Israel’s cabinet declared a “state of war” on Sunday after a massive attack by the Palestinian Sunni Islamic extremist group Hamas has killed at least 700 people in Israel so far.
At least 413 people have been killed in Gaza in Israeli airstrikes in response to Hamas attacks against Israel.
While clashes between Hamas militants and Israeli soldiers are ongoing on Israeli soil, the Israeli army continued its airstrikes on various locations in Gaza on Sunday.
According to Hamas spokesman Daniel Hagari, Hamas fighters took control of various communities in southern Israel on Sunday evening, and clashed with Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers.
The Israeli rescue service Jaka issued a statement saying that the remains of about 260 women and men who were partying at the Nova Festival, a music event in a rural agricultural area near the Gaza-Israel fence, were collected.
Even on Sunday night, many participants of the festival were missing. Hamas has launched a campaign to find relatives and friends on social media after launching a massive attack on Israel, including thousands of rockets, and other locations in the region, including the program.
Meanwhile, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the Pentagon is sending warships and fighter jets to support Israel in the eastern Mediterranean amid escalating conflict between the Israeli military and Hamas militants.
Austin, in a statement, said the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group directed the movement of an aircraft carrier, a guided missile cruiser and four guided missile destroyers to the eastern Mediterranean.
The Pentagon has also taken steps to expand the US Air Force’s F-35, F-15, F-16 and A-10 fighter jet squadrons in the region.
He said the US government will rapidly provide additional equipment and resources to the Israeli Defense Forces, including munitions.