More than 24 hours after Hamas launched rocket attacks followed by an unprecedented ground assault, firefights between forces and terrorists were ongoing in Kfar Aza, close to the Gaza border. The IDF was attempting to neutralise all terrorists still present.
While addressing a briefing on Sunday, IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said the priorities were to end the fighting in Israeli communities and control breaches in the fence dividing Gaza and Israel, CNN reported.
The death toll has been confirmed by the Hamas-run health ministry in the Gaza Strip that said 313 Palestinians have been killed and another 1,990 have been wounded in the Gaza Strip.
In an interview with ANI over Zoom, she added that the attacks could have been avoided if the intelligence wing of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) were at the required "level of readiness".
Israel's warplanes continue to bombard Gaza on Sunday morning, Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spokesperson Daniel Hagari said adding that 426 targets were struck in Gaza, including 10 towers used by Hamas.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Hamas has started a cruel, evil war and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will use all its strength to destroy Hamas' capabilities.
Former Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Spokesperson Lt Col (Res.) Avital Leibovich on Saturday said that attacks carried out by Hamas on Israel shows their "terror organization's real face."
Calling the rocket strikes by Hamas on Israel a sa "tremendous failure" of the Israeli defence establishment, the former spokesperson of Israel Defence Forces, Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus said that the current focus is on defending the lives and eliminating the terrorists.
Israel has issued a call to its citizens, urging them to exercise vigilance and not to disseminate rumours on social media platforms like WhatsApp after Hamas launched a " surprise attack".
He has also accused Iran of "funding and facilitating" the Hamas attack on Israel, emphasizing that this is not a routine incident, and Israel's response has to be "different".