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Hamas militants launched an unprecedented attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as hundreds of Hamas fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air, land and sea.

Israeli officials confirmed early on Monday that more than 700 Israeli civilians and members of the military had been killed. Another 2,150 were wounded.

Israel is home to 10,000 Armenians, with 3,500 of them living in settlements hit by rocket attacks from Gaza.

Artiom Chernamorian, editor-in-chief of the newspaper Israelahayer (Armenians of Israel), says that around 500 Armenians live in the southern parts of Israel, where the situation is the most difficult, adding they remain in bomb shelters.

“The situation is dire in the country’s southern cities. People cannot leave bomb shelters amid rocket strikes, there are problems with the purchase of essential goods for children,” he said in an interview to Panorama.am on Monday.

The reporter says no casualties have been confirmed among local Armenians. There are no Armenian churches or cultural monuments in the areas shelled by Hamas militants.

About 3,000 Armenians live in the central parts of the country – Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Petah Tikva and other settlements.

"The situation in Petah Tikva is relatively calm now. The central cities came under a massive attack on Sunday evening, but the tensions eased at night. We didn't have to go down to the shelter, the children slept peacefully," Chernamorian noted.

Petah Tikva has a 1,000-strong Armenian community. The city has a monument to the Armenian Genocide, as well as a square and a park named after Charles Aznavour.

"We expressed our readiness to help the municipal authorities deliver food for soldiers. The sons of many ethnic Armenians have served in the Israeli army. In the wake of war, military mobilization will be probably announced and they will be called up too, because Armenians are good specialists," Chernamorian noted.