More than twenty-four hours after Hamas launched a surprise attack on southern Israel from the Gaza Strip, the IDF is still fighting to take full control of Israeli communities close to the border this morning. In the early hours of the morning, hostages taken by Hamas in Ofakim were freed. Three Yamam (Counter Terror Unit) fighters were wounded in the operation, one of them severely. Ten Hamas terrorists who had taken over the police station in Sderot have been killed.
Rocket fire from the Gaza Strip continued last night. A woman was severely injured in a direct hit on a building in Ashkelon. Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon was also hit - no casualties are reported.
Meanwhile, there has been mortar fire from Lebanon at Israeli territory in the Har Dov (Shebaa Farms) area in the northern Golan Heights. The IDF responded with artillery fire. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the mortar fire, and said it had also fired guided missiles at Israeli positions.
At least 250 people are reported killed and over 1,860 wounded in the attacks in the south. Dozens of civilians and soldiers have been captured and taken into the Gaza Strip. Residents of the border area are being evacuated. The IDF has named 26 soldiers killed in action since the current round of fighting started.
The Israel Air Force continues to attack Hamas targets in Gaza. The IDF spokesperson said that 426 targets were hit overnight, among them military installations, tunnels, and multi-storey buildings, and that some 100 terrorists had been killed from the air. "We are in control of the infiltration points in the border fence. Hundreds of terrorists have been killed, and there are dozens of prisoners," the spokesperson said.
At the end of last night’s meeting of the security cabinet, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, "We are embarking on a long, difficult war. The first stage is currently ending, with the destruction of almost all the enemy forces that infiltrated into our territory. At the same time, we have started the offensive phase, and it will continue without limitation and without cease until the goals are achieved. We shall restore security to the citizens of Israel, and we shall win." Among the decisions taken by the security cabinet was cutting off the supply of power, fuel and goods to the Gaza Strip.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on October 8, 2023.
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