Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced a “complete siege” on Gaza on Monday. The blockade includes a ban on the admission of food, water, electricity, and fuel. This move is seen as Israel’s retaliation against Hamas following their largest attack on the country in decades.
On Saturday, Israel officially declared a state of war as of 06:30 a.m. local time. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are grappling with an unprecedented level of aggression from Hamas, the militant group based in Gaza.
Approximately 3,000 rockets have been launched into Israeli territory, terrorists have infiltrated Israel’s borders, and civilians, including children and families, are under attack. The Israeli government has stated unequivocally that “Hamas will pay a heavy price for this inhumane attack against Israel.”
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have initiated “Operation Swords of Iron”. This military operation aims to strike back at Hamas and protect Israeli citizens from further harm. The operation involves a coordinated effort between various branches of the IDF, including ground, air, and naval forces.
“We are setting up a complete siege of Gaza: No electricity, no food, no water, no gas. Everything is closed. We are fighting human animals. And we are acting accordingly,” Gallant said in a video statement.
הוריתי להטיל מצור מוחלט על עזה.
אנחנו נלחמים בחיות אדם, ונוהגים בהתאם. pic.twitter.com/FhDizBKOSX
— יואב גלנט – Yoav Gallant (@yoavgallant) October 9, 2023
The military blockade comes after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a stark warning on Saturday to the Hamas terrorists and vowed to use “all the strength” of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to “destroy Hamas’s capabilities” following the terrorist attacks.
“We will destroy them and will forcefully avenge this dark day that they have forced on Israel and its citizens… All of the places which Hamas is deployed, hiding and operating in, that wicked city [Gaza], we will turn them into rubble,” Netanyahu said.
In a direct message to the residents of Gaza, the Prime Minister said, “Leave now because we will operate forcefully everywhere.” He revealed that the IDF is already “clearing the terrorists out of the last communities,” going “community by community, house by house,” to restore Israeli control.
“What Hamas will experience will be difficult and terrible … we are going to change the Middle East,” Netanyahu told officials from southern Israel on Sunday. “This is only the beginning … we are all with you and we will defeat them with force, enormous force.”
On Sunday, the Israeli Air Force released footage of striking a compound belonging to the head of the intelligence department of the Hamas terrorist organization.
A short while ago, IAF fighter jets struck a compound belonging to the head of the intelligence department in the Hamas terrorist organization.
The IAF is currently continuing to strike terror targets in the Gaza Strip. pic.twitter.com/uSHsXGFNzz
— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) October 8, 2023
Shuja’iyya used as a “terror nest” for the Hamas terrorist organization, was also struck down.
Dozens of fighter jets struck 150 targets in Shuja’iyya.
Shuja’iyya is used as a “terror nest” for the Hamas terrorist organization. Many attacks against Israel originated in it, including during the recent invasion. pic.twitter.com/VNM5c2THVd
— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) October 8, 2023
According to Israel Defense Forces, Israeli aircraft struck roughly 1,200 locations across the Gaza Strip between Saturday and Monday morning. These targets included weapons storage and production facilities, command and control centers, rocket launchers, and more.
Between Saturday and Monday morning, over 1,200 targets were hit by Israeli aircraft across the Gaza Strip, including weapons storage and manufacturing sites, command and control centers, rocket launchers and more.
Today we doubled that number. pic.twitter.com/bRxZetbNqP
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 9, 2023
According to reports, Israeli forces destroyed the Ministry of Finance building and the Ministry of Transportation building in Gaza City.
JUST IN: Israeli forces destroyed the Ministry of Finance building and the Ministry of Transportation building in Gaza City pic.twitter.com/P9aTOFwvTJ
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) October 9, 2023
Below are more updates from the Israeli Air Force:
IAF strikes in recent hours in Beit Hanoun, Sajaiya, El-Furqan and Rimal in the Gaza Strip.
We will continue to fight Hamas terrorists as long as necessary for the sake of the residents of the State of Israel. pic.twitter.com/zIT5bB1wd6
— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) October 9, 2023
”Swords of Iron”
IDF: During the last hour, IDF fighter jets struck three military headquarters belonging to terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip. pic.twitter.com/ruzYf0agEt
— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) October 8, 2023
A short while ago, the IAF struck ten Hamas terrorist organization targets; the targets were located in multi-story buildings used by the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip pic.twitter.com/XiyXrzbSk6
— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) October 8, 2023
Attached is footage of a strike on Hamas military targets located in multi-story buildings in the Gaza Strip pic.twitter.com/iHqT7ta74Z
— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) October 8, 2023
The IAF struck an aerial weapons production site used by the aerial forces belonging to the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization in the city of Gaza, and a building including offices and storage units where the terrorist organization stores weapons and military equipment.
— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) October 8, 2023
A terrorist squad of six terrorists was thwarted by a UAV adjacent to the Nahal Oz Post.
Two terrorist squads that attempted to infiltrate into Kibbutz Be’eri from the north and south were thwarted by a combined attack of two aircraft.
— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) October 8, 2023
In addition, military headquarters belonging to the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization that were used by the terrorist organization’s rocket forces were struck.
The IDF is continuing to strike terror targets in the Gaza Strip.— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) October 8, 2023
A short while ago, IAF fighter jets conducted an intensive aerial strike against targets used by the Hamas terrorist organizations to carry out attacks against Israel in areas adjacent to the security fence in Beit Hanoun in the Gaza strip.
— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) October 8, 2023
Beit Hanoun serves as a hub for the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip, from which many operations against Israel were launched, including over the last two days.
— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) October 8, 2023
A mosque is located adjacent to the tunnel, proving once again that Hamas deliberately embeds its military infrastructure in civilian areas.
— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) October 8, 2023
According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, at least 91 children were among the more than 590 individuals killed by the Israeli air strike on Monday morning. It was said that the airstrikes also injured almost 2,900 people.
It’s only a matter of time until a ground invasion of Gaza begins.
WATCH: (Graphic Warning)
(The Gateway Pundit can’t immediately verify some of the videos.)
Scenes of Israeli aerial bombardment of Gaza, the world’s largest open-air prison camp, show total destruction. Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have practically no way of escaping.
Current reported death toll: 510+, 2750+ injured pic.twitter.com/8nJ0dVNyqz
— Going Underground (@GUnderground_TV) October 9, 2023
As Israel’s Defence Minister orders collective punishment of Gaza ‘no electricity, no food, no fuel’, and Netanyahu vows to turn Gaza, population of 2.3 million, into rubble…
Scenes of apocalypse in Gaza as Israel continues aerial bombardment ahead of a ground invasion pic.twitter.com/0WaLvQzEwQ
— Going Underground (@GUnderground_TV) October 9, 2023
Israel has now imposed a complete siege on Gaza and has cut off electricity, fuel, food…and now water.
US-EU-UK-armed Israeli Air Force continues the bombing campaign of Gaza ahead of a ground invasion. Footage shows apocalyptic scenes in Gaza.
Death toll in Gaza: 560+. pic.twitter.com/WeF6kcUgOz
— Going Underground (@GUnderground_TV) October 9, 2023
⚡️Horrifying scenes of a civilian being rescued from under the rubble in northern Gaza pic.twitter.com/QhQMg4Ajbm
— War Monitor (@WarMonitors) October 9, 2023
القصف الأخير على غزة pic.twitter.com/P7d3cv50hE
— Mohammed Rehan (@mohre7an) October 9, 2023
JUST IN: ISRAEL ESCALATES AIRSTRIKES
Home Front Commander told Israelis on the radio: We are at war and you must adhere to the instructions
The Israeli army: We are carrying out one of the largest air strikes ever against Hamas in Gaza
i24News: Multiple explosions heard… pic.twitter.com/vk9GCOccRm
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) October 9, 2023
Civilians evacuated from a building in Gaza that was right next to another building that levelled in an Israeli airstrike. pic.twitter.com/01TykPIVrO
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) October 9, 2023
This story has been updated with additional information. Please check back for more updates.