Palestinian gunmen infiltrated southern Israel, launching rocket barrages from the Gaza Strip on Saturday in a surprise attack claimed by the Islamist movement Hamas. In a broadcast on Hamas media, senior Hamas military commander Mohammad Deif announced the start of the operation, urging Palestinians worldwide to join the fight. He declared, "This is the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on earth," and asserted that 5,000 rockets had been launched. Emergency services reported the tragic death of one Israeli woman as ambulance crews were dispatched to areas around the Gaza Strip, and sirens rang out across Israel, including Jerusalem. Israeli media reported incidents where gunmen fired upon passersby in the southern town of Sderot, and social media footage depicted street clashes. The Israeli military issued a statement, saying, "A number of terrorists have infiltrated into Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip," and advised residents in the vicinity of the Gaza Strip to remain in their homes.