The border defenses erected by the Israeli government to protect citizens from attacks by Hamas have for years helped to foster an era of relative peace and safety in Israel, despite periodic rocket attacks into Israel from the terrorist organization. On Saturday that era ended.

From the Times of Israel:

In an assault of shocking breadth, Hamas gunmen rolled into as many as 22 locations in southern Israel on Saturday morning, including towns and smaller communities as far as 15 miles (24 kilometers) from the Gaza border. In some places, they roamed for hours, gunning down civilians and soldiers as Israel’s military scrambled to muster a response. At the same time, thousands of rockets were fired at towns in the south and center.

On Sunday, Israel declared itself in a state of war, with the Israeli Defense Forces actively retaking territory overrun by terrorist elements. As this post is being written, Israeli forces are beginning a full-scale invasion of the Gaza Strip to destroy Hamas. There is little doubt the IDF will be successful, though they say it will likely take months to accomplish.

But the damage has already been done.

The invading terrorists were clearly eager to make up for lost time and, in an orgy of death and destruction, shot down all they could find. The death toll in Israel is at least 900, many of whom were innocent civilians gunned down in homes, on streets, in places of worship, and at events. At one event alone, the Supernova Festival held in the Negev, at least 260 were murdered.

So what must happen now? Will Israel re-occupy the Gaza Strip after 18 years of allowing “self rule” in the city? Has Israel been given a choice? It seems clear now that, should Israel withdraw again, there will eventually be another wave of attacks. And another. And another.

Israel cannot contain the threat by walling it off; and another military occupation can only ever be a temporary solution. Instead, they must take control of Gaza in a way they have not before and integrate it into Israel proper. It’s time to fully annex Gaza, even with all the political challenges that will bring.