Israel ‘at war’ as Hamas launches surprise air, land attacks from Gaza

Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip executed an "unprecedented infiltration" on Saturday morning into southern Israel, launching a barrage of thousands of rockets into the country. In picture, smoke is seen rising in the Rehovot area as rockets are launched from the Gaza Strip, in Israel. (Reuters)

The attack has left at least 100 people dead and over 740 injured, making it the deadliest attack in Israel in years. In picture, Palestinians are seen gathered around an Israeli army vehicle that Palestinian militants drove from Israel into Gaza, in Shejaiya, Gaza Strip. (AP)

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza has said that at least 198 people have been killed and at least 1,610 wounded in the territory in Israel's retaliation after a wide-ranging Hamas assault into Israel. In picture, Israeli medics and security forces treat a man at a site hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip, in Ashkelon, southern Israel. (AP)

The attack by Hamas came 50 years and a day after Egyptian and Syrian forces launched an assault during the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur in an effort to retrieve territory Israel had taken during a brief conflict in 1967. (Reuters)

This picture shows Palestinians breaking into the Israeli side of Israel-Gaza border fence after gunmen infiltrated areas of southern Israel. (Reuters)

Hamas has claimed that it has launched 5,000 rockets into southern Israel, while Israel’s military spokesperson has put the count at 2,500 rockets. Here, a man from southern Israel works to put out a fire engulfing a van, as rockets are launched from the Gaza Strip, in Ashkelon, southern Israel. (Reuters)

Residents have been asked to stay indoors, and Israel’s emergency services and rescue agency Magen David Alom has begun a blood donation drive. In this picture, Israeli security personnel and members of the media are seen taking shelter as a siren sounds while rockets are launched from the Gaza Strip, in Mevaseret Zion, Israel. (Reuters)

The rocket fire comes during a period of heavy fighting in the West Bank, where nearly 200 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military raids this year. Israel says the raids are aimed at militants, but stone-throwing protesters and people uninvolved in the violence have also been killed. In this picture, a Palestinian boy celebrates next to a burning Israeli vehicle that Palestinian gunmen brought to Gaza after they infiltrated areas of southern Israel. (Reuters)

Palestinian attacks on Israeli targets have earlier killed over 30 people. These tensions have also spread to Gaza, where Hamas-linked activists held violent demonstrations along the Israeli border in recent weeks. Here, police officers evacuate a woman and a child from a site hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip, in Ashkelon, southern Israel. (AP)

Leaders across the globe have condemned the violence and called for restraint. Britain, France, Germany, Japan and the US condemned the attack by Hamas. Among other countries which have shown solidarity with Israel include India, Ukraine and Spain. (AP)

While Russia and Turkey have called for restraint on the violence, Qatar and Kuwait have blamed Israel for escalation of the matter. In picture, Israeli police searching Palestinians amid heightened security in the Old City of Jerusalem, following the surprise attack by Gaza. (AP)

Meanwhile, Iran's foreign ministry said attacks by its ally Hamas were proof of the Palestinians' increased confidence in the face of Israel. The attacks "proved that the Zionist regime is more vulnerable than ever and that the initiative is in the hands of Palestinian youth," government spokesperson Ali Bahadori-Jahromi told state news agency IRNA. In the picture, Israeli soldiers work to secure residential areas following the mass-infiltration by Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip, in Sderot. (Reuters)

In a latest update, Israeli military spokesperson has confirmed that Hamas militants were holding Israeli civilians and soldiers hostage in Gaza. The picture shows smoke rising from a neighbourhood in Gaza following Israeli counter-strikes. (Reuters)

Jordanians express solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza as they protest against the Israelis near the Israeli embassy in Amman. Police stand guard during the protest to prevent from the situation escalating further. (Reuters)

With great casualties on either side within a day of strikes and counter-strikes, funerals were held in Gaza for some fallen Palestinian militants. In the picture are mourners attending the funeral of one such Hamas militant who was killed by Israeli forces. (Reuters)

Houthi supporters in Yemen photographed while burning US and Israeli flags to show their solidarity with the Palestinian militant factions. (Reuters)

US President Joe Biden said he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the United States was ready to offer "all appropriate means of support " after Palestinian Islamist group Hamas launched an attack on Israel. Stating that Israel has a right to defend itself and its people, Biden warned against any other party hostile to Israel seeking advantage in this situation. In the picture, US and Israeli national flags burn, as Iraqis gather next to fire during a protest in solidarity with Palestinians. (Reuters)

The United Nations Security Council is due to meet on Sunday in the wake of the biggest attack on Israel by Hamas in years. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack and urged "all diplomatic efforts to avoid a wider conflagration". (AP Photo)

Palestinians inspect the rubble of a building after it was struck by an Israeli airstrike, in Gaza City. (AP)