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«We extend our deepest condolences to the victims and to the families of all those affected, and wish those injured a speedy recovery.

Russia said Monday that creating a Palestinian state is the «most reliable» solution for peace and that fighting terrorism alone would not ensure security. Creating a «Palestinian state that would live side by side with Israel… is the most reliable path to solve (the conflict),» Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

(Reuters) — U.S. stock index futures slipped on Monday as a growing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas roiled global markets and pushed investors toward safe-haven assets, while crude prices jumped close to 3%.

By Joice Alves and Rae Wee

Hamas’s bloodthirsty assault on Israel. That is because it involved thousands of rockets, and fighters attacking the south of the country by land, sea and air. And because it was completely unforeseen despite its scale, inflicting a humiliating blow against Israel’s vaunted intelligence services.

Joe Biden's $6 billion prisoner-swap deal with Iran is now under the spotlight after militant group Hamas, long backed by Iran, staged one of the bloodiest attacks on Israel in years. Some Republicans are trying to link Biden to attack. Nikki Haley, one of the Republican presidential candidate for 2024 polls, alleged that allowing Iran access to the billions of dollars improves its budget situation, letting it use the money elsewhere. «Let's be honest with the American people and understand that Hamas knows, and Iran knows they're moving money around as we speak, because they know $6 billion is going to be released. That's the reality,» she said. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has however said that there is not evidence yet of «Iran directed or was behind this particular attack, but there’s certainly a long relationship.» Fighting between Israel and Hamas militants continued for the third day, which is likely to drag on. More than 1,100 people have been killed in Palestinian group Hamas's surprise assault on Israel on Saturday and Israel's retaliation.

Israel is calling the attack by Hamas this weekend an “earthquake” for the country and people’s sense of security, and says the conflict has become a “battle for national survival.”Chuck Freilich made the comments in an interview with The West Block‘s Mercedes Stephenson on Sunday, a day after Hamas militants launched a slew of rockets into Israel’s south, as well as attacks by land and sea, in what is being seen as an unprecedented attack.More than 600 in Israel have been killed, according to government numbers, with claims by Hamas of capturing military soldiers and reports of residents also being abducted.“This is one of the worst developments in Israel’s history. It’s the first time since the War of Independence in 1948 that Israeli territory was occupied even briefly,” said Freilich, a professor of political science at Columbia University and previously a deputy national security adviser in Israel.“This is an earthquake for Israel, militarily, psychologically, the sense of people’s security, and it’s, I believe, a total different change in the situation, which is going to require responses by Israel on a completely different level.

Israel by air, land and sea.Millions of Israelis in the country’s south awoke to incoming rockets and the inevitable thud of impact. Air raid sirens wailed as far north as Tel Aviv.

The death toll in Israel has reached at least 600 people, according to government numbers, with more than 100 believed to be kidnapped and more than 2,000 people injured after the Hamas militant group attacked the country by air, land and sea.

State Antony Blinken on Sunday said there is intense fighting going on in the Gaza area and the focus right now is on helping Israel recover the territory that has been taken by Hamas militant group, noting that the issue of intelligence failure would be probed into a bit later. Israel witnessed a surprise and unprecedented multifront attack — by air, land and sea — by the Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, in its southern parts on Saturday morning. More than 600 people, including soldiers, have been killed so far and more than 2,000 injured in Israel — the deadliest day for the country in at least 50 years.

Hamas militants and Israeli forces a day after the Islamist group launched a surprise attack on Israel from Gaza, in a dramatic escalation of the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Hundreds of people have been killed on both sides since the Iran-backed Hamas launched the multi-pronged assault at dawn on Saturday, with Israeli forces fighting holdout militants and pounding the Gaza Strip with air strikes.

Israel's army said Sunday it aims to evacuate all Israelis living close to the Gaza Strip within 24 hours as it deployed tens of thousands of soldiers to fight Palestinian militants who had infiltrated into Israel. «Our mission for the upcoming 24 hours is to evacuate all residents living around Gaza,» military spokesman Daniel Hagari told reporters, adding that fighting was still on to «rescue hostages» held by militants in Israel. «There are tens of thousands of combat soldiers in the area.

Lebanon's Hezbollah said it targeted Israeli military positions in the disputed Shebaa Farms on Sunday, saying it was acting «in solidarity» with the Palestinian people after an unprecedented attack by Hamas gunmen from Gaza into Israel. Israel responded with barrages of artillery into southern Lebanon. No casualties have been reported. Backed by Iran, the Shi'ite group has risen from a shadowy faction established during Lebanon's 1975-90 civil war to a heavily armed force with big sway over the Lebanese state.

Air India on Sunday announced canceling flights to and from Tel Aviv till October 14, 2023, in wake of the recent unrest in Israel. Israel came under attack by Hamas militants on Saturday and since then, both sides are engaged in fighting in which scores of people have died. «Our flights to and from Tel Aviv will remain suspended till 14th October, 2023, for the safety of our passengers and crew,» an airline spokesperson said in a statement. The airline will extend all possible support to passengers who have confirmed bookings on any flight during this period, the spokesperson added. The full service carrier operates five weekly flights to Tel Aviv from the national capital.

Israel on Saturday made for one of the most violent and deadly days of fighting in the region in decades. Hamas, the militant group that controls the Gaza Strip, launched a series of rocket strikes that hit major cities across Israel, and it sent waves of fighters across the border into southern Israel, where they took over bases and seized hostages. Here's a timeline of what happened Saturday and into Sunday in Israel and Gaza (times are local): 6:35 a.m.: The first sirens warn of incoming rockets in central and southern Israel. This is the start of Hamas' firing what will be thousands of rockets at Israel, striking even major cities like Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Muhammad Deif, the leader of the military wing of Hamas, said in a recorded message that the group had decided to launch what he called an «operation» so that «the enemy will understand that the time of their rampaging without accountability has ended.»

Hamas’s massive attack on Israel is that it was a surprise. The operation was of unprecedented scale, involving thousands of personnel and pieces of equipment, from hang gliders to bulldozers and rockets. Such an effort demands weeks if not months of preparation, and all of it took place under the nose of an Israeli intelligence service that has a deserved reputation as one of the most effective in the world. How that happened is cause for deep embarrassment in Israel’s security community and will prompt a painful internal investigation.

Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari on Sunday called on his force to refine its strategy, enhance all-round capabilities and develop a flexible mindset to «prosecute» possible future wars, considering the current «complex» and «dynamic» strategic environment. In an address to air warriors on the occasion of the Air Force Day, the Chief of Air Staff said the current geopolitical landscape has provided the force an opportunity to reduce dependency on imports by developing indigenous capability.

Israel continued for the second day. Israel pounded targets in Gaza after militants launched a surprise attack in the early hours of Saturday, which was a major Jewish holiday.

Hindu Parents of California, eminent Indian-Americans and a Dalit advocacy group on Saturday welcomed the decision of California Governor Gavin Newsom to veto the anti-caste discrimination bill observing that this bill was brought with the sole intention of «stereotyping the community». Governor Newsom vetoed the bill, which was recently passed by the state assembly, saying that laws to ban caste-based discrimination already exist in the state.

Nushrratt Bharuccha, who was stranded in Israel following the attack on the country by Hamas militants, is «safe» and on her way to India, her publicist on Sunday. The actor was in Israel to to attend Haifa International Film Festival. «We have finally managed to get in touch with Nushrratt and with the help of the Embassy, she is being safely brought back home.

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