The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have uncovered a total of 29 breaches in the barrier surrounding the Gaza Strip, according to sources cited by Haaretz. The majority of these breaches have yet to be repaired, prompting the deployment of additional forces to prevent further infiltrations.
The sources revealed that Hamas militants had crossed the border into the Gaza Strip undetected. Only in one instance were observers able to report the crossing of a van through the border barrier. In response, the IDF announced on October 8th that it would begin evacuating residents from towns located along the border with the Palestinian enclave.
On October 7th, Hamas launched thousands of rockets into Israeli territory, initiating what they called “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.” In light of these events, Israel’s Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, declared a state of emergency within the country. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel was now in a state of war, naming the IDF operation against Hamas “Operation Iron Swords.”
Netanyahu emphasized that Israel’s military campaign against Hamas would be challenging and prolonged. Earlier, Israeli police had predicted an escalation of the conflict’s duration.
