Death toll from Hamas invasion of Israel mounts, as Nigeria, others weigh in

Death toll from Saturday morning’s invasion of Israel by militants of the terror group, Hamas from the Palestinian controlled Gaza region has topped 200, even as unofficial accounts put the figure at 500, with most of the casualties from the side of the invaders.

The Gaza Strip territory has been under the control of the radical Hamas movement which sacked the Palestinian Authority (PA), restricting it to the West Bank region. The PA is controlled by the Fattah party.

The PA is also to a large extent welcomed by the West, a reason the region has seen a de-escalation of tension with Israel in recent times.

Hamas militants stormed border town in Israel, early Saturday morning, seized at least 50 Israeli hostages and took them into Gaza where they are being held in underground tunnels.

On the morning of Saturday, October 7, tensions between Israel and the Gaza Strip reached a boiling point. The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas announced the commencement of the Al-Aqsa Storm military operation, launching a massive rocket assault on both Israeli military and civilian installations.

In a countermove, Israeli authorities initiated Operation Iron Swords in the Gaza Strip.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized that Israel was not merely conducting a military operation but was engaged in a full-fledged “war.”

The conflict was ignited by Hamas’s announcement of the Al-Aqsa Storm operation. Activists from the movement infiltrated Israel’s border regions, even employing hang gliders to land on Israeli soil. Clashes erupted in the southern regions between the Israeli army and Hamas militants.

At the time of reporting, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had not yet regained control over the attacked border areas. The Israeli army notably lost control of the Erez checkpoint, according to Al-Jazeera. The IDF also announced its state of “war preparedness” and launched a counter-terrorism operation named “Iron Swords” in the Gaza Strip.

Israel reported attacks against 17 military targets in the Gaza Strip and four Hamas headquarters. An emergency state was declared throughout Israel, and Defense Minister Yoav Galant approved the conscription of reservists into the army.

Hamas linked the initiation of its operation to Israel’s alleged “desecration” of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Israeli Defense Minister declared that Hamas had effectively declared war on Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also stated that Israel was in a state of “war” and not merely an operational format. He ordered the mobilization of reservists and vowed that the enemy would “pay the price.”

Heralding the start of what Hamas called ‘the greatest battle to end the last occupation on Earth’, Gaza’s ruling group had earlier poured into Israel in a convoy of trucks, cars and motorcycles after an advance party bulldozed the heavily fortified border, previously considered impregnable.

This is as Israel vowed revenge and responded with a series of missile attacks that left 230 dead and 1,610 injured in Gaza.

Earlier, Hamas was accused of cold-blooded executions, with footage of apparent victims flooding social media.

The Israeli death toll from the crisis has surpassed 100, per latest reports, with more than 200 killed in Israeli reprisal attacks in Gaza.

The human toll has been devastating. Over 200 people have been killed in this recent missile attack.

 Israel’s Health Ministry reported that 545 people were hospitalized during the fighting. In Palestine, five people were reported dead during Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, with several others injured.

The international community has been closely monitoring the situation.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs called for restraint and is in touch with the escalating conflict with Israel and Palestine, as well as with Arab countries.

The situation remains fluid, with both sides suffering significant losses. The international community is calling for restraint, but the path to de-escalation remains uncertain. The Israel-Gaza conflict has long been a complex geopolitical issue, and the current escalation has only intensified the challenges facing both parties and the international community at large.

Meanwhile, world leaders have weighed in on the fresh conflict with calls for de-escalation of the fighting between Hamas and Israeli forces.

Saudi Arabia, Russia and North Korea have also asked that fighting cease, while United States President Joe Biden has vowed to ‘stand by’ Israel in the latest fighting with Hamas.

This is also as President Bola Tinubu government Nigeria has called for a de-escalation of the latest crisis between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas militant group.

In a statement signed by Yusuf Tuggar, Minister of Foreign Affairs, the federal government called on both sides to exercise restraint and prioritise the safety of civilians.

“The federal government of Nigeria is deeply concerned about the outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Hamas in the early hours of Saturday, 7th October, 2023 and calls for de-escalation and ceasefire.

“The cycle of violence and retaliation that the current escalation has assumed, only serves to perpetuate an unending cycle of pain and suffering for the civilian population that bear the brunt of every conflict.

“We are therefore

Calling the attacks ‘unconscionable’, Mr Biden said last night: ‘Today the people of Israel came under an attack orchestrated by a terrorist organisation, Hamas.

‘In this moment of tragedy I want to say to them, and to the world, and to terrorists everywhere, the United States stands with Israel. We will not ever fail to have her back.’

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: ‘I am shocked by this morning’s attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli citizens.

‘Israel has an absolute right to defend itself. We’re in contact with Israeli authorities, and British nationals in Israel should follow travel advice.’

He later added: ‘As the barbarity of today’s atrocities becomes clearer, we stand unequivocally with Israel.

‘This attack by Hamas is cowardly and depraved. We have expressed our full solidarity to [the Israeli Prime Minister] and will work with international partners in the next 24 hours to co-ordinate support.’

Sources in the Israeli government admitted that some of their soldiers were captured as hostages but said their identities could not be confirmed until their families were informed.

Speaking on Saturday night, PM Netanyahu issued a dire warning to Hamas militants: ‘I tell Hamas, you are responsible for the wellbeing of captives, Israel will settle the score with anyone who harms them.’

US President Joe Biden has warned Israel’s enemies not to take advantage of the situation

Speaking late on Saturday, a spokesperson for the Israeli military said the situation in the south of the country was ‘still not fully under control’.

Meanwhile, Mohammed Deif, the leader of Hamas’s military wing, said the assault was in response to the 16-year blockade of Gaza, Israeli raids inside West Bank cities over the past year, violence at Al-Aqsa, the disputed Jerusalem holy site sacred to Jews as the Temple Mount, increasing attacks by settlers on Palestinians and the growth of settlements.

‘Enough is enough,’ Deif, who does not appear in public, said in the recorded message.

He claimed the attack was only the start of what he called ‘Operation Al-Aqsa Storm’ and called on Palestinians from east Jerusalem to northern Israel to join the fight.

In response, Israel launched Operation Iron Swords. Among the bombing targets was the house of Hamas Gaza chief Yehya Al-Sinwar in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. Netanyahu warned that ‘the enemy will pay a price he has never known’.

Israel has the most well-funded intelligence service in the Middle East, with informants and agents inside Palestinian terror groups, yet failed to anticipate the attacks.

It has a fence along the Gaza border which is meant to prevent infiltrations – but in a further humiliation, Hamas were pictured smashing through it using an excavator. They were also seen celebrating on top of Israeli tanks after their surprise attack on unprepared forces.

The fence goes deep underground and is equipped with cameras, sensors and sensitive listening technology. Some experts have even suggested Hamas and other Palestinian groups could not have acted alone and suggested backing from powers such as Iran.

Comparisons to the Yom Kippur War, one of the most traumatic moments in Israeli history, sharpened criticism of Netanyahu and his far-Right allies, who had campaigned on more aggressive action against threats from Gaza.

Israel has blockaded Gaza since Islamist group Hamas gained control of the territory in 2007 and the two have fought wars ever since.

In Gaza, the roar of rocket launches could be heard last night and residents reported armed clashes along the separation fence with Israel.