Israel-Hamas war live updates: IDF is preparing for ‘a coordinated attack from the air, sea and land’ against Hamas in Gaza

The
tentative
agreement
to
grant
Americans
in
Gaza
safe
passage
into
Egypt
through
the
Rafah
gate
continues
to
face
significant
obstacles
to
implementation,

U.S.
officials
told
NBC
News.

Previous
discussions
between
Egypt,
U.S.,
Qatar
and
Israel
looked
set
to
allow
Americans
across
the
border
crossing
during
a
five-hour
window
Saturday,
but
NBC
reports
the
deadline
came
and
went
without
any
immediate
sign
of
success.
One
official
told
NBC
the
parties
are
continuing
to
negotiate.

Secretary
of
State
Antony
Blinken
is
expected
to
land
in
Cairo
on
Sunday
and
the
deal
is
set
to
be
a
key
issue
on
his
agenda.

While
sticking
points
remain,
the
State
Department
has
urged
the
estimated
500
to
600
Americans
in
Gaza
to
move
south,
warning
that
if
the
crossing
opens,
the
window
could
be
brief.

—
NBC
News,
Christine
Wang

Iran
warned
on
Saturday
that
if
Israel’s
“war
crimes
and
genocide”
are
not
halted
immediately,
“the
situation
could
spiral
out
of
control
&
ricochet
far-reaching
consequences,”
Tehran’s
mission
to
the
United
Nations
in
New
York
posted
on
X.

“If
the
Israeli
apartheid’s
war
crimes
&
genocide
are
not
halted
immediately,
the
situation
could
spiral
out
of
control
&
ricochet
far-reaching
consequences
—
the
responsibility
of
which
lies
with
the
UN,
the
Security
Council
&
the
states
steering
the
Council
toward
a
dead
end,”
the
post
read.

—

Reuters

A
State
Department
spokesperson
on
Saturday
said
the
death
toll
of
U.S.
citizens
involved
in
the
Israel-Hamas
conflict
has
risen
to
29.

“We
extend
our
deepest
condolences
to
the
victims
and
to
the
families
of
all
those
affected,”
the
spokesperson
said,
without
commenting
on
the
identities
of
those
killed.

The
department
is
also
aware
that
15
others
remain
unaccounted
for,
along
with
one
permanent
resident,
according
to
the
spokesperson.

“The
U.S.
government
is
working
around
the
clock
to
determine
their
whereabouts
and
is
working
with
the
Israeli
government
on
every
aspect
of
the
hostage
crisis,
including
sharing
intelligence
and
deploying
experts
from
across
the
United
States
government
to
advise
the
Israeli
government
on
hostage
recovery
efforts.”

—

Terri
Cullen

Israeli
airstrikes
continue
to
pound
Gaza
as
Israel
prepares
for
a
ground
offensive.

—
Getty
Images

U.S.
President
Joe
Biden
reiterated
unwavering
U.S.
support
for
Israel
in
a
call
on
Saturday
with
Israeli
Prime
Minister
Benjamin
Netanyahu,
the
White
House
said.

“President
Biden
discussed
with
Prime
Minister
Netanyahu
U.S.
coordination
with
the
United
Nations,
Egypt,
Jordan,
Israel,
and
others
in
the
region
to
ensure
innocent
civilians
have
access
to
water,
food,
and
medical
care,”
the
White
House
said
in
a
statement.
“President
Biden
affirmed
his
support
for
all
efforts
to
protect
civilians.”

Separately,
U.S.
Defense
Secretary
Lloyd
Austin
spoke
with
his
Israeli
counterpart
on
Saturday,
underscoring
Washington’s
support
for
Israel’s
security
and
discussing
the
importance
of
adhering
to
the
law
of
war,
the
Pentagon
said.

“During
the
call,
he
discussed
the
importance
of
adhering
to
the
law
of
war,
including
civilian
protection
obligations,
and
addressing
the
worsening
humanitarian
crisis
in
Gaza
while
Israel
continues
its
operations
to
restore
security,”
the
Pentagon
said
in
a
statement.

—

Reuters

A
planeload
of
World
Health
Organization
supplies
has
landed
at
Egypt’s
el-Arish
airport
and
is
destined
for
Gaza
when
humanitarian
access
across
the
border
is
possible,
the
U.N.
said
Saturday.

The
cache
includes
enough
basic
essentials
for
300,000
people
and
enough
trauma
medicines
and
materials
for
1,200
wounded,
the
U.N.
said
in
a
release.
It
called
for
opening
the
Rafah
border
crossing
immediately
to
humanitarian
deliveries.

“The
critically
injured,
the
sick
and
the
vulnerable
cannot
wait,”
the
world
body
said.

Meanwhile,
the
relatives
of
Israelis
taken
captive
by
Hamas
on
Saturday
demanded
that
the
militant
group
allow
in
medicine
to
hostages
who
require
it,
saying
their
loved
ones
are
suffering.

“Every
day
without
her
medication
is
torture.
She’s
being
tortured,”
said
Yifat
Zailer,
who
said
her
kidnapped
63-year-old
aunt
has
Parkinson’s
disease.
She
was
taken
along
with
several
other
family
members,
Zailer
said.

In
its
assault
on
southern
Israeli
communities,
Hamas
militants
captured
dozens
of
Israelis
and
some
foreign
or
dual
nationals,
including
children,
women
and
the
elderly,
dragging
them
into
the
Gaza
Strip.

Israeli
military
spokesman
Read
Adm.
Daniel
Hagari
said
Saturday
Israel
had
so
far
identified
126
captives.
Their
fate
becomes
more
complicated
as
Israel
continues
its
bombardment
of
Gaza.

—

Associated
Press

Tzachi
Hanegbi,
the
head
of
Israel’s
National
Security
Council,
said
at
a
press
briefing
on
Saturday
that
the
claim
that
Egypt
warned
Israel
of
an
imminent
Hamas
attack
days
before
it
happened
is
“fake
news.”

“The
Egyptians
didn’t
get
in
touch
with
any
of
the
government,
directly
or
indirectly,
no
hint
or
clue.
It’s
fake
news
and
Egypt
says
the
same,”
Hanegbi
said.

Days
after
Hamas’
deadly
attack
against
Israel,
Congressman
Michael
McCaul
(R-Texas),
the
chair
of
the
U.S.
House
Foreign
Affairs
Committee,
said
that
Israeli
officials
had
received
advanced
notice
from
Egypt
that
the
invasion
was
coming.

Hanegbi
said
at
the
Saturday
briefing
that
though
one
U.S.
congress
member
made
that
claim,
“No
one
echoes
it.”

He
detailed
that
two
hours
before
Hamas’
airstrikes,
Israeli
security
officials
received
some
intelligence
of
a
threat
but
ultimately
concluded
that
there
was
“no
indication”
that
it
would
escalate.

Hanegbi
also
touched
on
the
hostage
situation,
ensuring
that
Israel
is
committed
to
their
rescue
but
saying
that
Israel
has
no
way
“to
negotiate
with
Hamas.”

—

Rebecca
Picciotto

Gazans
with
foreign
passports
arrive
at
the
Rafah
Border
Gate
and
wait
to
cross
into
Egypt
as
Israel’s
attacks
on
the
Gaza
Strip
continue
on
the
eighth
day
in
Rafah,
Gaza,
on
Oct.
14,
2023.

—Mustafa
Hassona
|
Anadolu
|
Getty
Images

The
Israel
Defense
Forces,
or
IDF,
said
it
was
“preparing
to
implement
a
wide
range
of
offensive
operative
plans”
which
will
include
“an
integrated
and
coordinated
attack
from
the
air,
sea
and
land”
against
Hamas.

The
IDF
added
that
it
had
already
completed
its
mobilization
of
hundreds
of
thousands
of
servicemen
for
the
counteroffensive,
according
to
a

statement
translated
by
NBC
News.

“IDF
battalions
and
soldiers
are
deployed
all
over
the
country
and
are
prepared
to
increase
readiness
for
the
next
stages
of
the
war
—
with
an
emphasis
on
a
significant
ground
operation,”
the
statement
added.

—
Amanda
Macias

People
looking
to
help
those
affected
by
the ongoing
Israel-Gaza
conflict can
consider
donating
to
the
following
charities

listed
here.

—
Amanda
Macias

A
United
Nations
human
rights
expert
warned
that
Palestinians
are
in
grave
danger
of
mass
ethnic
cleansing
and
called
on
global
powers
to
mediate
a
ceasefire
as
the
Israel-Hamas
conflict
drags
into
its
second
week.

“The
international
community
has
the
responsibility
to
prevent
and
protect
populations
from
atrocity
crimes.
Accountability
for
international
crimes
committed
by
Israeli
occupation
forces
and
Hamas
must
also
be
immediately
pursued,”
wrote
Francesca
Albanese,
United
Nations
Special
Rapporteur
on
the
situation
of
human
rights
in
the
Palestinian
Territory,
in
a
statement.

Time
is
of
the
essence.
Palestinians
and
Israelis
both
deserve
to
live
in
peace,
equality
of
rights,
dignity
and
freedom,”
Albanese
added.

—
Amanda
Macias

National
Security
Advisor
Jake
Sullivan
and
Principal
Deputy
National
Security
Advisor
Jon
Finer
spoke
with
senior
United
Nations
officials
on
the
humanitarian
crisis
in
Gaza
triggered
by
the
Israel-Hamas
conflict.

The
Biden
administration
conveyed
U.S.
efforts
with
regional
partners
to
“enable
safe
movement
for
civilians
seeking
protection
in
Gaza
and
to
facilitate
humanitarian
access
and
assistance,
including
water,
food,
and
medical
care.”

United
Nations
Secretary-General
Antonio
Guterres
called
on
all
parties
to
allow
“immediate
humanitarian
access”
as
the
Israel-Hamas
conflict
intensifies.

“We
need
immediate
humanitarian
access
throughout
Gaza,
so
that
we
can
get
fuel,
food
and
water
to
everyone
in
need,”
Guterres
told
reporters
at
the
United
Nations
in
New
York.

“Even
wars
have
rules,”
he
added.

—
Amanda
Macias

Israeli
Prime
Minister
Benjamin
Netanyahu
visited
with
troops
on
the
frontlines
ahead
of
a
looming
Israeli
counteroffensive
into
Gaza.

Netanyahu
received
visits
from
U.S.
Secretary
of
State
Antony
Binken
and
Secretary
of
Defense
Lloyd
Austin
earlier
in
the
week.
Both
Biden
administration
officials
reiterated
U.S.
support
for
Israel
as
the
conflict
with
Hamas
enters
its
second
week.

—
Amanda
Macias

U.S.
Senate
Majority
Leader
Chuck
Schumer
will
lead
a
bipartisan
group
of
lawmakers
to
Israel
over
the
weekend.

Republican
Senator
Bill
Cassidy
of
Louisana,
Democrat
Senator
Jackie
Rosen
of
Nevada,
Republican
Senator
Mitt
Romney
of
Utah
and
Democrat
Senator
Mark
Kelly
of
Arizona
are
also
traveling
in
the
delegation.

The
lawmakers
are
slated
to
discuss
U.S.
humanitarian
and
security
assistance
with
Israeli
officials.

The
congressional
delegation’s
visit
to
Israel
comes
on
the
heels
of
Secretary
of
State
Antony
Blinken
and
Secretary
of
Defense
Lloyd
Austin’s
trip.

—
Amanda
Macias

Supporters
and
family
members
of
Israeli
hostages
snatched
by
the
Palestinian
militant
group
Hamas
last
week
in
a
surprise
attack
into
Israel,
plaster
their
images
on
a
wall
during
a
rally
outside
of
the
Israeli
military
base
of
HaKirya
in
central
Tel
Aviv
on
Oct.
14,
2023.
Nine
people
captured
by
Hamas
in
an
attack
on
Israel
a
week
ago
have
been
killed
in
Israeli
strikes
on
Gaza
in
the
past
24
hours,
the
Islamist
group’s
armed
wing
said
on
Oct.
14.

—
Gil
Cohen-Magen
|
AFP
|
Getty
Images

The
Louvre
Museum
in
Paris
and
Versailles
Palace
were
evacuated
on
Saturday
after
separate
bomb
threats,

the
Associated
Press
reported.
France
is
on
high-security
alert
after
a
fatal
school
stabbing
on
Friday
by
a
former
student
who
is
suspected
of
Islamic
radicalization.

France
has
deployed
7,000
troops
to
increase
security
after
Friday’s
school
attack.

The
French
government
is
also
wary
of
the
fallout
from
the
war
between
Israel
and
Hamas,
AP
said.

—

Terri
Cullen

Hamas’
military
arm,
the
Al-Qassam
Brigades,
on
Saturday
announced
that
nine
hostages,
including
four
foreigners,
were
killed
“as
a
result
of”
Israel’s
counterattack
bombing
of
the
Gaza
Strip,
adding
to
the
death
toll
that
Hamas
reported
yesterday.

On
Friday,
Hamas
said
13
hostages
had
been
killed
when
Israel
bombed
areas
in
the
North
and
Gaza.
The
military
group
said
six
were
killed
in
the
North
and
seven
in
Gaza.

CNBC
has
not
independently
verified
this
claim.

It
is
estimated
that
Hamas
took
150
hostages
following
its
deadly
attack
on
Israel
last
weekend.

—

Rebecca
Picciotto

In
an
act
of
solidarity
with
Israel,
Republican
Rep.
Brian
Mast
of
Florida
attended
a
GOP
caucus
meeting
on
Friday
dressed
in
the
military
uniform
from
his
time
serving
in
the
Israel
Defense
Forces,
or
IDF.

“As
the
only
member
to
serve
with
both
the
United
States
Army
and
the
Israel
Defense
Forces,
I
will
always
stand
with
Israel,”
Mast
wrote
in
a

post
on
X,
formerly
known
as
Twitter.

He
likened
his
uniform
to
Democratic
Rep.
Rashida
Tlaib
of
Michigan,
who
is
Palestinian-American,
having
a
Palestinian
flag
outside
of
her
office.
Tlaib
has
displayed
the
flag
since
at
least

January.
Some
congress
members
have
given
her

heat
for
keeping
it
up
after
the
deadly
attack
by
Hamas
last
Saturday.

“Tlaib’s
got
her
flag.
I
got
my
uniform,”
Mast
said
in
the
X
post.

—

Rebecca
Picciotto

The
Tel
Aviv
Open
tennis
tournament
scheduled
for
next
month
has
been
canceled
because
of
the
Israel-Hamas
war.

The
ATP
men’s
tour
said
the
decision
was
made
after
consultation
with
security
experts
and
with
the
safety
of
players
and
fans
in
mind.

“The
violence
and
acts
of
terror
witnessed
in
Israel
are
beyond
comprehension,”
ATP
chairman
Andrea
Gaudenzi
said.
“We
strongly
condemn
any
form
of
terrorism
and
mourn
the
loss
of
innocent
lives
across
this
conflict.
We
hope
and
pray
for
peace
in
the
region.”

The
event
was
scheduled
for
early
November.

In
last
year’s
final,
Novak
Djokovic
defeated
Marin
Cilic
in
straight
sets
to
take
the
title.

—

Associated
Press

The
U.S.
State
Department updated
the
travel
advisory to
Israel,
the
West
Bank
and
Gaza
Saturday,
asking
American
citizens
not
to
travel
to
Gaza
“due
to terrorism,
civil
unrest,
and armed
conflict”
and
to
reconsider
travel
to
Israel
and
the
West
Bank
due
to “terrorism
and civil
unrest.”

 “Terrorist
groups,
lone-actor
terrorists
and
other
violent
extremists
continue
plotting
possible
attacks
in
Israel
and
the
West
Bank
and
Gaza,”
the
advisory
said. “Terrorists
and
violent
extremists
may
attack
with
little
or
no
warning,
targeting
tourist
locations,
transportation
hubs,
markets/shopping
malls,
and
local
government
facilities.
Violence
can
occur
in
Israel
and
the
West
Bank
and
Gaza
without
warning.”

 The State
Department
also
authorized
the
departure
of
non-emergency
U.S.
government
personnel
and
eligible
family
members.

 —

Jessica
Dickler

Palestinians
struggle
to
survive
in
an
area
without
electricity,
water,
food
and
fuel
after
Israel
cut
off
supply
lines
into
the
Gaza
Strip.
Fighting
between
Israel
and
the
Hamas
continues
for
the
eighth
consecutive
day
and
Israel
has
ordered
mass
evacuations
for
civilians
to
move
to
the
south
of
Gaza
as
the
IDF
prepare
for
a
ground
offensive.

-Getty
Images

U.S.
Secretary
of
State
Antony
Blinken
on
Saturday
called
for
protection
for
civilians
in
both
the
Gaza
Strip
and
Israel
as
the
Israeli
military
ordered
half
of
the
Palestinian
territory’s
population
to
evacuate
in
advance
of
an
expected
ground
assault.

Blinken
met
his
Saudi
Arabian
counterpart,
Prince
Faisal
bin
Farhan,
in
Riyadh
as
he
began
a
third
day
of
intense
Middle
East
diplomacy
aimed
at
preventing
the
Israel-Hamas
war
from
expanding
into
a
regional
conflict
and
fueling
a
humanitarian
crisis.

Both
stressed
the
importance
of
minimizing
the
harm
to
civilians
as
Israel
prepared
for
an
anticipated
incursion
against
Hamas
a
week
after
the
militant
group’s
unprecedented
attack
in
Israel.

“As
Israel
pursues
its
legitimate
right,
to
defending
its
people
and
to
trying
to
ensure
that
this
never
happens
again,
it
is
vitally
important
that
all
of
us
look
out
for
civilians,
and
we’re
working
together
to
do
exactly
that,”
Blinken
said
before
heading
to
the
United
Arab
Emirates
for
similar
discussions.

“None
of
us
want
to
see
suffering
by
civilians
on
any
side,
whether
it’s
in
Israel,
whether
it’s
in
Gaza,
whether
it’s
anywhere
else.”

—

Associated
Press

Qatar
issued
a
statement
Saturday,
saying
it
rejects
attempts
to
forcibly
displace
Palestinian
civilians
in
Gaza.

A
statement
from
the
Qatari
foreign
ministry
was
posted
on
X,
formerly
known
as
Twitter,
in
which
it
said
“Qatar
declares
its
categorical
rejection
of
attempts
to
forcibly
displace
the
Palestinian
people
from
the
Gaza
Strip.”

It
called
for
the
lifting
of
the
siege
on
the
Gaza
Strip,
and
demanded
the
“full
protection
for
…
Palestinian
civilians
according
to
the
international
and
humanitarian
laws.”

— Holly
Ellyatt

Israel’s
military
said
on
Saturday
it
killed
two
Hamas
commanders
who
were
behind
the
cross-border
deadly
rampage
into
Israel
a
week
ago.

The
military
said
it
killed
Merad
Abu
Merad,
who
was
the
head
of
the
Hamas
aerial
system,
and
Ali
Qadi,
a
company
commander
of
a
commando
force.

—
Reuters

The
U.S.
is
working
to
get
the
Rafah
border
crossing
between
Gaza
and
Egypt
opened
on
Saturday
to
allow
U.S.
citizens
to
leave,
several
news
agencies
reported
Saturday.

AFP
and
Reuters
reported
earlier
that
the
U.S.
had
been
working
with
Israel,
Qatar
and
Egypt
to
have
the
crossing
point
open
from
midday
to
5pm
local
time,
citing
an
un-named
senior
State
Department
official.

“We
have
been
trying
to
facilitate
access
for
it
to
be
open
from
12
to
five
today.
The
Egyptians,
the
Israelis
and
the
Qataris
have
been
working
with
us
on
that,”
the
official
told
reporters
travelling
with
U.S.
Secretary
of
State
Antony
Blinken,
Reuters
reported.

NBC
News
has
not
yet
been
able
to
confirm
the
reports.

The
reports
follow
a
comment
made
by
the
IDF’s
international
spokesperson
Lieutenant
Colonel
Richard
Hecht in
a
briefing
this
morning,
advising
that
he
was
aware
of
talk
of
a
humanitarian
exit
for
U.S.
citizens
and
that
he
expected
an
update
on
the
situation
this
morning.

Blinken
has
conducted
a
flurry
of
diplomatic
meetings
in
the
Middle
East
this
week,
trying
to
prevent
the
Israeli-Hamas
conflict
from
spreading
in
the
wider
region.

 —
Holly
Ellyatt

The
Israeli
army
said
on
Saturday
it
was
aware
of
the
incident
in
southern
Lebanon
in
which
a
Reuters
journalist
was
killed
and
that
it
was
being
investigated.

“We
are
aware
of
the
incident
with
the
Reuters
journalist.
We
are
looking
into
it.
We
already
have
visuals.
We’re
doing
cross
examination.
It’s
a
tragic
thing,”
a
military
spokesperson
told
reporters.

Reuters
video
journalist
Issam
Abdallah
was
killed
and
six
other
journalists
injured
in
southern
Lebanon
on
Friday
when
missiles
fired
from
the
direction
of
Israel
struck
them,
according
to
a
Reuters
videographer
who
was
at
the
scene.

—
Reuters

EDITORS
NOTE-Graphic
Content:
This
post
contains
an
image
of
death
in
Gaza.

Israeli
air
strikes
on
the
Gaza
Strip
over
the
past
24
hours
have
so
far
killed
at
least
324
Palestinians
and
wounded
1,000
others,
Gaza’s
health
ministry
reported
on
Saturday,
Reuters
noted.

According
to
the
report,
the
dead
included
at
least
126
children
and
88
women.

In
total,
2,215
citizens
in
the
Gaza
Strip
and
West
Bank
have
been
killed,
the
ministry
said
Saturday,
with
the
majority
of
those
killed
being
in
Gaza.

—
Holly
Ellyatt

The
head
of
the
World
Health
Organization
said
a
plane
carrying
medical
supplies
has
landed
in
Egypt,
with
its
cargo
ready
to
be
deployed
to
Gaza
as
soon
as
possible.

WHO
Director-General
Tedros
Adhanom
Ghebreyesus said
on
X,
formerly
known
as
Twitter,
that
the
plane
had
landed
in
Al
Arish,
close
to
the
Rafah
crossing
between
Egypt
and
southern
Gaza.

“We’re
ready
to
deploy
the
supplies
as
soon
as
humanitarian
access
through
the
crossing
is
established.
We
continue
our
plea
to
Israel
to
reconsider
the
decision
to
evacuate
1.1
million
people,”
he
said,
adding:
“It
will
be
a
human
tragedy.”

Tens
of
thousands
of
Palestinians
are
trying
to
leave
northern
Gaza
after
the
Israeli
military
ordered
over
a
million
civilians
to
leave
the
area
ahead
of
an
expected
ground
offensive.

Humanitarian
agencies
say
the
24-hour
deadline
given
by
Israeli
authorities
is
not
enough
and
have
warned
of
disaster,
saying
civilians
do
not
have
enough
time
to
evacuate.

All
water,
food,
electricity,
fuel
and
medical
supplies
to
Gaza
were
cut
by
Israeli
forces
following
Palestinian
militant
group
Hamas’
attack
a
week
ago.
The
World
Health
Organization
is
a
specialized
UN
agency
responsible
for
international
public
health.

—
Holly
Ellyatt

The
European
Union’s
top
diplomat
Josep
Borrell
warned
that
Israel’s
call
to
evacuate
the
roughly
1.1
million
residents
of
Gaza
City
south
of
the
Wadi
Gaza
river
is
“virtually
impossible,”
echoing
earlier
comments
from
United
Nations
Secretary-General António
Guterres.

“I
fully
endorse

@antonioguterres
warning
that
Israel’s
request
that
1
million
civilians
evacuate
from
the
North
of
Gaza
across
a
densely
populated
warzone
to
a
place
with
no
food,
water,
or
shelter
into
a
territory
under
siege
is
extremely
dangerous
and
virtually
impossible,”

Borrell
said
on
social
media.
He
has
been
on
a
three-day
visit
to
China,
as
the
EU
attempts
to
navigate
de-risking,
but
not
fully
decoupling
its
trade
relationship
from
Beijing.

The
U.N.
has
previously
condemned
the
terrorist
attacks
of
Palestinian
group
Hamas,
which
killed
and
abducted
Israeli
civilians
and
nationals.
U.N.
officials
have
simultaneously
expressed
concern
over
the
impact
of
Israel’s
complete
siege
of
the
Gaza
Strip,
particularly
after
an
Israeli
instruction
for
the
roughly
1.1
million
people
of
Gaza
City
to
evacuate
southward
in
the
short
term.

Several
humanitarian
agencies
have
decried
the
evacuation
order,
saying
it
would
exacerbate
the
existing
crisis
for
civilians
in
the
Gaza
Strip.

On
Friday,
Guterres
urged
all
parties
to
allow
“immediate
humanitarian
access”
as
the
Israel-Hamas
conflict
deepens.
“We
need
immediate
humanitarian
access
throughout
Gaza,
so
that
we
can
get
fuel,
food
and
water
to
everyone
in
need.”

—

Ruxandra
Iordache

Israeli
military
said
it
has
been
responding
to
Lebanese
hostilities
in
overnight
updates
on
the
Telegram
social
media
platform.

In
a
first
post,
the
Israel
Defense
Forces
said
they
struck
a
target
in
southern
Lebanon
belonging
to
Lebanese
militant
group
Hezbollah,
which
has
been
exchanging
fire
with
Israel
throughout
the
week.
The
IDF
said
it
carried
out
the
offensive
“in
response
to
infiltration
of
unidentified
aerial
objects
into
Israel”
and
that
it
intercepted
the
object
and
fired
against
its
forces.

In
a
later
update,
the
IDF
said
it
thwarted
a
“terrorist
cell”
that
sought
to
enter
Israeli
territory
from
Lebanon,
without
identifying
its
allegiance.

CNBC
could
not
independently
verify
the
reports.
The
Hezbollah-affiliated
al-Manar
TV,
which
has
previously
reported
on
firing
between
Hezbollah
and
Israel,
has
yet
to
mention
a
Hezbollah
incursion.

Hezbollah
has
previously
criticized
Israel’s
siege
of
the
Gaza
Strip
and
has
exchanged
shelling
with
Israel,
citing
solidarity
with
the
Palestinian
people.
On
Friday,
deputy
chief
of
Hezbollah,
Naim
Qassem,
said
that
the
Lebanese
group
is
prepared
to
intervene
in
the
war
between
Israel
and
Hamas
and
“will
carry
out
our
duties
whenever
it
is
high
time.”

Hezbollah
leadership
on
Friday
met
with
the
foreign
minister
of
Iran,
which
supports
both
the
group
and
Hamas.
Iran
has
praised
the
deadly
multi-pronged
Hamas
attacks
of
Oct.
7,
but
denied
involvement.

—

Ruxandra
Iordache

The
Israel
Defense
Forces
will
allow
movement
on
two
streets
in
Gaza
“without
any
harm”
between
10
a.m.
and
4
p.m.
local
time,
the
military’s
Arabic-language
spokesman
Avichay
Adraee
said
on
X,
according
to
a
Google
translation.

The
IDF
encouraged
civilians
to
take
advantage
of
the
route
to
move
south
from
Beit
Hanoun
to
Khan
Yunis.

—
Christine
Wang

Israel
Defense
Forces
spokesman
Jonathan
Conricus

defended
the
evacuation
order,
saying
it
would
keep
civilians
safer
and
out
of
an
area
where
Israel
is
“going
to
enhance
our
military
operations.”
He
reiterated
that
Israel
is
targeting
Hamas
and
its
military
infrastructure.

Conricus
slammed
Hamas
for
telling
civilians
to
ignore
the
evacuation
order,
accusing
the
Palestinian
militant
group
of
using
civilians
as
a
human
shield.

—
Christine
Wang

Israel
Defense
Forces
said
over

120
civilians
are
being
held
captive
in
Gaza
by
Hamas.
The
military
previously
said
it
had
notified
families
of
at
least
120
people
who
were
taken
hostage
by
the
Palestinian
militant
group.

—
Christine
Wang

A
senior
U.S.
official
told
NBC
News
that
the
U.S.
has
not
asked
Israel
to
delay
its
ground
offensive
in
Gaza.

The
comment
strikes
down
a
Fox
News
report
that
Washington
had
asked
for
the
operation
to
be
delayed
until
after
safe
passage
could
be
secured
for
evacuating
Palestinians.

A
State
Department
official
said
Friday
the
U.S.
believes
Israel
is
trying
to
minimize
harm
to
civilians
and
that
its
military
has
a
right
to
respond
with
operations
it
deems
necessary.

—
Christine
Wang

Israel’s
deadline
for
the
evacuation
of
northern
Gaza
has
now
passed.

Its
military
is
expected
to
commence
a
ground
offensive
into
the
area
after
amassing
troops
at
the
border
over
the
past
week.
While
Israel
never
confirmed
such
plans,
the
24-hour
notice
for
the
evacuation
of
1.1
million
Palestinians
raised
concerns
it
would
begin
a
new
phase
of
its
efforts
to
wipe
out
Hamas’
military
capabilities.

—
Christine
Wang

In
the
Gaza
Strip,
a
small
stretch
of
land
blockaded
off
with
concrete
walls
and
barbed
wire
fences
and
whose
last
remaining
border
crossings
have
been
shut,
survival
is
increasingly
a
game
of
chance.

“It’s
insane
and
brutal
—
I
can’t
believe
they’re
doing
this
to
the
whole
population.
The
amount
of
airstrikes
are
massive,”
Omar,
a
Gazan
development
worker
with
two
young
children,
told
CNBC
via
voice
note.
“We’re
OK
for
now
but
it’s
very
scary,
and
with
each
bomb,
we
feel
it’s
going
to
be
our
turn.”
Omar
asked
that
only
his
first
name
be
used
out
of
concern
for
his
family.

Without
bomb
shelters,
people
try
to
hide
in
hallways,
away
from
windows,
in
schools,
or
even
in
the
street
alongside
piles
of
rubble.
But
those
spots
aren’t
safe
either,
Palestinians
in
Gaza
say.

Read
the

full
story
here.

—
Natasha
Turak

Entire
families
could
be
seen
fleeing
northern
Gaza
in
cars,
trucks,
donkey
carts
and
on
foot
after
the
Israeli
military
asked
1.1
million
people
to
evacuate
ahead
of
an
expected
ground
invasion.

The
United
Nations
has
demanded
that
“Israel
immediately
rescind
its
order
for
1.1
million
Palestinians
to
leave
northern
Gaza
within
24
hours,
condemning
the
evacuation
order
as
a
crime
against
humanity
and
a
blatant
violation
of
international
humanitarian
law.”

“Forcible
population
transfers
constitute
a
crime
against
humanity,
and
collective
punishment
is
prohibited
under
international
humanitarian
law,”

said
Paula
Gaviria
Betancur,
special
rapporteur
on
the
human
rights
of
internally
displaced
persons.
“We
are
horrified
at
the
prospect
of
an
additional
1
million
Palestinians
joining
the
over
423,000
people
already
forcibly
driven
from
their
homes
by
the
violence
over
the
past
week.”

Israel
has
not
yet
said
anything
about
the
timing
of
the
invasion.

Three
convoys
of
evacuees
in
Gaza
were
hit
by
strikes,
killing
70
people,
according
to
a
statement
released
by
Hamas.
NCB
News
reported.

At
least
1,300
people
have
been
killed
in
Israel
and
1,900
people
have
been
killed
in
Gaza
as
a
result
of
the
Israel-Hamas
war,
according
to
official
estimates
from
both
sides.

—

Riya
Bhattacharjee