The unprecedented Hamas attack hits Israel to the core: hundreds of deaths are to be mourned. There is great concern about Israelis kidnapped by Hamas. The government puts the country into a state of war.
Israel has declared a state of war in response to the bloody Hamas attack that left more than 600 dead. “The war that was forced on Israel by a murderous terrorist attack from the Gaza Strip began at 6 a.m. on October 7, 2023,” said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The state of war allows “far-reaching military steps”. In the background there were discussions about forming an emergency government.
The Islamist Hamas had launched the major attack from Gaza the day before. He came as a complete surprise to Israel on the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah (Joy of the Torah). The Palestinian organization, classified as a terrorist organization by the EU, the USA and Israel, fired more than 3,000 rockets. Armed men advanced into Israel by land, sea and air.
According to the military, several Israelis were abducted to the Gaza Strip. A spokesman spoke of a “significant number” without providing precise information. Israel announced an evacuation of its border towns with the Gaza Strip. The federal government is checking whether German citizens are affected.
Hamas’ surprise attack began almost exactly 50 years after the Yom Kippur War of 1973. The attack by hostile Arab states on Israel on the highest Jewish holiday is considered the worst national trauma to date.
Hamas: Iran supports us in the attack
Hamas spokesman Ghazi Hamad told the BBC that the group had received direct support from Iran. Iran has committed itself to “supporting the Palestinian fighters until the liberation of Palestine and Jerusalem.”
The Shiite organization Hezbollah, which is closely allied with Iran, expressed solidarity with Hamas. “Our hearts, souls, rockets and guns are with you, because we are the resistance that originally existed for the sake of Palestine and Al-Aqsa,” said a senior Hezbollah member in Lebanon.
Hezbollah on Sunday claimed responsibility for rocket fire from southeast Lebanon into Israeli-occupied areas. The United Nations observer mission in Lebanon, Unifil, confirmed this. Israeli artillery returned fire, according to a spokesman.
Cross-party talks in Israel
“We will turn all the places where Hamas is organized and hides into islands of rubble,” Netanyahu said in a speech. He called on residents of the Gaza Strip to “flee from there now, because we will act everywhere and with all our strength.” Israel will take revenge.
Netanyahu has offered the two opposition leaders Jair Lapid and Benny Gantz to join an emergency government, a spokesman for Netanyahu’s Likud party said. Lapid had already signaled his willingness to do so.
It was unclear why Israel was so surprised. Numerous residents of the attacked towns reported that they had waited in vain for help from security forces for hours.
Israel declared the “Iron Swords” defense operation and called up reservists. The aim is to destroy the military and political capacities of Hamas and Islamic Jihad so that they are no longer able and willing to threaten and attack the citizens of Israel for many years, it said after a meeting of the security cabinet.
Israel killed a senior Hamas member in its attacks in the Gaza Strip. Gaza Civil Defense confirmed that the body of Ayman Yunis was recovered from the rubble of a building in Nuseirat refugee camp on Sunday. The air strikes in the Gaza Strip killed 313 Palestinians and injured almost 2,000, said the Ministry of Health there.
Traffic light parties and the Union: Israel’s security is German reasons of state
The chairmen of the traffic light and Union parties emphasized Germany’s ties to Israel. “The security of the State of Israel is our obligation and German reason of state,” said a statement from the leaders of the SPD, Greens, FDP, CDU and CSU, which was available to the German Press Agency.
The President of the Central Council of Jews, Josef Schuster, pointed out the threat to Jewish life elsewhere: “The threat to Jewish institutions here in Germany shows that the terrorists are not just concerned with Israel, but that Jewish life is in question everywhere is provided.” Two Israeli tourists died in a suspected attack in Alexandria, Egypt, on Sunday when an attacker opened fire on a tour group.
CSU regional group leader Alexander Dobrindt called for an end to German aid to the Palestinians. The horrific terror against Israel must be stopped immediately, he told the dpa in Berlin. Incitement against Israel on German streets should not go unpunished.
The Foreign Office assumes that the deportees are Germans
The federal government checked whether German citizens were affected. The federal government now assumes that there are also German nationals among those abducted from Israel by the Islamist Hamas. The Foreign Office in Berlin said that, according to the Foreign Ministry’s findings, these were people who all had Israeli as well as German citizenship.
After Germany, Switzerland also increased security measures at the Israeli embassy and consulate in Bern and Geneva. This was announced by the Federal Office of Police. Poland wants to fly its citizens out of Israel. The Polish Air Force will send several transport aircraft to Israel for this purpose, said President Andrzej Duda.
Thais also among the dead and kidnapped in Israel
According to Thai media, several people from the Southeast Asian country are among the dead, injured and kidnapped in Israel. Two Thai citizens were killed, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said during a visit to Hong Kong, according to the Bangkok Post.
In addition, eleven Thais were kidnapped and eight were injured, Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara said, according to the newspaper. Three of the injured have not yet been rescued, it is said. According to the prime minister, there are around 25,000 Thai workers in Israel, according to the Bangkok Post. Several Thai media reported that they are preparing to fly their own citizens out of Israel.
US Secretary of State: Reports of Americans killed in Israel
According to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, there were probably also American victims in the attacks. “We have reports that several Americans have been killed. We are working hard to confirm that,” Blinken told CNN. “There are also reports of Americans missing, and we’re trying to get confirmation of that too.” Blinken also confirmed this information to NBC.
The US Secretary of State indicated that details of specific US support for Israel could be confirmed today. There have been requests from Israel and it is US President Joe Biden’s clear intention to ensure that the US provides the country with all the help it needs to respond to Hamas attacks.
Biden had already assured the country of support in his first reaction. “The United States stands with Israel,” Biden said on Saturday at the White House.