Israel and the Gaza Strip are at war after a surprise and spectacular Hamas military offensive began early Saturday morning, firing thousands of rockets, infiltrating militants into Israeli territory and capturing an unknown number of Israelis.
Follow the latest developments:
2:21 p.m. | Dozens of international flights to Tel Aviv were canceled on Saturday and Sunday
AFP
According to Ben Gurion International Airport’s online arrivals notice, several airlines have canceled flights to Tel Aviv this weekend in the wake of Hamas’ military offensive against Israel.
These companies include Lufthansa, Emirates, Ryanair, Aegan Airlines, American companies and even Air France.
2:14 p.m. | Fighting is still ongoing in “22 locations” on Israeli soil
AFP
Israeli troops continued to fight in “22 locations” on Saturday evening with the gunmen who have “invaded” Israel since the morning, army spokesman Lt. Col. Richard Hecht told reporters on Saturday evening. Israeli.
2:01 p.m. | Hamas-Israel war: 232 dead in Gaza
AFP
1:46 p.m. | Air France “suspends its flight to Tel Aviv until further notice”
AFP
1:41 p.m. | [EN IMAGES] “This war is getting worse by the minute”: 100 rockets are fired at Tel Aviv
After the Israeli army’s series of bomb attacks in Gaza, Hamas responded with rocket fire on Tel Aviv on Saturday evening.
1:08 p.m. | Israel orders power outage in Gaza
AFP
Israeli Energy Minister Israel Katz announced Saturday evening that he had signed a decree ordering the public electric company to “stop its) electricity supply to Gaza.”
12:04 | “We are on the verge of a great victory,” the Hamas leader said on Al-Aqsa television.
AFP
11:11 am | Biden “warns any anti-Israel actor who wants to exploit the situation”
AFP
10:31 am | The “horrific images” of captured Israelis
[ 🇮🇱 ISRAËL | 🇵🇸 PALESTINE ]
🔸 While numerous videos are circulating in which we see civilians being “taken hostage”, the European Union claims that these images are “horrific” and recalls that this “contravenes international law”. pic.twitter.com/d0Nf9fQJ4o
— (Small) Think Tank (@L_ThinkTank) October 7, 2023
Several Israeli citizens and soldiers have reportedly been captured due to the infiltration of Palestine-allied pro-Hamas militants into Hebrew territory, according to images circulating on social networks.
10:13 am | Israel-Hamas war: 198 dead in Gaza
AFP
At least 198 people were killed in the Gaza Strip on Saturday in an outbreak of violence sparked by a Hamas offensive against Israel and subsequent Israeli retaliatory airstrikes, according to the Hamas Health Ministry, which governs Gaza.
8:35am | Tensions between Israel and Gaza: Moscow calls for “immediate ceasefire”
Russia on Saturday called on Israelis and Palestinians for an “immediate ceasefire” and expressed its “greatest concern” after the Hamas offensive against Israel.
AFP
1h12: “We are at war”: Hamas surprise attack leaves several dead in Israel
AFP
The political class of Quebec and Canada is reacting
1:05 p.m. | Prime Minister François Legault “strongly condemns the terrorist attacks” on behalf of Quebec
11:08 am | US President Joe Biden responds to the surprise offensive on X and offers his “unwavering support for Israel’s security.”
10:10 am | Quebec International Relations Minister Martine Biron said she was shocked by the images “showing dead and injured civilians.” 9:50 a.m. | Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemns “totally unacceptable violence” against Israel. 9:25 am | The leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, Pierre Poilievre, condemns the surprise attack by “Hamas terrorists”.