Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks at the Security Cabinet meeting at the Kirya in Tel Aviv, today afternoon. Photo by Haim Zah, GPO
Tel Aviv/Washington/New York/Geneva: Dozens were killed and hundreds wounded in rocket attacks by armed Palestinian militants on Israeli cities near the Gaza Strip early morning today.
Israeli forces responded with air strikes into the densely populated Gaza Strip, prompting UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, to call on them to “take all precautions to avoid civilian casualties there”.
“I am shocked and appalled at reports this morning that hundreds, possibly thousands, of indiscriminate rockets have been fired by Palestinian armed groups towards Israel, and that, at least 22 Israelis have been killed and hundreds injured,” he said in Geneva, and called for an immediate stop to the violence. Türk, while pointing to reports that Israelis have been taken hostage, said that civilians must never be the target of attack.
Following the Hamas strike, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation in the morning to declare that Israel was at war. “Citizens of Israel, We are at war, not in an operation or in rounds, but at war. This morning, Hamas launched a murderous surprise attack against the State of Israel and its citizens. We have been in this since the early morning hours,” Netanyahu said. He called on the citizens to “strictly” adhere to the directives of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Home Front Command. “We are at war and we will win it,” he declared.
Soon after the attacks, the Israeli Prime Minister immediately convened the heads of the security establishment and ordered them to first clear out the communities that had been infiltrated by terrorists. “This currently is being carried out,” he said in his address to the nation. At the same time, he ordered an extensive mobilization of reserves and that “we return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known. The enemy will pay an unprecedented price”.
Netanyahu summoned a Security Cabinet meeting at the Kirya in Tel Aviv in the afternoon and said there that his first objective was to “clear out the hostile forces that infiltrated our territory and restore the security and quiet to the communities that have been attacked”. According to him, his second objective, at the same time, was to exact an “immense price” from the enemy, within the Gaza Strip as well. The third objective was to reinforce other fronts “so that nobody should mistakenly join this war”.
“We are at war. In war, one needs to be level-headed. I call on all citizens of Israel to unite in order to achieve our highest goal – victory in the war”, he said at the meeting.
Meanwhile, the President of the United States of America, Joe Biden, today, called Netanyahu and emphasized that the US stands alongside Israel and fully supports Israel’s right to self-defence. The US Secretary of State, Antony J. Blinken subsequently “unequivocally” condemned the “appalling” attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israel, including civilians and civilian communities. “There is never any justification for terrorism. We stand in solidarity with the government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks. We will remain in close contact with our Israeli partners. The United States supports Israel’s right to defend itself,” Blinken stated.
Later, Blinken spoke with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to condemn the terrorist attacks by Hamas against Israel. The Secretary called on all leadership in the region to condemn them and urged the Palestinian Authority to continue and enhance steps to restore calm and stability in the West Bank.
Netanyahu, earlier today, also spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. According to Netanyahu’s office, both leaders expressed full support for Israel’s right to defend itself.
Top United Nations officials were also “in close contact with all concerned to urge maximum restraint” following the “horrific scenes of violence”, and the UN Security Council announced it would hold a “private” meeting to discuss the matter on Sunday, October 8, 2023, afternoon.
The UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned “in the strongest terms” the attack by Hamas against Israeli towns, his Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said today.
“The attacks have so far claimed numerous Israeli civilian lives and injured many hundreds,” Dujarric said, and added, “The Secretary-General is appalled by reports that civilians have been attacked and abducted from their own homes”.
Guterres urged maximum restraint and that “all diplomatic efforts” were made “to avoid a wider conflagration”, Dujarric said, stressing that “Civilians must be respected and protected in accordance with international humanitarian law at all times…With deepest condolences to the families of the victims, the UN chief called for the immediate release of all abducted persons,” Dujarric said.
“He stresses that violence cannot provide a solution to the conflict, and that only through negotiation leading to a two-State solution can peace be achieved,” the UN Spokesperson said.
