10/09/2023

Israel and Hamas Battle Around Gaza

Meanwhile, Netanyahu warns of ‘long and difficult war’

Israeli troops fought to expel Palestinians from Israeli territory for a second day on Sunday, battling in firefights between homes, ducking under rocket fire and striking Gazan cities from the sky in retaliation for the militants' assault, which officials described as the worst attack on Israel in decades.

By evening on Sunday, the estimated death toll hovered around 1,100 people killed in 36 hours — though the number was clouded by the continued fighting and the uncertain fate of many Israelis and Palestinians in embattled areas. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Israelis to brace themselves for the days ahead.

"We are embarking on a long and difficult war that was forced on us by a murderous Hamas attack," he said in a statement, referring to the militant group that controls the Gaza Strip. He added that Israel's military had "begun the offensive phase, which will continue with neither limitations nor respite until the objectives are achieved.

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