Thousands of rockets have been fired at the south and centre of the country, killing a number of people

The surprise attack has killed hundreds of people and injured thousands in Israel and in the Gaza Strip, media reports said

US State Secretary Antony Blinken on Saturday (US local time) discussed Hamas` attack on Israel with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey, the UK Foreign Secretary and Qatari Prime Minister

Setting aside their differences, top Israeli leaders have discussed the possibility of forming an emergency national unity government to deal with the complex situation after the unprecedented attack by Hamas that has left hundreds dead

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leaders Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz spoke on Saturday and discussed the possibility of joining Netanyahu`s government because of the emergency created by Saturday`s infiltration and rocket attacks from Gaza, Ha`aretz newspaper reported

Netanyahu reportedly said that he offered the two leaders to join the wide emergency government when they met him for a security briefing, citing past Likud leader Menachem Begin`s example of joining the-then Prime Minister Levi Eshkol`s government on the eve of the war in 1967

Meanwhile, Israeli security forces made headway early Sunday toward regaining control of the towns and areas held by Hamas

Many civilians were still holed up in their homes, hiding in fear of roving terrorists searching for victims, as troops dealt with some hostage-takers and stormed homes and facilities, shooting the Palestinian gunmen within, The Times of Israel reported

Israel`s Security Cabinet, earlier on Sunday, made a series of decisions marking the start of the offensive phase of `Operation Swords of Iron`