The Hamas operation began simply earlier than 7am in Israel and got here with none warning.
Israel is coming to the tip of the Jewish pageant of Sukkot and immediately is the Shabbat day of relaxation, however Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened an emergency assembly of his safety cupboard to work out how to answer this disaster.
And disaster it’s.
Netanyahu has described it as a war and the Israeli army will reply accordingly.
Israel-Gaza latest: Hamas fighters on ground in Israel after ‘5,000’ rockets fired
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Netanyahu: ‘We are going to win’
Video footage of Hamas fighters, with white headbands, driving via the streets of Israeli cities in pick-up vehicles with heavy machine weapons is unprecedented.
This might seem like a significant failing of Israeli intelligence.
The inquiry is for later, however Israelis who’ve messaged me from their hiding locations close to the border need solutions now.
Hamas managed to interrupt via the often impregnable border fences and drive vehicles and weaponry over the border.
A destroyed Israeli tank on the Gaza Strip. Pic: AP
They should have had vital help inside Israel itself to hold this assault out, and almost definitely assist from Iran and Hezbollah.
Movies posted on social media present Hamas fighters driving captured Israeli army autos, extremely embarrassing for the IDF, often a feared army power.
There are stories and proof of some Israeli troopers which were killed and their our bodies captured by Hamas – the Israeli army is not confirming this at this stage.
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Video appears to indicate Hamas paragliding over border
One other video exhibits an aged Israeli lady being paraded via Gaza in a golf buggy, her face clean with shock.
The Israeli army has already began placing Gaza in retaliation, however there are days of conflict forward.
This is not the standard spherical of violence. It’s miles extra severe than that. A floor incursion isn’t out of the query.
Hamas’ actions have been roundly condemned by Western allies of Israel.
A peace deal between Saudi Arabia and Israel was showing shut, however what occurs over the approaching days may put that unsure. Possibly that’s Hamas’s purpose.