Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Monday his country was cutting off all supplies to the Gaza Strip as part of a “siege” on the Palestinian territory, two days after the militant group Hamas launched the deadliest attack against Israel in decades.
Palestinians inspect the rubble of what was once the Abu Helal family in Rafah refugee camp, Gaza Strip.
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Key Takeaways
- Gallant said he has ordered a “full siege” on the Gaza Strip, adding that “no power, no food, no gas” will reach the Palestinian territory.
- Hamas launched a fresh barrage of rocket attacks against several Israeli cities on Monday.
- The territory, its airspace and its coast have been blockaded by Israel for the nearly 16 years since Hamas assumed power—while Egypt does the same with its land border with the Strip.
- An Israeli military spokesperson said the country’s forces have taken “control” of its border territories and nearly 300,000 reservists have been mobilized to respond to the situation.
- The Israeli Defense Force said it carried out 500 strikes against Hamas and Islamic Jihad targets in the Gaza Strip on Sunday night.
- The Palestinian Authority has accused the Israeli military of engaging in a massacre and targeting a refugee camp that has resulted in at least 21 people killed in the city of Rafah.
Big Number
1,193. That is the confirmed number of deaths in the conflict so far, a number that is likely to rise significantly. The toll includes at least 700 Israelis and 493 Palestinians.
Tangent
Israel received support from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday, who compared Hamas with Russia at a NATO gathering in Copenhagen, saying they both represent the “same evil.” “The only difference is that there is a terrorist organization that attacked Israel, and here is a terrorist state that attacked Ukraine . . . Let everyone who sponsors terror feel the power of our wrath. And let everyone who needs help defending themselves against terror feel the power of our solidarity.”
Key Background
Hamas’ attack on Israel is the deadliest attack on the country since the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Hundreds of militant fighters entered Israel on Saturday while rockets were fired into the country from the Gaza Strip in a fierce attack that appears to have caught the leadership in Tel Aviv by surprise. In addition to killing civilians and security forces, the militants have also taken “scores” of people hostage—including Americans.
This article was first published on forbes.com and all figures are in USD.
