Israel-Palestine war: Over 1,200 dead, 'complete siege' on Gaza; what you need to know right now

The Hamas militants on Saturday (Oct 7) blew through a fortified border fence and gunned down civilians and soldiers in Israeli communities along the Gaza frontier during a Jewish holiday.

Stunned by the unprecedented assault on its territory, a grieving Israel launched a withering barrage of strikes on Gaza. Here are some key updates from the conflict:

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Declaration of war

As bodies of Israeli civilians were strewn across the streets of Sderot in southern Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war. "We will take mighty vengeance for this wicked day. We will win this war but the price is too heavy to bear," he said.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said the assault that had begun in Gaza, home to 2.3 million Palestinians, would spread to the West Bank and Jerusalem. He predicted "victory" and vowed to press ahead with "the battle to liberate our land and our prisoners languishing in occupation prisons".

Israeli defence minister on Monday ordered 'complete siege' on Gaza Strip with no electricity, food or fuel.

Death toll crosses 1,200

On Monday, Israeli troops fought to regain control around the Gaza Strip and evacuate people from the embattled border area as the death toll from the war with Hamas surged above 1,200 by the third day of clashes.

More than 700 Israelis have been killed since Hamas launched its large-scale attack, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Monday. The Hamas rampage included an assault on a crowded music festival where authorities had removed about 260 bodies by Sunday.

Scene on ground

Israel's military scoured the country's south for Hamas fighters and guarded breaches in its border fence with tanks on Monday, as it pounded the Gaza Strip from the air and mustered for a campaign its prime minister said would destroy “the military and governing capabilities” of the militant group.

Airstrikes flattened a 14-story tower that held Hamas offices. Thousands were wounded and some 123,000 displaced people in Gaza were in shelters, the UN said.

Hamas said the group's fighters continued to battle outside Gaza and had captured more Israelis as recently as Monday morning.

Meanwhile, Israel hit more than 1,000 targets in Gaza, its military said. "Overnight IDF fighter jets, helicopters, aircraft and artillery struck over 500 Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip," the military said in a statement.

Captives in Gaza

The leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which participated in Saturday’s attack, said it was holding more than 30 Israelis among dozens of captives in Gaza. He said they would not be released until all Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails are freed.

Global impact

The conflict is making a global impact with Britain, Canada, France and Germany among nations stepping up security around potential Jewish targets as pro-Palestinian protests break out in the Middle East and beyond.

Foreign hostages/dead

Several countries reporting nationals killed, abducted or missing, among them Brazil, Britain, France, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, Nepal, Thailand and Ukraine. Nine US nationals are confirmed dead.

A dozen Thai nationals were killed, nine wounded and 11 more kidnapped, Thailand's government said. Nepal said on Monday at least 10 of its nationals were killed, and the cabinet will hold an emergency meeting to discuss how to evacuate thousands of others working and studying there.

Hungary is currently evacuating 110 more people from Israel, bringing the total number of people it has brought out of the country to 325 including 46 children, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said in a Facebook post on Monday.

Three military planes evacuating Poles from Israel landed in Warsaw on Monday morning, the Polish authorities said.

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