Photo: Alamy
Israel launched a series of airstrikes on Tuesday into Gaza City as a response to a terrorist attack from Hamas last weekend. The counterstrike comes after the terrorist organization threatened to execute Israeli hostages if Gaza residents weren’t warned before the strikes.
“We have only started striking Hamas,” stated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a nationally televised address, according to Fox News. “What we will do to our enemies in the coming days will reverberate with them for generations.”
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced on Monday that Gaza would be under “complete siege,” warning residents that they would be without food, water, electricity, and fuel to the Palestinian enclave.
“I have given an order – Gaza will be under complete siege,” Yoav stated, according to AP. “We are fighting barbarians and will respond accordingly.”
However, as a response to Israel’s warning Hamas released a video on Monday night pledging to execute Israeli hostages if the attacks harmed Gaza civilians “without prior warning,” according to AP News. Reports from Israel estimate that Hamas could be holding more than 150 Israeli soldiers and civilians in Gaza.
So far, according to Fox News, Israel has issued prior warnings to Gaza residents of where they intend to strike within the city. The Israeli government also reported on Tuesday morning that they had regained effective control over areas near the Gaza strip border.
Casualties so far from both sides have climbed in the last few days, with no concrete amount confirmed, however, Israel military reported that roughly 1,500 Hamas militant bodies have been recovered on Israeli territory, according to Fox News.
