The world woke up yesterday morning with a great shock. The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) unexpectedly launched the largest operation in recent years against the occupying Israeli forces. As the clock showed 06.30, rocket fire started from various parts of the Gaza Strip. Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement, announced the name of the operation as “Aqsa Flood”. Within 20 minutes, 5 thousand rockets and mortars were fired at the Israeli side.
– According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, armed Palestinians entered 14 separate Israeli regions.
– Some elements of the Izz ad-Din Qassam Brigades were seen on the streets of Israeli settlements near the blockaded Gaza Strip.
– Hamas announced that Israel’s Kerem Abu Salim Border Gate and the military point around it were captured.
– A police station was also seized in the city of Sderot.
IRON SWORDS ANSWER
– Israeli army declares “war alert”
– Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that “Operation Iron Swords” was launched against Hamas’ Operation Aqsa Flood.
– Dozens of Israeli planes dropped bombs on the Gaza Strip again.
– 232 Palestinians lost their lives in the clashes on the Gaza Strip border. Two Palestinian photojournalists were among the dead. In the West Bank, 5 Palestinians, including a child, lost their lives in the fire opened by Israeli soldiers.
– Israel declared the area within a radius of 80 kilometers around the Gaza Strip as a military zone.
– Israel closed entry and exit from the occupied West Bank to East Jerusalem.
– Israel also closed the crossings through the Kerame Border Gate, which opens from the West Bank to Jordan.
‘GROWINGOPPRESSIONS‘IT IS OUR ANSWER’
In the statements made by Hamas throughout the day, Operation Aqsa Flood was shown as a response to the increasing atrocities by Israel in recent months. It was reported that occupation forces’ raids on Al-Aqsa Mosque increased, mosques were closed to Muslims’ worship, dozens of Palestinians were killed or arrested without questioning since the beginning of 2023, and Jewish settlers were settled in Palestinians’ homes.
DOZENSISRAELI SOLDIERTAKEN POWER
Images of 50 Israeli soldiers and civilians being captured and smuggled to the Gaza Strip within the scope of the Aqsa Typhoon Operation were shared on social networks. It was claimed that the Israeli army’s Gaza Strip commander, Brigadier General Nimrod Aloni, and senior officers were among the captive soldiers. According to experts, the hostages in question will be used in exchange with detained Palestinians in Israeli prisons. There are 5 thousand prisoners, 160 of whom are children, and 1083 administrative detainees in Israeli prisons.
MOSSAD COLLAPSED
Israeli government officials said they have launched a comprehensive investigation into how Israeli intelligence failed to spot these large-scale and well-coordinated attacks by Hamas. The firing of 5 thousand missiles towards Israel was also interpreted as a sign that the Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades had become seriously stronger in recent months.
NETANYAHU: NOT AN OPERATION, BUT WAR
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “This is not an operation or mutual attack, it is war.” Netanyahu has broadly ordered the call-up of reserve soldiers.
300 ISRAELI DIED
300 Israelis died and more than 1,700 people were injured in the attacks launched by the armed wing of Hamas, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, against Israel from the blockaded Gaza Strip.
‘THE HEROIC WAR’WE ARE IN IT’
Head of Hamas Political Bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, stated that he has information that the raids of Jewish settlers on Al-Aqsa Mosque in recent days are aimed at establishing sovereignty over Al-Aqsa, and that Israel is planning to launch a sudden raid on Gaza. Haniyeh stated that they were in a “heroic war” in response to the attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said his people “have the right to defend themselves against the terrorism of settlers and occupation soldiers.”
SUPPORT DEMONSTRATIONS FROM TURKEY TO GAZA
Great support came from Turkey to the Palestinian people who rebelled against Israel’s occupation and oppression. A demonstration was organized by non-governmental organizations in Istanbul. A large group attended the demonstration held in the courtyard of Fatih Mosque, under the leadership of IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation, Free Thought and Education Rights Association and Mavi Marmara Freedom and Solidarity Association. Support marches for Palestinians were also held in Karabük, Siirt, Nevşehir, Kocaeli, Konya, Batman and Afyonkarahisar. MORNING
CALL FOR CONTROL FROM ERDOĞAN
Emphasizing that they will continue to stand against any attempt and any occupation aimed at eroding the historical and religious status of the first qibla, Masjid al-Aqsa, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, “As Turkey, in the light of the events that took place in Israel this morning, we urge all parties to act with restraint and de-escalate tensions.” “We urge you to stay away from impulsive steps that will escalate further,” he said.
