Israel launched a massive air campaign on Gaza on Sunday, killing hundreds of people in response to one of the worst attacks in its history by the Islamist group Hamas, which killed 700 Israelis and kidnapped many more.
Hamas fighters stormed into Israel towns on Saturday in a surprise attack that was the most deadly since the Yom Kippur war 50 years ago, when Egypt and Syria attacked Israel. The attack raised fears of a new war in the region.
Israel targeted buildings, tunnels, a mosque and homes of Hamas officials in Gaza, killing more than 400 people, including 20 children, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to take “mighty vengeance”.
“We’re going to be attacking Hamas severely and this is going to be a long, long haul,” an Israeli military spokesperson said.
The violence also spread beyond Gaza, as Israeli forces and Hezbollah, a militia backed by Iran, exchanged fire in Lebanon, and two Israeli tourists and a guide were shot dead in Egypt.
Many countries called for calm, but most Western nations supported Israel while Iran, Hezbollah and protesters in some Middle Eastern countries praised Hamas.
In southern Israel on Sunday, Hamas gunmen were still battling Israeli security forces more than a day after their attack, which involved rockets and groups of gunmen who overran army bases and entered border towns.
“My two little girls, they’re only babies. They’re not even five years old and three years old,” said Yoni Asher, who saw video of gunmen taking his wife and two daughters after she took them to visit her mother.
Israel’s military, which faced criticism for not preventing the attack, said it had regained control of most of the infiltration points along security barriers, killed hundreds of attackers, and captured dozens more.
The military said it had deployed tens of thousands of soldiers around Gaza, a narrow strip that is home to 2.3 million Palestinians, and was starting to evacuate Israelis near the border.
At least 700 people were killed, according to Israeli media reports, including children. Israel has not given an official toll.
