Indeed, the events that took place yesterday in Palestine and Israel could very well be the powder keg that ignites the rest of the world into an open and undeniable Third World War.

The clash began when fighters from Hamas launched rockets and a ground attack on villages near Gaza. Unlike previous clashes, the fighters used paratroops and parasails and also cut through the border fence to conduct their operations which were also conducted from the sea with Hamas using a number of ships. Hamas was able to capture several villages under Israeli control as well as make off with Israeli soldiers as prisoners. Hamas also reportedly captured Israeli civilians, taking them back across the battle lines into Hamas territory.

Hamas also launched thousands of rockets, with some reports of between 2,000 and 5,000, against numerous cities, with Tel Aviv reporting damage as well. Israeli officials claimed that 300 people were killed and hundreds wounded. Palestinian officials from the Palestinian Health Ministry reported 160 Palestinians had been killed and estimated that 1,000 were wounded.

Reports stated between 13 and 21 Israeli controlled villages were "infiltrated" by Hamas.

As Kyle Anzalone writes for Antiwar,

Human rights groups consider Gaza an "open-air prison." Most Palestinians living in the region are refugees. Gaza is one of the most densely populated areas on the planet, with 2 million people living in 140 sq. miles. Israel severely restricts the amount of food, fuel, and water the people of Gaza can access.

As Antiwar reports,

An Israeli official said the Palestinian forces were able to capture the headquarters of an Israeli military unit near Gaza. "The headquarters of the Gaza division in camp Ra'im is under the control of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam brigades," the official explained.