Israeli warplanes have carried out a massive airstrike on Hamas security compounds inside the Gaza Strip, killing at least 210 and wounding hundreds others.
At least 210 people have been killed and hundreds other Palestinians have been wounded in the Israeli blitz, a Press TV correspondent reported from the Gaza Strip.
Video footages showed the bodies of dead people including men, women and children on Gaza streets.
Hamas radio reported that Gaza police chief Tawfiq Jabber was among the dead.
Israel F16 bombers and apache helicopters carried out at least 30 simultaneous raids on at least 30 separate targets in Gaza City.
Israeli tanks are said to be moving closer to the impoverished region which has been under a strict Israeli-imposed blockade.
Israeli authorities have announced that they would continue the attacks.
“This is only just the beginning of an operation launched after a security cabinet decision. It could take time. We have not fixed a timeline and we will act according to the situation on the ground,” Israeli Military spokesman Avi Benayahu told army radio on Saturday.
The strikes have caused widespread panic and confusion among the Gaza residents who have refused to withdraw their support form the Hamas resistance movement.
Hamas does not recognize Israel as a legitimate state.
A Hamas spokesman said Israel will pay a heavy price for the attacks.
Hamas spokesperson Fawzi Barhoum told our correspondent that Tel Aviv carried out the strikes after receiving green light from its allies and certain regional countries.
Barhoum described the raids as ‘collective punishment’ of Palestinians.
Palestinian Authority Chief Mahmoud Abbas in West Bank said in a statement that he “condemns this aggression” , according to an aide, Nabil Abu Rdeneh.
