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| 5.6.24

The Latest: Israel Evacuates Rafah, Palestinian Place of Refuge

How do you feel about the U.S. response so far?

Updated May 6, 2024, 12:00 p.m. EST

  • The Israeli military is telling residents of Gaza who have sought shelter in Rafah to evacuate, indicating that Israel is soon planning to invade the city. This invasion will be against the wishes of the international community, urging Israel to not send troops to Rafah.
  • Israel sent out text and voice messages, posted on social media, and dropped leaflets in eastern Rafah ordering the evacuation, and telling residents where to flee to. Many in Gaza have reported that the orders are unclear, with imprecise locations on the evacuation maps. 
  • More than half of Gaza's population of 2.2 million are sheltered in Rafah. The U.S. and U.N. have attempted to discourage Israel from invading the area. In response, Israel's defense minister Yoav Gallant said "there [is] no choice left" but to invade.
  • The latest round of negotiations for a cease-fire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas have fallen through yet again. Hamas senior leader Ismail Haniyeh said in a statement that they are approaching the deal with "positive and flexible positions," but that it is a priority that Israel stops the attack against the Palestinian people. Hours later, Hamas and Israel launched rockets at each other, killing Israeli troops and Palestinian civilians. 

Updated Apr. 29, 2024, 3:30 p.m. EST

  • Rumors have spread that the International Criminal Court is preparing to issue arrest warrants for Israeli senior officials over the conflict with Hamas, which has led to over 40,000 civilian deaths and a public health emergency in Gaza.
  • Israeli officials and media outlets believe that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is among those who might be named in a warrant. The potential ICC action would involve an official accusation of Israel preventing the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and leading to an excessively harsh response to the events on Oct. 7. 
  • Israel has not disclosed the source of the information that has caused this worry. Nevertheless, G7 officials are urging the ICC not to announce war crime charges against Israel or Hamas officials, citing concern that it could disrupt the chances of a ceasefire. 

Updated Apr. 16, 2024, 9:30 a.m. EST

  • After Iran launched a large airstrike against Israel over the weekend, world leaders are urging Israel not to retaliate. Almost all of Iran's missiles and drones were intercepted and shot down by Israel and its allies, including the U.S., Britain, and France. 
  • Leaders of the G7 nations, including the U.S., Britain, and France, issued a declaration reaffirming their support for Israel and accusing Iran of "provoking an uncontrollable regional escalation."
  • Iran's attack comes as the Israel-Hamas war surpasses the six-month mark. In Gaza, Israeli warplanes are continuing to conduct airstrikes on Rafah, one of the last places of refuge for the Palestinian people. 

Updated Apr. 2, 2024, 5:30 p.m. EST

  • Seven aid workers with World Central Kitchen were killed in the Gaza Strip when an Israeli strike hit their convoy. The aid workers were unloading more than 100 tons of food brought to Gaza, where U.S. officials say a famine is occurring. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel "deeply regrets the tragic incident."  
  • Another Israeli airstrike hit the Iranian embassy compound in Damascus, Syria, killing three top Iranian commanders. Iranian leaders responded, saying that the airstrike would not go unanswered. U.S. officials expressed growing concern about the hostility escalating in the region. 
  • U.N. spokesperson Stéphane Durjarric said that Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the attack on the Iranian consulate and is calling for the "utmost restraint." Turkey added that the attack was a violation of international law by Israel. Yoav Gallant, Israeli defense minister, said Israel would "act every day to prevent the force buildup of [its] enemies."
  • After Israeli forces left the al-Shifa Hospital in ruins on Monday, the World Health Organization said the destruction of the Gaza hospital was "ripping the heart out" of the health system in the Strip. 
  • The World Bank and U.N. found that the cost of damage to critical infrastructure from Israel's attack on Gaza amounts to $18.5 billion. Israel has destroyed approximately 62% of all homes in Gaza, along with the majority of public service infrastructure. 
  • The death toll in Gaza has surpassed 30,000 since the war broke out in October. The U.N. estimates that 12,000 children have been killed. The UNRWA Commissioner-General Phillippe Lazzarini said:

"This war is a war on children. It is a war on their childhood and their future."

Updated Mar. 18, 2024, 10:20 a.m. EST

  • Israel's military issued a raid on Gaza's Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest medical facility in the Strip, early Monday morning. It is still unknown how many people were injured or killed. Displaced civilians have taken shelter in the hospital.
  • The Israeli military said it was carrying out "precise operational activity" to track down senior Hamas leaders. The group said its troops would continue to operate in the area of the hospital.
  • Gaza's Ministry of Health said:

"What the occupation forces are doing against Al-Shifa Medical Complex is a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law."

  • The ministry said that a fire broke out at the hospital due to the strike, trapping and suffocating displaced women and children. The ministry continued:

"We hold the Israeli occupation responsible for the lives of medical staff, patients and displaced people inside Al-Shifa Medical Complex."

  • An Integrated Food Security Phase Classification report, backed by the U.N., warned that famine is imminent in northern Gaza. The report has said that 1.1 million people - half of the population - are facing "catastrophic" food supply conditions, and famine may occur by May of this year. The report states: 

"The famine threshold for household acute food insecurity has already been far exceeded."

Updated Mar. 11, 2024, 10:45 a.m. EST

  • As Muslim nations celebrate the beginning of Ramadan, a holy month of fasting and charity, Palestinians continue to face fatal Israeli attacks and a lack of essential resources.
  • Those observing Ramadan fast from sunrise to sunset, then break fast with holiday feasts at night. In Gaza, however, there is little food left besides highly-priced canned goods. 
  • U.S., Qatar, and Egypt's leaders had hoped for a ceasefire agreement ahead of the holy month, which would allow for humanitarian aid to enter Gaza and include the release of hostages and prisoners on both sides. Talks of ceasefire are currently at a standstill. 
  • Israel's attack has driven around 80% of Gaza's residents from their homes. Health officials say the war has killed over 30,000 Palestinians. U.N. officials warn the Strip is near famine as almost no aid has reached Gaza for weeks. 
  • In light of Ramadan, President Biden pledged to continue to push for humanitarian aid to Gaza, along with a ceasefire and long-term stability for the region. He said:

"As Muslims gather around the world over the coming days and weeks to break their fast, the suffering of the Palestinian people will be front of mind for many. It is front of mind for me."

Updated Feb. 27, 2024, 4:30 p.m. EST

  • In an act of protest against the U.S.'s response to Israel's invasion of Gaza, Air Force airman Aaron Bushnell lit himself on fire in front of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., on Sunday. Bushnell, 25-years-old, died of injuries from the self-immolation a few hours later. 
  • Livestreaming himself on Twitch, he said:

"I will no longer be complicit in genocide. I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest, but compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers, it's not extreme at all."

  • Bushnell then repeatedly yelled, "Free Palestine."
  • Self-immolation is an extreme act of protest which has been used for decades. Michael Biggs, sociologist at the University of Oxford, said the act has proven to be effective in raising public awareness. He said:

"The very fact that we are talking about this shows that it breaks through. It has an impact."

  • Israel has killed over 29,000 Palestinians in Gaza since October. Jordan and international partners are airdropping food and medical supplies in Gaza this week as aid groups have warned that their resources are dwindling. Airdrops are often used as a last resort, given their inefficiency.

Updated Feb. 13, 2024, 3:30 p.m. EST

  • World leaders are meeting in Cairo to push for a ceasefire in Gaza. President Joe Biden said he would do "everything possible" to make a ceasefire occur. After meeting with Jordan's King Abdullah II, Biden reported that "key elements of the deal are on the table," but holes remain.
  • South Africa made an urgent request to the U.N.'s International Court of Justice to consider using its executive power to intervene in Rafah and to prevent further violation of the rights of Palestinians. 
  • U.K. Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron told the press that Israel is in breach of international law as it fails to provide food and water to Gazans. He said:

"The people who are in Rafah on many occasions have already moved three, four or five times. And it's not possible to move again, they can't go north because they'd be going back to homes that have been destroyed. They can't go south, because that would involve going into Egypt, which none of us want to see and the Egyptians do not want to see."

Updated Feb. 12, 2024, 9:30 a.m. EST

  • Israeli forces raided Rafah in southern Gaza to free two hostages held by Hamas. The military reported launching a "wave of attacks" to create cover for the operation, which killed dozens of Palestinians.
  • Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signaled that Israeli ground forces would soon enter Rafah, which has created alarm and panic among Palestinians who were told to seek shelter there and have nowhere else to flee. Netanyahu promised to offer Palestinians safe passage to northern areas of Gaza before the Rafah invasion but provided no details of the plans.
  • Netanyahu has ignored warnings from Israel's allies, including the U.S. and UK, to halt plans to send troops into Rafah. 

Updated Feb. 9, 2024, 9:45 a.m. EST

  • The Biden administration said on Thursday that it would not support Israel's plans for military operations in Rafah – a southern city where more than half of the Gazan population has sought shelter.
  • John Kirby, White House spokesperson, told reporters:

"Given the circumstances and the conditions there that we see right now, we think a military operation at this time would be disater for those people."

  • Similarly, U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres said an offensive into Rafah would create a "gigantic tragedy." He said:

"Half of Gaza's population is now crammed into Rafah. They have nowhere to go. They have no homes — and they have no hope. They are living in overcrowded makeshift shelters, in unsanitary conditions without running water, electricity and adequate food supplies."

  • Biden himself grew his criticism of Israel's attack on Gaza, calling military operations "over the top." He added:

"There are a lot of innocent people who are starving. There are a lot of innocent people who are in trouble and dying. And it's got to stop."

  • As Israel-Hamas negotiations continue, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a Hamas proposal that called for a long-term ceasefire and for Palestinian hostages in Israel to be returned to Gaza.
  • Miki Zohar, an Israeli government minister, signaled that some officials are more open than others. He said:

"There is agreement among members of the governing coalition, and particularly among individual members of the government, that we do have to get the hostages back and to make a deal. But not at any price. Stopping the war, for example, they won't agree to."

Updated Feb. 6, 2024, 11:00 a.m. EST

  • Israeli officials reported that they believe at least 32 of the 136 hostages being held in Gaza have died. 
  • An analysis of videos posted on social media found Israeli soldiers celebrating and mocking the destruction of Gaza. IDF soldiers can be seen vandalizing local shops and classrooms, making derogatory comments about Palestinians, bulldozing civilian areas, and more. Human rights experts are raising concerns about the glorification of the destruction, and the destruction itself.
  • A senior Israeli minister stated that the IDF's ground invasion was moving further south, extending to the southernmost city of Rafah, where hundreds of thousands of people are seeking shelter.
  • U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is pursuing a ceasefire agreement, meeting with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar leaders – mediators in the Gaza war. Hamas conveyed to Qatar and Egypt that it wants Israel to guarantee its withdrawal before hostages are released. Blinken is due in Israel later this week for more negotiations. 
  • The U.S. is also attempting to prevent further tension elsewhere in the Middle East. 
  • Gaza's Health Ministry has confirmed that at least 27,585 Palestinians have been killed by Israel's relentless attack. Thousands more civilians are feared to be buried under rubble throughout the Strip.

Updated Feb. 1, 2024, 4:45 p.m. EST

  • President Biden issued an executive order against Israelis in the West Bank who have been targeting Palestinians. The order initially imposed financial sanctions and visa bans against four individuals. 
  • Palestinian authorities have reported Israeli groups torching cars, attacking small communities, and forcing evacuations. 
  • In the order, Biden said the extremist violence has "reached intolerable levels and constitutes a serious threat to peace, security and stability of the West Bank and Gaza, Israel, and the broader Middle East region."
  • Amid Washington's growing frustration at Israel's actions, U.S. officials said they were evaluating whether to punish more individuals involved in the attacks that have intensified during the Israel-Hamas war. 
  • The Biden administration has been facing criticism for its unwavering support of Israel and lack of action to protect Palestinians. 

Updated Jan. 29, 2024, 10:00 a.m. EST

  • Israel has accused the U.N. of aiding Hamas in the Oct. 7 attack. Several states, including the U.S., have suspended funding to the agency following the accusations.
  • The United Nations Relief and Works Agency warned that it will no longer be operable in Gaza if funding doesn't resume.
  • More than 26,600 people have been killed in Gaza since the beginning of the war. Thousands more are missing, presumed dead.

Updated Jan. 24, 2024, 10:00 a.m. EST

  • A spokesperson for Israel said the government has ruled out a ceasefire, despite reports that hostage negotiations are progressing, and ignoring the repeated calls from global leaders for Israel to cease its attack on Gaza.
  • Spokesperson Ilana Stein said in a briefing:

"Commenting on reported ceasefire agreements, Israel will not give up on the destruction of Hamas, the return of all hostages, and there will be no security threat from Gaza towards Israel. There will be no ceasefire. In the past there were pauses for humanitarian purposes. That agreement was breached by Hamas."

  • World Health Organization regional director Ahmed Al-Mandhari said Israel is continuing to target health institutions in Gaza, which is a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law. Mandhari said the situation in the Strip continues to be catastrophic. Roughly 5% of workers in medical institutions remain, and patients are dying from a lack of medicine. He urged WHO's pleas for more resources and a ceasefire to be answered. 
  • Ashraf al-Qidra, a spokesperson for the Gaza health ministry, said in a statement:

"The occupation is isolating hospitals in Khan Younis and carrying out massacres in the western area of the city...Hundreds of injuries, patients, and childbirth cases face serious complications due to the lack of access to Nasser medical complex."

Updated Jan. 8, 2024, 4:30 p.m. EST

  • On Monday, an Israeli military chief spokesperson said the nation is going to scale back the widespread offensive in Palestine, vowing a changed tactic in southern Gaza. 
  • Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said that the Israeli campaign has already begun transitioning to fewer ground troops and airstrikes, and will allow more humanitarian aid through to Gaza. The announcement came hours before U.S. Secretary of State Anthony J. Blinken was scheduled to arrive in Israel to convince leaders to de-escalate the war.
  • The statement came with few details, making it unclear whether Israel’s actions would be less dangerous for Gaza’s civilians. The U.N. noted that as of the end of December, nearly 85% of Gazans have been displaced.
  • Aid groups, including Doctors Without Borders, withdrew from Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, saying it was too dangerous to continue operations. 
  • Head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Ghebreyesus, said agency staff who visited Gaza’s hospitals on Sunday saw “sickening scenes of people of all ages being treated on blood-streaked floors and in chaotic corridors.” He continued:

“The bloodbath in Gaza must end.”

  • The admiral denied that Israel was committing genocide. 
  • Hezbollah said one of its commanders had been killed in a blast in southern Lebanon – the latest in the escalating tension that is raising fears of a regional war. The group identified the leader as Wissam al-Tawil with no further details. 

Updated Jan. 3, 2024, 3:30 p.m. CT

  • Leader of Hezbollah, Hasan Nasrallah, spoke on the death of Hamas deputy head Saleh al-Arouri, saying it will "not go unpunished."
  • Nasrallah said the death of Arouri, who died in a drone attack in Beirut, was a "major, dangerous crime about which we cannot be silent." The leader added that if Israel wages war on Lebanon, "there will be no ceilings, no rules" to Hezbollah's response. He continued in a televised address:

"We are not afraid of war...Those who think of going to war with us will regret it. War with us will come at a very high cost."

  • On Wednesday, the IDF said it was "defending its borders" from a number of missiles launched from Lebanon.

Updated Jan. 2, 2023, 12:00 p.m. CT

  • An explosion in the southern suburbs of Beirut killed Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Arouri. Hamas confirmed that he, along with three others, were killed in the blast at the Hamas office in Dahiyeh. Al-Arouri was deputy head of Hamas’ political bureau and was deeply involved in military affairs.
  • Intense fighting continues in Gaza, even as Israel announced plans to pull back some troops, a possible sign of a scaled-back offensive. Gaza’s residents said airstrikes from Israeli forces persist, threatening their livelihood. 
  • The leader of Hamas maintains that hostages will only be released under conditions stated by the group itself, which is based on “a complete cessation of the aggression” against Palestinians. 
  • The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said five people were killed in an Israeli bombing of the humanitarian organization’s headquarters in Khan Younis, a city south of the Gaza Strip. 
  • On Jan. 1, Israel’s Supreme Court struck down a law that would limit its own powers in an 8-7 ruling, pitting the court against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government. The law, approved last July by Netanyahu, aimed to transform the country’s fundamental judiciary system by barring judges from using a particular legal standard to overrule decisions made by government ministers. The court held that the change would have led to “severe and unprecedented harm to the core characteristics of Israel as a democratic state.”

Updated Dec. 21, 2023, 10:30 a.m. EST

  • Hamas has rejected the prospect of releasing further hostages until Israel agrees to end the war. In a statement shared on Telegram, Hamas wrote:

"There is a Palestinian national decision that there should be no talk about prisoners or exchange deals except after a comprehensive cessation of aggression."

  • It is unclear what other Palestinian organizations the statement refers to.
  • Negotiations are currently taking place in Cairo, Egypt. Around 120 Israeli hostages are believed to be in captivity in Gaza, and roughly 129 hostages in Israel. It is believed that 21 are dead.
  • Israel has repeatedly rejected a permanent ceasefire with Hamas.
  • The Gaza Health Ministry said the death toll in the Strip has reached 20,000 since Israel launched its attack on Palestine. 

Updated Dec. 19, 2023, 10:30 a.m. EST

  • U.N. officials are expressing anger about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. They are emphasizing how people do not have basic supplies to care for injuries, and how those in recovery are being killed by the ongoing conflict. 
  • James Elder, a spokesperson for UNICEF, said on Tuesday:

"I'm furious that children who are recovering from amputations in hospitals are then killed in those hospitals."

  • Israeli strikes have killed roughly 30 Palestinians in southern Gaza. The IDF raided one of the last functioning hospitals in the north.
  • Sirens sounded in Tel Aviv on Tuesday after Hamas said it launched a flurry of rockets into Israel. There was no immediate word of casualties or damage caused by the incident.
  • The Yemen-based and Iranian-backed Houthi group is attacking vessels in the Red Sea in response to Israel's attack on the Gaza Strip, threatening the global supply chain.

Updated Dec. 15, 2023, 10:00 a.m. EST

  • Ground communications are down again in the Gaza Strip. This is the sixth time since the Israel-Hamas war began in October that Gazans have been cut off from communication and information services. The blackout severely hampers efforts to alleviate the humanitarian crisis.
  • On Friday, President Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, sidestepped questions about the U.S.'s calls to Israel to scale back its attack on Gaza. Sullivan declined to discuss the timeline of Israel de-escalating its campaign, but said the next phase of the conflict would be more focused on targeting Hamas senior leadership. 
  • Earlier this week, the Biden administration called on Israel to end its ground and air attacks in Gaza.

Updated Dec. 8, 2023, 9:30 a.m. EST

  • A video emerged on social media yesterday showing dozens of Palestinian men detained by the Israeli military, stripped to their underwear, kneeling on the ground, and being held at gunpoint. 
  • Israeli government spokesman Eylon Levy said the men were detained in Jabalia and Shejaiya in northern Gaza, which Levy described as "Hamas strongholds and centres of gravity." He said the detained men were found in areas where the IDF and Hamas were in close combat, and the men were "deliberately disguising themselves as civilians."
  • A local media source said one of the men is a respected journalist. BBC reported that some of the men have been released. 
  • IDF spokesperson said the military destroyed buildings and infrastructure at Al-Azhar University, which he claims is used by Hamas.
  • Fighting is continuing in the southern city of Khan Younis, where Palestinians in the north were told to flee to safety. 
  • U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken continues to press Israel to do more to protect Palestinian civilians.

Updated Dec. 6, 2023, 9:30 a.m. EST

  • Israeli forces are attacking southern Gaza, the region where Palestinians were told to seek shelter.
  • Hamas and the IDF are fighting in house-to-house battles along the Strip. Both sides are bombing to slow down the other, worsening conditions for civilians. 
  • Gaza's health ministry said that 70% of the 1,200 Palestinians who have been killed since the fighting resumed after the pause have been women and children. The U.N. said nowhere in Gaza is safe anymore. The Human Rights Office said:

"[T]he pattern of attacks that target or impact on civilian infrastructure raises serious concerns about Israel's compliance with international humanitarian law and significantly raises the risk of atrocity crimes."

  • The Biden administration is urging Israel to take more protective measures to limit civilian casualties. U.N. top aid official Martin Griffiths said the IDF's attack in the south is just as devastating for the Palestinian population as the attacks in the north, and U.S. diplomacy is making no difference to the outcome. 

Updated Dec. 4, 2023, 10:00 a.m. EST

  • An invasion in southern Gaza looms as the IDF says it will expand ground operations 'all across the Gaza Strip.' Israel continues to order evacuations as IDF warplanes struck targets in southern Gaza on Monday.
  • The Israeli military posted the evacuation orders with a map of Gaza, which divided the territory into 2,400 zones, advising residents to pay attention to which zones were under active combat and which would be safe for evacuation. The U.N. said the map was unclear, adding that due to electricity and communication disruptions, many Gazans would not see the map at all. 
  • Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have sought shelter in southern Gaza since the start of the war on Oct. 7.
  • The U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees said that there are 1.1 million internally displaced people — half of Gaza's total population — registered in 156 U.N. facilities across the Strip.
  • On Sunday, the IDF said it destroyed more than 60% of the Hamas tunnel shafts. 

Updated Dec. 1, 2023, 10:00 a.m. EST

  • The weeklong pause in the Israel-Hamas war is over, and both sides are blaming each other for the resumed fighting. 
  • Moments before the truce expired, Israel said it intercepted a projectile from Gaza. Shortly after, Israel restarted military operations with airstrikes across the Strip. Since the battle has resumed, more than 100 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. 
  • The World Health Organization is warning that Gaza's health system is on the brink of collapse, resembling a "horror movie." The U.N. called the renewed fighting "catastrophic."

Updated Nov. 30, 2023, 9:30 a.m. EST

  • Israel and Hamas agreed to extend the truce in Gaza. Qatar said the two sides approved the extension for one additional day under the same conditions.

Updated Nov. 29, 2023, 5:00 p.m. EST

  • The extended pause in fighting is set to expire on Thursday. Mediators are pushing for another truce in hopes of getting out more hostages and getting more aid into Gaza.
  • Some officials hope another pause will lead to talks on ending the war. However, Israeli officials have promised to continue attacking Gaza until Hamas is eliminated. 
  • As of Tuesday, Hamas released at least 85 Israelis, and Israel released 180 Palestinians. 

Updated Nov. 27, 2023, 1:00 p.m. EST

"The State of Qatar announces, as part of the ongoing mediation, an agreement has been reached to extend the humanitarian truce for an additional two days in the Gaza Strip."

  • Hamas confirmed in a statement that it agreed to a pause under the same conditions as the previous one.

Updated Nov. 27, 2023, 9:30 a.m. EST

  • The truce between Israel and Hamas is in its final hours today. The agreement reached last week called for Hamas to release 50 Israeli women and children in exchange for 150 Palestinian women and detainees under 19 from Israeli jails. 
  • Hamas freed 39 Israeli hostages over the weekend and 17 non-Israelis, including a four-year-old Israeli-American, three Thai nationals, and a Russian citizen. Israel freed 117 Palestinian prisoners. 
  • Talks are ongoing about continuing the pause. Hamas said it is willing to extend, while U.S. President Joe Biden is hoping to continue the halt until all hostages are released. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would welcome an extension if Hamas agreed to release an additional 10 captives every day. 
  • Both sides have taken issue with the names presented for the final day of hostage exchanges. Officials from Qatar, the lead mediator, are trying to address the differences.
  • Netanyahu made it clear that the IDF will resume fighting after the pause ends to "eliminate" Hamas. 
  • Over 100 trucks carrying aid crossed from Egypt into Gaza on Sunday. Biden said:

"Critically needed aid is going in and hostages are coming out. And this deal is structured so that it can be extended to keep building on these results."

Updated Nov. 22, 2023, 10:15 a.m. EST

  • A hostage deal has been reached, which will see the release of 50 hostages being held by Hamas in exchange for 150 Palestinian women and children being held prisoner in Israel. It will also include a four-day pause in fighting.
  • A spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces said that this is an “operational pause” rather than a ceasefire and that the final details are still being ironed out. Israel has not confirmed when the fighting will stop.
  • Lt Col Richard Hecht, an IDF spokesperson, said:

“We still have probably, maybe a day-plus before this thing matures, and things can happen in that day. And I assume today is going to be a day of fighting in Gaza.”

  • U.S. officials confirm they will pause their surveillance drone flights over Gaza for six hours each day during the temporary pause in fighting.
  • The pause will allow fuel and humanitarian aid to enter the Gaza Strip.
  • Hostages’ families or any other citizens have 24 hours to appeal to the Israeli Supreme Court to object to the deal.

Updated Nov. 21, 2023, 9:45 a.m. EST

  • Qatar's foreign ministry has said that hostage negotiations are at a "critical and final stage."
  • The deal is said to include a multi-day pause in fighting, and the release of 50 hostages in exchange for Palestinian women and children being held in Israel. There are a total of 83 Palestinian women and 380 teenagers under the age of 18 imprisoned by Israel in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Israel, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Club, an NGO.
  • Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reservists:

"We are making progress. I don't think it's worth saying too much, not even at this moment, but I hope there will be good news soon."

  • WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the organization was "appalled" by the attack on the Indonesian Hospital, saying that "health workers and civilians should never have to be exposed to such horror."
  • Over 50 journalists have been killed since Oct. 7, in what has been the deadliest time for journalists since the Committee to Protect Journalists began tracking deaths in 1992.
  • More children have been killed in Gaza in one month than in any other conflict annually since 2019.
  • A U.N.-run school in Gaza's Bureij refugee camp used to shelter displaced Palestinians was hit on Monday, with an unknown number of residents killed.
  • Russia's state-owned news agency Tass quoted Putin's calls for a ceasefire:

"The death of thousands of people, the mass expulsion of civilians and the humanitarian catastrophe that has erupted cause deep concern."

Updated Nov. 20, 2023, 9:30 a.m. EST

  • Israel has released videos that it claims show hostages and a Hamas tunnel network at Al-Shifa. Israel says the videos are proof that the hospital is the site of a Hamas command center.
  • Twenty-eight premature babies have been evacuated from the besieged Al-Shifa Hospital to Egypt via the Rafah border crossing. The babies are being cared for at Al-Ahli Emirates Hospital in Rafah.
  • The Hamas-run health ministry says the death toll is now above 13,000 since the Israeli invasion began, and that an overnight Israeli air strike on the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza killed 12 people. Indonesia has condemned the attack, calling it a violation of humanitarian law.
  • According to observers, the Indonesian Hospital remains the site of a siege, with armored military vehicles surrounding the building and snipers stationed on nearby roofs. Thousands of people are sheltering in the hospital.
  • Michael Herzog, Israel's ambassador to the U.S., said he is hopeful about an impending hostage release. Mark Regev, a senior adviser to Netanyahu, said:

“The reason people are a bit more upbeat about it is because Hamas needs a ceasefire. They need some time to rest and regroup. There will be a ceasefire only if there is a release of our hostages.”

Updated Nov. 17, 2023, 10:00 a.m. EST

  • According to the Hamas-run health ministry, IDF troops are searching the underground levels of Al-Shifa Hospital. Observers say troops have been questioning patients and staff sheltering in the hospital.
  • Israel said they found military equipment, information, and footage of the hostages during their search. Israel released a photo and video of an “operational tunnel shaft,” which it said was found inside the hospital complex.
  • Lt. Col. Amnon Shefler said:

“We have already found 300 shafts that go into these tunnels, most of them booby trappers, including in the vicinity of that hospital.”

  • Hamas said Israel’s statements are “nothing but a continuation of the lies and cheap propaganda, through which [Israel] is trying to give justification for its crime aimed at destroying the health sector in Gaza.”
  • According to CNN, U.S. intelligence says it has collected information that suggests Hamas was using Al-Shifa Hospital as a command node.
  • Yesterday morning, the IDF said fighter jets struck the house of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
  • On Wednesday, Yoav Gallant, Israel’s Defense Minister, said the operation would eventually “include both the north and south.”
  • The U.N.’s human rights chief, Volker Türk, warned that “massive outbreaks of infectious disease, and hunger” are on the horizon in Gaza. Two-thirds of the Gaza Strip’s population of 2.3 million have been made homeless since the war began.

Updated Nov. 16, 2023, 9:30 a.m. EST

  • The Israel Defense Forces are searching the Al-Shifa Hospital for a second day. They say that the hospital harbors a secret Hamas base and subterranean fortifications, but has yet to produce evidence of this publicly. The argument that Hamas has a base at the hospital is central to the IDF's defense of its actions.
  • The IDF said it had taken "operational control" of the harbor in Gaza City.
  • Yesterday, the U.N. Security Council called for an immediate, multi-day humanitarian pause in the fighting to allow much-needed aid to reach civilians. The U.S. abstained from voting on the resolution, which passed without its vote.
  • Yair Lapid, who leads Israel's parliamentary opposition, spoke critically of Benjamin Netanyahu:

"Israel has lost faith in the prime minister. We cannot allow ourselves to conduct an extended war with a prime minister that the public does not trust."

Updated Nov. 15, 2023, 10:00 a.m. EST

  • Israeli forces entered the Al-Shifa Hospital overnight. Hundreds of staff and patients remain in the hospital, and some have been shot at when trying to leave, according to witnesses. The IDF went from room to room, questioning people on site. 
  • The IDF says that Hamas is operating a command center under the hospital, a claim Hamas and the hospital staff deny.
  • Israeli troops are continuing what they claim to be the "precise and targeted operation against Hamas in a specified area in the Shifa Hospital, in which they are conducting searches for Hamas terror infrastructure and weapons."
  • The World Health Organization said it had lost contact with health personnel in the hospital.
  • Leaders from the U.N., Turkey, and Jordan have condemned Israel's attack on Al-Shifa Hospital.
  • Qatari mediators are trying to arrange a ceasefire and hostage release. The deal is being coordinated with the U.S. and would involve the release of 50 civilian hostages in exchange for a three-day ceasefire. Under the terms of the agreement, several Palestinian women and children would be released from Israeli jails.
  • Dr. Ahmed Mokhallalati, a doctor at the besieged Al-Shifa Hospital, told the BBC he was conducting surgeries yesterday with light sedation and that patients were "screaming in pain." Six premature babies have died in recent days because the hospital lacks the electricity to run incubators.
  • At least 25,000 liters of fuel have entered southern Gaza through the Rafah crossing, the first shipment of its kind since the siege began. U.N. trucks can now be refueled, but Israel is still prohibiting the fuel from being distributed to hospitals, water pumps, or sanitation facilities.
  • Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNWRA, the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, said:

"Our entire operation is now on the verge of collapse. By the end of today, around 70 percent of the population in Gaza won't have access to clean water."

  • Heavy rain has begun to fall on Gaza, which humanitarian workers worry will make the situation on the ground worse for the hundreds of thousands of displaced people.

Updated Nov. 14, 2023, 12:30 p.m. EST

  • Israeli forces have reached Al-Shifa Hospital while hundreds of people, including dozens of babies, remain trapped inside. Palestinian officials say the hospital is surrounded by heavy gunfire, making evacuation nearly impossible. The hospital has been cut off from electricity, and incubators for premature babies are non-operational.
  • The World Health Organization has said that forcing seriously ill patients to flee hospitals would be akin to a “death sentence.”
  • The IDF has been adamant that Hamas operates bunkers underneath the hospital, a claim denied by both hospital staff and Hamas. 
  • On Monday, Biden said:

“It’s my hope and expectation that there will be less intrusive action relative to the hospital. The hospital must be protected.”

  • The IDF confirmed that Israeli hostage Noa Marciano, 19, has died in Gaza. Hamas says she died in Israeli airstrikes.
  • UNICEF noted that over 700,000 children are now displaced within the Gaza Strip.
  • The Palestinian-run health authority stated that 11,000 people have been killed in Gaza, 40% of them children.
  • The U.N. said its fuel supplies will run out by today, impacting millions of people.

Updated Nov. 13, 2023, 12:00 p.m. EST

  • The Palestine Red Crescent Society said that attempts to evacuate the patients at Al-Quds Hospital have failed due to “continued shelling and shooting” by Israeli forces. They stated that the hospital is no longer operational due to fuel shortages.
  • The World Health Organization says that Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest in the Gaza Strip, "is not functioning as a hospital anymore” due to constant gunfire in the area. Three babies have died in the hospital because they could not receive intensive care.
  • Janez Lenarcic, the European commissioner for crisis management, urged for a more meaningful humanitarian pause. He said:

“Fuel needs to get in. As you could see, more than half of the hospitals in the Gaza Strip stopped working, primarily because of lack of fuel, and fuel is desperately needed.”

  • On Sunday, the EU condemned Hamas for using medical facilities and civilians as “human shields.”
  • The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said its fuel depot will run out in a few days and that the agency will no longer be able to resupply hospitals, remove sewage, and provide drinking water to the residents of Gaza. UNRWA is currently sheltering nearly 800,000 people.
  • The Israeli Defense Forces say that 44 Israeli soldiers have died since ground operations began.

Updated Nov. 9, 2023, 12:00 p.m. EST

  • The Israeli military said they took control of a Hamas outpost in Jabalia in Northern Gaza after ten hours of fighting.
  • The Rafah border crossing is closed, but Israel has reopened an evacuation road that enables residents to move southwards from northern Gaza. Yesterday, roughly 50,000 people managed to evacuate by taking this route.
  • The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says that over 10,500 people have now been killed in the Strip since the war began.
  • Volker Türk, the U.N. commissioner for human rights, said Israel and Hamas are both guilty of committing war crimes.
  • Raids continue in the West Bank, particularly in the Jenin refugee camp. Since the beginning of the war, 150 Palestinians, including 44 children, have been killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank. 
  • Qatar has continued to mediate hostage talks between Hamas and Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains steadfast in his refusal to grant a ceasefire until hostages are released, saying last night:

“I want to put to the side all sorts of idle rumors that we are hearing from all sorts of directions, and repeat one clear thing: there will be no ceasefire without the release of our hostages.”

  • Carla Del Ponte and Graham Blewitt, two former international prosecutors, have called on the international criminal court to issue arrest warrants for political and military leaders of Israel and Hamas.

Updated Nov. 8, 2023, 2:45 p.m. EST

  • Palestinians are continuing to flee Gaza City along the Salah-al-Din Road. Israel gave residents a four-hour window to leave the city, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. local time, as it prepares for more targeted attacks. The IDF has warned that "time is running out to evacuate," adding that they have destroyed 130 Hamas tunnels since they began the offensive campaign.
  • The Palestinian Red Crescent Society has accused Israeli forces of targeting aid vehicles carrying "lifesaving medical supplies."
  • Kamala Harris had a call with Israel's President Isaac Herzog, in which she reiterated American support for Israel's right to defend itself against terrorism. In the call, Harris also "emphasized the importance of protecting civilian lives and respecting international humanitarian law."
  • Doctors Without Borders lost a colleague to airstrikes in a refugee camp. The organization renewed its call for a ceasefire, saying:

"It is clear that no place in Gaza is safe from brutal and indiscriminate bombing."

  • U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with G7 leaders and pushed for a humanitarian pause. He said:

"Ultimately the only way to ensure that this crisis never happens again is to begin setting the conditions for durable peace and security and to frame our diplomatic efforts now with that in mind."

Updated Nov. 7, 2023, 1:30 p.m. EST

  • Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel will have "overall security responsibility" in Gaza after the war ends.
  • While he maintains that there will be no ceasefire, he referenced short humanitarian pauses:

"As far as tactical little pauses, an hour here, an hour there. We've had them before, I suppose, we'll check the circumstances in order to enable goods, humanitarian goods to come in, or our hostages, individual hostages to leave."

  • The U.N. is decrying the inhumane conditions in the Gaza Strip and confirmed that 70% of residents are now displaced. The agency spoke of the public health crisis:

"UNRWA shelters have reported thousands of cases of acute respiratory, skin infections, diarrhea, and chicken pox."

  • Ninety-three trucks of humanitarian aid were delivered from the Egyptian Red Crescent to the Palestine Red Crescent team on Monday. The Rafah crossing reopened yesterday after being temporarily closed over the weekend due to an Israeli airstrike that hit an ambulance.
  • South Africa has recalled its ambassador and diplomatic mission to Israel, accusing the country of committing genocide in Gaza.
  • A U.N. official said that most residents of Gaza were living on two pieces of bread a day and were begging for water.
  • The World Health Organization has said that over 160 healthcare workers have been killed on duty since the conflict began.

Updated Nov. 6, 2023, 2:00 p.m. EST

  • Over 10,000 people have been killed in Gaza, including 4,000 children, since Israel began its airstrike campaign in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Over 1.5 million people have been displaced.
  • U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said Gaza was “becoming a graveyard for children.”
  • Israel confirmed that its troops had reached the Gaza coastline and split the enclave between “north” and “south” zones in its ongoing ground operation. 
  • Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to refuse to consider a ceasefire until all hostages are released.
  • Since Oct. 7, over 9,000 rockets have been fired at Israel, according to government officials. This has led to the evacuations of 245,000 people. 
  • Government spokesman Eylon Levy said:

“We do not see a conflict between the desire to take into account the humanitarian needs of the citizens in Gaza and the continuation of the fighting. We continue to produce humanitarian corridors.”

  • Gaza’s Health Minister said that 16 out of 35 hospitals in the Strip are out of service.

Updated Nov. 3, 2023, 12:30 p.m. EST

  • Amid world leaders calling for a ceasefire, Netanyahu said Israel rejects the request to halt the attack on Gaza. The prime minister said during a televised address:

"Israel refuses a temporary ceasefire that does not include the return of our hostages."

  • Hamas still holds over 240 hostages that were taken on Oct. 7. 
  • Netanyahu stated this after talks with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who called for a pause on the attack so humanitarian aid could get through to injured civilians. 

Updated Nov. 2, 2023, 1:30 p.m. EST

  • The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza said more than 9,000 people have been killed in the Strip since Oct. 7. 
  • Israeli soldiers are in "face-to-face" battles with Hamas as the military continues to advance around Gaza City. The IDF claims it's targeting Hamas infrastructure and minimizing civilian deaths. 
  • Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu said troops are at "the height of battle" in the Gaza ground offensive. A statement released by his office said:

"We've had impressive successes and have passed the outskirts of Gaza City."

  • Gaza's border crossing authority released the names of around 600 foreign nationals allowed to leave through the Rafah crossing on Thursday, along with some injured Palestinians.
  • U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken plans to urge the Israeli government to briefly pause military operations in Gaza to allow for hostages to be released and for humanitarian aid to be handed out. 

Updated Nov. 1, 2023, 12:30 p.m. EST

  • Egypt, Hamas, and Israel agreed to a deal mediated by Qatar and U.S. officials to open up the Rafah border crossing to evacuate people trapped in the Gaza Strip. Injured civilians and foreign passport holders, including some Americans, are set to leave.
  • The deal covers "several days" of transfers and up to 500 people per day, according to a source briefed on the matter.
  • Another outage hit Gaza, taking out internet and phone services, and leaving overflowing hospitals desperate for fuel. 

Updated Oct. 31, 2023, 4:00 p.m. EST

  • On Tuesday morning, Israel said it hit 300 targets in Gaza overnight through airstrikes and ground offensives. The Israeli military struck the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, an area where Israel told people to leave for their safety, killing the leader of Hamas' central Jabalia unit, Ibrahim Biari, and other Hamas fighters.
  • The refugee camp is the largest of eight in Gaza. As of July 2023, just over 116,000 Palestinian refugees were registered there by the U.N.
  • The Hamas-run health ministry said that hundreds of people were killed and injured — the exact amount unknown. People are continuing to search the rubble for survivors.  
  • U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres released a statement saying he is "deeply alarmed" by the intensification of the conflict in Gaza and called again for a ceasefire. He said:

"This includes the expansion of ground operations by the Israel Defense Forces accompanied by intense air strikes, and the continued rocket fire towards Israel from Gaza…International humanitarian law establishes clear rules that cannot be ignored. It is not an a la carte menu and cannot be applied selectively."

  • The General Authority for Crossings and Borders in Gaza said that 81 Gazans with serious injuries will be allowed to enter Egypt to receive treatment via the Rafah border crossing.
  • An Egyptian medical official told AFP:

"Medical teams will be present tomorrow at the crossing to examine the cases coming (from Gaza) as soon as they arrive... and determine the hospitals they will be sent to."

  • Abu Obeida, the spokesperson for al-Qassam Brigades, said in a televised statement that Hamas's armed wing plans to release several foreign hostages “in the next year days.”
  • Craig Mokhiber, a director of a U.N. New York office, resigned in protest, citing the organization's failure to prevent mass atrocities, protect the vulnerable, and hold perpetrators accountable.

Updated Oct. 30, 2023, 1:15 p.m. EST

  • Israeli troops attacked northern Gaza from both sides on Monday after starting their major ground offensive on Palestine over the weekend. Israeli military officials said they’ve killed four prominent Hamas operatives and struck more than 600 militant targets. IDF said in an update:

“IDF troops killed dozens of terrorists who barricaded themselves in buildings and tunnels, and attempted to attack the troops.”

  • Israel has repeated warnings for civilians to move south as the military continues to advance into Gaza and intensify airstrikes on the region.
  • The death toll in Palestine has exceeded 8,000, most of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. In the West Bank, more than 110 Palestinians have been killed in violent Israeli raids. More than 1,400 people in Israel were killed, mainly during the initial Hamas rampage on Oct. 7.
  • Israel cut off water and electricity in the Gaza Strip, leaving 2.3 million people desperate for aid. Thousands broke into U.N. warehouses and distribution centers in Palestine, searching for “basic survival items,” said the organization. 

“This is a worrying sign that civil order is starting to break down after three weeks of war and a tight siege on Gaza.”

  • On Sunday, 33 trucks with food, water, and medicine entered Palestine from Egypt. Witnesses in Gaza report Israeli tanks cutting the main road attaching Gaza City from southern Palestine, effectively isolating the region. The international criminal court’s top prosecutor, Karim Khan, said if this report is accurate, Israel’s actions to impede humanitarian aid could constitute a war crime. 

Updated Oct. 27, 2023, 12:45 p.m. EST

  • The Israeli military conducted "targeted raids" inside Northern Gaza for the second night in a row, hitting Hamas infrastructure and military command centers. The raids were conducted to "prepare the battlefield" for an anticipated full-scale ground invasion.
  • EU leaders are meeting for the second day of a summit in Brussels to discuss various issues, including the Israel-Gaza War. The EU has announced that they will provide an additional $52 million in humanitarian aid for Gaza. The French government is sending 50 tons of support, including medicine, tents, and food, to Gaza. It is due to fly to Egypt on Saturday. 
  • The International Committee of the Red Cross has confirmed that a 10-person team of medical staff and experts crossed into Gaza today to offer desperately needed care.
  • Philippe Lazzarini, head of the U.N. Relief Works Agency for Palestine Refugee, warned:

"Over the last week, I followed closely the focus about the number of trucks entering Gaza. Many of us saw in these trucks a glimmer of hope. This is, however, becoming a distraction. These show trucks are nothing more than crumbs that would not make a difference for the 2 million people [of Gaza]."

"Food and water are running out. The streets of Gaza have started overflowing with sewage. Gaza is on the brink of a massive health hazard as the risks of diseases are looming."

  • White House national security spokesman John Kirby said that the U.S. is "not dictating terms" to Israel in reference to a potential ground invasion. 
  • The U.S. military launched airstrikes early this morning on two locations in eastern Syria that are linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps.
  • The Islamic University of Gaza has been destroyed. Israeli army bulldozers ran over the memorial of late Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank.

Updated Oct. 26, 2023, 1:00 p.m. EST

  • The death toll in Gaza is now over 7,000 people, with 3,000 children among the dead.
  • The Israeli army shot and killed a 17-year-old Palestinian during a raid on the Jalazone refugee camp inside the occupied West Bank.
  • Israel's military conducted an overnight ground raid targeting Hamas positions inside Gaza and identified 224 hostages being held in the Strip. 
  • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that the army is preparing for a ground invasion.
  • In a speech last night, Netanyahu said that Israel has "already eliminated thousands of terrorists – and this is only the beginning."
  • Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called Israel's assault "barbaric" and stated that the West is not calling for a ceasefire or abiding by international law because the blood spilled in Gaza is the "blood of Muslims."
  • The leaders of 27 EU member states will meet in Brussels to discuss the war. The EU's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, has been vocal about calling for a humanitarian ceasefire. There remains apprehension among the member countries about how a ceasefire might improve Hamas' positions.
  • China will provide $2 million in aid for Gaza on top of the $1 million that has already been provided.
  • Twelve more aid trucks crossed into Gaza this morning, but still no fuel deliveries.

Updated Oct. 25, 2023, 12:00 p.m. EST

  • Over 6,546 Palestinians have been killed since the beginning of the war in Gaza.
  • Israel is halting visas for U.N. officials following Secretary-General António Guterres' comments about how the Hamas attacks did not "happen in a vacuum."
  • The U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) warned that its humanitarian operations in Gaza may be forced to halt if fuel is not delivered by tonight. Gaza needs at least 42,267 gallons of fuel a day.
  • Six hospitals have already been forced to close due to a lack of fuel, putting thousands of lives at risk. Yesterday, UNRWA wrote on X:

"If we do not get fuel urgently, we will be forced to halt our operations in the #GazaStrip as of tomorrow night. Fuel deliveries must be let in to ensure people have clean drinking water, hospitals can remain open and life-saving aid operations can continue."

  • 39% of schools in the Gaza Strip have been damaged since the war began, and 625,000 children are not currently attending school.
  • Over 600,000 people are internally displaced in the Gaza Strip, sheltering in 150 UNRWA facilities.
  • Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that countries outside of the region were "adding fuel to fire." He canceled his upcoming trip to Israel and stated that Hamas is a "liberation group," not a terrorist organization.
  • Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said that more children have died in Gaza than Ukraine and condemned the international community for "acting as if the lives of Palestinian children do not count, as if they are faceless or nameless."

Updated Oct. 24, 2023, 11:45 a.m. EST

  • The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza has said at least 5,087 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes since Oct. 7, including 2,055 children.
  • Hamas has released two more hostages: Israeli citizens Nurit Yitzhak (also known as Nurit Cooper), 79, and Yocheved Lifschitz, 85, who were released on “humanitarian and poor health grounds.” The women were transported by the Red Cross to Gaza’s Rafah border crossing with Israel, after which they were reunited with family.
  • John Kirby, strategic communications coordinator for the National Security Council, said:

“The message was pretty clear to Hamas: ‘release all the hostages.’ That needs to be the first move here. We’re not talking about a ceasefire right now. In fact, we don’t believe that this is the time for a ceasefire.”.

  • Twenty trucks of humanitarian aid passed through the Rafah border crossing on Monday, but the shipments did not include fuel. The U.N. is worried that desalination plants and electricity generators will cease to function, affecting hospitals and critical services, until fuel arrives. 
  • Israeli soldiers are participating in training exercises to bolster their “readiness and capabilities for ground operations” in Gaza.

Updated Oct. 23, 2023, 9:00 a.m. EST

  • Israel has intensified airstrikes in the Gaza Strip, in addition to one on the West Bank city of Jenin on Sunday, where Israeli intelligence claimed a mosque was being used as a “terrorist compound” and harboring Hamas fighters.
  • Two people were killed, both of which Israel characterized as Hamas and Islamic Jihad groups preparing an “imminent terror attack.” Eighty-nine Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since Oct. 7.
  • The Hamas-run health ministry announced that 55 people were killed in an air strike overnight, bringing the death toll to 4,300 in the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, more than half of which are women and children.
  • The U.S. government is urging Israel to delay its planned ground operation in Gaza to allow more time for aid to reach the Strip and for further hostage negotiations. 
  • Judith Tai Raanan and 17-year-old Natalie Raanan, two American citizens who were being held hostage by Hamas, were released on Friday.
  • Israel’s President Isaac Herzog confirmed that a USB drive containing instructions for making chemical weapons to use on civilians was found on the body of a Hamas terrorist. 

Updated Oct. 20, 2023, 12:00 p.m. EST

  • After Biden and Egypt’s President Abdel Fatah el-Sissi reached an agreement to send aid to Gaza, truckloads of resources are waiting to cross into Palestine at the Rafah border crossing. 
  • Over two million Palestinians are in dire need of food, water, and medicine and are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the aid. U.N. chief Antonio Guterres called for assistance to be allowed into Gaza immediately. However, he expects the first shipment of aid to enter Gaza in “the next day or so.” He said:

“Civilians in Gaza lack all necessities of life. I call for a humanitarian cease-fire to deliver aid to Gaza.”

  • Negotiations over the delivery logistics are holding up the support, partly to address Israel’s condition of not getting resources into the hands of Hamas. Israel officials say they will not allow aid into Gaza via Israel’s border until Hamas releases the approximately 200 hostages captured during the Oct. 7 attack. The IDF says that 20 of the 200 are children.
  • The U.N.’s agency for Palestinian refugees called Gaza a “hellhole” for civilians, and time is running out. The region’s main power plant, desalination plants, and wastewater facilities have been inoperable for days while Israel releases near-constant airstrikes. 

Updated Oct. 19, 2023, 12:30 p.m. EST

  • Biden stated that he received information from the Pentagon that suggested the Israeli Defense Forces were not responsible for the Gaza hospital blast that killed hundreds of people.
  • Biden and Egyptian President Abdel Fatah el-Sissi reached an agreement to allow humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing. Aid will possibly start moving into the Strip on Friday. Lorries are building up at the border, waiting for entry.
  • Israeli airstrikes killed over 30 people and injured dozens in Rafah on Thursday morning. Three Palestinians were killed during clashes with Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank. The Health Ministry in Gaza places the current death toll at over 3,700.
  • The Israeli army announced that it has arrested 80 people in the occupied West Bank, 63 of whom were members of Hamas.
  • The IDF has notified the families of 203 people it believes are being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza.
  • Hamas has called for "a day of global solidarity for the children of Gaza" on Sunday.
  • The U.S. State Department issued a rare worldwide alert today, advising American citizens abroad to exercise caution, citing "increased tensions in various locations around the world, the potential for terrorist attacks, demonstrations or violent actions against US citizens and interests." The Senate will vote on a resolution affirming its support for Israel this afternoon. Read the resolution here.

Updated Oct. 18, 2023, 10:30 a.m. EST

  • The blast at the Al-Ahli al-Arabi Hospital has caused widespread panic throughout Gaza City. Hamas blames Israel for the explosion, while the Israel Defense Forces claim it was caused by a misfired Palestinian militant rocket.
  • President Biden, on a visit to the region, backed Israel's denial of involvement with the deadly blast. The visit was meant to calm tensions on both sides, but Arab leaders canceled meetings with the president. 
  • Hamas continues to fire rockets targeting Israel, while Israel continues to carry out heavy bombing across Gaza.

Updated Oct. 17, 2023, 3:45 p.m. EST

  • At least 500 people were killed by an explosion caused by Israeli authorities at a hospital in Gaza City, according to Palestinian reports. The Palestinian Health Ministry says the number of casualties will rise. The hospital was acting as a shelter for many civilians. 
  • A spokesman for Israel's military said they are "checking" if it is responsible for the deadly airstrike. 

Updated Oct. 17, 2023, 12:00 p.m. EST

  • Biden is scheduled to visit Israel to show support for the country and to urge Israeli leadership to consider the humanitarian needs of Gazan civilians. 
  • National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said Biden will:

“Speak to other leaders in the region about the humanitarian assistance that we want to make sure it gets into Gaza, about Israeli plans and intentions going forward, how this is unfolding on the ground.”

  • He continued:

"We don't want to see this conflict escalate and widen; there are no plans or intentions to put US boots on the ground in combat in Israel — everything we're doing right now is about sending a strong signal of deterrence.”

  • The U.S. Department of Defense has approximately 2,000 military personnel in a “heightened state of readiness” due to the war.
  • Hazem Qassem, the spokesperson for Hamas, told CNN:

"Unfortunately the U.S. administration and the U.S. President Biden took a very aggressive measure against the Palestinian people and fell for the Israeli narrative. His visit is only to support the Israelis financially and morally and to encourage the occupation to commit more massacres against our Palestinian brothers and sisters, children and the elderly."

  • The U.N. warns that food supplies in Gaza will last for less than a week, and bread is swiftly running out as only one of five flour mills in the Gaza Strip remains operational.
  • The security situation in Gaza is deteriorating, with nearly 3,000 people killed in Israeli airstrikes. 
  • Spain’s Foreign Affairs Minister José Manuel Albares said his country supports the opening of humanitarian corridors and had pledged more aid, in addition to the 1 million euros already sent.

Updated Oct. 16, 2023, 12:30 p.m. EST

  • In Gaza, over one million people have been forced to flee their homes, and 2,329 people have been killed.
  • Israel has refused to agree to a ceasefire in Gaza to allow humanitarian aid in and civilians to leave. As of this morning, only a few U.N. vehicles have been allowed through, most with humanitarian deliveries.
  • Israel’s military has confirmed that 199 people are being held hostage in Gaza by Hamas, a significant increase on the number previously feared.
  • The U.S. embassy in Israel has warned citizens to move closer to the Egyptian border as it may only be open “for a limited time." Biden told Israel that occupying Gaza would be a “big mistake.” He continued:

“What happened in Gaza, in my view, is Hamas and the extreme elements of Hamas don’t represent all the Palestinian people.”

“What I’ve heard from virtually every partner was a determination, a shared view, that we have to do everything possible to make sure this doesn’t spread to other places; a shared view to safeguard innocent lives; a shared view to get assistance to Palestinians in Gaza who need it, and we’re working very much on that.”

  • The Israeli military is preparing for a coordinated offensive, utilizing ground, air, and naval forces. The military has ordered citizens to move south and has accused Hamas of trying to use civilians as human shields. Israel has announced the evacuation of residents within a one-mile zone next to Lebanon.

Updated Oct. 13, 2023, 1:30 p.m. EST

  • Israel dropped leaflets over Gaza City, urging Palestinians to evacuate "immediately" to south Gaza. More than a million civilians reside in the region. Israel has been carrying out heavy airstrikes and is expected to order an offensive ground attack.
  • Some countries are urging Israel to hold off on the attack, while White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Washington is not second-guessing Israel's decision. He continued:

"We understand what they're trying to do and why they're trying to do this -- to try to isolate the civilian population from Hamas, which is their real target."

  • President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, a rival of Hamas, told U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken that this forced displacement of Palestinians in Gaza is a repeat of what happened in 1948, when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were driven from their homeland, which is now Israeli territory.
  • Hamas vowed to fight until the last drop of blood and told residents to stay put. By Friday afternoon, there was little sign of a mass evacuation. Israel's message gave residents 24 hours to leave. 
  • As of Friday, more than 423,000 people had already been displaced from their homes, with around 60% seeking shelter from Israeli bombing, according to the U.N.
  • The commissioner general of the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency said:

"Gaza is fast becoming a hellhole and is on the brink of collapse. The scale and speed of the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Gaza is bone-chilling."

  • The World Health Organization warned late on Thursday that hospitals in Gaza are "at their breaking point." The facilities have just a few hours of electricity each day and are being forced to ration fuel and medical supplies. 
  • The death toll in Gaza has reached almost 1,800 people, including 583 children.

Updated Oct. 12, 2023, 11:30 a.m. EST

  • Over 338,000 Palestinians have been internally displaced in Gaza. At the moment, Palestinians have almost no way of leaving Gaza and face a mounting humanitarian catastrophe.
  • Israel has amassed nearly 300,000 reservists near the Gaza border. The state says the siege of Gaza will not end until all Israeli hostages are released. Israel’s Energy Minister Israel Katz said:

“No electrical switch will be turned on, no water hydrant will be opened, and no fuel truck will enter until the Israeli abductees are returned home. Humanitarian for humanitarian. And no one will preach us morals.”

  • Gaza’s only power station stopped working on Wednesday after running out of fuel, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says fuel could entirely run out in the besieged city in a few hours.
  • The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) is urgently seeking $104 million for its humanitarian efforts in Gaza.
  • Israeli settlers have shot and killed two Palestinians in the occupied West Bank as they were attending a funeral.
  • Ebrahim Raisi, the president of Iran, has accused Israel of committing genocide.
  • Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Tel Aviv today and is scheduled to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday.

Updated Oct. 11, 2023, 4:15 p.m. EST

  • The death toll in Israel has hit 1,200, and in Gaza, it is over 1,100. At least 22 American citizens and 11 U.N. security staff have been confirmed dead.
  • The U.N. Secretary-General is pushing for humanitarian aid in Gaza. Essential food, fuel, and water supplies have been cut off during Israel's bombardment and blockade. 
  • The U.S. is in talks with Israel, the U.N., and Egypt on allowing some aid in and residents out, according to the White House. 
  • The Israeli military said hundreds of thousands of troops are near Gaza, "ready to execute the mission we have been given." The U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is on his way to Israel and said the U.S. would give the state "everything it needed."

Updated Oct. 9, 2023, 2:40 p.m. EST

  • The death toll continues to rise in Israel since Saturday's attack by Hamas: 900 killed, including 260 people massacred by gunmen at a music festival.
  • In retaliation to the attacks, Israel has been striking Gaza, where nearly 600 people have been killed. Israel's defense minister has ordered a "complete siege" of the Gaza Strip.
  • 9 U.S. citizens are confirmed dead.
  • The Al-Qassam brigades - the armed wing of Hamas - announced it will:

"[B]egin executing an Israeli civilian captive in return for any new Israeli bombing of civilians houses without pre-warning."

What’s the story?

  • Over the weekend, the Hamas militant group carried out shock attacks on Israel, leaving hundreds of civilians dead.
  • Rocket attacks from Gaza continue to target Israel. The nation’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant ordered a “complete siege” of the Gaza Strip from Hamas, cutting off food, fuel, electricity, and water. Israel says it regained control of its communities near Gaza, but militant groups remain active. 
  • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday:

“We are at war and we will win it.”

Casualties

  • More than 700 people have been killed in Israel, including 260 people murdered by Hamas gunmen at a music festival. More than 500 people have died in Gaza since Israel began retaliatory air strikes on the area. 
  • Dozens of people have been kidnapped. Nine U.S. civilians are confirmed dead. The U.N. said more than 120,000 Gazans have been displaced from their homes. 
  • The Israeli military says the attacks launched by Hamas are like the 2001 terrorist attacks on the U.S. A spokesman said:

“This is our 9/11 - they got us.”

U.S. response

“My team and I will continue to be in close contact with our Israeli counterparts to ensure they have what they need to protect their citizens and defend themselves against these heinous terrorist attacks.”

  • President Biden confirmed Sunday morning that he and Netanyahu spoke, with the assurance that more U.S. assistance would be coming to Israel in the coming days. The White House wrote:

“The President emphasized that there is no justification whatsoever for terrorism, and all countries must stand united in the face of such brutal atrocities.”

What’s to be expected?

  • The U.N. Security Council held a closed-door meeting on the matter. Future statements on Hamas and civilian deaths are expected but uncertain.
  • Russia and China are advocating for a cease-fire and a return to the two-state solution negotiations.
  • Observers note that a major Israeli assault on Gaza may be on the horizon, especially as hostages are involved.
  • The conflict may disrupt diplomatic efforts, notably potential Saudi-Israeli normalization.

 

This is a breaking story that will be updated.

 

How do you feel about the U.S. response so far?

 

-Jamie Epstein, Emma Kansiz, and Laura Woods

(Photo credit: Mahmud Hams/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images)