The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) disclosed new figures indicating that more than three thousand Hamas militants crossed into Israel on October 7. The information is attributed to the Times of Israel and reflects a rapid escalation in the border breach. This assessment follows earlier reports that 200 additional militants illegally crossed from Gaza with weapons, bringing the total to an estimated 2.5 thousand combatants inside Israeli territory. It is important to note that these numbers exclude Gaza civilians who breached the border fence in large numbers, a factor that complicates the overall picture of the incursion. [Times of Israel]
According to the IDF, a substantial portion of the infiltrators were neutralized within the first forty-eight hours after their entry, with roughly a third killed in that initial period. This initial surge and the subsequent losses highlight the intensity of the early fighting and the challenges faced by security forces in containing the breach. [Times of Israel]
In the international arena, Vasily Nebenzya, the former permanent representative of Russia to the United Nations, characterized Israel as an occupying state that lacks a right to self-defense under his interpretation of international norms. This viewpoint has been part of a broader debate about the legality and legitimacy of actions taken by both sides in the conflict. [Times of Israel]
The conflict intensified as the Middle East crisis deepened with thousands of Hamas militants moving across the Gaza border into Israel on October 7, and later reports indicated that more than two hundred hostages had been captured. The hostage situation added a further layer of urgency to diplomatic and military responses from Israel and its allies. [Times of Israel]
Hamas reportedly launched thousands of rockets and announced the initiation of a military operation named Al-Aqsa Flood. In response, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel was at war and mobilized appropriate defense measures. The exchange of fire marked a severe escalation and set the stage for a protracted confrontation across the region. [Times of Israel]
The IDF established an operation described as Iron Swords, with one of its stated aims being the destruction of Hamas’s capabilities. The Israeli Air Force conducted strikes on hundreds of targets across the Gaza Strip, while the National Security Council decided to disrupt essential supplies to Gaza by cutting off water, food, electricity, and fuel in an effort to pressure Hamas and deter further aggression. [Times of Israel]
On October 13, reports from the United Nations indicated that about 1.1 million Palestinians in Gaza should relocate south within a 24-hour window ahead of a potential ground operation, underscoring the humanitarian concerns surrounding the military actions in the area. The call for evacuation highlighted the risk to civilian lives amid ongoing combat and operations on multiple fronts. [Times of Israel]
In political statements, Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to confronting Hamas with unwavering resolve, underscoring the government’s objective of weakening and ultimately eliminating Hamas’s influence in the region. The public emphasis on dismantling Hamas reflects a long-standing goal of Israeli leadership in response to repeated attacks and insecurity across its borders. [Times of Israel]