'We are at war, enemy will pay a price': Netanyahu orders mobilisation of force as Hamas pummels Israel

After a surprise assault from Hamas, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday said Israel was at war and that the Palestinian terror organisation would pay a heavy price for the attack. He said Hamas had launched "a murderous surprise attack" against the State of Israel and its citizens. 

"I ordered first of all to cleanse the settlements of the terrorists who had infiltrated and ordered a large-scale mobilisation of reserves to counter back with forcefully in a manner the enemy has never known… We are at War. We will win," he said. 

Also Read: Israel attack: India issues advisory for its nationals in Israel following Hamas' rocket attack

Netanyahu also said that he had convened the heads of Israel's security establishment and ordered firstly to secure all Gaza border communities from the presence of Hamas terrorists. Israel has started a counter-attack, with its air force and military striking multiple targets in the Gaza Strip, from where Hamas fired thousands of missiles this morning. "We are at war, not an operation," Netanyahu said while referring to Israel's response to attack from Gaza. 

Also Read: Israel attack: Videos surface showing Hamas gunmen fire at residents

On Saturday morning, Hamas fired nearly 2,500 rockets across central and southern Israel, reaching as far as Jerusalem. Israel-based Haaretz reported that Palestinian terrorists infiltrated communities in the country's south by land, sea, and air.

The Israel Defence Forces announced 'Operation Swords of Iron' and said it was initiating a large-scale operation to defend Israeli civilians against the combined attack launched by Hamas.

The New York Times reported that an Israeli airstrike had destroyed Gaza's interior security building. At least 22 Israelis have been killed so far, the NYT reported citing the Israeli ambulance service, but the number is expected to rise.

Also Read: Hamas takes unknown number of Israelis as hostages; Israel fires back at Gaza Strip

Ambassador of Israel to India, Naor Gilon, said Israel was currently fighting to repel coordinated, large, and multi-pronged Palestinian terror attacks. "These attacks which were launched early this morning by Hamas on our civilians, sleeping peacefully in their beds, in cities and villages of the south and central Israel are war crimes," he said.  

Gilon said the actions of Hamas, targeting and killing women, children, and elderly, injuring hundreds of civilians, and firing indiscriminately over 2000 missiles and rockets at Israeli cities, came during the sacred Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah. "Israel will repel this combined assault of rocket fire and ground infiltration of Hamas terrorists."