Rockets are launched by Palestinian militants from the Gaza Strip towards Israel, in Gaza, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. The militant Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of Hamas fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air, land, and sea and catching the country off-guard on a major holiday. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)
In a turn of events that’s gripped the world, today saw the Israel-Hamas conflict intensify. Over 1,200 lives have been claimed, with Tel Aviv under fire and Israel’s Iron Dome actively intercepting Hamas rockets.
Israeli soldiers are seen in a staging ground near the Israeli Gaza border, southern Israel, Monday, Oct. 9, 2023. The militant Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of Hamas fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations, killing hundreds and taking captives. Palestinian health officials reported scores of deaths from Israeli airstrikes in Gaza. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
Amidst the turmoil, the Israeli Defense Forces reported taking down over 500 Hamas and Islamic Jihad targets in the Gaza Strip. This robust response follows this weekend’s shocking events, when hundreds of Hamas militants infiltrated Israel in an unparalleled assault, causing panic and prompting calls for a massive military retaliation.
Palestinians ride on an Israeli military vehicle taken by an army base overrun by Hamas militants near the Gaza Strip fence, in Gaza City, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Abed Abu Reash)
Gaza, already under a tight blockade, faces even stricter sanctions. Israel’s defense minister declared nothing is allowed in or out. This move, expected to drastically affect the two million residents, has sparked international concern.
Palestinians inspect the rubble of the Yassin Mosque destroyed after it was hit by an Israeli airstrike at Shati refugee camp in Gaza City, early Monday, Oct. 9, 2023. Israel’s military battled to drive Hamas fighters out of southern towns and seal its borders Monday as it pounded the Gaza Strip. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)
President Joe Biden has firmly backed Israel’s right to defend itself, even as concerns arise about the broader implications for the Middle East.
White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris is a native Washingtonian and University of South Carolina alumna. Her passion is mentoring young adults by teaching community empowerment and media education. She is an NAB member and board member of the Thurgood Marshall Center and was presented the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for contributing more than 4,000 hours of community service under the Obama Administration.
