• It is the 21st day of the war: According to Hamas, over 7,300 Palestinians have died; 1,400 of them were Israelis; 229 hostages in Gaza.
• On the evening of Friday, October 27, Israel launched unprecedented bombings in the Gaza Strip and announced an “expansion of ground operations.” It is still unclear whether this is the announced “invasion”. The strip is completely isolated.
• Hamas called Palestinians in the West Bank to arms.
• The UN General Assembly approves a draft ceasefire in Gaza and rejects an amendment condemning Hamas. Tel Aviv’s anger: “It is the day of shame”
• For Israel, the Hamas command is in the hospital in Gaza City. The answer: “Wrong”
• US jets have struck two sites in Syria linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps
• Words and acronyms for understanding the conflict: the glossary
• The history of the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis, explained
6:17 a.m. – Gaza residents: “It was the worst night since the war began”
Last night was the “worst night” since the start of the war due to the intensity of the bombing. Some Gazans reported to Haaretz that there had been incessant attacks by Israeli forces in the eastern part of the city, from the Jabaliya refugee camp to Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanun. Attacks were also reported in the central strip and in Khan Yunis in the south. In addition, Hamas reported fighting with Israeli troops in the north of the Gaza Strip. There is currently no information about victims and injured people in the night attacks as communication with health workers is interrupted.
5:23 a.m. – Biden: Ready to attack Iran-linked groups again
US President Joe Biden sent a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson saying the United States is “ready to take further action” following attacks by Iran-linked groups against American forces in Iraq and Syria. . The letter comes after US warplanes hit arms and ammunition depots in Syria. Last week, U.S. and coalition troops in Iraq and Syria were attacked at least 19 times by Tehran-backed forces. Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah in Lebanon are all supported by Iran. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian warned at the United Nations on Thursday that the United States “will not be spared from this fire” if Israel’s offensive against Hamas does not end.
3:48 a.m. – Israeli forces show maps of 5 destroyed tunnels
The Israeli Defense Forces showed a map showing the five tunnels used by Hamas that were apparently destroyed by the Israeli Air Force in the last few hours: those in northern Gaza, in Deir al-Balah and in Khan Younis on the border to Israel, Gaza and Rafah, where the gateway to Egypt is located, have been used in recent days to deliver the first humanitarian aid to the Palestinian population.
3:23 a.m. – Thousands of people take to the streets in New York to demand a ceasefire
Thousands of people demonstrate at New York’s Grand Central train station, in the heart of Manhattan, to demand an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East. They are representatives of all communities, including Jews and Muslims. With the cry “No more weapons, no more wars, we demand a ceasefire”. The video went viral online and shows the protesters, all wearing black T-shirts with calls for peace, clapping to the beat and chanting the slogan “No more guns/No more war/Ceasefire is what we demand.”
02:46 a.m. – CNN: Gaza tunnel network targeted by Israeli attacks
Hamas tunnels in Gaza are being targeted by Israeli forces. CNN reports this, citing Israeli sources.
2:32 a.m. – At least 29 journalists have died in the Israel-Hamas conflict
At least 29 journalists have lost their lives in the war between Israel and Hamas since October 7. This is what we read in a statement from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), according to which “the last three weeks have been the bloodiest period in recent decades for journalists reporting on conflict.” Of the journalists killed, at least 24 were Palestinians, four were Israelis and a Lebanese. The CPJ also said it was “deeply disturbed” by reports of a communications blackout in Gaza: “As the media loses contact with its crews and journalists in Gaza who are testifying independently to provide information about the developments and costs of this war , the world is in panic. “We are losing insight into the reality of all parties involved in this conflict.”
02:23 a.m. – Israel: We hit targets in the underground tunnels with planes
“The Air Force attacks targets located underground in a very significant way,” said Israeli Defense Force spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari. “In addition to the attacks of the last few days – he added – the ground forces are expanding their activities. The Israeli defense is acting with great force to achieve the war goals.”
2:11 a.m. – CNN: US troops in the Middle East have attacked 20 times in 11 days
American troops in the Middle East have faced 20 attacks in the past 11 days. CNN reports this, citing Pentagon sources.
1:51 a.m. – New York Times: Telephone outage in Gaza, population in panic
Telephone lines in the Gaza Strip are on the verge of collapse. The New York Times reports on it. The two largest Palestinian phone companies, Jawwal and Paltel, said their internet and phone services were disrupted. This situation is leading to increasing panic among people who feel isolated and under siege. Reached via WhatsApp, Belal Khaled, a Palestinian freelance photographer, described the scenes of panic among residents gathered at Nasser Hospital. “People are afraid, they feel in limbo, they don’t know what’s happening around them.”
1:09 a.m. – Hamas: ready to respond with “full force.”
Hamas has said its militants in Gaza are ready to meet Israeli attacks with “full force” after the Israeli army expanded air and ground attacks on the Palestinian enclave. The Israeli army has intensified bombing raids in the Gaza Strip and is expanding its ground operations. After dark, a widespread series of explosions lit up the sky over Gaza City, and an Al Jazeera correspondent said northern Gaza had been hit by airstrikes and artillery.
1:08 a.m. – Unicef: Another night of horror for a million children
“We have lost contact with our colleagues in Gaza. I am deeply concerned for their safety and for another night of unspeakable horror for a million children in Gaza. All humanitarian workers, children and families must be protected,” said Catherine Russell, Director General of Unicef, in a note on the evolving crisis in the Gaza Strip.
12:47 a.m. – USA: great concern about a possible escalation of the war
The government is “very concerned” about a possible escalation of the war between Israel and Hamas. John Kirby, spokesman for the National Security Council, said this on CNN.
12:37 a.m. – Hamas: No negotiations after recent Israeli raids
“There were negotiations and also political efforts to reach an agreement” on the ceasefire and prisoner exchange, but “after the recent Israeli attacks on Gaza,” there are no more talks. This was stated by Hamas spokesman Osama Hamdan, quoted by al Jazeera.
00:35 a.m. – Moscow: UN resolution on Gaza “victory of common sense”
The resolution adopted by the UN calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza is “a triumph of common sense”. Tass quotes Moscow’s representative to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzya. “It is not a victory of some nations, it is a victory of common sense, justice and humanitarian aspects.”
12:35 a.m. – Drone crashes on Egyptian Red Sea resort, six injured
Two drones hit an Egyptian city on the Red Sea on the border with Israel, slightly injuring six people. An Israeli army spokesman reported this on Facebook, saying that an unidentified drone crashed into “a building near Taba Hospital” in the tourist center of the same name, just across the border from the Israeli city of Eilat. And he then clarified that there were “two drones from the south of the Red Sea,” which is off the coast of Yemen. “One crashed in Taba and the other was attacked outside Egyptian airspace in the Gulf of Aqaba,” with some debris hitting an uninhabited area. The Israeli military said its air force countered an “air threat” and intercepted “enemy targets.” Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Lior Haiat accused Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen of firing drones at Israel.
00:31 – Hamas asks Hezbollah to intervene
A senior Hamas official has called on Hezbollah and other allies to play a larger role in the conflict between Israel and the Islamist movement. Ghazi Hamad said in an interview with the Associated Press: “We appreciate that Hezbollah is working against the occupation, but we need more to stop the aggression in Gaza. We expect more.”
12:30 a.m. – The UN Assembly calls for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, Italy abstains. Riyadh: “An invasion would be a catastrophe”
(Viviana Mazza, New York correspondent) “We are not drawing any red lines for Israel,” White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said last night. “We will continue to support them,” but “as we have done from the beginning, we will continue to have a dialogue with them about the way they do things.”
(…) In the meantime, however, the United Nations General Assembly has called for an immediate and permanent “humanitarian ceasefire” in Gaza with a non-binding resolution from 22 Arab countries, which will lead to an end to the fighting. It was approved by 120 members with 14 votes against and 45 abstentions. Europe was divided: Italy and Germany abstained, France and Spain voted for, Austria against. This is the United Nations’ initial response to the October 7 Hamas attack and the Israeli military’s response after four failed Security Council attempts.
However, an amendment put forward by Canada and supported by the US that would condemn Hamas’s “terrorist attacks” and call for the immediate release of the hostages was rejected. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield joined Israel in expressing outrage that Hamas was not mentioned, saying it “damages” the two-state perspective. Hamas itself “welcomed” the resolution and called for its immediate implementation.
Read the full article here.
12:30 a.m. – Oxfam: Gaza is isolated, civilians killed and war crimes
“Currently the entire Gaza Strip is without internet and telephone lines. While Israel bombs the Gaza Strip by air and sea, there is a complete blackout, heralding the start of a massive land invasion.” The NGO Oxfam writes this in the context of the situation in the Middle East. “Indiscriminate killings of civilians that constitute a war crime are taking place before our eyes,” Oxfam added. The people of Gaza are being hit without having a chance to save themselves. Nobody will be able to tell. If we do not want to be complicit, we must raise our voices now and stop them,” is the NGO’s appeal.
00:24 – Hamas wants a ceasefire and proposes a prisoner exchange
Hamas wants a ceasefire of a few days and is demanding the release of its followers in Israeli prisons in exchange for 100 Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip. This was reported by the Palestinian agency Maan, citing the Russian agency Tass.
00:23 – The US Embassy in Beirut calls on compatriots to “leave Lebanon immediately”
The American embassy in Beirut calls on compatriots to “leave the country immediately.” He reports this to Arabiya.
00:21 – UN resolution, Italy abstained “due to lack of condemnation of Hamas”
“Italy abstained from voting on the UN resolution on the ceasefire in Gaza,” “because, on the one hand, it recognizes the efforts of the Arab parties,” but “they were not enough to vote for it.” There is a lack of unequivocal condemnation of Hamas’ attacks on Israel, a lack of recognition of the right to self-defense of any attacked state, in this case Israel, and no mention of the demand for the immediate and unconditional release of the October 7 hostages.” This said Ambassador Maurizio Massari, Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations.