Israel orders 'complete siege' on Gaza; Cuts off electricity, water, food

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said he has ordered a "complete siege" of the Gaza Strip.

He made the statement after an assessment at the IDF Southern Command in Beersheba.

"I have ordered a complete siege on the Gaza Strip. There will be no electricity, no food, no fuel, everything is closed," Gallant said.

"We are fighting human animals and we are acting accordingly," he added.

According to Israeli local media cited by The Times of Israel, more than 700 Israelis have died since Saturday's attack. According to Israeli government, over 2000 people have been injured in the attack.

The Government Press Office, a body that operates under the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, said that the number of hostages in Gaza was more than 100.

The Israel Defense Forces' top spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that Israeli troops have regained control of all towns on the Gaza border. He said that the incidents of clashes between troops and terrorists in the past few hours have been "isolated," The Times of Israel reported.

Hagari said that three terrorists were killed by troops in the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council. According to him, one was killed in Be'eri, five were killed in Holit and Sufa and four were killed in Alumim. Hagari said that currently, there is no fighting in any of the towns.

Hagari said, "It is possible there are still terrorists in the area." He said breaches of the Gaza border barrier will be physically secured by tanks, which will be supported by combat helicopters and drones, The Times of Israel reported.

According to him, the Israeli army has evacuated 15 out of 24 towns on the border and will continue to evacuate the others in the coming day. He said Sderot will not be evacuated at this stage. He said some 4,400 rockets have been launched toward Israel since the fighting started on Saturday morning.

The IDF said that it is carrying out a fresh wave of airstrikes in the Gaza Strip. The IDF said it is hitting targets that belong to Hamas terror group. According to the military, further details will be provided soon, according to The Times of Israel report.

In a major escalation on October 7, Hamas launched a "surprise attack" on Israel, firing a barrage of rockets into the southern and central parts of the country.

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