More than 230 people have died in Isreal and Gaza on Saturday after Palestinian militants launched an unprecedented attack and Tel Aviv retaliated.

The militants infiltrated parts of southern Israel and fired thousands of rockets into the country in an attack that marked the beginning of an armed operation, reported the Associated Press. Forty Israeli residents have died in the attack.

Following this, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war, the Associated Press reported.

“We are at war,” Netanyahu said in a televised address, declaring a mass army mobilisation. “Not an ‘operation,’ not a ‘round,’ but at war. The enemy will pay an unprecedented price.”

In the Israeli offensive in the firm of air strikes, 198 Gaza residents died and over 1,000 are wounded, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.

Mohammed Al-Deif, a senior commander of Palestinian militant group Hamas, announced the start of the surprise attack. He said the attack had been launched in response to attacks on women, the desecration of the al-Aqsa mosque and the siege on Gaza.

Al-Deif urged Arab and Islamic people to help “free al-Aqsa”, referring to the mosque in Jerusalem that Israeli security forces had raided in April 2022.

“If you have a gun, get it out,” the Hamas commander said, according to CNN. “This is the time to use it – get out with trucks, cars, axes. Today the best and most honorable history starts.”

Visuals on social media showed buildings and streets destroyed by rockets in Israel.

The Israel Defense Forces said that Hamas would “face the consequences and responsibility” for its attack.

“In the last hour, the Hamas terrorist organization has begun a massive shooting of rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory, and terrorists infiltrated into Israeli territory in a number of different locations,” it said, according to CNN. “Civilians in the southern and central areas are required to stay next to shelters, and in the area surrounding the Gaza Strip, inside shelters.”

Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Isreal issued an advisory for Indians. The embassy asked Indians to remain vigilant, observe safety protocols and avoid unneccsary movements.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he was “deeply shocked” by the developments in Israel.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families,” Modi said. “We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour.”