The military conflict in the Middle East is at a critical juncture following the surprise attack by Hamas attack against the Israeli positions in the south followed by the Israeli counter-attack.
The death toll so far stands at over 350 dead on Israeli territory and around 313 dead in the Gaza Strip. Both sides report that there are thousands of wounded from the clashes that began yesterday, following the unprecedented attack on Israel, which has shocked and alarmed the international community.
According to reports Al Jazeera, more Palestinian militants have infiltrated the southern Israeli town of Magen, according to Israeli media. Major battles are taking place in the area with the Israeli army using tanks against the militants, according to several Israeli media outlets.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah has also been involved in the war and has launched an attack on disputed territory in the Golan Heights from Lebanese territory, sparking concern over its possible full-scale entry into the fighting. Israel also responded to the attack by firing missiles and hitting strategic targets.
Israel has asked Egypt for help in mediating the release of Israelis held captive by Hamas, according to the US Wall Street Journal. According to the paper, a senior Hamas official as well as Egyptian officials said the organization had lost contact with some of its people holding captives and kidnapped prisoners.
According to a report in the Guardian, the Israeli army appears this morning to be preparing for a ground offensive in the Gaza Strip, while continuing its operations to free hostages and neutralize Hamas militants still in Israeli territory.
The Israeli army is evacuating Israeli settlements in the Gaza border area, a spokesman said today. Thousands of people will be moved to other parts of Israel, Richard Hecht said. The army declared a no-go zone in the area around the coastal strip. There are still eight areas in southern Israel where the army is searching for possible attackers, Hecht said. The fence in the Gaza Strip was breached in 29 places, which are now being checked.
The Israeli military has been unable to give specific numbers so far for Israelis held hostage by Hamas militants. “We will send a very tough response to Hamas after this inhumane attack,” the spokesman said. “It’s a terrible morning.” Hecht said instructions would be given to the Gaza population before attacks on Hamas targets to “avoid collateral damage”. However, there will be no evacuation, he said. “They will be told to go north, go south, go east.” Regarding a possible ground offensive, the spokesman said all options are on the table. The border crossings in Gaza were destroyed by Hamas, he said. “We are in no hurry to open them.”
Meanwhile, the situation remains unclear regarding the number of hostages, Israeli and Palestinian, held by the warring sides. A Hamas spokesman had said militants had captured “dozens” of Israeli soldiers, without giving numbers, adding only that the prisoners were being held in “safe places” and tunnels.
On Sunday morning, the military arm of the group stressed to the Al Jazeera network that it would publish the number of Israeli prisoners in the coming hours. Israel, for its part, does not currently have an accurate estimate of the number of prisoners brought to the Gaza Strip.
The Jerusalem Post reported that some 750 Israelis have been missing since Saturday morning, following the start of hostilities in southern Israel. At the same time, information cited by the Israeli army said Israeli prisoners were being held by Hamas militants in at least two locations in southern Israel. It also added that two hostage situations had been “resolved”, without clarifying whether all the prisoners had been rescued alive.
