As Palestinian terrorists launch a surprise air and ground onslaught from Gaza, Netanyahu declares that Israel is "at war."

Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, proclaimed that the nation was "at war" on Saturday after Gaza-based terrorists launched a deadly barrage of rockets and moved armed men into Israeli territory, significantly escalating the long-running conflict between the two sides.

Netanyahu declared in a video message, "Israeli citizens, we are at war - not in an operation, not in rounds - at war.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) described the early morning rocket attacks from Gaza as "massive," and according to data from two hospitals, at least one person was killed and over 100 people were hurt.

The terrorist Palestinian group Hamas, which controls Gaza, took credit for the rocket launch and demanded a widespread revolt against Israel.

"If you own a gun, get out!"

IDF spokesperson Lt Col Richard Hecht stated in a briefing on Saturday that Israeli forces "are fighting on the ground as we speak," naming at least a dozen areas where fighting is occurring.

Erez Crossing, Nahal Oz, Magen, Kibbutz Beeri, Rehim Army Base, Ziikim Army Base, Kfar Azza, and Kibbutz Beeri are among the places mentioned.

In response to the assault, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed to have attacked "a number of targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip."

Hecht also mentioned that the IDF would be calling up thousands of reservists.

Israelis who reside close to Gaza were advised by the IDF to remain inside or seek shelter.

The IDF announced in a statement Saturday morning that "terrorists infiltrated into Israeli territory in a number of different locations" and that "the Hamas terrorist organization had begun a massive shooting of rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory." After the initial barrage, sirens continued to sound a warning of approaching rockets for at least three hours.

According to Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Israel is going through "a very difficult moment," as he wrote in a message on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"I want to give the IDF's commanders and soldiers, as well as all the security and rescue agencies, strength. I express my support and courage to all the Israeli citizens who are being attacked," he continued.

As sirens continued to scream all throughout Israel, CNN teams in Jerusalem heard booms and rocket warning sirens, which were probably interceptions of approaching rockets.

The initial rocket barrage occurred at 6:30 a.m. local time on Saturday (11:30 p.m. ET), when the majority of Israelis were probably fast sleeping.

Palestinian militants rarely succeed in crossing into

"This attack was carried out by the terrorist group Hamas, which rules over the Gaza Strip. It said that it will take responsibility and the fallout from these incidents.

Infiltrators had kidnapped captives in Netiv HaAsara, according to Channel 12. No specifics concerning such reports were immediately confirmed by Israeli authorities.

Multiple masked gunmen were seen in a pickup truck driving down a street in the Israeli city of Sderot in social media footage that CNN received. The footage also contained gunfire.

According to a mid-morning update on Saturday from Israel's Magen David Adom rescue service, one woman was killed and at least 15 others were hurt in the militant attacks throughout the southern and lowland regions of Israel.

The woman who was slain, according to MDA, was in her 60s, rather than the 70s as CNN had initially reported.

Seven persons have minor injuries, two are in critical condition, six are in moderate condition.

A CNN producer saw the rockets in Gaza, and they set off alarms as far away as the Tel Aviv region in the north, as well as in Beer Sheva in the east, and many other places in between.

A rocket attack left many cars burning near to an apartment building in the seaside city of Ashkelon, according to social media images obtained by CNN. A dense plume of black smoke could be seen billowing into the air.

According to Netanyahu's office, security evaluations are being carried out at the Tel Aviv headquarters of the Israel Defense Forces by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

Gaza, a remote coastal enclave of nearly 2 million people squeezed into 140 square miles, is one of the world's most densely populated areas.

being ruled by Hamas,