'Every Hamas Member Is A Dead Man', Says Netanyahu As Death Toll In Hamas Terror Attack On Israel Crosses 1,200: Highlights

The Israeli military offensive on Gaza entered fifth day on Thursday (12 October) as the deadly attack by Hamas terrorists on Israel resulted in killing of over 1,200 Israelis and other nations' citizens so far.

Here are the highlights of the developments surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict:

Israeli Air Force bombs Hamas targets in Gaza

The Israeli Air Force bombed several Hamas targets in Gaza in the early hours of Thursday.

"The Air Force recently attacked the Islamic University in Gaza City, which serves as a major training center for Hamas engineers: Fighter jets recently attacked the Islamic University, which serves as an important center of political and military power for the terrorist organization Hamas in the Gaza Strip and a training institution for the development and production of weapons," the Israeli Air Force said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

"The Air Force continues with extensive waves of attacks in the Gaza Strip at this time as well," it added.

Netanyahu, Opposition leader form Unity War-Time Cabinet

Israel's National Unity Party chairman Benny Gantz, a key opposition leader in Israel, on Wednesday formed an emergency war-time cabinet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The new Cabinet establishes a degree of unity after years of bitterly divisive politics, and as the Israeli military appears increasingly likely to launch a ground offensive into Gaza.

Hamas terrorists beheaded soldiers, raped women: Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Hamas terrorists beheaded soldiers and raped women during their attack on Israel last weekend. 

Speaking in a late-night televised address, Netanyahu said boys and girls were shot in the head and people had been burned alive. 

Netanyahu compared Hamas to the terror group ISIS that took over parts of Northern Iraq and Syria in 2014 and said that Israel would "crush and destroy" Hamas as the world destroyed ISIS.

"Every Hamas member is a dead man," he said. 

Over 2,300 killed so far on both sides

Hamas' brutal attack has claimed more than 1,200 lives in Israel and led to a war that is raising fears of a wider Middle East conflict. At least 1,100 people have been killed in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip by Israel's retaliatory strikes.