Israel ordered a “total siege” of the Gaza Strip in the aftermath of this weekend’s unprecedented multifaceted terrorist attack perpetrated by Hamas.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant ordered the siege on Monday, saying, “There will be no electricity, no food, no fuel, everything is closed,” and he added, “We are fighting human animals, and we are acting accordingly.”
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Similarly, Energy Minister Israel Katz “instructed that the water supply from Israel to Gaza be cut off immediately,” Katz said in a statement, explaining that the flow of power and fuel ceased two days ago.
The decision comes two days after the coordinated Hamas terror attack left at least 700 people dead and more injured in what has been described as one of Israel’s biggest intelligence failures. Israel declared war on Sunday, and the army called up about 300,000 military reservists.
The Israeli military has responded by launching airstrikes against targets within Gaza. Nearly 500 people have died in Israeli strikes.
Israeli opposition leader and former Prime Minister Yair Lapid said a ground incursion into Gaza is “not off the table” but warned that Israel has to factor in the fate of the dozens of hostages who have been taken to the enclave.
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“On one hand, everything is on the table, nothing is off, including an incursion,” Lapid said. “On the other hand, we have people there, and we are worried sick about them.”
It’s unclear how many hostages Hamas has taken, though Israeli authorities have characterized the number as “dozens,” while Hamas claims to have more than 100.
