RAMALLAH, Oct 7: At least 40 Israeli settlers and soldiers have been killed in an infiltration operation carried out by Palestine's Hamas in some settlements based on the Gaza Strip compound, Israel's media said Saturday. Over 700 settlers were wounded and admitted to hospitals, an Arabic-language news channel (i24) quoted a press release issued by the emergency and ambulance service affiliated with Magen David Adom. Some Palestinian gunmen are controlling some settlements and armed clashes have been continuing since this morning, it said.

More than 3,000 missiles have been fired from the Gaza Strip towards the settlements and cities, including Tel Aviv, in the occupied territories in 1948, it pointed out. Hamas launched the process of "Al-Aqsa floods", while Israel labeled it as "Iron swords". Israeli warplanes continue shelling the Gaza Strip, targeting Hamas sites and civilian buildings, killing 198 Palestinians and injuring 1,610, health authorities in the Strip said. (KUNA)