Israel’s military has imposed a comprehensive siege on the Gaza Strip, cutting off vital deliveries of food, fuel, and supplies to its 2.3 million inhabitants. This comes as Israel intensifies its aerial assault on the Hamas-controlled territory in retaliation for the militants’ surprise and deadly weekend incursion.
The aftermath of Hamas’s unexpected attack left the Israeli military in a state of disarray, with the country’s vaunted military and intelligence apparatus caught off guard. The result was intense urban battles in Israeli towns, a sight not seen for decades. Israel swiftly deployed tanks and drones to secure breaches in the Gaza border fence, aiming to prevent further incursions. Additionally, thousands of Israelis were evacuated from over a dozen towns near Gaza, and a massive mobilization of 300,000 reservists was initiated.
These actions, coupled with Israel’s formal declaration of war on Sunday, indicate a shift toward an offensive stance against Hamas. This poses the threat of more extensive destruction in the densely populated and impoverished Gaza Strip.
A critical question looms regarding whether Israel will launch a ground assault into the tiny coastal territory, a move that has historically resulted in increased casualties.
The current conflict between Israel and Hamas takes place within a highly charged context, with both sides contemplating the use of violence to break the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian deadlock left in the wake of a moribund peace process.
Israel has been rattled by a surprise attack and a death toll not seen since the 1973 war with Egypt and Syria. This has spurred calls to crush Hamas at any cost, rather than continuing efforts to contain it within Gaza. Israel’s current government, among the most hard-right in its history, firmly rejects the idea of Palestinian statehood.
In response, Hamas declares its readiness for a prolonged battle to end what it views as an intolerable Israeli occupation. Desperation has grown among Palestinians, who perceive little to lose under prolonged Israeli control, escalating settler activities in the West Bank, the Gaza blockade, and what they perceive as international indifference.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated, “I ask you to stand firm because we are going to change the Middle East…we have only just begun,” as he addressed authorities from the south.
As tensions escalated, rockets fired from Gaza hit two neighborhoods in Jerusalem, signaling the extent of Hamas’s reach. Israeli media reported seven injuries. On Sunday, Israeli strikes leveled much of the Gaza town of Beit Hanoun, which Israel claimed Hamas was using as a staging area. On Monday, the Israeli military warned residents to evacuate Rimal, a central Gaza City residential and commercial district housing international media offices, indicating imminent heavy strikes.
Amid Israel’s airstrikes on over 1,000 Gaza targets, Palestinian militants continued launching rockets, triggering air raid sirens in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
The death toll stands at over 700 in Israel, including 73 soldiers, while Gaza reports 493 casualties, including 78 children and 41 women, with thousands wounded on both sides.
Palestinian militant groups claim to be holding over 130 individuals abducted in Israel and taken to Gaza. Israel’s Defense Minister ordered a “complete siege” on Gaza, planning to cut electricity and block food and fuel deliveries, employing dehumanizing language in describing those targeted.
Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of blockade on Gaza since Hamas’s rise to power in 2007. Israel has offered limited electricity and permitted the import of some goods but heavily restricted travel. Gaza will now rely almost exclusively on the Egyptian border crossing at Rafah, with lower cargo capacity than Israeli crossings.
Israeli Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari reported that Israeli bombardment aims to destroy houses and buildings used by Hamas, with thousands of targets planned. He claimed that “hundreds” of Hamas militants were buried under rubble, though these numbers and their affiliation could not be independently confirmed.
In Rafah, a southern Gaza city, an Israeli airstrike killed 19, including women and children. The U.N. reported over 123,000 displaced in Gaza, while UNRWA noted a direct hit on a sheltering school. The situation has intensified in southern Israel, with Hagari stating that 15 of 24 border communities have been evacuated.
Hamas spokesperson Abdel-Latif al-Qanoua stated that their fighters continue battling outside Gaza and have captured additional Israelis. The group’s objective is to free Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, similar to past lopsided exchange deals.
Among those held captive are soldiers, civilians, women, children, and older adults. Egypt is reportedly mediating the release of Palestinian women in Israeli prisons in exchange for Israeli women captured by militants.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas has brought the region to the brink of further devastation, with no immediate resolution in sight. The U.S. has dispatched an aircraft carrier strike group to the Eastern Mediterranean to support Israel and pledged additional military aid.