Netanyahu: Israel will defeat Hamas but war 'will take time'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed vengeance against Hamas after the Palestinian resistant movement launched a surprise attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip in which hundreds were killed.

"We will turn all the places where Hamas is organized and hiding into islands of rubble," Netanyahu said in an address on Saturday evening.

Addressing the residents of Gaza, he said: "Flee from there now, because we will act everywhere and with all our strength."

Israel will take revenge for this black day, Netanyahu said.

Hamas, which rules the coastal strip, is classified as a terrorist organisation by the EU, the US and Israel.

Netanyahu, who earlier had told citizens that Israel was now "at war," now said "this war will take time."

"There are still challenging days ahead."