Following a missile assault, Palestinian gunmen enter Israel from the Gaza Strip

 Following a missile assault, Palestinian gunmen enter Israel from the Gaza Strip

Israel declares itself to be "at war" after an unprecedented assault by dozens of armed members of the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas who broke into Israel from Gaza.

Just as the sun was rising, the militants scaled the perimeter barrier as a salvo of missiles was unleashed from Gaza.

The gunmen have murdered at least one Israeli, while hundreds have been injured by rocket fire.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, has pledged that Hamas would "pay a price it has never known."

According to the Israeli military, dozens of fighter planes are conducting airstrikes on Hamas targets in Gaza in retaliation, and tens of thousands of reservists have been called up.

Local health authorities report that at least one Palestinian has died as a result of the strikes.

On Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath and the day of the Simchat Torah celebration, the rocket attacks from Hamas-run Gaza started just after sunrise.

The IDF said that "terrorists" had entered Israeli land "in a number of different locations" as sirens wailed across Israel.

It advised residents of the southern and central regions to remain close to shelters and within shelters in the vicinity of Gaza.

Online videos purported to show a pick-up vehicle being driven through Sderot by a gang of highly armed Palestinian terrorists wearing black fatigues.

The same terrorists seemed to be exchanging fire with Israeli troops in one video in the town's streets, which is barely 1.6 kilometers (miles) from Gaza.

A number of Israelis have reportedly been kidnapped by terrorists, according to unsubstantiated allegations in the Palestinian media, and there is video circulating showing Palestinians in Gaza operating Israeli military equipment.

It was unclear at first how many Israelis had died as a consequence of the assaults.

Ofir Liebstein, the Shaar HaNegev Regional Council's Chairman, was murdered in a gunfight with terrorists while defending his town, according to an announcement made by the council.

While the rocket attacks persisted throughout Saturday morning, Israeli media reported that more than 2,500 missiles had been fired towards Israel as of that point.

One person has been killed by the Palestinian rocket fire, according to an early report from Israel's Magen David Adom medical service.

Later, 68 wounded were being treated by one hospital in the southern city of Ashkelon, while 80 were being treated by another hospital in Beer Sheva.

Israeli citizens are in the midst of a war, not an operation or an escalation, the prime minister said in a statement. "This morning Hezbollah launched a murderous unexpected assault against the State of Israel and its citizens."

"I convened the heads of safeguarding system, first of all I instructed to remove the settlements of the terrorists who penetrated - this operation is being carried out throughout these hours."

"At the same time, I commanded an extensive reserve mobilization and a reprisal war with a strength and scope who the enemy had never known."

In a broadcast on Hamas television, a top Hamas military commander declared the start of the operation and urged Palestinians all around the world to fight.

Mohammed Deif said that "today is the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on Earth."