ANKARA (AA) – The Israeli army on Sunday announced that dozens of Israeli civilians and soldiers are being held hostage by the Hamas movement inside the Gaza Strip following Saturday’s escalation.
The Israel Defense Forces spokesman, Daniel Hagari, confirmed that Israeli people had been taken to the Gaza Strip, according to Hebrew media reports.
A substantial number of Israeli civilians and soldiers are being held hostage in the Gaza Strip by Hamas militants who had infiltrated the country en masse earlier Saturday, the spokesman said, according to the daily Haaretz.
Hamas launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on Saturday and said the surprise attack was in response to the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and increased settler violence. It said it fired rockets and captured many Israelis.
In turn, the Israeli army initiated Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
At least 750 Israelis have been missing since fighting broke out on Saturday morning, local media reported early Sunday.
At least 313 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 2,000 others injured in the attacks, according to medical sources in Gaza, while the Israeli death toll climbed to 350.
More than 3,000 rockets have been launched by Hamas toward Israel since Saturday morning, according to the Israeli army.
*Writing by Ikram Kouachi