Army “targeted lightning” with tanks and infantry. Erdogan to the Pope: “A massacre is underway.” The UN condemns Hamas and rejects Israeli attacks on civilians
Heavy rocket fire from Gaza into central Israel and Tel Aviv
New warning sirens in central Israel and Tel Aviv due to heavy rocket fire from the Gaza Strip. ANSA discovered this on site. Due to the Iron Dome’s interception of the missiles, some explosions were heard in the air.
Hostage families: “Patience is over, Netanyahu will receive us”
Hundreds of family members of the hostages and missing people from the October 7 Hamas attack gathered in Tel Aviv this evening to send a message to Benjamin Netanyahu’s government: “Our patience is over: bring the hostages back now!” “We demanding that the Government speak to us this evening and tell us how they plan to bring them back. We are intensifying the fight, we are no longer waiting to be fought,” said Meirav Leshem Gonen, mother of a kidnapped girl, the Family Forum reports.
Hamas publishes list of 7,000 names: “These are the dead in Gaza”
Hamas has released a list of around 7,000 names of what it says are people killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza after October 7. The list was drawn up a day after US President Joe Biden said he did not believe the death toll figures presented by the Palestinian faction. The list of 6,747 names states the gender, age and identity card numbers of those killed. The Hamas government says it is waiting to verify the identities of 281 more bodies.
The Israeli army, “new ground incursions into Gaza”
The Israeli army continues its “local” ground attacks in the Gaza Strip and will continue to do so in the coming days and increase their intensity. This was said by military spokesman Daniel Hagari.
Israel: “Moscow immediately expels Hamas terrorists”
“Hamas is a worse terrorist organization than ISIS. Israel condemns the invitation of Hamas representatives to Moscow, viewing it as “an act of support for terrorism that legitimizes the atrocities of Hamas terrorists. We call on the Russian government to immediately expel Hamas terrorists from its territory. Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Lior Haiat wrote this on X.
Israel: “The ground operation at the right time”
“The military maneuver on site will take place as soon as the appropriate conditions are created”: Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant confirmed this in a press conference at the ministry in Tel Aviv. Gallant added that Israel is so far waging “a precise, deadly and powerful war” in Gaza, which, among other things, is causing devastating damage to Hamas’s underground military facilities. “We have only one goal: to win,” he declared several times, but added that for Israel “the liberation of over 200 hostages is a supreme duty.”
Israel, Hamas deputy intelligence chief killed
The Israeli army announced that it had killed Hamas’s deputy intelligence chief Shadi Barud, considered the right-hand man of the terrorist organization’s political leader Yahya Sinwar, in an airstrike. Israel believes that Barud, along with Sinwar, was responsible for planning the October 7 Hamas attack.
Moscow “discussed with Hamas about releasing hostages”
Russia discussed the release of hostages and the evacuation of Russians from the Gaza Strip at a meeting with Hamas in Moscow. This was reported by the Russian Foreign Ministry to TASS. “A member of the political office of the Islamic resistance movement Hamas, Abu Marzuk, is in Moscow,” the ministry said.
Palestine at the United Nations: “3,000 children killed in Gaza, barbaric”
“Stop the bombs and save lives. The lives of the 2.3 million civilians in Gaza, the lives of children, 3,000 innocent children have been killed by Israel in the last three weeks.” This was said by the Palestinian UN Ambassador Ryad Mansour at the special session of the UN General Assembly in a broken voice. “Is this the war some of you are defending? Can this war be defended? These are crimes, these are barbarism. Stop it for the lives that can still be saved.”
The UN condemns Hamas and rejects Israeli attacks on civilians
“I condemn Hamas’ attack on Israel, whose brutality is unacceptable and has no place in this world. I also reject Israel’s attack on defenseless civilians in Gaza. The right to self-defense cannot and must not allow such an attack. “The rules of war dictate that the civilian population must be protected at all costs.” This was said by the President of the UN General Assembly, Dennis Francis, when he opened the special session on the crisis in the Middle East East opened. He called for an end to hostilities and “the immediate opening of humanitarian corridors for aid to Gaza.”
Hamas: Around 50 hostages killed in Gaza by Israeli strikes
The spokesman for Hamas’s military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, Abu Obeida, said on Telegram that about 50 hostages had been killed in the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip.
Meloni: “We have to give the PNA more weight against Hamas”
“I believe that one of the most effective tools to defeat Hamas is to give concreteness and timing to the Palestinian issue. To give more weight to the Palestinian Authority. This is a role that Europe can play.” Giorgia Meloni underlined this upon her arrival at the Extraordinary European Council in Brussels.
Israel: Hamas commander killed in Khan Younis
The Israeli army killed Hassan Al-Abdullah, the Hamas commander responsible for firing rockets in the Kahn Younis area, in an attack on the Gaza Strip. This was announced by the military spokesman. His deputy, Taysir Mubasher, was killed yesterday.
The Pope to Erdogan: I hope for a two-state solution
“I can confirm that a telephone conversation took place this morning between the Pope and the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The communication requested by the latter focused on the dramatic situation in the Holy Land. The Pope expressed his sadness at this and recalled the Holy See’s position in the hope that a two-state solution and a special statute for the city of Jerusalem can be achieved. This was announced by Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni
The EU does not apply double standards when it comes to Gaza, unity is our strength
“The European Union knows no double standards” when it comes to the war between Hamas and Israel. This was said by the President of the European Council Charles Michel shortly before the start of the summit. “We believe in a system based on values and respect for the rules, and both my colleagues and I continue to explain this to our partners in the global south.” “But there are people in the world who use this argument to “To attack the EU and raise doubts about our credibility: this moment is important from a geopolitical perspective and our unity will be our strength in our relations with the global south.”
Rockets from Gaza to central Israel and the greater Tel Aviv area
A Rocket volley It was recently launched towards central Israel and the greater Tel Aviv area. The army made it known. The echoes of powerful explosions caused by the interception of the missiles by the Iron Dome were heard in the air.
Gantz: “A US role?” Israel only makes decisions based on its interests.
“We make decisions based only on our own interests.” This was said by Benny Gantz – former chief of staff and centrist leader who joined Benjamin Netanyahu’s national emergency government – referring to the news that the US is planning to enter ground troops in Gaza delayed, although he stressed that he “appreciated the assistance provided by the Americans”. Gantz also added that the entire Israeli leadership, including himself, must be “held accountable” for the events of October 7th. “There are difficult times ahead,” he said.
Israel, “A rocket launch site near a mosque and a kindergarten”
More than 250 Hamas targets have been attacked by Israel in the last 24 hours. The military spokesman announced that infrastructure, operational command centers, tunnel entrances and missile launch stations were “placed in the heart of civilian areas”. In addition, the Israeli Navy struck a ground missile launch site in the Khan Younis area in the southern Gaza Strip. The position – explained the army – was adjacent to a mosque and a kindergarten: “Further evidence that Hamas is deliberately using civilian locations for terrorist purposes.”
Israel: “Hamas is blocking the roads for the population heading south to Gaza”
The Israeli military spokesman has released the contents of a recorded telephone conversation between an Israeli army intelligence officer (Unit 504) and a resident of the Gaza Strip, in which he confirms this Checkpoints set up by Hamas to prevent the population from going southdespite invitations from the army itself.
“For your personal safety – says the official – I ask you to go towards Khan Younis, which is in the south of the Gaza Strip. “All roads – this is the Gaza resident’s response – are blocked by Hamas, which is sending people back.”
Paris bans pro-Palestinian demonstrations on Saturday
ll Prefect of the Police of ParisLaurent Nuñez, announced his intention ban pro-Palestinian demonstrations scheduled for Saturday in the French capital. Nunez explained that the organizations sponsoring the protest had indicated “through some statements” a form of “support for Hamas.” These organizations, he explained, “include Capjpo, the representation of the Palestine Liberation Front in France,” or even the Nouveau Parti anticapitaliste (NPA).”
The prefect justifies the ban with an appeal a “moral” criterion, on the grounds that “the disruption of public order may be insignificant,” says a Council of State ruling “dating back to the 1980s.” “The fact that denying, anti-Semitic or terrorist statements can be made is a problem for us,” emphasized Nunez.
In a statement dated October 18th The French Council of State gave the prefects a free hand in deciding whether or not to ban these demonstrations. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a highly sensitive issue in France, a country with the largest Jewish community in Europe (around 500,000 people) and around six million Muslims. The situation worsened after the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 and the subsequent Israeli reprisals in the Gaza Strip.
The number of identified Israeli deaths rises to 1,117
The number of identified Israeli deaths has risen to 1,117. The police announced this, according to which there were 808 civilians and 309 soldiers. The total number of deaths in Israel is 1,400.
Erdogan to the Pope: “A massacre is taking place in Gaza”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared that “Israeli attacks on Gaza have reached the level of a massacre.” Telephone conversation with Pope Francis. The Ankara presidency made this known, adding that during the meeting Erdogan criticized the lack of outrage from the international community over the attacks on the Gaza Strip.
Erdogan pointed to the humanitarian aid that Ankara had sent to the people of the Gaza Strip and launched one Call to support Türkiye’s efforts and declared that “lasting peace in the region containing the holy sites of the three monotheistic religions will be possible only with the creation of an independent, sovereign and geographically integrated State of Palestine on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem,” its capital .”
“The attacks on Gaza have already crossed the line of self-defense and have become massacres, cruelty and barbarism,” said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a conference broadcast by state television TRT. “The European Commission said yesterday that it cannot call for a ceasefire. How many more children have to die to achieve this?” said Erdogan. “They talk about human rights, but they have been ignoring the rights of the people of Gaza for 19 days,” the Turkish president added.
Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said in a letter to World Health Organization (WHO) Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus that health care must be guaranteed in the Gaza Strip. In the letter, Koca called on the WHO to take “urgent and necessary initiatives to ensure health care,” especially for children, Turkish state television TRT reports.
Israel, the updated number of hostages has risen to 224
The updated number of hostages still in the hands of Hamas in Gaza has risen to 224. This was reported by military spokesman Daniel Hagari after he spoke of a total number of 222 yesterday. Hagari explained that Israel is making major operational and intelligence efforts to continue obtaining new information about his fate. “Your release is our top priority,” he reiterated.
Land invasion between Israel and Gaza prepares the next phases
This morning’s land incursion into the northern part of the Gaza Strip by Israeli infantry forces and armored vehicles “is part of our preparations for the next phase of the war,” military spokesman Daniel Hagari said. During the operation, which lasted a few hours, the military “killed terrorists and destroyed Hamas’s terrorist infrastructure. She defused bombs and neutralized ambushes. Everything to prepare the ground for the next phases of the war.” At the end of the attack, Israeli forces left the area “without suffering any casualties,” Hagari concluded.
Zuppi, Hamas is the worst enemy of the Palestinian people
“There is a need for a solution that guarantees the rights of both parties. There is a great need for an authoritative Palestinian leadership capable of defending its people. Hamas is the worst enemy of the Palestinian people.” This is how the President of the Italian Episcopal Conference and Archbishop of Bologna, Matteo Maria Zuppi, spoke about the conflict in the Middle East on the sidelines of the 40th Assembly of the National Association of Italian Municipalities in Genoa.
UN: “Nowhere in Gaza is safe”
‘No place is safe’ in Gaza amid Israeli bombing: That’s what the United Nations says. The “advance warnings” that the Israeli army gives to the population to evacuate the areas it plans to attack “make no difference”: “No place is safe in Gaza,” the Gaza Strip’s humanitarian affairs coordinator said in a statement United Nations Declaration on the Palestinian Territories, Lynn Hastings.
Israeli airstrike in Gaza, 18 dead in Khan Yunis
At least 18 people died and 40 were injured Targeted Israeli airstrike against the family of Yunis Al Astal, a member of Hamas, in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. Local sources reported this to ANSA.
Sources: “The hostages could be released in two days.”
The Release of a significant number of hostages In the hands of Hamas in Gaza, it could happen “in a few days.” Israeli and foreign sources quoted by Haaretz said this. One of them added that both sides hope to conclude the agreement “in two days, perhaps even faster depending on the progress of the negotiations.” A source familiar with the discussions later added this Israel wants to complete the dossier as quickly as possible fearing that involvement in a war within the Gaza Strip would affect the possibility of the hostages’ subsequent release.
Israeli Ambassador to the US: “Let’s create the opportunity to release the hostages”
Israel offers “an opportunity to release the hostages.” He said this while speaking to Military Radio: Michael Herzog, Israeli Ambassador to the USA. “What we are demanding,” he declared, “is the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.” Referring to reports that Israel is delaying its invasion of Gaza to give mediators a chance to release the 222 hostages, Herzog responded: “ Holding hostages is a war crime. I do not wish to comment further on this matter.”
Army, “targeted attack in northern Gaza Strip”
The Israeli army said it carried out “Targeted raids” in the north of the strip with tanks” as part of preparations for the “next phases of the fighting.” “The soldiers,” he added, “then left the area at the end of the activity.” During the invasion of the northern strip that the Israeli army has numerous terrorists were identified and attacked“We built terrorist infrastructure and launch sites for anti-tank missiles and worked on preparing the battlefield,” said the military spokesman.
The deployment of tanks and soldiers in the Gaza Strip last night is the first of its kind since hostilities began. Previously, commandos had entered and then departed with the aim of locating hostages, identifying the bodies of Israelis killed in the Oct. 7 attack, gathering intelligence and eliminating pockets of resistance on the edge of the Gaza Strip.
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