On Sunday, Israel officially declared a state of war in response to an unprecedented Hamas attack that had claimed the lives of over 700 people, with expectations of the death toll continuing to rise.
Additionally, the fate of more than a hundred individuals who had been abducted and taken to the Gaza Strip remained uncertain.
By Monday afternoon, the toll had tragically risen to 800.
The Government Press Office, an entity operating under the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, reported that the number of hostages held in Gaza exceeded 100.
Both Hamas and Islamic Jihad had proudly announced on Sunday night that they were in possession of approximately 130 Israeli hostages, including high-ranking army officials, the Times of Israel has reported.
In response to these developments, Israeli fighter jets conducted “intense” airstrikes on targets within Gaza on Sunday afternoon.
This military action followed the announcement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on Saturday evening that the security cabinet had officially voted to place the nation at a state of war, thereby granting the authority to undertake “significant military activities.”
On Sunday, clashes persisted in at least three localities near the Gaza border that had been infiltrated by Hamas militants the previous day.
Meanwhile, Israeli communities continued to face rocket attacks, as Israel prepared for what was anticipated to be an extended campaign against the terrorist organization operating out of Gaza.
Written by staff
B.C. Begley 