At least 700 people have died and over 2,000 have been injured in Israel and hundreds more fatalities have been reported in Gaza after rockets were fired from Gaza into Israel by Hamas militants over the weekend, Israeli authorities said.
The Palestinian Health Ministry said 370 are dead and 2,200 others are injured in Gaza. The Israeli Defense Forces have declared “a state of alert for war,” according to a statement issued by the IDF.
The Israeli government has also confirmed that several civilians and soldiers have been taken hostage.
Early Saturday morning, in a surprise attack, Palestinian militants fired at least 2,200 rockets toward Israel, the IDF said. Hamas claimed at least 5,000 rockets were fired, all landing in southern and central Israel.
The U.S. is sending a carrier strike group to the eastern Mediterranean to bolster deterrence in the region and “will be rapidly providing the Israel Defense Forces with additional equipment and resources, including munitions,” according to a statement from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Sunday.
President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday and informed him the U.S. was providing “additional assistance for the Israeli Defense Forces” was already on its way “with more to follow over the coming days,” according to the White House.
Biden delivered an address Saturday afternoon condemning the “unconscionable” actions by Hamas over the weekend, which coincided with the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War.
House Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry tweeted, in part, “the vicious attack on our most sacred ally by Hamas terrorists cannot stand.” Both Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell released statements condemning Hamas and supporting Israel.
New Jersey Senator Corey Booker was actually in Jerusalem at the time of the initial attacks but was able to safely depart on Sunday.
Source-ABC
