Israeli officials shared on Tuesday that more than 1,500 Hamas terrorists have been killed since it began responding to the surprise attack from the group last Saturday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has quickly mobilized the nation’s army since the fighting began, saying that Israel would fight this war with a “mighty vengeance.
Since declaring war late on Saturday, Netanyhu’s nation has continuously bombarded Gaza with rockets, though it is believed that a ground offensive will inevitably be launched.
More than 360,000 reservists have been called upon by the Israeli government to bolster the nation’s standing army of 170,000.
Soldiers have already begun securing areas of Israel near Gaza that were overwhelmed by Hamas last week. As soldiers went door-to-door, the number of dead Hamas terrorists grew to 1,500.
Israel Defense Forces spokesman Maj. Doron Spielman said on Monday that his nation was preparing for every form of attack that could be necessary.
“I can tell you that we’re weighing the situation very carefully,” Spielman said, NBC News reported. “This is an entirely new paradigm to the way we have weighed other conflicts in the last few years.”
Still, the next step forward is being weighed carefully, as Hamas has taken a large number of civilians hostage.
President Joe Biden said on Tuesday that 14 Americans have been killed in the attacks. That number was 11 on Monday.
Avi Gold, a spokesperson for the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., said on Tuesday that the death toll in Israel has surpassed 1,000.
