Israeli army describes Hamas attack as ‘worst day’ in history as death toll rises

Israel formally declared a state of war on Sunday as the death toll from Saturday’s Hamas cross-border attack rose to more than 700, with more than 2,000 wounded. Israeli government officials confirmed that more than 100 people, civilians and soldiers, were seized by militants and taken to Gaza, including young children and elderly civilians.

Early on Monday, Lt Col Jonathan Conricus, spokesman for the Israel Defence Forces said: “It is by far the worst day in Israeli history. Never before have so many Israelis been killed by one single thing on one day.”

Drawing an American analogy, he said the weekend’s attack, for Israel, “could be a 9/11 and a Pearl Harbor wrapped into one”.

As the impact of Saturday’s surprise attack was followed by a rising death toll, Israel continued its military build-up. Tens of thousands of reservists have received emergency call-up orders, but it will be days before the army is ready to launch a ground incursion into Gaza.

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Israeli aircraft have carried out more than 800 sorties targeting Hamas militants, bases and infrastructure targets across Gaza, and the pounding of the coastal strip is expected to intensify as a ground operation nears.

Sources in Gaza report more than 370 fatalities, with more than 2,000 wounded. The numbers continue to rise. Ten high-rise tower blocks were toppled by Israel after the military claimed they housed “Hamas assets”. On Sunday, Israel cut the electricity supply to Gaza, where residents told reporters the smell of death was in the air as hospital emergency rooms filled up.

Twenty-two-year-old Kim Damti, who holds joint Irish and Israeli citizenship, is one of the many people unaccounted for following Saturday morning’s attacks inside southern Israel by Hamas militants.

Ms Damti was attending an all-night outdoor rave with hundreds of others close to the Gaza border when the first rocket barrage hit close to 7am.

In the last phone call made by Ms Damti, at 7am on Saturday, she was running with a friend towards a car in an attempt to flee the rocket barrage. That was the last contact with her.

Hamas gunmen opened fire on the partygoers as they fled the scene. Dozens were killed, and many bodies at the site have still not been identified. Others were seized by the armed militants and taken across the border into the Gaza Strip.

Ms Damti’s mother, Jennifer (60) from Portlaoise, is one of dozens of distraught parents who are trying to determine what happened to their children at the rave.

“She’s just a brilliant kid. A happy kid trying to have fun. They shot them down like ducks. So many kids were slaughtered there,” her mother told The Irish Times.

Ms Damti is one of five siblings, all of whom were born in Israel. The family lives in the central Israeli town of Gadera but often spend their summer holidays in Ireland.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said it was aware of the case and was providing consular assistance to the family.

Israel’s rescue service Zaka said its paramedics removed about 260 bodies from the music festival that came under Hamas attack.

Battles continued inside Israel on Sunday in at least three communities near the Gaza border overrun by Hamas gunmen on Saturday and rocket fire continued. Militants have fired close to 3,000 projectiles towards Israel.

[ Timeline: Israel’s conflicts in the Middle-East ]

[ ‘There were terrorists inside’: How the Hamas attack on Israel unfolded ]

The Hamas onslaught began at 6.30am on Saturday with a massive rocket barrage across southern and central Israel, including in Tel Aviv and the Jerusalem area. Simultaneously, hundreds of armed militants poured across the border after Hamas bulldozers smashed through the fence at numerous locations. Other militants used hang-gliders or reached Israel via the Mediterranean Sea.

Israel was taken by surprise and the militants entered more than 20 Israeli border communities, killing hundreds of civilians before military reinforcements could arrive, many hours later. Eventually, after fierce battles, Israel restored control of most of the communities, killing 400 militants.

Over the next few days, ahead of a ground offensive, residents of Gaza periphery communities will be evacuated to the centre of Israel.

Hamas in Gaza has called for Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem to join the fray, but so far both areas have remained relatively calm.

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin said the attack on Israel was cowardly and had to be condemned without reservation. “It is important any response is proportionate. Israel had the right to self-defence but that would have to be and should be exercised in a proportionate manner. I think the overall situation is very worrying... the ongoing cycle of violence in the region is one that is causing great harm to so many people who cannot live their lives in security or with any degree of normality,” he said.

Thirteen Irish peacekeepers based in Jerusalem as part of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation were safe and well, the Defence Forces said. Irish troops stationed in Lebanon as part of the Unifil mission are also safe amid rocket attacks by Hizbullah into Israel and returning artillery fire.

The Defence Forces said the Irish troops of the 122nd Infantry Battalion were maintaining “a high level of vigilance and continue to monitor the situation”.

Irish citizens are advised to avoid non-essential travel to Israel. A travel alert on the Department of Foreign Affairs website on Sunday said “ongoing attacks pose a significant security risk”.