Israel has declared war on the Palestinian militant group Hamas after a deadly attack.

That's where we're starting the show.

I'm Jeff Pierre and this is the seven from the Washington Post.

Today is Monday October 9th. Let's get you caught up with today seven stories.

On Saturday around a thousand Hamas fighters breached the border from

Gaza and raided southern Israeli towns and a music festival. They killed

hundreds of Israeli civilians and soldiers and took hostages.

At least 700 Israelis and 490 Palestinians have died in the violence so far,

and the toll is expected to rise.

The attack took Israel by surprise and was the country's

deadliest day and decades. Yesterday Israel formally declared war on Hamas.

It paves the way for Israel to mobilize its military for an all-out war in Gaza.

Following the attack, Israel started bombing Hamas targets and residential neighborhoods

in the densely populated Gaza Strip.

President Biden has pledged support for Israel.

Here he is speaking from the White House on Saturday.

Today the people of Israel are under attack orchestrated by a terrorist organization, Hamas.

In this moment of tragedy I want to say to them and to the world

and to terrorists everywhere that the United States stands with Israel.

We will not ever fail to have their back.

The U.S. is sending arms to Israel's military and an aircraft carrier to the Eastern

Mediterranean to try to deter regional expansion of the conflict.

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