Following one of the deadliest attacks on Israel in decades, Netanyahu promised to turn all Hamas hideouts in Gaza to “rubble”, telling residents of the besieged enclave to “leave now”.
It is a statement that underscores the fundamental plight of Palestinian civilians in Gaza who live under Israeli blockade and do not have freedom of movement, several analysts have noted.
“Where exactly are they supposed to go if they can’t leave?” Mairav Zonszein, a senior Israel analyst with Crisis Group, questioned on X.
Israel-Palestine escalation updates: Gaza under bombardment
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- Medical sources in Gaza say at least 232 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli air attacks launched after a Hamas offensive against Israel that killed at least 250.
- The group running the besieged enclave said its surprise, large-scale operation was in response to the desecration of Al-Aqsa Mosque and increased settler violence.
- Hamas says it fired thousands of rockets and captured “a big number” of Israelis after its fighters crossed into Israel from the Gaza Strip.
- The operation comes after thousands of settlers in recent days carried out provocative tours of the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem during the Jewish holiday of Sukkot.
- 7 Oct 2023 - 23:11(23:11 GMT)
Thank you for joining us
Thanks for following us with Saturday’s updates on the ongoing fighting between Palestinian fighters and the Israeli military.
Here is a summary of the today’s events:
- At least 232 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli air attacks on the Gaza Strip according to medical sources, launched after a Hamas offensive against Israel. At least 250 Israelis have been killed.
- According to Hamas’s military wing, it has captured “several times greater” than dozens of Israelis.
- Hamas, which runs Gaza, said its offensive is a response to the desecration of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and increased settler violence. You can read more here on how Hamas’s offensive unfolded.
- Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told residents of the besieged enclave to “leave now”, saying Israel’s forces “will turn all Hamas hideouts into rubble”.
- 7 Oct 2023 - 22:48(22:48 GMT)
Israeli attacks in Gaza ongoing: AJ correspondent
Israeli bombardment of Gaza has continued into the early hours of Sunday, Al Jazeera’s Youmna ElSayed said reporting from Gaza City.
“Very violent raids shook the centre of Gaza City … in Al Nasr neighbourhood,” she said. “Again, its a very densely populated area.”
ElSayed said that currently, there was no information on the number of casualties as a result of this latest air raid.
Advertisement - 7 Oct 2023 - 22:17(22:17 GMT)
What precautions are people in Gaza taking?
As Palestinians in Gaza prepare for what could be a long-drawn war in the besieged enclave, residents such as medical professional Belal Aldabbour have already started taking precautions to protect and provide for their families.
“I started by geographically mapping my little flat to locate the point that is farthest away from the windows in case of shrapnel wounds,” he told Al Jazeera.
“I’m now working on reserve batteries,” the father of two said, to keep the electricity running in his home. “There is no telling what is coming next.”
Flares used by the Israeli army over the Gaza Strip [Mahmud Hams/AFP] - 7 Oct 2023 - 22:00(22:00 GMT)
Where do Gaza civilians go? Observers ask
Following one of the deadliest attacks on Israel in decades, Netanyahu promised to turn all Hamas hideouts in Gaza to “rubble”, telling residents of the besieged enclave to “leave now”.
It is a statement that underscores the fundamental plight of Palestinian civilians in Gaza who live under Israeli blockade and do not have freedom of movement, several analysts have noted.
“Where exactly are they supposed to go if they can’t leave?” Mairav Zonszein, a senior Israel analyst with Crisis Group, questioned on X.
- 7 Oct 2023 - 21:54(21:54 GMT)
Al-Azhar al-Sharif mosque offers ‘full support’ for Palestinians
A prominent mosque in Cairo, which is a seat of Sunni learning, has expressed its solidarity with Palestinians in the wake of Hamas’s attack.
The Al-Azhar al-Sharif mosque houses the Sunni world’s foremost seat of religious learning. A statement by the mosque said it “stands fast with full support to the free people of Palestine, who have come to revive our self-confidence, lifeline, and a long-lost sense of aliveness”.
It also criticised the global approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying the international community “adopts nothing but double standards when it comes to the Palestinian cause”.