Stay informed with our live updates on the unfolding crisis in Israel and the Gaza Strip. The war that began on Oct. 7 has become the deadliest of the five Gaza wars for both sides. According to Israel, more than 1,400 people have been killed and 4,450 have been injured on its side of the border. At least 203 people, including children, have been captured by Hamas and taken into Gaza. Separately, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Oct. 10 that at least 1,500 Hamas terrorists were killed in Israel while fighting Israelis and their soldiers since the start of the war. The Hamas-backed Gaza Health Ministry has claimed that over 3,000 civilians have been killed and over 12,500 have been injured in Gaza. In previous Gaza wars, some Palestinian deaths in Gaza were later determined to have been caused by rockets from Hamas that fell short.
Here are the latest updates on the IsraelâHamas war:
Egypt Says Israel is Responsible for Closure of Rafah Border Crossing
Egyptâs Foreign Ministry has accused Western media outlets of unfairly holding it responsible for closing the Rafah border crossing. In a brief statement, the ministryâs spokesperson suggested blame should be directed at Israel for carrying out attacks on Rafah and for refusing to allow aid to enter the besieged enclave. The spokesperson also accused Israel of suggesting that Egypt was obstructing foreign nationals from leaving Gaza. Egyptian authorities have continually said that they did not close the Rafah border but that it is not functioning due to the damage inflicted by Israeli airstrikes.
No Plans for Israel to Control Life in Gaza, Minister Says
Israelâs defense minister said Friday that after the country destroys the Hamas terrorist group, the military does not plan to control âlife in the Gaza Strip.â Defense Minister Yoav Gallantâs comments to lawmakers were the first time an Israeli leader discussed its long-term plans for Gaza. Mr. Gallant said Israel expects there to be three phases to its war with Hamas. He said it first would attack the group in Gaza with airstrikes and ground maneuvers, then it would defeat pockets of resistance, and finally it would cease its âresponsibility for life in the Gaza Strip.â
UN Secretary-General Arrives at Rafah Crossing
U.N. Secretary-General AntĂłnio Guterres arrived at the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip on Friday and called on all international parties to work together to ensure humanitarian aid reaches Palestinians in besieged Gaza. Speaking to the media in front of the border crossing, he said the lorries packed with vital aid were a âlifelineâ for Palestinians in Gaza, âthe difference between life and death,â and needed to be moved into the enclave as quickly as possible. Mr. Guterres pointed out that the deal reached between Egypt and Israel to allow aid to flow into the Gaza Strip has some conditions and restrictions.
IDF: Three Hezbollah Terrorists Killed in Strike on Lebanese Border
The Israel Defense Force said Friday that three Hezbollah terrorists were identified and killed in an airstrike on the border with Lebanon. Additionally, IDF snipers shot at “armed men” who were identified near another area of the border fence. Israel’s military has clashed with Hezbollah terrorists several times in the past two weeks since war broke out with Hamas. The Iran-backed Islamic extremist group has called on Israel to cease bombardment of the Gaza Strip and threatened to join the conflict on the side of Hamas.
Israel Pounds Gaza, Evacuates Town Near Lebanon Ahead of Expected Ground Offensive Against Hamas
Israel bombarded Gaza early Friday, hitting areas in the south where Palestinians had been told to seek safety, and it began evacuating a sizable Israeli town in the north near the Lebanese border, the latest sign of a potential ground invasion of Gaza that could trigger regional turmoil. Palestinians in Gaza reported heavy airstrikes in Khan Younis in the south, and ambulances carrying men, women, and children streamed into the town’s Nasser Hospital, Gaza’s second largest, which is already overflowing with patients and people seeking shelter. The Israeli military said it had struck more than 100 targets across Gaza linked to the territory’s Hamas rulers, including a tunnel and arms depots. On Thursday, Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant ordered ground troops to prepare to see Gaza âfrom the inside,â hinting at a ground offensive aimed at crushing Gaza’s terrorist Hamas rulers nearly two weeks after their bloody incursion into Israel. Officials have given no timetable for such an operation.
Gulf and Asian Nations End Summit With Call for Cease-fire
Arab and Southeast Asian nations are calling for a cease-fire in the IsraelâHamas war and the entry of humanitarian aid to Gaza. The final statement of a summit hosted by Saudi Arabia on Friday also condemns âall attacks against civilians.â The joint summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations brought together 16 member states. Saudi Arabia, which has launched a number of diplomatic initiatives across the Middle East over the past year, has called for a halt to the fighting. Before the outbreak of the war, the kingdom had been in talks with the United States on normalizing relations with Israel in exchange for a U.S. defense pact, help in establishing a civilian nuclear program, and unspecified concessions to the Palestinians.
UN Says Palestinians Are Returning Home
A spokesperson for the U.N. human rights office says there are new signs that some Palestinians who initially moved south in response to the Israeli order to evacuate are returning to their homes because Israeli strikes are taking place in the south, too. âWe remain very concerned that Israeli Forcesâ heavy strikes are continuing across Gaza, including in the south,” Ravina Shamdasani told reporters. “The strikes, coupled with extremely difficult living conditions in the south, appear to have pushed some to return to the north, despite the continuing heavy bombing there.â
Satellite Images Show Convoy of Aid Trucks Waiting to Cross Into Gaza
Satellite photos analyzed by The Associated Press show a massive convoy of semi-trailers lined up at the Rafah border crossing on the Egyptian side, likely waiting for approval to cross into the besieged Gaza Strip as the Israel-Hamas war rages. The images show 55 trucks waiting in two lines, just half a kilometer away from the border. There are over 50 smaller vehicles visible in the image as well, many appearing to be with aid organizations, waiting at the crossing. The Gaza Strip, home to over 2 million Palestinians, has been cut off from food, water, fuel, and electricity by Israel since Hamasâ Oct. 7 surprise attack. There have been days of high-level negotiations over aid getting into the besieged seaside enclave, including officials all the way up to U.S. President Joe Biden.
Newsom Headed to Israel, China for Discussions, Says âWorldâs Fateâ at Stake
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is âon the wayâ to Israel for discussions with locals and officials following recent incidents in the Middle East. âIâll be meeting with those impacted by the horrific terrorist attacks and offering Californiaâs support,â Mr. Newsom wrote on social media.