Israel-Palestine war: First week ends with over 2,500 Palestinians, 1,400 Israelis killed

Hamas and the Islamic Jihad have said they captured several Israeli soldiers and released videos purportedly showing their fighters holding Israelis in custody.

Here, we look at why captured Israelis are so important for Palestinians. Click on the link below to read the full story.

Why captured Israelis are so important for Palestinians

Hello Middle East Eye readers. 

It has been nearly 10 hours since Palestinians launched an unprecedented surprise assault from Gaza, leading to a huge number of casualties, chaos and confusion.

The assault began around 6:30am local time when Hamas fighters fired a barrage of rockets into Israel while launching an incursion from land, air and sea. 

In the first three to four hours of the assault, dozens of Palestinians managed to reach deep into Israeli territory. Various reports suggest they captured a large number of Israeli soldiers, including commanders, and took them back to Gaza. 

They have also taken over parts of Israeli towns near Gaza, as well as an important army base and other military facilities. 

At the moment, Israeli media are reporting that Palestinian fighters remain inside Israel in different locations. They are reportedly involved in heavy clashes with Israeli forces. 

Meanwhile, the Israeli army began a wave of air strikes targeting various parts of Gaza. 

At least 198 people have been killed, according to an initial estimate by the Palestinian health ministry. Another 1,610 have been wounded. 

On the Israeli side, at least 40 people were killed in the rocket attack and ground assault. Nearly 800 were wounded. 

The death tolls on both sides are expected to rise and there are fears violence will spill into other parts of Israel and Palestine.  

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Israeli air strikes have killed at least 198 Palestinians and wounded 1,610 others, the Palestinian health ministry has said. 

Hamas’s political representative, Saleh al-Arouri, told Al Jazeera Arabic in a phone call that the group has Israeli commanders held in custody. 

He also reiterated that "they are ready for all scenarios" in the face of any possible attacks from Israel.

"We trust that the resistance will free all of Palestinian land and there will be solidarity in Palestine and around the world, defending Al-Aqsa," he added.

"This is the time for taking part in resistance. Last year we lost over 200 martyrs. I call on all Palestinians and young people to claim victory over Israel.

"We entered this fight knowing there will be a reaction. We did not enter thinking it will be over in a few hours."

Arouri said that they anticipated a reaction from Israel, and knew from the start "that this would not be over in a few hours".

Arouri also condemned Israeli settlers' recent incursions into the highly revered Al-Aqsa Mosque in recent weeks. 
 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden are expected to speak in the next hour, according to Israeli media. 

The talks come following an exchange of attacks between Gaza and Israel.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that the Pentagon will work in the coming days "to ensure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself and protect civilians from indiscriminate violence and terrorism".

"Our commitment to Israel's right to defend itself remains unwavering," he said.

Earlier today, a statement from the White House said that the United States "unequivocally condemns the unprovoked attacks by Hamas".

"There is never any justification for terrorism. We stand firmly with the Government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks," the statement continued.
 

Palestinians have been rushing to take those who have been wounded to hospitals and are removing the bodies of those killed in the aftermath of Israeli strikes.

The exact number of casualties is not yet clear. Some reports, quoting officials at the Palestinian health ministry, said 160 have been killed and more than 1,000 wounded in an initial estimate.

The health ministry says it is still counting the numbers and has not released an official death toll yet. 

At least 40 Israelis have been killed and more than 740 wounded since the start of attack by Palestinian groups based in Gaza, Israeli medics have said.

Many of the wounded are in critical condition and the death toll is expected to rise.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called on Israeli citizens to unify at a security cabinet meeting that was called today.

He said their goal was to "exact a huge price from the enemy, also in the Gaza Strip", as well as to "fortify other arenas so that no one makes the mistake of joining this war", Israeli media reported.

In his speech, he called on Israelis to "unite  in order to achieve our highest goal - victory in the war".
 

Today, Palestinians entered Israel through the Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing in the northern Gaza Strip.

The crossing is under full Israeli control and is the only border crossing that allows Palestinians in Gaza to travel to the occupied West Bank without passing through Egypt or Jordan. 

Israel lost control of the crossing earlier today and has since been trying to regain control of the area and of Palestinians who have entered Israel. 

This graphic shows the other crossings around the Gaza Strip. 

Following the attacks on Israel, Palestinian fighters stormed the fence separating Israel and Gaza, where a rave was being held.

The fighters reportedly stormed the party, with video footage appearing to show revellers fleeing on foot through the desert.

 
Omar, who attended the party, told Haaretz: "Suddenly, shots started from all directions, and we saw people running towards us with weapons. People ran in every direction, got on any vehicle they saw and fled the scene. There are people hiding in the area. There were hundreds of people here."

"At that moment we all got into the car and fled, but the road was full of burnt-out vehicles and the terrorists started shooting at us. There are terrorists on the side of the road," he said, adding that fighters carrying assault rifles were waiting for them.

Another person at the party told Haaretz: "I'm hiding here, there was a mess, they came from all directions, people went like sheep to the slaughter."
 

The Israeli army says that dozens of fighter jets and other military aircrafts have attacked Hamas targets. 

The attacks include 17 military compounds and four of Hamas's operational headquarters in Gaza. 
 

Dozens of wounded Palestinians have been taken to the al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, following Israeli bombardment. 

Footage and images shared by Al Jazeera showed ambulances and stretchers carrying victims of the attack, while families came to the hospital to check on their loved ones. 

Meanwhile, Israeli police in the southern district said the attacks “will probably go on for days. Some of the casualties are police officers,” Israeli media reported.

MEE’s correspondent on the ground says that many of those wounded at the hospital are in mid to critical condition, with the hospital struggling to cope with the number of people coming in. 

“The hospital does not have capacity to deal with all the numbers of people. The families of those who have been killed are coming to collect the dead bodies to take them to be buried in the Sharkia cemetery,” he added. 
 

In the besieged Gaza Strip, people are preparing for the worst as the threat of a full-fledged attack from Israel grows.

MEE’s correspondent on the ground says that people are stocking up on essentials in anticipation of a big reaction from Israel.

“People in almost all neighbourhoods, in the hundreds, are lining up outside bakeries and supermarkets, people are anticipating a prolonged violent Israeli attack,” MEE’s correspondent said.

“We can see that people here and families are evacuating their homes and are leaving to safer areas. People are packing their essentials in bags in case civilian areas are attacked,” she added.

“Usually, Israeli attacks last for days, but this time people expect the attacks will be unprecedented.”
 

Palestinian fighters have reached various areas in Israel after launching a land, air and sea incursion. 

Israeli forces are still working in several locations to regain control, including at the military base housing the army's Gaza division, which has been reportedly taken over by Hamas fighters.

Here's a map showing the attacked areas:

Israel's minister of national security, Itamar Ben Gvir, has declared a state of national emergency across Israel and has made orders to recruit all police volunteers.

In southern Israel, there are widespread reports of power outages as electrical grids have been hit.