Netanyahu vows to turn Gaza into ‘ruins’

The Israeli PM urged civilians to leave Gaza, warning the war with Hamas “will take time” and be a “difficult” one

PM Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to “take revenge for this black day” and turn all the sites used by Palestinian militant group Hamas into “ruins” in the aftermath of a massive attack by the militant group on southern Israel.

In a new televised address late on Saturday, the Israeli PM called Gaza “the city of evil,” urging civilians to immediately leave the overcrowded Palestinian enclave, home to an estimated 2 million people.

“All the places that Hamas hides in, operates in, we will turn them into ruins,” Netanyahu stated. “Get out of there now.”

“What happened today has never been seen before in Israel, and I will ensure it never happens again. The entire government supports this decision. The IDF will immediately use all its power to destroy Hamas’ capabilities,” he added, warning that Israel is headed for a “difficult” war that is set to “take time.”

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The new escalation between Hamas and Israel began early on Saturday, when the militant group launched a major attack from Gaza. Hamas attacked multiple locations in southern Israel, overrunning military installations and breaching the border at different points. During the attacks, the militants destroyed and captured assorted Israeli military hardware, as well as killed and took prisoner multiple Israeli soldiers and civilians, footage circulating online suggests.

The hostilities continued through the day, with Hamas launching several massive barrages of rockets deeper into Israeli territory. Israel conducted multiple air strikes on Gaza, destroying several high-rise buildings purportedly used by Hamas. Netanyahu has squarely described the escalation as a “war,” announcing the call-up of reservists to further bolster the ranks of the country’s military.