Israel, Gaza reel as death toll soars above 1100 in war with Hamas

The Israeli army said on Monday it hit more than 500 targets in the Gaza Strip in overnight strikes.

Smoke rises during an Israeli air strike on Gaza City on Sunday. Picture: AFP

Israel relentlessly pounded the Gaza Strip early on Monday as fighting raged with Hamas around the Gaza Strip and the death toll from the war against the Palestinian militants surged above 1100.

The Israeli army said it hit more than 500 targets in the Gaza Strip ,an enclave of 2.3 million people, in overnight clashes, while fighting persisted in seven to eight locations inside Israel.

It came two days after Hamas launched a barrage of rockets and sent a wave of fighters who gunned down civilians and took at least 100 hostages in an massive attack that took Israel by surprise.

Overnight on Sunday the government officially declared war on the Palestinian militant group that controls Gaza and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned Israel to prepare for a “long and difficult” conflict.

The aftermath of an Israeli airstrike on Gaza City on Sunday. Picture: Getty Images

Gun battles raged as the Israeli army sought to secure desert regions near the enclave, rescue hostages and evacuate all areas near Gaza, after the cabinet formally declared war by activating Article 40 of the Basic Law.

More than 700 Israelis have been killed since Hamas launched its large-scale attack, the Israel Defence Forces said on Monday. Another 1200 people have been wounded, many critically.

In retaliation, Israeli airstrikes have hammered the Gaza Strip,with ­officials there reporting at least 413 Palestinian deaths.

“Overnight, IDF fighter jets, helicopters, aircraft and artillery struck over 500 Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip,” the military said.

Plumes of thick smoke billowed from Gaza as the strikes continued in the early hours of the morning.

IDF spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus estimated about 1000 Palestinian militants had participated in Hamas’s assault on Saturday, which he called “by far the worst day in Israeli history”.

“Never before have so many Israelis been killed by one single thing, let alone enemy activity in one day,” he said. “This could be a 9/11 and a Pearl Harbor wrapped into one.”

An Israeli soldier directs armoured vehicles heading towards the southern border with the Gaza Strip on Sunday. Picture: Getty Images

Some 100,000 reserve troops have been deployed to the south as the IDF battles to expel Hamas fighters from Israeli territory, he said, adding a “very large amount” of Israeli civilians and soldiers were being held inside Gaza.

Israel was stunned when Hamas launched its multi-pronged offensive on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, with at least 3000 rockets raining down as fighters infiltrated towns and kibbutz communities and stormed an outdoor rave where many revellers were shot dead.

Israel also came under attack from the north when Lebanon’s Hezbollah launched guided missiles and artillery shells on Sunday “in solidarity” with the un­precedented Hamas offensive, without causing any casualties.

Israel responded with artillery strikes across the UN-patrolled border. “We recommend Hezbollah not to come into this,” said army spokesman Richard Hecht. “If they come, we are ready.”

The police station in Sderot destroped during battles to dislodge Hamas militants who were stationed inside, on Sunday. Picture: AFP

Mr Netanyahu, who leads a hard-right coalition government but has received pledges of support from opponents, has vowed to turn Hamas hideouts “to rubble” and urged Palestinians there to flee. Israeli attacks since then have levelled several Gaza residential towers and destroyed a mosque in Gaza’s Khan Yunis, as well as hitting the central bank.

More than 20,000 people in the Palestinian territory have been displaced from the fighting, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees said.

Several countries reported nationals killed, abducted or missing. At least four US citizens were killed in the attack. Thailand said at least 12 of its nationals were also killed while Nepal reported 10 deaths. They were all labourers working in Israel.

AFP