Israel Defense spokesperson says Israel hasn’t regained full control

by Tara Suter - 10/07/23 6:24 PM ET

Israeli soldiers stand on a tank near the Israeli-Gaza border, southern Israel, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. Hamas, the militant group ruling the Gaza Strip, carried out a surprise, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets and infiltrating the country by land, air and sea. (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov)

A spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces said his country hasn’t regained full control in the wake of attacks from militant group Hamas Saturday.

“There are still active battles between Israeli security forces and terrorists inside Gaza,” Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus told CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer. “And unfortunately, we have not yet been able to re-establish full control over all of our communities and all of our bases.”

“This is the top priority,” he added.

Hamas’ attack involved its militants infiltrating Israeli towns and the launching of missiles into Israel. Fighting in the region has resulted in the deaths of at least 250 people in Israel and 232 in Gaza, according to Israeli local media and the Palestinian government. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the attack “murderous” in a televised address Saturday.

“We are at war — not in an operation or at rounds, but in a war,” Netanyahu said. “The enemy will pay an unprecedented price…We are at war and we will win it.”

President Joe Biden released a statement Saturday condemning the attacks.

“The United States unequivocally condemns this appalling assault against Israel by Hamas terrorists from Gaza, and I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the Government and people of Israel,” Biden said in a statement.

Biden’s Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, also made comments expressing solidarity with Israel in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

“We unequivocally condemn the appalling attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israel,” Blinken said on X. “We stand in solidarity with the government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks.”