'Deeply shocked,' says PM Modi on terrorist attack in Israel, says India stands in solidarity with Tel Aviv

Hours after Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said he was deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. He said India stood in solidarity with Israel. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour," he said in a tweet.

On Saturday morning, Hamas fired a barrage of rockets in southern parts of Israel, killing many and injuring over 500. In a retaliatory action, Israel launched counter-operations and destroyed Hamas' interior ministry building. 

Also Read: Israel destroys Hamas interior ministry building, other assets in Gaza; WATCH 

According to reports, Hamas has taken control of some towns and villages in southern parts of Israel. The terrorists have also taken an unknown number of hostages besides kidnapping soldiers. A video has gone viral where Hamas terrorists killed an Israeli woman soldier and paraded her naked.  

Younis Tirawi, who reports on Palestinian Affairs, said that Hamas militants had taken over Sderot police HQ and armored vehicles in the town. 

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) has started striking Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip. "In the last few hours, dozens of IDF fighter jets struck 17 military compounds and 4 operational command centers belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip," the IAF said in a tweet. Dozens of its fighter jets struck a number of targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip.

Also Read: Israel attack: World leaders condemn surprise attack by Hamas, urge restraint as death toll reaches 22

According to Israel-based Haaretz, Palestinian Islamic Jihad said it was holding several Israeli soldiers captive. The Israeli police southern district chief said that the fight will probably go on for days. "Some of the casualties are police officers."

Meanwhile, Egypt has warned of "grave consequences" from an escalation in tensions between Israel and the Palestinians, Reuters reported. Egypt's foreign ministry called for "exercising maximum restraint and avoiding exposing civilians to further danger".

According to the report, Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri held a call with European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell to discuss developments between Israel and the Palestinians since Friday evening, stating that both sides should exercise restraint to avoid serious risks.