Tel Aviv|Oct,8: Israeli soldiers are battling Hamas fighters in the streets of southern Israel and launching airstrikes on Gaza, a day after an unprecedented surprise attack by Hamas fighters.
In northern Israel a brief exchange of strikes with Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group raised fears of a broader conflict. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that Israel is “at war.”
Several Israeli media outlets are reporting that the death toll from Hamas’ wide-ranging incursion into Israel has risen to 600. The Kan public broadcaster and Channel 12, as well as the Haaretz and Times of Israel newspapers, reported the toll Sunday.
There has been no official confirmation of the number of deaths on the Israeli side since the fighting erupted early Saturday.
Palestinian officials say more than 300 people have been killed in Gaza, without differentiating between fighters and civilians.
