Israel's response will not be very gentle: Former Israel envoy to India

Following the deadly attack by Hamas that killed at least 350 people in Israel, and injured over 1,500, the former Ambassador of Israel to India, Daniel Carmon has said that the country's response will not be very gentle but very forceful.

In a virtual interview with ANI, Daniel Carmon said, "Hundreds of terrorists probably have infiltrated the territory of Israel. We don't have the final numbers yet, but we're talking about more or less 300 people massacred."

"Children, elderly, women, men, families, people who were in the middle of a festival not far away from that massacre...Israel's response will not be very gentle. Israel will respond very forcefully," he added.

 

Carmon highlighted that the terrorist organisation, Hamas, during the past years has gained both political strength and military strength.

"A state of war was declared yesterday. A war launched by a terrorist organization called Hamas from Gaza. A terrorist organization that during the past years has gained both political strength and military strength. It has become an army and the surprise attack that happened yesterday hit the country of Israel," Carmon said.

In a major escalation on Saturday, Hamas launched a "surprise attack" on Israel, firing a barrage of rockets into the southern and central parts of the country.

The toll from the rocket attacks and ground assault by Hamas went past 300 on Sunday, with another 1,864 people reported to be injured.

"We appreciate very much the international support that we get from so many countries. Prime Minister Modi tweeted a very clear and unequivocal message of solidarity of the Indian people. This is something which is very important to us in such a difficult and tragic day that we are going through," Carmon said further on Israel-Gaza conflict.

Several Israelis were taken as hostages in Gaza, the Times of Israel reported citing officials.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a stern warning to Hamas, claiming that it had begun a terrible war and that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) would use all of its strength to undermine their capacity.

"Hamas forces invaded Israeli territory this morning, on the morning of a holiday and Shabbat, and murdered innocent civilians, children and the elderly. Hamas started a cruel and evil war. We will win this war, but the price is too heavy to bear. This is a very difficult day for all of us," the Israeli PM posted on 'X' on Sunday.

Netanyahu added, "Hamas wants to murder us all. It is an enemy who murders children and mothers in their homes, in their beds. An enemy who kidnaps the elderly, children, and girls. Murderers who slap and slaughter our citizens, our children, who all in all went out to spend the holiday."

He said after what happened in Israel on Saturday, he will make sure that it does not happen again.

Earlier on Sunday, the IDF said Israeli fighter jets hit a military facility at the residence of the terrorist group Hamas' intelligence chief in Gaza.

Sharing an update on the ongoing counter-offensive on social media platform X, the IDF posted a video and wrote, "Fighter jets recently attacked a military infrastructure at the home of the head of the intelligence department of the terrorist organization Hamas."

"At this time, the IDF continues its attacks throughout the Gaza Strip," the IDF added in its post. The attack, which began at 6.30 am local time (03:30 GMT) on Saturday involved Hamas fighters, who infiltrated Israel by land, sea, and air.