We are going on the offensive.”
The operation has been named “Operation Swords of Iron” by the Israeli Defense Force.
The border towns, once under the control of Hamas militants, have been reclaimed by Israeli troops.
However, sporadic clashes persist. “We are now carrying out searches in all of the communities and clearing the area,” noted Hagari.
Describing the scale and nature of the attacks, Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus of the IDF labeled them as “unprecedented” and argued that they warranted an “unprecedented response.”
He expressed that the primary objective is to dismantle Hamas’ capacity to launch assaults on Israel.
The onslaught by Hamas has led to a significant loss of life.
Current figures estimate around 700 fatalities in Israel, including a tragic incident where approximately 260 people were killed during a music festival in Southern Israel, Breitbart reports.
Alongside this, more than 2,400 individuals have been injured, and over 100 are presumed to have been kidnapped by Hamas operatives.
From the onset of hostilities on Saturday, coinciding with the Jewish festival of Shemini Atzeret, Israel has been subjected to a barrage of approximately 4,400 rockets.
Palestinian sources report that 493 individuals have perished in Gaza, with an additional 2,751 injured.
The IDF has pledged to update families about their missing relatives within the upcoming 48 hours.
Reports also suggest that foreign nationals, including citizens from Britain, Germany, and the U.S., are among the missing.
