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Israel-Hamas War Live Updates:
Following days of expanding ground operations, the Israeli army late on Thursday said that it had encircled Gaza City as the Israel-Hamas war raged for the twenty-eighth day on Friday. Israel has been relentlessly bombarding Gaza since the October 7 attacks by the Hamas group, in which, 1,400 people were killed and more than 230 taken hostage.
"We're at the height of the battle. We've had impressive successes and have passed the outskirts of Gaza City. We are advancing," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.
According to the Gaza health ministry, over 9,000 people have been killed, including 3,760 children, in Israeli airstrikes.
Here are the Highlights on the Israel-Hamas war:
Israel Has Right To Defend, Palestine Right To Live: US Congressman
Israel has the right to defend, and people of Palestine have a right to live, senior most Indian American Congressman Dr Ami Bera said Friday and called for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in the Middle East.
Israel has the right to defend, and people of Palestine have a right to live, senior most Indian American Congressman Dr Ami Bera said Friday and called for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in the Middle East.
"While I firmly believe Israel has the right to exist and to defend itself, so do innocent Palestinians have a right to a life of peace and dignity," Bera said in a video message.
"I hope that one day Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace. I don't know if that is an impossible dream. But I do know it will never be accomplished if innocent Israelis are murdered and innocent Palestinians are killed," he said.
Israeli Military Says Hit An Ambulance Being Used By Hamas
The Israeli military said on Friday that one of its aircraft hit an ambulance which soldiers assessed was being used by a Hamas unit close to their position in the battle zone.
It said a number of Hamas fighters were killed in the strike and said it had information that Hamas used ambulances to transport fighters and weapons.
Israel-Hamas War Could Become Regional Conflict, Warns Hezbollah ChiefHezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah warned Friday that war between Israel and Hamas could turn into a regional conflict if attacks on Gaza continue, placing responsibility firmly on the United States.
Japan To Provide $65 Million Additional Humanitarian Aid To Palestinians
Japan will provide $65 million in additional humanitarian aid to Palestinians out of concern over the conflict in Gaza, foreign minister Yoko Kamikawa said during a tour of Israel and Jordan on Friday.
Speaking to reporters in Jordan after meeting Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and Palestinian counterpart Riyad al-Maliki, Kamikawa also said Japan was planning to provide material aid to war-torn Gaza.
'No Place That Is Safe' In Gaza As Schools, Shelters Hit: UN
UN buildings in Gaza are no longer safe as shelters due to fighting by Israel and Hamas, a UN official warned Friday, with more than 50 buildings "impacted" by the conflict, including five "direct hits."
With hundreds of thousands of Palestinians sheltering in UN facilities, mostly schools, "we cannot even provide them safety under a UN flag," said Thomas White, an official with the body's Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA.
Israel Expels Workers Back To Battered Gaza
They arrived at the border crossing with the Gaza Strip in a constant stream, many of them exhausted and still bearing the scars of time spent in an Israeli jail.
Some had raw wrists from being handcuffed and still had prison numbers tied round their ankles.
On Friday, Israel began to forcibly repatriate to the besieged and battered Palestinian territory thousands of Gazans who had been working in Israel.
They were some of the 18,500 Gaza Palestinians who had visas to work in Israel, but whose right to do so was rescinded three days after the Hamas attacks of October 7.
Palestinian Journalist Killed In Gaza Bombing
A journalist working for the Palestinian Authority's television channel was killed on Thursday in an Israeli strike on Gaza, his network reported, as war rages between Israel and Hamas.
"Our colleague Mohammed Abu Hatab fell as a martyr along with members of his family in an Israeli bombardment against his home in Khan Yunis" in the south of the territory, broadcaster Palestine TV station said.
Israel MinisterAsks Norway To Ensure Safety Of Jews Amid War
Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs, Eli Cohen on Friday asked the Norwegian government to ensure the safety and security of Jewish citizens of Norway and fight against antisemitism in the country.
Taking to X, the Israeli Minister said, "The responsibility for the safety of Norwegian Jewish citizens rests with the Norwegian government. It is important to clarify that in the event Jewish citizens of Norway do not feel safe in their country, it is incumbent upon the Norwegian government to ensure their safety, fight antisemitism in the country and enforce plans to combat antisemitism to which the government is obligated in a manner that conveys a clear message regarding their commitment."
Israel Hamas War Many Killed In Israel Strike Near Gaza's Biggest Hospital Claims HamasThe Hamas government in Gaza said Friday an Israeli strike hit a convoy of ambulances, which the health ministry said killed multiple people near the territory's largest hospital.
UK PM Rishi Sunak Says Pro-Palestine Protest On Armistice Day Disrespectful ProvocativeBritish Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Friday warned protesters not to demonstrate in London on Armistice Day, when Palestinian supporters plan to rally against the Israel-Hamas war.
Strike On AFP's Gaza Bureau Causes Significant Damage
Agence France-Presse's bureau in the Gaza Strip, which has been relentlessly bombed by Israel, was significantly damaged by a strike on the building, according to an AFP staff member who visited Friday.
The unmanned AFP camera broadcasting live 24/7 captured the moment of the strike, a few minutes before midday (1000 GMT) on Thursday.
An AFP employee who visited the office on Friday said an explosive projectile appeared to have entered the technician's office in the bureau horizontally from east to west.
'Some Progress' In talks on letting fuel into Gaza, Says UN Aid Chief
The United Nations aid chief said on Friday that there had been "some progress" in ongoing negotiations to allow fuel into the Israeli-besieged Gaza Strip for the first time since hostilities began on Oct. 7.
"I heard just this morning as I came in, there has been some progress on allowing some more fuel in through these negotiations," Martin Griffiths told a briefing for member states at the United Nations in New York, referring to ongoing negotiations between the global body, Israel, Egypt and the United States. "I hope to see that confirmed during today."
In the same speech he also repeated his call for "humanitarian pauses" in Israel's bombardment of the enclave to help aid deliveries, which are far below pre-conflict levels.
Blinken Says 'Only Way' For Israel Security Is Palestinian State
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday that Israel will only gain security through the creation of a Palestinian state.
"Two states for two peoples. Again, that is the only way to ensure lasting security for a Jewish and democratic Israel," Blinken said after meeting Israeli leaders.
France Demands Israel Explain Strike On Gaza French Institute
France said Friday it had been informed by Israel that its forces had carried out a strike on the French Institute in Gaza, adding it was demanding an explanation.
"We have asked the Israeli authorities to communicate to us without delay... the tangible elements which motivated this decision," said a foreign ministry statement. No staff or French nationals were present at the time of the strike on the institute, it added.
Hezbollah Chief Tells US 'We Are Ready To Face Your Fleet'
Hezbollah Chief Tells US 'We Are Ready To Face Your Fleet'
Hezbollah Chief Tells US 'We Are Ready To Face Your Fleet'
Blinken Says Journalists Need To be protected in Gaza
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday that journalists in Gaza must be protected as they report on the war between Israel and Hamas militants.
"It's vitally important how Israel does this (conducts the war), including with the highest regard for the protection of civilians, and that of course includes journalists," Blinken told journalists during a visit to Israel.
Blinken Says Discussed With Israel PM 'Humanitarian Pauses' In Gaza War
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday he had discussed with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu potential "humanitarian pauses" in the war in Gaza.
"We believe that each of these efforts (to protect Palestinian civilians and increase aid into Gaza) would be facilitated by humanitarian pauses, by arrangements on the ground that increase security for civilians and permit the more effective and sustained delivery of humanitarian assistance," Blinken told journalists during a visit to Israel.
Israel Urges Citizens To Reconsider Travel Abroad Amid Anti-Semitism Rise
Israel on Friday urged its citizens to avoid travelling overseas amid a "significant" rise in anti-Semitism and attacks against Israelis as the war in Gaza rages.
The National Security Council urged citizens "to reconsider the necessity of travel overseas" given a "significant rise in anti-Semitism and incitement, alongside life-endangering violent attacks against Israelis and Jews" abroad.
Hezbollah Chief Says US 'Entirely Responsible' For Gaza War
The United States is "entirely responsible" for the Gaza war, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said Friday in his first speech since conflict broke out last month between Israel and Hamas.
"America is entirely responsible for the ongoing war on Gaza and its people, and Israel is simply a tool of execution," Nasrallah said in a televised broadcast. The United States "impedes a ceasefire and the end of the aggression."
Hezbollah Leader Says Hamas Assault Was '100% Palestinian'
Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, speaking for the first time since the Israel-Hamas war erupted, said on Friday that the operation launched by the Hamas militant group against Israel on October 7 was "100% Palestinian".
A formidable military force backed by Iran, Hezbollah has been engaging Israeli forces along the Lebanon-Israel border in the deadliest escalation since it fought a war with Israel in 2006.
Thousands Rally In Jordan Capital For Gaza Ceasefire
Some 5,000 Jordanians protested Friday in the capital Amman, calling on King Abdullah II to press for a ceasefire in fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, AFP correspondents said.
Speaking at the demonstration, lawmaker Yanal Fraihat said protesters wanted the king "to stop the aggression against Gaza" by using Jordan's peace agreement with Israel as leverage.
The rally came a day ahead of a visit by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken who was to discuss the ongoing Gaza war with his Jordanian counterpart.
Hamas Still Holds 241 Israeli Hostages, Says Israel Army
Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari on Friday revised the number of hostages being held by the Hamas terror group after the October 7 barbaric attack, The Times of Israel reported.
Hagari said that Hamas still holds 241 Israeli hostages in Gaza and revised the number from 242. He added that the number is not final as military investigations are going on in the region.
The Times of Israel reported that the number does not include four released hostages and an Israeli soldier who was rescued by the IDF.
Israel Not Only Has Right But Obligation To Defend Itself: Antony Blinken
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated Friday that Israel has the right and obligation to defend itself as it continues to pummel the Gaza Strip with an air and ground assault.
"Israel has not only the right but the obligation to defend itself... to make sure that this October 7 never happens again," Blinken told journalists as he met Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Tel Aviv.
Scottish Leader's Family Members Listed To Leave Gaza On Friday
The parents of the wife of Scotland's leader are on a list to be evacuated from Gaza on Friday after being trapped in the besieged Palestinian territory since Hamas militants attacked Israel last month.
The Rafah crossing from Gaza to Egypt was opened for limited evacuations for a second day on Thursday under a Qatari-brokered deal aimed at letting some foreign passport holders, their dependents and some wounded Gazans out of the enclave.
Israel War, Hamas, Palestine, Gaza: 6 Palestinians Killed By Israeli Forces In West Bank: Health MinistryIsraeli forces today killed six Palestinians in raids across the West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said, as violence surges in the occupied territory in tandem with the Gaza war.
Turkey's Erdogan Seeks Gaza Ceasefire To Halt 'Crimes Against Humanity'
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday called for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, saying "crimes against humanity" were being committed in Gaza.
Erdogan has strongly supported the Palestinians in the face of Israel's war with Hamas, attending pro-Palestinian rallies and positioning himself as a mediator since the war began on October 7.
Health Ministry In Hamas-run Gaza Says Death Count Hits 9,227
The health ministry in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip said Friday the death toll since the start of Israel's war against the Palestinian militant group in the territory reached 9,227.
The ministry said 3,826 children and 2,405 women were among the dead.
Israel Actions In Gaza 'Approaching Revenge': Irish PM
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said Israel's response to the October 7 attack by Hamas "resembles something more approaching revenge," in comments to Irish media on Friday.
The remark during a trip to South Korea came as Israeli troops escalated their assault on Gaza in response to the October 7 attacks by Hamas, which killed 1,400 people, most of them Israeli civilians.
The bombardment of Gaza since has killed more than 9,000 people, the majority ordinary Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
Israel Says Troops Encircle Gaza City As Blinken Visits
Israeli ground troops fighting to destroy Hamas had surrounded Gaza City on Friday as top US diplomat Antony Blinken arrived in Israel for a trip focused on "concrete steps" to minimise Palestinian civilian casualties.
Separately, Israel began expelling thousands of Palestinian workers back to Gaza, despite ongoing fighting and air strikes that have killed thousands of civilians in the territory.
And in Geneva, the United Nations launched an emergency aid appeal seeking $1.2 billion to help some 2.7 million people facing a humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the West Bank.
Israeli Families Bring War Crime Complaint To ICC: Lawyer
The families of nine Israeli victims of last month's Hamas attacks have lodged a complaint at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for suspected war crimes, their lawyer said Friday.
The families also want Hamas prosecuted for genocide, and the ICC to issue an international arrest warrant for its leaders, lawyer Francois Zimeray said in a statement.
On October 7, Hamas carried out bloody raids that Israeli officials say killed more than 1,400 people.
UN Rights Office Raises Alarm Over Situation In West Bank
The United Nations rights office on Friday described the situation in the West Bank as "alarming", saying Israeli forces were increasingly using military tactics and weapons in law enforcement operations there.
"While much attention has been on the attacks inside Israel and the escalation of hostilities in Gaza since the 7th of October, the situation in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is alarming and urgent," said Liz Throssell, spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
UN 'Deeply Concerned' As Israel Sends Palestinian Workers Back To Gaza
The UN voiced deep concern as Israel on Friday began sending back thousands of Palestinian workers, who had been stuck in Israel since the start of hostilities, back to Gaza.
"They are being sent back, we don't know exactly to where," and whether they "even have a home to go to", and "we are deeply concerned about that", UN human rights office spokeswoman Elizabeth Throssell told a press conference.
Despite War, Majority Of Thai Workers Remain In Israel
Nearly three-quarters of Thai workers employed in Israel in the agriculture sector remain in the country despite the nearly four-week long war with Hamas and the vast majority of those who did leave want to return after the hostilities end, Thailand's Ambassador to Israel said Thursday.
The remarks come while the leaders of the two countries spoke by phone and pledged continued cooperation after Thailand held direct talks with Hamas in Iran to secure the release of more than two dozen Thai hostages being held in Gaza.
New US Ambassador To Israel Arrives To Take Up Post
The newly appointed US ambassador to Israel arrived in the country on Friday to assume his position, which had been vacant for months, as war rages between Israel and Hamas.
Jack Lew, who was sworn in on Thursday, was on board the plane that brought US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Israel, an AFP journalist said.
An Orthodox Jew who observes the weekly sabbath, the 68-year-old is due to present his credentials to Israeli President Isaac Herzog in the coming days.
Despite being its closest ally, the United States has not had an ambassador to Israel since July when Lew's predecessor Tom Nides departed.
'No Income, No Life': Jerusalem's Old City Suffers As War Rages
The once bustling streets of Jerusalem's Old City have fallen eerily quiet, with the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas keeping away tourists and their much-needed cash.
In the maze-like warren of shopping streets that surrounds the city's holy sites, most businesses remained shuttered, nearly four weeks into the war.
The few remaining shopkeepers brave enough to open their stores wait day after day for tourists that have yet to return.
"There is no tourism industry any more," said Marwan Attieh, 48, a third-generation tour guide and souvenir shop owner.
Aid Needs In Gaza, West Bank Estimated At $1.2 Billion, Says UN
The United Nations humanitarian office said on Friday the cost of meeting the needs of people in Gaza and the West Bank was estimated at $1.2 billion.
"The cost of meeting the needs of 2.7 million people - that is the entire population of Gaza and 500,000 people in the occupied West Bank - is estimated to be $1.2 billion," said Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
That sums covers the humanitarian needs in Gaza and part of the West Bank until the end of the year.
Hezbollah Chief To Break Silence On Israel-Hamas War
Lebanon's Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah on Friday will break weeks of silence since war broke out between Hamas and Israel, in a speech that could impact the region as the Gaza conflict rages.
After Hamas militants launched an unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip, Lebanon's southern border has seen escalating tit-for-tat exchanges, mainly between Israel and Hezbollah, an ally of the Palestinian group, stoking fears of a broader conflagration.
The cross-border attacks heated up Thursday, as Israel responded with a "broad assault" after Hezbollah attacked 19 Israeli positions simultaneously, according to the group.
UN Launches $1.2 Billion Aid Appeal To Help Gaza, West Bank Residents
The UN today launched an emergency aid appeal seeking $1.2 billion to help people in war-torn Gaza and the West Bank.
"The cost of meeting the needs of 2.7 million people - that is the entire population of Gaza and 5,00,000 people in the occupied West Bank - is estimated to be $1.2 billion," the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said.
"The original appeal, launched 12 October, asked for $294 million to support nearly 1.3 million people. The situation has grown increasingly desperate since then," it added.
Israel Begins Sending Palestinian Workers Back To Gaza: Report
Israel today began sending thousands of Palestinian workers back to Gaza who had been stranded inside Israel since its war with Hamas erupted, AFP reported citing a Gaza border official.
"Thousands of workers who were blocked in Israel since October 7 have been brought back" through the Karem Abu Salem crossing between southern Gaza and Israel, Hisham Adwan, head of the Palestinian territory's crossings, told AFP.
Israel-Hamas War: Marks And Spencer Apologises After Christmas Ad Triggers Outrage Over Palestinian FlagThe picture was an outtake from the company's Christmas advertisement, which promotes doing away with holiday customs that people no longer find meaningful.
Situation In Gaza Is "Indescribable", Says WHO
The World Health Organization on Friday said that the situation in Gaza is "indescribable". While briefing the media, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that since "Hamas' horrific attacks" on Israel on October 7, more than 10,000 people have been killed, including over 8,500 in Gaza and 1,400 in Israel.
"In both Israel and Gaza, 70% of those killed are women and children," he said.
We are running out of words. #Gaza pic.twitter.com/b0eFuw5mvp
- Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) November 2, 2023
"The situation on the ground is indescribable. Hospitals crammed with the injured, lying in corridors; Morgues overflowing; Doctors performing surgery without anaesthesia; Thousands of people seeking shelter from the bombardment; Families crammed into overcrowded schools, desperate for food and water; Toilets overflowing and the risk of disease outbreaks spreading; And everywhere, fear, death, destruction, loss," he added.
Amid Gaza Criticism, US To Launch National Strategy To Fight IslamophobiaUS President Joe Biden will launch a new national strategy to combat Islamophobia amid criticism from some Muslim Americans over the administration's support for Israel's campaign against Hamas that has resulted in thousands of civilian deaths.
Israel Kills Another Hamas Commander
IsraelI Air Force today said that they have killed another Hamas commander who took a "central part" in the conduct of the fighting against their forces in the Gaza Strip.
"Air Force fighter jets, guided by accurate intelligence from the Amman and the Shin Bet, killed Moztapa Delol, the commander of the Zabra Tel Elhua Battalion," the IsraelI Air Force said.
"Delol performed several positions in the battalion and in the Gaza City Brigade of the terrorist organization Hamas," the IAF added.
- Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) November 3, 2023
Hezbollah Chief To Speak On Israel-Hamas War Today
Lebanon's Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah is set to break weeks of silence on the Israel-Hamas war today.
His highly anticipated speech will be broadcast as part of an event in Beirut's southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold, in memory of fighters killed in Israeli bombardments, the news agency AFP reported.
Blinken Arrives In Israel
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken today arrived in Israel, an AFP correspondent travelling with him said.
Prior to his departure for Israel, Mr Blinken said he would seek "concrete measures" from Israel to ensure that harm to Palestinian civilians is reduced.
Israeli Soldiers-Hamas Operatives Involved In Fresh Clashes In Gaza
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) today said that the soldiers from the Golani Brigade's 13th Battalion and the Armored Corps' 53rd Battalion clashed with the Hamas operatives inside Gaza overnight.
"The terrorists fired anti-tank missiles at the troops, activated a number of IEDs and attempted to climb onto one of the troop's vehicles. Soldiers on the ground directed aircraft and artillery strikes-neutralizing the terrorists and their threats," the IDF said, and shared a video of one of the troops describing the clashes.
Soldiers from the Golani Brigade's 13th Battalion and the Armored Corps' 53rd Battalion clashed with multiple terrorist squads inside Gaza overnight.
- Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) November 3, 2023
The terrorists fired anti-tank missiles at the troops, activated a number of IEDs and attempted to climb onto one of the troop's... pic.twitter.com/0hH6KzEvpO
Germany Bans Hamas Activities
Germany on Thursday banned Hamas activities and organisations linked to the group.
"With Hamas, I have today completely banned the activities of a terrorist organisation that aims to destroy the state of Israel," Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said in a statement.
The minister also issued a prohibition for the organisation Samidoun, an international network that "spread anti-Israel and anti-Jewish propaganda under the guise of a 'solidarity organisation' for prisoners", she said.
Israel President Meets Envoys Of Countries Whose Nationals Being Held Hostage By Hamas
Israel President Isaac Herzog on Thursday met ambassadors of Thailand, Philippines, Tanzania, and Nepal, whose citizens were killed and taken hostage by Hamas.
"I asked them to convey to their families that the State of Israel will do everything to return them as it does for all taken captive," he said on X, formerly Twitter.
Among those murdered and taken hostage in Hamas's barbaric attack on October 7, were many foreign workers who came to Israel as agricultural workers, as students taking knowledge home to promote their countries' economies, and people providing care for the elderly and those with... pic.twitter.com/jiu0EGIxbS
- יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) November 2, 2023
US, Allies Try To Craft Gaza Endgame As Israel-Hamas War Deaths Mount: ReportAs Israeli forces intensify their assault against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, diplomats in the United States, the United Nations, the Middle East, and beyond have started weighing the options for the "day after" if the Palestinian group is ousted.
Risk Of Regional Spillover From Gaza War Is Real: UAE
The United Arab Emirates today warned that there was a "real" risk of a regional spillover from the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
"As we continue working to stop this war we cannot ignore the wider context and the necessity to turn down the regional temperature that is approaching a boiling point," UAE Minister of state for foreign affairs Noura al-Kaabi told a policy conference in Abu Dhabi.
"The risk of regional spillover and further escalation is real, as well as the risk that extremist groups will take advantage of the situation to advance ideologies that will keep us locked in cycles of violence," the minister added.
Thailand In Talks With Iran For Hamas Hostages Release
Thailand Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara today said that he is in touch with Iran and other governments that can make contact with Hamas for the safe release of nearly two dozen Thai nationals being held hostage.
Bahiddha-Nukara said Iran, which is close to Hamas, has promised to help with negotiations.
At least 23 Thai nationals are among more than 240 people taken hostage when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7.
Indian-Origin Israeli Soldier Killed In Gaza
A 20-year-old Indian-origin Israeli soldier was among the Israeli troops killed while fighting in Gaza, community members and the Mayor of the town have said.
Staff-Sgt. Halel Solomon was from the southern Israeli town of Dimona.
"It is with great sorrow and grief that we announce the death of a son of Dimona, Halel Solomon, in the battle in Gaza," Dimona's Mayor said on Wednesday.
9,061 Palestinians, Including 3,760 Children, Killed So Far: Gaza
According to the Ministry Of Health in Gaza, 9,061 Palestinians, including 3,760 children and 2,326 women, have been killed since October 7.
102 Aid Trucks Entered Gaza On Thursday: UN
As many as 102 trucks carrying humanitarian supplies entered Gaza through the Rafah crossing on Thursday, the UN said.
"This is the largest convoy since delivery of aid resumed on 21 October, bringing the total number of trucks that entered to 374," the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said.
The entry of fuel, however, remains banned by the Israeli authorities.
"Good News": 74 More Americans Have Departed Gaza, Says Joe Biden
United States President Joe Biden on Thursday said that 74 of American citizens had left the war-torn Gaza Strip since a crossing opened to Egypt.
"Good news, we got out today 74 American folks, dual citizens," US President Joe Biden told reporters in the Oval Office.
The White House said another five Americans left on Wednesday.
US's Israel Balancing Act Gets Harder As Gaza Offensive GrowsAfter internet and mobile phone service abruptly disappeared in the Gaza Strip on Friday, US officials gave Israel a quiet but clear message: Get the networks up and running again.
"Immediately Stop Israeli War On Gaza": Jordan To Tell Blinken
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi will tell US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Amman on Saturday that Israel must "immediately" end its war on Gaza. In a foreign ministry statement, he warned that Israel's unreadiness to end the war was pushing the region rapidly towards a regional war that threatened world peace.
"Safadi will stress (to Blinken) the need to move immediately to stop the Israeli war on Gaza ... and that Israel abide by international law and stop its breaches," the statement read.
"Will Continue To Stand With Israel's Right To Defend Itself": US
Vice President Kamala Harris said on Thursday that the United States would continue to stand with Israel's right to defend itself in the wake of the October 7 attacks by Hamas.
"We are not going to create any conditions on the support that we are giving Israel to defend itself," she told a news conference in Britain following the conclusion of an AI Safety Summit.
"We are going to continue to stand with Israel's right to defend itself and, let's be clear and never forget what happened on Oct. 7, where hundreds, thousands, 1400, innocent people were killed, slaughtered. Young people who were simply attending a concert," Ms Harris added.
Israel-Hamas War: Israel Army Surrounds Gaza City, Hamas Says Will Send Them Back "In Bags"The Israeli military has claimed that its ground forces have completely surrounded the Hamas-controlled Gaza City in the densely populated besieged Palestinian enclave, furthering their assault against the group.
US Flying Drones Over Gaza In Search Of Hostages: Report
The United States has been flying surveillance drones over Gaza in search of hostages taken by Hamas, the news agency Reuters reported citing two US officials.
The two American officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity to Reuters, said the US was flying intelligence gathering drones over Gaza to assist with hostage location efforts. One of the officials said they had been carrying out the drone flights for over a week.
Antony Blinken To Visit Israel Today
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will today visit Israel, his second crisis trip to the Middle East since the Hamas' surprise attack triggered a war.
"We will be talking about concrete steps that can and should be taken to minimize harm to men, women and children in Gaza," he told reporters ahead of his visit.
"This is something that the United States is committed to," he said, a day before his latest meeting with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.
"Palestinian People At Grave Risk Of Genocide": UN Experts
A group of independent United Nations experts said on Thursday said that the Palestinians are at "grave risk of genocide".
"We remain convinced that the Palestinian people are at grave risk of genocide," the group of experts, made up of seven UN special rapporteurs, said in a statement.
"We demand a humanitarian ceasefire to ensure that aid reaches those who need it the most," they added.
Israel-Hamas War: Israel To Return Gazans Working Inside Country
Israel will return Gazans working inside the country to the besieged Palestinian territory, the government said.
"Israel is severing all contact with Gaza. There will be no more Palestinian workers from Gaza," the Israeli security cabinet announced in a statement late Thursday.
"Those workers from Gaza who were in Israel on the day of the outbreak of the war will be returned to Gaza," it added, without specifying how many people would be sent back.
195 Killed In Israeli Strikes On Jabalia Refugee Camp
Gaza government said on Thursday that 195 people had been killed in two days of Israeli strikes on Jabalia refugee camp. It said officials "have recorded 195 martyrs, 120 missing under the rubble, and 777 wounded" at the camp on Tuesday and Wednesday.
More Foreign Nationals Leave Gaza For Egypt
More foreign passport holders and dual nationals crossed into Egypt on Thursday after the Rafah crossing was opened to people seeking to flee Gaza.
The health ministry in Cairo said 21 wounded Palestinians and 344 foreign nationals, including 72 children entered Egypt.
Egypt said it would help evacuate "about 7,000" foreigners and dual nationals with passports issued by more than 60 countries.
Israel-Hamas War Live Updates: Israeli Army Encircles Gaza City
Israeli army late on Thursday said that it had encircled Gaza City as the Israel-Hamas war raged for the twenty-eighth day on Friday.
Israeli army late on Thursday said that it had encircled Gaza City as the Israel-Hamas war raged for the twenty-eighth day on Friday.
"We're at the height of the battle. We've had impressive successes and have passed the outskirts of Gaza City. We are advancing," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement..
Gaza City-what you can't see from above. pic.twitter.com/RKoi1R2CAL
- Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) November 3, 2023
