1 year ago
US President Joe Biden arrived in Israel today hours after a horrific explosion at a hospital in Gaza reportedly killed nearly 500 people on Tuesday as the conflict between Israel and Palestine continues to escalate.The deadly explosion received global condemnation even as both Palestine and Israel traded blame over it. While Palestinian authorities pinned the blamed on Israel's ruthless ongoing retaliation, Israel claimed Hamas-supported Islamic Jihad misfired a rocket that landed on the hospital.
Here are the LIVE updates on Israel-Palestine Conflict:
"Killing More Palestinians Will Never Make Israel More Secure": Palestine's UN Ambassador
Palestine's Ambassador to the United Nations, Riyan Mansour, has slammed Israel, stating that killing more Palestinians will never make Israel more secure as he held the country responsible for the occupation of their land.
During an emergency session at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Wednesday, Mansour emphasized, "For 75 years now, Israel has explained, brazenly justified how it had to dispossess us, how it had to occupy our land, how it had to kill our people, all in full impunity."
Israel Conducts Raid On Syrian Government Position In South: Report
The Israeli government carried out a raid on a Syrian government position in the war-torn country's south, a war monitoring NGO said on Wednesday.
"Sounds of explosions rang out in the province of Quneitra after an Israeli strike against a Syrian army position," said the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights NGO, which has a vast network of sources in the country.
The sound of explosions also rang out in the Golan Heights, the NGO said, without specifying their source.
Amid War, UK PM Rishi Sunak To Visit Israel TodayBritish Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will arrive in Israel on Thursday and meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog, before travelling on to other regional capitals, his office said.
Biden To Address Nation Today On Israel-Hamas War, UkraineUS President Joe Biden will give a speech from the Oval Office on Thursday about the conflict between Israel and Hamas and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the White House said Wednesday.
Biden Says Egypt To Open Gaza Crossing For Up To 20 Aid Trucks
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has agreed to open the Rafah crossing into Gaza to allow a first batch of humanitarian aid trucks through, US President Joe Biden said Wednesday.
"He agreed to... let up to 20 trucks through to begin with," Biden told reporters after calling Sisi from Air Force One while returning from a visit to Israel, where he was showing solidarity after the October 7 Hamas attacks.
Hamas May Use Crypto To Finance Another Tragedy, Warn US Lawmakers
A bipartisan group of lawmakers is urging the Biden administration to swiftly crack down on the use of cryptocurrencies by Hamas and its affiliates following the Palestinian terrorist group's deadly attack in Israel earlier this month.
105 lawmakers expressed "grave concern" that Hamas and an affiliated group called Palestinian Islamic Jihad were using digital assets to fund their operations and evade US sanctions. Read here
Pro-Palestine Protests Should Be Banned Case By Case: French Court
France's highest administrative court stated on Wednesday that pro-Palestinian protests must be banned on a case-by-case basis, while upholding the validity of an instruction from the French interior minister banning all pro-Palestinian protests.
In a note sent to regional police authorities, dated Oct. 12, the interior minister had ordered that "pro-Palestinian protests, because they are likely to generate disturbances to public order, must be banned".
The appeal on the blanket ban instruction was brought by the organisation Comite Action Palestine, arguing that a total and absolute ban is not justified and encroaches on freedom of expression and assembly.
Protesters Near US Embassy In Lebanon Sprayed With Water Cannon, Teargas
Lebanese security forces used teargas and water cannon to repel scores of protesters demonstrating on Wednesday near the US embassy in Beirut.
The United States has been targeted for criticism across the region for pledging ironclad support for Israel.
Demonstrators were prevented from reaching the embassy's boundary by barricades blocking roads hundreds of metres (yards) from the mission in a north Beirut suburb.
Saudi Urges Citizens To Leave Lebanon "Immediately"
Saudi Arabia on Wednesday called for all citizens to leave Lebanon "immediately" as tensions mount along Lebanon's southern border with Israel.
The Gulf kingdom's embassy in Beirut said it was "closely following the developments" in southern Lebanon, where at least 18 people have been killed in exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Palestinian militants on one side and Israel on the other.
US Vetoes UN Security Council Resolution On Israel-Hamas War
- The United States vetoed a UN Security Council resolution on Wednesday calling for a "humanitarian pause" in the raging Israel-Hamas conflict as the text did not respect Israel's right to defend itself, the US ambassador said.
- Twelve out of 15 Council members voted in favor of the resolution put forward by Brazil and negotiated over several days, while Russia and the United Kingdom abstained.
- The United States was the only vote against, but as one of the body's five permanent members its vote counts as a veto.
"Errant Rocket Fired By Terrorist Group" Struck Gaza Hospital, Says BidenUS President Joe Biden said Tuesday that an "errant rocket" fired by a "terrorist group" caused a devastating explosion at a Gaza hospital that left hundreds dead.
"Imagery, Intercepts" Show Israel Not Behind Gaza Hospital Strike, Says USGaza Hospital Attack: US intelligence based on aerial images and intercepted communications shows Israel was not to blame for a strike on a Gaza hospital that killed hundreds, the White House said Wednesday.
Israel Agreed To Let Aid Into Gaza "As Soon As Possible": Joe Biden
US President Joe Biden said Wednesday that Israel has agreed to allow aid into the impoverished Gaza Strip even as it wages a military campaign in response to Hamas attacks.
US President Joe Biden said Wednesday that Israel has agreed to allow aid into the impoverished Gaza Strip even as it wages a military campaign in response to Hamas attacks.
"Israel agreed the humanitarian assistance can begin to move from Egypt to Gaza," Joe Biden said on a visit to Israel, adding that the United States was working with partners to get "trucks moving across the border as soon as possible".
"Don't Repeat Mistakes US Made In Rage After 9/11," Biden Tells Israel
US President Joe Biden cautioned Israelis not to be blinded by rage after suffering their deadliest ever attack, warning that the United States made mistakes after September 11.
"I caution this while you feel that rage, don't be consumed by it. After 9/11, we were enraged in the United States. While we sought justice and got justice we also made mistakes," Joe Biden said on a visit to Tel Aviv. Read here
Egypt's Sisi Rejects Gaza Refugee Influx, Blames Israel For Aid BlockEgypt's president said Wednesday he would not allow any mass influx of refugees from Gaza, saying it would set a precedent for "the displacement of Palestinians from the West Bank into Jordan".
Biden Says US "Defense Data" Shows Israel Not Behind Gaza Hospital Strike
President Joe Biden said Wednesday he had seen "data" from the US Defense Department backing his assertion that Palestinian terrorists, not Israel, were to blame for a devastating strike on a Gaza hospital. Read here
Israel Troops Kill 2 Palestinian Teens In West Bank Amid Gaza Anger
Israeli forces shot dead two Palestinian teenagers near Ramallah in the West Bank on Wednesday after protests against Israel's bombing of the Gaza Strip, Palestinian officials said.
The deaths brought the toll of Palestinians killed in the latest flare-up of Israeli-Palestinian violence to at least 64 in the West Bank, a sharp uptick in fatal clashes with the army and settlers.
Iran President Says US Accomplice In Israel "Crimes"
Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi on Wednesday accused the United States of being an accomplice in Israeli "crimes" after a rocket struck a hospital complex in Gaza, killing hundreds of people.
"The people of the world consider America to be an accomplice in the crimes of the Zionist regime," Ebrahim Raisi told thousands of people who had gathered for a rally in central Tehran in solidarity with the Palestinians.
Israel war, Gaza Attack, Hamas, Palestine: 63 Injured During Anti Israel-Protest In Turkey's Capital IstanbulDozens of people, including police officers, were injured during anti-Israel protests in Istanbul after a deadly strike on a hospital in the Gaza Strip, authorities said Wednesday.
Turkey To Declare 3 Days' Mourning Over Gaza Hospital Strike
Turkey will declare three days' mourning over a deadly strike on a hospital in war-torn Gaza that killed hundreds, a Turkish official told AFP on Wednesday.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a fervent supporter of the Palestinian cause, has accused Israel of "striking a hospital sheltering women, children and innocent civilians" and urged the world to stop the tragedy in Gaza.
Turkey Says "Nothing Concrete For Now" In Talks With Hamas On Hostages
- Turkey is in talks with Hamas to secure the release of hostages it seized in Israel and took to Gaza, but there "is nothing concrete" for now, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said.
- "Talks, work on the prisoner swap continue. There are talks and meetings held through intelligence units, but, in the heat of the first days, it was not possible to create a framework for this," Mr Fidan said.
- Officials say Hamas has nearly 200 hostages in Gaza.
- Hakan Fidan added that other countries, namely Qatar, were also engaged in talks with Hamas leaders, who are currently in Qatar.
Several Germans Killed By Hamas, Says Berlin Official
A single-digit number of German nationals are believed to have "fallen victim to Hamas terror," the German foreign ministry spokesman Christian Wagner told a regular press briefing, without giving further details.
He added that Berlin would officially confirm the deaths only once relatives had been informed.
"Day Of Rage": Protests Erupt In Arab Countries After Gaza Hospital StrikeA Gaza hospital strike that killed at least 200 people has unleashed a torrent of condemnation across the Arab world, with even allies blaming Israel for the attack, despite its denials.
Gaza Death Count Rises To 3,478, Says Hamas
At least 3,478 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip since Israel began bombarding the coastal enclave, the Hamas-controlled health ministry said Wednesday.
More than 12,000 others have been wounded in Israel's response to a brutal assault launched by Hamas militants on Israel on October 7.
"Stop Attacks On Healthcare Facilities": WHO After Gaza Hospital Strike
The World Health Organization on Wednesday urged against any attacks on healthcare centres, a day after a Gaza hospital strike that killed at least 200 people.
"We call... at a minimum to stop any attacks on healthcare facilities," the head of the WHO's European branch, Hans Kluge, told AFP in an interview.
"Wait For The Facts": Britain On Gaza Hospital Strike
British foreign minister James Cleverly on Wednesday urged people to wait for the facts about a blast at a hospital in Gaza and said too many people had already jumped to conclusions.
British foreign minister James Cleverly on Wednesday urged people to wait for the facts about a blast at a hospital in Gaza and said too many people had already jumped to conclusions.
Last night, too many jumped to conclusions around the tragic loss of life at Al Ahli hospital.
- James Cleverly🇬🇧 (@JamesCleverly) October 18, 2023
Getting this wrong would put even more lives at risk.
Wait for the facts, report them clearly and accurately.
Cool heads must prevail.
Israel Tells Citizens To Leave Turkey "As Soon As Possible"
Israel has told its citizens to leave Turkey immediately amid fears of reprisal attacks after a deadly strike on a hospital in the Gaza Strip, a consular spokesperson confirmed to AFP Wednesday.
Israel has told its citizens to leave Turkey immediately amid fears of reprisal attacks after a deadly strike on a hospital in the Gaza Strip, a consular spokesperson confirmed to AFP Wednesday.
"All Israelis staying in Turkey must leave as soon as possible," Israel's National Security Council announced late on Tuesday.
Russia Calls Gaza Hospital Blast 'Crime'
Russia said that the blast at a Gaza hospital compound that health officials said killed hundreds of people was a "crime" and an "act of dehumanisation". "Regarding our assessment, we certainly qualify such an act as a crime, as an act of dehumanisation," foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, without saying who she thought was responsible.
"Take Only One Side": Pope's Message Amid Israel-Palestine Conflict
Pope Francis deplored the "desperate" situation in Gaza on Wednesday as he urged the faithful to take "only one side" in the Israel-Hamas conflict, the side "of peace. War does not solve any problem, it only sows death and destruction, increases hatred, multiplies revenge. War erases the future. I urge believers to take only one side in this conflict, that of peace, but not with words but with prayer and total dedication," he said.
"Deeply Shocked At Tragic Loss Of Lives": PM Modi On Gaza Hospital Tragedy
Deeply shocked at the tragic loss of lives at the Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza. Our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, and prayers for speedy recovery of those injured.
- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 18, 2023
Civilian casualties in the ongoing conflict are a matter of serious and continuing concern....
Situation In Gaza "Spiralling Out Of Control': WHO Chief
The situation in the Gaza Strip is spiralling out of control, the head of the UN health agency warned on Wednesday, following a blast at a hospital that killed hundreds of people. "The situation in #Gaza is spiralling out of control," the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X.
The situation in #Gaza is spiralling out of control.
- Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) October 18, 2023
Every second we wait to get medical aid in, we lose lives.
For 4 days @WHO supplies have been stuck at the border.
We need immediate access to start delivering life-saving supplies.
We need violence on all sides to stop.
BREAKING: US President Joe Biden Lands In Israel
Unprecedented Anger: Protests Erupt In Lebanon After Gaza Hospital AttackLebanon's Hezbollah denounced what the group said was Israel's deadly attack on a Gaza hospital and called for "a day of unprecedented anger" on Wednesday, as protests erupted outside the U.S. embassy in Beirut just hours after the incident.
BREAKING: Antony Blinken Calls Palestine President Abbas To Offer Condolences For Hospital Deaths
Blinken calls Abbas to offer condolences for hospital deaths: US State Department
BREAKING: Antony Blinken Calls Palestine President Abbas To Offer Condolences For Hospital Deaths
Blinken calls Abbas to offer condolences for hospital deaths: US State Department
Israel Says Aid For Palestinians To Be Available In South Gaza
The Israeli military said on Wednesday that humanitarian aid would be made available to Palestinians who flee Gaza City southward. "Al-Mawasi is where international #HumanitarianAid will be provided as needed," the post said.
Israel Defence Forces Release Video Claiming Failed Rocket Hit Gaza Hospital
A failed rocket launch by the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization hit the Al Ahli hospital in Gaza City.
- Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 18, 2023
IAF footage from the area around the hospital before and after the failed rocket launch by the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization: pic.twitter.com/AvCAkQULAf
"Too Many Lives Hang In Balance": UN Chief's Ceasefire Call
I call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Middle East to ease the epic human suffering.
- António Guterres (@antonioguterres) October 18, 2023
Too many lives - and the fate of the entire region - hang in the balance.
Day 12 Of Israel-Palestine War: 500 killed In Gaza Hospital Bombing Sparking Global Outrage
Day 12 of #IsraelGaza War | 500 killed In #Gaza hospital bombing sparking widespread outrage.
- NDTV (@ndtv) October 18, 2023
Updates: https://t.co/J6pWTD3tEh pic.twitter.com/yiM5rEFBEB
"Collective Punishment Of Palestinians": UN Chief On Israel's RetaliationUnited Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday that attacks by militant group Hamas on Israel did not justify the "collective punishment" of Palestinians, and called for an immediate ceasefire.
Israel-Palestine Conflict: US Allows Staff To Leave Lebanon Embassy
The United States authorized non-essential personnel and their families to leave their embassy near Beirut on Tuesday, citing the unpredictable security situation in Lebanon due to the Israel-Hamas war.
Israel-Palestine Conflict: Foreigners Killed Or Missing Amid War
United States: 31 dead, 13 missing
Thailand: 30 dead, 17 hostages
About 30,000 Thais work in Israel, most in the agricultural sector, according to government figures.
Israel-Palestine Conflict: UN Chief Calls For "Immediate Ceasefire"
UN's Guterres calls for 'immediate humanitarian ceasefire' in Israel-Hamas conflict
Judgment Day Looms For Israel's Netanyahu As Palestine Conflict SpiralsThe shock October 7 massacre by Hamas gunmen has rallied Israelis to one another. But there is little love shown for a government being widely accused of dropping the country's guard and engulfing it in a Gaza war that is rattling the region.
Biden To Ask "Tough Questions" In Meeting With Israel PM: White HouseUS President Joe Biden will pose "tough questions" in meetings with Israeli leaders during a Middle East trip that has been upended by a strike on a Gaza hospital on Tuesday in which hundreds of Palestinians were killed.
Israel-Palestine Conflict Live: US issues "Do Not Travel" Advisory For Lebanon
The US State Department raised its travel alert for Lebanon to "do not travel," citing the security situation related to rocket, missile, and artillery exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah. The State Department authorized the voluntary, temporary departure of family members of US government personnel and some non-emergency personnel from the U.S. Embassy in Beirut because of the unpredictable security situation in Lebanon.
Israel Hamas War Gaza Hospital Attack Al-Ahli al-Arabi UN Chief Antonio GuterresUnited Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned the Gaza hospital explosion incident and said that he is "horrified" by the killings of Palestinian civilians.
Israel-Palestine Conflict Live: Over 500 Killed In Gaza Hospital Attack: Report
A health ministry spokesman, Ashraf Al-Qudra, told news agency Reuters on on Wednesday that hundreds were killed and rescue workers were still removing bodies from the rubble. In the first hours after the blast, a Gaza civil defence chief said 300 people were killed, while health ministry sources put the figure at 500.
A health ministry spokesman, Ashraf Al-Qudra, told news agency Reuters on on Wednesday that hundreds were killed and rescue workers were still removing bodies from the rubble. In the first hours after the blast, a Gaza civil defence chief said 300 people were killed, while health ministry sources put the figure at 500.
Gaza Hospital Attack: Biden Says He Is "Outraged And Deeply Saddened" By Gaza Hospital AttackUS President Joe Biden said Tuesday he was "outraged and deeply saddened" by a deadly explosion at a Gaza hospital.
