Israel’s defense minister has issued a directive for a full-scale siege on Gaza, stating that they will cut off electricity and prevent the entry of food and fuel. This decision comes as a continuation of the blockades imposed by both Israel and Egypt since Hamas seized power in 2007.
Israel has deployed special forces in an attempt to regain control of four locations from Hamas fighters in response to their unprecedented incursion into Israeli territory. This has escalated into a formal declaration of war by Israel, allowing significant military actions in retaliation for the surprise attack.
The Israeli military is actively targeting fighters in southern towns and intensifying its bombardment of the Gaza Strip, resulting in casualties on both sides, with over 1,100 people killed and thousands wounded.
One of Israel’s objectives in this conflict is to remove Hamas from power in the Gaza Strip, as stated by military spokesperson Jonathan Conricus. His statement appears to go beyond the position of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who focused on eliminating Hamas’ threat to Israeli civilians.
Conricus reported that around a thousand Hamas militants participated in the initial attack on Israel, marking one of the darkest days in Israeli history.
Hamas, on the other hand, seeks to liberate all Palestinian prisoners held by Israel and halt Israeli provocations in the West Bank and Jerusalem, particularly at Al-Aqsa Mosque. Abdel-Latif al-Qanoua, a spokesman for Hamas, declared an open battle against Israeli forces, emphasizing the link between this conflict and the liberation of Palestinian prisoners and the cessation of Israeli activities in Jerusalem.
The situation has caused market uncertainty in Israel, leading the country’s central bank to announce plans to sell up to $30 billion in foreign exchange to support the shekel currency. This move aims to stabilize the shekel exchange rate and provide liquidity for the markets, with an additional $15 billion in liquidity being made available. The shekel had already fallen to an eight-year low against the US dollar due to these developments.
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