Israeli media reported on Sunday that the number of Israeli deaths has risen to 600 and the wounded to 2,000, 350 of whom are in a serious, hopeless condition.

The Israeli media also announced that among those killed is the head of the elite Israeli Multidimensional unit, also known as the Ghost unit, Colonel Roi Levy.

The media also suggested that the death toll is nearing 1,000, pointing out that there are still quite a few settlers missing in addition to an unestimated number of settlers who were transferred to the Gaza Strip.

CNN reported that 44 Israeli occupation soldiers and 30 security officials have been identified among the killed.

On Saturday, the Israeli occupation army admitted that the commanding officer of the Nahal Infantry Brigade, Colonel Jonathan Steinberg, was killed during confrontations with Palestinian Resistance fighters in the "Kerem Shalom" area near the Gaza Strip.

Earlier on Sunday, Israeli media reported that 15 Israeli settlers were killed by Palestinian Resistance fighters' gunfire in the occupied city of Askalan.

Israeli media released the names of top Israeli commanders killed in #OperationAlQudsFlood, in addition to 17 other soldiers from different units of the occupation army.#Palestine#Gaza#طوفان_الأقصى#فلسطين pic.twitter.com/pzACJamY7o

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) October 8, 2023

The Jerusalem Post indicated that Palestinian Resistance fighters were able to cross into an area between Route 4 and "Mafkim", south of Askalan, near the Gaza Strip.

Abu Obeida, the military spokesperson of al-Qassam Brigades, said the Brigades' fighters continue to fiercely and heroically confront Israeli occupation forces on several fronts, dealing casualties among enemy lines.

#Palestinian Resistance fighters are engaged in confrontations in seven different Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, including "Ofakim", "Sderot", "Yad Mordechai", "Kafar Azza", "Be'eri", "Yated", and "Kissufim."#Palestine #طوفان_الأقصى… pic.twitter.com/H3hV9ZU3w7

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) October 8, 2023

He also confirmed that al-Qassam Brigades' leadership was able to replace some of its forces in the occupied Palestinian territories, adding that the Resistance successfully executed several infiltration operations in the past few hours.

On its part, Hamas also called for general mobilization, confronting the Israeli occupation in all locations, and cutting off settlers’ bypass roads.

Operation Al-Aqsa Flood

The Israeli occupation woke up at dawn Saturday to a sudden and widespread attack launched by the Palestinian Resistance into Gaza Envelope settlements, successfully taking Israeli occupation forces and illegal settlers captive while causing hundreds of fatalities among them, under an Operation dubbed Al-Aqsa Flood, in a huge intelligence flop.

Hours after the start of the operation, Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed in a recorded statement that "Israel" is "at war", adding that Hamas initiated "a surprise attack."

On its part, the Israeli occupation launched a new aggression against the Gaza Strip, conducting extensive air raids against residential buildings in the Strip that claimed the lives of 313 Palestinians so far, including 20 children.

Read more: Al-Qassam Brigades executes beach landing in occupied territories