30 officers killed in Hamas attack, Israel Police confirms

TEL AVIV: As Israeli fighter jets continued to batter Hamas targets on the Gaza border area after deadly terror attacks by the terrorist outfit, Israel Police on Sunday confirmed that 30 of its officers, including from the Border Police, have been killed, Israeli news agency Tazpit Press Service (TPS) reported.

The Israel Police released the names of the slain personnel on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Israeli Defence Force on Sunday named 26 soldiers killed in the fighting since Saturday morning, The Times of Israel reported. IDF spokesman Rear Adm Daniel Hagari told media on Sunday morning that the military was seeking to "stabilize the situation in the Gaza envelope" and that infiltrators at most incident locations had been "neutralized."

Hagari said the forces were still carrying out searches for terrorists in Sderot, Zikim, Re'im, and Sufa. The IDF on Sunday said the wrested control of 29 locations from Hamas infiltrators, he said.

"There are hundreds of dead terrorists. There are dozens of terrorists captured," Hagari said. Many in the civil police were caught off guard as Hamas terrorists opened fire randomly in the middle of the streets in Israeli towns, according to reports. Some of them were off duty in the areas under attack and went out in attempts to protect the civilian population, reported TPS.

Meanwhile, Israeli security forces made headway early Sunday toward regaining control of the towns and areas held by Hamas terrorists who infiltrated 24 hours earlier, The Times of Israel reported.

Till now, more than 300 people have been killed and over 1,800 wounded and dozens kidnapped and taken to the Gaza Strip, added reports. Many civilians were still holed up in their homes, hiding in fear of roving terrorists searching for victims, as troops dealt with some hostage-takers and stormed homes and facilities, shooting the Palestinian gunmen within, The Times of Israel reported. Israeli security forces were still struggling to clear terrorist cells entrenched within devastated communities, it added.

Meanwhile, Israel's Security Cabinet, earlier on Sunday, made a series of decisions marking the start of the offensive phase of 'Operation Swords of Iron', ordering the Israel Defense Forces to prepare for the "destruction of the military and governing capabilities of Hamas and [Palestinian] Islamic Jihad." "We are embarking on a long and difficult war that was forced on us by a murderous Hamas attack," Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said at the meeting, according to reports.

"We will restore security to the citizens of Israel and we will win," he added. "The first stage is ending at this time with the destruction of the vast majority of the enemy forces that infiltrated our territory. At the same time, we have begun the offensive phase, which will continue with neither limitations nor respite until the objectives are achieved," he added.

Among the Cabinet's decisions was to halt the supply of electricity, fuel and goods to the Gaza Strip, reported TPS. As Israel readied its response to Saturday's attacks, four divisions of reservists were being deployed to the Gaza border, joining the 35 battalions already deployed to the area, the army said. Meanwhile, all known hostage situations, which saw Israeli civilians held captive by Hamas gunmen in their towns, were resolved overnight, with army and police forces killing terrorists and rescuing their captives after hours-long standoffs in Sderot, Ofakim and Kibbutz Be'eri, reports stated, adding that they declared full control over these places.

However, gunfights were continuing in some communities such as Kfar Aza, Re'im and were likely Erez and Zikim as well, reported The Times of Israel. Meanwhile, Israeli Navy said it killed five Palestinian terrorists hiding on Zikim beach on Sunday morning, close to the border with the Gaza Strip. "In the last few hours, Navy control units identified five terrorists, who were hiding in the Zikim area, on Israeli territory," it said in a statement.