Israel says its forces regained control of all communities near the Gaza barrier but some clashes continue with militants. Israel's biggest worry now is freeing kidnapped civilians and soldiers, regardless of the war's trajectory. Israel highly values its citizens' lives and has launched daring rescues globally in the past. In 2011, Israel freed over 1,000 Palestinians for one soldier after 5 years of talks. Any deal now for hundreds taken by Hamas will be massive. Hamas also claims to have Israeli commanders captive. In a BBC interview, Gershon Baskin, who negotiated the 2011 release said, Hamas likely took hostages underground, complicating rescue efforts. He expects Israel to send ground troops into Gaza in a massive operation to kill Hamas leaders and rescue hostages, following initial airstrikes.

Amid escalating Israel-Palestine tensions, a 45-member pilgrim group from Kerala has gotten stuck in Israel while visiting holy sites after earlier traveling to Jordan and Palestine. The pilgrims said they were safe and communicated with families back home. Meanwhile, 27 pilgrims from Meghalaya, including Rajya Sabha MP Dr. WR Kharluki and his family, were stranded in Bethlehem and Jerusalem due to the conflict while on a holy pilgrimage. Meghalaya's Chief Minister confirmed their safe passage, stating they successfully crossed into Egypt through efforts by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian mission.

Israeli military officials compared Hamas' weekend attack from Gaza to the 9/11 attack in the US, with one calling it "our 9/11" and another saying it was like "9/11 and Pearl Harbor wrapped into one." The officials described it as the worst day in Israel's history. The Israel Defense Forces said they've struck around 1,000 Gaza targets till now, but Hamas gunmen are still fighting in 7-8 locations in Israel. More than 500 targets were struck in Gaza overnight. Northern Israeli towns haven't been fully evacuated yet but people are leaving. Around 1,100 have died in Israel and Gaza since the attacks began. Air strikes in Gaza have displaced 123,000 Gazans per the UN. The IDF confirmed militants still hold an Israeli family hostage in Kfar Aza near Gaza, with dozens estimated kidnapped overall.

Israel's UN envoy Gilad Erdan said Iran has been funding Hamas operations, including the group's major weekend attack from Gaza that killed over 600 Israelis. Erdan's accusation came after Iran's President Raisi said Iran supports Palestinians' right to self-defense and that Israel must be held accountable for endangering the region. Raisi praised Hamas' "resistance" and urged Muslim governments to back Palestinians. In June, Iran held talks with Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaders. At the time, Raisi said Israel was seeking to normalize Arab ties to discourage Palestinian liberation of occupied land. The statements highlight growing tensions as Israel and Iran trade blame over Hamas' attacks from Gaza that launched the ongoing violent conflict.

Over 700 Israelis and 400 Gazans have been killed so far in violence on a scale not seen in decades. The death toll surpassed 1,100 with thousands more wounded on both sides as Hamas militants remain holed up in locations across southern Israel. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at least 1,000 Hamas militants were involved in the assault on Israel. Israeli rescue team Zaka removed 260 bodies after a Hamas attack on a crowded music festival, casualties are deemed to be higher as other rescue teams were also in operation. Israeli forces are still battling militants on Monday as they intensified strikes on Gaza. On Sunday, Israel formally declared war and authorized significant military retaliation against Hamas for its surprise attack launched over 40 hours prior.

The US is moving naval ships and aircraft carriers closer to Israel amid Hamas' unprecedented attack that has killed over 600 Israelis so far. A US military official stated this, as President Biden affirmed Israel's right to defend itself and directed additional support. The White House said Biden and Vice President Harris were briefed by officials and will keep receiving updates, while remaining in contact with Israel and regional counterparts. Earlier, Secretary of State Blinken said the US is considering Israeli requests for more military aid. Biden has ordered unspecified extra support for Israel to face this terrorist assault, as the US bolsters naval presence in solidarity against Hamas' onslaught. The moves showcase US backing for its ally during the crisis.

Videos surfaced showing celebratory rallies in Canada on Saturday night after Hamas' deadly attack on Israel. Footage showed people waving Palestinian flags from cars in Canada. Similar celebrations were reported in Germany, Sweden and other countries, while UK police boosted security at Jewish sites. UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman has asked for strict action against those supporting Hamas. A tweet slammed "Trudeau's Canada" for allowing support of terrorism, though Trudeau condemned the attack. Canada's government is yet to address the rally videos. Trudeau was recently criticized by India for allegedly encouraging pro-Khalistan elements.

The Committee of University Presidents in Israel has announced the academic year will start on October 22 instead of October 15 due to the ongoing conflict. Many students and faculty have been drafted for reserve military duty. The committee expressed condolences to families of those killed and hopes for quick recovery of the injured. They also hoped those kidnapped or missing will return soon. The delay impacts major universities including Hebrew University and Tel Aviv University. The fall semester in Israel usually begins after High Holidays, later than in US/Europe. Earlier, primary and secondary schools were closed through Tuesday amid the instability.

On the second day of the Israel-Hamas conflict, the IDF spokesperson stated the past 24 hours have been extremely difficult with unprecedented events unfolding after Hamas' attack on Saturday. As Israel retaliates and mobilizes reserves for an all-out war on Hamas, spokesperson Richard Hecht likened it to 9/11, saying it was worse than planes crashing into buildings and involved attacking civilians and kidnappings. He described it as Israel's 9/11 and more. Meanwhile, at the UN, Israeli ambassador Gilad Erdan also compared Hamas' offensive to 9/11, condemning the "unprecedented escalation" which has resulted in deaths of over 1000 Israelis. 

An Israeli intelligence assessment last week wrongly concluded Hamas was trying to avoid full war and jeopardizing Gazans' welfare, according to a Haaretz report. This comes amid questions over major intelligence failures preceding Hamas' deadly multi-pronged assault that killed over 600 Israelis. The assessment found Hamas eager to avoid jeopardizing past achievements improving Gazans' lives. Some Israeli outlets condemned the assault as Israel's worst security failure in 50 years, with Haaretz stating even destroying Gaza and killing Hamas leaders cannot make up for failing to foresee the attack. The inaccurate assessment raises concerns over Israel underestimating Hamas' willingness to provoke war. Critics argue the intelligence failure enabled Hamas' unprecedented infiltration and rocket barrage resulting in mass casualties.