Israel Issues Formal Declaration Of War Against Hamas

The Washington Post reports:

Israel on Sunday issued a formal declaration of war against Hamas and pounded Gaza with strikes, promising retaliation for an unprecedented attack by the militant group that surprised Israeli security forces. The death toll has risen to 600 in Israel, according to local media, while Palestinian authorities said at least 313 were killed in Gaza.

Thousands more have been injured. Fears of a regional spillover grew after Lebanon’s militant group, Hezbollah, said it attacked Israeli targets near the border “in solidarity” with Hamas and Israel said it struck back.

Israel’s declaration of war, a mostly symbolic formality, would allow the government to enact a wider mobilization of military reserves and compel the government to identify specific wartime objectives, raising the specter of a ground invasion of Gaza.

Read the full article. Yesterday Netanyahu issued a verbal declaration of war in a video posted to social media shortly after the attacks began.

Israel declares war as its death toll rises to 600 https://t.co/kVo75BciXz

— Herb Scribner (@HerbScribner) October 8, 2023