Hamas militants have penetrated into Southern Israel itself, wreaking havoc. The fighters infiltrated through the Israeli border through air, land, and sea routes.
The Hamas terrorists attacked during a Jewish holiday, and on the Sabbath. This attack during a holiday is reminiscent of the 1973 attack on Israel during the Yom Kippur War, which recently marked its 50th anniversary. So far, the attack has cost the lives of 40 Israelis. The Associated Press said:
The ruling Hamas militant group in the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air, land and sea, catching the country off guard on a major holiday.
Several hours after the invasion began, Hamas militants were still fighting gunbattles inside several Israeli communities in a surprising show of strength that shook the country. Israel’s national rescue service said at least 40 people have been killed and hundreds wounded, making it the deadliest attack in Israel in years.
The potential taking of hostages is a catastrophe for Israel’s government, which will receive severe backlash from this. Israel will most likely respond by bombing Hamas positions in Gaza, but this could also restart the physical occupation of Gaza by the IDF. Israeli hostages are particularly valuable for Hamas, who can exchange one Israeli for thousands of imprisoned militants.
Unverified television images showed them arriving in pickup trucks and by hang glider. Israeli media reports said they had also arrived on motorcycles.
Unconfirmed reports from Gaza indicated that Israelis had been taken into the Palestinian enclave, but it was not known whether they were alive or dead.
The Israeli border is one of the most secure in the world but a dedicated armed enemy can still penetrate it. This brings up questions as to whether a similar attack could happen against the United States.
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