Following the attack on Israel by Hamas over the weekend, the Israeli Defense Forces, IDF, have initiated over 200 retaliatory strikes, including a military compound, a weapons warehouse and an operational command post. With over 1, 500 bodies of Hamas fighters recovered in southern Isreal, there’s no gainsaying that Israel is fully on the warpath.
Hamas, in a most serious escalation on Saturday morning launched “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood” against Israel on Simchat Torah, a holiday which falls towards the conclusion of the week-long Jewish festival Sukkor or the Feast of Tabanacle. Hamas, in a surprise and seemingly unprovoked attack, stormed Israel bringing airel, land and sea strikes in its wake.
In quick reprisal, Israeli warplanes pounded and hammered the Gaza Strip neighbourhood by neighbourhood reducing skyscrapers to rubble and sending displaced persons scampering for safety
Presently, there are more than 187, 500 displaced people in Gaza and more than 137, 000 had taken shelter in 87 UNRWA-operated schools, according to UN Relief Workers Agency. Since the fight broke out, more than 900 Israelis and 560 Palestinians have been killed.
Just yesterday, Tuesday, the Times of Israel reported that plans were in the works to arm civilian security teams in communities located close to the borders with Gaza and the West Bank. The Israeli National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvic says 4, 000 assault rifles have already been purchased from an Israeli supplier and thousands more will be acquired, along with ballistic helmets and protective vests.
However, with Hamas and other military groups in Gaza holding about 150 Israeli soldiers, civilians and even the elderly as hostages, Israel has shown no signs of de-escalation given the extent of the retaliatory attacks. Prime Minister Netanyahu, on his part, is spitting fire and brimstone, howling he would turn Hamas hideouts in Gaza “to dust”.
The threat of escalation hangs in the air, however.
