Israel declares war as death toll from Hamas attack rises to 700
Israel formally declared a state of war on Sunday as the death toll from Saturday’s Hamas cross-border attack rose to more than 700, with more than 2,000 wounded. Israeli government officials confirmed that more than 100 people, civilians and soldiers, were seized by militants and taken to Gaza, including young children and elderly civilians.
As the impact of Saturday’s surprise attack was followed by a rising death toll, Israel continued its military build-up. Tens of thousands of reservists have received emergency call-up orders, but it will be days before the army is ready to launch a ground incursion into Gaza.
Israeli aircraft have carried out more than 800 sorties targeting Hamas militants, bases and infrastructure targets across Gaza, and the pounding of the coastal strip is expected to intensify as a ground operation nears. Sources in Gaza report more than 370 fatalities, with more than 2,000 wounded.
Hamas attack on Israel
- Sheer magnitude of Hamas attack is difficult for Israelis to grasp: There is not a family in Israel who doesn’t know, directly or indirectly, someone who was killed or wounded in Saturday’s surprise attack by Hamas militants across the Gaza border. Most families also know one of the more than 100 civilians and soldiers who were seized, dead or alive, by the infiltrators and are now being held by militants in Gaza, writes Mark Weiss in Jerusalem.
- Irish woman (22) missing after Hamas attacks rave in southern Israel: Twenty-two-year-old Kim Damti, who holds joint Irish and Israeli citizenship, is one of the many people unaccounted for following Saturday morning’s surprise attacks inside southern Israel by hundreds of Hamas militants.
- Timeline: Israel’s conflicts in the Middle-East: Israel has fought multiple wars against Arab countries and Palestinian groups since the establishment of the Jewish state in 1948. Here is a timeline of the main conflicts.
- Palestinian hopelessness drove the Hamas attack on Israel: The Hamas attacks on Israel of recent days have taken everyone by surprise, not least the Israeli security and intelligence apparatus. However, while the nature and precise timing of the Hamas-led assault in southern Israel may have seemed unexpected, the fact of its happening is less so, in the context of the social and economic crises that characterise the Occupied Palestinian Territories in general, and Gaza in particular, writes Vincent Durac.
Top Irish News Stories
- Budget 2024 to help workers, parents and mortgage holders: People who lose their jobs could receive higher welfare payments linked to their salary while mortgage holders could be in line for supports worth more than €1,000 as part of Budget 2024.
- Parents pay €54m to plug holes in finances of primary schools: Parents are paying more than twice as much as previously thought to plug holes in primary school finances in the form of voluntary contributions, charges and fundraising, a financial review of the sector indicates.
- Fifth of women abused in intimate relationships have attempted suicide: More than 40 per cent of young women subjected to abuse by a partner or ex-partner have had suicidal thoughts and a fifth have attempted suicide, according to research from Women’s Aid.
- Four people killed in separate road incidents in two days: Two pedestrians and two motorists have died on the roads in four separate incidents over the weekend as the number of fatalities on Irish roads this year continues to rise.
- Christy Henry: Mr Inishbiggle remembered as ‘a great ambassador for the island’: Colourful, complicated and contrary, Co Mayo islander Christy Henry, who drowned when his car veered into a lake at the weekend, was by all accounts “Mr Inishbiggle”
- Ireland’s weather today: Largely dry today apart from a little patchy rain across Ulster during the morning. Mist and fog will lift in many areas during the day with hazy sunshine developing. Warm and humid with highest temperatures of 18 to 23 degrees in moderate southwest breezes.
- Happening today: Garda management and the four Garda associations are due to resume talks today on the disputed rosters, the final touches will be put to Budget 2024, before its publication tomorrow.
Today’s Business
- Budget 2024: Tax changes, childcare, mortgages and more – everything we know so far: The Coalition party leaders met the two finance Ministers on Sunday afternoon to hammer out the final details of Budget 2024. The final package will be unveiled on Tuesday, and the core package will likely be worth at least €10 billion, although a package of one-off measures to help households with the cost-of-living crisis will add to this. Here is everything we know about Budget 2024 so far.
- Budget 2024 to help workers, parents and mortgage holders: People who lose their jobs could receive higher welfare payments linked to their salary while mortgage holders could be in line for supports worth more than €1,000 as part of Budget 2024.
- Only half of renters entitled to claim tax back on their monthly outlay are actually doing so: Only half of renters entitled to claim tax back on their monthly outlay are actually doing so, new figures indicate. A tax credit scheme for renters has seen 289,971 claims since it was announced in last year’s budget, with the total amount claimed being €165.45 million, according to the Department of Finance.
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- The renter: Lisa Monaghan was renting a house with her two sons and husband for six years when the landlord decided to sell last year. The decision rendered them homeless, with Ms Monaghan and one of her children having to move in with her parents while her husband and other son moved in with his parents. The family was separated for six weeks before they finally found another place to live. However, they were only able to afford the property due to their eligibility for the homeless Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme, which gives more supports to tenants than the regular HAP.
Top Sports news
- Rugby World Cup: Ireland’s best yet to come, says Farrell, ahead of vengeful All Blacks showdown: There’s never been anything like it, really. Maybe Italia ‘90, but certainly not in this country’s rugby history, two 50,000-plus Green Army invasions of Paris, the Zombie anthem kicking off another post-match Irish playlist and Saturday night party long into the night, writes Gerry Thornley.
- By the numbers: Ireland produce their most efficient attacking display of World Cup: If the postmatch statistical narrative following Ireland’s World Cup win over South Africa was that Andy Farrell’s side got away with one, the complete opposite was true on Saturday night vs Scotland.
- Ken Early: Football devoid of those laughable errors is nothing: Kevin Keegan hit the headlines last week with comments to the effect that he would rather not have to listen to “lady footballers” talking about men’s football on TV, writes Ken Early
Culture and Life & Style highlights
- How experts look after their skin: Steer away from sugars, use SPF and always check product ingredients: dermatologists share their routines, such as cleansing and moisturising, and the products they buy.
- Three decades later U2′s warning to Europe is more relevant than ever: On November 1st, the European Union will celebrate 30 years since its founding. On the same day, U2 will play another date of their glitzy residency in Paradise, Nevada.
Picture of the Day
Letters to the Editor
A history of Ireland in 100 goodbyes Sir, – Further to Frank McNally’s “A history of Ireland in 100 goodbyes” (An Irishman’s Diary, September 30th), I remember my good father saying to people who had overstayed their welcome, “It’s time to cut your stick.” – Yours, etc,
DIARMUID McAREE, Shankill, Co Dublin.
Video & Podcast Highlights
- In the News: Gardaí v Drew Harris: who won in row over rosters?: GRA agrees deal which sees rank-and-file stay on pandemic roster - for now
Review of the day
- TV Review: Big Brother: the Great Dumbdown franchise is back, as cynical and airheaded as ever: It would appear that Big Brother (Virgin Media One, Sunday, 9pm) is the new Eurovision Song Contest. Irish people used to win it all the time – now we’re nowhere to be seen. Perhaps that’s why the return of the original reality series after a five-year absence makes for such strange viewing on Virgin Media.
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