Mr Netanyahu’s comments in a televised address mark his first since the Gaza Strip’s Hamas rulers launched a major, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak on Saturday.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told Israel that it is “at war” with Hamas militants that rule the Gaza Strip.
Comparisons to one of the most traumatic moments in Israeli history sharpened criticism of Mr Netanyahu and his far-right allies, who had campaigned on more aggressive action against threats from Gaza. Israeli media reported that dozens of people were taken to hospital in southern Israel. The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza reported injuries among “many citizens” without giving numbers and loudspeakers on mosques broadcast prayers of mourning for killed militants.
It was not immediately clear what prompted Hamas to launch its attack, which came after weeks of simmering tensions along the Gaza frontier. The shadowy leader of Hamas’ military wing, Mohammed Deif, announced the start of what he called “Operation Al-Aqsa Storm”. Mass protests over the plan have sent hundreds of thousands of Israeli demonstrators into the streets and prompted hundreds of military reservists to avoid volunteer duty — turmoil that has raised fears over the military’s battlefield readiness.
“We understand that this is something big,” said Lt Col Richard Hecht, an Israeli army spokesperson. He said the Israeli military had called up the army reserves. In the kibbutz of Nahal Oz, just two miles from the Gaza Strip, terrified residents who were huddled indoors said they could hear constant gunfire echoing off the buildings as firefights continued even hours after the initial attack.
Hezbollah congratulated Hamas, praising the attack as a response to “Israeli crimes” and saying the militants had “divine backing”. The group said its command in Lebanon was in contact with Hamas about the operation.
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