Palestinians search through the rubble of flattened buildings in Gaza | SBS News

Dozens of people searched through the rubble of a flattened street in Gaza’s Khan Younis on Monday (October 9) after an Israeli strike targeted the area. Fighting between Israeli forces and Islamist group Hamas was ongoing at seven or eight locations near Gaza. Israel’s Kan TV said the death toll from the Hamas attack had climbed to 800 in the deadliest raid into Israeli territory since Egypt and Syria’s attacks in the Yom Kippur War 50 years ago. In Hamas-controlled Gaza, Israel pressed on with its most intensive retaliatory strikes ever, which have killed more than 500 since Saturday. The strikes have hit housing blocks, tunnels, a mosque and homes of Hamas officials in keeping with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s vow of “mighty vengeance“. Defence Minister Yoav Gallant announced Israel’s tightened blockade which would keep even food and fuel from reaching the strip, home to 2.3 million people. Hamas gunmen were still holed up in several locations inside Israel three days after they killed 900 Israelis and abducted dozens more. The significant escalation is the latest in a long-standing conflict between Hamas and Israel. Hamas is a Palestinian military and political group, gaining power in the Gaza Strip since winning legislative elections there in 2006. Hamas’s stated aim is to establish a Palestinian state, while refusing to recognise Israel’s right to exist. Hamas, in its entirety, is designated as a terrorist organisation by countries including Australia, Canada, the UK and the US. Some countries list only its military wing as a terrorist group. The UN though did not condemn Hamas in its entirety as a terrorist organisation, due to insufficient support from member states to do so during a 2018 vote. Read more: Subscribe for more from SBS News or visit for all the latest updates. You can also follow us on... TikTok: @sbsnews_au?lang=en Instagram: Twitter: Facebook: Apple News: SBS News is Australia’s trusted news source for the latest news from Australia and across the world. Network Terms & Conditions: Privacy Policy: Feedback or complaints: