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(NEW YORK) — As the Israel-Hamas war crosses the seven-month mark, renewed negotiations are underway to secure the release of hostages taken by the terrorist organization, as Israeli forces continue to prepare for an apparent invasion of the southern Gazan town of Rafah.

Here’s how the news is developing:

May 17, 7:02 AM
US CENTCOM says first trucks carrying aid have moved ashore via temporary pier

The United States Central Command (U.S. CENTCOM) has confirmed that the first trucks carrying humanitarian assistance have now moved ashore via the JLOTS temporary pier on Friday.

“Today at approximately 9 a.m. (Gaza time), trucks carrying humanitarian assistance began moving ashore via a temporary pier in Gaza,” according to a U.S. CENTCOM statement on X, formerly known as Twitter. “No U.S. troops went ashore in Gaza. This is an ongoing, multinational effort to deliver additional aid to Palestinian civilians in Gaza via a maritime corridor that is entirely humanitarian in nature, and will involve aid commodities donated by a number of countries and humanitarian organizations.”

May 16, 4:05 PM
Thai nationals taken hostage by Hamas declared dead

Two Thai nationals who were taken during the Oct. 7 attack in southern Israel have now been declared dead, according to the Hostages Families Forum Headquarters.

Officials now say Sonthaya Oakkharasri and Sudthisak Rinthalak were killed on the day of the invasion by Hamas and their bodies were taken back to Gaza, where they remain. Both were agricultural workers in the orchards near Kibbutz Be’eri, the Hostage Families Forum said.

“The horrific cruelty of Hamas was directed against anyone in their path without distinction of origin or nationality,” Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces, said in a statement. “In front of our eyes stands the moral duty to bring them all back –- to bring all 132 hostages home as quickly as possible.”

Thirty-nine Thai citizens were killed and 31 Thai citizens were kidnapped to Gaza in the attack on Oct. 7. Large numbers of Thai nationals have traditionally done agricultural work in Israel.

-ABC News’ Will Gretsky

May 16, 3:09 PM
Floating pier in place off coast of Gaza, aid coming ashore soon

The floating pier system — the U.S. military’s Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore, or JLOTS, capability — is now in place off the coast of Gaza, the U.S. Central Command announced Thursday morning. Officials said they expect to begin transporting about 500 tons of assistance to shore “in coming days.”

They said the expectation remains that between 90 and 150 truckloads a day of aid will flow into Gaza, but the officials called that characterization “an imperfect measure” and stressed it was more important to focus on the amount of tons of aid. There are currently 500 tons of aid waiting to be offloaded.

Security for U.S. forces and nongovernmental organizations participating in the JLOTS system is a top priority, officials said, adding the Israel Defense Forces will provide security at the point where the aid will arrive and be transferred to the U.N. and other NGOs.

But officials said the security for those working on bringing aid ashore could still be improved.

“The deconfliction measures are not where they need to be at, given the complexity of the environment,” said Sonali Korde, assistant to the administrator of USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance. “So those conversations are ongoing. They need to continue and they need to get to a place where humanitarian aid workers feel safe and secure and able to operate safely and I don’t think we’re there yet.”

-ABC News’ Luis Martinez

May 16, 11:22 AM
IDF confirms they sent more troops into Rafah

The Israel Defense Forces’ Commando Brigade was deployed to southern Gaza’s Rafah overnight, joining the 162nd Division that has been operating in the eastern part of the city since earlier this month.

The move comes as the Israeli government is expected to approve widening the offensive there.

“Additional troops will join the ground operation in Rafah,” Israel Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant said Thursday, in remarks after completing an operational situation assessment at the Gaza border in Rafah.

“Several tunnels in the area have been destroyed by our troops and additional tunnels will be destroyed soon. This activity will intensify,” he said.

-ABC News’ Jordana Miller and Will Gretsky

May 16, 7:14 AM
Floating pier designed to increase aid to Gaza now in place

A floating pier designed to increase the amount of aid getting into Gaza — known as a Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (JLOTS) system — was successfully anchored to the central Gazan shore on Thursday morning, according to IDF Spokesperson Nadav Shoshani.

The Israeli Navy will be securing an aid ship to JLOTS and Israeli soldiers from the 99th Division will be on the ground securing the port area, according to the IDF.

The United Nations, led by the World Food Programme, will be responsible for distributing the aid from JLOTS, the IDF said.

May 16, 6:53 AM
Putin and Xi discuss Ukraine, Israel and Hamas war

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping held several hours of talks on Thursday in China, with Putin saying both Russia and China want political solutions to the “Ukrainian crisis” and Xi calling for a two-state solution to stop the war between Israel and Hamas.

Xi also took a moment to praise China’s “everlasting friendship” with Russia.

President Putin was welcomed with pomp expected on his state visit to China, complete with red carpet, military band and hundreds of Chinese militaries standing at attention to welcome him to the Great Hall of the People.

May 15, 1:14 PM
Israel has amassed enough troops for full-scale incursion of Rafah: US officials

The U.S. has assessed that Israel has amassed enough troops on the edge of Rafah to move forward with a full-scale incursion into the city, but the U.S. is not sure if Israel has made a final decision to actually do so, according to two U.S. officials.

One official added that the U.S. does not have a timeline or estimate on when Israel could potentially move forward with operations.

The official stressed the U.S. continues to have the same concerns for civilian safety in Rafah.

-ABC News’ Luis Martinez and Selina Wang

May 15, 1:06 PM
Gallant calls on Netanyahu to publicly reject Israeli civil or military governance of Gaza after Hamas

Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant publicly called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to make the “tough” decision to declare what a non-Hamas government over the Gaza Strip will look like.

“I must reiterate, I will not agree to the establishment of Israeli military rule in Gaza. Israel must not establish civilian rule in Gaza,” Gallant said.

Failure to do that would undermine the IDF achievements in the war, Gallant warned.

“Since October, I have been raising this issue consistently in the Cabinet, and have received no response. The end of the military campaign must come together with political action,” Gallant said.

“The ‘day after Hamas,’ will only be achieved with Palestinian entities taking control of Gaza, accompanied by international actors, establishing a governing alternative to Hamas’ rule,” Gallant said.

-ABC News’ Will Gretsky

May 15, 10:03 AM
Blinken calls continued closure of Rafah gate ‘urgent problem’

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was asked how long the U.S. would standby while Israel continues to seal off the Rafah gate, cutting off Gaza from the world. Blinken told reporters it is an “urgent problem” that aid isn’t getting into Rafah or Kerem Shalom. He also said the humanitarian situation is at risk of backsliding.

However, there’s no plan for the future, Blinken said.

Israel “cannot and says it does not want responsibility for Gaza. We cannot have Hamas controlling Gaza. We cannot have chaos and anarchy in Gaza. So there needs to be a clear, concrete plan. And we look to Israel to come forward with its ideas,” Blinken said.

-ABC News’ Anne Flaherty

May 14, 7:02 PM
US moving forward with $1B in new weapons deals for Israel: Sources

The Biden administration notified Congress on Tuesday that it is moving forward with more than $1 billion in new weapons deals for Israel, according to sources familiar with the matter at the White House and on Capitol Hill.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters Monday that the United States is continuing to send military assistance to Israel. The only shipment paused involves the 2,000-pound bombs, for fear they’d be used in a major invasion in Rafah, according to a U.S. official.

May 14, 12:52 PM
450,000 Palestinians have fled Rafah, UN says

About 450,000 Palestinians have been displaced from Rafah, fleeing to safety, according to the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.

“Inland in Rafah is now a ghost town. It’s hard to believe there were over one million people sheltering here just a week ago,” UNRWA spokesperson Louise Wateridge said. “People face constant exhaustion, hunger and fear. Nowhere is safe. An immediate ceasefire is the only hope.”

The development comes as airstrikes continued to hit northern and southern Gaza Tuesday. The Israeli military said it had hit 120 targets in the last 24 hours.

May 14, 12:13 PM
International court to hold hearings over Israel’s Rafah attacks

The International Court of Justice said it will hold hearings over Israel’s attacks on Rafah during the war in Gaza, after South Africa sought new emergency measures as part of its ongoing case accusing Israel of violating the Genocide Convention in its offensive on Gaza.

Hearings will be held on Thursday and Friday in the Hague.

South Africa first brought the case before the ICJ in December alleging Israel violated its obligations in its offensive with regard to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

May 13, 4:16 PM
White House says world should be calling on Hamas to accept hostage proposal

National security adviser Jake Sullivan stressed the U.S. is working “urgently and relentlessly” to get a hostage deal in place, but did not have any major progress to share Monday.

Sullivan noted that he met with the families of American hostages this past Friday, and that “they know how hard the president is working on this.”

On where the hostage negotiations stand currently, Sullivan turned to the architect of the Good Friday agreement in Ireland.

“Sen. [George] Mitchell said quite famously, “‘Negotiations are 1,000 days of failure and one day of success.’ And right now, we’re in the former days rather than the latter day,” he said.

“[T]here could be a cease-fire tomorrow if Hamas simply released women, wounded and elderly hostages, all innocents. Israel put a forward-leaning proposal on the table for a cease-fire and hostage deal. The world should be calling on Hamas to come back to the table and accept a deal,” Sullivan said.

-ABC News’ Molly Nagle

May 13, 4:06 PM
US aware of American doctors trapped in Gaza

The State Department on Monday said it was aware of reports that U.S. doctors were trapped in Gaza, and that it’s been working with Israel to reopen the Rafah gate so U.S. citizens and other foreign nationals can leave.

“I can say that we’re aware of these reports of U.S. citizen doctors and medical professionals currently unable to leave Gaza,” principal deputy spokesman Vedant Patel said. “As I said before, we don’t control this border crossing. And this is a incredibly complex situation that has very serious implications for the safety and security of U.S. citizens. But we’re continuing to work around the clock with the government of Israel, with the government of Egypt, to work on this issue.”

He added, “Rafah is a conduit for the safe departure of foreign nationals, which is why we continue to want to see it get opened as swiftly as possible.”

The State Department said it does not have an estimate of Americans still trapped in Gaza, but that it’s helped 1,800 U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents to depart Gaza so far.

“Unfortunately, this is not a border crossing the United States controls but we are continuing to work around the clock with the government of Israel, with the government of Egypt on whatever we can do to make sure that Rafah gets open. … We need to see Rafah open as soon as possible,” Patel said.

-ABC News’ Anne Flaherty

May 13, 2:23 PM
UN worker killed after vehicle struck in Gaza

A United Nations worker was killed and another injured after their vehicle was struck in Gaza on Monday, the organization said.

The staff members of the U.N. Department of Safety and Security were traveling to the European Hospital in Rafah when their U.N. vehicle was struck, the U.N. said.

Details on the incident were not immediately available. The U.N. said it is still gathering information.

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has called for a full investigation, his spokesperson said.

“Humanitarian workers must be protected,” Guterres said on X. “I condemn all attacks on U.N. personnel and reiterate my urgent appeal for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire & the release of all hostages.”

More than 190 U.N. staff members have been killed in Gaza since Oct. 7, according to Guterres.

May 13, 3:44 AM
Almost 360,000 people have fled Rafah, UN agency says

Almost 360,000 people have fled from the southern Gazan city of Rafah since Israel issued an evacuation order last week, the United Nations agency operating in Gaza said on Monday.

“There’s nowhere to go,” the U.N. Agency for Palestine Refugees said on social media. “There’s NO safety without a cease-fire.”

The agency had said Sunday that 300,000 people had evacuated the city as Israel weighs a full-scale invasion.

-ABC News’ Kevin Shalvey

May 12, 5:39 PM
IDF say its opened new crossing for humanitarian aid into Gaza

The Israel Defense Forces has announced that it has opened a new crossing to bring humanitarian aid into the famine-stricken Gaza.

The military announced in a Sunday press release the opening of the “Western Erez crossing” between Israel and northern Gaza in coordination with the U.S.

According to the military, the new crossing is located west of the Erez crossing, closer to the seashore. The crossing was constructed by the Israeli military “as part of the effort to increase routes for aid to Gaza, particularly to the North of the strip.”

Earlier Sunday, IDF said it launched a large-scale operation in the area of Jabaliya in the North, while intensifying its military operations in the Eastern portion of Rafah and the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing. It said that it had called on the civilian population to evacuate from Jabaliya to shelters in the west part of Gaza City.

-ABC News’ Dragana Jovanovic

May 12, 2:27 PM
White House National Security Advisor speaks to Israeli counterpart, expresses concern over pending Rafah invasion

In a phone call Sunday with his Israeli counterpart, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan expressed an “ironclad U.S. commitment” to Israel but also voiced the Biden administration’s concerns about Israel’s major military operations in Gaza, according to the White House.

During the call with Israeli National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi, Sullivan reiterated President Joe Biden’s “longstanding concerns over the potential for a major military ground operation into Rafah, where over one million people have taken shelter,” according to a readout of the call that was released by the White House.

“He [Sullivan] discussed alternative courses of action to ensure the defeat of Hamas everywhere in Gaza,” the readout said. “Mr. Hanegbi confirmed that Israel is taking U.S. concerns into account.”

The White House said Sullivan also expressed condolences on Israel’s Memorial Day, the first since Hamas’ surprise Oct. 7 attacks on Israel. The Hamas attack killed 1,200 people, most of them civilians, according to Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office.

Sullivan and Hanegbi also reviewed discussions by officials on both sides of the war about alternatives for a Rafah invasion and agreed to plan an in-person meeting soon, according to the White House.

-ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart

May 12, 6:16 AM
300,000 have fled Rafah, UN agency says

More than 300,000 people have fled Rafah in the week since Israel issued a partial evacuation order, the United Nations agency operating in Gaza said on Sunday.

The U.N. Agency for Palestine Refugees called the evacuation “forced and inhumane.”

“There is nowhere safe to go,” the agency said on social media, repeating the phrase three times for emphasis.

The Israeli military late Saturday called again for civilians to evacuate from much of the eastern part of the city, which is in southern Gaza.

Israel Defense Forces entered Rafah last week, in what they called a “precise” operation ahead of potential invasion.

“Prior to our operations we urge civilians to temporarily move towards humanitarian areas and move away from the crossfire that Hamas puts them in,” the Israel Defense Forces said on a post on Telegram. “Our war is against Hamas, not against the people of Gaza.”

-ABC News’ Dragana Jovanovic and Kevin Shalvey

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(LONDON) — Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico’s condition has been stabilized overnight following an assassination attempt, although his condition is still serious, his deputy said early Thursday.

Fico, 59, was shot five times on Wednesday outside a government building in the town of Handlova, according to Slovakian Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok.

Doctors worked overnight to stabilize his condition, with two medical teams working on him. He spent about five hours in surgery.

The complicated nature of his injuries means he’s still considered to be in serious condition, his deputy said Thursday.

The suspect, who has not been named, has been charged with premeditated murder, according to Deputy Prime Minister Tomas Taraba.

Taraba described the suspect as a “lone wolf” and said he was only recently radicalized following the country’s presidential election in April.

Fico took over as prime minister in October, running on a platform to end support for neighboring Ukraine in its battle against Russia, but had served as prime minister two times previously. In total, he’s the longest-serving prime minister in the country’s short history since the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(LONDON) — The UN’s International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) has officially concluded after 29 years, the Office of the Prosecutor has announced.

It comes as the last two fugitives indicted by the tribunal — Ryandikayo and Charles Sikubwabo — were successfully accounted for, ultimately confirmed as deceased.

Ryandikayo and Sikubwabo were charged with several crimes including counts of genocide and the two were accused of leading mobs of the Interhamwe Hutu militia.

“My Office and I are pleased that today, this work has been brought to a successful end,” said International Residual Mechanism for Criminal tribunals (IRMCT) Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz.

The IRMCT told ABC News that a total of 92 persons were indicted by the UN tribunal for crimes committed during the Rwandan genocide against the Tutsis.

Reflecting on the work of the last 29 years, Brammertz said the ICTR team faced “immense” difficulties and “significant” challenges tracking and locating fugitives, ranging from “sophisticated efforts by fugitives to conceal their identities and locations” and “political unwillingness of countries to execute arrests.”

“Many began to doubt that notorious fugitives, like Felicien Kabuga or Ratko Mladić, would ever be arrested,” said Brammertz.

The U.S. State Department had issued a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest of Felicien Kabuga, the businessmen alleged to be the main financier and backer of political and militia groups that committed the Rwandan genocide.

However, after 25 years on the run, he was arrested by French authorities at his home on the outskirts of Paris in May 2020.

The U.N.’s International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda was the first international court established to prosecute high-ranking individuals for massive human rights violations in Africa, including those responsible for the 1994 Rwanda Genocide against the Tutsis — one of the world’s worst genocides since World War II.

The Rwandan genocide, which began in April 1994, saw Rwanda’s extremist-led Hutu government launch a systemic campaign on the Tutsi minority group as divisions between the two ethnic groups came to a head. The violence began after a plane carrying Rwanda’s Hutu President, Juvenal Habyarimana, was shot down by unknown assailants.

By the time the genocide concluded about 100 days later in July 1994, the massacre had claimed the lives of over 800,000 civilians with thousands more left injured or maimed.

“Our journey has been long and tough,” said Rwandan President Paul Kagame in his address at the 30th commemoration of the 1994 genocide in April — also known as Kwibuka 30 — which means “To remember” in Kinyarwanda.

“Rwanda’s tragedy is a warning. The process of division and extremism which leads to genocide can happen anywhere, if left unchecked,” Kagame said. “Our hearts are filled with grief and gratitude in equal measure. We remember our dead, and are also grateful for what Rwanda has become.”

In total, there are still more than 1,000 genocide suspects sought by authorities who still remain at large, said Brammertz.

Rwanda’s Prosecutor General national partners are set to continue efforts to bring individuals to justice, vowing to not stop until all perpetrators of crimes are brought to justice.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — As the Israel-Hamas war crosses the seven-month mark, renewed negotiations are underway to secure the release of hostages taken by the terrorist organization, as Israeli forces continue to prepare for an apparent invasion of the southern Gazan town of Rafah.

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:

May 16, 6:53 AM
Putin and Xi discuss Ukraine, Israel and Hamas war

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping held several hours of talks on Thursday in China, with Putin saying both Russia and China want political solutions to the “Ukrainian crisis” and Xi calling for a two-state solution to stop the war between Israel and Hamas.

Xi also took a moment to praise China’s “everlasting friendship” with Russia.

President Putin was welcomed with pomp expected on his state visit to China, complete with red carpet, military band and hundreds of Chinese militaries standing at attention to welcome him to the Great Hall of the People.

May 15, 1:14 PM
Israel has amassed enough troops for full-scale incursion of Rafah: US officials

The U.S. has assessed that Israel has amassed enough troops on the edge of Rafah to move forward with a full-scale incursion into the city, but the U.S. is not sure if Israel has made a final decision to actually do so, according to two U.S. officials.

One official added that the U.S. does not have a timeline or estimate on when Israel could potentially move forward with operations.

The official stressed the U.S. continues to have the same concerns for civilian safety in Rafah.

-ABC News’ Luis Martinez and Selina Wang

May 15, 1:06 PM
Gallant calls on Netanyahu to publicly reject Israeli civil or military governance of Gaza after Hamas

Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant publicly called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to make the “tough” decision to declare what a non-Hamas government over the Gaza Strip will look like.

“I must reiterate, I will not agree to the establishment of Israeli military rule in Gaza. Israel must not establish civilian rule in Gaza,” Gallant said.

Failure to do that would undermine the IDF achievements in the war, Gallant warned.

“Since October, I have been raising this issue consistently in the Cabinet, and have received no response. The end of the military campaign must come together with political action,” Gallant said.

“The ‘day after Hamas,’ will only be achieved with Palestinian entities taking control of Gaza, accompanied by international actors, establishing a governing alternative to Hamas’ rule,” Gallant said.

-ABC News’ Will Gretsky

May 15, 10:03 AM
Blinken calls continued closure of Rafah gate ‘urgent problem’

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was asked how long the U.S. would standby while Israel continues to seal off the Rafah gate, cutting off Gaza from the world. Blinken told reporters it is an “urgent problem” that aid isn’t getting into Rafah or Kerem Shalom. He also said the humanitarian situation is at risk of backsliding.

However, there’s no plan for the future, Blinken said.

Israel “cannot and says it does not want responsibility for Gaza. We cannot have Hamas controlling Gaza. We cannot have chaos and anarchy in Gaza. So there needs to be a clear, concrete plan. And we look to Israel to come forward with its ideas,” Blinken said.

-ABC News’ Anne Flaherty

May 14, 7:02 PM
US moving forward with $1B in new weapons deals for Israel: Sources

The Biden administration notified Congress on Tuesday that it is moving forward with more than $1 billion in new weapons deals for Israel, according to sources familiar with the matter at the White House and on Capitol Hill.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters Monday that the United States is continuing to send military assistance to Israel. The only shipment paused involves the 2,000-pound bombs, for fear they’d be used in a major invasion in Rafah, according to a U.S. official.

May 14, 12:52 PM
450,000 Palestinians have fled Rafah, UN says

About 450,000 Palestinians have been displaced from Rafah, fleeing to safety, according to the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.

“Inland in Rafah is now a ghost town. It’s hard to believe there were over one million people sheltering here just a week ago,” UNRWA spokesperson Louise Wateridge said. “People face constant exhaustion, hunger and fear. Nowhere is safe. An immediate ceasefire is the only hope.”

The development comes as airstrikes continued to hit northern and southern Gaza Tuesday. The Israeli military said it had hit 120 targets in the last 24 hours.

May 14, 12:13 PM
International court to hold hearings over Israel’s Rafah attacks

The International Court of Justice said it will hold hearings over Israel’s attacks on Rafah during the war in Gaza, after South Africa sought new emergency measures as part of its ongoing case accusing Israel of violating the Genocide Convention in its offensive on Gaza.

Hearings will be held on Thursday and Friday in the Hague.

South Africa first brought the case before the ICJ in December alleging Israel violated its obligations in its offensive with regard to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

May 13, 4:16 PM
White House says world should be calling on Hamas to accept hostage proposal

National security adviser Jake Sullivan stressed the U.S. is working “urgently and relentlessly” to get a hostage deal in place, but did not have any major progress to share Monday.

Sullivan noted that he met with the families of American hostages this past Friday, and that “they know how hard the president is working on this.”

On where the hostage negotiations stand currently, Sullivan turned to the architect of the Good Friday agreement in Ireland.

“Sen. [George] Mitchell said quite famously, “‘Negotiations are 1,000 days of failure and one day of success.’ And right now, we’re in the former days rather than the latter day,” he said.

“[T]here could be a cease-fire tomorrow if Hamas simply released women, wounded and elderly hostages, all innocents. Israel put a forward-leaning proposal on the table for a cease-fire and hostage deal. The world should be calling on Hamas to come back to the table and accept a deal,” Sullivan said.

-ABC News’ Molly Nagle

May 13, 4:06 PM
US aware of American doctors trapped in Gaza

The State Department on Monday said it was aware of reports that U.S. doctors were trapped in Gaza, and that it’s been working with Israel to reopen the Rafah gate so U.S. citizens and other foreign nationals can leave.

“I can say that we’re aware of these reports of U.S. citizen doctors and medical professionals currently unable to leave Gaza,” principal deputy spokesman Vedant Patel said. “As I said before, we don’t control this border crossing. And this is a incredibly complex situation that has very serious implications for the safety and security of U.S. citizens. But we’re continuing to work around the clock with the government of Israel, with the government of Egypt, to work on this issue.”

He added, “Rafah is a conduit for the safe departure of foreign nationals, which is why we continue to want to see it get opened as swiftly as possible.”

The State Department said it does not have an estimate of Americans still trapped in Gaza, but that it’s helped 1,800 U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents to depart Gaza so far.

“Unfortunately, this is not a border crossing the United States controls but we are continuing to work around the clock with the government of Israel, with the government of Egypt on whatever we can do to make sure that Rafah gets open. … We need to see Rafah open as soon as possible,” Patel said.

-ABC News’ Anne Flaherty

May 13, 2:23 PM
UN worker killed after vehicle struck in Gaza

A United Nations worker was killed and another injured after their vehicle was struck in Gaza on Monday, the organization said.

The staff members of the U.N. Department of Safety and Security were traveling to the European Hospital in Rafah when their U.N. vehicle was struck, the U.N. said.

Details on the incident were not immediately available. The U.N. said it is still gathering information.

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has called for a full investigation, his spokesperson said.

“Humanitarian workers must be protected,” Guterres said on X. “I condemn all attacks on U.N. personnel and reiterate my urgent appeal for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire & the release of all hostages.”

More than 190 U.N. staff members have been killed in Gaza since Oct. 7, according to Guterres.

May 13, 3:44 AM
Almost 360,000 people have fled Rafah, UN agency says

Almost 360,000 people have fled from the southern Gazan city of Rafah since Israel issued an evacuation order last week, the United Nations agency operating in Gaza said on Monday.

“There’s nowhere to go,” the U.N. Agency for Palestine Refugees said on social media. “There’s NO safety without a cease-fire.”

The agency had said Sunday that 300,000 people had evacuated the city as Israel weighs a full-scale invasion.

-ABC News’ Kevin Shalvey

May 12, 5:39 PM
IDF say its opened new crossing for humanitarian aid into Gaza

The Israel Defense Forces has announced that it has opened a new crossing to bring humanitarian aid into the famine-stricken Gaza.

The military announced in a Sunday press release the opening of the “Western Erez crossing” between Israel and northern Gaza in coordination with the U.S.

According to the military, the new crossing is located west of the Erez crossing, closer to the seashore. The crossing was constructed by the Israeli military “as part of the effort to increase routes for aid to Gaza, particularly to the North of the strip.”

Earlier Sunday, IDF said it launched a large-scale operation in the area of Jabaliya in the North, while intensifying its military operations in the Eastern portion of Rafah and the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing. It said that it had called on the civilian population to evacuate from Jabaliya to shelters in the west part of Gaza City.

-ABC News’ Dragana Jovanovic

May 12, 2:27 PM
White House National Security Advisor speaks to Israeli counterpart, expresses concern over pending Rafah invasion

In a phone call Sunday with his Israeli counterpart, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan expressed an “ironclad U.S. commitment” to Israel but also voiced the Biden administration’s concerns about Israel’s major military operations in Gaza, according to the White House.

During the call with Israeli National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi, Sullivan reiterated President Joe Biden’s “longstanding concerns over the potential for a major military ground operation into Rafah, where over one million people have taken shelter,” according to a readout of the call that was released by the White House.

“He [Sullivan] discussed alternative courses of action to ensure the defeat of Hamas everywhere in Gaza,” the readout said. “Mr. Hanegbi confirmed that Israel is taking U.S. concerns into account.”

The White House said Sullivan also expressed condolences on Israel’s Memorial Day, the first since Hamas’ surprise Oct. 7 attacks on Israel. The Hamas attack killed 1,200 people, most of them civilians, according to Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office.

Sullivan and Hanegbi also reviewed discussions by officials on both sides of the war about alternatives for a Rafah invasion and agreed to plan an in-person meeting soon, according to the White House.

-ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart

May 12, 6:16 AM
300,000 have fled Rafah, UN agency says

More than 300,000 people have fled Rafah in the week since Israel issued a partial evacuation order, the United Nations agency operating in Gaza said on Sunday.

The U.N. Agency for Palestine Refugees called the evacuation “forced and inhumane.”

“There is nowhere safe to go,” the agency said on social media, repeating the phrase three times for emphasis.

The Israeli military late Saturday called again for civilians to evacuate from much of the eastern part of the city, which is in southern Gaza.

Israel Defense Forces entered Rafah last week, in what they called a “precise” operation ahead of potential invasion.

“Prior to our operations we urge civilians to temporarily move towards humanitarian areas and move away from the crossfire that Hamas puts them in,” the Israel Defense Forces said on a post on Telegram. “Our war is against Hamas, not against the people of Gaza.”

-ABC News’ Dragana Jovanovic and Kevin Shalvey

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(LONDON) — Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico’s condition has been stabilized overnight, although his condition is still serious, his deputy said early Thursday.

Fico, 59, was shot five times on Wednesday outside a government building in the town of Handlova, according to Slovakian Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok.

Doctors worked overnight to stabilize his condition, with two medical teams working on him. He spent about 5 hours in surgery. But the complicated nature of his injuries means he’s still considered to be in serious condition, his deputy said Thursday.

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(LONDON) — Gordon Black, the U.S. soldier detained in Russia, has “admitted guilt” on a charge of theft, according to TASS, a state-owned news service.

Black was said to be “cooperating” with Russia’s investigation into the alleged theft, TASS reported on Thursday.

“The accused admitted guilt and is cooperating with the investigation. This is happening in English through an interpreter,” TASS reported, quoting a representative of local law enforcement agencies.

Black was detained in Vladivostok, Russia, earlier this month on charges of criminal misconduct, according to the U.S. Army. His detention is expected to last until at least July 2, according to the court. His lawyer had appealed his detention last week.

Two U.S. officials told ABC News this month that Black, a staff sergeant, had been stationed in South Korea before going on temporary leave. He was not granted permission to travel to Russia, the officials said.

Black had traveled to Russia to visit his girlfriend, the 35-year-old’s mother, Melody Jones, told ABC News’ Good Morning America last week.

TASS reported on Thursday that Black and the woman had a disagreement while he was visiting her in Vladivostok, a far-eastern city near the borders with China and North Korea.

“After Black left, his friend discovered the missing money and turned to law enforcement for help,” TASS reported. “The police found the suspect in the theft in one of the city hotels.”

Black had purchased a return flight, the outlet said.

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(NEW YORK) — Police in Turks and Caicos have charged an American woman with ammunition possession — a crime that carries a minimum penalty of 12 years — after airport officials alleged they found illegal ammunition in her luggage.

Sharitta Shinise Grier, 45, of Orlando, Florida, was visiting Turks and Caicos with her daughter for Mother’s Day when, during a routine search at the Howard Hamilton International Airport Monday, officials claim to have found two rounds of ammunition in her bag, police said.

Grier and her daughter were both arrested, though the daughter was later released.

Officials confirmed Wednesday the mother had been charged. She is expected in court on Thursday, officials said. Attorney information for the defendant wasn’t immediately available.

Two years ago, the Turks and Caicos government tightened their gun laws and prohibited civilian firearms or ammunition. If convicted, offenders are sentenced to a minimum of 12 years in prison.

It is illegal to transport firearms or ammunition to or from any of the Caribbean countries without a license, according to U.S. laws.

She is the fifth American to be charged under Turks and Caicos’ gun laws this year.

Grier’s arrest and charging comes as several U.S. governors released a letter asking the Caribbean island’s governor to release three men who have been jailed for weeks over similar charges.

Ryan and Valerie Watson of Oklahoma were arrested on April 24 after hunting ammunition was found in Ryan Watson’s carry-on bag before they flew home. Valerie Watson’s charges were dropped, and she was allowed to fly back to the U.S.

Her husband was released on $15,000 bond but remains on the island as his court case continues.

Ryan Watson told ABC News he didn’t know the ammunition was in the bag.

Bryan Hagerich, of Pennsylvania, is awaiting sentencing on the island after pleading guilty to possession of 20 rounds of ammunition.

Hagerich, who was arrested in February, told ABC News he forgot hunting ammunition was in his bag while he was traveling.

“I’m a man of character, integrity. I did not have intent in this,” Hagerich previously said.

Michael Lee Evans, 72, of Texas, also pleaded guilty to possession of seven 9mm rounds of ammunition in his luggage and is awaiting sentencing.

Tyler Scott Wenrich, 31, was charged on April 23 when officials found illegal ammunition during a checkpoint on Turks and Caicos while he was traveling on a cruise, investigators said.

The incidents have sparked calls from the defendants’ families and U.S. officials who allege the island’s laws and penalties are too strict.

On Wednesday, Governors Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and Glenn Youngkin of Virginia sent a joint letter to Turks and Caicos Gov. Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam to release Watson, Hagerich and Wenrich.

“This action will create the necessary recognition of your laws that will impact the future actions of travelers and continue our mutual interest in justice and goodwill between our jurisdictions,” the letter read.

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(NEW YORK) — With numerous wildfires burning across Canada, including about 40 that remain out of control, meteorologists said conditions are stacking up for a replay of last year’s fire season when thick smoke wafted down to the United States, turning the skies over New York City orange and its air quality hazardous.

More than 130 wildfires are now burning in multiple provinces of Canada, mostly in the western part of the country, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.

Earlier this week, smoke from the Canadian wildfires drifted across the border into the United States, prompting Minnesota officials to issue the state’s first air quality alert of 2024.

“As of right now, it is very hot, it is very dry. Parts of northern Alberta, northern British Columbia and the southwestern and northwestern territories are experiencing some significant fires as a result of very, very dry conditions,” Jennifer Smith, the national warning preparedness meteorologist for the Meteorological Service of Canada, told ABC News. “These conditions are expected to continue into the spring and summer season.”

She said Canada had one of its warmest winters on record with low to non-existent snow in many areas.

Asked if smoke from the fires could again carry down to the East Coast of the United States, Smith said, “Absolutely.”

“It’s entirely possible,” she went on. “It all depends if the forest fires develop in those regions, and then you’ll need winds to be aligned with the timing for the fires for that smoke to [drift] south into the United States. So, a couple of things have to come together for it to happen, but it is not impossible.”

Canada recorded its most destructive wildfire season on record in 2023 when more than 7,100 blazes burned more than 42 million acres of wildland.

Last May and June, smoke from the wildfires burning near Halifax, Nova Scotia, on the eastern side of Canada, sent plumes of smoke across the border and down the Eastern Seaboard, cloaking New York City and the Tri-State area in an orange haze for days, prompting residents to wear face masks outdoors and leaving New York City and other metropolises like Detroit with some of the worst air quality in the world.

“It was an unlucky combination of events that came together that allowed the smoke to funnel into the United States and be seen and experienced so vividly,” Smith said.

Kristina Dahl, the principal climate scientist at the Union for Concern Scientists, a U.S. nonprofit science advocacy organization, told ABC News that back-to-back years of drought across much of Canada is prompting an early start to the fire season. She also said many of the fires are being brought on by “zombie fires,” which are fires that were never fully put out and reignited this month with the return of warmer weather.

“These are fires that have embers that are smoldering over the course of the winter. Rain could help to alleviate that, but if it’s dry you’re not fully putting those fires out during the season when firefighters are taking a well-deserved rest,” Dahl said.

Dahl said the lack of precipitation from the extreme drought is also causing dry lightning strikes that are sparking wildland fires in remote areas that are inaccessible to fire crews.

“That’s the same setup as we had last year when there were record-breaking fires across the country,” Dahl said.

Dahl said the difference between last year’s fire season and what is occurring now is that more fires were burning in the eastern part of the county.

“So far from what I’ve seen this year, we still are having more of a western fire situation. We’re not seeing the level of fires that we were seeing last year in the eastern provinces,” Dahl said. “But it’s still early in the wildfire season, and the forecast for the next few months from the Canadian government there’s above average fire weather risk for much of the country.”

Dahl added, “It remains to be seen what will happen with eastern Canada. But whether it’s in the west or the east, because of atmospheric circulation patterns, the smoke can come into the United States.”

Smith said another “unique weather pattern” that occurred last year was the sustained high winds that fanned the flames and drew smoke into the U.S.

“Quebec and Ontario do see their share of forest fires each summer, but the prevailing wind or the direction the winds typically travel in that part of the country is to the east or the northeast,” said Smith, adding that last year the weather pattern held in place long enough to allow the smoke to move south into New York and other parts of the U.S.

Smith said a cooler weather system is moving into the Alberta and British Columbia areas this week and could bring “a little bit of precipitation.”

She added, “But with it comes the risk of thunderstorms as well. There’s also a chance of some gusty winds which might make things worse.”

One of the biggest fires is burning in British Columbia near the town of Fort Nelson, which has been evacuated. That fire, which started Friday, has spread to more than 32 square miles and is also threatening the Fort Nelson Indian Reserve, officials said.

Dahl said the Canadian wildfires are the result of climate change and signals the need to cut greenhouse gas emissions, which trap heat and cause global warming.

“What all our climate models show is that the more we warm the planet the worse the fires are going to get,” Dahl said. “When we’re thinking about what we need to do and what we can do to address the problem of worsening wildfires, we really need to be thinking with that long-term hat on. It’s going to benefit our children and our grandchildren if we make those emission cuts starting now.”

ABC News’ Daniel Manzo and Kenton Gewecke contributed to this report.

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(NEW YORK) — Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot in the abdomen in an assassination attempt outside a government building in the town of Handlova on Wednesday, according to a government official.

Fico, 59, was raced to a hospital in Handlova in life-threatening condition, officials said. He was conscious following the shooting, government officials said at a press conference.

Several shots rang out, officials said. A suspect was immediately swarmed and arrested at the scene.

“I am shocked, we are all shocked by the terrible and malicious attack on Prime Minister Robert Fico,” Slovakian President Zuzana Caputova said in an address to the nation. “Something serious has happened that we can’t even realize yet. A physical attack on the prime minister is primarily an attack on a person, but it is also an attack on democracy. Any violence is unacceptable. The hateful rhetoric we witness in society leads to hateful acts. Please, let’s stop it.”

Caputova said the alleged attacker has been arrested and “will surely bring more information when possible.”

“Until then, please don’t make quick judgments, and think about the most important thing: and that’s the only thing at the moment — that Robert Fico recovers as quickly as possible,” she added.

The U.S. Embassy in Slovakia said in a statement: “Ambassador Gautam Rana, as well as the entire team of the US Embassy in Slovakia, are shocked and horrified by the attack on the Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic, Robert Fico. Our thoughts are with him, his family and the Slovak people. We strongly condemn this attack and reject any form of violence. The United States is ready to provide any assistance.”

President Joe Biden condemned the attack and said the U.S. Embassy is in “close touch with the government of Slovakia and ready to assist.”

“Jill and I are praying for a swift recovery, and our thoughts are with his family and the people of Slovakia,” he said in a statement. “We condemn this horrific act of violence.”

Neighboring countries, such as the Czech Republic, which borders Slovakia to the west, reacted to the assassination attempt on social media.

“The news about the shooting of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is shocking,” Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said in a statement. “I wish the prime minister to get well as soon as possible. We must not tolerate violence, it must have no place in society.”

Fico took over as prime minister in October 2023, but had previously served in the same capacity from 2006 to 2010 and 2012 to 2018.

Fico has generated controversy for taking a staunch position against providing aid to Ukraine in its fight against Russia. Slovakia shares an eastern border with Ukraine and had taken in 1.8 million refugees from Ukraine through Nov. 21, 2023, according to data collected by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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(LONDON) — A manhunt involving hundreds of law enforcement officers continued Wednesday for a fugitive prisoner dubbed “The Fly” and accomplices wielding machine guns who facilitated the convicted criminal’s escape by ambushing a prison transport van at a toll booth and gunning down two guards, authorities said.

The international police organization Interpol issued a worldwide red alert for the fugitive identified by authorities as 30-year-old Mohmed Amra after French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said authorities are concerned that Amra has fled the country.

“We are investing considerable resources, we are making a lot of progress,” Damanin said in an interview with the French radio broadcaster RTL.

French President Emmanuel Macron stated on the social media site X: “Everything is being done to find the perpetrators of this crime.”

“We will be uncompromising,” Macron added, describing the escape as a “shock to us all.”

The escape unfolded Tuesday at a toll booth near Rouen, about 85 miles north of Paris, as a white prison van transporting Amra from court to a penitentiary was ambushed, according to French authorities.

The attack was captured on security video, officials said.

 At least five prison officers were escorting Amra when their van was rammed head-on by a stolen car at the toll booth and men wearing balaclavas to conceal their faces opened fire on the van with automatic weapons, authorities said.

Two of the officers were killed and three were wounded as the assailants hustled Amra, a suspected drug gang leader, from the van to a waiting vehicle that whisked him from the scene, officials said.

The attack lasted just two minutes, French media reported.

As hundreds of law enforcement officers combed the country for Amra and his accomplices, investigators reviewed CCTV video from dozens of security cameras near the toll booth in an attempt to identify those involved in the daring escape. The attack was also captured by dashboard cameras of vehicles nearby, officials said.

Amra was convicted on May 10 of burglary by a court in Evreuz and was being held at the Val de Reuil Prison, according to Laure Beccuau of the Paris Prosecutor’s Office. Beccuau told reporters that Amra had also been indicted recently in a kidnapping that resulted in a homicide.

Amra’s defense lawyer, Hugues Vigier, told the French television station BFMTV that the escape came less than a week after Amra was caught attempting to break out of prison by sawing the bars of his cell.

Vigier called Tuesday’s violent escape “inexcusable” and “insane.”

“This does not correspond to the impression that I had of him,” Vigier told BFMTV.

The escape was the most brazen to occur in France since 2018 when notorious gangster Redoine Faid broke out of the Réau prison by a helicopter that was hijacked and whose pilot was forced to land in the prison courtyard by heavily armed accomplices. Faid was recaptured about three months after the prison break.

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