Israel declared a “state of alert” for war as rockets from Gaza hit the country

By Ethan Bronner

Israel declared a state of alert on Saturday after dozens of rockets fired from the Gaza Strip hit the country and militants stormed southern cities in an unprecedented move. Israel sent fighter jets to retaliate. Hamas said it had launched a major operation against Israel.

Sirens and booms were heard across the region on the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, and the military told southerners to stay near bomb shelters. Firefights broke out between Israeli troops and Gaza infiltrators who entered on motorcycles and paragliders. An Israeli woman in her sixties was killed.

Videos from Gaza circulated on social media of militants dragging the bodies of several Israeli soldiers through the streets in celebration.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called an emergency meeting of security officials and Defense Minister Yoav Galant approved a widespread call-up of reserves.

The violence erupted a day after Hamas, which rules Gaza, said “the people must draw a line to end the occupation” and added that Israel continued to commit crimes throughout the Palestinian land and especially at the Al-Aqsa holy site in Jerusalem.

Similar tensions over the Al-Aqsa Mosque set off a round of confrontations earlier this year.

In a pre-recorded speech, Hamas militant leader Mohammed Deif said: “We have decided to end all this with God’s help so that the enemy will know that the time of recklessness without responsibility is over. We declare Operation Al-Aqsa a flood and the first strike exceeded 5,000 rockets and shells in the first 20 minutes.