Israel Hamas War Updates: Smoke rises following Israeli strikes in Gaza.
Israel's military relentlessly pounded the Gaza Strip early this morning as fighting raged with Hamas around the Gaza Strip and the number of deaths from the war against the Palestinian militants surged above 1,300.
Israel's Defence Minister ordered a "complete siege" on Gaza on Monday. "We are putting a complete siege on Gaza... No electricity, no food, no water, no gas -- it's all closed," Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said in a video message.
The Israeli army said it hit more than 500 targets in the blockaded and impoverished Gaza Strip in overnight clashes, while fighting persisted in seven to eight locations inside Israel around the enclave.
It came two days after Hamas launched a barrage of rockets and sent a wave of fighters who gunned down civilians and took at least 100 hostages in an massive attack that took Israel by surprise.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked the nation to prepare themselves for a "long and difficult" war a day after Hamas fired a barrage of thousands of rockets at Israel and sent a wave of fighters who gunned down civilians and took at least 100 hostages.
The US said several Americans were killed in the surprise land-sea-air attack on Israel and ordered the deployment of US warships and fighter jet squadrons to Israel. Thailand also claimed its 12 citizens were killed and 11 kidnapped. Besides, citizens of Brazil, Britain, France, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, Nepal, and Ukraine were either killed, kidnapped, or are missing.
Here are the Updates on the Israel-Hamas Conflict:
Israel-Hamas War: "Violence Not Pathway To Resolution," says UNGA President
Stating "violence is not a pathway to a resolution of the conflict," United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) President Dennis Francis has called to "halt the hostilities" in Israel.
In an exclusive ANI interview, the UNGA President said that a diplomatic process can lead to a secure pathway.
"I have said before, and as the Secretary-General himself, has said, that violence is not a pathway to a resolution of the conflict...So I would want to call a halt to the hostilities and for there to be, the engagement of a diplomatic process that can lead to a secure pathway...," said Francis.
Israel has begun its retaliation after a surprise attack by Hamas on Saturday morning which led to the death of as many as 700 Israelis and injuring 2,300 others. In a stern warning to Hamas, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday said that though Israel did not start this war but will finish it.
US Says 'No Intention To Put Its Boots On Ground' In Israel-Hamas Conflict
The United States has no plan to become militarily involved in the conflict between Israel and Hamas after the Palestinian militant group's surprise attack, the White House said Monday.
"There's no intention to put US boots on the ground," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters, adding however that President Joe Biden "will always make sure that we are protecting and defending our national security interest."
US, France, Germany, Italy, UK Will Help Israel "Defend Itself": Joint StatementThe leaders of the United States, France, Germany, Italy and Britain pledged in a joint statement Monday to "support Israel in its efforts to defend itself" after the surprise attacks by militant group Hamas.
They added that they "recognize the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people" but said Hamas "offers nothing for the Palestinian people other than more terror and bloodshed," in the statement released by the White House.
Joe Biden Says US Citizens "Likely" Taken Hostage By Hamas Group
President Joe Biden said Monday that Americans are likely being held hostage by Hamas after its surprise attack on Israel, adding that US officials are working with Israel on "hostage recovery efforts."
At least 11 US citizens were among those killed in the "heart-wrenching" attacks, Biden said in a statement, adding that "the safety of American citizens -- whether at home or abroad -- is my top priority as president."
US Says Iran Is Complicit But There Is No Direct Evidence Tying It To Attacks In Israel Iran is complicit even though the United States has no intelligence or evidence that points to Iran's direct participation in attacks in Israel by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, a White House spokesperson said on Monday.
"Iran has long supported Hamas and other terrorist networks throughout the region with resources capabilities training," WhiteHouse national security spokesperson John Kirby said on MSNBC.
Israel-Hamas War Updates:
Three Hezbollah members killed in Israel strikes on Lebanon
"We Were On Video Call When...": Husband Of Indian Injured In Hamas AttackAn Indian woman in Israel was injured in the massive surprise attack on the country with a barrage of rockets by Hamas while she was on a video call with her husband, her family has told NDTV.
Sheeja Anand, a medical caregiver from Kerala's Payyavoor in Kannur district, was injured during the missile attack on Ashkelon, a coastal city in the southern part of Israel, on Saturday.
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Hamas Threatens To Kill Israel Hostages Over Gaza StrikesPalestinian terrorist group Hamas threatened on Monday to kill hostages if the Israeli army carried out air strikes without prior warning targeting residents of the Gaza Strip.
"Every targeting of our people without warning will be met with the execution of one of the civilian hostages," the Ezzedine al-Qassem Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, said in a statement.
1 Russian Killed, 4 Missing In Hamas Attack On IsraelAt least one Russian was killed in the offensive launched by Palestinian Hamas fighters against Israel on Saturday, and four others remain missing, Moscow's embassy in Tel Aviv said Monday.
"According to information received from the Israeli side, a citizen of the Russian Federation is considered dead," the embassy was quoted as saying by Russian press agencies.
Russia is "in the process of clarifying all the circumstances" of the death, it added.
The names of the four other Russians appear "on the lists of missing persons provided by the Israeli side".
Spain 'Disagrees' With EU Suspending Palestinian Aid PaymentsSpain said on Monday that it "disagrees" with a decision by the European Union to suspend development aid to the Palestinians in the wake of the Hamas assault on Israel.
"(Foreign Minister) Jose Manuel Albares, called European Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi to say he disagrees with this decision," Spain's foreign ministry said, adding that Albares called for this to be discussed at Tuesday's meeting of European foreign ministers.
"Deeply Distressed" By Israeli Siege Of Gaza: UNUN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Monday he was "deeply distressed" by Israel's imposition of a total siege on the Gaza Strip following Hamas' assault on the country.
"The humanitarian situation in Gaza was extremely dire before these hostilities," Antonio Guterres told reporters. "Now it will only deteriorate exponentially."
Turkish President Urges Israel Against 'Indiscriminately' Attacking GazaTurkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday urged Israel against "indiscriminately" attacking civilians in its war with Hamas militants in Gaza.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Israeli President Isaac Herzog by phone that "harming the people of Gaza collectively and indiscriminately would further increase the suffering and the spiral of violence in the region," the Turkish leader's office said in a statement.
US Energy Giant Chevron Shuts Down Offshore Gas Platform At Israel's RequestUS energy giant Chevron said Monday it has suspended operations at a natural gas production platform off the coast of Israel, at the request of Israeli authorities after a shock Hamas assault on the country over the weekend.
"Chevron Mediterranean Limited was instructed by Israel's Ministry of Energy to shut-in production at the Tamar Production Platform," said a spokesperson.
The company added that it continues to supply customers in Israel and the region from the Leviathan Production Platform.
German, French, US, British Leaders To Hold Talks Tonight On IsraelGerman Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he is due to hold talks later Monday with the leaders of France, the United States and Britain on the crisis triggered by Hamas's surprise attack on Israel.
"The United States, Britain, France and Germany are united," he said alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, who was visiting the German city of Hamburg for talks.
This "must not be allowed to become a conflagration in the region," he added.
Israeli Strike On Lebanon Kills Hezbollah Member: officialsAn Israeli strike on a Lebanese watchtower killed a member of Hezbollah on Monday, two Hezbollah officials said, as bombardment intensified after Palestinian militants tried to infiltrate Israel from Lebanon.
"A member of Hezbollah was martyred in an Israeli strike on a watchtower in south Lebanon in Aita al-Shaab," one of the officials told AFP, with a spokesperson for the group confirming the death.
Palestinian 'Islamic Jihad' Group Claims Israel Infiltration From Lebanon: officialThe Palestinian Islamic Jihad group's armed wing claimed responsibility for a thwarted bid to infiltrate Israel from Lebanon on Monday, as war rages between Gaza terrorists and Israel.
"Al-Quds brigade claims responsibility for the afternoon operation on the south Lebanon border," the group said in a statement.
The Israeli army had earlier said it "killed a number of armed suspects" who had crossed the border from Lebanon.
Israel-Hamas War Updates: Scottish First Minister Says In-Laws "Trapped" In GazaScotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf on Monday said his wife's parents have been caught up in the aftermath of Hamas's weekend attack on Israel.
Humza Yousaf's wife Nadia El-Nakla is Palestinian and her parents, who live in Dundee, northeast Scotland, were visiting family in Gaza.
"They've been in Gaza and are currently trapped in Gaza, I'm afraid," he told reporters.
Arab Foreign Ministers To Discuss "Israeli Aggression On Gaza" TomorrowArab League foreign ministers will meet Wednesday to discuss "Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip" following a surprise assault by Hamas on Israel, the regional bloc announced.
The "extraordinary meeting" in Cairo will seek to find "avenues of political action at the Arab and international level", as Israel keeps pounding targets in Gaza following Saturday's attack, Arab League deputy chief Hossam Zaki said in a statement.
Israel-Hamas War Updates:
"Currently no chance" of prisoner exchange with Israel, says Hamas official
Israel's Response To Attack By Hamas Will "Change The Middle East": PM Benjamin NetanyahuIsrael's response to the unprecedented multi-pronged attack by Palestinian gunmen from the Gaza Strip will "change the Middle East," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday.
He was speaking to mayors of southern border towns hit by the surprise assault that began on Saturday, a statement from his office said. It did not elaborate on his prediction.
EU Suspends Development Aid Payments To PalestiniansThe EU has halted development aid payments to the Palestinians and is placing 691 million euros ($728 million) of support "under review" after the Hamas assault on Israel, an EU commissioner said Monday.
"All payments immediately suspended. All projects put under review. All new budget proposals, including for 2023 postponed until further notice. Comprehensive assessment of the whole portfolio," European Union Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi posted on social media.
Gaza Death Toll In Israel-Hamas War Rises To 560The death toll in the Gaza Strip rose to 560 on Monday, the health ministry in the Palestinian enclave said, as Israel pounded Hamas targets for the third consecutive day.
The Hamas-controlled ministry said "570 people were killed and another 2,900 injured" in the fighting that began on Saturday after Hamas militants fired thousands of rockets in Israel in a surprise dawn assault.
Israel-Hamas War Update: Israel shells south Lebanon, says local official
Israel-Hamas War Update: Israeli soldiers "killed a number of armed suspects" who crossed the border from Lebanon, the country's military said Monday as further south it fought a devastating war with Gaza militants.
"Additionally, IDF (Israeli army) helicopters are currently striking in the area," an army statement said.
Qatar Leads Talks To Swap Hamas-Held Hostages For Palestinians In Israeli Jails: Report
Qatari mediators have held urgent calls with Hamas officials to try to negotiate freedom for Israeli women and children seized by the militant group and held in Gaza in exchange for the release of 36 Palestinian women and children from Israel's prisons, a source briefed on the talks told Reuters.
Israel-Hamas War Update:
US confirms death of 9 citizens in attack on Israel by Hamas.
Israel-Hamas War Updates: Dozens Of Rockets In Sky, Intercepted By IsraelDozens of balloons of smoke covered the morning sky over Israel as the Hamas group continued to fire rockets from the Gaza Strip and Israel's impregnable Iron Dome intercepted them midair.
Israel and Hamas are in the middle of the bloodiest escalation in decades that has caused thousands of casualties and injuries on both sides.
Rockets continue to rain on Israel, which is battling the Hamas group in the bloodiest escalation of the conflict in decades. Thousands have died and a thousand more have been injured on both sides.
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Israel Hamas War Updates:
Israeli strikes on Gaza kill four 'prisoners', says Hamas.
UK Supports Israel's Right To 'Proportionate Action' To End ViolenceBritain supports Israel's right to take proportionate action, acting within international law, to bring an end to violence, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's spokesman said, following Israeli retaliation to a surprise attack by Hamas militants.
"We support Israel exercising its right to self defence and to taking proportionate action to bring an end to the violence," the spokesman told reporters. "In situations like this they can take proportionate action ... acting within international laws."
Israel Orders "Immediate Cut" To Gaza Water Supply: Energy MinisterIsraeli authorities have ordered an "immediate" cut to water supplied to the Gaza Strip, the energy minister said, as the military pounded the Palestinian enclave with air strikes.
Energy Minister Israel Katz has ordered "to immediately cut the water supply to Gaza", his spokesman said in a statement.
Katz's order came soon after the country's Defence Minister Yoav Gallant ordered a "complete siege" on the Gaza Strip, which receives about 10 percent of its annual water from Israel.
"Creation Of Palestinian State Is The Most Reliable Solution": Russia On Israel-Hamas WarRussia said Monday that creating a Palestinian state is the "most reliable" solution for peace and that fighting terrorism alone would not ensure security.
Creating a "Palestinian state that would live side by side with Israel.. is the most reliable path to solve (the conflict)," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. "We cannot agree with those who say that security can only be ensured through a fight with terrorism".
"High Risk" Of Third Party Involvement In Israel Hamas War, Says Russia: ReportThe Kremlin said Monday there was a "high risk" of a third party entering the conflict between Israel and Hamas, after the US said it was moving warships closer to the country.
"The risk of third forces becoming involved in this conflict is high. It is very important to find ways as soon as possible to move towards some kind of negotiation process," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying by the TASS news agency.
Eight French Nationals Killed, Missing Or Taken Hostages In Hamas Attack, Says French LawmakerAt least eight French nationals were missing, confirmed dead or taken hostage after Hamas's weekend attack on Israel, a lawmaker said Monday.
Paris "should hold Hamas directly responsible for (hostages') safety and use every means to secure their release," conservative MP Meyer Habib, who represents French people living abroad in a swathe of Mediterranean countries including Israel, wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
EU Foreign Ministers To Hold Emergency Talks On Israel TomorrowEU foreign ministers will hold urgent talks tomorrow on the situation in Israel and Gaza after Hamas terrorsists launched a surprise assault, the bloc's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said.
"I am convening tomorrow an emergency meeting of EU Foreign Ministers to address the situation in Israel and in the region," Josep Borrell wrote in a social media post Monday.
Israel Hamas War Updates
Germany 'temporarily suspends' Palestinian development aid: ministry
Russia, Arab League Will Work To "Stop Bloodshed' In Israel, Gaza: Russian Foreign MinisterMoscow and the Arab League will work to "stop the bloodshed" in Israel and Gaza, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday as he met the group's chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit in Russia.
"I am sure that Russia and the Arab League (will cooperate) above all else to stop the bloodshed," Sergei Lavrov said. Aboul Gheit said the Arab League "condemns violence, but from all sides."
Israel Defence Minister Orders 'Siege' On GazaIsraeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant Monday ordered a "complete siege" on the Gaza Strip as the military pounded the Palestinian enclave with air strikes.
"We are putting a complete siege on Gaza... No electricity, no food, no water, no gas -- it's all closed," Yoav Gallant said in a video statement, referring to the crowded enclave home to 2.3 people.
Israel Army "In Control" Of Attacked AreasIsrael's army declared on Monday that its forces were in "control of communities" in its southern territory near Gaza, two days after Hamas militants launched a surprise attack there.
"We are in control of the communities," military spokesman Daniel Hagari said, adding however that there still might be "terrorists" in the area.
Austria Suspends Aid For Palestinians After Hamas Attack: News Agency AFP
The Austrian government announced Monday that it was suspending development aid to Palestinian areas, in reaction to the surprise attack launched by Hamas militants against Israel.
Update- Israel forces 'in control of communities' attacked by Hamas: army
Anti-rocket sirens sound in Jerusalem: ReportAnti-rocket sirens followed by the sound of blasts were heard Monday in Jerusalem, AFP journalists said, as Israel's army battled Hamas militants in southern towns for the third consecutive day.
The army also pressed on with air strikes in the Gaza Strip, targeting the Palestinians Hamas group which had launched a massive surprise dawn assault on Israel on Saturday.
Watch: Ex Israel PM Joins Soldiers At Battlefront In Fight Against HamasA former Israel Prime Minister joined soldiers at the battlefront as the country's war with Hamas escalated, leaving at least 1,200 dead on both sides.
Naftali Bennett was seen shaking hands with Israeli soldiers as he arrived for the reserve duty.
Israel launched a massive counteroperation against Hamas after a surprise attack by the Palestinian group on Saturday.
250 dead at site of music festival attacked by Hamas: Israeli NGO
Hamas gunmen killed around 250 people who attended an outdoor music festival in an Israeli community near Gaza at the weekend, a volunteer who helped collect the bodies said on Monday.
"In the area where the party took place, and at the party itself" it could be estimated that "there were 200-250 bodies," said Moti Bukjin, a spokesman for the humanitarian NGO Zaka, based on the number of trucks that ferried away the corpses.
At least 700 people were killed in southern Israel when Hamas forces stormed across the border, shooting people in the communities and towns near Gaza before security forces began fighting back.
"I've been a volunteer at Zaka for 28 years" and after working at a deadly stampede in Meron during a religious festival two years ago, "I thought I reached my end," Bukjin said.
Israel Hamas War Updates: UAE "appalled" at Israeli civilian hostages: statement
The United Arab Emirates is "appalled" that Israeli civilians were taken hostage in the Hamas assault near the Gaza Strip, a foreign ministry statement said.
"The ministry is appalled by reports that Israeli civilians have been abducted as hostages from their homes," said the Arab Muslim country, which established relations with Israel in 2020.
"Terrorists Are...": Wife's Message To Husband Before Being Taken Hostage By HamasAmid the ongoing war between Israel and the Hamas group, hundreds of women and children have been missing and have been taken hostage by the terrorists. 600 Israelis and around 370 people in Gaza have been killed since Hamas launched a sudden and extensive attack on Saturday. Among those missing is an Israeli mother and her two daughters who were near the Gaza border over the weekend when the Hamas group attacked their home.
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Israel Hamas War Updates: UN rights council holds silence for victims in Israel, GazaThe United Nations Human Rights Council stood in silence on Monday to remember the "innocent lives lost" in Israel and in Gaza, at the request of the United States.
"I respectfully request a moment of silence from this esteemed council, and all present here today to honour and remember the victims of these appalling terrorist attacks... innocent lives lost across Israel and Gaza resulting from the attacks by Hamas," US ambassador Michele Taylor said in the top UN rights body, before delegates stood.
Israel Hamas War Updates: Iran denies it had role in Hamas attack on IsraelIran on Monday rejected as unfounded allegations it had a role in the massive assault on Israel by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.
"The accusations linked to an Iranian role... are based on political reasons," foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani told reporters, adding that Palestinians had "the necessary capacity and will to defend their nation and recover their rights" without any help from Tehran.
Explained: Why Israel-Gaza War Is A Diplomatic Test For IndiaAs the Hamas rocket attack on Israel and the brutal counterstrike splits the world into two camps, India finds itself in a difficult situation diplomatically. This comes at a time when New Delhi was pushing for a bigger role in the Middle East with regional alliances and a boost in diplomatic activities.
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Update- China says 'opposes and condemns' actions that harm civilians in Israel violence
More than 123,000 people displaced in the Gaza Strip: UNMore than 123,000 people have been displaced in the Gaza Strip since the outbreak of the conflict between Palestinian militants and Israel, the United Nations said Monday.
"Over 123,538 people, have been internally displaced in Gaza, mostly due to fear, protection concerns and the destruction of their homes," said the UN's humanitarian agency, OCHA, with more than 73,000 sheltering in schools.
Explained: How Mossad Functions And How It Failed To Stop Hamas AttackOn October 6, thousands of Israelis woke up with a shudder to sirens blaring across several cities. The Palestinian group Hamas had launched around 5,000 rockets from Gaza along with a sensational land-sea-air attack into Israeli soil.
Hamas sent its fighters to infiltrate towns, kibbutz communities, and even an outdoor music festival. Panic-stricken Israelis hid in their homes with reports rife that Hamas fighters were carrying out terrorist attacks going door-to-door, shooting civilians or dragging them away.
The Hamas land assault was augmented by boats and motorised paragliders who breached Israeli soil early in the morning using guerilla tactics.
Israel-Hamas War Updates:
Explained: Intifada And Its Significance Amid Israel-Gaza EscalationIsrael is fighting an all-out war against Hamas in Gaza after one of the deadliest offensives was launched by the Palestinian group against Israel in recent years. The war began with a land, sea and air offensive from Hamas, an approach Israel has never seen in its recent history from the terrorist group.
Over 1,100 have died on both sides since the attack on Saturday and Israel is retaliating with full force. The Gaza Strip has suffered its deadliest day in 15 years after nearly 300 Palestinians died in Israeli air strikes in the last 24 hours.
The unprecedented scale of violence has brought the two Intifadas or Palestinian uprisings against Israel back into the spotlight and there is speculation about whether the all-out war is the beginning of the Third uprising.
Israel-Hamas War Updates: Naftali Bennett, a former prime minister of Israel, arrives for reserve duty
Fighting with Hamas ongoing in 'seven to eight' locations around Gaza: Israel army
Fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas Palestinian militants was ongoing Monday in seven to eight locations around the Gaza Strip, the army said.
"We're still fighting. There are between seven to eight open places around Gaza (where) we have still warriors fighting terrorists," military spokesman Richard Hecht told reporters, two days after the Palestinian Islamist group launched a surprise attack on Israel.
Israel-Hamas War Updates:
Israeli forces fighting Hamas militants in 'seven to eight' locations around Gaza: army
Explained: Why $6 Billion US-Iran Deal Is In Spotlight After Hamas Attack
The Palestinian group Hamas's surprise assault on Israel Saturday and Israel's retaliation have killed more than 1,100 people and focused attention on the Iran-backed Islamist group.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday that Iran has not yet been able to spend a single dollar of the $6 billion in funds that were unfrozen in a US-Iran prisoner swap in September.
Blinken also said he had "not yet seen evidence that Iran directed or was behind this particular attack, but there's certainly a long relationship."
Israel Hamas War Updates:
Around 10 Nepali students died in the ongoing situation in Israel: Nepal Embassy in Israel official confirmed ANI
US Man Missing From Israeli Festival Sent Chilling Texts To Family
A 23-year-old American-Israeli man is missing after Hamas attacked a music festival in Israel. Hamas group stormed the music festival in the south of Israel and opened fire as part of the huge surprise attack on Israel. Hersh Golberg-Polin was attending the music festival to celebrate his birthday and has not been heard from since Saturday morning.
He texted his parents "I love you" and "I'm sorry," before becoming unreachable, his father told The Jerusalem Post.
"We just want him home and safe," his father, Jonathon Polin told the outlet, adding that if he could tell his son anything, he would say, "We love you. Come home to us."
2 Israeli Tourists Shot Dead By Egyptian Cop "At Random"In a shocking incident caught on camera, two Israeli tourists along with their Egyptian guide were shot dead by a policeman in Alexandria, Egypt, on Sunday, as per a report in the BBC. The Israel Foreign Ministry reported that a "local" was responsible for another incident on Sunday morning, which left a third Israeli injured.
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Update- Israel strikes over '500 Hamas targets' overnight in Gaza, says Israel army: news agency AFP
Thailand Says 12 Of Its Citizens Have Been Killed In Israel-Hamas Conflict
Twelve Thais have been killed in the conflict between Israel and Hamas militants, the kingdom's government said Monday as it prepared a plan to evacuate its citizens.
Foreign ministry spokeswoman Kanchana Patarachoke said the Thai embassy in Israel learned of the deaths from the victims' employers.
NDTV Ground Report: 10 Km From Gaza, Rockets, Destruction, Deserted Roads
The skies were illuminated with rocket trajectories as a NDTV crew made their way to Ashkelon, a coastal city few kilometres from Gaza, the blockaded strip where Israel is fighting an all-out war against Palestinian groups.
Several roads are barricaded and led to traffic jams, the journalists saw, giving a real time account of the situation in Israel.
A rocket exploded near their hotel before they could check in late at night as sirens forced them to take shelter in the basement.
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Global Oil Prices Soar After Hamas Attack On IsraelOil prices soared more than four percent Monday after Hamas launched an attack on Israel at the weekend, sparking concerns about possible supply shocks from the crude-rich region. Brent jumped 4.7 percent to $86.65 and West Texas Intermediate was up 4.5 percent at $88.39 in early Asian business.
The surprise attack and Israel's declaration of war in response to it have left more than 1,000 dead and raised concerns that a potential broadening of the conflict could draw in the United States and Iran.
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Iran UN Mission Says Tehran Not Involved In Hamas Attacks
Iran's mission to the United Nations said on Sunday that Tehran was not involved in one of the bloodiest attacks in Israel's history when Islamist group Hamas killed 700 Israelis and abducted dozens more.
"The resolute measures taken by Palestine constitute a wholly legitimate defense against seven decades of oppressive occupation and heinous crimes committed by the illegitimate Zionist regime," Iran's UN mission said in statement.
Explained: Why Hamas Chose October 6 To Launch Mega Offensive On IsraelIt was October 6, 1973. On Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Judaism, a coalition of Arab nations launched surprise attacks on Israeli-occupied territories, sparking the Yom Kippur War.
Battle lines were drawn and Israel went on an offensive against the Arab coalition. The fighting mostly took place in the Golan Heights, Sinai and the other areas under Israeli occupation since the Six-Day War in 1967. Geopolitical tensions hit a tipping point when then-US President Richard Nixon issued a global nuclear alert.
As the war intensified, the Arab members of The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) suspended oil deliveries to all western countries that supported Israel, triggering a global energy crisis.
In Pics: Israel-Hamas War, Deadliest Attack On Israel In 50 Years
Israel-Hamas conflict is becoming worse by the hour, with shootouts between security forces and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. The Israeli Defence Forces termed the Hamas attack as the "worst massacre of innocent citizens in Israel's history" and called the terror group "more barbaric and brutal than ISIS".
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NDTV Ground Report: Rocket Attack On Israel Hotel, Crew Takes Shelter
Israel-Palestine Crisis: Oil prices soar after Hamas attack on Israel
Oil prices soared more than four percent Monday after Hamas launched an attack on Israel at the weekend, sparking concerns about possible supply shocks from the crude-rich region.
Brent jumped 4.7 percent to $86.65 and West Texas Intermediate was up 4.5 percent at $88.39 in early Asian business.
Update- Oil prices soar on Middle East tensions after Hamas attack on Israel
Major airlines cancel dozens of flights to IsraelMajor airlines cancelled dozens of flights to Tel Aviv this weekend after the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a surprise attack against Israel.
American Airlines, Air France, Lufthansa, Emirates and Ryanair are among those pulling flights to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport.
However, airport authorities did not stop commercial air links with Israel's second international airport at Eilat, a tourist destination on the Red Sea.
And Israeli flag carrier El Al said Sunday that it was maintaining its Tel Aviv flights for now, though some flights operated by foreign partners had been cancelled.
El Al said it was operating "in accordance with the instructions of the Israeli security forces", with all flights now departing only from Terminal Three at Ben Gurion.
Like most other airlines, it said clients could change their tickets without charge.
"Hamas More Brutal Than ISIS," Says Israel As Over 1,100 Killed In War
Israel-Gaza violence is escalating by the day with rockets piercing the skies into each other territories and shootouts between security forces and Hamas group of Palestine. Over 1,100 have been killed on both sides since Hamas launched its attack on Saturday.
"This is our 9/11 and more," the Israel Army's spokesperson said, adding Hamas wanted "an annihilation of our State".
The US is moving its ships closer to Israel in a show of support and boosting fighter jet squadrons in the eastern Mediterranean.
US Says Citizens Killed In Hamas Attack, Sends Warships To Support Israel
Several American citizens were killed in the surprise land-sea-air attack on Israel by the Palestine group Hamas, a US official confirmed on Sunday. The official did not provide any further details, such as the exact number of Americans killed or their identities.
"We can confirm the deaths of several US citizens," a spokesperson for the US National Security Council said, as quoted by news agency AFP. "We extend our deepest condolences to the victims and to the families of all those affected."
US President Joe Biden ordered the deployment of US ships and warplanes to Israel on Sunday, signaling Washington's "unwavering" support for its ally in the face of escalating attacks by Hamas.
Israel's security forces face questions after Hamas attack lays bare intelligence gaps
As Israel reeled from a deadly attack by Hamas militants who broke through barriers around Gaza and roamed at will, killing scores of civilians in Israeli towns, defence chiefs faced growing questions over how the disaster could have happened.
A day after the 50th anniversary of the start of the 1973 Yom Kippur war, when Israeli forces were caught off guard by Syrian and Egyptian tank columns, the military appeared once again to have been surprised by a sudden attack.
"It looks quite similar to what happened at that time," said retired General Giora Eiland, a former head of Israel's National Security Council. "As we can see it, Israel was completely surprised, by a very well coordinated attack," he told a briefing with reporters.
An army spokesman said there would be discussions on the intelligence preparation "down the road" but for the moment the focus was on fighting. "We'll talk about that when we need to talk about it," he told a briefing with reporters.
- A surprise attack by Hamas on Israel, which combined gunmen breaching security barriers with a barrage of rockets fired from Gaza, was launched on Saturday during the Jewish high holiday of Simchat Torah.
- The attack came 50 years and a day after Egyptian and Syrian forces launched an assault during the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur in an effort to retrieve territory Israel had taken during a brief conflict in 1967.