The Hamas attack. The sky over Israel has been closed
9:58 AM EDT, October 7, 2023
The Civil Aviation Authority in Israel has announced that due to the situation in the country, no sporting or recreational flights will be able to take place in Israeli airspace until further notice, according to "The Jerusalem Post".
On Saturday at 11:30 PM Eastern Time, Hamas began an attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip. Initial reports indicated at least 300 injured and 22 killed. Unofficial information suggested that the militants had taken hostages, which the Israeli military has not yet confirmed. It is only known that the casualty count is not yet final.
In a later statement from the Ministry of Health, quoted by "Times of Israel", they talk about admitting at least 545 people injured as a result of the Hamas attack on Israel into hospitals.
Hamas Attack. The sky over Israel has been closed
Palestinian forces have penetrated Israeli territory from the sea, land, and air - including the use of paragliders. Several thousand rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip. Due to the tense situation, the Civil Aviation Authority has decided to close the airspace over the country.
An Israeli military representative reported in the early morning, that airstrikes are ongoing on Gaza. Fighting is taking place at the Erez border crossing with the Gaza Strip and in the Zikim military base. He announced the appointment of "thousands" of reservists to the army.
BBC reported that the Israeli authorities have launched a large-scale investigation because the intelligence services failed to predict the mass and well-coordinated attack by Hamas. The British station refers to its Israeli sources in this matter.
"The investigation will go on for years," one of the officials told the BBC. The British believe that the attack is "highly unexpected" and can be called an "unprecedented event" since Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip 15 years ago. The station predicts that Saturday's incidents will lead to an escalation, as Israel will definitely respond to the militants' move.