After the surprise strike, the Israeli government retaliated against Hamas, resulting in thousands of casualties on both sides and a de;ath toll that now exceeds 1,100.
The attack is in retaliation for one of the bloodiest attack in its history when Islamist group Hamas killed 700 Israelis and abducted dozens more.
The worst strike since Egypt and Syria's attacks during the 50-year Yom Kippur War occurred on Saturday, October 7, when Hamas fighters went on a rampage through Israeli villages.
Following the pledge of "mighty vengeance" made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli air attacks in response struck housing blocks, tunnels, a mosque, and the houses of Hamas officials in Gaza, kil;ling over 400 people—including 20 children.
The Israeli military continued to strike the Gaza Strip on Monday, October 9, in an effort to destroy fighters who were still present in southern communities.
Over forty hours following Hamas' historic departure from Gaza, Israeli soldiers were still engaged in combat with terrorists camped out in multiple areas.
It is reported that around 400 people have di'ed in Gaza and that at least 700 people have di'ed in Israel.
"The price the Gaza Strip will pay will be a very heavy one that will change reality for generations," said Defence Minister Yoav Gallant in the town of Ofakim, which suffered casualties and had hostages taken.
Beyond blockaded Gaza, artillery and rocket fire was exchanged between Israeli forces and the Hezbollah group in Lebanon, which is backed by Iran. Meanwhile, two Israeli tourists and their guide were shot and ki'lled in Egypt.
Appeals for restraint came from around the world, though Western nations largely stood by Israel while Iran, Hezbollah and protesters in various Middle Eastern nations lauded Hamas.
Israel strikes back after Hamas terrorist attack as death toll passes 1,100.
In southern Israel on Sunday, Hamas gunmen were still fighting Israeli security forces more than 24 hours after their surprise, multi-pronged assault of rocket barrages and bands of gunmen who overran army bases and invaded border towns.
"My two little girls, they're only babies. They're not even five years old and three years old," said Yoni Asher who recounted seeing video of Palestinian gunmen seizing his wife and two small daughters after she took them to visit her mother.
Uri David told a news conference he spent 30 minutes on the phone with his two daughters, Tair and Odaya, during an attack until they no longer responded to him and that he did not know their fate.
"I heard shooting, shouting in Arabic, I told them to lie on the ground and hold hands," he said, breaking down in tears.
Mayyan Zin, a divorced mother of two, said she learned that her two daughters had been abducted when a relative sent her photos from a Telegram group showing them sitting on mattresses in captivity. She then found online videos of a chilling scene in her ex-husband’s home in the town of Nahal Oz: Gunmen who had broken in speak to him, his leg bleeding, in the living room near the two terrified, weeping daughters, Dafna, 15, and Ella, 8. Another video showed the father being taken across the border into Gaza.
“Just bring my daughters home and to their family. All the people,” Zin said.
Israel's military said it had regained control of most infiltration points along security barriers, killed hundreds of attackers and taken dozens more prisoner.
The military said it had deployed tens of thousands of soldiers around Gaza, a narrow strip of land that is home to 2.3 million Palestinians, and was starting to evacuate Israelis around the frontier.
"This is my fifth war. The war should stop. I don't want to keep feeling this," said Qassab al-Attar, a Palestinian wheelchair user in Gaza whose brothers carried him to shelter.
Although Israel has not made public the official dea;th toll, its media reported that at least 700 people, including children, di'ed. Daniel Hagari, the military spokesperson, described it as "the worst massacre of innocent civilians in Israel's history."