Jerusalem: Israel's defence minister has ordered a complete siege on Gaza, saying authorities would cut electricity and block the entry of food and fuel. Israel and Egypt have imposed various levels of blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007.
Israel says it has brought in special forces to try to wrest control of four sites from Hamas fighters in response to the militant group's unprecedented incursion into Israel.
Israel formally declared war on Sunday and gave the green light for significant military steps to retaliate against Hamas for the surprise attack a day earlier. The Israeli military has tried to crush fighters still in southern towns and intensified its bombardment of the Gaza Strip.
More than 1,100 people have been killed and thousands wounded on both sides. The fighting continued in several locations Monday morning.
One of Israel's goals as it battles Hamas fighters is to remove the militant group from power in the Gaza Strip, a military spokesperson said Monday.
Jonathan Conricus made the statement in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. His words appeared to go further than those of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu said Sunday that his security cabinet had made the decision to destroy Hamas' ability to govern in a way that posed a threat to Israeli civilians.
A thousand Hamas militants took part in the initial, unprecedented attack on Israel on Saturday, Conricus said.
It is by far the worst day in Israeli history, Conricus said.
Hamas wants to 'liberate all Palestinian prisoners'
Hamas wants to liberate all Palestinian prisoners from Israel and end Israeli provocations in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, particularly at Al-Aqsa Mosque, a spokesman for the militant group said Monday.
Abdel-Latif al-Qanoua told The Associated Press over the phone that Hamas militants were still fighting Israeli forces and had captured more Israelis on Monday morning.
We are in an open battle to defend our people and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, he said. This battle is linked to the liberation of all Palestinian prisoners and the cessation of this fascist government's activities in Jerusalem.
He said the group has captured a large number of Israelis in Gaza, without giving a specific figure. He said Hamas' military wing, al-Qassam, would announce the figures later.
Israel moves to prop up its currency
Israel's central bank says it will sell up to $30 billion in foreign exchange to prop up the country's shekel currency following market uncertainty in the wake of Hamas' incursion from the Gaza Strip.
The central bank issued a statement Monday morning announcing the plan, saying it will operate in the market during the coming period in order to moderate volatility in the shekel exchange rate and to provide the necessary liquidity for the continued proper functioning of the markets.
It added it would provide additional liquidity of up to $15 billion in the market as well. The shekel has fallen to a near eight-year low against the US dollar in early trading Monday.
123,000 Gazans now displaced: UN
The United Nations says the number of displaced Gazans has risen to more than 123,000 as a result of the fighting between the Israeli military and Hamas following the militant group's unprecedented attack on Israel.
As of late Sunday, retaliatory Israeli airstrikes had destroyed 159 housing units across Gaza and severely damaged 1,210 others, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees said a school sheltering more than 225 people took a direct hit. It did not say where the fire came from.
Several Israeli news outlets, citing rescue service officials, said at least 700 people have been killed in Israel, including 44 soldiers.
The Gaza Health Ministry said 413 people, including 78 children and 41 women, were killed in the territory. About 2,000 people have been wounded on each side.
An Israeli official said security forces have killed 400 militants and captured dozens more.
(With inputs from AP via PTI.)
