Jerusalem: Palestinian gunmen have infiltrated areas of southern Israel and rocket barrages were launched from the Gaza Strip on Saturday in a surprise attack claimed by the Islamist movement Hamas.
Mohammed Deif, a senior Hamas military commander, announced the start of the operation in a recorded message broadcast on Hamas media, calling on Palestinians everywhere to fight.
“This is the day of the greatest battle end the last occupation on earth,” he said, adding that 5000 rockets had been launched. “Enough is enough.”
One Israeli woman was killed, according to emergency services, as ambulance crews were deployed in areas around the Gaza Strip and sirens sounded across Israel, including Jerusalem.
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad said its fighters had joined Hamas in the attack.
Israeli media reported that gunmen had opened fire on passersby in the town of Sderot, in southern Israel, and footage circulating on social media appeared to show clashes in city streets.
Israel began striking targets in Gaza in response, setting the stage for what was likely to be a new heavy round of fighting between the bitter enemies.
Videos posted on social media showed what appeared to be uniformed Palestinian gunmen inside the Israeli border town of Sderot. A video from Gaza showed what looked like the lifeless body of an Israeli soldier being trampled by an angry crowd shouting “God is great”. Another video appeared to show Palestinian militants dragging away a live Israeli soldier on a motorcycle. Other videos showed a crowd of Palestinian men dancing around and atop an Israeli tank that was on fire. The authenticity of the videos could not immediately be verified.
Read the report by Henriette Chacar and Nidal al-Mughrabi in The Age.