Gunmen from the Palestinian group Hamas have rampaged through Israeli towns and left a trail of destruction.

Over 300 have died in the attack, and dozens have been wounded and taken hostage in by far the deadliest day of violence in Israel in decades.

Israel has launched air strikes in response, and its Prime Minister says his country is at war.

University of Otago Politics and International Relations expert Robert Patman explains the extent of the crisis.

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