Israel-Palestine conflict- Over 1500 dead, Hamas says few knew about raids

The number of dead in the ongoing clashes between Israel and Hamas militants has risen to 1500 even as Israeli forces continued to battle the terrorists who had infiltrated in its territory while the Israeli air force also continued to pound Gaza strip.

The Hamas officials said that only a small number of top commanders inside Gaza knew about the wide-ranging incursion launched into Israel, but that allies like Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah “will join the battle if Gaza is subjected to a war of annihilation.”

Ali Barakeh, a member of Hamas’ exiled leadership, speaks to The Associated Press in his Beirut office as Israel bombarded Gaza and vowed a total blockade of the Hamas-ruled territory.

“Only a handful of Hamas commanders knew about the zero hour,” Barakeh says, adding that no one from the central command or the political bureau of Hamas was in the Lebanese capital last week.

Meanwhile seven Argentinian nationals were killed in the attacks by Hamas terrorists in Israel this weekend, and 15 more are still unaccounted for, according to the reports.

The UN Human Rights Council observed a moment of silence for the “loss of innocent lives in the occupied Palestinian territory and elsewhere,” after Palestinian terrorists’ indiscriminate slaughter of over 900 Israelis.

Meanwhile Pakistani envoy Zaman Mehdi blamed Israel for the attack and “breeding violence,” without mentioning Israel by name at any point. The statement makes no mention of Israeli victims, terror or Hamas.

The White House was illuminated in the blue and white colors of the Israeli flag as a symbol of the United States’ 75-year relationship.

Brett McGurk, the White House coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, tweets a photo of the White House in the colors

The White House had announced its intention to make the gesture earlier. “This symbolizes the ironclad support and solidarity of the American people with the people of Israel in the wake of the barbaric terrorist attacks committed by Hamas,” it said in a statement.