The Israeli military has declared a “complete siege” on the Gaza enclave after Hamas terrorists launched an attack that killed over 700 Israelis and injured nearly 1,600. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant announced on October 9th that they would cut off electricity, block food and fuel shipments, and label the terrorists as “human animals.” Israeli Infrastructure Minister Israel Katz also ordered a cut-off of water supplies to Hamas-controlled Gaza. Hamas has stated that it is prepared for a long battle against what they consider an intolerable Israeli occupation.
Jan Egeland, the secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council, expressed concerns about the consequences of Israel’s siege on the people of Gaza. He believes that collective punishment is a violation of international law and could amount to war crimes if it leads to the death of wounded children due to lack of essential resources. On Saturday, around 1,000 armed Hamas terrorists breached Israeli barriers, killing civilians, kidnapping others, and taking them to Gaza.
Palestinian groups claimed to be holding over 130 people abducted in Israel and taken to Gaza, but these claims have not been verified. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer stated that at least four Americans were killed in the attacks, and the State Department later raised the number to nine. The Israeli military has gained control in Israel’s southern towns, where they have been battling Hamas terrorists. They have planned to hit thousands of targets and have already mobilized 300,000 reservists.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told officials in southern Israel to prepare for a sweeping military campaign against Hamas, stating that they are going to change the Middle East. Tanks and drones were deployed to guard the breaches in the Gaza border wall that terrorists created before their attack. Thousands of Israelis have been evacuated from towns near Gaza, indicating a significant operation to degrade Hamas’ ability to launch attacks.
The possibility of a ground assault into Gaza is uncertain, as it could result in high casualties. Israeli authorities warned Gaza residents to leave as they prepared to bombard Hamas sites. Hamas claimed to have abducted more Israelis, and neighboring Egypt is concerned about an influx of people escaping the conflict. The United Nations reported that over 123,000 individuals have already been displaced in Gaza.