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At least 700 people are believed to have been killed in Israel after thousands of rocket attacks on Saturday, with more than 400 thought to have been killed in Gaza after Israel hit back. Palestinian militants claimed to be holding more than 130 captives from the Israeli side.<\/p>\n
Major Nir Dinar, a spokesman for the Israeli Defence Forces, said: “This is our 9\/11. \u201cThey got us.”<\/p>\n
“They surprised us and they came fast from many spots – both from the air and the ground and the sea.”<\/p>\n
Chuck Freilich, Israel\u2019s former deputy national security adviser, pointed out that the attack came 50 years and one day after the start of the 1973 Yom Kippur war.<\/p>\n
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He told Politico: \u201cThat was a catastrophic failure in regards to Egypt and Syria.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a failure in terms of intelligence, operationally.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s clear we were caught totally unprepared by this.<\/p>\n
\u201dThe divisional headquarters responsible for Gaza was occupied, they\u2019re in disarray, and so the whole response has been delayed.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Don’t miss… <\/strong> Israel\u00a0hit more than 1,000 targets in Gaza, its military said, including airstrikes that leveled much of the town of Beit Hanoun in the enclave\u2019s northeast corner.<\/p>\n Israeli Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told reporters Hamas was using the town as a staging ground for attacks.<\/p>\n There was no immediate word on casualties, and most of the community\u2019s population of tens of thousands likely fled beforehand.<\/p>\n Mr Hagari vowed to \u201ccontinue to attack in this way, with this force, continuously, on all gathering places and routes\u201d used by Hamas.<\/p>\n Meanwhile the UK Government is working to establish the status of UK citizens in\u00a0Israel\u00a0after a British man serving in the country’s army was killed during attacks by Hamas.<\/p>\n Rishi Sunak condemned the incursion as an “appalling act of terror\u201d, with 20-year-old Nathanel Young, a Briton serving in the Israeli Defence Services , among those killed on the Gaza border on Saturday.<\/p>\n Two other UK nationals – 26-year-old Jake Marlowe, who went to the same London school as Mr Young, and photographer Dan Darlington – are also believed to be missing.<\/p>\n Speaking to reporters at his Chequers country residence, the Prime Minister said he had spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahi yesterday to offer the UK’s ongoing support, adding: “Terrorism will not prevail.”<\/p>\n Asked what assistance is being provided to British citizens caught up in the conflict, he told reporters: “I know that there will be families who are anxious about their loved ones.<\/p>\n “I want to reassure them that the Foreign Office and the Government here is in close contact with our Israeli counterpart to establish the status of any British nationals on the ground.”<\/p>\n
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