(NEW YORK) — A U.S. national has been mistakenly accused of involvement in last weekend’s attempted coup in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Cole Patrick Ducey, an engineer living in Eswatini, told ABC News Monday that he was not involved, despite reports online and in the media. DRC government officials also confirmed to ABC News that Ducey was not involved in the coup attempt over the weekend.
Ducey told ABC News he has been the subject of a “huge case of mistaken identity,” with his name appearing in social media posts and news articles that erroneously suggest he was arrested Sunday in the DRC.
“I learned of what happened yesterday on the news just as you did,” he said.
Authorities in the DRC told ABC News that the coup attempt was led by Christian Malanga, a DRC businessman and politician with U.S. ties. Malanga was killed in the coup attempt, the officials said.
The officials also told ABC News that a U.S. national, Benjamin Zalman-Polun, had been arrested on suspicion of involvement in the coup attempt. ABC News wasn’t immediately able to locate a legal representative for Zalman-Polun.
Ducey verified his identity by sending ABC News a video in which he displayed an identifying document. ABC News further verified Ducey’s identity by reviewing public records.
Ducey told ABC News that he attended the University of Colorado with Zalman-Polun in 2006 and 2007. The two lost contact for many years, Ducey said, until Zalman-Polun contacted Ducey in 2020 about a business opportunity in the mining sector. At that time, Ducey said Zalman-Polun introduced him to Malanga in a phone call.
In 2022, Ducey said, the trio met in Mozambique to review mining concessions. Ducey said they started a limited liability corporation but failed to find a viable spot to mine and did not continue working together.
Zalman-Polun, Malanga and Ducey are listed as partners in that LLC, according to records from the government of Mozambique’s official bulletin.
Those records, which are publicly available, appear to have led to the case of mistaken identity.
However, Ducey claims, and DRC government officials affirm, he was not a part of the attempted coup over the weekend in any capacity.
Palestinians who fled Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip ride with their belongings in the back of a truck, as they arrive to take shelter in Deir el-Balah in the central part of the Palestinian territory on May 12, 2024. – Said Khatib/AFP via Getty Images
(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 20, 6:15 PM Biden: What’s happening in Gaza ‘is not genocide’
President Joe Biden said Monday that what Israel has carried out in Gaza during the war is “not genocide,” while he denounced the application for arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders.
“Let me be clear, we reject the ICC’s application and arrest warrants against Israeli leaders, whatever these warrants may imply, there is no equivalence between Israel and Hamas,” Biden said, in part. “But let me be clear, contrary to allegations against Israel made by the International Court of Justice, what’s happening is not genocide. We reject that.”
Biden made the comments during an event in the Rose Garden celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month where he fiercely defended Israel in the war against Hamas.
“We’ll always stand with Israel and the threats against its security,” he said.
The president also highlighted efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in Gaza “who are suffering greatly because of the war” and working toward a two-state solution.
May 20, 4:31 PM Bodies of 4 hostages recovered last week found in tunnel in Jabaliya: IDF
The bodies of four Israeli hostages recovered last week were found in a tunnel in Jabaliya in northern Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces said Monday.
The bodies of Shani Louk, Amit Buskila, Ron Benjamin and Yitzchak Gelernter — who were killed during the Oct. 7 Hamas attack and taken into Gaza — were recovered following a monthslong operation, the IDF said.
Israeli forces also “located intelligence materials and large quantities of weapons” during the night operation, the IDF said.
May 20, 3:01 PM Rafah exodus surpasses 810,000: UNRWA
More than 810,000 people have fled Rafah in the past two weeks amid Israel’s ongoing military operation in the southern Gaza city, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
“Every time families are displaced their lives are at serious risk. People are forced to leave everything behind looking for safety. But, there’s no safe zone,” UNRWA said on X Monday.
May 20, 2:39 PM Congress considering sanctioning ICC: House speaker
Congress is considering sanctioning the International Criminal Court regarding the arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, according to House Speaker Mike Johnson.
“In the absence of leadership from the White House, Congress is reviewing all options, including sanctions, to punish the ICC and ensure its leadership faces consequences if they proceed,” Johnson said in a statement. “If the ICC is allowed to threaten Israeli leaders, ours could be next.”
The ICC has “no authority” over Israel or the U.S., Johnson noted.
-ABC News’ Lauren Peller
May 20, 1:33 PM Biden calls ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu outrageous
President Joe Biden called the application for arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders “outrageous.”
“And let me be clear: whatever this prosecutor might imply, there is no equivalence — none — between Israel and Hamas,” Biden said.
“We will always stand with Israel against threats to its security,” Biden’s statement said
May 20, 7:22 AM ICC to seek arrest warrants for Israel’s Netanyahu, Hamas leader
A prosecutor with the International Criminal Court on Monday said he would file applications for arrest warrants for Hamas and Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for “criminal responsibility for the following war crimes and crimes against humanity” in Gaza.
-ABC News’ Joe Simonetti and Kevin Shalvey
May 19, 5:18 PM IDF releases footage of young Israeli hostages it says were forced to film Hamas video under duress
Israel Defense Forces released Sunday raw video footage it says its troops recovered in Gaza that shows former Israeli hostages 8-year-old Ela Elyakim and her 15-year-old sister Dafna Elyakim being forced by Hamas terrorists to film repeatedly.
“The video, which is being released today for the first time was intended to be used by Hamas for psychological terror,” Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, an IDF spokesperson, said in a statement. “But Ela’s family asked us to share it with the world to expose Hamas’s terror, to expose Hamas’s cruelty, to expose Hamas’s barbarism.”
Hagari said the raw footage of the girls recording the video was recovered by IDF troops during Israel’s ground operations in Gaza.
The Elyakim sisters were kidnapped on Oct. 7 from their father’s house in Nahal Oz, according to the IDF. Their father was killed in the surprise attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists, according to the IDF.
Ela and Dafana Elyakim were held hostage for 51 days before Hamas released them in a previous hostage deal, the IDF said.
Ela Elyakim told IDF officials that Hamas terrorists forced her to read from a script and made her change clothes multiple times as they refilmed the video over and over, according to Hagari.
“We will continue doing everything in our power to bring our hostages back home,” said Hagari.
-ABC News’ Victoria Beaule
May 19, 5:18 PM IDF releases footage of young Israeli hostages it says were forced to film Hamas video under duress
Israel Defense Forces released Sunday raw video footage it says its troops recovered in Gaza that shows former Israeli hostages 8-year-old Ela Elyakim and her 15-year-old sister Dafna Elyakim being forced by Hamas terrorists to film repeatedly.
“The video, which is being released today for the first time was intended to be used by Hamas for psychological terror,” Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, an IDF spokesperson, said in a statement. “But Ela’s family asked us to share it with the world to expose Hamas’s terror, to expose Hamas’s cruelty, to expose Hamas’s barbarism.”
Hagari said the raw footage of the girls recording the video was recovered by IDF troops during Israel’s ground operations in Gaza.
The Elyakim sisters were kidnapped on Oct. 7 from their father’s house in Nahal Oz, according to the IDF. Their father was killed in the surprise attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists, according to the IDF.
Ela and Dafana Elyakim were held hostage for 51 days before Hamas released them in a previous hostage deal, the IDF said.
Ela Elyakim told IDF officials that Hamas terrorists forced her to read from a script and made her change clothes multiple times as they refilmed the video over and over, according to Hagari.
“We will continue doing everything in our power to bring our hostages back home,” said Hagari.
-ABC News’ Victoria Beaule
May 18, 11:34 PM GOP Rep. Stefanik to visit Knesset, denounce Biden over weapons pause
House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik of New York will be giving remarks in the Israeli Knesset on Sunday, according to her office. Stefanik will be the highest-ranking member of the House to visit Israel following the Oct. 7 attack.
Stefanik plans to slam President Joe Biden for recently halting some military aid to Israel, according to excerpts of her speech reviewed by ABC News.
“I have been clear at home, and I will be clear here: There is no excuse for an American president to block aid to Israel,” Stefanik will say during the address.
Biden announced the U.S. would withhold certain bomb deliveries to Israel over fear they could be used in Rafah, but the Biden administration informed Congress it’s moving forward with more than $1 billion in new arms agreements with Israel.
The congresswoman will address the rise in antisemitism in the U.S., House Republicans’ support for Israel and even mention her close ally, former President Donald Trump.
“I have been a leading proponent and partner to President Trump in his historic support for Israeli independence and security,” Stefanik will say.
-ABC News’ Lauren Peller
May 18, 6:14 PM 3 US medical workers remain in Gaza despite warning from US government
Three U.S. medical professionals remain in Gaza despite warnings from the U.S. State Department that the American government may not be able to get them out later.
Tamer Hassan, a registered nurse, Dr. Jomana Al-Hinti and Dr. Adam Hamawy were the only ones out of a group of 20 American medical professionals who stayed behind to help treat patients.
“They understand that the U.S. embassy may not be able to facilitate their departure in the same manner as we have just effected today,” a person with knowledge of the situation told ABC News.
Hamawy released a statement Saturday explaining why he stayed behind.
“We worry that the European Hospital we currently are in will suffer a similar fate of Al-Shifa and Nasser hospitals, where humanitarian workers, patients, and civilians were massacred,” he said.
“To my wife, daughters and son, I know it hurts that I am not coming home this weekend, and I am sorry. But I know that you are proud that I am upholding my oath to never leave anyone behind,” he added.
The doctors who left Gaza “made their way to safety with assistance from the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem,” a State Department spokesman said.
-ABC News’ Anne Flaherty, Nadine Shubailat and Zoe Magee
May 18, 2:36 PM Gantz gives Netanyahu ultimatum: approve post-war plan or he will resign
Israeli cabinet minister Benny Gantz has given Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu an ultimatum: approve a post-war plan by June 8, or he will resign, Gantz said at a press conference.
“While the Israeli soldiers show supreme bravery on the front, some of the men who sent them into battle behave with cowardice and irresponsibility,” Gantz said.
A leader of the National Unity Party and a minister in the war cabinet, Gantz’s resignation would not necessarily trigger the collapse of the government on its own, but would be politically significant.
The ultimatum come on the heels of a speech by defense minister Yoav Gallant, who is demanding a plan for the “day after” the war.
-ABC News’ Jordana Miller and Dana Savir
May 18, 1:30 PM Body of hostage found, returned to Israel
Israel announced that it has identified the body of a fourth hostage this week. Ron Benjamin, 53, was killed during the Oct. 7 Hamas attack and taken into Gaza, according to the Israel Defense Forces.
The bodies of three other hostages were also recovered in a tunnel in the same operation, according to the IDF.
Benjamin was a family man who loved cycling, the Hostages Families Forum said in a statement.
“He used to go out for a ride every Saturday, just as he did on that fateful Saturday when he was taken hostage from the Kibbutz Be’eri area while on a cycling trip,” the statement said.
-ABC News’ Victoria Beaule
May 18, 8:53 AM More than 630,000 fled Rafah since May 6, UN says
More than 630,000 people have fled Rafah since May 6 amid widening operations by Israel’s military, with many seeking refuge in Al-Mawasi and Deir al-Balah — areas overcrowded with “dire conditions” — according to the United Nations.
-ABC News’ Emma Ogao
May 17, 3:00 PM Gaza assistance through US maritime corridor not replacement for aid through land: USAID
Humanitarian assistance shipments delivered to Gaza through the U.S.’ maritime corridor should not replace aid coming into the enclave through land crossings where “barely 100 trucks of aid a day” entered over the last two weeks — about a sixth of the level needed to stave off famine — USAID Administrator Samantha Power said in a statement Friday.
“Every moment that a crossing is not open, that trucks are not moving, or where aid cannot safely be distributed, increases the terrible human costs of this conflict,” Power said.
Supplies coming into Gaza through the temporary pier Friday include contributions from the U.S., United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.
But, the statement doesn’t say how much aid is now being moved through the corridor at this point or how much of it is sitting in Cyprus waiting to be shipped — so it’s still unclear if and when these deliveries might have a substantial impact.
-ABC News’ Shannon Crawford and Anne Flaherty
May 17, 2:00 PM 1,400 buildings have been damaged, destroyed in Rafah this month
Almost 1,400 buildings have likely been damaged or destroyed in Rafah, Gaza, since May 4, according to an analysis of satellite imagery by two university researchers.
Data from the radar-enabled Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellite operated by the European Space Agency was used to analyze the effects of fighting on the terrain and buildings of Gaza, according to Corey Scher, of the CUNY Graduate Center, and Jamon Van Den Hoek, of Oregon State University.
Between May 4 and May 8, the researchers found evidence that 895 buildings were likely damaged or destroyed in Rafah. From May 8 to May 16 they counted 487.
Since Oct. 5, the researchers have found evidence of likely damage or destruction to 18,176 of the 48,678 buildings in Rafah.
-ABC News’ Chris Looft
May 17, 12:01 PM IDF recovers bodies of 3 hostages in overnight operation
The bodies of three hostages have been recovered, according to the Israel Defense Forces. The bodies of Shani Louk, Yitzhak Gelanter and Amit Buskila were recovered in an operation by the Shin Bet, Israel’s security agency.
The hostages had escaped from the Nova Music Festival and were killed in the area of Kibbutz Mefalsim and their bodies were taken to Gaza, according to the IDF.
“Our hearts go out to them, to the families, at this difficult time and we will leave no stone unturned, we will do everything in our power to find our hostages and bring them home,” Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, spokesperson for the IDF, said. “We will not rest until we do.”
May 17, 11:30 AM 75 launches detected from Lebanon into Israel Friday, IDF says
After Israel killed a senior Hezbollah commander on Thursday, 75 launches were detected crossing from southern Lebanon into Israel on Friday, according to the Israel Defense Forces.
Dozens of the launches were intercepted and a launcher in the area of Yaroun was struck and dismantled, preventing more launches, according to the IDF.
-ABC News’ Will Gretsky
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.
Today a @UN vehicle was struck in Gaza, killing one of our colleagues & injuring another. More than 190 UN staff have been killed in Gaza. Humanitarian workers must be protected. I condemn all attacks on UN personnel and reiterate my urgent appeal for an immediate humanitarian…
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) May 13, 2024
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.”
(NEW YORK) — Haiti’s Port-au-Prince airport has been reopened after being closed for nearly three months after unprecedented gang violence forced it to close, effectively sealing the capital city off from the rest of the world.
So far, only Sunrise Airways, a small regional carrier, has resumed flights, but other international flights, including those operated by JetBlue and American Airlines, could start operating again in the next few weeks.
The only way to safely reopen the airport was to bulldoze hundreds of homes in its immediate vicinity, according to two Haitian officials briefed on the plans.
It was from the roofs of these homes that gang members were able to shoot into the airport during early March attacks, at one point even hitting planes parked on the runway.
Residents of the homes who were forced to flee the area are due to be compensated for the moves, according to those officials.
American military flights have landed nearly two dozen times in recent weeks as they shuttle in aid and supplies, much of which is designed to support the upcoming international security mission.
Kenyan Police Heading to Haiti Soon
Dozens of Kenyan police officers who have signed up to be a part of the UN-backed international security force will arrive in Haiti “soon,” according to a senior Kenyan government official. It could be as soon as this week.
The force will eventually grow to roughly 1,000 officers and hundreds of officers from several other countries, many of whom will arrive later in the summer.
The deployment comes just as Kenyan President Ruto is set to have a state visit to Washington, D.C.
(NEW YORK) — Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, and other officials died in a helicopter crash Sunday near Iran’s northern border with Azerbaijan, Iranian state media said Monday morning.
The helicopter was part of a convoy of three helicopters returning from an event inaugurating a joint dam project when it crashed in heavy fog in a remote area on Sunday. The fog and rugged terrain hindered search operations. All eight bodies on board were found on Monday.
Raisi’s death comes during heightened international tensions and increased speculation over who will eventually replace Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Raisi was widely considered a potential successor.
ABC contributor Col. Steve Ganyard, a former fighter pilot and a former State Department official, analyzed the crash – and the political repercussions inside Iran and elsewhere – Monday morning with “Start Here.”
START HERE: What do we know about this incident so far?
GANYARD: It seems to be a fairly classic mishap that occurs when helicopter pilots try to skirt underneath weather in very mountainous terrain. So we know that there was a lot of fog in the area. We know that they had dignitaries, very important people, which oftentimes puts an extra, at least mental burden on the pilots to make sure that they get to get to the destination. And when you’re flying in the mountains and you have very low visibility, there’s a natural tendency for helicopter pilots to begin to sort of descend and try to get lower and try to get underneath either the fog or the cloud layer. And they know that they can set the aircraft down if they need to. But oftentimes it leads to tragedy. If you remember, earlier this year, back in February, a marine Corps helicopter was trying to do this very thing, trying to get back to San Diego and in the mountains above San Diego, just to the to the east of San Diego, crashed. And unfortunately, all the Marines on board lost their lives.
START HERE: So we’re looking at an area with dense forest, a lot of rain and fog. The Iranian government saying that they dispatched rescue teams. But we’re not getting a lot of information from them. Is that typical with the Iranian state government?
GANYARD: It is when you have when you have a mishap that involves very senior people. Obviously, this is the president of the country. He’s not the most important guy – Ayatollah Khamenei remains the most important person in terms of the leadership there in Iran. But this is still a very important, very public figure. He is in many ways the elected face of Iran to the rest of the world. And you had the foreign minister. So, interestingly, you had two of the people who are most responsible for the trouble that Iran has been causing in the region. They are, as we know, key supporters of the Houthis, key supporters of Hamas and key supporters of Hezbollah. And so, all of the region’s woes and all of the instability are at least directed in some way, influenced by two of the people that were on that helicopter.
START HERE: Well, and you were kind of alluding to this, the politics there, could this crash change the dynamic and how the U.S. views Tehran, or would you expect that Raisi’s hardline government is going to continue no matter what happens?
GANYARD: Well, Raisi is the most senior elected official in Iran, and his foreign ministers are very public foreign ministers. He is the face of the relations with the rest of the of the world, in particular the rest of the region. But it doesn’t really affect the politics within Iran. The ayatollahs still control all of the power within Iran. But none of the true power rests with the president. It still rests with the mullahs. It still rests with the Ayatollah Khamenei.
START HERE: Well, and I realize, Steve, there are a lot of unknown about what actually caused this crash. Weather obviously is looking to be the primary culprit. But there will be people wondering if Israel could have had a hand in this in any way. Is that something that’s even possible?
GANYARD: It’s possible. You never know. The Israelis have done some amazing operations inside Iran. But we also know that weather was a key problem here, and the fact that there were two other helicopters with the president’s helicopter who were able to land, but they lost sight of the president’s helicopter – it would suggest that it was probably weather related. But at this point, we’ll just have to wait and see. Obviously, the Iranians are never going to admit it if the Israelis did have a hand, and the Israelis probably in this case would not claim responsibility.
START HERE: And Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer saying that U.S. intelligence right now, pointing to that Israel was not behind this. So I want to make that clear. Steve, thanks so much for joining us.
Palestinians who fled Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip ride with their belongings in the back of a truck, as they arrive to take shelter in Deir el-Balah in the central part of the Palestinian territory on May 12, 2024. – Said Khatib/AFP via Getty Images
(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 20, 4:31 PM Bodies of 4 hostages recovered last week found in tunnel in Jabaliya: IDF
The bodies of four Israeli hostages recovered last week were found in a tunnel in Jabaliya in northern Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces said Monday.
The bodies of Shani Louk, Amit Buskila, Ron Benjamin and Yitzchak Gelernter — who were killed during the Oct. 7 Hamas attack and taken into Gaza — were recovered following a monthslong operation, the IDF said.
Israeli forces also “located intelligence materials and large quantities of weapons” during the night operation, the IDF said.
May 20, 3:01 PM Rafah exodus surpasses 810,000: UNRWA
More than 810,000 people have fled Rafah in the past two weeks amid Israel’s ongoing military operation in the southern Gaza city, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
“Every time families are displaced their lives are at serious risk. People are forced to leave everything behind looking for safety. But, there’s no safe zone,” UNRWA said on X Monday.
May 20, 2:39 PM Congress considering sanctioning ICC: House speaker
Congress is considering sanctioning the International Criminal Court regarding the arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, according to House Speaker Mike Johnson.
“In the absence of leadership from the White House, Congress is reviewing all options, including sanctions, to punish the ICC and ensure its leadership faces consequences if they proceed,” Johnson said in a statement. “If the ICC is allowed to threaten Israeli leaders, ours could be next.”
The ICC has “no authority” over Israel or the U.S., Johnson noted.
-ABC News’ Lauren Peller
May 20, 1:33 PM Biden calls ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu outrageous
President Joe Biden called the application for arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders “outrageous.”
“And let me be clear: whatever this prosecutor might imply, there is no equivalence — none — between Israel and Hamas,” Biden said.
“We will always stand with Israel against threats to its security,” Biden’s statement said
May 20, 7:22 AM ICC to seek arrest warrants for Israel’s Netanyahu, Hamas leader
A prosecutor with the International Criminal Court on Monday said he would file applications for arrest warrants for Hamas and Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for “criminal responsibility for the following war crimes and crimes against humanity” in Gaza.
-ABC News’ Joe Simonetti and Kevin Shalvey
May 19, 5:18 PM IDF releases footage of young Israeli hostages it says were forced to film Hamas video under duress
Israel Defense Forces released Sunday raw video footage it says its troops recovered in Gaza that shows former Israeli hostages 8-year-old Ela Elyakim and her 15-year-old sister Dafna Elyakim being forced by Hamas terrorists to film repeatedly.
“The video, which is being released today for the first time was intended to be used by Hamas for psychological terror,” Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, an IDF spokesperson, said in a statement. “But Ela’s family asked us to share it with the world to expose Hamas’s terror, to expose Hamas’s cruelty, to expose Hamas’s barbarism.”
Hagari said the raw footage of the girls recording the video was recovered by IDF troops during Israel’s ground operations in Gaza.
The Elyakim sisters were kidnapped on Oct. 7 from their father’s house in Nahal Oz, according to the IDF. Their father was killed in the surprise attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists, according to the IDF.
Ela and Dafana Elyakim were held hostage for 51 days before Hamas released them in a previous hostage deal, the IDF said.
Ela Elyakim told IDF officials that Hamas terrorists forced her to read from a script and made her change clothes multiple times as they refilmed the video over and over, according to Hagari.
“We will continue doing everything in our power to bring our hostages back home,” said Hagari.
-ABC News’ Victoria Beaule
May 19, 5:18 PM IDF releases footage of young Israeli hostages it says were forced to film Hamas video under duress
Israel Defense Forces released Sunday raw video footage it says its troops recovered in Gaza that shows former Israeli hostages 8-year-old Ela Elyakim and her 15-year-old sister Dafna Elyakim being forced by Hamas terrorists to film repeatedly.
“The video, which is being released today for the first time was intended to be used by Hamas for psychological terror,” Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, an IDF spokesperson, said in a statement. “But Ela’s family asked us to share it with the world to expose Hamas’s terror, to expose Hamas’s cruelty, to expose Hamas’s barbarism.”
Hagari said the raw footage of the girls recording the video was recovered by IDF troops during Israel’s ground operations in Gaza.
The Elyakim sisters were kidnapped on Oct. 7 from their father’s house in Nahal Oz, according to the IDF. Their father was killed in the surprise attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists, according to the IDF.
Ela and Dafana Elyakim were held hostage for 51 days before Hamas released them in a previous hostage deal, the IDF said.
Ela Elyakim told IDF officials that Hamas terrorists forced her to read from a script and made her change clothes multiple times as they refilmed the video over and over, according to Hagari.
“We will continue doing everything in our power to bring our hostages back home,” said Hagari.
-ABC News’ Victoria Beaule
May 18, 11:34 PM GOP Rep. Stefanik to visit Knesset, denounce Biden over weapons pause
House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik of New York will be giving remarks in the Israeli Knesset on Sunday, according to her office. Stefanik will be the highest-ranking member of the House to visit Israel following the Oct. 7 attack.
Stefanik plans to slam President Joe Biden for recently halting some military aid to Israel, according to excerpts of her speech reviewed by ABC News.
“I have been clear at home, and I will be clear here: There is no excuse for an American president to block aid to Israel,” Stefanik will say during the address.
Biden announced the U.S. would withhold certain bomb deliveries to Israel over fear they could be used in Rafah, but the Biden administration informed Congress it’s moving forward with more than $1 billion in new arms agreements with Israel.
The congresswoman will address the rise in antisemitism in the U.S., House Republicans’ support for Israel and even mention her close ally, former President Donald Trump.
“I have been a leading proponent and partner to President Trump in his historic support for Israeli independence and security,” Stefanik will say.
-ABC News’ Lauren Peller
May 18, 6:14 PM 3 US medical workers remain in Gaza despite warning from US government
Three U.S. medical professionals remain in Gaza despite warnings from the U.S. State Department that the American government may not be able to get them out later.
Tamer Hassan, a registered nurse, Dr. Jomana Al-Hinti and Dr. Adam Hamawy were the only ones out of a group of 20 American medical professionals who stayed behind to help treat patients.
“They understand that the U.S. embassy may not be able to facilitate their departure in the same manner as we have just effected today,” a person with knowledge of the situation told ABC News.
Hamawy released a statement Saturday explaining why he stayed behind.
“We worry that the European Hospital we currently are in will suffer a similar fate of Al-Shifa and Nasser hospitals, where humanitarian workers, patients, and civilians were massacred,” he said.
“To my wife, daughters and son, I know it hurts that I am not coming home this weekend, and I am sorry. But I know that you are proud that I am upholding my oath to never leave anyone behind,” he added.
The doctors who left Gaza “made their way to safety with assistance from the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem,” a State Department spokesman said.
-ABC News’ Anne Flaherty, Nadine Shubailat and Zoe Magee
May 18, 2:36 PM Gantz gives Netanyahu ultimatum: approve post-war plan or he will resign
Israeli cabinet minister Benny Gantz has given Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu an ultimatum: approve a post-war plan by June 8, or he will resign, Gantz said at a press conference.
“While the Israeli soldiers show supreme bravery on the front, some of the men who sent them into battle behave with cowardice and irresponsibility,” Gantz said.
A leader of the National Unity Party and a minister in the war cabinet, Gantz’s resignation would not necessarily trigger the collapse of the government on its own, but would be politically significant.
The ultimatum come on the heels of a speech by defense minister Yoav Gallant, who is demanding a plan for the “day after” the war.
-ABC News’ Jordana Miller and Dana Savir
May 18, 1:30 PM Body of hostage found, returned to Israel
Israel announced that it has identified the body of a fourth hostage this week. Ron Benjamin, 53, was killed during the Oct. 7 Hamas attack and taken into Gaza, according to the Israel Defense Forces.
The bodies of three other hostages were also recovered in a tunnel in the same operation, according to the IDF.
Benjamin was a family man who loved cycling, the Hostages Families Forum said in a statement.
“He used to go out for a ride every Saturday, just as he did on that fateful Saturday when he was taken hostage from the Kibbutz Be’eri area while on a cycling trip,” the statement said.
-ABC News’ Victoria Beaule
May 18, 8:53 AM More than 630,000 fled Rafah since May 6, UN says
More than 630,000 people have fled Rafah since May 6 amid widening operations by Israel’s military, with many seeking refuge in Al-Mawasi and Deir al-Balah — areas overcrowded with “dire conditions” — according to the United Nations.
-ABC News’ Emma Ogao
May 17, 3:00 PM Gaza assistance through US maritime corridor not replacement for aid through land: USAID
Humanitarian assistance shipments delivered to Gaza through the U.S.’ maritime corridor should not replace aid coming into the enclave through land crossings where “barely 100 trucks of aid a day” entered over the last two weeks — about a sixth of the level needed to stave off famine — USAID Administrator Samantha Power said in a statement Friday.
“Every moment that a crossing is not open, that trucks are not moving, or where aid cannot safely be distributed, increases the terrible human costs of this conflict,” Power said.
Supplies coming into Gaza through the temporary pier Friday include contributions from the U.S., United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.
But, the statement doesn’t say how much aid is now being moved through the corridor at this point or how much of it is sitting in Cyprus waiting to be shipped — so it’s still unclear if and when these deliveries might have a substantial impact.
-ABC News’ Shannon Crawford and Anne Flaherty
May 17, 2:00 PM 1,400 buildings have been damaged, destroyed in Rafah this month
Almost 1,400 buildings have likely been damaged or destroyed in Rafah, Gaza, since May 4, according to an analysis of satellite imagery by two university researchers.
Data from the radar-enabled Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellite operated by the European Space Agency was used to analyze the effects of fighting on the terrain and buildings of Gaza, according to Corey Scher, of the CUNY Graduate Center, and Jamon Van Den Hoek, of Oregon State University.
Between May 4 and May 8, the researchers found evidence that 895 buildings were likely damaged or destroyed in Rafah. From May 8 to May 16 they counted 487.
Since Oct. 5, the researchers have found evidence of likely damage or destruction to 18,176 of the 48,678 buildings in Rafah.
-ABC News’ Chris Looft
May 17, 12:01 PM IDF recovers bodies of 3 hostages in overnight operation
The bodies of three hostages have been recovered, according to the Israel Defense Forces. The bodies of Shani Louk, Yitzhak Gelanter and Amit Buskila were recovered in an operation by the Shin Bet, Israel’s security agency.
The hostages had escaped from the Nova Music Festival and were killed in the area of Kibbutz Mefalsim and their bodies were taken to Gaza, according to the IDF.
“Our hearts go out to them, to the families, at this difficult time and we will leave no stone unturned, we will do everything in our power to find our hostages and bring them home,” Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, spokesperson for the IDF, said. “We will not rest until we do.”
May 17, 11:30 AM 75 launches detected from Lebanon into Israel Friday, IDF says
After Israel killed a senior Hezbollah commander on Thursday, 75 launches were detected crossing from southern Lebanon into Israel on Friday, according to the Israel Defense Forces.
Dozens of the launches were intercepted and a launcher in the area of Yaroun was struck and dismantled, preventing more launches, according to the IDF.
-ABC News’ Will Gretsky
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.
Today a @UN vehicle was struck in Gaza, killing one of our colleagues & injuring another. More than 190 UN staff have been killed in Gaza. Humanitarian workers must be protected. I condemn all attacks on UN personnel and reiterate my urgent appeal for an immediate humanitarian…
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) May 13, 2024
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.”
Stella Assange, wife of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, delivers a speech in front of the Home Office as protesters gather to Demand Julian Assange’s Immediate release on May 17, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
(LONDON) — The U.K.’s High Court on Monday said Julian Assange can continue appealing his extradition to the United States, putting up the latest roadblock in America’s years long effort to prosecute the WikiLeaks founder on charges of espionage.
Assange is accused by the United States of conspiring with Chelsea Manning, who, as an intelligence analyst in the U.S. Army, leaked to Assange hundreds of thousands of classified documents, including about 250,000 U.S. Department of State cables. WikiLeaks began publishing those documents in 2010.
The U.S. Department of Justice unsealed in 2019 an 18-count indictment accusing Assange of violating the Espionage Act by allegedly obtaining, receiving and disclosing classified information. A superseding indictment issued in 2020 added allegations that Assange had conspired with the Anonymous hacking group.
The U.K. court in March of this year said an extradition could go ahead if the U.S. was able to provide sufficient assurances that Assange’s case would be considered under the full protections of the First Amendment and that he would not be subjected to the death penalty.
The U.S. Embassy in London reportedly sent assurances — including that Assange would not face the death penalty — to the United Kingdom in April.
Assange has been held for the last five years in Belmarsh Prison, a high-security facility in southeastern London. Stella Assange, a longtime partner, married Assange in 2022.
“Whatever the High Court decides today, please keep fighting for Julian until he is free,” Stella Assange said on Monday.
Anthony Albanese, the prime minister of Australia, Assange’s home country, has also called for the U.S. to drop its extradition request. “Enough is enough,” he said last month.
The Committee to Protect Journalists called last week for the U.S. government to drop the extradition request. Sending Assange across the Atlantic “would allow for the prosecution of journalists who are simply doing their jobs and covering matters of public interest,” the organization said in an open letter dated May 17.
Officials with the White House and the State Department have both declined to discuss the potential extradition. Reporters asked U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller about the possible extradition during at least two separate press briefings in April.
Miller said each time that he’d defer to the Department of Justice on specifics of the possible extradition, but also said during one of the briefings that the U.S. considers the allegations against Assange to be outside the realm of “legitimate journalistic practice.” Assange is accused of “helping [Manning] actually break into government systems to retrieve classified information,” Miller said.
A group of European Parliament members on Friday published an open letter asking U.K. Home Secretary James Cleverly to put an end to the extradition.
“As elected representatives who have followed this case closely it is our view that there is no legitimate reason to the continued persecution of Mr. Assange and that he should be allowed to be united with his family,” the 31 members wrote in their letter.
ABC News’ Patrick Reevell contributed to this report.
People bring flowers to the Iranian embassy to pay tribute to Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, in Moscow on May 20, 2024. The placard with a Raisi portrait reads “(We) mourn”. (Photo by ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP via Getty Images)
(LONDON) — With the news of Iranian President Raisi’s death in a helicopter crash confirmed, Iran’s first vice president, Mohammad Mokhber, will take over with the supreme leader’s approval, based on Article 131 of the Islamic Republic’s constitution.
The article also clarifies that a council consisting of the head of the legislation, the head of the judiciary and the vice president must coordinate choosing a new president within 50 days.
In a statement issued Monday, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei applied the article and assented Mokhber as acting president.
“Mr Mokhbar is in the position of managing the executive branch, and he is obliged to arrange with the heads of the legislative and judicial branches to elect a new president within a maximum of fifty days,” the statement said.
The Guardian Council of the country, the body responsible for holding the elections, said that the next president will run the country for four years, not just for the remaining terms of Raisi’s term.
“The elected president in the next election is the president who will begin a 4-year term,” said Hadi Tahan Nazif, spokesperson of the council, according to the official Fars News Agency.
Ibrahim Raisi was elected as the eighth president of the Islamic Republic in the 2021 election.
The vote was marred by a low turnout — which the regime considers a key factor in justifying its legitimacy — with a turnout of 48.8%, the lowest turnout of all presidential elections since the 1979 revolution.
With sensitivities about the succession of 85-year-old Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, who has the ultimate power in the theocratic regime, experts said Raisi’s death may precipitate a crisis for the country’s leadership.
“In Iran’s conspiratorial political culture few will believe Raisi’s death was accidental,” Karim Sadjadpour, a senior fellow with the Carnegie Endowment think tank, said on Sunday.
Office of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran via Getty Images
(NEW YORK) — Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi is dead following a helicopter crash, Iranian state media said Monday morning.
The Iranian minister of foreign affairs and the others onboard were also killed in the crash. Raisi’s administration began an emergency meeting on Monday following the news of his death.
The helicopter carrying the officials crashed Sunday as it traveled through rainy and foggy conditions in the rural mountainous area near Kalibar and Warzghan in northern Iran, near the borders with Azerbaijan and Armenia.
The Red Crescent confirmed earlier Monday it had located the missing helicopter carrying Raisi, which had initially been said to have made a “hard landing.” The head of Iran’s Red Crescent, Hossein Kolivand, had told state media there was “no sign of life.”
“The president’s helicopter has been found,” the head of Iran’s Red Crescent said to state TV. “We can see the helicopter and we are moving towards the place. We have no details. Let us get on top of the helicopter to announce the details. We are about two kilometers away from the helicopter.”
“Things are not good here,” he said after being asked if they could see signs of a crash or burn.
Search and rescue operations were launched not long after the incident happened, according to the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
In a phone interview on Monday with the state TV news program, former Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the U.S. sanctions on Iranian aviation were one of the main reasons for the crash.
“On the cruel American sanctions, the United States is one of the main guilty ones in the catastrophe of yesterday’s crash because, despite the decision of the International Court of Justice, it has sanctioned selling airplanes and aviation spare parts and doesn’t allow Iranian people have access to good air transportation,” Zarif said. “These will be recorded in the list of the U.S. crimes against Iranian people that how they treated Iranian people.”
Two hot spots were identified in the village of Tawal by a Turkish drone sent to help with rescue efforts, IRNA, Iran’s state news agency, reported early Monday local time.
Red Crescent rescue teams began “moving towards the possible landing place of the helicopter,” IRNA reported earlier.
“Currently, there are 73 rescue teams in the search area for the helicopter in the Tawal village, of which 23 Red Crescent teams (detector dogs) have been sent from Tehran and neighboring provinces to the accident area along with advanced and specialized equipment,” IRNA reported Sunday.
The weather in the area was bad on Sunday and overnight, the emergency teams reported.
“The weather conditions in the area are foggy and rainy, and the search operation is conducted despite the difficult conditions and reduced visibility in the area,” the Red Crescent National Emergency Management Headquarters said.
President Joe Biden was briefed on the Iranian president’s helicopter incident, according to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Sunday.
The State Department was closely following reports of the incident, a spokesperson said Sunday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Sunday he was sending 50 rescuers, two planes and one helicopter to Iran to help in the search, TASS, a Russian news service, reported.
According to the Turkish Defense Ministry, the country sent an Akinci UAV and a Cougar-type helicopter with night vision capability to help with search and rescue operations.
Earlier, one of the president’s relatives told the Fars News Agency that the helicopter was forced to land due to foggy weather.
In an appearance on state TV, Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi confirmed that the president’s helicopter made a “rough landing.”
Later Sunday, a spokesperson for the Iranian government described the helicopter incident as an “accident.”
“We are experiencing difficult and complicated conditions. It is the right of the people and the media to be aware of the latest news about the president’s helicopter accident, but according to the coordinates of the accident site and the weather conditions, there is ‘no’ new news until now. In these moments, patience, prayer and trust in relief groups are the way forward,” the government spokesperson said.
The first reports of trouble with Raisi’s helicopter, one of three in a convoy carrying the Iranian officials, began to circulate on state-affiliated media on Sunday at around 3:45 p.m. local time, or 8:15 a.m. ET.
Initially, 40 search-and-rescue teams had been sent to the area, the head of the Iranian Red Crescent announced to state media. Though search-and-rescue aircraft were also sent to the area, weather conditions prevented them from flying, according to the Red Crescent.
Vahidi said Raisi was in the area to help open the Khoda Afarin and the Qiz Qalasi dams near Azerbaijan and was returning home from the journey when the incident occurred.
“One of the helicopters was forced to make a rough landing due to bad weather conditions and fog in the area,” Vahidi said.
Ilham Aliyev, the president of Azerbaijan who was at the dedication of the dams Sunday with Raisi, offered assistance from his country in locating the helicopter.
“Today, after bidding a friendly farewell to the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi, we were profoundly troubled by the news of a helicopter carrying the top delegation crash-landing in Iran,” Aliyev said in a post on the social media site X. “Our prayers to Allah Almighty are with President Ebrahim Raisi and the accompanying delegation. As a neighbor, friend and brotherly country, the Republic of Azerbaijan stands ready to offer any assistance needed.”
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, supreme leader of Iran, also issued a statement Sunday asking people to pray that Raisi and the others are found safe.
“We hope that Almighty God will return the respected and honorable president and his companions to the arms of the nation,” Khamenei said. “Everyone should pray for the health of this group of servants.”
(WASHINGTON) — All of the remaining U.S. troops based in Niger will leave the country no later than mid-September, according to U.S. officials and a joint statement from the two countries.
Both sides mutually agreed to a withdrawal deadline of September 15 after several days of meetings between May 15-19, according to a joint statement from the Pentagon and Niger’s national defense department released Sunday. Fewer than a thousand troops remain in Niger.
The move finalizes a setback to U.S. efforts to combat terrorism in the Sahel, a region of sub-Saharan Africa where groups affiliated with ISIS and al-Qaeda operate. Russian troops are also currently based in Niger at the invitation of Niger’s military junta.
A senior U.S. defense official who briefed reporters on a Pentagon call Sunday afternoon said they were unaware of Russia’s current posture in the country and on Air Base 101 but said they do not anticipate Russia stepping in to fill the counterterrorism void left by the departure of U.S. troops.
“I don’t think that this is a situation like we’ve seen in other countries in which the counterterrorism responsibilities will be turned over to a Wagner or a Russian-type entity. First off, I think the Nigerian military is too capable for that,” the senior defense official said.
The U.S. plans to remove as much American equipment as is practical, according to a senior military official who also briefed reporters on the call.
“The goal is to take as much as we can to protect the investment of the U.S. taxpayers, but there’s significant infrastructure, including the airbase,” the official said.
Despite the ongoing withdrawal of U.S. forces, Nigerian officials have left the door open to future cooperation, according to the official, who noted that the American diplomatic presence will remain. The official suggested it is a good idea for the U.S. to leave that military infrastructure to the Nigerians.
“We are committed to a longer-term relationship with Niger. And so while … our departure is certainly going to result in the reset of that, it’s not in our interest to necessarily deny them the use of the equipment,” the official said.
But all equipment that is feasible to remove will leave with the U.S. troops.
“Obviously, sensitive equipment, lethal equipment, hazardous equipment — these kinds of things will be removed. A lot of what we expect will be left behind is either things that are immobile or are going to cost a lot more for the United States to take out than they’re actually worth,” the official said.
The U.S. is in discussions with nearby countries to try to keep some of the departing U.S. military capability in the region, though nothing concrete has come of that so far, according to the official.
“The expectation is that much of this equipment will return to … our stocks if need be,” the official said.
The troops and equipment are expected to leave Niger “well before” the Sept. 15 deadline, according to the official.
The Nigerian military first began efforts to have U.S. forces leave after a coup toppled the democratically elected president in July. It also asked French forces to leave the country.
Palestinians who fled Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip ride with their belongings in the back of a truck, as they arrive to take shelter in Deir el-Balah in the central part of the Palestinian territory on May 12, 2024. – Said Khatib/AFP via Getty Images
(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 18, 11:34 PM GOP Rep. Stefanik to visit Knesset, denounce Biden over weapons pause
House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik of New York will be giving remarks in the Israeli Knesset on Sunday, according to her office. Stefanik will be the highest-ranking member of the House to visit Israel following the Oct. 7 attack.
Stefanik plans to slam President Joe Biden for recently halting some military aid to Israel, according to excerpts of her speech reviewed by ABC News.
“I have been clear at home, and I will be clear here: There is no excuse for an American president to block aid to Israel,” Stefanik will say during the address.
Biden announced the U.S. would withhold certain bomb deliveries to Israel over fear they could be used in Rafah, but the Biden administration informed Congress it’s moving forward with more than $1 billion in new arms agreements with Israel.
The congresswoman will address the rise in antisemitism in the U.S., House Republicans’ support for Israel and even mention her close ally, former President Donald Trump.
“I have been a leading proponent and partner to President Trump in his historic support for Israeli independence and security,” Stefanik will say.
-ABC News’ Lauren Peller
May 18, 6:14 PM 3 US medical workers remain in Gaza despite warning from US government
Three U.S. medical professionals remain in Gaza despite warnings from the U.S. State Department that the American government may not be able to get them out later.
Tamer Hassan, a registered nurse, Dr. Jomana Al-Hinti and Dr. Adam Hamawy were the only ones out of a group of 20 American medical professionals who stayed behind to help treat patients.
“They understand that the U.S. embassy may not be able to facilitate their departure in the same manner as we have just effected today,” a person with knowledge of the situation told ABC News.
Hamawy released a statement Saturday explaining why he stayed behind.
“We worry that the European Hospital we currently are in will suffer a similar fate of Al-Shifa and Nasser hospitals, where humanitarian workers, patients, and civilians were massacred,” he said.
“To my wife, daughters and son, I know it hurts that I am not coming home this weekend, and I am sorry. But I know that you are proud that I am upholding my oath to never leave anyone behind,” he added.
The doctors who left Gaza “made their way to safety with assistance from the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem,” a State Department spokesman said.
-ABC News’ Anne Flaherty, Nadine Shubailat and Zoe Magee
May 18, 2:36 PM Gantz gives Netanyahu ultimatum: approve post-war plan or he will resign
Israeli cabinet minister Benny Gantz has given Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu an ultimatum: approve a post-war plan by June 8, or he will resign, Gantz said at a press conference.
“While the Israeli soldiers show supreme bravery on the front, some of the men who sent them into battle behave with cowardice and irresponsibility,” Gantz said.
A leader of the National Unity Party and a minister in the war cabinet, Gantz’s resignation would not necessarily trigger the collapse of the government on its own, but would be politically significant.
The ultimatum come on the heels of a speech by defense minister Yoav Gallant, who is demanding a plan for the “day after” the war.
-ABC News’ Jordana Miller and Dana Savir
May 18, 1:30 PM Body of hostage found, returned to Israel
Israel announced that it has identified the body of a fourth hostage this week. Ron Benjamin, 53, was killed during the Oct. 7 Hamas attack and taken into Gaza, according to the Israel Defense Forces.
The bodies of three other hostages were also recovered in a tunnel in the same operation, according to the IDF.
Benjamin was a family man who loved cycling, the Hostages Families Forum said in a statement.
“He used to go out for a ride every Saturday, just as he did on that fateful Saturday when he was taken hostage from the Kibbutz Be’eri area while on a cycling trip,” the statement said.
-ABC News’ Victoria Beaule
May 18, 8:53 AM More than 630,000 fled Rafah since May 6, UN says
More than 630,000 people have fled Rafah since May 6 amid widening operations by Israel’s military, with many seeking refuge in Al-Mawasi and Deir al-Balah — areas overcrowded with “dire conditions” — according to the United Nations.
-ABC News’ Emma Ogao
May 17, 3:00 PM Gaza assistance through US maritime corridor not replacement for aid through land: USAID
Humanitarian assistance shipments delivered to Gaza through the U.S.’ maritime corridor should not replace aid coming into the enclave through land crossings where “barely 100 trucks of aid a day” entered over the last two weeks — about a sixth of the level needed to stave off famine — USAID Administrator Samantha Power said in a statement Friday.
“Every moment that a crossing is not open, that trucks are not moving, or where aid cannot safely be distributed, increases the terrible human costs of this conflict,” Power said.
Supplies coming into Gaza through the temporary pier Friday include contributions from the U.S., United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.
But, the statement doesn’t say how much aid is now being moved through the corridor at this point or how much of it is sitting in Cyprus waiting to be shipped — so it’s still unclear if and when these deliveries might have a substantial impact.
-ABC News’ Shannon Crawford and Anne Flaherty
May 17, 2:00 PM 1,400 buildings have been damaged, destroyed in Rafah this month
Almost 1,400 buildings have likely been damaged or destroyed in Rafah, Gaza, since May 4, according to an analysis of satellite imagery by two university researchers.
Data from the radar-enabled Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellite operated by the European Space Agency was used to analyze the effects of fighting on the terrain and buildings of Gaza, according to Corey Scher, of the CUNY Graduate Center, and Jamon Van Den Hoek, of Oregon State University.
Between May 4 and May 8, the researchers found evidence that 895 buildings were likely damaged or destroyed in Rafah. From May 8 to May 16 they counted 487.
Since Oct. 5, the researchers have found evidence of likely damage or destruction to 18,176 of the 48,678 buildings in Rafah.
-ABC News’ Chris Looft
May 17, 12:01 PM IDF recovers bodies of 3 hostages in overnight operation
The bodies of three hostages have been recovered, according to the Israel Defense Forces. The bodies of Shani Louk, Yitzhak Gelanter and Amit Buskila were recovered in an operation by the Shin Bet, Israel’s security agency.
The hostages had escaped from the Nova Music Festival and were killed in the area of Kibbutz Mefalsim and their bodies were taken to Gaza, according to the IDF.
“Our hearts go out to them, to the families, at this difficult time and we will leave no stone unturned, we will do everything in our power to find our hostages and bring them home,” Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, spokesperson for the IDF, said. “We will not rest until we do.”
May 17, 11:30 AM 75 launches detected from Lebanon into Israel Friday, IDF says
After Israel killed a senior Hezbollah commander on Thursday, 75 launches were detected crossing from southern Lebanon into Israel on Friday, according to the Israel Defense Forces.
Dozens of the launches were intercepted and a launcher in the area of Yaroun was struck and dismantled, preventing more launches, according to the IDF.
-ABC News’ Will Gretsky
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.
Today a @UN vehicle was struck in Gaza, killing one of our colleagues & injuring another. More than 190 UN staff have been killed in Gaza. Humanitarian workers must be protected. I condemn all attacks on UN personnel and reiterate my urgent appeal for an immediate humanitarian…
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) May 13, 2024
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.”
