- Hamas launched a massive surprise attack on southern Israel, killing hundreds of civilians and soldiers and taking dozens more as hostages.
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Israeli military is going on the offense against Hamas with a force "like never before."
Image: SCREEN GRAB
Palestinian ambassador to Kenya Hazem Shabat has described events that have happened in Israel since Saturday as “tragic.”
In an interview with Spice FM on Tuesday morning, Shabat however said Israel is to blame for the deadly attack by militant group Hamas.
“It is very difficult to describe the incidents, very tragic, very disturbing developments that have taken place. I can only blame Israel for it. I do not care who pulled the trigger but who has been pushing for it to happen,” he stated.
Asked what triggered the attack, Shabat said 56 years of continued Israeli occupation in Palestinian territory was the cause.
“We have been warning about it for two years now. My President (Mahmoud Abbas) at the UN General Assembly, this year and the year before has explicitly called for international protection to stand between us and the Israelis,” he stated.
Hamas launched a massive surprise attack on southern Israel, killing hundreds of civilians and soldiers and taking dozens more as hostages.
On Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Israeli military is going on the offense against Hamas with a force "like never before."
The Hamas attack, unprecedented in scale and scope, is the deadliest offensive that Israel has experienced in 50 years, according to reports.
More than 100 Israeli civilians, soldiers, and foreign nationals have also been taken hostage by Hamas, prompting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare that his country is at war.
Israel says it is working to rescue the hostages and has regained control of areas outside Gaza after some 48 hours of fighting. The Israel Defense Forces said it struck more than 1,000 enemy targets in airstrikes on Gaza.
On Tuesday, Shabat added that Israeli atrocities take place on a daily basis, not only in Gaza but also in other cities where there are Israeli settlers who are protected by the army.
“Our people are suffering, they are prohibited from going to hospitals, to school and these are not my words. You can refer to that report of the United Nations on Palestine, you will find all this in black and white, all the violations that have been taking place,” he stated.
Hamas is a designated terrorist group backed by Iran and that has governed the Gaza Strip since 2007.
Gaza, the small strip of land that is home to over 2 million Palestinians within roughly 140 square miles, is one of the most densely populated territories on Earth and has been kept under an Israeli land, air and sea blockade since 2007.