Explosive Showdown: Israel Launches Full-Scale Offensive Against Hamas in Intense Battle to Reclaim its Territories

Israel has officially announced its initiation of a military conflict against Hamas, indicating the commencement of a significant operation in Gaza amid ongoing warfare within Israeli territory. On Sunday, tanks and personnel carriers were spotted mobilizing near the Israel-Gaza border, in response to an extraordinary and meticulously orchestrated surprise attack by Hamas; an Islamist extremist organization. With a devastating loss of over 700 Israeli lives, the conflict persists.

Saturday marked the deadliest day in Israel for decades, following months of escalating violence between Palestinians and Israelis. The long-standing conflict is now entering unprecedented and perilous territory. The Israeli military and intelligence networks are now under scrutiny, as their apparent lack of preparedness raises serious concerns in one of the nation's most severe security failures.

Hamas is asserting that it currently holds more than 100 Israeli hostages, including high-ranking officers. Moreover, they have persistently launched rocket attacks into Israel throughout the entirety of Sunday. In addition, another Palestinian armed group known as Islamic Jihad declared on Sunday that it is currently detaining at least 30 hostages in Gaza.

Consequently, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to retaliate, cautioning that his nation will exact mighty vengeance and is preparing for a lengthy and arduous conflict.

He urged Palestinians living in Gaza to "leave now."

Over 400 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza as Israel responds with airstrikes in the densely-inhabited enclave.

Over the course of a violent weekend, Hamas fired numerous rockets from the Gaza Strip, with some successfully hitting several areas in Israel, including Tel Aviv. In addition, armed terrorist groups crossed into Israel and infiltrated military bases, towns, and farms, targeting civilians and capturing hostages.

The Israeli foreign ministry shared images capturing the aftermath of a tragic event near the Israel-Gaza border, where a music festival was targeted by Hamas. According to emergency responders, the attack resulted in a minimum of 260 casualties.

Israeli forces engaged in ground clashes with Hamas fighters, while Israeli airstrikes targeted sites that were reportedly affiliated with Hamas. According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), more than 400 targets, including 10 towers allegedly used by Hamas, were struck in the densely populated Gaza Strip. In addition, the IDF claimed to have targeted multiple terrorist squads operating in the region surrounding the enclave.

Palestinian authorities say 78 children are among the dead, and 2,300 others wounded.

CNN

Desert horror: Music festival goers first took cover from rockets, then Gaza militants began firing on them

Netanyahu stated that Israel's initial retaliation has concluded after successfully neutralizing the majority of the enemy forces that infiltrated our territory. He further mentioned that an offensive strategy will now be implemented. Furthermore, his government has made the decision to cease the provision of electricity, fuel, and goods to Gaza.

Fire and smoke rises above buildings during an Israeli air strike in Gaza City on October 8, 2023.

Eyad Baba/AFP/Getty Images

Flames rise in Burc Vatan shopping mall in Gaza following bombing of Israeli forces with warplanes.

Ali Jadallah/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Hamas issued a warning about actions taken in Gaza, indirectly referring to hostages present in the region. Abu Obaida, the spokesperson for the Al Qassam Brigades (Hamas' armed wing), conveyed this message through a recorded audio statement on Saturday. He stated, "They should be aware that any actions impacting the residents of Gaza will have consequences for them. It is crucial to avoid making any erroneous calculations."

Civilians held hostage are not limited to soldiers but also include civilians of all ages, including children and grandmothers, stated Israeli Defense Forces spokesman Lt. Col. Richard Hecht during a briefing on Sunday. "We have suffered the loss of soldiers, commanders, and a significant number of civilians."

It has been over 17 years since an Israeli soldier was last captured as a prisoner of war during an attack on Israeli territory. The infiltration of military bases, towns, and kibbutzim, like the one currently witnessed, has not been seen since the town-by-town battles of the 1948 war of independence.

Israelis inspect the rubble of a building a day after it was hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip, in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Sunday.

Israeli forces have successfully resolved the majority of significant conflicts that occurred in the settlement of Otef, as stated by IDF spokesperson Hecht on Sunday. However, operations are still ongoing in various other regions of the country.

The IDF's objective for the next 12 hours is to "terminate the Gaza enclave and eliminate all terrorists within our territory," according to their spokesperson.

As part of their efforts, the IDF is currently evacuating over 20 communities near the Gaza security fence and conducting thorough searches in the region to locate any remaining Hamas militants. Additionally, they are actively working to gain control over any breaches in the fence.

No warning of any kind

The attack on Saturday morning was a remarkable display of coordination, surpassing all previous efforts in terms of size and extent. Notably, it occurred on the 50th anniversary of the 1973 War, when Arab nations launched a surprise assault on Israel during Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. According to Efraim Halevy, the former head of Mossad, Israel's Intelligence Service, there was no forewarning whatsoever, making the outbreak of the war a complete and unexpected shock.

The unprecedented intensity of rocket attacks conducted by Palestinian militants left Israeli intelligence officer Halevy astonished. He emphasized that Gaza had managed to surpass all prior attempts, infiltrating deep into Israeli territory and even gaining control over nearby villages.

Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets launched from the Gaza Strip, as seen from Ashkelon in southern Israel October 7, 2023

Amir Cohen/Reuters

Palestinian militants rarely succeed in infiltrating Israel from the heavily guarded and sealed-off Gaza, which is under constant surveillance by the Israeli military. Gaza, with its population of nearly 2 million people, is one of the most densely populated areas in the world, crammed into just 140 square miles.

Hamas governs this territory, which has been largely isolated from the rest of the world since Israel imposed a blockade on Gaza's land, air, and sea in 2007. Egypt controls Rafah, the southern border crossing into Gaza. Israel enforces strict restrictions on civilian movement and regulates the importation of essential goods into this narrow coastal strip.

Fighting between the two factions has escalated over the past two years. The escalation of violence can be attributed to the frequent Israeli military operations in Palestinian towns and cities, which Israel claims are essential measures in response to an increasing number of attacks by Palestinian militants on Israelis.

This surge in violence occurs during a time of significant internal strife in Israel, following the implementation of a controversial plan by the country's right-wing government to curtail the authority of the national courts. This move has sparked a multifaceted crisis encompassing social, political, and military aspects.

Western states expressed their condemnation of the Hamas attack on Saturday and offered their support to Israel, while Arab states, including those that have previously recognized Israel, urged for a calm resolution.

On Saturday, United States President Joe Biden engaged in a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, affirming that Washington unequivocally denounces the reprehensible attack committed by Hamas terrorists from Gaza against Israel.

Saudi Arabia is currently in discussions with the US regarding the potential normalization of relations with Israel. The Saudi foreign ministry released a statement on X, expressing their close monitoring of the "unprecedented" situation and urging both sides to promptly halt the escalation.

Palestinians search for casualties under the rubble of a house destroyed in Israeli strikes in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip.

Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters

Pleas for release of hostages

Israelis are sharing photos of friends and family who they say have been kidnapped by Hamas militants, many of them women and children.

A mother from Israel, who remains unidentified for safety reasons, expressed her distress to CNN when recounting an incident where her 16 and 12-year-old children were alone at home. They were terrified after hearing gunshots outside and attempts of unauthorized entry. The mother, who was absent at the time, shared her anguish, unable to fathom the fear her children had experienced and regretful for not being there to assist them.

The mother recounted, "While on the phone, I listened helplessly as the door was forcefully breached. I could hear terrorists conversing in Arabic with my teenagers, and my youngest pleaded with them, acknowledging his tender age. Suddenly, the call abruptly ended, leaving me in silence. That was the final communication I had with them."

Yoni Asher, an Israeli resident, informed CNN that his wife and young daughters were among those abducted near the Gaza border. Using tracking, he discovered that her phone was located in Gaza. Later that day, he recognized his wife in a viral video where she was seen being loaded into the back of a truck with other people, escorted by Hamas militants.

During an attack on an Israeli music festival near the Israel-Gaza border, Hamas militants took several individuals hostage. A social media video depicted the kidnapping of an Israeli woman, as she was lifted onto a motorcycle and driven away while her boyfriend was apprehended. Another video showed a German-Israeli woman, who was taken from the festival, being paraded around Gaza in an unconscious and motionless state.

Reuters

Hamas seizes hostages and prisoners of war, while Israelis are sharing photos of the missing individuals.

According to an Israel Police spokesperson, those who have family members missing are advised to go to the nearest police station once it is safe to leave their homes. The police recommend that relatives bring photographs and personal belongings that could be used for DNA extraction in order to aid in identification.

This article has been revised to address an error in mentioning the objective of the Israeli political-security cabinet to undermine the capabilities of Hamas and other groups in Gaza.

Reporting for this article was contributed by Mohammad Tawfeeq, Jonny Hallam, Kareem Khadder, Paul P. Murphy, Lauren Iszo, Ibrahim Dahman, Amir Tal, Abeer Salman, Richard Allen Greene, Hande Atay Alam, Clarissa Ward, and Brent Swails from CNN.