7-10-2023 (TEL AVIV) The Israeli army has launched a series of air strikes on the Gaza Strip in response to a massive rocket assault initiated by the armed wing of Hamas, escalating tensions in the region. Israel’s military operation, known as “Operation Iron Swords,” was set in motion after Israel’s defence minister declared that Hamas had instigated a war that Israel is determined to win.
The Israeli army issued a statement confirming the air strikes, stating, “Dozens of Israeli fighter jets are currently attacking several targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organisation in the Gaza Strip.”
Saturday morning witnessed an extraordinary infiltration by Palestinian militants into southern Israel, as they sent fighters across the border while simultaneously firing thousands of rockets into the country. The rocket barrage, originating from various locations within the Palestinian territory, commenced before 6:30 am local time and continued into the early hours.
The Israeli army promptly sounded sirens in the south and central regions, urging the population to seek shelter. Hamas’s armed wing, in control of the Gaza Strip since 2007, announced the launch of “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood” against Israel, revealing they had fired more than 5,000 rockets.
Exiled Hamas leader Salah Arouri stated that the operation was a response to “the crimes of the occupation,” with fighters defending the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and the thousands of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
Following a security cabinet meeting at the Israeli military headquarters in Tel Aviv, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant issued a stern warning to Hamas, asserting that they had made a “grave mistake” in launching a barrage of rockets into southern and central Israel. Gallant affirmed, “The state of Israel will win this war.”
Tragic Consequences of the Conflict The rocket attacks resulted in one fatality, a woman in her sixties, and left 15 others injured in southern Israel, according to the Magen David Adom, the Israeli equivalent of the Red Cross. Sirens sounded as far away as Jerusalem twice during the morning, and multiple explosions were heard around 9:00 am local time.
One rocket landed in the town of Yavne, south of Tel Aviv, causing slight injuries to a man from shrapnel, as reported by Magen David Adom. In response to the escalating conflict, Israel’s army closed roads in the vicinity bordering the Gaza Strip.
The Start of a New Confrontation This eruption of hostilities follows weeks of escalating tensions along Israel’s volatile border with Gaza, coupled with intense fighting in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Hamas, in power in Gaza since 2007, had thus far remained removed from the conflict.
Israel has maintained a strict blockade of the Gaza Strip since Hamas assumed control. Over the years, Israel and Hamas have engaged in four wars. In response to the recurrent conflict and infiltration attempts, Israel has erected a massive fence along the Gaza border. This extensive barrier extends deep underground and features advanced cameras, high-tech sensors, and sophisticated listening technology.
Since the beginning of this year, violence linked to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has intensified, resulting in the loss of at least 247 Palestinian lives, 33 Israelis, and one individual each from Ukraine and Italy.
