US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will be traveling to Israel today
Israel said it recaptured Gaza border areas from the Hamas group as the fierce fighting entered Day 5, leaving thousands killed on both sides. There was also an exchange of fire between Israel and forces in Syria last evening.
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The death count in Israel has surged above 1,200 from the worst attack in the country's history, while Gaza officials have reported 900 people killed so far. Israel army also said it had recovered the bodies of around 1,500 Hamas operatives inside Israel.
At least 30 people were killed in overnight strikes by Israel targeting Hamas spots in Gaza. Israel army said fighter jets destroyed "advanced detection systems" that Hamas used to spot military aircraft.
The Palestinian group has threatened to execute one hostage every time Israel drops a bomb, without warning, on a Palestinian home in the Gaza Strip. "Every targeting of our people without warning will be met with the execution of one of the civilian hostages," the armed wing of Hamas has warned Israel. The group has 150 hostages - including children.
The threat came after Israel imposed a total siege on the Gaza Strip, cutting off the water supply. The move has sparked fears that an already dire humanitarian situation will further deteriorate.
The Israel army yesterday said there had been "a number of launches from Syria into Israeli territory". "Soldiers are responding with artillery and mortar shells toward the origin of the launching in Syria," an Israeli army statement said. Hamas fired rockets towards Israel from Lebanon as well on Tuesday, prompting Israeli attacks on positions belonging to Hezbollah.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned Israel's military operation - following Saturday's mass breach by the Palestinian group - is only the start of a sustained war to destroy Hamas and "change the Middle East".
He compared the large-scale slaughter of Israeli civilians to the atrocities committed by ISIS, when they controlled vast swathes of Syria and Iraq. "Hamas terrorists bound, burned and executed children. They are savages. Hamas is ISIS," Netanyahu said.
Key ally the US stressed its full support for Israel, as did the UK, France, Germany and Italy. "We "recognise the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people" but said Hamas "offers nothing for the Palestinian people other than more terror and bloodshed"," their leaders said in a joint statement.
President Joe Biden condemned the attacks by Hamas on US ally Israel as "sheer evil" in an emotional speech Tuesday and said Washington is ready to deploy more military assets to the region. In a solidarity visit, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will be traveling to Israel today to meet with senior Israeli leaders. "It will be a message of solidarity and support," said US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.
Besides the US, several countries have reported their citizens killed, abducted or missing - including Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Ireland, Mexico, Nepal, Panama, Paraguay, Russia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Ukraine. Many of the missing foreigners were at a music festival in the southern Israeli desert when Hamas attacked Israel.
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