After the deadliest attack in Israel’s 75-year history that killed more than 1,200 people, Israeli officials have vowed to weaken Hamas – the Islamist militant group that controls the Gaza Strip and led the attack.
The Israeli military said it had carried out more than 2,000 attacks across the territory since Saturday. More than 1,100 people were killed, according to Palestinian officials.
The Washington Post has documented some of the most devastating attacks. Many were concentrated in densely populated areas in the north.
Israel has committed to focusing fire on Hamas militants and abiding by international law. Hamas said Wednesday that Israeli strikes targeted the head of its military wing and killed his brother. Two members of the group’s political office were killed on Tuesday.
But mosques, hospitals, residential buildings and international aid organizations were also hit. The World Health Organization said on Tuesday that 13 health facilities were affected by the strikes. Nine UN employees were killed during the strikes.
The people of Gaza lived 16 years under Israeli blockade. The 140 square mile area is one of the most densely populated places on earth. Of the 2 million residents, about half are children – many have never left the Strip.
Israel announced a complete siege of the Gaza Strip following the attacks. The country cut off power to the territory, leaving many residents in the dark. On Wednesday, Palestinian officials confirmed that Gaza’s only power plant had run out of fuel. Aid organizations warned that access to water, sanitation and health care would be affected by the outages.
All crossings out of the enclave have been closed, leaving residents unable to go anywhere.
According to the United Nations, more than 263,000 people are displaced across the strip. Many have sought refuge in overcrowded UN schools. It is estimated that more than 1,000 residential units were destroyed.
The attacks mark the start of what Israel says is its largest offensive in Gaza, where people have already experienced several wars since Hamas came to power. Around 360,000 Israeli reservists were called up, more than in 50 years. Troops are massed on the Gaza border as Hamas continues to fire rockets into Israel.
“We are now going on the offensive, with all possible capabilities and angles of attack,” Israeli Gen. Dan Goldfuss, who commands the country’s 98th Paratrooper Division, told reporters on Tuesday.
“The most important thing is that we teach the other side that there is no way they can do this without us changing reality.”