The leader of Hamas’s armed wing, Mohammed Deif, stated this Saturday that the group had launched a new military operation against Israel.
In a rare public statement, Mohammed Deif said 5,000 rockets were fired at Israel overnight to begin “Operation Al-Aqsa Storm.”
“We have decided to say enough is enough,” Deif said, calling on all Palestinians to stand up to Israel.
Deif’s message stuck, as the leader, who survived multiple assassination attempts by Israel, does not make public appearances.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog is following the situation and asked, in a post on the social network X, that all residents obey the instructions of the authorities: “Israel is in a difficult time.”
מדינת ישראל בשעה קשה. אני מחזק את צה״ל, מפקדיו ולוחמיו וכל כוחות הבטחון וההצלה ומבקש לשל וח מילות עידוד וחיזוק לכל תושבי ישראל הנמצאים תחת מתקפה. אני קורא לכולם להישמע להנחיות פיקוד העורף, לגלות ערבות הדדית וקור רוח. יכול נוכל לכל מבקשי רעתנו!
– יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) October 7, 2023
The Israeli military said Saturday that “an unknown number of terrorists” from the Gaza Strip had infiltrated Israeli territory and asked residents of the region to stay home.
“Residents in areas near the Gaza Strip have been asked to stay in their homes,” he said.
The statements were made after several dozen rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israel this morning.
A woman in Israel died after a shooting that originated in the Gaza Strip, announced the Israeli aid organization Magen David Adom.
In addition to the fatal victim, in his 60s, another 15 people were injured in southern Israel, the organization said.
In Israel, warning sirens sounded in several cities.
According to the American news agency Associated Press (AP), there was no immediate response from Israel.
The Israeli military routinely carries out airstrikes in response to rocket fire.
The launches came after weeks of tensions along Israel’s border with Gaza and heavy fighting in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
At least 247 Palestinians, 32 Israelis, one Ukrainian and one Italian have died since the beginning of the year in violence related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli and Palestinian sources.
These statistics include combatants and civilians, including minors, on the Palestinian side, and civilians, including minors and three members of the Arab minority, on the Israeli side.
Source: TSF
