Ongoing fighting between Israel forces and Hamas militants continued on Monday (Oct 9) in seven to eight locations within Israel’s Gaza Strip perimeter, as confirmed by army spokesperson Richard Hecht. He reported, “We’re still engaged in battle. There are seven to eight active areas around Gaza where our troops are combating terrorists.” This update comes two days after Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel.
Military officials had anticipated gaining full control by the previous day, but that objective remained unmet. Hecht expressed optimism, saying, “I hope we will have full control by the end of the day.”
Artillery strikes
Overnight, Israel conducted over 500 air and artillery strikes, targeting Hamas and the Islamic Jihad faction within the coastal enclave. The death toll from the conflict has now surged beyond 1,100.
During Saturday’s attack, Hamas claimed the lives of 700 Israelis and abducted dozens more, marking the deadliest incursion into Israeli territory since the Yom Kippur War 50 years ago when Egypt and Syria launched attacks.
In response to these actions, Israeli airstrikes targeted housing blocks, tunnels, a mosque, and the residences of Hamas officials in Gaza on Sunday. These strikes resulted in the deaths of over 400 people, including 20 children, aligning with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s commitment to “mighty vengeance.”
Ziad al-Nakhala, the leader of Islamic Jihad, disclosed on Sunday that his group was holding more than 30 Israelis captive in the Gaza Strip, abducted since the initiation of Hamas’ attacks.
“The consequences the Gaza Strip will face will be profound, impacting generations to come,” remarked Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in the town of Ofakim, which suffered casualties and hostage-taking.
The escalation in violence has had ripple effects, driving oil prices higher on Monday. Concerns have arisen about potential disruptions in supplies from Iran, contributing to a surge in Brent crude prices, which increased by US$4.18, or 4.94%, to reach US$88.76 a barrel by 0120 GMT during Asian trade.
It is worth noting that Iran, as an ally of Hamas, congratulated the group on its attack. However, Iran’s mission to the United Nations clarified that Tehran had no direct involvement in the attacks.