Hamas Militant Group Has Started A War That 'Israel Will Win', Says Defence Minister

Israel's defence minister announced that the Hamas militant group has started a war against Israel and pledged that "Israel will win."

Following a security cabinet meeting at the Israeli military headquarters in Tel Aviv, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant warned that Hamas "made a grave mistake" in launching barrages of rockets into southern and central Israel in its surprise morning attack.

In one of the most serious escalations in years between Israel and the militant group that rules Gaza, Hamas gunmen crossed the border fence at several places and infiltrated Israeli communities.

"The state of Israel will win this war," Gallant said.

Earlier in the day, in one the biggest escalation in recent times, Israel on Saturday morning declared a "state of readiness for war", amid a massive barrage of rockets from the Gaza Strip and infiltration into its southern area, killing at least one person and injuring 16 others.

Islamic faction Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, claimed it had launched 5,000 rockets at Israel in an early morning barrage called, "Operation al-Aqsa Flood".