 Explosions shook Gaza City in the early hours of October 8 as Israeli forces launched retaliatory strikes on the territory after a day of violence that saw hundreds killed gunmen from the Palestinian group Hamas rampage through Israeli towns on Saturday, killing more than 200 people and escaping with hostages in by far the deadliest day of violence in Israel since the Yom Kippur war 50 years ago. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised mighty vengeance. More than 230 Gazans were killed when Israel responded with one of its most devastating days of retaliatory strikes.