Israel-Hamas war Updates: Gaza war death toll reaches 12,300
Israel-Hamas War News Updates: Israel has been waging a deadly war in Gaza against the Palestinian territory's Hamas rulers following the militant group's unprecedented attack on October 7 in southern Israel. The conflict has now entered its sixth week, and Israel aims to secure the release of hostages, including a baby, dozens of children, scores of women, and a number of people in their 80s. Since the conflict began, Hamas militants have killed more than 1,200 people in Israel, mostly civilians, and abducted around 240 men, women, and children....Read More
Israel is retaliating against the attack, and at least 12,000 lives have been lost so far in the Palestinian region, mostly civilians, including thousands of children, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry.
Here are the latest updates:
- Two fuel tankers entered Gaza through the Rafah crossing on Friday following approval by Israel's war cabinet to facilitate regular deliveries to the besieged enclave, according to a CNN report. The tankers carried a total of 60,000 liters of diesel fuel and were authorized for use by international organizations, particularly the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), as stated by an Israeli military spokesperson. UNRWA and other humanitarian groups require at least 120,000 liters (31,700 gallons) a day to maintain life-saving functions.
- The Israeli military stated on Friday that they could extend their attack on Hamas to southern Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of civilians have fled from the ongoing fighting primarily focused on the northern part of the region. Israeli troops have been searching Gaza's largest hospital, Shifa, for a Hamas command center that Israel alleges was located under the building — a claim denied by Hamas and the hospital staff.
- On Friday, the United Nations was compelled to halt deliveries of food and other necessities to Gaza and warned of the escalating risk of widespread starvation. UNRWA couldn't bring in its aid convoy on Friday due to the communications cutoff.
- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau remained resolute on Friday in his call for Israel to exercise "maximum restraint" to reduce civilian casualties in Gaza, despite criticism from Benjamin Netanyahu following his earlier statements.
- Israeli military forces on Friday killed five Palestinians, including three militants, across the West Bank region, in a crackdown aimed at Hamas and other militant groups active there.
Germany's Scholz tells Netanyahu of 'urgent need' to ease Gaza humanitarian crisis
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu there was an "urgent need" to ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where Israeli forces have vowed to destroy the Hamas militant group.
Hamas health ministry says more than 80 dead in strikes on refugee camp
An official of the Hamas-run health ministry in the Gaza Strip said more than 80 people were killed on Saturday in double Israeli strikes on the Jabalia refugee camp.
Israel-Hamas war LIVE updates: Hundreds make a desperate Escape ‘on foot’ from Gaza's Al-Shifa Hospital
Israel-Hamas war LIVE updates: Hundreds left Gaza's Al-Shifa hospital on foot Saturday, following the hospital director's claim that the Israeli army demanded the hospital be cleared, AFP reported.
The Hamas health ministry claimed that about 120 injured individuals and premature babies remained, and they were coordinating with the Red Cross for the infants' care. A few medical staff stayed behind to assist those unable to relocate.
Israel's army denied ordering the evacuation, stating they facilitated the director's request for additional Gazans wanting to leave. Prior to Israeli forces' arrival on Wednesday, around 2,300 patients, staff, and displaced Palestinians sought shelter at Al-Shifa, according to the United Nations.
(With AFP inputs)
Israel-Hamas war LIVE updates: Israeli air strikes kill 32 in south Gaza amid calls for evacuation
Israel-Hamas war LIVE updates: Israeli airstrikes targeted residential buildings in southern Gaza on Saturday, resulting in the deaths of at least 32 Palestinians, Reuters reported citing medical sources. Israel had previously urged civilians to move away from the area, signaling a shift in their operations to target Hamas in the southern part of the enclave, following their actions in the north.
"We're asking people to relocate. I know it's not easy for many of them, but we don't want to see civilians caught up in the crossfire," Mark Regev, an aide to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told MSNBC on Friday.
Israel vowed to annihilate the Hamas militant group that controls the Gaza Strip after its Oct. 7 rampage into Israel in which its fighters killed 1,200 people and dragged 240 hostages into the enclave, according to Israeli tallies.
(With Reuters inputs)
Israel-Hamas war LIVE updates: Tanzania confirms death of citizen in Hamas attack, one still missing
Israel-Hamas war LIVE updates: A Tanzanian citizen, missing since the October 7 Hamas raid in southern Israel, has been confirmed deceased, while another individual remains unaccounted for, Reuters reported citing to a statement from Dar Es Salaam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday. Clemence Mtenga's family has been informed of his passing, and discussions are ongoing regarding the repatriation of his body. The search continues for the second missing Tanzanian, Joshua Mollel. Israeli officials have not yet commented.
Israel-Hamas war LIVE updates: Israeli troops order evacuation within 'next one hour' from Gaza's Shifa hospital
Israeli soldiers used loudspeakers on Saturday to instruct the evacuation of Gaza's Al-Shifa hospital “within the coming hour”, AFP reported.
They called the hospital's director, Mohammed Abu Salmiya, to instruct him to ensure "the evacuation of patients, wounded, the displaced and medical staff, and that they should move on foot towards the seafront", he told AFP. Read more
Israel-Hamas war LIVE updates: Gaza warning renewed by Israel urging evacuation from southern city
Israel-Hamas war LIVE updates: Israel has issued a new advisory to Palestinians residing in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, urging them to relocate away from potential conflict areas and closer to humanitarian assistance. This indicates a strategic shift, suggesting plans to target Hamas in southern Gaza following actions in the northern region.
"We're asking people to relocate. I know it's not easy for many of them, but we don't want to see civilians caught up in the crossfire," Mark Regev, an aide to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told MSNBC on Friday.
This action might force hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, who had previously fled from Gaza City due to Israeli attacks, to once again relocate. It includes the inhabitants of Khan Younis, a city with over 400,000 residents, further exacerbating an already severe humanitarian situation.
(With Reuters inputs)
Israel-Hamas war LIVE updates: Pope Francis scheduled to confer with Palestinian delegation and families of Gaza captives
Israel-Hamas war LIVE updates: Pope Francis will meet the relatives of hostages held by Hamas militants and with a delegation of Palestinians with family members in Gaza next week, Reuters reported on Friday.
"With these meetings, which are of an exclusively humanitarian character, Pope Francis wants to show his spiritual closeness to the sufferings of both," Reuters quoted a Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni as saying.
The meetings will be held next Wednesday in the Vatican.
"Every human being, whether Christian, Jew or Muslim, of any people or religion, every human being is sacred, is precious in God's eyes and has a right to live in peace," the statement said, quoting from a talk the pope gave on Sunday.
Israel-Hamas war LIVE updates: Israel agrees to allow some fuel into Gaza
Israel-Hamas war LIVE updates: Israel and U.S. officials announced on Friday that, in response to Washington's request, Israel has agreed to permit the entry of 140,000 liters (369,850 gallons) of fuel into Gaza every two days, Reuters reported. This decision comes amidst severe shortages jeopardising aid deliveries and communication within the besieged strip.
When Israel initiated a military campaign following the October 7 rampage by the Palestinian militant group, Hamas, resulting in 1,200 fatalities and 240 hostages, Israel imposed a rigorous blockade on all goods entering the Hamas-controlled Gaza.
Israel has since agreed to allow in aid trucks after stringent inspections, and a small amount of fuel was allowed in on Wednesday to keep United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) aid delivery trucks moving.
(With Reuters inputs)
Israel-Hamas war LIVE updates: Israel intercepts missile launched from Lebanon, says report
Israel-Hamas war LIVE updates: Israel “successfully intercepted” a surface-to-air missile launched from Lebanon at a remotely manned military aircraft, as reported by the Times of Israel citing the Israel Defense Forces. This prompted air raid sirens to go off in northern Israel.
The Israeli military further said “no crossing into Israeli territory was detected.” The Times of Israel report quoted the IDF as saying the alerts were triggered by the interceptions.
Earlier, the IDF mentioned that Israeli fighter jets and combat helicopters conducted airstrikes against Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon on Friday evening, as per The Times of Israel report. These airstrikes were carried out in response to repeated missile and rocket attacks on northern Israel.
Israel-Hamas war LIVE updates: ‘Not asking for moon,’ UN official pleads for ceasefire
Israel-Hamas war LIVE updates: A United Nations official on Friday renewed calls for a "humanitarian ceasefire" to allow aid to reach the 2.2 million people trapped in the deadly conflict between Israel and Hamas that began on October 7, AFP reported. "We are not asking for the moon," UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths said in an address to the UN General Assembly.
"We are asking for the basic measures required to meet the essential needs of the civilian population and stem the course of this crisis," Griffiths said.
"Call it what you will, but the requirement, from a humanitarian point of view, is simple. Stop the fighting to allow civilians to move safely," he further said.
(With AFP inputs)
