"Israel will take whatever action necessary to root out any threat": International lawyer Arsen Ostrovsky

Tel Aviv [Israel], October 7 : International Human Rights Lawyer Arsen Ostrovsky said on Saturday that Israel as a sovereign country has the right to exercise necessary self-defensive measures under international law in response to the situation that unfolded in the country after Hamas launched a surprise rocket attack.
"Israel, like any sovereign nation is fully entitled under international law to take necessary self-defensive measures. The Prime Minister of Israel has already declared that this is a state of war against the Hamas terrorists, a war which was launched against us on our holy day of Sabbath," said Ostrovsky.
He added that Israel would take any necessary actions to remove immediate threats, specifically targeting Hamas terrorists who had infiltrated the country.
He added, "Israel will take whatever action necessary to remove and root out any immediate threat, specifically against the Hamas terrorists which have already infiltrated the country. A number of other steps will be taken against Hamas targets in Gaza as well."
Regarding economic and political challenges in Israel, Ostrovsky asserted that these challenges were not currently an issue. He highlighted the unity within the country and the international condemnation and support for Israel in the face of the terror attack.
He added, "The economic challenges are not even an issue. We've seen already countries across the world come together to condemn unequivocally these attacks and also show solidarity with Israel and reiterate its right to self-defence. Israel is a vibrant democracy. We have a lot of internal domestic political disagreements, but in circumstances like this, the country comes together. Right now there is no left or right. There is a complete sense of unity as we come together to tackle the terror attack against Israeli civilians."
Sharing his experience of dealing with the rocket attacks, he said, "I came to know about it at 6:30 in the morning when our alarm went off indicating a rocket must be coming and I had to wake up my two and a half-year-old daughter while my wife had to wake up our other daughter and rush them to bomb shelter.
He added, "We've had to do this today already a number of times. Millions of Israelis across the country who today ought to be either sleeping in or praying or relaxing or being with their loved ones are really holed up inside their houses because of the threat of terrorists literally roaming the streets or because of continuing incoming rocket attacks which have now been over 2000 rockets fired really in the last couple of hours this morning already."
Commenting on the present situation in the country said that the situation in the southern Israel border is really critical and dangerous and the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) are neutralising the threat of terror.
He said further, "We are fortunate because we are a little bit further away from the border with Gaza, so we have a little bit more time to find shelter. And by a little bit more time, I mean really inconsequential in seconds. But in the south of Israel, vicinity of the borders of Gaza, that is where apparently dozens of Hamas terrorists infiltrated. And there the situation is very dangerous, with IDF now operating to try and locate and neutralise the threat of terror."
According to the latest development, at least 22 people have been killed and around 300 people were wounded in the attack and over 70 people were seriously injured.
Additionally, Dozens of fighter jets and other aircraft of the Israel Air Force attacked 17 military compounds and 4 operational headquarters of the terrorist organization Hamas throughout the Gaza Strip.
This comes after a barrage of rockets slammed into southern and central Israel on Saturday morning, after Hamas launched a surprise attack.
Israel has already declared a state of war in the country after infiltration by Hamas fighters and missile attacks from Gaza.
The Israel Defence Forces launched Operation 'Iron Swords' in response to Hamas's surprise attack on Israel, the Times of Israel reported. IDF is striking Hamas targets in Gaza.