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Israeli has formally declared war on the Hamas militant groups as the number of its citizens killed by gunmen reached 700. The Palestinian militants are believed to have seized as many as 100 hostages during their surprise attacks in Israel. The gunmen infiltrated Jewish communities near the border with Gaza, killing and seizing civilians and soldiers. Social media images show women and children are among those seized and taken to Gaza by the Hamas gunmen. Israel has launched a wave of attacks in the Gaza strip in retaliation with reports that hundreds of Palestinian civilians have been killed. Lyse Doucet presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Jonathan Beale and Caroline Hawley.

Dozens of gunmen from the Islamist militant group Hamas appear to have infiltrated southern Israel in a surprise rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. Hundreds of people are being treated in Israeli hospitals, with at least one Israeli woman confirmed to have been killed in the attack. Israel's PM Benjamin Netanyahu said “we are at war”, adding that the enemy will “pay a price he has never known”. Please subscribe here: http://bit.ly/1rbfUog #Israel #Palestine #Gaza #BBCNews

Israel has warned Gazans to prepare for retaliation after an unprecedented attack on the country by Hamas left a reported 250 people dead. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country has entered a "long and difficult war". Since the initial attack, Israel has been striking targets in the Gaza Strip, and has advised people there to take shelter. More than 230 Gazans have been killed and 1,000 others wounded so far, according to Palestinian officials. Please subscribe here: http://bit.ly/1rbfUog #Israel #Palestine #Gaza #BBCNews

A search is under way for a Speaker of the House of Representatives after Republican Kevin McCarthy was unexpectedly pushed out by a right-wing revolt in his own party. The Republicans control the lower chamber of Congress but with a very narrow majority. So when eight rebels joined the Democrats on Tuesday night, his fate was sealed in a 216-210 final vote. It is the first time a House Speaker, one of the top jobs in US politics, has been removed in this way.

Iranian authorities have reportedly arrested the mother of teenager Armita Geravand, who was allegedly beaten into a come by morality police for not wearing a hijab. The family of the 16-year-old say she was assaulted at a metro station and hit her head on a platform, with CCTV footage showing she was pulled unconscious from the train. Authorities deny she was assaulted by the morality police.