Deadliest Offensive Against Israel Since 1973 Claims Over 1,100 Lives in Israel-Hamas Conflict

Deadliest offensive in Israel-Hamas conflict leaves over 1,100 dead, as Hamas launches 5,000 rockets and Israel responds with force.

Written by: Shivani Kumari

Edited by: Krutarth Ghosalkar

Last Updated: October 09, 2023

Summary: In the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, Hamas claims to have launched an initial barrage of 5,000 rockets, while Israel's military reports that 2,500 rockets were fired.

Following a surprise attack by the Hamas group that resulted in the tragic loss of over 600 lives in Israel, the Israeli military launched a significant offensive in Gaza on Sunday, causing hundreds of casualties. This marks the most severe attack on Israeli soil in decades. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called upon the nation to brace for a "lengthy and challenging" war, as Hamas fired thousands of rockets at Israel and sent fighters who targeted civilians and took at least 100 hostages.

Israel was taken by surprise on the Jewish Sabbath when Hamas initiated a multi-pronged offensive on Saturday, launching over 3,000 rockets and infiltrating towns and kibbutz communities. In a shocking incident, they stormed an outdoor rave event, resulting in the tragic loss of many revelers who were shot. Terrified Israelis, sheltering in their homes, reported militants going from house to house, targeting civilians, and either shooting them or forcibly taking them away.

A 23-year-old American-Israeli individual, Hersh Golberg-Polin, is currently unaccounted for following a music festival in southern Israel that was attacked by Hamas. As part of their significant surprise offensive, Hamas militants stormed the music festival, opening fire. Hersh Golberg-Polin had been at the festival to mark his birthday and has not been in contact since Saturday morning.

The Israel-Hamas conflict is deteriorating rapidly, marked by confrontations between security forces and the Palestinian militant group, Hamas. The Israeli Defence Forces have described the Hamas attack as the "most devastating incident involving innocent civilians in Israel's history" and have characterized the terror group as displaying extreme brutality, even comparing it to ISIS in its actions.