Israel-Hamas War HIGHLIGHTS: 'Responsibility Is On Me', Israel Security Chief On Hamas Attacks
Israel-Hamas War HIGHLIGHTS: Follow this space for all the live and latest updates on the Israel-Hamas war.
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Israel-Hamas War HIGHLIGHTS: Hello and welcome to the live blog on the Israel-Hamas War. Follow this space for all the live and latest updates.
A week into the war and the Israel-Hamas conflict is nowhere near its end with the former declaring to move to the next stages in a bid to severely assault Hamas-occupying territories in the Gaza Strip. More than 3,000 people have died while thousands were injured after Israel intensified its attack on Gaza following Hamas' October 7 surprise attack.
The Israeli military has announced its preparedness for a "coordinated" air, ground, and naval offensive in the Gaza Strip, as reported by the Associated Press. In response to Hamas's shocking attack last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu assured troops near the Gaza border that "more is coming." This came as the Israeli military renewed its calls on social media and through leaflets air-dropped in Gaza, urging residents to move south, while Hamas encouraged people to remain in their homes.
The evacuation directive encompassed an area with approximately 1.1 million residents, about half of the territory's population. The Israeli military granted Palestinians a six-hour window to travel within Gaza without harm along two main routes, with the deadline ending on Saturday afternoon.
Netanyahu, clad in a flak jacket, relayed a message in a video released by his office on Saturday. "Are you ready for what is coming? More is coming," Netanyahu, was heard telling soldiers in the video that the premier's office said was filmed earlier Saturday, AFP reported.
The head of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, accused Israel of "war crimes" as the Israeli army continued its strikes on Gaza and prepared for a possible ground invasion aimed at eradicating the group. This charge was conveyed in a letter addressed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and posted on the Hamas website, as per AFP.
Israel-Hamas War LIVE: US President Joe Biden, VP Kamala Harris briefed on situation in Gaza
The White House said President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were briefed this morning “on the latest updates in the wake of Hamas’s abhorrent attack in Israel and the resulting conflict in Gaza,” CNN reported citing a statement.
White House chief of staff Jeff Zients joined the briefing, which was led by National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines and CIA Director Bill Burns, the White House said.
Israel-Hamas War LIVE: 'Responsibility is on me', Israel security chief takes responsibility for Hamas attacks
Israel's top domestic security official took responsibility Monday for the Hamas attacks that killed more than 1,400 people, according to the country's Army Radio station, CNN reported.
In his first comments since the attacks of October 7, Shin Bet chief Ronan Bar wrote in a statement, "Despite a series of actions we carried out, we weren’t able to create a sufficient warning that would allow the attack to be thwarted."
"The responsibility is on me," Bar said.
Shin Bet is Israel’s domestic security agency, tasked with combating terrorism.
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