The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on Tuesday said that at least 1,500 bodies of Hamas militants have been found in Israel as the deadly war entered its fourth day. More than 1,600 people have been killed on both sides of the border.
IDF international spokesperson Lt Col Richard Hecht said that bodies of 1,500 terrorists had been located around southern Israel. It is unclear whether these numbers overlapped with deaths previously reported by Palestinian authorities.
Nearly 700 people have been killed in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, after a deadly incursion by Hamas militants on Saturday morning. On the other hand, over 900 people have been killed in Israel, and over 2,700 people have been injured since Saturday. The military said that they had established "full control" on the border with Gaza on the fourth day of the war.
According to the Times of Israel, over 123 Israeli soldiers have been killed by Hamas militants and their families have been informed of their deaths. The Zaka rescue group said that 100 bodies have been recovered from the Kibbutz Be'eri area.
Israel said that Hamas and other militant groups in Gaza are also holding more than 150 soldiers and civilians hostage. Hamas has threatened to kill captured Israelis if airstrikes continued on Gaza civilians without warning.
“We have decided to put an end to this and as of now and we declare that any targeting of our people in their homes without prior warning will be regrettably faced with the execution of one the hostages of civilians we are holding,” said the spokesperson of the Hamas military wing said in an audio statement on Monday.
What will happen now?
After Hamas militants launched more than 4,400 rockets and stormed Israel on Saturday, the war has escalated with Israeli forces relentlessly bombarding Gaza. The Israeli military on Tuesday announced that it considers Gaza's parliament and civilian ministries as legitimate targets in its offensive against Hamas.
Israel’s military said Tuesday morning that it had regained effective control over its south and the border with Gaza, which was breached in an unprecedented attack by Hamas militants that raised questions on the capabilities and efficiency of Israeli intelligence agencies and defence systems.
Over 360,000 reserve forces have been mobilised to combat Hamas militants amid fears that some of them still remain in Israel. The airstrikes and formal declaration of war suggest that Israel has ramped up its offensive against Hamas after being caught off-guard by the surprise attack.
Now, questions have emerged on whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will launch a ground assault on Gaza, which previously happened in 2014.
"Hamas will understand that by attacking us, they have made a mistake of historic proportions. We will exact a price that will be remembered by them and Israel’s other enemies for decades to come. Israel didn’t start this war, Israel will finish it," Netanyahu said in a stern message to the militant organisation on Monday.
Equating Hamas with the Islamic militant organisation (ISIS), he underscored that the savage attacks that the militant organisation perpetrated against innocent Israelis are mindboggling and added they were slaughtering families in their homes, massacring hundreds of young people at an outdoor festival, kidnapping scores of women, children and elderly, even Holocaust survivors.
Further, Netanyahu greeted the Biden administration and the other world leaders for their "unequivocal support" at the time of the brutal war.
PM Modi extends support to Israel
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Netanyahu on Tuesday and condemned the terror activities by Hamas and extended support to Israel in this difficult hour.
"I thank Prime Minister @netanyahu for his phone call and providing an update on the ongoing situation. The people of India stand firmly with Israel in this difficult hour. India strongly and unequivocally condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations," wrote PM Modi on X.
Earlier on Saturday, he took to social media platform, and wrote, "Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour." The message was later reposted by external affairs minister S Jaishankar.
(with AP inputs)
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