The dead have reached 1,200 in Israel, while in Gaza the death toll exceeds 900, according to the latest count after the attack by Hamas last Saturday morning.

More than 2,800 are injured, while another 50 are officially reported as “hostages” or “missing” in the Gaza Strip, always according to the Israeli authorities.

Meanwhile, the last preparations before the big, “sweeping” as the government described it, ground operation in the Gaza Strip carried out by the Israeli forces, gathering thousands of reservists and special units on the border.

Hours earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secured parliamentary approval to increase the number of reservists from 300,000 to 360,000, while at least 35 infantry battalions have already taken up positions on the Gaza border.

Everything indicates that the Israeli ground operation in the Gaza Strip, to neutralize the Hamas command centers, will begin very soon.

All the while, Israel’s air force and artillery pounded Hamas positions in the area relentlessly with thousands of rockets, preparing the ground for the infantry.

In the last few hours, the Israeli air force has concentrated its bombings on the Al Furqan area, which is considered to be of strategic importance for Hamas’ operations and it is assumed that the guidance for Hamas’ massive attack on Israel was given from this point.

Late last night the Israeli army announced that shells from Syria hit an uninhabited area in the annexed part of Golan Heights, with no damage or injury reported. Israeli artillery returned fire, targeting the location from which the shells were fired, according to the relevant information.

Biden: Act of absolute evil

US President Joe Biden described Hamas’ attack on Israel as “an act of absolute evil”.

“We are on Israel’s side. We will send the aircraft carrier and discuss any other assistance needed. We are in contact. We will talk to Congress to get aid approved. It’s not a partisan issue, it’s a global security issue,” he stressed and added: “We warn all states that are thinking of taking advantage of the situation: Don’t do it.”

The US president said there would be help from the Secret Service to free the hostages, but did not mention the involvement of the US military.

He stressed, however, to Netanyahu that he should react according to the letter of the law.

He also confirmed that at least 14 American citizens have been killed.

The FBI said yesterday that it was “closely monitoring developments,” but added that it had “no specific and credible information indicating a threat to the United States due to Hamas attacks in Israel.”

Massacre in Kfar Aza

The information coming to light from the massacre at Kibbutz Kfar Aza. According to the BBC, bodies of civilians were found lying on the ground next to burnt houses and torched cars.

The Israeli armed forces approached the site late on Tuesday after fighting continued near Kfar Azza along the border with Gaza until early yesterday morning.

According to the first estimates, the massacre took place early Saturday morning, during the first hours of the bloody attack by Hamas.

According to the Israeli armed forces, people at that time were either sleeping or getting ready to start their day. No one imagined what happened.

Among the dead, infants, the elderly… entire families. Some of the victims were reportedly beheaded. One of them a woman, wrapped in a purple blanket from which her bare legs protruded.

The tragedy in Kfar Aza is also witnessed by the destroyed gate that led to the kibbutz as those who protected the settlement are also dead. Their bodies are wrapped in black plastic bags and placed side by side.

Nearly four days after Hamas launched its unprecedented attack on its enemy, the Israeli military continued to shell Gaza – killing two senior Hamas officials.

The United Nations says more than 260,000 people in Gaza have been displaced by Israeli airstrikes.

Israel says there has been another exchange of fire on its border with Lebanon and that it has also responded in kind after shelling from Syria