Hamas militant group launches unprecedented operation against Israel with rockets and infiltration

The Hamas militant group initiated an unprecedented operation against Israel, combining rocket attacks and infiltration by Palestinian militants from the Gaza Strip. This event occurred on a Saturday, prompting Israel to respond with airstrikes in Gaza, setting the stage for what was likely to be a significant escalation of hostilities between the two longstanding adversaries.

Videos shared on social media depicted uniformed Palestinian gunmen within the Israeli town of Sderot, suggesting an infiltration. In Gaza, a video emerged showing the apparent lifeless body of an Israeli soldier amidst an angry crowd chanting “God is Great.” Another video seemingly portrayed Palestinian militants riding away with a live Israeli soldier on a motorcycle, while others celebrated atop a burning Israeli tank. The authenticity of these videos remained unverified.

Mohammed Deif, the elusive leader of Hamas’ military wing, declared the commencement of “Operation Al-Aqsa Storm” in a recorded message, calling on Palestinians to join the struggle. He claimed that Hamas had fired over 5,000 rockets into Israel as part of this operation.

Salah Arouri, an exiled Hamas leader, stated that this operation was in response to “the crimes of the occupation” and aimed to defend the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

The Israeli military confirmed multiple infiltrations near the Gaza border in southern Israel, instructing residents to stay indoors and declaring a state of war alert. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and top security officials convened for an emergency meeting.

Israel had constructed a substantial fence along the Gaza border to prevent infiltrations, equipped with advanced technology. The successful infiltration represented a significant achievement and escalation by Hamas.

Rockets launched from Gaza created a tense atmosphere, with sirens heard as far as Tel Aviv and Jerusalem during an extended barrage. Injuries were reported, including a critically injured woman and a man moderately injured by rocket shrapnel.

Millions of Israelis were advised to stay near bomb shelters, and residents close to Gaza were instructed to remain indoors due to the security incident.

These rocket attacks followed weeks of heightened tensions along the Gaza-Israel border and increased fighting in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Israel has maintained a blockade over Gaza since Hamas took control in 2007, leading to multiple conflicts between the two sides.

The ongoing blockade has severely impacted Gaza’s economy, with Israel citing security concerns as the reason. Palestinians argue that it amounts to collective punishment.

This rocket fire occurred alongside ongoing conflicts in the West Bank, resulting in casualties on both sides. The tensions have extended to Gaza, where violent demonstrations by Hamas-linked activists along the Israeli border were recently halted through international mediation.

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• Gaza-Israel Conflict Background – Council on Foreign Relations provides an overview of the background of the Gaza-Israel conflict.
• Hamas Profile – Learn more about Hamas and its role in the Palestinian territories.
• Al-Aqsa Mosque – BBC’s coverage of the significance of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
• Gaza Blockade – Al Jazeera’s analysis of the Gaza blockade and its impact.
• International Mediation – Reuters covers international mediation efforts to mitigate conflict in Gaza.
• Israel-Gaza Conflict Timeline – BBC’s timeline of events in the Israel-Gaza conflict.
• Israel-Gaza Conflict Explained – A comprehensive explanation of the Israel-Gaza conflict by BBC.