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Trails of smoke in the air, blaring sirens on the ground, explosions everywhere: Palestinian militants from the Gaza Strip have fired thousands of rockets into Israel since early yesterday morning. At least 300 Israelis were killed and nearly 2,000 injured, according to preliminary counts. It was an attack that almost no one expected with such intensity. The secret services: apparently completely surprised.
In the first hours of the offensive, armed men advanced into Israel by land, sea and air. There were skirmishes with Israeli soldiers. Gruesome videos of acts of violence, suspected hostage takings and kidnappings circulated online. According to the Israeli army, Hamas terrorists have kidnapped a number of victims in the Gaza Strip, including soldiers, as an army spokesman confirmed, without providing any information on the number of kidnapped.
“Citizens of Israel, we are at war,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an initial response.
The militant Hamas spoke of a “military operation”. Military chief Mohammed Deif said his organization had decided “to put an end to Israeli crimes.” The radical Islamic rulers of Gaza are classified as a terrorist group by Israel, the EU and the US.
Iron sword
In response to the attack, Israel launched Operation Iron Sword. Warplanes repeatedly bombed targets in the Gaza Strip. The military said 17 military installations and four Hamas command centers were hit. According to the Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip, 250 people were killed and more than 1,600 were injured. Israeli Defense Minister Joav Galant (64): “Hamas has made a serious mistake and started a war against the state of Israel.” The country’s soldiers fought “in all places that had been invaded.” He called on citizens to follow the instructions and announced: “Israel will win this war.”
An Israeli official threatened that Hamas had opened “the gates to hell” with the attack. The spokesperson for Israel’s Cogat authority, which is responsible for access and work permits for Palestinian workers from the Gaza Strip, assured that the organization would be held accountable.
According to the EDA, 28,000 Swiss currently live in the area. Blick TV reporter Hanna Dedial, who is currently on vacation in Israel, reports: “The streets in Tel Aviv are deserted, there is hardly anyone out and about.” Her return flight on Saturday evening was canceled and she was able to spend the night with friends who have a bomb shelter.
International outrage
The Hamas attack sparked worldwide horror. The World Security Council plans to meet in New York on Sunday for an emergency meeting.
“Our thoughts are with the victims and all those affected,” a NATO spokesperson wrote on X (formerly Twitter). Terrorism is a fundamental threat to free societies. Israel has the right to defend itself.
Politicians in Switzerland also spoke out. Federal President Alain Berset (51) wrote about X: “Switzerland condemns the rocket fire and attacks on Israel from Gaza. We demand an immediate end to the violence and compliance with the protection of the civilian population.” The SP magistrate expressed his deepest condolences to the families and relatives of the victims.
“From a Swiss perspective, terrorism must be condemned,” Center councilor Pirmin Bischof (64) said about SRF. The escalation shows how unstable the situation is worldwide, which is of great concern, said the chairman of the Foreign Policy Committee of the Council of States.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, 65, strongly condemned the attacks, as did the governments of Italy, Spain, France and Britain, as well as the European Union. The US clearly sided with Israel. President Joe Biden (80) secured the support of the United States. “Israel has the right to defend itself and its people,” he said in Washington yesterday.
Bellicose sounds from Iran
The Foreign Ministry in Cairo said Egypt was making intensive efforts to calm the situation. In the past, the country has repeatedly mediated between Israel and militant Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip and repeatedly brokered ceasefires. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on all parties to exercise restraint.
However, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman congratulated the Islamist Hamas after its major attack on Israel. “Today’s operation by the resistance movement in Palestine is a turning point in the continuation of the armed resistance of the Palestinian people against the Zionists,” Nasser Kanaani told Iran’s ISNA news agency. Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, Israel has been considered Iran’s archenemy.
According to the UN, more than two million people currently live in extremely difficult conditions in the Gaza Strip. In 2007, Hamas seized power there by force. Israel subsequently tightened the blockade of the coastal area.
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
