Israel-Hamas War Live Updates: Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to "crush" Hamas
At least 447 children and 248 women are among the 1,417 killed in Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Health Ministry said today.
The ministry also said that 6,268 people have been injured since Saturday.
Earlier today, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to "crush" Hamas and urged the world to treat them the same way as the Islamic State group.
"Just as ISIS was crushed, so too will Hamas be crushed. And Hamas should be treated exactly the way ISIS was treated," he said as he met visiting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Over 3,600 people have so far been killed in Israel and Gaza after the sudden Hamas strikes triggered a catastrophic war in the region.
Israel has also announced a complete siege of Gaza, effectively blocking electricity, food, and water supply.
The United Nations said that more than 3 lakh people have been forced to flee their homes in the Gaza Strip as heavy Israeli bombardments continue to hit the Palestinian enclave.
Here are the live updates on the Israel-Hamas war:
UN Calls For $294 Million For 'Urgent Needs' In Gaza, Occupied West BankThe United Nations on Thursday issued an emergency appeal for $294 million to address "the most urgent needs" in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
The funds would be used to help more than 1.2 million people, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said, stressing that aid groups do not have "the resources required to adequately respond to the full range of needs of vulnerable Palestinians."
UN Says More Than 423,000 People Displaced In Gaza Amid WarMore than 423,000 people have now been forced to flee their homes in the Gaza Strip, the United Nations said, as heavy Israeli bombardments continue to hit the Palestinian enclave.
As of late Thursday, the number of displaced people in Gaza had risen by an additional 84,444 people and reached 423,378, the UN humanitarian agency OCHA said in a statement sent on Friday.
EU President To Visit Israel Today In Wake Of Hamas's AssaultThe presidents of the European Commission and the EU parliament, Ursula von der Leyen and Roberta Metsola, will visit Israel on Friday in the wake of Hamas's bloody assault.
A statement from the commission said the pair would "express solidarity with the victims of the Hamas terrorist attacks, and meet with Israeli leadership".
Will "Do Everything" For Release Of Hostages Held By Hamas: France's Macron French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday vowed that France would do everything to ensure the release of the dozens of hostages held by Palestinian militant group Hamas after its attack on Israel.
"I want to say that we will do everything to ensure that these hostages, whatever their nationality, are released," he said in an address to the nation, adding that France would work to this end both with "our partners" and the Israeli authorities.
US Defence Chief To Visit Israel Today, To Meet With Benjamin NetanyahuUS Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin will visit Israel Friday and meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the country reels from a devastating attack by Hamas militants that has left thousands dead, an American defence official said.
Austin's trip -- which follows a visit to Israel by Secretary of State Antony Blinken -- will also include meetings with defence officials and the country's emergency government, the US official said Thursday.
"No Desire" By Israel For US Troops On Ground: White HouseThe United States has no plans to deploy troops in the war between Israel and Hamas, the White House said Thursday, adding that the Israeli government itself would not "welcome" such a move.
"There is no intention, no plan and, frankly, no desire by the Israelis for US combat troops to be involved in this conflict," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.
Nepal Airlifts Its 253 Students From IsraelNepal has airlifted a total of 253 students from Israel.
Israel 'Emergency Government' Sworn InIsraeli lawmakers today swore in an "emergency government" in a 66-4 vote, parliament announced, a day after Benjamin Netanyahu announced a war-time partnership with a rival.
Benny Gantz and four members of his party were sworn in as ministers, while opposition chief Yair Lapid has announced he would not join the government.
27 US Citizens Confirmed Dead In Hamas Attack On IsraelThe number of US citizens confirmed dead in the Hamas attack on Israel has risen to 27, with 14 more still unaccounted for, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said today.
US To Arrange Charter Flights To Help Citizens Leave IsraelThe White House today said that the US will arrange charter flights to help its citizens leave Israel.
Israel-Hamas War: Benjamin Netanyahu Meets Israeli Fighters, Calls Them "Lions"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today met the Israeli soldiers fighting the Hamas group and called them "lions".
"With our fighters in the field. They are lions. The people of Israel stand behind you, trust you and together we will win," he said and shared a picture with them on X.
G7 Finance Leaders Condemn Hamas 'Terror Attacks' On IsraelG7 finance leaders today condemned "terror attacks" on Israel by Hamas.
"We unequivocally condemn the recent terror attacks by Hamas on the state of Israel and express our solidarity with the Israeli people," the G7 finance ministers and central bank governors said in a joint communique.
Israeli Health Ministry Tells Hospitals To "Stop Treating Hamas Terrorists"Israel's outgoing Health Minister Moshe Arbel has instructed all public hospitals to "stop treating Hamas terrorists".
"Since the beginning of the fighting, the issue of treating the damned and despicable Hamas terrorists within the public hospitals has piled up a tremendous difficulty on the health system," he said in a letter to Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"In these difficult times, the health system should focus fully on the treatment of the victims of the criminal massacre, IDF soldiers and readiness for the next [attack]," he added.
Israel Opposition Leader Accuses Netanyahu Government Of "Unpardonable Failure"Opposition leader Yair Lapid today accused the Israeli government of "unpardonable failure" for not preventing the attack by Hamas that killed more than 1,200 people in Israel.
"Saturday's failure is unpardonable," he said in a televised address, adding that he would not join the emergency government announced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with his rival Benny Gantz.
Israel-Palestine Conflict: India Can Play Key Role In Reinstating Peace, Says Kerala Chief MinisterKerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan today said India could play a key role in reinstating peace in strife-torn West Asia, but termed as "unfortunate" the country's deviation from its traditional stand in the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Over 7,000 Keralites have been stranded in Israel and ensuring their safe return was the most significant thing at the moment, he said.
He said India had always adopted an empathetic stand towards the Palestinian people but a "slight deviation" has happened in recent times.
"Israel was invading and infringing on the rights of Palestinians and that could not be accepted... that was India's stand always," he told a press meeting.
"I Could Have Another IDF With Volunteers": Israeli Envoy Lauds India's SupportIsraeli Ambassador to India Naor Gilon appreciated the support of Indians and metaphorically stated that so many Indians volunteered to assist Israel that they could almost form another unit of the Israel Defence Force (IDF).
He also lauded PM Modi for being one of the first global leaders to give a 'clear condemnation' of the terror attack.
"For me, it's the point of optimism. It's very emotional. The level of support that we got, from the Prime Minister, on the same day on Saturday when the whole picture was not clear. Among the first leaders, who came out and tweeted very clear condemnation. We will never forget that," he told news agency ANI.
"Murdered By Hamas Monsters": Israel Releases Pics Of Dead BabiesThe office of the Israeli prime minister today shared horrifying photos of dead babies on social media and said that they were among the pictures shown by Benjamin Netanyahu to visiting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Mr Netanyahu's office claimed the
photos were of babies murdered and burnt by "Hamas monsters".
Israel Dropped 6,000 Bombs On Gaza Since Hamas AttackThe Israeli army said it has bombarded the Gaza Strip with approximately 6,000 bombs containing a total of 4,000 tonnes of explosives since Saturday when it began striking Hamas targets.
"Approximately 6,000 bombs have been dropped on the Gaza Strip with a total weight of 4,000 tonnes," the army said in a statement today.
After Israel, Blinken To Visit Qatar To Discuss HamasAfter making a trip to Israel and meeting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will now travel to Doha to discuss Hamas with Qatari leaders, the news agency AFP reported.
"Tomorrow, Secretary Blinken will travel to Qatar to meet with senior officials there," AFP quoted a US official as saying.
China "Deeply Concerned" About Israel-Hamas ConflictChina said it was "deeply concerned" about the escalating Israel-Hamas conflict during a call with an Israeli official today, Beijing's foreign ministry said.
"China is deeply concerned about the escalating tension and violence between Israel and Palestine, (and) is saddened by the civilian casualties caused by the conflict," Middle East envoy Zhai Jun told Israeli foreign ministry official Rafael Harpaz.
US Did Not Have Prior "Early Warnings" Of Hamas Attack On IsraelUS Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said today that Washington did not have any "early warnings or indications" that Hamas would launch its attack on Israel.
"If we had those indications, we would share them with Israel, but to my knowledge, we did not see those," he said after a meeting of NATO ministers in Brussels.
Israel-Hamas War: UN Warns Food, Fresh Water Quickly Running Out In GazaThe United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that crucial supplies were running dangerously low in the Gaza Strip after Israel imposed a total blockade on the territory following Hamas attacks.
"It's a dire situation in the Gaza Strip that we're seeing evolve with food and water being in limited supply and quickly running out," said Brian Lander, the deputy head of emergencies at WFP.
"We Renounce Violence" Palestinian President Amid Israel-Hamas WarPalestinian President Mahmoud Abbas today said that he rejected the killing or abuse of civilians on both sides of the Israeli conflict.
"We renounce violence and adhere to international legitimacy, peaceful popular resistance and political action as a path to achieving our national goals," he was quoted as saying by the official news agency Wafa.
First Canadian Evacuation Plane Carrying 130 People Leaves IsraelThe first Canadian military plane evacuating citizens from Israel has left Tel Aviv with 130 people on board, Defence Minister Bill Blair said today.
Canada is using two Airbus transports to take people -- around 700 -- from Israel to Athens.
German Foreign Minister To Visit Israel On FridayGerman Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock will travel to Israel on Friday, a spokesperson for her ministry said.
She would make the "solidarity visit" to Israel as part of her efforts at "crisis diplomacy", the spokesperson said today.
447 Children, 248 Women Among 1,417 Dead In Israeli Strikes In GazaAt least 447 children and 248 women are among the 1,417 killed in Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Health Ministry said today.
The ministry has also said that 6,268 people have been injured since Saturday.
"Israel Does Not Stand Alone": NATO After Hamas AttackNATO countries on Thursday told Israel's defence minister they stood by his country after the attack by Hamas, but urged his forces to respond with "proportionality".
"Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that NATO condemned the terrorist attacks in the strongest possible terms, adding: 'Israel does not stand alone'," NATO said in a statement.
"Allies expressed solidarity with Israel, making clear that it has the right to defend itself with proportionality against these unjustifiable acts of terror," the statement added.
Germany Allows Israel To Use Two Of Its Combat DronesGermany will allow Israel to use two of its combat drones, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said today.
"We will provide the two drones that the Israelis have requested," he confirmed on the sidelines of a NATO meeting in Brussels on Thursday.
Syria's two main airports out of service after Israel strikes: ReportIsraeli strikes knocked Syria's two main airports out of service today, Syrian state media said.
The "simultaneous" strikes on the Aleppo and Damascus airports "damaged landing strips in the two airports, putting them out of service", state media said, citing a military source.
Israel strikes Damascus, Aleppo airports: Syrian mediaIsraeli strikes targeted Syria's two main airports today, Syrian state television said.
"Israeli aggression targets Damascus and Aleppo airports," it reported.
Hamas must be 'crushed' like ISIS: NetanyahuIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today vowed to crush Hamas, urging the world to treat them the same way as the Islamic State group.
"Just as ISIS was crushed, so too will Hamas be crushed. And Hamas should be treated exactly the way ISIS was treated," he said as he met visiting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Red Cross in contact with Hamas, Israel over hostagesThe International Committee of the Red Cross is in contact with Hamas and Israel to try to facilitate the release of hostages taken into Gaza, the organisation said today.
"As a neutral intermediary we stand ready to conduct humanitarian visits; facilitate communication between hostages and family members; and to facilitate any eventual release," Fabrizio Carboni, the ICRC's regional director for the Near and Middle East, said in a statement.
At least 150 Israelis and foreigners -- including soldiers, civilians, children and women -- are said to have been held hostage in the Gaza Strip since Hamas attacked Israel on Saturday.
Rishi Sunak speaks to Egyptian president on Gaza border crossingUK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak today spoke to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to acknowledge the challenging security situation at the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza, his office said.
"He (Sunak) offered the UK's support to try to manage this situation and keep the route open for humanitarian and consular reasons, including for British nationals," the statement read.
Death count in Gaza rises to 1,354: Hamas ministryThe Hamas ministry today said that the death count in Gaza has risen to 1,354.
At least "1,354 citizens have been martyred and 6,049 suffered various injuries", the ministry said.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets Israeli PM Benjamin NetanyahuUS Secretary of State Antony Blinken today met Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv.
"We are here. We are not going anywhere," he told PM Netanyahu during their meeting.
Gaza humanitarian situation will soon become 'unmanageable': ICRCThe humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip will become "unmanageable very quickly", Fabrizio Carboni, a senior official with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said today.
Israel-Hamas war a 'new cloud' over world economy: IMFThe war between Israel and Hamas has darkened the horizon for a world economy that was already experiencing weak growth, IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva said today.
"We are experiencing severe shocks that are now becoming the new normal for a world that is weakened by weak growth and economic fragmentation," she said at a news conference.
She said it was "too early" to assess the impact of the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Israel focusing on "taking out" senior Hamas leaders in Gaza: ArmyIsrael's military assault against Hamas is focusing on "taking out" the group's senior leadership in the Gaza Strip, including chief Yahya Sinwar, the army spokesman said today.
"Right now we are focused on taking out their senior leadership, not only the military leadership (but) also their governmental leadership, all the way up to Sinwar," Richard Hecht told journalists, referring to Hamas's chief in the enclave.
Israel-Hamas war Update: Britain withdraws families of embassy staff from Israel
Britain said Thursday that it was "temporarily" removing the families of staff at its embassy and consulate in Israel from the country amid ongoing unrest.
"We are temporarily drawing down dependants of staff at our Embassy in Tel Aviv and our Consulate in Jerusalem as a precautionary measure," said a Foreign Office spokesperson.
"Our Embassy and Consulate remain fully staffed and continue to provide consular services to those who require assistance," it added.
The UK currently advises its nationals against all but essential travel to Israel.
The Israeli army said Thursday it was preparing for a ground assault on Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.
"Hamas Brainwashed People, Shouldn't Be Part Of Humanity": Israel Ex-Envoy
The Hamas is a "brain-washed fundamentalist group that has taken Palestinians living in Gaza as hostage and is using them as human shields", Ron Malka, the ex-Israel envoy to India, told NDTV.
He also said the goal of Israel's response to Hamas' attacks - 1,500 gunmen stormed the border and slaughtered over a thousand people - is the "total elimination of military capabilities of Hamas..."
"Don't make a mistake...", the Israeli diplomat said, "Hamas is not Palestinian... it is not Islam. They are brain-washed people... only brain-washed people can do these types of things to children, infants" and underlined the Israel government's intention to "wipe Hamas off the face of the Earth".
"We will do whatever it takes... they should be eliminated. They should not be part of humanity."
Israel-Hamas war Update:
Israel focusing on 'taking out' senior Hamas leaders in Gaza, says army: news agency AFP
No Water, Fuel Supply To Gaza Until Hostages Freed, Says Israeli Minister
Israeli Energy Minister Israel Katz vowed Thursday his country would not allow basic resources or humanitarian aid into Gaza until Hamas released the people it kidnapped during its surprise weekend onslaught.
"Humanitarian aid to Gaza? No electric switch will be turned on, no water tap will be opened and no fuel truck will enter until the Israeli abductees are returned home," he said in a statement.
Around 150 Israelis, foreigners and dual nationals were kidnapped to the Gaza Strip by Hamas group as part of the Saturday attack that killed more than 1,200 people in Israeli towns and communities around the enclave.
Israel has in turn launched a withering air campaign against Hamas group in the blockaded Gaza Strip, killing around 1,200 people.
Israel-Hamas war Update: Antony Blinken arrives in Israel in solidarity visit after Hamas attacks
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Tel Aviv Thursday in a show of solidarity after Hamas's surprise weekend onslaught in Israel, an AFP correspondent travelling with him reported.
Blinken is expected to visit Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as Washington closes ranks with its ally that has launched a withering air campaign against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.
Blinken, who under unusually tight security with guards in camouflaged military gear, was received at the airport by Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen.
In comments made before departing to Israel, Blinken stressed Washington's support to Israel.
"The United States has Israel's back. We have their back today, tomorrow -- we will have it every day," Blinken told reporters. "We're determined to make sure Israel gets everything it needs to defend itself."
Egypt Discusses Gaza Aid, Rejects Corridors For Civilians: Report Egypt has discussed plans with the United States and others to provide humanitarian aid through its border with Gaza Strip but rejects any move to set up safe corridors for refugees fleeing the enclave, Egyptian security sources said on Wednesday.
Gaza, a tiny coastal strip of land wedged between Israel in the north and east and Egypt to the southwest, is home to some 2.3 million people who have been living under a blockade since Palestinian Islamist group Hamas took control there in 2007.
Egypt has long restricted the flow of Gazans on to its territory, even during the fiercest conflicts.
Three Chinese nationals killed in Israel-Hamas conflict: foreign ministry
Three Chinese nationals have been killed in the conflict between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas, Beijing's foreign ministry said Thursday.
"To my understanding it has currently been confirmed that three Chinese nationals were unfortunately killed in the conflict," foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a regular briefing.
Israel will not supply water, fuel to Gaza until hostages freed: minister
Israeli Energy Minister Israel Katz vowed Thursday his country would not allow basic resources or humanitarian aid into Gaza until Hamas released the people it abducted during its surprise weekend onslaught.
"Humanitarian aid to Gaza? No electric switch will be turned on, no water tap will be opened and no fuel truck will enter until the Israeli abductees are returned home," he said in a statement.
Israel-Hamas war Update:Blinken arrives in Israel in solidarity visit after Hamas attacks
Israel-Hamas war Update:
Hamas would not have been able to attack Israel without Iran's support, says German Chancellor Olaf Scholz: news aganecy AFP
Hamas Fires Rockets At Tel Aviv After Israeli Strikes On Gaza "Civilians"
Hamas militants on Thursday fired a barrage of rockets at Tel Aviv in response to Israeli air strikes that targeted "civilians" in two Gaza refugee camps, the Palestinian group said.
"Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades fired rockets at Tel Aviv in response to (Israeli strikes) targeting civilians in Al-Shati and Jabalia camps," Hamas said, referring to its armed wing, in a text message sent to journalists.
AFP correspondents witnessed dozens of air strikes over 30 minutes on Thursday morning in the direction of Al-Shati camp and in the blockaded strip's north.
"The occupation (Israeli forces) committed massacres this morning in Al-Shati camp and Jabalia camp, leaving dozens of martyrs and injured," Iyad al-Buzum, spokesman for the Hamas interior ministry, told AFP.
Israel-Hamas war Update:
Rockets fired at Tel Aviv after Israeli strikes on Gaza 'civilians', says Hamas: news agency AFP
Israel-Hamas war Update: Red Cross says in contact with Hamas, Israel over hostages
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is in contact with Hamas and Israel to try to negotiate the release of hostages taken into Gaza, the group said Thursday.
At least 150 Israelis and foreigners -- including soldiers, civilians, children and women -- have been held hostage in the Gaza Strip since Hamas's surprise Saturday attack on Israel.
"As a neutral intermediary we stand ready to conduct humanitarian visits; facilitate communication between hostages and family members; and to facilitate any eventual release," Fabrizio Carboni, the ICRC's regional director for the Near and Middle East, said in a statement.
Hostage-taking is forbidden under international humanitarian law, and anyone detained must be released immediately, Carboni added.
Biden Says Hamas Attack On Israel "Deadliest Day" For Jews Since Holocaust The United States continues to monitor the situation in Israel very closely, President Joe Biden said Wednesday observing that the terrorist attack by Hamas has brought back painful memories of a millennia of antisemitism and genocide against the Jewish people.
Biden said termed Saturday's attack the "deadliest day" for Jews since the Holocaust.
"We continue to monitor the situation in Israel very closely, and the vice president and I and the bulk of my security team spoke with the Prime Minister, Netanyahu, again this morning," Biden said. "This attack has brought to the surface the painful memories and scars left by a millennia of antisemitism and genocide against the Jewish people," he said.
Video: Why Israel's Iron Dome Struggled To Defend Hamas Rockets Israel plunged into crisis when Hamas launched 5,000 rockets at them from the Gaza Strip on Saturday, an assault that came 50 years and a day after the outbreak of the 1973 Arab-Israeli war.
Israel's air defence system, known as Iron Dome, is known across the world for being nearly impenetrable. Deployed in several parts of the country to counter rocket attacks and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), the Iron Dome has an accuracy of over 95%.
Joe Biden Urges Israel To Follow "Rules Of War
President Joe Biden urged Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday to follow the rules of war after the Israeli prime minister vowed to destroy Hamas following the Palestinian militants' brutal attack.
The 80-year-old president, who has dispatched a US aircraft carrier to the region in a show of support for Israel, also warned Hamas-backer Iran to "be careful."
Biden told a gathering of US Jewish community leaders at the White House that the attacks on Israel in which 1,200 people were killed was the "deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust."
But as Israel responded with air strikes on Gaza which Palestinian officials say have killed more than 1,000 people, Biden said he had spoken earlier Wednesday to Netanyahu.
The US president said he had known "Bibi" Netanyahu for 40 years and they had a "very frank relationship, I know him well."
"And the one thing that I did say is that it is really important that Israel, with all the anger and frustration... that exists, is that they operate by the rules of war," Biden said.
"And there are rules of war."
Israel-Hamas war Update: "Don't Know If Baby Was Fed": Israeli Woman Searches For Missing Family Yifat Zailer wishes she could travel back in time to Friday.
On that day, the Tel Aviv resident was happy. Members of her close extended family were at their homes in the Nir Oz kibbutz, near the Gaza border.
Then Saturday came, and Hamas militants swarmed over the border.
Zailer started texting her family - her aunt, uncle, cousin, cousin's husband and their two small children - to see what was happening. But after about 9 a.m., their messages stopped.
Nir Oz is one of the places attacked by Hamas fighters on Saturday morning. They breached the border fence enclosing Gaza, killing civilians in nearby Israeli towns and villages and abducting others to take back to Gaza as hostages.
Netanyahu's "back to wall" amid public demand to crush Hamas
Benjamin Netanyahu's government had divided Israel with its controversial judicial reforms, but he now presides over a country which is united in its demand for a definitive reprisal against Hamas.
This sudden change in politics stems directly from the collective trauma caused to Israeli society by the bloody and unprecedented surprise attack by Hamas on Saturday, in which it killed at least 1,200 people and kidnapped dozens more.
"Netanyahu has his back against the wall. Everyone is pressuring him, including his own party Likud," Akiva Eldar, a veteran political commentator, told AFP.
Israel-Hamas war Updates: Brazil calls UN Security Council meeting on Israel-Hamas war
Brazil, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council, called a Friday meeting of the body to discuss the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, its foreign affairs ministry said Wednesday.
Brazilian Foreign Affairs Minister Mauro Vieira has interrupted an Asia trip to travel "to New York to participate in a meeting of the United Nations Security Council, called by Brazil... to address the situation in the Gaza Strip," the ministry said in a statement.
Brazil previously called an emergency meeting of the Security Council on Sunday, the day after Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel.
Difficult Options Ahead As Israel Weighs Ground Assault On Gaza Strip Israeli troops are massing for what's widely seen as all but inevitable: a ground invasion of Gaza.
The public and the national security establishment in Israel are demanding retribution for the attacks by Hamas militants that claimed more than 1,000 Israeli lives over the weekend. But a ground invasion would be complicated by Gaza's dense population, its complex underground network of tunnels and the danger it would pose to Israelis, Americans and others being held hostage.
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"Scenes Out Of Zombie Movie": Israel Claims Civilians Handcuffed, Shot By Hamas
Israel Defence Forces today said that they will continue to act decisively against the Hamas group, which launched a rocket barrage on Saturday that killed 1,200 Israelis. Hamas has also taken several hostages and are carrying out executions, the IDF claimed.
"There were reports that babies are being executed. It was hard to believe that even Hamas could carry out such barbaric acts... But after eyewitnesses came forward and senior officials gave accounts, we can now say with relative confidence that this is what Hamas is doing," IDF spokesperson Jonathan Conricus said.
He claimed that women and children are being handcuffed and executed by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
"After Israeli troops got in there, they saw scenes that are out of a zombie movie," Mr Conricus said.
US asking countries to use influence on Hamas, Iran
The United States is encouraging its international partners to use their influence with Hamas and its supporters in Iran to get the militants to stand down after their assault on Israel, a senior official said Thursday.
The comments came as Secretary of State Antony Blinken was heading Thursday to Israel for a visit of solidarity before stops in Jordan and likely other countries in the region.
A senior official traveling with Blinken said that the United States had no issue with reported talks between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.
"Frankly, we're asking all of our partners to engage with Hamas, Hezbollah or Iran -- with any of that trifecta -- with whom they have any channels or relations or what have you, to get Hamas to stand down from its attacks, to release those hostages, and to keep Hezbollah out, and to keep Iran out of the fray," the official said on a refueling stop in Ireland.
US advises its citizens to reconsider travel to IsraelIn the wake of deadly Hamas attacks on Israel, the US State Department has advised Americans to reconsider travelling to Israel.
The travel advisory for the West Bank has also been raised to level 3, while the advisory for Gaza remains at the most severe - "Level 4: Do Not Travel."
"On October 11, 2023, the Department of State raised the Travel Advisory Level for Israel and the West Bank to Level 3 - Reconsider Travel. The Travel Advisory for Gaza remains Level 4 - Do Not Travel. This replaces the previous Travel Advisory issued on October 3, 2023," the department's official statement said.
The agency raised its travel advisory to level 3, citing the terrorist groups, lone-actor terrorists and other violent extremists continuing to plot "possible attacks in Israel and the West Bank and Gaza".
Israel vows Hamas's destruction after deadly assault
Israel pounded Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip for the fifth straight day since the militants' audacious attack and the death toll spiralled into the thousands, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed the complete destruction of the militant group.
"Every Hamas member is a dead man," the veteran right-wing Israeli leader said, again likening them to the Islamic State group and promising: "We will crush them and destroy them as the world has destroyed Daesh."
Netanyahu earlier temporarily settled his political differences and set up an emergency government including centrist former defence minister Benny Gantz for the duration of the crisis.
Saturday's surprise attack -- the worst in Israel's 75-year history -- has seen a total of 1,200 people killed in the Islamist militants' onslaught, according to Israeli forces. Most were civilians.
Saudi prince, Iran president hold call on Israel-Hamas war
Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler and Iran's president spoke by phone about the war between Israel and Hamas, Saudi state media said early Thursday, their first call since a surprise rapprochement in March.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received a call on Wednesday from the Iranian leader, Ebrahim Raisi, during which they discussed "the current military situation in Gaza and its environs", the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said.
Prince Mohammed told Raisi that Riyadh is "communicating with all international and regional parties to stop the ongoing escalation", SPA said.
He also stressed "the kingdom's firm position towards supporting the Palestinian cause", it said.
More than 3,38,000 people displaced in Gaza: UN
More than 3,38,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in the Gaza Strip, the United Nations said, as heavy Israeli bombardments continue to hit the Palestinian enclave.
The number of displaced in the densely populated territory of 2.3 million people had by late Wednesday "risen by an additional 75,000 people and reached 3,38,934," the UN humanitarian agency OCHA said in an statement sent on Thursday.