Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates: US says Palestinians must govern Gaza post-war

14:03 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

Donald Trump’s Republican rivals vow to back Israel at 3rd debate

The Republican presidential candidates unanimously reaffirmed support for Israel in their first debate since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, but squabbled over China and Ukraine as they faced increasing pressure to catch Donald Trump, who was again absent.

All of the contenders stated unequivocally that they support Israel's offensive in Gaza. The candidates did not address humanitarian aid for Gaza people.

Several have also stated that they will put pressure on college campuses to combat antisemitism.

13:38 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

US says Palestinians must govern Gaza post-war

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken ha spushed back at Israeli comments that it would be responsible for security in Gaza indefinitely.

There should be "no reoccupation of Gaza after the conflict ends. No attempt to blockade or besiege Gaza. No reduction in the territory of Gaza," Blinken said.

While Blinken said there may be a need for "some transition period" at the end of the conflict, but that post-crisis governance in Gaza must include Palestinian voices.

13:24 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

Indonesia president will convey to Biden that ‘Hamas-Israel war should be stopped’

Indonesia's leader Joko Widodo said on Thursday he would convey to United States President Joe Biden in their meeting on Monday that the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas should be stopped.

Jokowi, as the leader of the world's largest Muslim-majority country is popularly known, is set to fly to Riyadh for an international summit about the war on Friday, the outcome of which he said he will convey to Biden.

"I will be delegated to tell President Joe Biden that the Hamas-Israel war should immediately be stopped," he said, declining to provide further details.

13:04 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

More questions than answers as Israeli PM Netanyahu seeks security control over Gaza

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's announcement this week that Israel will assume charge of security in Gaza indefinitely has increased doubt over the future of the besieged territory more than a month into the conflict.

Israeli leaders have subsequently tried to make it clear that they do not want to reoccupy Gaza, from where Israeli forces withdrew in 2005, but there has been little consensus on how to assure security in the territory without keeping a military presence.

Only one point has been emphasised repeatedly: Hamas, the Islamist movement responsible for a surprise onslaught on Oct. 7 that Israel claims killed 1,400 people and saw militants kidnap more than 240 Israelis and foreigners, must be destroyed.

12:51 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

WHO warns of 'worrying trends' in disease spread in Gaza

The World Health Organisation said on Wednesday that the Gaza Strip faces an increased risk of disease transmission as a result of Israeli air bombardments that have damaged the health system, access to clean water, and prompted residents to swarm into shelters.

"As deaths and injuries in Gaza continue to rise due to intensified hostilities, intense overcrowding and disrupted health, water, and sanitation systems pose an added danger: the rapid spread of infectious diseases," WHO said.

12:40 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

Western, Arab officials gather in Paris to find ways to provide aid to civilians in Gaza

Officials from Western and Arab nations, the United Nations, and nongovernmental organisations are meeting in Paris on Thursday to discuss how to provide aid to civilians in Gaza during Israel's conflict with Hamas, including proposals for a humanitarian maritime corridor and floating field hospitals.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who has called for a "humanitarian pause" in the conflict, wants the summit to address the beleaguered Palestinian enclave's rising needs, which include food, water, medical supplies, electricity, and fuel.

12:22 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

Syria says Israeli airstrikes hit military positions

According to Syrian state television, Israel launched airstrikes on various Syrian military installations late Wednesday.

According to state news agency SANA, which cited an unnamed military source, the strikes caused material damage but did not disclose any victims or the locations of the bombings.

According to pro-government radio station Sham FM, explosions could be heard in southeast Sweida province and in certain Damascus districts.

12:21 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

Few expectations as France seeks tangible results at Gaza conference

On Thursday, 80 countries and international organisations will meet in Paris to organise relief and analyse ways to help the wounded in the Palestinian enclave of Gaza, however real outcomes are unlikely without a respite in combat.

After a fatal Oct. 7 attack by Hamas Islamists, France offered its support to Israel, but Israel's retaliatory bombardment has raised worries as civilian casualties have risen. Thousands of people have been killed, injured, or displaced in Gaza.

12:19 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

US raises pressure on Israel as humanitarian crisis deepens

The US has unambiguous backing for Israel in its battle with Hamas, but it wants its ally to avoid besieging or reoccupying Gaza and to alleviate the escalating humanitarian catastrophe.

Washington has endorsed Israel's rejection of a cease-fire in the war, as well as its determination to smash Hamas in the aftermath of the October 7 strikes.

“Ultimately, the only way to ensure that this crisis never happens again is to begin setting the conditions for durable peace and security, and to frame our diplomatic efforts now with that in mind,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday after a Group of 7 meeting in Japan.

11:44 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

Negotiations under way for 3-day humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza

Negotiations are continuing in Gaza to reach a three-day humanitarian cease-fire in exchange for the release of approximately a dozen Hamas hostages.

According to two Egyptian officials, one from the UN and one from the West, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomatic operations.

The agreement would allow more supplies, including limited amounts of fuel, to enter the besieged enclave, helping the 2.3 million Palestinians imprisoned there. According to the officials and the ambassador, it is being mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States.

11:27 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

UN rights chief accuses Hamas and Israel of war crimes

According to the UN human rights head, both Hamas and Israel committed war crimes.

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk encouraged both sides to agree to a ceasefire so that aid could be delivered to Gaza.

11:15 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

Nearly half of Democrats disapprove of Biden’s response to the Israel-Hamas war, AP-NORC poll shows

According to a recent poll from The Associated Press-NORC Centre for Public Affairs Research, nearly half of Democrats disapprove of how President Joe Biden is handling the Israel-Hamas conflict, indicating a wide division within his party on the issue.

According to the study, 50% of Democrats favour of Biden's handling of the crisis, while 46% disapprove – and the two groups disagree significantly on US backing for Israel. Biden's approval among Democrats has dipped significantly since August, when an AP-NORC survey found that 57% of Democrats approved of his handling of the crisis and 40% disapproved.

Almost 7 in 10 Democrats who approve of Biden's handling of the crisis believe the United States is now providing the appropriate level of support to Israel. 65% of those who disagree believe the US is overly supportive of Israel. Since the August poll, the difference between Democrats who approve and those who disapprove has increased significantly.

11:13 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

'Hamas putting children in danger', says US

The US has responded to the UN Secretary-General's comment that Gaza is "becoming a graveyard for children".

US's John Kirby said, "Hamas is putting these children and their families in danger".

11:06 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

Israeli parents wounded in West Bank shooting, manhunt for terrorist

Shortly after midnight on Thursday, Israeli media reported a gun attack at the Itamar and Gigit intersection in the northern West Bank.

According to the MDA, two people were injured in the attack.

According to reports, one of the injured had a chest ailment and the other a shoulder injury. The toddler in the car was not injured.

According to an MDA spokeswoman, the emergency service received a report of a car being shot at 11:50 p.m. on Wednesday. There were three people in the car: a guy, a woman, and a baby.

10:52 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

Hamas conducts ‘hit-and-run attacks’ in northern Gaza: Think tank

Hamas fighters operating in the northern Gaza Strip are conducting “hit-and-run attacks” against Israeli forces as the armed group likely intends to focus its main defensive efforts on the centre of Gaza City, Washington, DC-based think tank, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), reports.

Harassing Israeli forces north of Gaza City with anti-tank rockets and mortars while preserving its more advanced weapons and tactics is “consistent with Hamas’s intent to fight a ‘long war … to force’ Israel into a ceasefire”, the ISW said.

#Hamas forces north of #GazaCity conducted harassing attacks on #Israeli forces, which supports ISW & @criticalthreats' previous assessment that Hamas units in the northern Gaza Strip are screening a main defensive effort in central Gaza City.

Latest: https://t.co/esZDGmzCf4 pic.twitter.com/VPLcMNgviH— Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) November 9, 2023

10:29 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

Premature births on the rise in Gaza

Hospitals in Gaza are on the verge of collapsing as a result of the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Because of the huge displacement from Gaza's north, the workload in the maternity department at Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis has more than doubled.

Shouq Hararah is one of those mothers. She says her delivery took place with “no proper birth procedures, no anesthesia, painkillers or anything."

“I gave birth to twins. The boy was discharged, but the girl remains in the maternity ward," she said.

Power cuts and shortage of fuel and food have worsened the situation.

09:59 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

Israel pounds Gaza City as tens of thousands flee their homes

Israeli air strikes hammered Gaza City Thursday as soldiers fought street-by-street with Hamas terrorists, and tens of thousands of Palestinians fleeing the embattled area to the south.

Hundreds of thousands of people remain trapped in a "dire humanitarian situation" in conflict zones after more than a month of intensive shelling, according to the United Nations.

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant stated on Wednesday that his forces were "tightening the stranglehold" around Gaza City, as part of an incursion begun in response to Hamas strikes on October 7 that killed 1,400 Israelis, mostly civilians.

09:42 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

Netanyahu pursuing ‘policy of vengeance’ against Palestinians, ex-French PM says

Former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin told France Info that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government bears "direct responsibility" for failing to defend his country on October 7.

Villepin, a former French foreign minister, stated that Netanyahu's second failing is adopting "an occupation and colonisation policy."

Villepin stated in response to the October 7 Hamas attack that "force does not ensure the security" of the Israeli people.

He went on to say that the rationale for the Gaza bombs is incorrect, and that the Netanyahu government is following “a policy of vengeance”.

While Israel has the right to defend itself, it does not have the right to carry out indiscriminate killing of civilians.

09:39 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

Palestinians flee on foot from northern Gaza, describing hunger, thirst and relentless bombing

Thousands of Palestinians fled on foot from northern Gaza on Wednesday, carrying just what they could fit in their arms or on their backs: families, children, and elderly people with wailing babies.

In an Associated Press video, they can be seen going down Gaza's major north-south route, heeding Israeli military orders to escape during a five-hour window while Israeli troops combat Hamas terrorists deep within Gaza City. Some refugees were pushing wheelchair-bound relatives, while one older adult was transported down the road in a hand truck.

09:03 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

Israeli military tour of north Gaza reveals ravaged buildings, former weapons lab

An Israeli tank rolls across a sand moonscape littered with rubble. Damaged structures may be seen from every angle. Trees have fallen along the Mediterranean coast.

On Wednesday, the Israeli military escorted international journalists into the northern Gaza Strip, allowing them to see the aftermath of 12 days of intensive warfare in the area.

Since the Islamic terrorist group carried out a devastating cross-border raid on October 7, killing over 1,400 people, largely civilians, and capturing nearly 240 others, Israel has been at war with Gaza's Hamas leadership. After weeks of continuous bombardment, Israel launched a ground attack on October 27.

08:58 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

Deaths reported as Israeli air strikes hit vicinity of two Gaza hospitals

According to the Palestinian news agency Wafa, an Israeli air strike at dawn on Thursday hit the neighbourhood of Al-Nasr Hospital in western Gaza, killing at least three Palestinians and injuring scores more.

Wafa also stated that Israel fired multiple missiles near the Al-Shifa Medical Complex, causing missile parts to fall into the hospital courtyard.

The major medical facility in the besieged Palestinian territory is Al-Shifa Hospital.

At the same time, Israel launched flares into Gaza City's sky, with a special focus on the al-Shati Camp.

Shells and missiles were also shot towards Rafah. There were no immediate reports of casualties as a result of the strike.

08:43 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

Rare aid delivery reaches Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City: UN

The UN said a rare supply of emergency medical supplies and pharmaceuticals arrived at Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza's war-torn north on Wednesday, but warned that significantly more was required.

The chiefs of the United Nations agency that helps Palestinian refugees and the World Health Organisation said in a joint statement that aid has reached Gaza's largest hospital "despite huge risks to our staff and health partners due to the relentless bombardments."

They emphasised that the shipment of life-saving equipment was only the second to arrive to the hospital in Gaza City since the conflict between Israel and Hamas erupted over a month ago.

08:31 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

IDF claims to have destroyed Hamas tunnel near UNRWA school

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) claimed to have destroyed a Hamas tunnel near a UNRWA-sponsored school in the Beit Hanoun neighbourhood of northern Gaza.

The IDF made the claim in a statement issued on Wednesday, along with a video purportedly showing the wreckage "near the school" as seen through a drone camera.

08:19 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

Israel-Hamas fight heats up in Gaza City, accelerating exodus of Palestinians to the south

Palestinians in the heart of Gaza's main city said Wednesday that they could see and hear Israeli ground forces moving in from all sides, hastening the evacuation of thousands of residents as food and water become scarce and urban warfare between Israel and Hamas intensifies.

The Israeli army has not provided details on military deployments as it escalates its ground offensive, aiming to defeat Hamas following their deadly October 7 attack inside Israel. Residents, meanwhile, reported that Israeli forces had moved into Gaza City's inner neighbourhoods amid intense bombing from the north.

08:13 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

Gaza aid conference to open in Paris

France's President Emmanuel Macron will host a conference on humanitarian aid for Gaza on Thursday, but Israel, which has been bombarding the area since a Hamas attack on October 7th, will be absent.

Despite this, all governments, including Israel, have "an interest in the humanitarian situation improving in Gaza," a Macron advisor told reporters ahead of the meeting.

According to Israeli officials, Hamas terrorists poured across the border from Gaza into Israel on October 7, killing over 1,400 people, predominantly civilians, and seizing over 240 captives.

08:11 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

‘No Gaza evacuations into Egypt,’ says Hamas militants

According to media reports, no wounded Palestinians or dual nationals were evacuated from Gaza to Egypt via the Rafah crossing on Wednesday. According to AFP, the crossing point remained restricted due to Israel's rejection to allow the list of wounded to be evacuated.

The Rafah crossing, which connects the besieged Gaza Strip to Egypt, reopened on November 1 to allow foreigners and dual nationals stranded in the small Palestinian territory to be evacuated.

07:57 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

No ceasefire in Gaza but allowing for humanitarian pauses: Israel's military spokesperson

Hamas has lost control of northern Gaza as thousands of residents have moved south, Israel's military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said in a televised briefing on Wednesday.

"We saw 50,000 Gazans move from the northern Gaza Strip to the south. They are moving because they understand that Hamas has lost control in the north," Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said. "Hamas has lost control and is continuing to lose control in the north."

Hagari added that there would be no ceasefire but Israel has been allowing for humanitarian pauses at specific times to allow for residents to relocate south.