Israel has ordered a “complete siege” on Gaza as it launched retaliatory strikes on the region following Saturday’s unprecedented attack by Hamas. Aid has not reached the region, which is home to about 2.3 million people, since Saturday and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Monday announced that all supplies would be cut off. "No electricity, no food, no water, no gas - it's all closed," he said, according to the BBC, adding that "we are fighting animals and are acting accordingly."
More than 500 people have been killed by Israel’s retaliatory strikes, according to the report. Israel has hit more than 1,000 targets in Gaza, according to the Associated Press. More than 123,000 Gazans have been displaced by the fighting, according to the United Nations, which reported that more than 150 housing units have been destroyed and 1,210 others were severely damaged. About 70,000 people have sought shelter in dozens of schools, according to the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees. "Our school sheltering displaced families was directly hit," the agency said Sunday.
Around 700 people were killed in Israel as Hamas fighters broke through border barriers and fired thousands of rockets in the surprise attack. The group has claimed to be holding more than 130 hostages who were kidnapped during the assault. At least nine Americans were killed in the attack, the State Department said Monday, and American citizens are reported to be among those who were taken captive. The U.S. said it is sending additional equipment and munitions to Israel and moving its Ford carrier strike group closer to Israel to "bolster regional deterrence efforts," the Pentagon said Sunday.
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