Street Battles Erupt Between Israeli Soldiers and Hamas Fighters in Southern Israel

 

  The Israeli army released a video depicting what it claims to be street battles between its soldiers and members of the Palestinian Hamas movement in southern Israel on Sunday.

These clashes follow a recent incursion by Hamas members into Israel, which occurred after the unprecedented attack by the group since last Saturday's "Aqsa Deluge" operation.

On Sunday, Israeli forces pursued hundreds of Palestinian fighters who had infiltrated their territory while continuing to bombard the Gaza Strip. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned of a "long and challenging war" following the fighting with Hamas, which has resulted in nearly a thousand casualties on both sides. The conflict has resulted in "over 600 deaths" on the Israeli side and more than 2,000 injuries, with around 200 of them in critical condition, according to the government's media office.

In Gaza, where the Israeli army has carried out dozens of retaliatory airstrikes since Saturday, the Ministry of Health reported 370 fatalities and approximately 2,200 injuries.

A journalist from Agence France-Presse (AFP) in southern Israel witnessed several bodies lying on the road leading to Zikim Beach, while many Israeli vehicles were stopped, bearing the visible impact of gunfire.