Photo of Israel-Hamas war:(Portal)
Updated: Oct 24, 2023, 12:49 IST
Highlights
The war between Israel and Hamas has now reached its 18th day. The Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, killing more than 1,400 people, wounding thousands and taking over 200 people hostage back to Gaza. Since then, Israel has responded with constant bombardment of the Gaza Strip, killing nearly 5,100 Palestinians, mostly children, and wounding more than 15,200 people. Follow WION for the latest updates on the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The Palestinian militant group Hamas claims to have released two more female hostages who were abducted from Israel to the Gaza Strip during the October 7 attacks. There was no immediate confirmation from Israeli authorities. This comes after Israel on Monday (October 23) increased to 222 the number of hostages it has confirmed captured as Hamas gunmen crossed the border into Israeli border communities, towns and military bases in southern Israel attacked.
Follow this LIVE blog for the latest updates on the Israel-Hamas war
Oct 24, 2023, 12:49 PM (IST)
Statement by the Emir of Qatar
Qatar’s ruling Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani said Israel should not be given the green light for unconditional killings.
During an annual speech, he said the escalation between Israel and Hamas threatened peace and stability in the Middle East and the world.
This comes on the heels of Israel’s renewed warning to Hamas that it will bring the terror group to a “state of complete dismantling.”
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“We want to bring Hamas to a state of complete dismantling – its leaders, its military branch and its working mechanisms. “That is why we strike and eliminate senior commanders and members, destroy infrastructure and act with great determination,” said the IDF Chief of General Staff.
Oct 24, 2023, 11:59 AM (IST)
10 British nationals killed in Israel-Hamas war: British Government
At least 10 British nationals have been killed and another six missing in the Israel-Hamas war that broke out on October 7, British Deputy Finance Minister Victoria Atkins said on Tuesday (October 24).
Previously, British intelligence agencies had concluded that the attack on a hospital in Gaza, which (according to the Gaza authorities) resulted in the deaths of hundreds of people, was caused by a rocket fired by a Palestinian militant group, and not by one caused by an Israeli airstrike.
In a statement to the House of Commons following his trip to Israel, Egypt and Saudi Arabia last week, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stressed the UK’s support for Israel but warned against measures that undermine an eventual two-state solution, including a viable Palestine could.
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Oct 24, 2023, 11:06 AM (IST)
Hamas claims 140 people were killed in Israeli attacks
A statement from the Gaza Strip government office said on Tuesday: “More than 140 people died and hundreds were injured in the massacres carried out by the occupation’s (Israel’s) raids,” Gaza claims since the outbreak of war following the terrorist attack At least 5,000 people died when Hamas attacked the Jewish nation on October 7th.
Oct 24, 2023, 11:00 am (IST)
Macron’s agenda for Israel visit
According to an AFP report, French Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Israel is on the agenda
– Show “full solidarity” with Israel.
– As Israel relentlessly bombs the Palestinian enclave and prepares for a ground offensive, the French head of state is also expected to call for the “preservation of the civilian population” in Gaza, the presidency said, according to the report.
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– Call for a “humanitarian ceasefire” to allow urgently needed aid to the Gaza Strip, whose 2.4 million people are largely excluded from water, food, electricity and other basic supplies following an Israeli blockade, the Elysée Palace said.
Oct 24, 2023, 10:33 AM (IST)
French President Macron arrives in Israel on a solidarity visit
French President Emmanuel Macron has arrived in Tel Aviv on a visit to express his country’s “total solidarity” with Israel following the deadly attacks by Palestinian militant group Hamas on October 7, AFP reported.
As Israel carries out a relentless bombardment of the Palestinian enclave and prepares for a ground offensive, the French head of state is also expected to call for the “preservation of the civilian population” in Gaza, the presidency said, according to the report.
Oct 24, 2023, 10:30 AM (IST)
Gold gains on weaker US bond yields and uncertainty in the Middle East
Gold prices rallied on Tuesday as benchmark U.S. Treasury yields fell as investors awaited economic data to guide interest rates and watched rising tensions in the Middle East.
Spot gold was up 0.2 percent at $1,976.99 an ounce at 0349 GMT, while U.S. gold futures were steady at $1,988.10.
Oct 24, 2023, 09:53 AM (IST)
Six more UN refugee agency staff killed in Gaza: UN
Six Palestinian refugee agency workers have been killed in Gaza in the past 24 hours, according to the United Nations.
This brings the total number of UN staff killed since the start of this conflict to 35.
“At least 16 health workers have been killed in the line of duty since hostilities began, along with 35 UNRWA personnel,” the United Nations humanitarian agency OCHA said in a situation update sent Tuesday through Monday evening.
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“Six of them were killed in the last 24 hours,” it said.
Oct 24, 2023, 09:29 AM (IST)
Oil prices are gaining some ground again due to the uncertainty of war between Israel and Hamas
Oil prices rose, recouping some of the previous day’s losses, as investors remained concerned that the war between Israel and Hamas could escalate into a larger conflict in the oil export region, leading to possible supply disruptions.
Brent crude futures rose 57 cents, or 0.6 percent, to $90.40 a barrel by 0321 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose 54 cents, or 0.6 percent, to 86. 03 USD per barrel rose.
Oct 24, 2023, 09:08 AM (IST)
Hands of Hamas leaders dripping with blood: IDF
In a video posted on
Oct 24, 2023, 08:59 AM (IST)
The released hostage-taker’s grandson says his grandmother can hug her grandchildren
The grandson of released hostage Yocheved Lifshitz told CNN that his grandmother “can hug her grandchildren.”
“She talks, she can walk, she can hug her grandchildren, which (we) are very happy about,” Daniel Lifshitz said after meeting his grandmother in Tel Aviv.
“We couldn’t imagine it would happen. Meeting my grandmother here was – I thought I would never see her again. She is a hero. She has so much courage. She is so strong. She is sick and had to walk through tunnels,” he added.
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Oct 24, 2023, 08:46 AM (IST)
Biden emphasizes the need for a continued flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza
US President Joe Biden held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the White House said.
Biden “briefed the prime minister on U.S. support for Israel and ongoing regional deterrence efforts, including new U.S. military operations,” according to the message released by the White House.
Biden “welcomed the release of two additional hostages from Gaza today and reaffirmed his commitment to ongoing efforts to secure the release of all remaining hostages held by Hamas – including Americans – and to ensure safe passage for U.S. citizens and other civilians in Gaza Guarantee “Gaza,” it continued.
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Additionally, Biden “emphasized the need to maintain a continued flow of urgently needed humanitarian assistance to Gaza,” the White House said.
Oct 24, 2023, 08:37 AM (IST)
Israel does not want to approve fuel for the Gaza Strip because it fears it will be stolen from Hamas
Israel will not allow fuel to enter the Gaza Strip even if Hamas releases all hostages, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s senior adviser Mark Regev told CNN.
“At the moment we have no interest in having more fuel used for Hamas’s military machine, and we have not approved fuel, we have approved medicine, we have approved water. We allowed food, we didn’t allow anything else,” Regev said.
The government’s decision is not to use fuel because it is stolen by Hamas and used by them to fuel rockets fired at Israel to kill our people,” Regev explained.
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Oct 24, 2023, 08:30 AM (IST)
According to the IDF, several Hezbollah military posts were hit in Lebanon
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had targeted Hezbollah posts in Lebanon in several attacks. “The attacks were carried out in response to today’s rocket and anti-tank missile launches from Lebanese territory,” the IDF said.
Hezbollah military media Al Manar reported that attacks were carried out in open areas in Aitaroun, Kafr Kila and East Wazzani.
Al Manar said Hezbollah fighters were targeting “Israeli occupation sites” on the border with Lebanon.
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Oct 24, 2023, 07:56 AM (IST)
The Israeli military says it will launch relentless attacks on Hamas
The Israeli military said it was preparing for “relentless attacks” to crush Hamas.
In a statement, Israeli Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said Israel had no intention of limiting its attacks on the Gaza Strip and that it was well prepared for a ground attack.
“We want to bring Hamas to a state of complete destruction,” Halevi said on Monday.
“The path is one of relentless attacks that harm Hamas everywhere and in every way. We are well prepared for ground operations in the south. Troops that have more time are better prepared and that is what we are doing now,” he added.
Oct 24, 2023, 07:37 AM (IST)
Israeli air strikes on refugee camps in the north of the Gaza Strip
According to Portal, Palestinian reports of an airstrike on a refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip have been confirmed by the Israeli military.
A Hamas base in the Al-Shati refugee camp was the target of the Israeli airstrike, a military spokesman said.
Palestinian media said five people were killed in the attacks, while the spokesman for the Hamas-run health ministry confirmed that women and children were among the victims.
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Oct 24, 2023, 07:25 AM (IST)
According to the Red Cross, the release of hostages was facilitated
The Red Cross said it had facilitated the release of two more hostages from the terrorist group Hamas. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) told X that it was committed to the release of the hostages.
In the statement, the ICRC further explained that the two hostages were transported by them outside the Gaza Strip. “We facilitated the release of two more hostages and transported them out of #Gaza this evening. Our role as a neutral mediator makes this work possible and we stand ready to facilitate any future release. We hope that they will be reunited with their loved ones soon,” explained the ICRC.
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Oct 24, 2023, 06:44 AM (IST)
China’s top diplomat tells Israel’s foreign minister that all countries have the right to self-defense
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen that “all countries” have a right to self-defense, Beijing said, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.
“All countries have the right to self-defense,” Wang told Eli, emphasizing that “they should abide by international humanitarian law and protect the safety of civilians.”
Oct 24, 2023, 05:57 AM (IST)
Former US President Obama urges caution over Israel’s possible ground operation
In a rare statement, former US President Barack Obama warned that “any Israeli military strategy that ignores the human cost could ultimately backfire.”
“The bombing of Gaza has already killed thousands of Palestinians, including many children. Hundreds of thousands have been forced from their homes,” Obama said in a statement posted on social media.
He also criticized the Israeli government’s decision to cut off food, water and electricity supplies to Gaza, saying: “A trapped civilian population not only threatens to worsen a growing humanitarian crisis.”
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“It could further harden Palestinian attitudes for generations, undermine global support for Israel, play into the hands of Israel’s enemies and undermine long-term efforts for peace and stability in the region,” the former US president said.
Oct 24, 2023, 05:36 AM (IST)
In response to the attacks, the Israeli army attacked Hezbollah posts
The Israeli army said it carried out attacks against Hezbollah sites, including a military post and a watchtower, believed to be in southern Lebanon, in response to projectiles fired from Lebanese territory on Monday.
Oct 24, 2023, 5:03 am (IST)
French President Macron on his way to Israel: Here’s what’s on the agenda
French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to propose and enforce a humanitarian ceasefire during his visit to Israel, despite a threatened Israeli ground offensive in Gaza.
Macron’s advisers said the French president not only wanted to show solidarity with Israel, but also make “the most operational proposals possible” to prevent escalation, release hostages, ensure Israel’s security and work towards a two-state solution, reported Portal.
He will also meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli President Isaac Herzog and opposition leaders Benny Gantz and Yair Lapid.
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Oct 24, 2023, 04:45 AM (IST)
The US committed to ensuring access to food, water and medicine to Gaza
U.S. President Joe Biden commented on
Oct 24, 2023, 04:20 AM (IST)
All three Italians missing after Hamas attack in Israel are dead: Rome
All three people with dual Italian-Israeli citizenship who went missing after the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 have died, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Monday.
“Unfortunately, Nir Forti also died. He was the last of the three missing Italian Israelis,” Tajani said on X, the social media platform. “To die at the age of 29, brutally killed by terrorists, is deeply unjust,” he added.
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Oct 24, 2023, 4:02 am (IST)
Dozens dead in Israeli attacks on al-Shati refugee camp: Palestinian Ministry of Health
The Palestinian Ministry of Health said in an update that dozens of Palestinians were killed and many more injured in Israeli airstrikes on the al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza.
According to the UN Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), it is said to be the third largest refugee camp in the Gaza Strip.
“Israeli occupation forces have massacred several families in the al-Shati refugee camp in the last hour, killing and injuring dozens, including women and children,” a Palestinian Health Ministry spokesman said in a statement on social media.
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Oct 24, 2023, 03:08 AM (IST)
Israeli hostages released by Hamas
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The image shows Yocheved Lifshitz and Nurit Cooper, held hostage by Palestinian Hamas militants, being released by the militants in this video screenshot obtained by Portal on October 23, 2023.
(Source: Portal)
Oct 24, 2023, 02:49 AM (IST)
Hostages released by Hamas are now in Israeli custody
Former hostages Yocheved Lifshitz and Nurit Cooper have been transferred to the care of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and are on their way to a specially designed hospital in Israel where they will be reunited with their families, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office said an explanation.
Israel also thanked Egypt “for its assistance” and the Red Cross “for its important life-saving role,” and according to the Times of Israel, the statement also suggested that the Israeli military also played a role in their release.
“The IDF and security forces have done a lot of work in recent days through all channels to secure their release and overcome the many obstacles posed by Hamas,” the statement said.
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Oct 24, 2023, 02:41 AM (IST)
Britain’s prime minister says a hospital explosion in Gaza was caused by a militant rocket
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that British intelligence agencies had concluded that the explosion at Gaza’s al-Ahli Arab hospital, which killed at least 500 people, was caused by a rocket fired by a Palestinian militant group and not by one caused by an Israeli airstrike.
In his speech to the House of Commons, he told MPs that, based on intelligence and weapons analysis, the British government “believes that the explosion was probably caused by a rocket, or part of one, fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel “.
He also emphasized a two-state solution and said the United Kingdom would provide an additional 20 million pounds ($24 million) in aid to Gaza.
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Oct 24, 2023, 01:49 AM (IST)
Biden supports ceasefire in Gaza after all hostages are released
US President Joe Biden said at an event that discussions about a ceasefire in Gaza could take place after all hostages are released. This came after the White House said the US opposed a ceasefire because it would allow Hamas to regain strength.
“We should release these hostages and then we can talk,” Biden said at a White House event when asked if he would support a “hostages-for-ceasefire” deal.
He also abruptly left the event to promote his economic program ahead of next year’s election, saying he had to go to the White House Situation Room for “another issue that I need to deal with.”
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The comment came shortly after Hamas announced it had released two more female hostages kidnapped from Israel.
Oct 24, 2023, 01:33 AM (IST)
Nearly 440 Palestinians killed in Gaza in last 24 hours: Palestinian Ministry of Health
At least 436 Palestinians, including 182 children, were killed by Israeli airstrikes and shelling in Gaza in the past 24 hours, a Palestinian Health Ministry spokesman said in an update.
The statement added that most of the victims were killed in the southern Gaza Strip.
Oct 24, 2023, 01:03 AM (IST)
The UN General Assembly and Security Council discuss the war between Israel and Hamas
The United Nations General Assembly will meet on Thursday (October 26) to discuss the conflict sparked by the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Israel, the organization’s president announced in a letter to member states on Monday (October 24). the new agency AFP reported.
Meanwhile, the UN Security Council will meet on Tuesday to discuss the issue before the General Assembly convenes on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. (local time). This came after the United Nations Security Council rejected a Russian draft resolution calling for a “humanitarian pause.”
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Oct 24, 2023, 12:58 AM (IST)
Hamas claims to have released two more hostages from Gaza
According to media reports, the spokesman for Hamas’s military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, said that the Palestinian militant group released two Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip on Monday (October 24).
There was no immediate confirmation from Israeli authorities.
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