At least 200 Israelis have been killed and 740 wounded, according to reports from media and health officials. Gaza health officials say nearly 200 Palestinians have been killed with more than 1,600 wounded.
This seems far more serious than the typical lobbing explosives at each other in which Hamas and Israel habitually partake.
JERUSALEM/GAZA, Oct 7 (Reuters) - Palestinian Islamist group Hamas took Israel by surprise on Saturday with the biggest attack for decades, a sudden assault by gunmen who crossed into Israeli villages, killed dozens of people and brought hostages back into the Gaza Strip.
Hamas deputy chief Saleh al-Arouri told Al Jazeera that the group was holding a big number of Israeli captives, including senior officials.
That the attack came as a surprise to Israel’s security forces makes it one of the worst intelligence failures in the country’s history, a shock in a nation proud of its intensive infiltration and monitoring of militant groups.
Speaking to Israel N12 News by phone from Nir Oz, a kibbutz near Gaza, a woman identified as Dorin said militants had infiltrated her house and tried to open the bomb shelter where she was hiding.
In Gaza, a narrow strip where 2.3 million Palestinians have lived under an Israeli blockade for 16 years, residents rushed to buy supplies in anticipation of days of war ahead.
“I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the Government and people of Israel,” U.S. President Joe Biden said in a statement issued after the two men spoke on a call.
The original article contains 1,071 words, the summary contains 211 words. Saved 80%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
This is the best summary I could come up with:
JERUSALEM/GAZA, Oct 7 (Reuters) - Palestinian Islamist group Hamas took Israel by surprise on Saturday with the biggest attack for decades, a sudden assault by gunmen who crossed into Israeli villages, killed dozens of people and brought hostages back into the Gaza Strip.
Hamas deputy chief Saleh al-Arouri told Al Jazeera that the group was holding a big number of Israeli captives, including senior officials.
That the attack came as a surprise to Israel’s security forces makes it one of the worst intelligence failures in the country’s history, a shock in a nation proud of its intensive infiltration and monitoring of militant groups.
Speaking to Israel N12 News by phone from Nir Oz, a kibbutz near Gaza, a woman identified as Dorin said militants had infiltrated her house and tried to open the bomb shelter where she was hiding.
In Gaza, a narrow strip where 2.3 million Palestinians have lived under an Israeli blockade for 16 years, residents rushed to buy supplies in anticipation of days of war ahead.
“I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the Government and people of Israel,” U.S. President Joe Biden said in a statement issued after the two men spoke on a call.
The original article contains 1,071 words, the summary contains 211 words. Saved 80%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!