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Israel has formally declared war on Hamas, signalling a major military operation in Gaza amid ongoing violence within Israel. It has been reported that Saturday marked one of Israel's deadliest days in decades, capping months of escalating tensions between Israelis and Palestinians. At present, Hamas claims to hold "over 100" Israeli hostages, including high-ranking officers, and continues launching rockets into Israel. Another Palestinian group, Islamic Jihad, says it has at least 30 hostages in Gaza. Israel's formal declaration of war on Hamas has set the stage for a major military operation in Gaza amid heightened violence, with significant casualties and hostages involved. This escalation is said to be raising concerns about the security and intelligence apparatus in Israel. Senior Research Fellow at Africa-Asia Dialogue Thembisa Fakude speaks to Morio Sanyane about the recent developments.