Israel, reeling from the deadliest attack on its territory in half a century, formally declared war on Hamas on Sunday as the conflict’s death toll surged to 1,000 after the Palestinian militant group launched a massive surprise assault from Gaza.
AFP reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu steeled the shocked and grieving nation for a “long and difficult” war ahead after Hamas launched a barrage of rockets at Israel before dawn on Saturday and sent in fighters who gunned down civilians and took at least 100 hostages.
Several Germans, who are also Israeli nationals, were among those kidnapped by militants of the Palestinian Hamas group during its raids into Israel, German ministerial sources said on Sunday.
The sources did not specify the numbers involved.
“As far as we know, they are all Israeli nationals as well as Germans,” they told AFP.
United States President Joe Biden has, however, ordered “additional support” for Israel after the attack, the White House said Sunday, without giving details.
“The President directed additional support for Israel in the face of this unprecedented terrorist assault by Hamas,” the White House said in a statement.
