Civilians and soldiers held hostage in Gaza, says Israel – as it happened

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Rocket fire continues to strike Israel from Gaza.

Police officers evacuate a woman and a child from a site hit by a rocket fired in Ashkelon. Photograph: Tsafrir Abayov/AP

Updated at 05.08 EDT

Netanyahu to meet top security officials

Israeli media have reported that gunmen opened fire on passers-by in the town of Sderot, in southern Israel, and footage circulating on social media appeared to show clashes in city streets as well as gunmen in jeeps roaming the countryside.

Palestinian media reported that a number of Israelis had been taken captive by fighters and Hamas media circulated video footage apparently showing a destroyed Israeli tank, Reuters also reported.

In addition to Benjamin Netanyahu’s office saying the prime minister would meet top security officials in the coming hours, the defence minister, Yoav Gallant, authorised the call-up of reservists.

Updated at 03.12 EDT

Today is the last day of the Jewish high holidays, but Israelis all over the south of the country and as far north as the contested city of Jerusalem were woken early this morning by air raid sirens and the thud of missiles.

Hamas officials always say that they will respond to Israel “at a time and place of our choosing”. But the timing of this unprecedented aerial and ground attack has caught both Israelis and Palestinians completely by surprise. The two sides had just negotiated a truce, mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the UN, after three weeks of violence and unrest at the separation fence.

Israeli media is reporting that Hamas operatives have seized control of a police station in the border town of Sderot, and is holding several people hostage. Initial reports suggest that the Israeli police and army were slow to respond to the attack, and gunfights are ongoing in several places. Major roads across the south are closed, and checkpoints in and out of the occupied West Bank shut.

In the tiny Gaza Strip, a population already battered by four wars in the last 16 years is bracing for further escalation.

Updated at 03.13 EDT

Israel’s military has declared it will defend the country.

The Israeli Defence Forces said in a post on X, formerly Twitter:

Israelis across the country – on Shabbat and the holiday of Simchat Torah – woke up to sirens sounding and Hamas firing rockets at them from Gaza this morning.

We will defend ourselves.

Updated at 03.11 EDT

Israel declares state of war

In response to the attacks, which appear to have caught the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) by surprise, Israel has declared a state of war.

“A number of terrorists have infiltrated into Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip,” the military said in a statement, adding that residents in the area surrounding the Gaza Strip had been told to stay in their homes.

“The Israel Defence Forces will defend Israeli civilians and the Hamas terrorist organisation will pay heavy price for its actions,” it said.

Here are images from Israel and Gaza this morning showing rockets being fired from Gaza and the resulting damage:

Rockets from Gaza. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty ImagesA rocket is launched from the coastal Gaza Strip towards Israel by militants of the Ezz Al-Din Al Qassam militia, the military wing of Hamas movement. Photograph: Mohammed Saber/EPARockets are fired toward Israel from the Gaza Strip. Photograph: Fatima Shbair/APBurnt out vehicles in Ashkelon are pictured following a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip into Israel. Photograph: Ahmad Gharabli/AFP/Getty Images

Updated at 03.11 EDT

Israel on war footing, says military

Israel’s military said it was on a war footing as the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, called an emergency meeting of security officials, Reuters reports.

Israeli media was reporting gun battles between bands of Palestinian fighters and security forces in towns in southern Israel.

Hamas launched the surprise assault with a combination of gunmen crossing the border and a heavy barrage of rockets from the Gaza Strip.

It is the most serious incident since Israel and Hamas fought a 10-day war in 2021.

Updated at 03.10 EDT

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad group says its fighters have joined Hamas in the attack on Israel, Reuters is reporting.

Updated at 02.30 EDT

Opening

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Palestinian group Hamas’s surprise attack on Israel on Saturday.

Senior Hamas military commander Mohammad Deif said 5,000 rockets had been launched and he called on Palestinians everywhere to fight.

“This is the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on Earth,” he said.

What’s known so far is that Palestinian gunmen infiltrated areas of southern Israel and rocket barrages were launched from the Gaza Strip in the attack.

Sirens sounded across Israel, including in Jerusalem.

One Israeli woman was reported killed and ambulance crews were deployed in areas around the Gaza Strip.

Updated at 03.09 EDT