Hamas fighters enter Israel, take hostages in unprecedented attack

Israel has declared ‘a state of readiness’ for war after Palestinian ruling group Hamas launched an unprecedented military operation against Israel, infiltrating from sea, land, and air into Israeli residential areas under the cover of thousands of rockets.

On Saturday morning, dozens of Palestinian fighters raided Israeli bases in the region, catching the Israeli security apparatus off guard.

Israeli radio said Hamas fighters have taken 35 Israelis captive.

The leader of Hamas’ military wing, Mohammed Deif, announced the beginning of what he called “Operation Al Aqsa Storm.”

“Today the people are regaining their revolution,” he said in the recorded message, as he called on Palestinians from east Jerusalem to northern Israel to join the fight and “expel the occupiers and demolish the walls.”

“We must set the earth on fire under the feet of the occupiers,” he said, claiming that Hamas had fired over 5,000 rockets into Israel.

The attack comes after a Palestinian was killed during clashes with illegal Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank town of Huwara, where renewed violence by settlers during his funeral left nine others hospitalised.

The rocket fire from besieged Palestinian enclave was launched from multiple locations starting at 06:30 am [0330 GMT] and continued for nearly half an hour, an AFP journalist reported.

The Israeli army warned of sirens across the country's south, while the police urged the public to stay near bomb shelters. Explosions could be heard in cities around Tel Aviv and outside occupied Jerusalem.

Israel has imposed a crippling blockade on Gaza since 2007. Palestinian fighters and Israeli military have fought several devastating wars since.

The blockade, which restricts the movement of people and goods in and out of Gaza, has devastated the territory's economy. Palestinians say the closure amounts to collective punishment.