Netanyahu declares 'war' on Hamas as death toll rises

Israel’s national rescue service has revealed a death toll without identifying whether the slain were trained military personnel or armed settlers, saying at least 22 people have been killed and hundreds wounded in an unprecedented multi-pronged attack launched by Hamas on Saturday morning.

The Soroka Medical Center in the southern Israeli city of Beersheba said it was treating at least 280 casualties, with 60 in serious condition. Separately Israeli health ministry said 545 injured people were transferred to hospitals across the country.

The early morning attack comes on the heels of months of perpetual violence unleashed by Israeli forces and illegal settlers, claiming the lives of dozens of Palestinian civilians. As a result of unabated Israeli aggression, which includes the storming of Al Aqsa mosque, the third holiest place in Islam, anger and frustration was smoldering amongst Palestinians.

Palestinian armed group Hamas, which governs Gaza, first fired thousands of rockets into the Israeli territory and then sent dozens of Hamas fighters across the heavily fortified border from various locations, catching Tel Aviv off-guard on a major Jewish holiday.

As of now, Hamas fighters are still engaging Israeli forces in gunfights inside several Israeli towns.

The Israeli military struck targets in Gaza in response to some 2,500 rockets that sent air raid sirens wailing constantly as far north as Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, some 80 kilometres (50 miles) away.

According to AFP, at least nine Palestinians lost their lives as a result of Israeli counter attack.

Many analysts point out that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has always been uneven, with a powerful army backed and funded by the US having total dominance over the Palestinian resistance groups. Therefore, many Palestinians are preparing for a brutal Israeli counterattack, worse than previous years.

The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza reported injuries among “many citizens" without giving numbers and loudspeakers on mosques broadcast prayers of mourning for the killed.

Videos released by Hamas appeared to show at least three Israelis captured alive. The military declined to give details about casualties or kidnappings as it continued to battle the infiltrators.

The escalation, which involved fighters storming into Israeli territories using

War declaration

“We are at war,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised address, declaring a mass mobilization of the country's army reserves.

“Not an ‘operation,’ not a ‘round,’ but at war.” “The enemy will pay an unprecedented price,” he added, promising that Israel would “return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known.”

'Operation Al Aqsa Storm'

The leader of Hamas’ military wing, Mohammed Deif, announced the start of what he called “Operation Al-Aqsa Storm.”

“Enough is enough,” Deif, who does not appear in public, said in the recorded message, as he called on Palestinians from occupied east Jerusalem to northern Israel to join the fight. “Today the people are regaining their revolution."

In a televised address, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant warned that Hamas had made “a grave mistake” and promised that “the state of Israel will win this war."

The attack comes at a time of historic division within Israel over Netanyahu's proposal to overhaul the judiciary.

The infiltration of fighters into southern Israel marked a major accomplishment — and escalation — by Hamas that forced millions of Israelis to hunker down in safe rooms, sheltering from rocket explosions and ongoing gunbattles with Hamas fighters.

"Israeli crimes"

Israel has built a massive fence along the Gaza border meant to block Palestinians inside. It goes deep underground and is equipped with cameras, high-tech sensors and sensitive listening technology.

Hezbollah congratulated Hamas on Friday, praising the attack as a response to “Israeli crimes” and saying the militants had “divine backing." The group said its command in Lebanon was in contact with Hamas about the operation.

Israel has maintained a blockade over Gaza since Hamas seized control of the territory in 2007. The bitter enemies have fought four wars since then. There have also been numerous rounds of smaller fighting between Israel and Hamas and other smaller armed groups based in Gaza.

The blockade, which restricts the movement of people and goods in and out of Gaza, has devastated the territory's economy.