Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed “strong revenge” against Hamas after the Palestinian movement launched a surprise attack on Saturday, killing at least 200 Israelis and taking scores of prisoners, Reuters writes.
Benjamin NetanyahuPhoto: Abir Sultan / AP / Profimedia
In a statement on Saturday evening, Netanyahu spoke of “a strong revenge by Israel for this black day”.
The Israeli prime minister said Israel “will reach every place where Hamas is hiding” and told residents of the Gaza Strip to “leave now” the area.
He also said that Hamas is responsible for the Israeli civilians and soldiers it has taken prisoner.
The Islamist movement Hamas launched its biggest attack on Israel in years on Saturday in a surprise assault that combined armed fighters who crossed the border fence with a massive barrage of rockets fired from the Gaza Strip. Warning sirens sounded in southern and central Israel, including Jerusalem, and the Israeli army announced it was on war footing and mobilizing reservists. Benjamin Netanyahu called an emergency meeting of security chiefs as the Israeli military began striking Hamas targets and the response to the attack is expected to be devastating.
“We are at war and we will win. Our enemy will pay a price he has never known before,” Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video message sent to Israelis.
