The impact of this Israel-Gaza escalation will be far-reaching

  Israel Gaza live updates: Israel fighting militants on its own territory after incursion - BBC News

The impact of this escalation will be far-reaching

Lyse Doucet

Chief international correspondent

The timing of Hamas’ assault continues to raise questions. Its leaders invoke their usual mantras of a fight for Jerusalem, for its prisoners.

But this resistance movement will have much wider ambitions in an operation which would have been years in the making.

And there are now wheels within wheels. Many wider issues will certainly be affected by the consequences of this crisis.

This unprecedented escalation has come at a time of unprecedented diplomacy: Saudi-US negotiations which seemed to be heading towards the kingdom’s recognition of the Jewish state; greater engagement between Riyadh and the Palestinian Authority, Hamas' arch rival.

Hamas has thrown a grenade into the rooms where it’s happening.

And there are many players in this mix – Iran, a staunch ally of Hamas, as well as Russia. Even the war in Ukraine could find itself in this orbit.

Hamas itself is known to be divided. Sources say the military wing is d

riving a dangerous escalation, the impact of which will be far reaching and long lasting.

More than 24 hours after Hamas launched its attacks on Israel and infiltrated southern communities, here's the latest on the biggest escalation in the conflict in decades:

• Clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants are ongoing in several parts of southern Israel, according to local media reports
• Haaretz quotes the Israeli army as saying it has taken back control of most areas of the south, but fighting is continuing in areas close to the Gaza border, including Be’eri and Sderot
• The Israeli Embassy in the UK has confirmed a British citizen, Jake Marlowe, is missing - he was working as security staff at an outdoor dance festival near the Gaza border when the attack happened
• More than 400 Palestinian militants have been killed in southern Israel and the Gaza Strip, and dozens more have been captured, an IDF spokesman was quoted as saying by the Times of Israel
• And at least 300 Israelis have been killed and dozens kidnapped, Israel’s Embassy in Turkey said, quoting Israel’s Ministry of Health
• Israeli air strikes have killed at least 313 people in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian officials say
• Meanwhile, Israeli officials have said the country is “still at war" [and] still completing efforts to take full control of Israeli territory and communities from Hamas”
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