Israel was hit by an unprecedented rocket attack from the Gaza Strip on Saturday morning. The Israeli army said Hamas fired more than 3,000 rockets, adding that dozens of Hamas troops infiltrated border areas in southern Israel.
The Israeli military has since sent troops to the southern territories to reconquer them from the Palestinian forces and started conducting strikes at Hamas' positions in Gaza.
Earlier in the day, Israeli media reported over 300 deaths and 1,864 injuries in Israel due to the escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, while the Palestinian Health Ministry said that Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip have resulted in over 256 fatalities and nearly 1,788 injuries.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened an overnight meeting with members of the government's security bloc. Thereafter, he declared the completion of the initial phase of the operation targeting the Hamas movement and the extensive destruction of the enemy's forces within Israeli territory.
It was added that the Israeli cabinet implemented several operational measures with the aim of undermining the military and political capabilities of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad movement. These measures comprised the suspension of electricity supply to the Gaza Strip, and the delivery of goods and fuel.