Israel Hamas War

Amid shocking images of terrified Israeli soldiers and civilians – some bloodied, others hooded and with their hands tied – being marched away by Hamas militants, the whereabouts and fate of the captives has become one of the most pressing issues for military planners, The Guardian reported.

The clips, broadcast by Hamas’s Al-Aqsa TV channel on Sunday afternoon, purport to show that Hamas first bombed Israeli military observation towers and weapons systems on the border using drones, Times of Israel reported.

Video clips of people, including children, waving Palestinian and Hamas flags, dancing and singing in the streets were shared from major Palestinian cities, including Ramallah, Hebron, Nablus and Jenin, Times of Israel reported.

Terming the attack "appalling" and "unconscionable", US President Joe Biden said "there is never any justification for terrorism."

Among the dead are over 12 soldiers and police who were killed battling the terrorists, the Times of Israel reported.

Interventions by Rahim Safavi and other senior Iranian policymakers will also be seen by Iran’s long-running regional rival Saudi Arabia as a threatening signal that Tehran is willing to stir up regional conflict to prevent Riyadh from normalising ties with Israel, as the US wants, Politico reported.

Of the 600 casualties, 313 people have been killed and 2,000 wounded in the Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip, BBC reported quoting Palestinian officials as saying. In Israel, 300 civilians have also been killed, and dozens of Israelis have been taken hostage, Israel’s Embassy in Turkey said, quoting Israel’s Ministry of Health.

Israel’s military on Saturday found itself caught off-guard, despite decades in which the country became a technology powerhouse that boasts one of the world’s most impressive armed forces and a premier intelligence agency, CNN reported.

Hezbollah claimed to have fired dozens of rockets and shells at three Israeli positions in the contested Mount Dov region in solidarity with the Hamas attack, Times of Israel reported.

The gunmen left multiple revelers dead at the scene and at least one attendee was taken hostage, seen in social media video authenticated and geolocated by CNN being paraded and unconscious around Gaza by armed militants.