Israel’s military ordered a “complete siege” on the Gaza Strip on October 9, halting deliveries of food, water, fuel and supplies to its 2.3 million people as it pounded the Hamas-ruled territory with waves of airstrikes in retaliation for the militants’ bloody weekend incursion.
More than two days after Hamas launched its surprise attack, the Israeli military said it had largely gained control in its southern towns where it had been battling Hamas gunmen.
The moves, along with Israel’s formal declaration of war on October 8, pointed to Israel increasingly shifting to the offensive against Hamas, threatening greater destruction in the densely populated, impoverished Gaza Strip.
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More than 800 people have been killed in Israel since Hamas launched its attack on Saturday, while on the Gaza side, at least 687 people have been killed.
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