Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday warned that his country will “take mighty vengeance” after Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an unprecedented and multi-pronged attack across central and southern Israel, Reuters reported.

The assault began early Saturday when Hamas launched a barrage of rockets towards Israeli cities and sent militants into Israel by using paragliders and boats. Hamas, which runs Gaza, claimed its fighters took several Israelis captive, including senior military officers.

The toll from the assault reached over 500 on Sunday, while 2,048 people have been left injured, according to The Times of Israel.

Israel has retaliated with a wave of air strikes on Gaza, resulting in the death of at least 313 Palestinians. Nearly 1,990 people have been wounded.

As night fell, gun battles were raging in dozens of areas inside Israeli territory and Hamas said it fired a fresh volley of roughly 150 rockets at the city of Tel Aviv.

On the other hand, Netanyahu told Israelis in a televised message that they are going into a “long and difficult” military operation in Gaza.

The prime minister vowed “mighty vengeance” on Palestinian militants for what he called a “wicked day”.

“Hamas launched a cruel and wicked war,” he said. “We will win this war but the price is too heavy to bear. Hamas wants to murder us all. This is an enemy that murders mothers and children in their homes, in their beds. An enemy that abducts elderly, children, teenage girls.”

He asked civilians in Gaza to evacuate their homes after what was by far the deadliest day of violence in Israel since the Yom Kippur war 50 years ago. “Leave now because we will operate forcefully everywhere,” Netanyahu declared.

The Israeli government said it would cut off electricity, fuel and goods supplies to Gaza.

But Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh praised his group’s fight as “heroic” and “historic”.

He asked, “How many times have we warned you that the Palestinian people have been living in refugee camps for 75 years, and you refuse to recognise the rights of our people?”

Haniyeh said the group had decided to say “enough is enough”.

On Sunday, the Israeli defence forces said that they had struck targets along the country’s northern border with Lebanon in response to an alleged attack by militant group Hezbollah from Lebanon.

India urges citizens to stay safe

The Indian embassy in Tel Aviv and the Representative Office of India in Palestine on Saturday asked Indian nationals on respective sides to “remain vigilant” and “directly contact the Office” in case of an emergency, reported PTI.

There are about 18,000 Indian citizens in Israel. While a huge majority is employed as caregivers, there are also around a thousand students, several IT professionals and diamond traders. No untoward incident involving Indian national have been reported yet.

Meanwhile, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma stated that 27 citizens from Meghalaya, who were stuck in Israel and Palestine, have crossed into Egypt.