According to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), 350 Israelis have died since Hamas launched its assault on Israel on Saturday. Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, an IDF spokesman, said during a briefing on Sunday that controlling fence breaches and putting an end to fighting in Israeli communities were top priorities, according to CNN. According to Israeli emergency services, four people were hurt by rockets on Sunday in and around the city of Sderot. CNN reported this. A 20-year-old man who was one of the victims is in critical condition.
The Times of Israel reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is conducting a security evaluation at the IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv. Senior security officials including IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and others are present. According to a report in The Times of Israel from earlier in the day, IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari stated that searches for Hamas terrorists were being conducted in several besieged towns and that over 400 terrorists had been killed inside Gaza with dozens more being held captive.
“As of this hour, there are forces fighting in [Kibbutz] Kfar Aza, there are searches in a large number of towns. There are IDF forces in all towns, there is no town that does not have an IDF force in it,” Israel Defense Forces’ top spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari was quoted as saying by The Times of Israel.
The evacuation of all civilians from border communities in Gaza, the cessation of hostilities there, the management of security barrier breaches, and the continued attack on terrorist targets in the Strip are all stated mission goals of the IDF, in Hagari’s words. Hamas launched a “surprise attack” on Israel on Saturday, firing a barrage of rockets into the southern and central regions of the nation in a significant escalation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a stern warning to Hamas on Sunday, saying that it had started a terrible war and that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would use all of its might to undermine its ability.