This is our 9/11, Hamas went for babies, grandmothers: Israel Defense Forces
Hamas did not target the military but went after the civilians, Israel claimed after more than 600 people were killed in Hamas' attack.
On the second day of the Israel-Hamas war, the IDF said the last 24 hours were very hard as unprecedented events unfolded following the attack of Hamas on Saturday. As Israel started retaliating and announced an all-out war against Hamas mobilising all army reserves, Israel Defence Forces spokesperson Richard Hecht said this is Israel's 9/11 and more than that. "In a way, this is our 9/11 and even more than that. It wasn't crashing into a building. It was mutilating and attacking the Gaza Strip Nature Party, attacking civilians, kidnapping a grandmother," the spokesperson said. Read | Israeli intelligence last week said Hamas won't attack, ‘avoiding war’: Report
"We are going to respond to this very very seriously. This is against international law, this is against Islam -- hurting children. I mean, this is all very hard to comprehend and all of this makes us all sick.. I hope Hezbollah and Iran do not make the mistake of joining in. We are ready," the spokesperson said.
We have been talking about Hamas for years who they are & what they want - the annihilation of our state...Everybody got a taste of who they are, yesterday. They attacked us on the ground, in the air & also through the sea. They did not go for military targets, they went for civilians.. children, babies, grandmothers...the visuals are eyesore. The style of the attack is barbaric," the IDF spokesperson said.
Israel-Hamas conflict: Here are the top updates
1. The toll in Isreal reached over 600 including soldiers and civilians. Israel's counterattack in the Gaza Strip resulted in 300 deaths while 1,500 people were left wounded.
2. Hamas held several people including women, children and the elderly captive and took them back into the Gaza enclave with an aim to trade for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
3. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country was at war and would exact a heavy price from its enemies. Netanyahu warned that the war could go on for a very long time. Hamas also said they are ready for a long fight.
4. Lebanon's Hezbollah on Sunday fired dozens of rockers at three Israeli positions in a disputed area along the border. Israel’s military fired back using armed drones. Two children were lightly wounded by broken glass on the Lebanese side, reports said.
5. Hamas said it had continued to send forces and equipment overnight into “a number of locations inside our occupied territories,” referring to Israel.
6. Israel struck 426 targets in Gaza, its military said.
7. Israel's cabinet declared war so that significant military steps could be taken.
8. The United States is focussing on helping Israel recover the territory that has been taken by Hamas.
9. A major portion of Gaza was without electricity on Sunda as Israel cut off electricity and said it would no longer supply power, fuel or other goods to Gaza.
10. Egypt spoke to both sides but Israel was not open to a ceasefire at this stage.
