Israel Officially Declares War

So far civilians have paid the highest price of war between Israeli forces and Hamas militants. Israeli media, citing rescue teams officials, said the number of those killed in Israel has reached at least 500 people, including 44 soldiers.

Officials in Gaza said 313 Palestinians have lost their lives in the conflict, while according to the official Israeli version, the army had killed 400 militants and captured dozens more.

Israel's security cabinet officially declared a state of war.

Israeli soldiers continued fighting the Hamas militants on the streets of southern Israel on Sunday and undertook counterattacks that levelled buildings in Gaza. In northern Israel a brief exchange of attacks with Lebanon's Hezbollah militants escalated fears of expanding the conflict.

The wars are continuing more than 24 hours after an unprecedented attack by Palestinians, in which Hamas militants -- supported by thousands of missiles -- penetrated through Israel's security barrier. They took captives who were sent to Gaza, including women, children, and older ones, who will try to trade for thousands of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.

The high death toll, numerous prisoners and a slow response to the attack pointed to a major failure of intelligence and shaken the long-held impression that Israel has eyes and ears everywhere in Gaza, its small and densely populated territory that has controlled for decades.

The main question now is whether Israel will launch a ground attack on Gaza, a movement that in the past has brought numerous victims. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that Hamas “would pay an unprecedented” price. But he warned that “this war will take time. It's going to be difficult”

Israelite TVs broadcast a multitude of prayers for help from relatives of the Israelites taken hostage or missing. In Gaza, residents fled homes near the border to escape Israeli attacks, moving deeper into the territory after warnings in Arabic by the Israeli army.

In neighboring Egypt, a policeman shot two Israeli tourists and an Egyptian in a resort in Alexandria, the Interior Ministry said. Egypt reached a peace agreement with Israel decades ago, but anti-Israel sentiment is high in the country, especially during periods of Israeli-Palestinian violence.

The attacks on Israel's northern border with Lebanon also threaten to draw to battle Hezbollah, a fierce enemy of Israel, which is backed by Iran and is estimated to have tens of thousands of missiles available. Hezbollah launched dozens of rockets and rockets Sunday in three Israeli positions in an area along the border, and the Israeli army responded by using armed fears. Two children were easily injured by broken glass on the Lebanese side, according to a local hospital.

Admiral Daniel Hagari, an Israeli military official, told reporters that the situation at the northern border was calm after the shootout with Hezbollah. But he said fighting was continuing south and there are still hostage situations.

He said troops had gone to any neighbourhood near the Gaza border, where they planned to evacuate all civilians and clear the area of militants.

We will go to every community until we kill every terrorist on Israeli territory”, he said. In Gaza, every <x2 terrorist found around the house, all commanders would be hit by Israeli fire. This will continue to escalate into the next”.

Hamas said that at night he had continued to send forces and equipment to “certain locations within our occupied territory”, referring to Israel. Media linked to Hamas reported that Nizar Awada God's son, a senior political official, was killed. The Islamic militant group has not reported any senior members captured, killed or wounded.

Saturday's surprise attack was the deadliest in Israel in decades. During the surprise attack on Israel, Hamas' armed men used explosives to break up the Gaza border fence, then passed over to Israel on motorcycles, trucks, parachutes, and speedboats on the coast.

They moved up to 22 areas early Saturday morning, into different cities and communities up to 24km from the Gaza border, while Hamas launched thousands of rockets in Israeli cities.

Israeli media said at least 300 people were killed and 1,500 were injured in Saturday's attack. Hamas warriors received an unknown number of civilians and captives in Gaza. A host of Israelis, relatives with the missing, went to police stations in central Israel to supply DNA samples investigators and other tools that could help identify their family members.

Israel hit 426 targets in Gaza, according to the Israeli Army.

313 people were killed in Gaza, and about 2,000 others were injured, Palestinian authorities said. U n NRWA, the United Nations Agency for Palestinians, said more than 20,000 Palestinians left the Gaza border region to move further inside the territory and take refuge in UN schools.

In a televised address Saturday evening, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyah said the army would use all its forces to destroy Hamas' capabilities.

In Gaza, most of the population was left in darkness Saturday evening after Israel cut power and said it would no longer supply energy, fuel or other goods to this territory.

Hamas said he had planned a long war. “We are prepared for all possibilities, including the war on all fronts”, said the deputy head of Hamas' political bureau, Saleh al-Arouri for television “Al-Jazeera”

An Egyptian official said Israel has sought help from Cairo to ensure hostage safety and that the Egyptian intelligence chief had contacted Hamas and the smaller but most radical group of Islamic Jihad, who also participated in Saturday's attack to request information. Egypt has often mediated between the two sides in the past.

The official said Palestinian leaders claimed they do not yet have a full <x0version” regarding the hostages, but said those brought to Gaza were sent to “secure location” on the entire territory.

The “is clear that they have a number of dozens of”, said the official, who asked not to be identified because he was not authorised to inform the media.

Egypt also spoke to both sides of a possible ceasefire, but the official said Israel was not open to a “ceasefire at this stage”.

Speaking from the White House, President Joe Biden reiterated Washington's strong and steadfast support for Israel.

In a conversation with Prime Minister Netanyahu, I told him that the United States stands with Israel's people in the face of these terrorist attacks. Israel has the right to defend itself and its people. There is never an excuse for terrorist attacks”, President Biden said.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned Hamas' attacks and said it was “taken into account by the attacks against the civilian population and their kidnapping. He called for their immediate release, while calling for diplomatic efforts to avoid a broader conflict.

The United Nations Security Council will meet on Sunday afternoon at an emergency closed-door session to inform about the situation. / VOA