9/11 of Israel: Over 100,000 Israeli soldiers deployed after death toll increases to 700
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Israeli forces fought to regain control of the desert areas around the Gaza Strip and carry out evacuations in the troubled border region, as the death toll from the conflict with Hamas exceeded 1,100 by Monday, marking the third day of intense clashes.
Over the weekend, Hamas launched a sudden assault from Gaza, launching a barrage of rockets and sending a wave of fighters who targeted civilians and took over 100 hostages.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that over 700 Israelis have lost their lives since the start of Hamas's large-scale attack, with an additional 1,200 people sustaining injuries, many of them in critical condition.
In response, Israeli airstrikes targeted approximately 800 locations within the Gaza Strip, a densely populated area with 2.3 million residents. Palestinian officials in Gaza reported at least 413 Palestinian casualties.
IDF spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus estimated that around 1,000 Palestinian fighters were involved in Hamas's Saturday assault, which he described as "the worst day in Israeli history."
"This could be compared to a combination of 9/11 and Pearl Harbor," he added.
Approximately 100,000 reserve troops have been mobilized in the southern region as the IDF works to remove Hamas fighters from Israeli territory. Israeli officials have expressed their determination to oust Hamas from governing the besieged Gaza enclave.
In response to the conflict, US President Joe Biden ordered "additional support for Israel in the face of this unprecedented terrorist assault by Hamas." Several US citizens were killed in the attack, according to US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, with the toll expected to rise. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin pledged to swiftly provide the Israel Defense Forces with additional equipment and resources, including munitions.
