Live blog: Biden appoints US special envoy for Middle East humanitarian issues

Sunday, October 15, 2023

1814 GMT — US President Joe Biden appointed David M. Satterfield as the special envoy for Middle East humanitarian issues.

"Special Envoy Satterfield will lead US diplomacy to urgently address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, including work to facilitate the provision of life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable people and promote the safety of civilians, in coordination with the United Nations and US partners," the US State Department said in a written statement.

Satterfield "will lead a whole-of-government campaign to mitigate the humanitarian fallout of Hamas' attack against Israel, supporting critical efforts by the US Agency for International Development and the Department of State's Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration," the statement added.

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1929 GMT — Israel's response in Gaza evolved into ‘collective punishment’: Egypt tells US

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al Sisi told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Israel's response in Gaza has evolved into “collective punishment,” local media reported.

According to Egypt's Cairo News Channel, al Sisi met with Blinken in Cairo, as the top US diplomat is paying a visit to Egypt as part of his regional tour to reaffirm Washington's support for Tel Aviv in its ongoing fighting with Palestinian group Hamas.

During a meeting with Blinken, al Sisi said that "the Israeli response has gone beyond the principle of self-defense to collective punishment against Gaza, which is home to over 2.3 million Palestinians."

He stressed that "the absence of a solution to the Palestinian issue has led to an exacerbation of anger."

1806 GMT — Israeli airstrike kills 5 Palestinians in Rafah, southern Gaza

Five Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike that targeted an inhabited residence in the city of Rafah in southern Gaza, medical sources said.

The sources said that the strike on the house in Rafah resulted in five fatalities, including three people who had recently moved from Gaza City to Rafah in the past few days.

While official statistics on the number of displaced casualties in the ongoing bombardment of the region are not available, medical sources informed Anadolu that nearly 100 displaced people had lost their lives in the past two days.

1748 GMT — Israel confirms Hamas holding 155 hostages: army

The Israeli military said it had confirmed 155 people were being held hostage by Hamas since the Palestinian group staged its attack last week.

Families of "155 hostages" have been contacted by the authorities, military spokesman Daniel Hagari said, updating an earlier figure confirming 126 hostages.

1740 GMT — France's Macron warns Iran over escalation

French President Emmanuel Macron warned his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi in phone call against any escalation of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, Macron's office said.

"The president of the republic warned President Raisi against any escalation or extension of the conflict, especially to Lebanon," Macron's office said in a statement.

"Given its relations with Hezbollah and Hamas, Iran has a responsibility in this respect. Iran must do everything possible to avoid a regional flare-up," it added.

1737 GMT — Iranian FM: US will suffer 'significant damages' if Gaza war expands

Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said the United States will suffer "significant damages" if the Gaza war spirals into a bigger conflict, Al Jazeera reported.

"We have conveyed our message to the Zionist regime through its allies that if they do not cease their atrocities in Gaza, Iran cannot simply remain an observer," Iranian state media cited Amir Abdollahian as telling the network.

"If the scope of the war expands, significant damages will also be inflicted upon America."

1735 GMT — Top Turkish, US diplomats discuss Israel-Palestine conflict over phone

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan had a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, as the top diplomats discussed the latest developments in the Israel-Palestine conflict.

According to Turkish diplomatic sources, Fidan and Blinken also addressed the humanitarian situation in Gaza and exchanged views on their visits to the region.

1725 GMT — Israel orders hospital in southern Gaza to evacuate immediately

Suhaib Al Hams, director of Kuwaiti Specialized Hospital, said that they "received a call from the Israeli army asking them to evacuate the hospital immediately."

He said that they "took a decision not to evacuate the hospital due to the presence of a number of critical cases that would be difficult to evacuate."

Al Hams continued: "The Israeli army bombed several targets around the hospital to force us to evacuate, which caused deaths and injuries."

1721 GMT — Palestine Action Committee files appeal against France's demonstration ban

France-based Palestine Action Committee has filed an appeal against the country's ban on pro-Palestinian protests after escalation between Israel and Hamas.

"A general and absolute ban on pro-Palestinian demonstrations completely disregards the right to demonstrate," Vincent Brengarth, a lawyer at the Paris Bar, said Saturday on X.

"We filed an interim appeal before the Council of State for the Palestine Action Committee, against the decision of (Interior Minister) Gerald Darmanin," Brengarth added.

1714 GMT — EU calls for opening of border crossings for humanitarian aid supply into Gaza

The EU foreign policy chief called for opening of border crossings for immediate supply of humanitarian aid amid fast worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza.

"Rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza. Supplies from outside urgently needed, as stressed by @UNSCO_MEPP (Office of the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process) to EU," Josep Borrell said on X.

"We call for border crossings to be opened for immediate provision of humanitarian aid to civilians," he urged. "Action needed to prevent loss of more innocent lives."

1652 GMT — Gaza health officials call for more medical personnel as staff overwhelmed

As Israel continues its bombardment and blockade of Gaza, health officials in the besieged Palestinian enclave issued an urgent plea to send more medical teams, saying their staffers are "overwhelmed" while trying to save lives.

The Health Ministry urged countries around the world to send healthcare teams of all specialties to Gaza.

It said Israel also targeted hospitals, resulting in the deaths and injuries of numerous medics.

Palestinian Health Minister Mai Al Kaila told a press conference in Ramallah that Israeli attacks have led to killing of innocent civilians including women and children, besides widespread displacement.

1645 GMT — Iran warns Israel of regional escalation if 'aggressions do not stop'

Iran has warned Israel of escalation if it failed to end aggressions against Palestinians, with its foreign minister saying other parties in the region were ready to act, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.

"If the Zionist aggressions do not stop, the hands of all parties in the region are on the trigger," Hossein Amirabdollahian was quoted as saying.

"The responsibility for the possible opening of new fronts of resistance in the region and any escalation of today's war directly falls on the United States and the Zionist regime (Israel)," Abdollahian said.

Earlier, Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi urged France to help "prevent oppression" of Palestinians in a phone call with his counterpart Emmanuel Macron.

1640 GMT — UN peacekeepers say HQ struck by rocket in south Lebanon

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon said its headquarters was struck by a rocket in the southern town of Naqoura, amid exchanges of fire on the border with Israel.

"Our headquarters in Naqoura was hit with a rocket and we are working to verify from where. Our peacekeepers were not in shelters at the time. Fortunately, no one was hurt," UNIFIL said in a statement.

1613 GMT — Red Cross urges entry of life-saving aid into Gaza

The International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) urged allowing the entry of humanitarian assistance into Gaza, the besieged Palestinian enclave where Israel has continued its bombardment and blockade.

"Life-saving aid must be allowed into Gaza. With hostilities ongoing, the parties must ensure the civilian population has access to shelter, food, health, hygiene, and safety," ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric said on X.

"If the parties cannot meet these obligations, they must allow and facilitate the passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need," Spoljaric urged.

The regulations governing the conduct of hostilities remain completely relevant, she said, adding that it is essential to abide by the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution with robust consistency.

1612 GMT — Biden spoke with Palestinian President Abbas about humanitarian aid

Joe Biden spoke with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas about humanitarian assistance for Gaza, the US President posted on X.

Biden said he told Abbas he was working with partners in the region to ensure humanitarian supplies reach civilians in Gaza.

1607 GMT — Iran is attempting to open new front against Israel from Syria: Israeli official

A senior Israeli official accused Iran of attempting to open a new front against Israel from Syria and indirectly confirmed that Tel Aviv had targeted the airports in Damascus and Aleppo.

The accusation was made by Joshua Zarka, the head of strategic affairs at the Israeli Foreign Ministry, in a statement he posted on X.

Jol Rayburn, director of the American Center for Middle East Studies, commented that "Israel's repeated strikes to disable the airports in Damascus and Aleppo send a strong signal, in my opinion: First, that the Iranian regime is attempting to transfer strategic weaponry to Syria or through Syria to open a northern front, and second, that the Israelis are committed to pre-empting this."

Zarka, in response, said "Regarding the first point, they (the Iranians) are doing that, and regarding the second point, we are doing that."

1558 GMT — Israel and Hezbollah exchange fire on border

Tension on the Israeli-Lebanese border escalated, as the Israeli army and Hezbollah exchanged fire amid an ongoing bombardment of Gaza.

Hezbollah in a statement said it attacked five Israeli military sites near the southern borders of Lebanon.

The Lebanese group said it struck Hanita military barracks with guided missiles in response to Israeli attacks on Lebanon a day earlier, which killed and wounded journalists and civilians in Lebanon.

Nine rockets were fired from Lebanon into Israeli territory, the Israeli army said, adding that it is "currently striking the launch site."

1536 GMT — Gaza invasion could lead to 'genocide': Arab League, African Union

Israel's planned ground invasion of Gaza "could lead to a genocide of unprecedented proportions", the heads of the Arab League and African Union said in a joint statement.

Both organisations called on "the United Nations and the international community to stop a catastrophe unfolding in front of us, before it is too late", as Israel readies for a ground invasion following Hamas's surprise attack last week.

1330 GMT — Iran warns of uncontrollable situation if Israel invades Gaza

Iran warned that "no one can guarantee" control of the situation if Israel invades Gaza, ahead of an expected ground offensive by Israeli forces.

"If the attacks of the Zionist regime (Israel) against the defenceless citizens and people of Gaza continue, no one can guarantee the control of the situation and the non-expansion of the conflicts," Iran's foreign ministry quoted Foreign Minster Hossein Amir Abdollahian as saying during his meeting with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, as Israeli troops massed on the border.

"Those who are interested in preventing the scope of war and crisis from expanding, need to prevent the current barbaric attacks... against citizens and civilians in Gaza," he added.

Amir Abdollahian also criticised the United States, which has given its unequivocal backing to Israel since the October 7 attacks.

1435 GMT — One million Gaza's Palestinians displaced as Israel readies for ground attack

More than one million people have been displaced in Gaza in the last week, the UN said, after sustained Israeli bombardment and warnings about a ground attack against Hamas commanders.

Seven days of relentless bombing targeting those who masterminded the attack have left more than 2,300 people dead, the majority ordinary Palestinians.

1418 GMT — Israel has announced water back on in southern Gaza: White House

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that Israel told him it has turned the water supply back on in southern Gaza.

"I have been in touch with my Israeli counterparts just within the last hour who reported to me that they have, in fact, turned the water pipe back on in southern Gaza," Sullivan told CNN.

Israel had halted the flow of water as part of its siege of the enclave since the war broke out last weekend.

1416 GMT — Israeli Defense Minister Gallant meets US Senate delegation in Tel Aviv

As Israeli bombardment of Gaza continues since the October 7 incursion by Hamas, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant met Majority Leader of the US Senate Charles Schumer, and his delegation in Tel Aviv.

Gallant received Schumer and senators Jacklyn Rosen, Mitt Romney, Mark Kelly and William Cassidy, according to the Israeli Defence Ministry.

He informed them about the ongoing conflict with Palestinian group Hamas and called for maintaining US support for Israel.

1414 GMT — Israel says not interested in war with Hezbollah

Israel's defence minister said that Israel has no interest in waging war on its northern front and that if the Lebanese group Hezbollah restrains itself then Israel will keep the situation along the border as it is.

Sporadic fire across the Israel-Lebanon border over the past week has raised concerns that fighting with Hamas in Gaza could escalate into a broader conflict. "We have no interest in a war in the north.

We don't want to escalate the situation," Defence Minister Yoav Gallant told reporters.

1409 GMT — US fears escalation of war, prospect of Iran becoming 'directly engaged'

The United States said it fears an escalation of the war between Israel and Hamas and the prospect of Iran getting directly involved.

Speaking on CBS, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan cited the possibility of a new battlefront on the Israel-Lebanon border and added, "We can't rule out that Iran would choose to get directly engaged some way. We have to prepare for every possible contingency".

"That is a risk and that's a risk that we have been mindful of since the start," Sullivan said of the prospect of Iran getting involved in the war, which was triggered by the Hamas attack on southern Israel from Gaza last weekend.

1346 GMT — US senators to travel to Israel, Saudi Arabia to push deal

A group of US senators will travel to the Middle East to encourage Israel and Saudi Arabia to continue talks on normalising relations, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham said on NBC's "Meet the Press".

Graham said he will go to Saudi Arabia and Israel in the "coming days" with a group of senators to urge the US-backed deal to move forward after the Hamas attack on Israel upended negotiations.

1342 GMT — Egypt's Sisi says Israeli reaction to Hamas attack is collective punishment

Egypt's president Abdel Fattah el Sisi told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Israel's reaction to Hamas' attack went beyond self-defence and amounted to collective punishment.

In televised comments during a meeting with Blinken in Cairo, Sisi also said he rejects the targeting of any civilians in the ongoing conflict.

1319 GMT — Packed Gaza hospitals warn that thousands could die as supplies run low and ground offensive looms

Medics in Gaza warned that thousands could die as hospitals packed with wounded people ran desperately low on fuel and basic supplies.

Palestinians Gaza struggled to find food, water and safety ahead of an expected Israeli ground offensive in the war sparked by Hamas' operation.

1303 GMT — Turkish, Chinese foreign ministers discuss developments in Israel, Palestine

Turkish and Chinese foreign ministers discussed over the phone the latest developments in Israel and Palestine, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.

Hakan Fidan and Wang Yi also discussed Israeli attacks on Gaza, the sources said.

1257 GMT — Egypt calls for international summit over Palestinian crisis

Seeking to reduce the military escalation in Gaza, Egypt issued an invitation for an international regional summit on the latest developments in Palestine.

The meeting urged continued contacts “with international and regional partners in order to reduce the escalation and stop targeting civilians,” as well as intensifying “contacts with international and regional relief organizations in order to deliver the necessary assistance".

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el Sisi reiterated that “there is no solution to the Palestinian cause except through the two-state solution,” while “rejecting and deploring the policy of displacement or attempts to liquidate the Palestinian issue at the expense of neighboring countries".

1237 GMT — Water runs out at UN shelters in Gaza

Water has run out at UN shelters across Gaza as thousands packed into the courtyard of the besieged territory's largest hospital as a refuge of last resort from a looming Israeli ground offensive and overwhelmed doctors struggled to care for patients they fear will die once generators run out of fuel.

Doctors in the evacuation zone said they couldn't relocate their patients safely, so they decided to stay as well to care for them.

“We shall not evacuate the hospital even if it costs us our lives,” said Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the head of pediatrics at Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia.

If they left, the seven newborns in the intensive care unit would die, he said.

1236 GMT — Estimated one million people displaced: UN

"An estimated one million people have been displaced in the first seven days" of the war in Gaza, UNRWA Director of Communications Juliette Touma said.

"The number is likely to be higher as people continue to leave their homes."

1220 GMT — Chinese FM: Beijing supports 'just cause' of Palestinian nation

China supports the "just cause of the Palestinian people in safeguarding their national rights", foreign minister Wang Yi told his Iranian counterpart as Beijing takes an increasingly clear stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"The root cause... of the Palestine-Israel situation is that the Palestinian people's right to statehood has been set aside for a long time," Wang said in a call with Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, according to an official Chinese readout.

1216 GMT — Jordan criticizes 'double standards' against Palestinians

Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi accused the international community of showing "double standards" towards Palestinians, as Israeli bombardment of the besieged Gaza continues relentlessly.

"Why is blocking access to food and medicine for civilians considered a war crime in Ukraine but not in Gaza?" Safadi asked in an interview with the BBC, according to a statement by the country's Foreign Ministry.

"The international community should condemn the killing of Palestinian civilians just as it does for Israeli civilians."

1216 GMT — Forced evacuation of Gaza 'impossible': Deputy health minister

Israel's forced evacuation of northern Gaza is "impossible" for reasons of health and safety, Palestinian deputy health minister in Gaza said, saying "no one can evacuate" Shifa and other hospitals in the north, despite the Israeli order.

"No one can imagine what is going on on the ground. It’s very horrible," Yousef Abu al Rish said, and added: "The evacuation of Shifa (hospital), it’s something impossible. Actually, all the other hospitals."

He stressed "no one can evacuate" Shifa Hospital because there are no extra beds in the hospitals in the south and most of the current cases are unstable and so cannot be transported.

"And if we want to even transfer them, if there are extra beds in the other hospitals, which is not true, they will die because they are unstable to be transported," he said.

1158 GMT — Pope Francis urges respect for humanitarian law in Gaza

"In Gaza there is an urgent need to guarantee humanitarian corridors and to rescue the entire population," Francis said during his Angelus address, referring to the embattled Gaza, where Israel has cut off water, electricity, and humanitarian aid, and also is not allowing residents to leave.

He also urged both Israel and Palestine to halt violence and spilling "innocent blood".

"I strongly demand that children, the elderly, women and all civilians are not victims of the conflict."

1113 GMT — Palestinian death toll from Israeli fire in occupied West Bank rises to 56: Health Ministry

A total of 56 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli gunfire in the occupied West Bank since last week, the Gaza-based Health Ministry said.

The latest casualty was a Palestinian man shot by Israeli soldiers in the northern West Bank.

Senior commander of Hamas' Al Qassam elite unit killed: Israeli army

0944 GMT — Senior commander of Hamas' Qassam elite unit killed: Israeli army

Israeli forces were able to eliminate the commander of an elite unit of Hamas’ Qassam Brigades responsible for the October 7 attack, the Israeli army announced.

In a statement, the Israeli army claimed that its “warplanes, under the intelligence guidance of the (security agency) Shin Bet, killed last night Bilal Al Qudra, the commander of the Nakhaba force in the South Khan Yunis"

According to the army, Qudra was responsible for the "raid on Kibbutz Nirim and Nir Oz.”

0936 GMT — Türkiye 'strongly' opposes attacks on media workers in Gaza

Targeting journalists in Gaza with a "cynical" agenda to "undermine" the truth and hide realities on the ground is not excusable, Türkiye's communications director said.

"We are deeply concerned and saddened by violence against reporters, journalists, and news organisations on the ground... We strongly oppose attacks and massacres against civilians including our colleagues," Fahrettin Altun said on X.

"Respectable and decent journalism can serve peace through reflecting the realities that are otherwise hidden from the scrutiny of the general public."

0928 GMT — Aid for Gaza stuck in Egypt with Rafah crossing closed

Convoys of humanitarian aid have stacked up near Egypt's border with Gaza, unable to enter the Palestinian enclave being bombarded by Israel, witnesses told AFP.

The Rafah crossing -- the only passage in and out of Gaza not controlled by Israel -- has been closed since Tuesday, after three Israeli air strikes on the Palestinian border post within 24 hours.

On Sunday, witnesses said concrete blocks installed by the Egyptians to fortify the border following Israel's bombings were still in place, suggesting that no passage was being considered in the immediate future.

Already, shipments of aid from Jordan, Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates had arrived at El Arish airport -- 50 kilometres west of Rafah -- alongside enough medical supplies supplied by the World Health Organization to meet the needs of 300,000 people.

Egypt itself has sent a convoy of 100 transport trucks carrying 1,000 tonnes of aid.

0905 GMT — Israeli army closes area near Lebanon border to civilians

The Israeli army has ordered an immediate evacuation of civilians near its frontier with Lebanon after cross-border fire killed one person.

"In accordance with the situational assessment and the recent shooting incident in northern Israel, the area up to four kilometers from the northern border with Lebanon has been closed," the army said in a statement.

0855 GMT — Pakistan calls for 'immediate' humanitarian assistance for Gaza

Pakistan has thrown its weight behind growing calls for the establishment of a humanitarian corridor for Gaza, urging the provision of "immediate" assistance to avert a major humanitarian crisis.

At a news briefing in the capital Islamabad, Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani said Pakistan has been in touch with Egypt on providing humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza, but "as of now, Israel is not ready for that."

0847 GMT — Gaza hospitals warn that thousands could die if supplies run out

Medics in Gaza have warned that thousands could die if hospitals packed with wounded people run out of fuel and basic supplies, as civilians struggled to find food, water and safety ahead of an expected Israeli ground offensive.

Israeli forces, supported by a growing deployment of US warships in the region, positioned themselves along Gaza’s border and drilled for what Israel said would be a broad campaign to dismantle the group.

0802 GMT — Israeli killed in missile fired from Lebanon

At least one Israeli has been killed and three others injured by an anti-tank missile fired from Lebanon into a northern settlement, according to the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation.

The Israel Defense Forces confirmed that “the deadly attack from Lebanon at the northern town of Shtula was an anti-tank guided missile,” according to the daily Times of Israel.

The Israeli army also said that “ it shelled the source of the fire with artillery.”

Another anti-tank guided missile was also fired at a military position on the northern border, the army added.

0745 GMT — Israel says Hamas fighter behind kibbutz massacre killed

The Israeli army says it had killed the Hamas commander behind one of the attacks on kibbutz communities that triggered retaliatory bombardment and preparations for a ground invasion.

Billal al-Kedra is the latest Hamas commander or official whose death Israel has announced since it began bombing Gaza eight days ago.

Kedra was killed in an air strike on the Khan Yunis district of Gaza on Saturday night, said a military statement.

0744 GMT — Vast majority of north Gaza's population deprived of healthcare services

Amid Israel's order to evacuate northern Gaza and continued bombardment, 70 percent of the population is now deprived of health care, the Health Ministry in Gaza announced.

“After the UN evacuated its centres and stopped providing health care, 70 percent of the population in North Gaza in now deprived of medical care,” said a ministry statement.

0646 GMT — Israel readies troops for invasion as Gaza civilians ordered to evacuate

Israel has pressed with preparations for a ground offensive in Gaza, after giving Palestinians an order to leave northern areas it has vowed to target in response to Hamas' attack in to Israel.

Israel has warned around 1.1 million Gazans living in the north of the Palestinian territory to flee to the south ahead of a ground incursion which the military has indicated will focus on Gaza City, the base of the leadership of Hamas.

The military said Gaza City residents must not delay their departure.

Since Friday thousands of Gazans, who cannot leave the enclave as it is blockaded by both Israel and Egypt, have packed what belongings they can into bags and suitcases, to trudge through the rubble-strewn streets.

0627 GMT — Israeli army raises death toll from conflict with Hamas to 286

The Israeli military has announced that its military's death toll since the recent outbreak of fighting with the Palestinian Hamas group has risen to 286.

According to the Times of Israel website, the Israeli military released the names of seven more soldiers killed in the fighting over the past week.

0617 GMT — Hamas confirms three fighters killed infiltrating Israel from Lebanon

Hamas has claimed responsibility for two infiltrations from Lebanon to Israel that killed three of its fighters.

Al Qassam Brigades, Hamas' armed wing, said its members were "able... to blow up the border fence and... go forth inside occupied Palestine," clashing with "the enemy", whose planes targeted the fighters, killing three on Saturday.

Israeli forces on Saturday had said they killed several fighters trying to cross from Lebanon.

In their statement, Al Qassam Brigades also claimed responsibility for an incident on Friday at the border when the group "advanced to go forth into occupied Palestine and was able to clash with the Zionist enemy army and withdraw peacefully," on Friday.

0541 GMT — Death toll in Gaza rises over 2,300, Israel readies for invasion

The number of Palestinians killed by Israel's massive air assault on Gaza has risen to 2,329 and the number of wounded has also risen to 9,042, according to the Gaza Health Ministry said.

The ministry said that Israeli airstrikes on the enclave left 300 Palestinians dead and 800 wounded on Saturday alone.

Spokesman Ashraf al Qidra said most of those killed on Saturday were children and women. In an escalation of Middle East tensions, just over a week ago Israeli forces launched a sustained and forceful military campaign against Gaza, a response to a military offensive by the Palestinian group Hamas in Israeli territories.

The Israeli death toll have so far stood at 1,300 while the number of confirmed injured Israelis exceeds 3,400.

0426 GMT — Amnesty International shares proof on Israel's use of white phosphorus

Amnesty International has published evidence about the Israeli military's use of white phosphorus in densely populated civilian areas in besieged Gaza.

Videos and photos verified by Amnesty International's Crisis Evidence Laboratory on Saturday show Israel used white phosphorus on the Palestinian enclave,.

Crisis Evidence Laboratory, which confirmed the images taken from different angles of the attacks on Gaza Port and nearby hotels, also shared satellite images of the attack point.

0326 GMT — 126 Israelis taken hostage by Hamas, says Israeli army

The Israeli military has said the armed wing of Hamas, Al Qassam Brigades, has been holding 126 Israelis hostage since the conflict began October 7, according to the Times of Israel.

Spokesman Daniel Hagari said the families of the hostages in Gaza, who are under heavy attack and a full blockade by the Israeli military, have been informed.

Reports in Israeli media, based on sources, previously estimated the number of Israelis taken captive in Gaza was 200.

0317 GMT — Hezbollah strikes Israeli surveillance, monitoring centre

Hezbollah forces have attacked a surveillance and monitoring centre in Birket al-Nakkar in the Sheba Farms, destroying a significant portion of its technical equipment, the group said.

Hezbollah previously said guided missiles and mortar shells were launched at five Israeli military points in the region. There has been no comment from the Israeli army.

2340 GMT — Russia asks UNSC to vote Monday on Israel, Gaza

Russia has asked the United Nations Security Council to vote on Monday on a draft resolution on the Israel-Palestine conflict that calls for a humanitarian ceasefire and condemns violence against civilians and all acts of terrorism.

Russia's Deputy UN Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy said no changes had been made to the text since it was given to the 15-member body on Friday and that he expected the vote to be scheduled for Monday.

The one-page draft resolution also calls for the release of hostages, humanitarian aid access and the safe evacuation of civilians in need. It refers to Israel and the Palestinians but does not directly name Hamas.

A UN Security Council resolution needs at least nine votes in favour and no vetoes by the United States, Britain, France, China or Russia. The United States has traditionally shielded its ally Israel from any Security Council action.

2130 GMT — US sends second aircraft carrier 'to deter hostile actions against Israel'

The United States is sending a second aircraft carrier strike group to the Eastern Mediterranean "to deter hostile actions against Israel or any efforts toward widening this war following Hamas's attack," Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said.

The USS Eisenhower and its affiliated warships will join another carrier group already deployed to the region.

The deployment signals Washington's "ironclad commitment to Israel's security and our resolve to deter any state or non-state actor seeking to escalate this war," Austin said in a statement.

2123 GMT — Israeli attack on Syrian Aleppo airport puts it out of service

Israel has launched an air strike against Syria's Aleppo Airport that put it out of service, the Syrian Defence Ministry said.

"The Israeli enemy carried out an air attack from the direction of the Mediterranean Sea, west of Latakia, targeting Aleppo International Airport, which led to material damage to the airport and it being out of service," the ministry added.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The airport just got to service on Saturday after simultaneous missile attacks by Israeli forces on the airports in Syria's capital, Damascus, and the northern city of Aleppo had damaged the runways and put both hubs out of service on Thursday.

2108 GMT — Biden condemns Hamas, underscores Palestinian 'self-determination' in Abbas call

US President Joe Biden has underscored Palestinians' "right to dignity and self-determination" while also condemning Hamas in a phone call with Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas.

"Hamas does not stand for the Palestinian people's right to dignity and self-determination," Biden told Abbas, according to a White House statement about the conversation between the two leaders, in which Biden also pledged "full support" to the Palestinian Authority.

2000 GMT — Iran warns Israel's war in Gaza could 'ricochet far-reaching consequences'

Iran has warned that if Israel's "war crimes and genocide" are not halted immediately, "the situation could spiral out of control & ricochet far-reaching consequences," Tehran's mission to the United Nations in New York posted on X, formerly Twitter.

"If the Israeli apartheid's war crimes & genocide are not halted immediately, the situation could spiral out of control & ricochet far-reaching consequences — the responsibility of which lies with the UN, the Security Council & the states steering the Council toward a dead end," the post read.

For our live updates from Saturday [October 14], click here.