The Israeli government on Tuesday vowed to launch a "full offense" against the Gaza Strip in response to the war waged upon the nation by Hamas.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said that the military would launch a "full offense" without a restraint on their actions in Gaza. The statement came as rocket attacks at Israel from Gaza and Lebanon continued on Tuesday and the Israeli military continued to carry out operations on two fronts.
The true extent of the Hamas attacks in Israel continued to unravel on Tuesday as it emerged that more than 100 people were killed in a single community in southern Israel and around 40 babies were killed at another community in the region. With these two discoveries, the death toll so far in the Israel-Hamas War has crossed 1,000 and at least 2,800 people have been confirmed to have been injured in Israel.
Meanwhile, two senior Hamas leaders were killed in Israeli strikes and the group laid down a red line for the beginning of any talks over Israeli hostages.
Separately, at least 800 people have been killed and around 4,000 have been injured in Israeli strikes in Gaza, including non-combatants and civilians, as per reports.
Israel to mount 'full offense' in Gaza: Defence Minister Gallant
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on Tuesday said that the Israeli military would not be restrained and would launch a "full offense" in Gaza.
Following the Hamas's all-out offensive of Israel on Saturday when attackers invaded the country via land on bikes and trucks, via air on gliders, and via sea on boats, an Israeli ground offensive into Gaza has been anticipated. Such an operation has, however, been complicated by the presence of over 100 hostages in Gaza with Hamas and allied Palestinian groups.
"I have released all the restraints, we have [regained] control of the area, and we are moving to a full offense...You will have the ability to change the reality here. You have seen the prices [being paid], and you will get to see the change. Hamas wanted a change in Gaza, it will change 180 degrees from what it thought," said Gallant as he visited the troops along the Gaza border, as per The Times of Israel.
Hamas on Saturday rained down thousands of rockets and attackers invaded the country in the cover of those rockets. So far, the Israeli military has confirmed that it has killed around 1,500 Hamas attackers who infiltrated the country. Following the attack, there has been an unprecedented mobilisation of around 360,000 personnel and troops and armour has been moved to Gaza and Lebanon border regions.
Gallant further said, "They will regret this moment, Gaza will never return to what it was. Whoever comes to decapitate, murder women, Holocaust survivors — we will eliminate him with all our might, and without compromise."
Rocket attacks continue from Gaza, Lebanon
The Hamas from Gaza and Hezbollah and aligned groups from Lebanon continued to launch rockets into Israel on Tuesday.
The Israeli military said 15 rockets were launched into Israel from Lebanon in addition to an anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) attack.
Rockets from Gaza also targeted central and southern Israel, most notably the city of Ashkelon. The CNN reported that a "huge barrage of rockets" was launched at Israel from Gaza and Hamas in a statement said that "hundreds" of rockets were launched.
The Israeli military said that it struck three Hezbollah posts in response to rockets fired from Lebanon.
"In response to the rockets launched from Lebanon at Israel a short while ago, IDF tanks struck two observation posts belonging to Hezbollah...In response to the anti-tank missile launched from Lebanon toward a military vehicle in northern Israel, an IDF helicopter struck a Hezbollah observation post," said Israeli military on Twitter.
Meanwhile, the military also updated its death toll in the ongoing conflict. The Times of Israel reported that the military now says at least 156 personnel, including a number of officers, have been killed so far.
100 bodies, 40 dead babies found in 2 southern communities
The true horrors of the Hamas invasion continued to unravel on Tuesday as Israeli military and rescuers scoured areas retaken from attackers.
In one community in southern Israel, more than 100 bodies were discovered. In the second community, at least 40 babies were found to have been killed. The two incidents have outraged Israel as well as the international commentators who have condemned the massacres.
In Kfar Aza community, at least 40 dead babies have been discovered. There is also evidence of damage from rockets in addition to assault from attackers.
Nicole Zedeck of i24 News reported that soldiers discovered some babies with heads cut off. She further reported that the houses were burnt to force people to come out where the attackers targeted them.
"Some soldiers say they found babies with their heads cut off, entire families gunned down in their beds. About 40 babies and young children have been taken out on gurneys — so far," reported Zedeck.
In another community in the region, Be'eri, more than 100 bodies were discovered on Tuesday. Noting the extent of the carnage at the Be'eri community, Israel Policy Forum (IPF) Middle East Analyst Eli Kowaz said that the dead represented more than 10 per cent of the entire population of the community.
The CNN reported that as many as 107 bodies were recovered at Be'eri, which was among the first communities to be attacked. It is not very far from the site of the Supernova Music Festival where the biggest carnage occurred in which Hamas attackers killed at least 260 and took dozens as hostages.
800 killed in Gaza, civilian establishments hit: Gaza authorities
The Gaza authorities have said that at least 800 people have been killed, including civilians, and at least around 4,000 have been injured in Israeli airstrikes.
In response to the Hamas attack on Israel, the Israeli military has been carrying out airstrikes in Gaza with the objective of eliminating Hamas leaders, facilities, and launchpads. The authorities in Gaza, which is controlled by designated terrorist organisation Hamas, has said that there has been widespread damage to critical civilian infrastructure such as hospitals and schools.
The CNN quoted the Gaza authorities as saying that over 1,000 houses and 10 medical institutions have been fully destroyed in addition to 48 schools and 23 other types of government buildings. Additionally, over 12,000 houses have been damaged, as per Gaza authorities.
The CNN further reported, "Five medical personnel and seven journalists were killed, and displaced people in Gaza are now taking shelter in 70 centers due to continued airstrikes, the statement said."
2 senior Hamas leaders killed
Israeli airstrikes have killed two senior Hamas leaders in Gaza, who have been identified as Jawad Abu Shammala and Zakaria Abu Maamar.
The Jerusalem Post reported that Abu Shammala was the Finance Minister of Hamas who the Israeli government holds responsible for the distribution of funds for terrorist activities and Abu Maamar was the head of international relations department of Hamas.
The two were killed in a targeted airstrike on Monday night, reported The Post.
No negotiation until the end of battle: Hamas
The Hamas has said that there would be no negotiations on hostages until the end of the battle.
The Hamas and aligned groups part of the ongoing conflict against Israel have around 130 hostages.
Earlier, Hamas had said that it would execute one hostage every time Israel struck Gaza without warning.
While reports have said that foreign partners, such as Qatar, have been engaged in dialogue for the release of hostages, at least women or children at first, both Hamas and the Israeli government have formally denied any negotiations.
