Post #150983

Hamas launches surprise attack as gunmen enter Israel The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas launched the biggest attack on Israel in years on Saturday in a surprise assault that combined gunmen crossing the border with a heavy barrage of rockets fired from the Gaza Strip. As warning sirens sounded across southern and central Israel, including in Jerusalem, Israel's military said it was on a war footing as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called an emergency meeting of security officials. Saturday's incident marked an unprecedented infiltration by Hamas gunmen into Israel from Gaza, and was the most serious escalation since Israel and Hamas fought a 10-day war in 2021. Israeli media reported gunbattles between bands of Palestinian fighters and security forces in towns in southern Israel. In Gaza, people rushed to buy supplies in anticipation of days of conflict ahead. read more