War between Israel, Hamas hits home among GTA residents with ties to the area

People in the GTA with connections to Israel and Palestinian territories are forced to anxiously watch as violence escalates back home.

The Israeli government has formally declared war after Hamas fighters on Saturday unleashed a barrage of rockets and infiltrated southern Israeli towns during an unprecedented incursion from the Palestinian territory.

Israeli military forces launched air attacks on the Gaza Strip over the weekend and reported success on Monday in driving Hamas fighters out of communities that were overrun.

Civilians have paid a high price on both sides. At least 700 people have reportedly been killed in Israel and more than 400 have been killed in Gaza in the deadliest raid into Israeli territory since Egypt and Syria's attacks in the Yom Kippur war 50 years ago. Palestinian militant groups claimed to be holding over 130 captives from the Israeli side.

Home to some two million people — many of them Palestinian — the Gaza Strip has been run by Hamas since it seized control of the territory in 2007. However, an independent UN Human Rights commission last year found Israel has continued to occupy Gaza despite disengaging in 2005, by effectively controlling movement in and out of its borders and the supply of essentials like water and electricity. 

CBC Toronto spoke about the impact of the conflict with people who have loved ones in the conflict areas or who have rushed back to Canada. 

Most major airlines have suspended service to Tel Aviv, making it difficult to get in or out of Israel. One flight arrived at Pearson airport Sunday evening.

Moti Sherer said his return to Canada was over a week earlier than planned because the past few days made it "very unclear" what would happen next. He was there to visit family and friends, as he does each year.

"It was very tense in Israel, it was very depressing and upsetting," said Sherer.

"The situation is really, really bad, the nation is in total shock."

Rivki Berkovits Rabinowitz said after trying for day, she felt lucky to have secured seats on a flight back to Toronto for her family, including her husband and their three children. They had been evacuated to a bomb shelter multiple times in the past few days. She said it was a struggle explain what was happening to her kids.

"This is like nothing we've ever experienced," said Rabinowitz.

In Mississauga, Nihad Abu Setteh watched television coverage of missiles striking her home property back in Gaza. She's received word that a family member has died in a bomb attack.

Setteh, a Palestinian and doctor, said she was supposed to go back next week after getting clearance from the World Health Organization to provide humanitarian medical work. But with the ongoing conflict, she said it's now "impossible" to go home.