Palestinian militants launched a surprise attack inside Israel on Saturday, October 7, 2023, with fighters infiltrating the country’s south and a massive barrage of rockets fired from the Gaza Strip.
The attack caught Israel by surprise, and the Israeli military responded by declaring a “state of war alert” and striking targets in Gaza, setting the stage for what was likely to be a new and intense round of fighting. The assault comes after weeks of heightened tensions along Israel’s volatile border with Gaza, and heavy fighting in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Infiltration: Palestinian militants infiltrated into Israel from the Gaza Strip in several locations near the Gaza barrier in southern Israel.
Rocket attacks: Palestinian militants launched a massive barrage of rockets at Israeli targets, with reports of thousands of rockets fired as far north as Tel Aviv.
Ground infiltration: There were reports of Hamas gunmen driving into Israel on trucks and carrying out firefights inside Israeli communities, an unprecedented development in the 16 years since the Islamists took over the strip.
State of war alert: Israel declared a “state of war alert” in response to the attack, and the Israeli military ordered residents along the border area to remain indoors.
Casualties: There are reports of Israeli casualties, including a woman killed by rocket fire.
Tensions: The attack follows weeks of heightened tensions along Israel’s volatile border with Gaza, and heavy fighting in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
The situation is ongoing, and it is unclear how it will develop. However, any new outbreak of fighting is likely to strain the peace process.