The Rafah crossing closed soon after 20 trucks went through, according to a CNN stringer on the Egyptian side of the border, CNN reported.
Israel-Hamas War HIGHLIGHTS: US Reaffirms Support For Lebanon Amidst Tension Between Israel And Hezbollah
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.
ABP News Bureau
Last Updated:
21 Oct 2023 11:24 PM
US Reaffirms Support For Lebanon Amidst Tension Between Israel And Hezbollah
In a phone call, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasised US support for the Lebanese Armed troops and Internal Security Forces, after Israeli and Hezbollah troops recently exchanged artillery fire on the Israel-Lebanon border.
According to US State Department spokeswoman Matthew Miller, in the phone, Blinken expressed "growing concern" about mounting tensions in the Middle East and the potential repercussions of Lebanon being pulled into the war. The secretary also expressed sympathy to Lebanese who had lost loved ones.
Large Fire Breaks Out In Bani Suhaila After Israeli Airstrike, Says Palestinian Govt
According to a Palestinian Ministry of Interior statement in Gaza on Saturday afternoon, a "large fire" has broken out in the Bani Suhaila district of Khan Younis due to an Israeli attack on a house.
CNN acquired a video from Khan Younis showing a massive cloud of smoke rising above the city's skyline in the southern Gaza Strip.
The Israel Defence Forces have no immediate information on the purported strike's circumstances.
1 Lakh People Joined Pro-Palestinian March In London, Says Police
According to Metropolitan Police estimates, up to 100,000 people attended a pro-Palestinian march in central London on Saturday.
US Welcomes Delivery Of 20-Truck Convoy Carrying Humanitarian Aid To Gaza
"The United States welcomes the delivery of a 20-truck convoy carrying much needed humanitarian assistance to the people in Gaza, the first since Hamas’s horrific October 7 terrorist attack on Israel. We thank our partners in Egypt and Israel, and the United Nations, for facilitating the safe passage of these shipments through the Rafah border crossing. With this convoy, the international community is beginning to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza that has left residents of Gaza without access to sufficient food, water, medical care, and safe shelter. The opening of this essential supply route was the result of days of exhaustive U.S. diplomatic engagement in the region and an understanding President Biden reached with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi during his recent historic visit to Israel. Since that visit, Special Envoy David Satterfield has worked with the governments of Israel and Egypt, as well as the United Nations, to oversee its implementation," US Secretary of State stated.
'Came With A Message Of Peace', Jordan's King Abdullah II Says At Cairo Summit
Jordan's King Abdullah II addressed European and Western leaders in English at the Cairo Summit for Peace, saying that "our region came with a message of peace."
He demanded an "immediate end to the war in Gaza," urgent humanitarian help, the rejection of Palestinian displacement, and a long-term solution "on the basis of the two-state solution."
What Is Two-State Solution?
The concept of a two-state solution appears easy enough: an Israeli state next to a Palestinian state coexisting peacefully.
It has been the international community's aim for decades, dating back to the 1947 United governments Partition Plan, and many governments believe it is the only path out of the war.
However, progress on the aim has been difficult and has recently stagnated. The two parties have been unable to reach an agreement on key critical points.
Both claim a portion, if not the all, of Jerusalem as their capital. They disagree on where boundaries should be drawn, and they continue to quarrel over Israeli settlements in occupied land.
Trucks That Crossed Rafah Border Represent Only 3% Of Needs: Ministry Of Health In Gaza
The trucks that entered today from the Rafah border represent only 3% of the health and humanitarian needs that entered the Gaza Strip daily before the aggression, said the Ministry of Health in Gaza.
🔴The introduction of medical aid to the Gaza Strip will be important if it meets our urgent needs in the emergency departments, intensive care and operating rooms of all hospitals in the Gaza Strip. Excluding the introduction of fuel as part of humanitarian assistance will keep the risk to the lives of the sick and wounded and the continuation of life-saving services.
🔴Gaza Strip hospitals have completely dried up their resources due to the lack of the most basic emergency medical supplies, including fuel.
🔴We appeal to the international community and Egypt to immediately work on the introduction of fuel and emergency health needs before more victims are lost inside hospitals.
🔴The Israeli occupation committed 29 massacres over the past 24 hours, killing 248 martyrs and 400 injuries, and committed 550 massacres against families in the Gaza Strip, killing 3,353 of its members, and a large number of them are still under the rubble.
🔴4,385 martyrs, including 1,756 children and 967 women, in addition to 13,561 injured since the seventh of October, and 70% of the victims of the Israeli aggression are children, women and the elderly.
210 People Are Being Held Hostage In Gaza, Says IDF
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) announced in an update that it currently believes 210 persons are being held hostage in Gaza, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the military's spokeswoman, told media at a briefing on Saturday.
The announcement comes a day after Hamas freed two American hostages, Judith Tai Raanan and her 17-year-old daughter Natalie Raanan, nearly two weeks after its devastating attack on Israel.
Following their release, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that his government will continue to seek to secure the release of all captives.
UN Lauds Rafah Crossing Opening To Allow Humanitarian Aid Into Gaza
The opening of the Rafah gate, which allows humanitarian supplies to reach Gaza for the first time since the Israel-Hamas conflict began, was hailed by the United Nations.
According to UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths, the "20-truck convoy includes life-saving supplies provided by the Egyptian Red Crescent and the United Nations, which are approved to cross and be received by the Palestinian Red Crescent, with the support of the United Nations."
World Leaders Gather In Egypt For Cairo Summit For Peace
World leaders have begun gathering in Egypt’s capital for the Cairo Summit for Peace. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has begun his speech at the opening of the Cairo Peace Summit: “We meet today in Cairo in a very difficult situation that examines our humanity and the beliefs we claim to hold."
Report Says Rockets Have Been Fired At Southern Israel
Rockets are fired at southern Israel. Warning sirens sounded in several Gaza border communities.
Terror Attack Carried Out In UK By Asylum Seeker For Gaza: Report
The UK’s Daily Telegraph reports that a terror attack was carried out in Britain by an asylum seeker claiming he wanted to avenge Gaza. The report claims that details of the attack are being withheld from the public for security reasons.
The paper says the man was arrested and told police that he had done it “for Palestine.”
Hamas Says Aid Convoy Is Loaded With Medical Supplies
The aid convoy of 20 trucks that finally entered the besieged Gaza on Saturday was supposed to be filled with "medicines, medical supplies and a limited quantity of canned food," the Hamas-controlled Government Media Office said in a statement before the Rafah crossing was briefly opened.
Humanitarian Aid Convoy Crosses Into Gaza Strip From Egypt: Report
Humanitarian aid convoy crossed into Gaza Strip from Egypt, reports AP.
Israel Asks Citizens To Leave Egypt, Jordan And Morocco Citing Fears Of Attack By Those Opposing War
Israel issues a warning against travel to Egypt, Jordan and Morocco, citing fears that Israeli travelers will be targets of those angry at the ongoing war sparked by the deadly Hamas onslaught.
Patients Waiting For Treatment At Gaza Hospitals Are 150% Of Total Capacity: UN
Hospitals in Gaza are "on the brink of collapse," the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned, saying that the number of patients treated or waiting to be treated is at 150% of the hospitals' capacity, and people are lying on the floors and corridors.
US Claims Of Having Info That Rafah Crossing Between Gaza And Egypt Will Open At 10 AM
The United States sends out an alert that they “received information” that the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt will open at 10 a.m.
“If the border is opened, we do not know how long it will remain open for foreign citizens to depart Gaza,” the US Embassy in Jerusalem says.
Israelis Leave Town Near Lebanese Border Following Evacuation Order From Military
Israelis leave the town of Kiryat Shmon, near the Israel-Lebanon border. This is after the Israeli authorities ordered the evacuation of Kiryat Shemona town, located about 10 kms from the border with Lebanon, following heavy exchange of fire over the past week with the Hezbollah.
Israeli Military Says It Carried Out Strikes Against Numerous Hamas Sites In Gaza Overnight
The Israel Defense Forces says it carried out strikes against numerous Hamas sites in the Gaza Strip overnight.
Israel-Hamas War: Cairo Peace Summit In Egypt To Address Ongoing Gaza Conflict
An international conference dubbed the Cairo Peace Summit, in Egypt, is scheduled to open later today to discuss ways to “de-escalate” the Israel-Hamas war.
Egypt Official Says 2 Aid Trucks Ready To Cross Into Gaza: Report
Two trucks carrying humanitarian aid had entered Egypt’s side of the border crossing with Gaza early on Saturday, but the trucks had not yet crossed over to the besieged Palestinian enclave, AP news agency reported an Egyptian official as saying.
UN Says Toll Due To Israeli Attack On Gaza Has Risen To 4,137
A UN update says that the death toll from Israel’s war on Gaza has risen to 4,137, with 70 percent of the dead women and children. 352 people were killed in the previous 24 hours, reports Al Jazeera.
Toll From Israeli Airstrikes On Gaza Overnight Rises To At Least 29, Says Ministry of Interior
The number of people killed in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza overnight has reached at least 29, the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Interior in Gaza said on Saturday. The ministry said at least 14 people were killed in airstrikes on Jabalia in northern Gaza.
Israel-Backed Armed Group Asks US Forces In Iraq To Leave 'Immediately'
Iranian-backed fighters in Iraq have warned the US military to leave the country “immediately” or US bases in the region will come under attack, the Associated Press (AP) news agency reports.
US President Biden Speaks To Mother-Daughter Released By Hamas
US President Joe Biden held a phone call earlier this evening with Judith and Natalie Raanan after they were released by Hamas following two weeks in captivity, the White House says.
Biden “relayed that they will have the full support of the US government as they recover from this terrible ordeal,” the White House adds.
US, EU Countries Pushing Israel To Delay Ground Operation In Gaza
Following Hamas’s release of two hostages from Gaza, the US and several governments in Europe are quietly pushing Israel to hold off on launching a ground invasion of Gaza, fearing that the incursion will all but scuttle efforts to secure additional hostage releases for the foreseeable future, a senior diplomatic official tells The Times of Israel.
Israel-Hamas War Live: Hamas' Releases Video Of American Mother-Daughter It Released Earlier
Hamas puts out a video showing the release of American citizens Judith and Natalie Raanan after they were kidnapped and taken into Gaza during the Palestinian terror group’s deadly onslaught in southern Israel on October 7.
As per report, the mother-daughter duo are in Israel.
Two American Hostages Released, Says Hamas
Gaza's ruler Hamas said Friday its armed wing has released two American hostages, from around 200 captives abducted in attacks by the militant group in Israel on October 7, AFP reported.
"In response to Qatari efforts, (Ezzedine) al-Qassam Brigades released two American citizens (a mother and her daughter) for humanitarian reasons," Hamas said in a statement posted on Telegram.
Multiple Wounded Amid Clashes In West Bank, Claims Palestinian Red Crescent
According to a Palestinian Red Crescent Society statement, numerous persons were injured in skirmishes between Palestinians and Israeli soldiers in several parts of the occupied West Bank on Friday.
The PRCS reported seeing persons injured by "live ammunition" near Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem, the Huwara checkpoint south of Nablus, and the northern Birzeit checkpoint.
According to the statement, an Israeli soldier wounded and arrested a 14-year-old boy.
Russia Advises Citizens Against Travelling To Israel, Lebanon, Jordan And Palestinian Territories
Russia advises citizens against travelling to Israel, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestinian territories, amid tensions over war between Israel and Hamas, AFP reported.
UN Chief And Several Leaders Will Meet At Summit In Egypt Tomorrow
Egypt announced plans for a peace meeting on Saturday, with regional and international officials invited, in an effort to de-escalate the situation and safeguard people in Gaza.
According to state media, leaders from Qatar, Turkey, Greece, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Cyprus have confirmed their presence.
A Palestinian leader, the UN Secretary General, and the Secretary General of the Arab League have also confirmed their attendance, according to the statement.
Iran Warns US Over Sending Weapons To Israel, State Media Says
According to Iran's state-aligned news agency Tasnim, Iran cautioned the US about the ramifications of delivering weaponry to Israel, warning it would aggravate the situation in Gaza.
Shortages In Gaza 'Going To Kill Many People', Says US Chief Of Doctors Without Borders
Utility shortages in Gaza "are going to kill many, many people," according to Avril Benoît, executive director of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), formerly known as Doctors Without Borders.
Benoît told CNN that it frequently loses communication with its staff at Gaza's Al-Shifa Hospital owing to a shortage of energy, the inability to charge phones, and mobile signal outages, making it "difficult to get real-time information."
More Delays Will Result In More Suffering And Deaths, Says WHO Chief
Israeli Citizens Can Now Travel To US Upto 90 Days Without Visas
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Thursday that eligible Israeli residents and nationalities can now travel to the US for up to 90 days without a visa, extending an opportunity that was earlier scheduled to begin November 30, CNN reported.
Evacuation Of Kiryat Shmona Town Is Not Mandatory, Says IDF
The Israel Defence Forces has clarified that the evacuation of the northern Israeli town of Kiryat Shmona is not mandatory, CNN reported.
Residents were instructed to evacuate their houses earlier Friday, according to a statement issued by Israel's defence ministry.
Kiryat Shmona, near the Lebanese border, is home to 23,000 people, according to ministry spokesman Mayan Lazarovich, who stated at the time that the decision was a "mandatory evacuation."
Hamas Spox Hassan Yousef Arrested By Israeli Forces After West Bank Raid: Report
Reports are coming through that Hamas spokesman Hassan Yousef has been arrested. Israel Security Agency Shin Bet told CNN that after Israeli troops conducted raids in the West Bank, Yousef was arrested "on suspicion of acting on behalf of Hamas".
Yousef holds a seat on the Palestinian Legislative Council and is a leading political figure. CNN stated that he has been arrested by Israeli forces on a number of occasions and has spent a total of 24 years in Israeli prisons.
Israel Okays Regulations To Temporarily Shut Foreign News Channels Who 'Damaged' National Security
The Israeli government has approved regulations that will allow it to temporarily shut down foreign news channels during states of emergency, such as the current war with terror group Hamas in Gaza, if it believes the outlet is damaging national security.
Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi has led the charge to pass these regulations in order to shut down the Al Jazeera news channel, which he claims has damaged national security.
Israel Attacks Gaza, Hits Areas Where Palestinians Have Been Asked To Seek Safety: Report
Israel bombarded Gaza early Friday, hitting areas in the south where Palestinians had been told to seek safety, and it began evacuating a sizable Israeli town in the north near the Lebanese border, the latest sign of a potential ground invasion of Gaza that could trigger regional turmoil.
We're Going To Target Those Human Animals: Israeli Ministry
On Hammas, Israeli Minister Avi Dichter says, "...Hamas behaved like animals hunting other animals. We are going to target those human animals...nobody is going to escape."
"What happened in a hospital in Gaza was a Palestinian job... it's not a coincidence that it happened on the day the US President was supposed to visit here. That didn't happen from a bomb from an airstrike," he added.
5 Children Among 13 Dead In Israeli Operation In West Bank: Palestinian Health Ministry
Thirteen people, including five children, were killed during an Israeli operation in the Nour Shams refugee camp in the West Bank, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
Israeli Health Ministry Says 301 People Currently Hospitalised Due To War
The Health Ministry says that 301 people injured as a result of the Israel-Hamas war remain in hospitals, including 48 in serious condition and 173 in moderate condition
In total, 4,834 people have been hospitalized since the terror group’s massive onslaught in southern Israel, in which some 1,400 were murdered and at least 203 were kidnapped to Gaza, reports the Times of Israel.
Israeli Military Forces Evacuate Residents In City Near Lebanon Border
The Israeli military says it is evacuating people from the northern city of Kiryat Shmona, near its border with Lebanon.
The order was approved by Israel's defence minister Yoav Gallant and was communicated to the city's mayor a "short time ago", the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Kiryat Shmona, which has a population of about 23,000, has been hit by rocket fire in recent days amid clashes between armed fighters from the Lebanese Hezbollah group and the Israeli military.
2 Rockets Target Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center Housing US Military, Diplomats
A rocket attack near Baghdad International Airport adds to a growing number of attacks targeting US and coalition forces in the Middle East, as the US tries to stave off a wider conflict stemming from the war in Gaza.
Two rockets targeted the Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center near the airport, which houses US military, diplomatic, and civilian personnel, early Friday morning local time, according to a US defense official.
Israeli Military Says It Demolished West Bank Home Of Terrorist Behind Deadly June Attack In Eli
Israel Defense Forces troops have demolished the West Bank home of one of the perpetrators of a Palestinian terror attack in June that killed four at a gas station near the settlement of Eli, Hebrew media reports.
Two New Drone Attacks Reported On US Bases In Iraq War With Gaza
Two recent drone attacks are reported on US bases in Iraq, as regional terror groups step up attacks on American troops, presumably over the country’s support for Israel in its war against the Hamas terror group in Gaza.
The most recent drone attack is at al-Asad Air Base in western Iraq, reports the Times of Israel.
Orthodox Patriarchate Condemns 'Israeli Air Attack' On Greek Church In Gaza
The St. Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church was hit in an Israeli airstrike on Thursday night, according to its owners and Hamas. The attack near Church of Saint Porphyrius was condemned by Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
In a statement expressing its "strongest condemnation", the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem attributed the blast to an Israeli airstrike.
Chicago Man Charged With hate Crimes Over Threats To Muslim Men
A suburban Chicago man has been charged with two hate crimes for allegedly verbally abusing and threatening to shoot two Muslim men, reports Times of Israel citing AP.
EU Takes Steps To Limit Of Israel-Hamas War On Bloc, Activiates Crisis Mechanism
The European Union has begun taking steps to limit the impact of the war between Israel and Hamas on the bloc, amid heightened security tensions after a firebomb attack on a Berlin synagogue and killings in Belgium and France by suspected Islamic extremists.
Spain, which currently holds the EU’s rotating presidency, has activated a crisis mechanism to speed up decision-making and coordination between the 27 member countries, the bloc’s institutions and major partners like the United Nations or the United States.
Gaza's Main Hospital Will Only Have Electricity For 24 More Hours At Most: Says Doctors Without Borders
Gaza’s main medical facility, the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, only has enough fuel to run its generators for 24 hours, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said Thursday, reports CNN.
"Without electricity many patients will die," said Guillemette Thomas, MSF's medical coordinator for Palestine, based in Jerusalem.
Rafah Crossing Not Expected To Reopen Today For Aid Deliveries To Gaza: Report
Despite expectations the border between Egypt and Gaza could reopen later today to allow humanitarian aid into the coastal enclave, the Rafah crossing is expected to remain shuttered, according to CNN.
US President Biden Speaks With Father Of Palestinian-American Boy Murdered In Illinois
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden spoke Thursday evening with the father and uncle of Wadea Al-Fayoume, the Palestinian-American boy stabbed to death in Illinois on Saturday.
The Bidens “expressed their deepest condolences to the Al-Fayoume family as they mourn; their prayers that Wadea’s mother, Hanaan Shahin, makes a full recovery; and their commitment to keep speaking out against anti-Palestinian, anti-Arab, and anti-Muslim hate and violence,” the White House said in a statement.
Hamas And Putin Want To Completely Annihilate Neighbouring Democracy: Biden
In a rare Oval office address, US President Joe Biden has said, "Hamas and Putin represent different threats, but they share this in common: they both want to completely annihilate a neighboring democracy."
"If we don't stop Putin's appetite for power and control in Ukraine he won't limit himself to Ukraine," he added.
Background
Israel-Hamas War HIGHLIGHTS: Amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak extended support to Israel as he arrived in Tel Aviv on Thursday condeming an "unspeakable, horrific act of terrorism" referring to the October 7 surprise attacks by Hamas.
Over 3,700 people, including 1,524 children, 1,000 women, and 120 older people, have been killed in Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip so far, the Hamas-run health ministry said. More than 12,500 others have been wounded since the war began, following a shocking Hamas assault on Israel that killed around 1,300 people, the vast majority of whom were civilians.
The UK PM met Israeli President Isaac Herzog and is also scheduled to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
During his meeting with Herzog, Sunak thanked the Israeli President for the support provided to British nationals caught up in the "terror attacks". "Together we agreed on the importance of getting urgent humanitarian support to ordinary Palestinians in Gaza who are also suffering," he said.
Sunak's visit comes a day after the US President Joe Biden has visited Israel amid its war with Hamas.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday spoke to the President of Palestinian H.E. Mahmoud Abbas, and conveyed his condolences at the loss of civilian lives in the bombing at Gaza Hospital.
Modi said that India will continue to send humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people. "Spoke to the President of the Palestinian Authority H.E. Mahmoud Abbas. Conveyed my condolences at the loss of civilian lives at the Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza," he said in a post on X, adding: "We will continue to send humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian people. Shared our deep concern at the terrorism, violence and deteriorating security situation in the region. Reiterated India's long-standing principled position on the Israel-Palestine issue."
A deadly blast at a Gaza hospital on Tuesday, which killed hundreds of civilians, has drawn strong and sustained condemnation from world leaders. Israeli authorities blame the hospital blast on a misfired rocket launched by militants in Gaza, while Palestinian officials claim it was an Israeli airstrike.
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