(NEW YORK) — At least 1,200 people have died, and 2,900 others have been injured in Israel after the militant group Hamas launched an unprecedented incursion from air, land and sea on Saturday, Israeli authorities said.
Hamas fired thousands of rockets toward Israel and an estimated 1,000 fighters crossed into the country from the neighboring Gaza Strip. Israeli officials said at least 100 civilians and soldiers have been taken hostage.
The Israel Defense Forces has since declared “a state of alert for war” and launched retaliatory airstrikes on Gaza, a 140-square-mile territory where 2 million Palestinians have lived under a blockade imposed by neighboring Israel and Egypt since Hamas seized power in 2007. Palestinian authorities said at least 1,100 people have died and another 5,339 have been injured in Gaza since Saturday. Unlike Israel, the Gaza Strip has no air raid sirens or bomb shelters.
A special edition of 20/20 at 10 p.m., Wed., Oct. 11, on ABC looks at life under threat in Israel and Gaza and how this attack is different from what we’ve seen in this region in the past.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern.
Oct 11, 1:21 PM EDT
‘Hostile aircraft’ entering Israeli air space was false alarm
Reports of an infiltration into Israeli air space from Lebanon have been determined to be a false alarm, the Israel Defense Forces said.
Multiple alerts were heard along the northern border.
Israel and Hezbollah were openly exchanging fire at the northern border earlier in the day.
Oct 11, 12:56 PM EDT
Gaza without power
Gaza is now without power. The main hospital remains at full capacity.
Gaza relies on Israel for most of its power, which was cut off following the attack. Its sole power plant ran out of fuel on Wednesday.
Oct 11, 12:42 PM EDT
Death toll continues to mount on both sides
The death toll has been mounting on both sides since Hamas, the militant group that rules the Gaza Strip, launched an unprecedented incursion into Israel over the weekend, prompting Israeli forces to retaliate.
In Israel, more than 1,200 people have died, and 2,900 others have been injured since Saturday, according to the latest numbers from Israeli authorities.
In Gaza, at least 1,100 people have died and another 5,339 have been wounded since Saturday, according to the latest numbers from Palestinian officials. Sixty percent of the injured in Gaza are children and women, the health ministry said.
Oct 11, 12:37 PM EDT
‘Key munitions’ have arrived in Israel: Defense secretary
“Key munitions” have arrived in Israel, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Wednesday, adding that the U.S. will be providing more Iron Dome interceptors.
He confirmed that the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group has arrived in the eastern Mediterranean and that the deployment of U.S. Air Force fighter aircraft in the Middle East have been extended.
“The more you learn about the sickening atrocities, the worse it gets,” Austin said. “Hamas deliberately targeted civilians and massacred them just because they are Jews. … The United States continues to stand firm with Israel and the Israeli people.”
Austin also emphasized that the supply of weapons to Israel won’t impact the flow of military aid to Ukraine.
Oct 11, 11:21 AM EDT
Israel agrees to form emergency unity government
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Chairman of the State Camp Benny Gantz on Wednesday agreed on the establishment of an emergency government and a war management cabinet.
The war management cabinet includes the prime minister, the defense minister and the chairman of the state camp. A place in the cabinet will be reserved for the chairman of the opposition if he joins.
During the war period, no bills or government decisions will be promoted that do not concern the conduct of the war.
Israel’s Emergency Unity Government will be sworn in Thursday at 6 p.m. local time.
ABC News’ Will Gretsky and Jordana Miller
Oct 11, 11:12 AM EDT
Fighting ongoing in south as Israel, Hezbollah exchange fire in north
Fighting is ongoing between Israeli forces and Hamas militants in southern Israel. Meanwhile, Israel and Hezbollah are openly exchanging fire at the northern border.
The Israel Defense Forces said the area of the Gaza Division has been declared a closed military zone and reiterated that entry is strictly prohibited.
The Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip remained closed for the second day in a row on Wednesday. The crossing was shut indefinitely on Tuesday after it was hit by Israeli warplanes on the Palestinian side three times on Monday and Tuesday.
Oct 11, 10:44 AM EDT
Death toll continues to mount on both sides
The death toll has been mounting on both sides since Hamas, the militant group that rules the Gaza Strip, launched an unprecedented incursion into Israel over the weekend, prompting Israeli forces to retaliate.
In Israel, more than 1,200 people have died, and 2,900 others have been injured since Saturday, according to the latest numbers from Israeli authorities.
In Gaza, at least 1,055 people have died and another 5,184 have been wounded since Saturday, according to the latest numbers from Palestinian officials. Sixty percent of the injured in Gaza are children and women, the health ministry said.
Oct 11, 8:30 AM EDT
State Dept. expects number of confirmed dead Americans will rise
The State Department expects that the number of confirmed dead Americans will rise on Wednesday, State Department spokesperson Matt Miller said on CNN.
“We continue to work through the list of unaccounted and find that, obviously, some of those we will locate or will report in, some of them we do find, unfortunately, they’re deceased, and then others we are able to confirm are taken hostage,” Miller said. “It’s a moving target all the time.”
Oct 11, 7:37 AM EDT
Massive rocket barrage on Ashkelon
A barrage of rockets has landed on the Israeli city of Ashkelon on Wednesday morning.
Ashkelon, with a population of over 100,000 people, has essentially been a ghost town since the start of the incursion from Hamas over the weekend.
There have been no immediate reports of injuries or deaths in the aftermath of the attack.
Oct 11, 5:57 AM EDT
Death toll continues to mount on both sides
The death toll has been mounting on both sides since Hamas, the militant group that rules the Gaza Strip, launched an unprecedented incursion into Israel over the weekend, prompting Israeli forces to retaliate.
In Israel, more than 1,200 people have died, and 2,900 others have been injured since Saturday, according to the latest numbers from Israeli authorities.
In Gaza, at least 1,055 people have died and another 5,184 have been wounded since Saturday, according to the latest numbers from Palestinian officials.
Oct 11, 5:32 AM EDT
Over 263,000 people internally displaced in Gaza, UN says
The United Nations said Wednesday that there are now more than 263,000 people internally displaced in the Gaza Strip, as Israeli airstrikes destroy buildings and homes in response to Saturday’s attack by Hamas.
That figure includes at least 137,500 people who are currently sheltering in hospitals and schools in Hamas-ruled Gaza, according to the U.N.
Oct 11, 1:47 AM EDT
IDF releases names of 14 soldiers killed Tuesday
The Israel Defense Forces released the names early Wednesday morning of 14 soldiers who were killed on Tuesday. Their ages ranged from 19 to 32 years old.
The IDF called all 14 soldiers “martyrs” and said their families had all been notified.
The names released by IDF:
Dolev Amoyel, 21
Noam Abramowitz, 19
Eli Adani, 21
Ido Binenstock, 19
Eli Zissar, 27
Dvir Zakai, 20
Itamar Cohen, 19
Tomer Yaakov Mizrahi, 21
Sahar Midani, 20
Emil Smoilov, 22
Bachor Sweid, 32
Amichai Shimon Rubin, 23
Yedidia Moshe Raziel, 31
Ben Bronstein, 24
Oct 10, 10:35 PM EDT
IDF warplanes attack ‘over 450 targets’ in Gaza neighborhood
Israeli warplanes have struck more than “450 targets” in the Al-Furqan area in Gaza, marking the third attack in the last day, the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement early Wednesday local time.
Hamas allegedly had operations in the Al-Furqan neighborhood, and it served as a terror nest where many activities against Israel were carried out, according to the IDF.
The IDF said it will “continue to act powerfully against the infrastructures of the terrorist organization Hamas,” including “extensive waves of attacks in the Gaza Strip.”
Oct 10, 10:33 PM EDT
Four UN workers killed in Gaza
Four employees of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) were killed as a result of air strikes on Gaza and at least 14 of its facilities were damaged “directly and indirectly,” the UN said in a release Tuesday.
According to the release, the agency was forced to close its 14 food distribution centers and reduce its operations due to the UN not being able to bring any humanitarian supplies to the Strip since Oct. 7.
There are still shops open with some supplies but Juliette Touma, director of Media and Communications for the URNWA expressed concern that basic supplies, including fuel, would run out in the next few weeks, according to the UN News.
Oct 10, 7:40 PM EDT
IDF fighter jets attack neighborhood in Gaza Strip
Dozens of fighter jets attacked more than 70 targets in a neighborhood in the Gaza Strip, the Israel Defense Forces said.
Hamas allegedly had operations in the neighborhood and carried out activities against Israel, according to the IDF.
The IDF said it also attacked a military building that was allegedly used by the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization.
Oct 10, 6:11 PM EDT
WHO calls for access to health and humanitarian assistance
The World Health Organization repeated its call to end hostilities in the Israel-Gaza region and offered assistance to health officials in both countries.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi agreed to a WHO request to facilitate the delivery of health and other humanitarian supplies from WHO to Gaza via the Rafah crossing, the organization said.
“In the Gaza Strip, hospitals are running on back-up generators with fuel likely to run out in the coming days. They have exhausted the supplies WHO pre-positioned before the escalation,” the organization said in a statement. “The life-saving health response is now dependent on getting new supplies and fuel to health care facilities as fast as possible.”
Oct 10, 5:51 PM EDT
‘Hamas was always an obstacle to peace’: Former Israeli FM
Former Israeli Foreign Minister and former Knesset member Tzipi Livni spoke with ABC News Live about the recent Hamas attacks on Israel and argued the group is “not just an Israeli problem.”
Livni said, “Hamas was always an obstacle to peace,” and called on the entire international community to stand against them.
“They don’t represent the Palestinian people,” Livni said about Hamas. “They represent this extreme religious ideology that does not accept not only Israel, [but also] the U.S., or our liberal values, [and] democratic ideas.”
She thanked President Joe Biden for his support of Israel shortly after he delivered remarks, and said that for Israelis listening it was “the first light in dark days.”
Oct 10, 5:03 PM EDT
First plane with US ammunition lands in Israel
The IDF said the first plane bringing U.S. ammunition landed in Israel Tuesday.
“We are grateful for the American backing and assistance to the IDF in particular, and to the State of Israel in general, during this challenging period,” the IDF said in a statement.
-ABC News’ Will Gretsky
Oct 10, 4:35 PM EDT
US intelligence ‘did not see anything’ suggesting this scale of attack
U.S. intelligence “did not see anything that suggested an attack of this type was going to unfold” in Israel, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Tuesday.
Sullivan wouldn’t tell reporters if President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed on their Tuesday call the possibility of an Israeli ground incursion into Gaza, and how that might affect American hostages.
Sullivan did defend Israel’s targeting of Hamas sites in Gaza after being asked how long the U.S. would support the airstrikes, saying this is “not retaliation,” but instead it’s “Israel standing up to defend itself.”
People walk through the rubble of buildings destroyed by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City…Read More
Sullivan also said that “at this point” there is no plan for the U.S. to put American troops on the ground to help Israel.
He added, “The president was very clear today that we will be making a request to the Congress, and it will include a request for funding for support to Israel. And he has also been equally clear that we are going to renew our request to the Congress for aid to Ukraine.”
-ABC News’ Justin Gomez
Oct 10, 4:01 PM EDT
Netanyahu: ‘Barbarism that has not been seen since the Holocaust’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, in his conversation with President Joe Biden on Tuesday, he called Hamas’ attack on Israel “barbarism that has not been seen since the Holocaust.”
“Hundreds of people were slaughtered,” including soldiers whose heads were cut off, Netanyahu said.
“Entire families were murdered in their beds and homes, women were brutally raped and murdered, [and] more than a hundred were kidnapped, including children,” he said.
Netanyahu said he told Biden that “Hamas is worse than ISIS — and that they should be treated that way.”
-ABC News’ Will Gretsky
Oct 10, 3:43 PM EDT
About 20 Americans missing in Israel: State Department
The United States is tracking about 20 Americans who are still missing in Israel, State Department spokesperson Matt Miller said Tuesday.
Miller said that doesn’t necessarily mean they are being held by Hamas.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Israel this week to work with Israeli partners directly to determine “how we can continue to best support them,” Miller said.
Blinken will most likely leave on Wednesday to arrive in Israel on Thursday, he said.
Biden has not spoken with the families of the 14 Americans killed in Israel, but the State Department has been in constant contact with their families, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Tuesday.
“The president has been making this his highest priority as he receives briefings each day about what we are doing to try to determine both what’s happening with the missing and also to ensure that we can secure the bodies of those that have perished and ensure that they get returned to their loved ones,” he said.
-ABC News’ Shannon Crawford and Mary Bruce
Oct 10, 3:36 PM EDT
Death toll mounts on both sides
The death toll has been mounting on both sides since Hamas, the militant group that rules the Gaza Strip, launched an unprecedented incursion into Israel over the weekend, prompting Israeli forces to retaliate.
In Israel, more than 900 people have died and 2,600 others have been injured since Saturday, according to the latest numbers from Israeli authorities.
In Gaza, at least 900 have died — among them 260 children and 230 women — and another 4,500 have been wounded since Saturday, according to the latest numbers from Palestinian officials.
Oct 10, 3:23 PM EDT
American Airlines suspends flights through Dec. 4
American Airlines said it will suspend flights to and from Tel Aviv through Dec. 4.
Delta suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv until the end of October, while United said its flights to and from Tel Aviv are suspended “until conditions allow them to resume.”
Oct 10, 2:47 PM EDT
‘We stand with Israel,’ Biden says
President Joe Biden said Tuesday in an address to the American people, “We stand with Israel. And we will make sure Israel has what it needs to take care of its citizens — defend itself and respond to this attack.”
Biden stressed, “Hamas does not stand for the Palestinian people’s right to dignity and self-determination. Their state of purpose is the annihilation of the state of Israel on the murder of Jewish people. They use Palestinian civilians as human shields. Hamas offers nothing but terror and bloodshed, with no regard to who pays the price.”
Biden said among the horrors were “parents butchered, using their bodies to try to protect their children. Stomach churning reports of being babies being killed. Entire families slain. … Women raped, assaulted, paraded as trophies.”
“There’s still so many families desperately waiting to hear the fate of their loved ones, not knowing if they’re alive or dead or hostages,” Biden said. “Infants in their mother’s arms, grandparents in wheelchairs, Holocaust survivors abducted and held hostage. Hostages whom Hamas has now threatened to execute in violation of every code of human morality.”
“It’s abhorrent,” Biden said, adding that Hamas’ “brutality … brings to mind the worst rampages of ISIS. This is terrorism. But sadly, for the Jewish people, it’s not new.”
Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier in the day.
Biden said, “We’re surging additional military assistance, including ammunition and interceptors, to replenish Iron Dome. We’re going to make sure that Israel does not run out of these critical assets to defend its cities and its citizens. My administration has consulted closely with Congress throughout this crisis, and when Congress returns, we’re going to ask them to take urgent action to fund the national security requirements of our critical partners.”
“This is a moment for the United States to come together, to grieve with those who are mourning,” Biden said, adding, “There is no place for hate in America — not against Jews, not against Muslims, not against anybody.”
Oct 10, 2:40 PM EDT
Biden: 14 Americans killed in ‘act of sheer evil’
At least 14 Americans have been killed in the Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel, President Joe Biden said Tuesday in an address to the American people.
He condemned Hamas’ incursion as an “act of sheer evil.”
Biden confirmed that American citizens are among those being held by Hamas.
He said he’s directed his “team to share intelligence and deploy additional experts from across the United States government to consult with and advise Israeli counterparts on hostage recovery efforts.”
Oct 10, 2:22 PM EDT
At least 155 Israeli soldiers killed
The families of 155 Israeli soldiers have received death notices so far, the Israel Defense Forces said.
Oct 10, 1:33 PM EDT
US reaching out to families of missing Americans
The U.S. has started reaching out to the families of Americans missing in Israel as part of its efforts to identify the U.S. citizens who may be among the hostages taken to Gaza by Hamas, according to an official.
But due to the dynamic situation and lack of visibility inside Gaza, the U.S. still can’t say how many may be detained.
There’s also a level of reluctance from U.S. officials to shine a spotlight on any Americans among the hostages for fear that they might be singled out by their Hamas captors.
Other sources said American officials are working the phones with allies in the Middle East who have leverage over Hamas, encouraging them to pressure the militants to free the hostages.
ABC News’ Shannon Crawford
Oct 10, 1:25 PM EDT
US discussing whether to send 2nd carrier to eastern Mediterranean
United States officials are discussing whether a second U.S. aircraft carrier should be deployed to the eastern Mediterranean in the wake of the Israel-Hamas crisis, two U.S. officials confirmed.
The USS Dwight Eisenhower was previously scheduled to depart Norfolk, Virginia, later this week for the Middle East, via the Mediterranean Sea.
Officials must decide whether it will now remain in the Mediterranean and head to the east to join the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier — which was deployed on Sunday — or whether it will relieve the Ford.
Either way, the Eisenhower will soon be in the Mediterranean for the previously scheduled transit and a training rotation.
ABC News’ Luis Martinez
Oct 10, 12:42 PM EDT
Biden to deliver remarks
President Joe Biden on Tuesday will give an update to the American people on the attacks in Israel as the violent conflict enters its fourth day.
Biden will speak at 1 p.m. ET at the White House, which was lit up in blue and white on Monday evening in a show of support for Israel.
Oct 10, 12:00 PM EDT
IDF engages with Hezbollah
The Israel Defense Forces said its tanks have now attacked observation posts of the Lebanese militant organization Hezbollah in response to 15 launches carried out from Lebanese territory.
Oct 10, 10:54 AM EDT
IDF says it killed 2 senior Hamas leaders
The Israel Defense Forces said one of its aircraft overnight struck and killed Zachariah Abu Ma’amar, a senior member of Hamas and head of its office for internal relations.
The IDF also said one of its aircraft struck and killed Joad Abu Shmalah, the Hamas minister of economy in the Gaza Strip. He held security positions in Hamas and led a number of operations targeting Israeli civilians.
ABC News’ Will Gretsky
Oct 10, 10:44 AM EDT
Death toll mounts on both sides
The death toll has been mounting on both sides since Hamas, the militant group that rules the Gaza Strip, launched an unprecedented incursion into Israel over the weekend, prompting Israeli forces to retaliate.
In Israel, more than 900 people have died and 2,600 others have been injured since Saturday, according to the latest numbers from Israeli authorities.
In Gaza, at least 830 have died and another 4,250 have been wounded since Saturday, according to the latest numbers from Palestinian officials.
Oct 10, 9:52 AM EDT
Biden, Harris to speak with Netanyahu
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kama Harris will speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “to discuss our support for Israel and our efforts coordinated with partners and allies to defend Israel,” the White House said in a statement Tuesday.
Before their call with Netanyahu, the president and vice president “will meet with their national security teams to receive a situation update and give direction on next steps,” the White House said.
Oct 10, 9:40 AM EDT
Over 187,000 people internally displaced in Gaza, UN says
The United Nations said Tuesday that there are now more than 187,000 people internally displaced in the Gaza Strip, as Israeli airstrikes destroy buildings and homes in response to Saturday’s attack by Hamas.
That figure includes 137,500 people who are currently sheltering in 83 U.N. schools in Hamas-ruled Gaza, according to the U.N.
Oct 10, 9:28 AM EDT
Death toll mounts on both sides
The death toll has been mounting on both sides since Hamas, the militant group that rules the Gaza Strip, launched an unprecedented incursion into Israel over the weekend, prompting Israeli forces to retaliate.
In Israel, more than 900 people have died and 2,600 others have been injured since Saturday, according to the latest numbers from Israeli authorities.
In Gaza, at least 765 people have died and 4,000 others have been injured since Saturday, according to the latest numbers from Palestinian officials.
Oct 10, 8:16 AM EDT
Seven Palestinian journalists killed by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, Palestinian authorities say
At least seven Palestinian journalists have been killed by Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip since Saturday, according to Palestinian authorities.
Palestinian authorities identified the slain journalists as: Ibrahim Lafi, Muhammad Jargon, Muhammad Al-Salhi, Asaad Shamlikh, Said Al-Taweel, Muhammad Subh Abu Rizq and Hisham Al-Nawajaha.
Funerals for some of them were expected to take place in Gaza on Tuesday.
Oct 10, 8:01 AM EDT
1,500 Palestinian militants found dead along Israeli-Gaza border, IDF says
The Israel Defense Forces said Tuesday that the bodies of 1,500 Palestinian militants have been found along the Israeli-Gaza border.
All of the militants were killed while fighting with Israeli soldiers in recent days, according to the IDF.
Oct 10, 7:53 AM EDT
Americans ‘could be among those being held hostage by Hamas,’ Kirby says
The United States is still working to determine how many Americans remain unaccounted for after Saturday’s attack on Israel by Hamas and whether any are among those being held hostage in the neighboring Gaza Strip, according to National Security Council spokesman John Kirby.
In an interview Tuesday with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos on Good Morning America, Kirby said the number of unaccounted Americans in Israel “keeps changing” as families contact the U.S. Department of State.
“We’re trying to get a handle on where they are and how they are,” he added. “Sadly, we have to accept the possibility — the grim possibility — that some of those unaccounted for Americans could be among those being held hostage by Hamas.”
So far, U.S. officials have confirmed that at least 11 Americans were among those killed in Israel over the weekend when Hamas fighters stormed into the country from Gaza. U.S. officials are “preparing for the very distinct possibility that there’ll be more American deaths,” Kirby said.
Meanwhile, there’s currently no specific information on whether any Americans were among those taken hostage, according to Kirby. Israeli authorities have estimated that Hamas is currently holding “between 100 to 150” hostages in Gaza, including Americans.
“We’re working at this really, really hard, talking to the Israelis every single day — almost every hour — to try to get more information about the Americans that are unaccounted for,” Kirby said, “but we just don’t know where they are.”
U.S. officials have reached out to their Israeli counterparts to offer assistance in the form of intelligence and hostage recovery expertise, according to Kirby.
“It remains to be seen if there’s Americans in that group, what more can be done,” he said. “If there’s Americans being held hostage, we’ll do everything possible to get them home to their families where they belong.”
When asked whether the U.S. would be prepared to pay ransom, Kirby said: “I don’t want to get too far ahead of where we are.”
“We don’t even know if there are Americans in this population of hostages,” he added.
Oct 10, 7:07 AM EDT
Israeli airstrikes target Gaza-Egypt border crossing
An Israeli airstrike hit near the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip on Tuesday for the second time in two days, Palestinian authorities said.
“The occupation aircrafts re-bombed the gate of the Rafah crossing between the Palestinian and Egyptian sides after it was repaired yesterday, preventing the departure and arrival of passengers,” Iyad Al-Bozom, spokesman for the Palestinian Ministry of Interior, said in a statement.
Operations at the frontier were disrupted on Monday after an Israeli airstrike hit near the border on the Gaza side. Officials on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing on Tuesday asked crews on the Palestinian side to immediately evacuate the crossing following threats to hit it, according to Al-Bozom.
Oct 10, 6:47 AM EDT
Iran denies involvement in Hamas attack on Israel
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Tuesday that Tehran was not involved in Hamas’ recent incursion on Israel but hailed the attack.
“We kiss the hands of those who planned the attack on the Zionist regime,” said Khamenei, who was seen wearing a Palestinian scarf in his first televised speech since Saturday’s attack.
“The Zionist regime’s own actions are to blame for this disaster,” he added.
Iran, which does not recognize Israel, has acknowledged giving financial and moral support to Hamas, the militant group that controls the Gaza Strip.
Oct 10, 5:52 AM EDT
Hamas holding ‘between 100 and 150’ hostages, Israeli’s UN ambassador says
Israeli ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan said “between 100 and 150” hostages are currently being held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
“We estimate a number that is between 100 and 150. I think it’s an unprecedented number,” Erdan told CNN during an interview late Monday. “It includes Americans. We don’t know the exact number.”
Oct 10, 5:18 AM EDT
IDF says Hamas fighters ‘are still hiding’ in Israeli communities
Hamas fighters are believed to be “still hiding” in some communities in southern Israel even after the Israeli military took back control, according to Israel Defense Forces spokesman Maj. Doron Spielman.
“We are in control of the communities, but we actually assume that there are Hamas terrorists that are still hiding in these areas, including in the road where we are now,” Spielman told ABC News during an interview Monday in Sderot, Israel. “In all these communities, we’ve seen terrorist come out of hiding. Just yesterday, they took over an ambulance.”
“We’re still being very, very careful,” he added. “This is a war zone with active terrorists that are operating here.”
Sderot is a southwestern Israeli city located near the county’s border with the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. A police station there was stormed by Hamas fighters on Saturday as part of the militant group’s wider incursion, leaving at least six Israeli police officers dead. The IDF then bombed the police station with the Hamas fighters inside, demolishing it.
Hamas fighters and other Palestinian militants are “striking strategic locations” along the border fence, allowing them to drive through in pickup trucks, Spielman said. Civilians in some of the local communities have been ordered to evacuate, while others have left voluntarily, according to Spielman.
“We do have a lot of ground troops in this area. We have a lot of tanks. We have, in addition, artillery. And we’re prepared forever for anything,” he said. “And if it happens, the next stage, it’s going to happen here because this is the area that was the flashpoint and this is the area we’re going to be presenting ourselves and finishing this battle. We, of course, have no choice but to finish.”
When asked about the mounting casualties of Palestinian civilians in Gaza as a result of the IDF’s retaliatory airstrikes, Spielman said: “We always try to avoid civilian casualties. However, I would say that this is war and our first priority here is to destroy Hamas.”
Oct 10, 3:19 AM EDT
IDF fighter jets strike over 200 ‘terror targets’ in Gaza overnight
The Israel Defense Forces said Tuesday morning that its fighter jets had struck more than 200 “terror targets” in the Gaza Strip overnight.
All targets were located in the Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City and the southern city of Khan Yunis, which the IDF said are both used as “terror hubs” for Gaza’s militant rulers Hamas and that “a large number of terror attacks against Israel are directed there.”
Among the targets struck were a Hamas weapons storage site and a Hamas operational command center, both located inside a mosque, according to the IDF.
Oct 09, 9:38 PM EDT
FBI ‘aggressively’ investigating any reports of impacted Americans in Israel
The FBI said it is working “aggressively” to investigate reports of Americans who have been impacted by the Hamas attacks on Israel.
“We are closely coordinating with our counterparts in the region as well as other international partners,” the FBI said in a statement posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, on Monday.
The statement continued: “Through our Legal Attache’ office in Israel, FBI personnel are working with our partners on the ground to locate and identify any impacted Americans. Reports of deceased, injured or missing Americans are being treated with the utmost urgency and aggressively investigated. The FBI’s Victim Services Division is coordinating with the Department of State to assist, as necessary, with family engagement.”
Oct 09, 8:57 PM EDT
IDF says it will fight war ‘as long as it takes’
The Israel Defense Forces will fight this war “as long as it takes,” spokesperson Lt. Col. Res. Jonathan Conricus told ABC News in an interview on Monday.
“The goal that we have been given so far by the Israeli government is to make sure that Hamas doesn’t have any military capabilities that they can use to threaten or murder Israeli citizens. That means to eradicate their ability to terrorize Israelis,” Conricus said.
“That’s what we’ve been tasked to do so far — that may change, expand, and include political things as well as in their ability to govern, but as of now, what we’re focusing on with the aerial strikes that are ongoing and the preparations of the other troops around the Gaza Strip is to strip Hamas of all of their military capabilities,” he added.
The IDF is looking at “difficult and hard passes ahead,” but Saturday’s attack by Hamas fighters was a “watershed moment” that has fundamentally changed how the IDF responds, according to Conricus.
“Bottom line, what was true and perhaps worked for years before, won’t cut the situation now and we are moving forward,” he said.
In addition, 300,000 IDF reservists who were called up are “now in southern Israel,” according to Conricus.
“We have mobilized our troops before — the second Lebanon war comes to mind,” he added. “But this is definitely very, very significant.”
Oct 09, 6:42 PM EDT
US, France, Germany, Italy, UK release joint statement condemning Hamas
The White House released a statement shortly after President Biden spoke with key allies about the latest developments in Israel.
The leaders expressed their “steadfast and united support to the State of Israel, and our unequivocal condemnation of Hamas and its appalling acts of terrorism.”
“We make clear that the terrorist actions of Hamas have no justification, no legitimacy, and must be universally condemned,” the statement read.
The leaders said they will support Israel’s right to defend itself.
“We further emphasize that this is not a moment for any party hostile to Israel to exploit these attacks to seek advantage,” they said.
At the same time, the leaders said they “recognize the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people, and support equal measures of justice and freedom for Israelis and Palestinians alike.”
“But make no mistake: Hamas does not represent those aspirations, and it offers nothing for the Palestinian people other than more terror and bloodshed,” the statement read.
Oct 09, 6:27 PM EDT
Biden to give remarks on terrorist attacks in Israel Tuesday: White House
President Joe Biden will deliver remarks on the terrorist attacks in Israel from the White House at 1 p.m. ET on Tuesday, according to a White House official.
Oct 09, 6:16 PM EDT
Son ‘sad,’ ‘anxious’ as 74-year-old mother remains missing
A 74-year-old mother who is missing in Israel fought for peace her whole life, her son told ABC News Live on Monday.
Yonatan Zeigen said he last heard from his mother, Vivian Silver, at 11:07 a.m. on Saturday morning while she was hiding in a closet as Hamas fighters entered her house.
Zeigen added that he didn’t know if Israeli soldiers had been to her house yet and hadn’t heard “anything concrete” about the search yet.
Zeigen talked about his mother’s commitment to peace, since Silver moved to a kibbutz in Israel in the 1990s.
“She fought for equality,” he said. “She’s been involved with a lot of different organizations promoting peace and promoting solution for the conflict.”
“Up until recently, she would drive sick Palestinians from the Gaza border to Israeli hospitals through an organization called Road to Recovery,” Zeigen said.
“No, I’m primarily sad, and anxious,” Zeigen said when asked if he was angry about the situation. “War is blind. You can do what you do in your life…it doesn’t make you any less of a target in times of war.”
Oct 09, 5:48 PM EDT
Obama reacts to attack on Israel
Former President Barack Obama released a statement Monday evening condemning Hamas’ attack on Israel over the weekend.
“All Americans should be horrified and outraged by the brazen terrorist attacks on Israel and the slaughter of innocent civilians,” Obama said in his statement. “We grieve for those who died, pray for the safe return of those who’ve been held hostage, and stand squarely alongside our ally, Israel, as it dismantles Hamas.”
Oct 09, 5:39 PM EDT
IDF says it struck Hamas command center inside Gaza mosque
The Israeli Defense Forces said it “struck terror targets” belonging to Hamas in Gaza.
“IDF aircraft struck a Hamas operational command center in a mosque and an offensive tunnel entry point that was used by terrorists to invade Israel,” the IDF said in a statement.
The IDF also claimed it struck an “Islamic Jihad operational meeting point inside a house that was occupied by a large number of terrorists.”
“Two terrorists were killed when they attempted to flee the scene,” the IDF said.
-ABC News’ Will Gretsky
Oct 09, 5:29 PM EDT
State Department confirms Americans are missing, unknown if any are hostages
The State Department confirmed Monday evening that there are still missing Americans in Israel but couldn’t immediately provide an exact number or estimate.
The department couldn’t say yet if any of the missing Americans were hostages.
White House spokesperson John Kirby echoed this sentiment to ABC News’ Linsey Davis.
“We don’t really know whether they’re just missing somewhere, or are lost, or whether they’re being held hostage. I think we have to accept the possibility that at least some of them are being held hostage by Hamas,” he said.
Of the Americans previously confirmed dead, a State Department official said they were all thought to be dual U.S.-Israeli citizens primarily residing in Israel.
Staffers at the U.S. Embassy in Israel are fully accounted for and are communicating with impacted Americans around the clock over the telephone and via the online form the department launched for U.S. nationals who believe their family members are among those missing, according to the agency.
The State Department is also urging Americans in the affected areas who are safe to contact their loved ones directly and/or update their status on social media.
-ABC News’ Shannon Crawford
Oct 09, 4:29 PM EDT
At least 11 Americans killed, more may be among those held by Hamas
At least 11 Americans are among those killed in Israel, President Joe Biden said in a statement.
He added, “While we are still working to confirm, we believe it is likely that American citizens may be among those being held by Hamas.”
“American citizens still remain unaccounted for, and we are working with Israeli officials to obtain more information as to their whereabouts,” Biden said. “My heart goes out to every family impacted by the horrible events of the past few days. The pain these families have endured, the enormity of their loss, and the agony of those still awaiting information is unfathomable.”
“I have directed my team to work with their Israeli counterparts on every aspect of the hostage crisis, including sharing intelligence and deploying experts from across the United States government to consult with and advise Israeli counterparts on hostage recovery efforts,” Biden said.
Oct 09, 4:21 PM EDT
Latest on travel to and from Israel
All major U.S. airlines and a number of foreign carriers have suspended service to and from Israel.
Delta said it has suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv until the end of October. American Airlines has canceled flights to and from Tel Aviv through Oct. 13. United Airlines said its flights to and from Tel Aviv “will remain suspended until conditions allow them to resume.”
Many other airlines, including Israeli flag carrier El Al, continue to operate flights.
The Federal Aviation Administration urged U.S. airlines and pilots to use caution when flying in Israeli airspace.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency issued a Conflict Zone Information Bulletin for the airspace of Israel on Sunday, recommending air operators “ensure that a robust risk assessment is in place together with a high level of contingency planning for their operations and to be ready for short notice instructions from the Israeli authorities.”
-ABC News’ Amanda Maile
Oct 09, 3:48 PM EDT
Death toll in Gaza Strip rises to 687
At least 687 people have died, including at least 140 children and 105 women, from Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip since Saturday, according to Palestinian officials.
The death toll has continued to grow on both sides as Israeli forces strike back at Gaza’s militant Hamas rulers.
-ABC News’ Joe Simonetti
Oct 09, 3:36 PM EDT
Netanyahu: Israel will set up emergency government
In the wake of Hamas’ attack on Israel, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday said, “I call on the opposition leaders to immediately establish a national emergency government without preconditions.”
“The people are united, and now the leadership needs to unite,” he said, translated from Hebrew.
Netanyahu said Israeli’s strikes on Hamas “have only begun.”
“We have eliminated many hundreds of terrorists and we will not stop there,” he said.
The prime minister said he’s in constant contact with President Joe Biden and thanked the U.S. leader for his words and action.
He said “an American aircraft carrier, one of the largest in the world, is on its way to our region.”
-ABC News’ Will Gretsky
Oct 09, 1:17 PM EDT
Israel death toll climbs over 900
The Israel death toll has climbed over 900 since Saturday, with more than 2,500 others injured, according to the Israeli Health Ministry.
Oct 09, 1:12 PM EDT
Israeli Defense Forces mobilizes record 300,000 reserves
The Israel Defense Forces has mobilized 300,000 reserves — the largest and quickest call-up in Israel’s history, according to an IDF spokesman.
Oct 09, 12:47 PM EDT
Gaza hospital, communication center out of service
Gaza’s main hospital, Beit Hanoun Hospital, has been damaged and is now out of service after Israeli forces repeatedly targeted the area, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
A main communication center in Gaza was also destroyed from airstrikes, making it difficult to get internet access or make phone calls.
Oct 09, 12:16 PM EDT
Survivors recount ‘living hell’ at Israel music festival
A 30-year-old Israeli told reporters it was “living hell” when Hamas gunmen opened fire and rockets were unleashed on a music festival in southern Israel, killing hundreds.
“I’ve been in wars, in two wars in my life, and never seen anything like this. Bodies at all places,” the 30-year-old said. “They didn’t care if you are a man or a woman, if you are young or an old man.”
At least 260 bodies were removed from the music festival venue, according to an Israeli rescue service.
Another survivor, Elad Hakim, told Reuters in Hebrew that the festival was “the best party I’ve been to in my life” until it went “from paradise to hell in one second.”
“Girls started screaming,” Hakim said. “People didn’t understand where to go, what to do.”
“There were two men on motorcycles on the road … who started spraying us [with bullets] as we drove by,” Hakim said. “The vehicles that were behind [us] were left behind.”
-ABC News’ Will Gretsky
Oct 09, 11:53 AM EDT
Death toll in Gaza Strip rises to 560
At least 560 people have died, including at least 91 children, from Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip since Saturday, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. Another 2,900 have been injured.
The death toll has continued to grow on both sides as Israeli forces strike back at Gaza’s militant Hamas rulers, after the Palestinian Islamist group launched an unprecedented incursion.
ABC News’ Joe Simonetti
Oct 09, 11:53 AM EDT
Death toll in Gaza Strip rises to 560
At least 560 people have died, including at least 91 children, from Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip since Saturday, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. Another 2,900 have been injured.
The death toll has continued to grow on both sides as Israeli forces strike back at Gaza’s militant Hamas rulers, after the Palestinian Islamist group launched an unprecedented incursion.
ABC News’ Joe Simonetti
Oct 09, 11:39 AM EDT
Israel wants artillery, missiles, Iron Dome interceptors from US: Biden administration
Israel is seeking a resupply of specific weapons from the United States, including artillery rounds, interceptors for its Iron Dome missile defense system and precision-guided munitions, a Biden administration official told congressional leaders on a Sunday night conference call, according to two sources familiar with the call.
More U.S. aid approved by Congress will be critical for Israel’s defense in the coming weeks as the conflict continues, the sources said, describing the Biden administration’s message to lawmakers.
ABC News’ Ben Siegel
Oct 09, 10:30 AM EDT
Israel Defense Forces: ‘Unprecedented attack … will be followed by an unprecedented Israeli response’
Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces, called Hamas’ attack “unprecedented,” and said the assault will be “followed by an unprecedented Israeli response.”
“I could not imagine at that time [when the incursion began Saturday] that Hamas would have the audacity … to do what they have done,” he told ABC News Monday. “To launch such an unprecedented, brutal, merciless attack on Israeli citizens. … And cause the amount of casualties that Israel has never experienced ever in its history.”
In Israel, at least 700 people have died and more than 2,300 others have been injured since Saturday.
The Israel Defense Forces has since launched retaliatory airstrikes on Gaza. At least 560 people have died and another 2,900 have been injured in Gaza since Saturday, Palestinian authorities said.
Oct 09, 9:12 AM EDT
Death toll in Gaza Strip rises to 560
At least 560 people have died and another 2,900 have been injured by Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip since Saturday, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
The death toll has continued to grow on both sides as Israeli forces strike back at Gaza’s militant Hamas rulers, after the Palestinian Islamist group launched an unprecedented incursion.
-ABC News’ Joe Simonetti
Oct 09, 8:52 AM EDT
Death toll of Americans in Israel rises to 9
At least nine Americans have been killed in Israel since Saturday as a result of attacks launched by the Hamas militant group, according to an official with the United States National Security Council.
“At this time, we can confirm the death of nine U.S. citizens,” the official told ABC News in a statement on Monday. “We extend our deepest condolences to the victims and to the families of all those affected, and wish those injured a speedy recovery. We continue to monitor the situation closely and remain in touch with our Israeli partners, particularly the local authorities.”
-ABC News’ Molly Nagle
Oct 09, 8:06 AM EDT
‘No one else should get involved in this,’ top US official warns
The United States is warning against other countries from becoming involved in the Israel-Gaza conflict amid fears that it could spread into a wider war in the Middle East.
“This is not the moment for other parties who are hostile to Israel to seek advantage or to seek to exploit the attacks that have taken place,” Jon Finer, deputy national security adviser to U.S. President Joe Biden, Monday on Good Morning America.
“That is part of why the United States has moved the Carrier Strike Group to the eastern Mediterranean to send a strong and unmistakeable signal that no one else should get involved in this,” he added. “We’ll see how things unfold in the course of the coming days.”
Finer also emphasized that the U.S. believes “Israel has every right to defend itself full-stop.”
“Israel will ultimately make the decisions about how it chooses to go about and conduct that defense,” he said. “We are offering support in a number of ways.”
Finer noted that “more U.S. steps to show support and solidarity for Israel” can be expected.
“The U.S. is going to offer support at every level for Israel’s defense and we are working through details those details with our intelligence professionals, our military and our diplomats,” he added. “We are in daily — in fact, many times a day — contact with Israeli counterparts to see what they need and offer it.”
The U.S. “strongly suspect[s] that there will be American citizens among those killed” in the ongoing conflict, according to Finer.
“We are looking obviously very intensively into whether there were any Americans were among those who have been abducted and brought to Gaza. This is still ongoing,” he said. “There is still fighting inside Israel as we speak and there is a bit of fog of war in terms of the ability to gather specific information. And so, we will have much more to say about this at the right time.”
When asked for comment on a recent report by The Wall Street Journal that Iran was behind Hamas’ latest attack on Israel, Finer responded: “We have no direct information to confirm that report. We’ve obviously seen it, we’re looking into it, but we do not have the ability to corroborate it at this time.”
“What we can be quite clear about is that Iran is broadly complicit in these attacks for having supported Hamas going back decades — for having provided financial support, for having provided training, for having provided weapons to Hamas,” he added. “What we don’t have is direct information that shows Iranian involvement in ordering or planning the attacks that took place over the last couple days. It’s something that we’re going to keep looking at closely.”
Oct 09, 7:42 AM EDT
Death toll in Gaza Strip rises to 511
At least 511 people have died and another 2,750 have been injured by Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip since Saturday, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
The death toll has continued to grow on both sides as Israeli forces strike back at Gaza’s militant Hamas rulers, after the Palestinian Islamist group launched an unprecedented incursion.
-ABC News’ Joe Simonetti
Oct 09, 7:04 AM EDT
Dozens of Palestinian children among those killed in Gaza, advocacy group says
At least 33 Palestinian children have been killed in the Gaza Strip since Saturday morning as Israel continues its retaliatory airstrikes, according to the advocacy group Defense for Children Palestine.
-ABC News’ Joe Simonetti
Oct 09, 6:49 AM EDT
Hamas claims 4 Israeli hostages were killed in airstrikes
Four Israeli hostages were killed alongside their militant captors in the Gaza Strip by Israeli airstrikes on Sunday night and Monday morning, according to Abu Ubaida, spokesman for the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas.
There was no official confirmation on the hostage deaths from the Israeli side.
-ABC News’ Joe Simonetti
Oct 09, 6:40 AM EDT
Fresh rockets fired toward Jerusalem, Tel Aviv
The sound of rocket alert sirens rang out in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities on Monday morning.
One of the fresh rockets launched on Monday by Hamas militants from the neighboring Gaza Strip landed near Ben Gurion International Airport in southern Israel.
Several people were reportedly injured by rockets in the southern Israeli cities of Ashdod and Ashkelon on Monday.
-ABC News’ Joe Simonetti
Oct 09, 5:59 AM EDT
Israel cuts off Gaza in ‘total siege’
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced Monday that he has ordered a “total siege” of the neighboring Gaza Strip, allowing no food, fuel or electricity to enter the Hamas-ruled territory.
“We are fighting barbaric terrorists and we will act accordingly,” Gallant said.
Since Saturday’s surprise attack on Israel launched by Hamas militants, Israeli forces have struck back. Hundreds of buildings and homes have been destroyed in Gaza, leaving more than 123,000 people displaced, according to the United Nations.
Unlike Israel, the Gaza Strip has no air raid sirens or bomb shelters. Over 73,000 people are currently sheltering in schools, according to the U.N.
Meanwhile, hospitals in Gaza are struggling to cope with the number of casualties, the U.N. said. At least 493 people have died and another 2,751 have been injured there, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
-ABC News’ Joe Simonetti
Oct 09, 4:39 AM EDT
Fighting has stopped in southern Israel, IDF says
The Israel Defense Forces said Monday that fighting with militants in southern Israel has stopped and it has retaken control of all communities around the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
Israeli soldiers have successfully blocked the holes in the border fence separating Gaza from Israel, which are now secured by tanks on the ground and fighter jets above, according to the IDF.
-ABC News’ Joe Simonetti
Oct 09, 4:22 AM EDT
70 militants infiltrated Be’eri kibbutz overnight, IDF says
A spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces said Monday morning that 70 militants had infiltrated Be’eri kibbutz in southern Israel overnight.
Speaking to Israeli newspaper Haaretz, the IDF spokesperson said they suspect there is a tunnel in the area of Be’eri, which the military has been unable to wrest from the Hamas militant group. The kibbutz is located near Israel’s southeastern border with the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
The IDF is still gathering information on the Israeli civilians and soldiers being held hostage in Gaza, and not all families have been updated yet, according to the spokesperson.
-ABC News’ Clark Bentson
Oct 09, 1:17 AM EDT
IDF claims to have hit 500 militant targets in Gaza Strip
For an operation now dubbed “Swords of Iron,” the Israel Defense Forces said Monday that it had struck 500 Hamas and Islamic Jihad targets in the Gaza Strip.
The attacks were carried out through the use of jets, helicopters and other aircraft, according to the IDF.
The IDF said seven of Hamas’ command centers were struck in the mission.
-ABC News’ Bruno Nota
Oct 09, 12:40 AM EDT
Iranian Mission to UN says Iran had no involvement in Hamas attack on Israel
An Iranian official at the UN denied that Iran had any involvement in Hamas’ attack on Israel.
Israeli officials, including President Isaac Herzog, had claimed on Saturday that Iran helped coordinate the attacks on Israel.
On Sunday, however, Iran’s Mission to the UN, denied the claims.
“We emphatically stand in unflinching support of Palestine; however, we are not involved in Palestine’s response, as it is taken solely by Palestine itself.,” the Iranian Mission to the UN said in a statement late Sunday. “The resolute measures taken by Palestine constitute a wholly legitimate defense against seven decades of oppressive occupation and heinous crimes committed by the illegitimate Zionist regime.”
A U.S. official said Saturday it was “too early” to tell if Iran had involvement in the attacks.
“We are going to be looking at that very closely,” a senior administration official said.
-ABC News’ Kirit Radia
Oct 08, 10:41 PM EDT
Israel attacks targeted locations on Gaza Strip: IDF
Israeli Defense Forces attacked the Gaza Strip early Monday morning local time, the IDF said in a series of posts on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
The IDF attacked a building where it said Hamas operatives were and several operational headquarters of the organization, the IDF said in the posts.
-ABC News’ Ellie Kaufman
Oct 08, 10:30 PM EDT
UN Security Council emergency meeting fails to condemn attack on Israel
An emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council failed to condemn the Hamas attacks on Israel Sunday evening.
Deputy U.S. Ambassador the U.N. Robert Wood said the situation was “still fluid” and “very dangerous.”
“What is important now is that the international community needs to show its solidarity with Israel. We have Israel’s back fully as the United States, and the condemnation of Hamas needs to continue until they end this violent terrorist activity against the Israeli people,” Wood said after the meeting.
-ABC News’ Ellie Kaufman
Oct 09, 12:24 AM EDT
At least 4 Americans among 700 dead in Israel
At least four American citizens were killed in the attacks in Israel over the weekend, senior administration officials told top House lawmakers on a call Sunday evening, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
That figure could rise in the coming days, the Biden administration officials told Congress. The administration is also still investigating unconfirmed reports of American citizens being taken hostage by Hamas.
Participants on the call included senior members of the relevant House committees and party leaders — including Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-North Carolina, the temporary House speaker, two sources told ABC News.
As previously reported, Senate leaders will receive a similar briefing tonight.
–ABC News’ Ben Siegel
Oct 08, 8:59 PM EDT
Senate briefing on current situation in Israel tonight
Senate leadership, chairs and ranking members of relevant committees will receive an unclassified briefing on the situation in Israel Sunday night at 9 p.m. ET, a Senate source told ABC News.
The chairs and ranking members from the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the Senate Committee on Armed Services are among those who will be briefed.
Oct 08, 10:46 PM EDT
‘Several’ Americans killed in Hamas attacks on Israel
American citizens were killed in the attacks on Israel, U.S. officials confirmed Sunday.
“We can confirm the deaths of several U.S. citizens. We extend our deepest condolences to the victims and to the families of all those affected,” a U.S. official told ABC News in a statement.
–ABC News’ MaryAlice Parks, Shannon Crawford
Oct 09, 12:25 AM EDT
The world’s largest pilot’s union says its airlines have suspended flight operations to Israel and evacuated personnel
The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) — which represents more than 74,000 pilots between 42 US and Canadian airlines, including majors like JetBlue, Delta, and United — told members today its “working diligently” with carriers that fly to Israel to “ensure the safety of each of [its] members.”
-ABC News’ Amanda Maile
Oct 08, 4:38 PM EDT
US has for decades had vast weapons stockpile in Israel
The White House has pledged assistance to Israel in responding to Hamas’ attack — and America has for decades maintained a vast pre-positioned military stockpile inside Israel.
First established in the wake of the Yom Kippur War of 1973, when it took time for the U.S. to send supplies to Israel, the munitions are available in case of emergencies.
It’s possible that Israel will ask the U.S. to tap into this stockpile, which contains weapons systems including tanks and ammunition stored in warehouses.
While not especially well known to the public, the supplies got some exposure earlier this year when the U.S. planned to use them in order to send artillery to Ukraine in responding to Russia’s invasion.
-ABC News’ Luis Martinez
Oct 08, 3:54 PM EDT
Hundreds killed at music festival in Israel that came under attack
Israeli rescue service Zaka said at least 260 bodies were removed from the venue of the music festival in southern Israel that came under a Hamas attack.
Oct 08, 3:54 PM EDT
United says Tel Aviv flights will remain suspended
United Airlines said Sunday its Tel Aviv flights will remain suspended until conditions allow for them to resume.
The airline operated two scheduled flights out of TLV late Saturday and early Sunday.
“The safety of our customers and employees is our top priority,” United said.
-ABC News’ Amanda Maile
Oct 07, 5:54 PM EDT
High-ranking IDF commander killed in action, military says
A high-ranking Israel Defense Forces commander was killed in action Saturday, the military said.
Col. Jonathan Steinberg, 42, the commander of the Nahal Brigade, was killed during a confrontation with Hamas, IDF said.
Oct 07, 5:49 PM EDT
United Hatzalah says it has treated nearly 1,000 injured people in Israel
United Hatzalah, a community-based volunteer EMS organization, said so far it has treated nearly 1,000 people for “various injuries” in southern and central Israel.
The organization said it has also transported an unspecified number of patients to hospitals in the regions via ambulance and helicopter.
Oct 07, 5:12 PM EDT
At least 50 Israelis being held hostage: Israeli Command
At least 50 Israelis are currently being held hostage by Hamas, according to Israeli Command. That number may change as Israeli forces get a handle on the situation on the ground.
Oct 07, 5:11 PM EDT
Blinken calls on Palestinian leadership to ‘condemn’ attacks
During a call with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on the region’s leadership to “condemn” the Hamas attacks, according to a readout from the State Department.
“The Secretary reiterated the United States’ unequivocal condemnation of the terrorist attacks by Hamas against Israel, and called on all leadership in the region to condemn them,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement. “The Secretary urged the Palestinian Authority to continue and enhance steps to restore calm and stability in the West Bank.”
Earlier Saturday, Abbas said his people have the right to defend themselves against the “terror of settlers and occupation troops,” according to Reuters.
Oct 07, 5:01 PM EDT
Israeli ambassador to US calls attacks ‘war crimes’
In a strongly worded statement, Israel’s ambassador to the U.S. labeled the Hamas attacks as “war crimes” and vowed that Israel will fight back.
“Those of our enemies who believe that Israel is weak because of its internal debate have totally miscalculated. When under attack, Israelis close ranks and join together in fighting for Israel’s self-defense,” Michael Herzog declared. “This is war. We will fight to win and deter the terrorists from any future attacks.”
The ambassador also directly blamed Iran for the surprise attack, saying, “Hamas is a U.S. and E.U. designated terror organization and a close ally of Iran. Iran’s hands are evidently behind the scenes, leading the so-called Axis of Resistance to Israel’s existence.”
-ABC News’ Shannon K. Crawford
Oct 07, 4:43 PM EDT
Israel will take ‘vengeance for this black day’: Netanyahu
Prime Minister Netanyahu said Israel will “reach every place Hamas is hiding” during an address late Saturday and urged “Gaza’s people to leave those places now.”
Israel will take “vengeance for this black day,” he added.
At least 300 people have been killed and thousands injured since Hamas launched its surprise attack. The Palestinian Health Ministry said 232 are dead and another 1,790 injured in Gaza. According to the Israeli Health Ministry, over 100 people are dead and over 900 others are injured — though multiple Israeli news outlets are reporting at least 250 Israelis have been killed and another 1,500 injured.
Israeli army spokesman Richard Hech also reported “severe” hostage situations were ongoing in Kibbutz Be’eri and Ofakim, with an unknown number of Israelis being held hostage.
Israel said the assault started at sunrise, when Hamas attacked 22 sites bordering Gaza by breaching some border fences.
Oct 07, 3:11 PM EDT
Biden administration to remain in ‘constant contact’ with leaders in the region
President Joe Biden said he spoke with Jordanian King Abdullah II, members of the U.S. Congress and directed his national security team to remain in contact with their Israeli counterparts.
“I’ve also directed my team to remain in constant contact with leaders throughout the region including Egypt, Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Oman, UAE, as well as our European partners and the Palestinian Authority,” Biden said.
Oct 07, 2:59 PM EDT
Biden says support for Israel’s security is ‘rock solid and unwavering’
President Joe Biden delivered remarks from the White House on Saturday expressing U.S. support for Israel in light of Hamas’ attack.
“We will not ever fail to have their back,” Biden said.
“Israel has the right to defend itself and his people full stop. There is never a justification for terrorist attacks and my administration’s support for Israel security is rock solid and unwavering. Let me say this as clearly as I can. This is not a moment for any party hostile to Israel to exploit these attacks to seek advantage. The world is watching,” Biden said.
Oct 07, 2:57 PM EDT
Blinken speaks with Israeli president, foreign minister
Secretary of State Antony Blinken “reaffirmed” the U.S.’ solidarity with Israel during a call with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, a State Department spokesperson said.
“Secretary Blinken reiterated his condolences for the victims of the terrorist attacks against Israel and condemned those attacks in the strongest terms,” the spokesperson, Matthew Miller, said in a statement. “Secretary Blinken also discussed measures to bolster Israel’s security. The Secretary underscored the United States’ unwavering support for Israel’s right to defend itself.”
Oct 07, 2:27 PM EDT
Biden to speak at 2:30 p.m.
President Joe Biden is set to deliver remarks at 2:30 p.m. on the attacks in Israel from the State Dining Room, according to the White House.
-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow
Oct 07, 2:13 PM EDT
US embassy in Israel issues security alert, tells Americans in Gaza to check pathway to Egypt
The U.S. Embassy in Israel issued a security alert on Saturday warning Americans in Gaza seeking to flee to check the status of the Rafah Crossing into Egypt and to remain vigilant.
“U.S. citizens are reminded to remain vigilant and take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness as security incidents, including mortar and rocket fire, often take place without warning. U.S. citizens in Gaza who wish to leave and can do so safely are advised to check the status of the Rafah Crossing into Egypt,” the embassy alerted.
“U.S. Embassy personnel are still currently sheltering in place. U.S. government personnel continue to be prohibited from travel to Gaza and areas within seven miles of Gaza,” the embassy said.
-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow and MaryAlice Parks
Oct 07, 1:23 PM EDT
UN to hold private meeting on the unfolding Israeli-Palestinian crisis
The United Nations will hold a private meeting on Sunday to discuss the unfolding Israeli-Palestinian crisis.
Oct 07, 1:17 PM EDT
Over 300 dead, thousands injured in Gaza, Israel, authorities say
The death toll continues to climb with over 300 people reported dead in Gaza and Israel.
The Palestinian Health Authority said 198 are dead and 1,610 others are injured in Gaza. According to the Israeli Health Ministry over 100 people are dead and over 900 others are injured.
Just before sundown in a western Gaza City, a massive explosion and fireball were reported after Israel warplanes hit a high-rise apartment complex. The Gaza Interior Ministry said the building housed approximately 100 families.
Oct 07, 1:00 PM EDT
Defense Secretary Austin spoke with Israeli counterpart
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant on Saturday to convey his condolences.
“Secretary Austin made clear to Minister Gallant his ironclad support for the Israeli Defense Forces and the Israeli people. He reaffirmed that the Department’s commitment to Israel’s security and its absolute right to defend itself from acts of terrorism is unwavering. Secretary Austin has directed his team to ensure that DoD is closely consulting with all of our Allies and partners who share a commitment to peace and oppose terrorism. Secretary Austin will continue to consult with Minister Gallant in the coming days and weeks to ensure that Israel has the support it needs,” the Pentagon said in a statement.
-ABC News’ Matt Seyler
Oct 07, 12:38 PM EDT
Police in New York, Beverly Hills increase patrols in sensitive areas
Police in New York, where there are locations sensitive to both Israeli and Palestinian interests, are adjusting patrols in response to the situation in Israel.
“The NYPD’s Counterterrorism and Intelligence Division consistently work at a level of high alert. When events from around the world could possibly affect NYC or we get Intel on a threat to NYC, we always increase our presence around houses of worship and certain areas when these conflicts arise,” the NYPD said in a statement.
The Beverly Hills Police Department also said it increased security and patrols around Jewish institutions in the City and continues to work closely with law enforcement partners in the region to ensure public safety.
Law enforcement and Homeland Security officials will be assessing the potential for residual violence in the U.S.
Increased security around Jewish facilities and on university campuses — particularly where there is a history of confrontational interactions — is to be expected. Increased attention is expected to be paid to potential cyber threats and online activities intended to inspire violence by Iran, Hezbollah and other extremists threat actors.
-ABC News’ Aaron Katersky and Alex Stone
Oct 07, 12:21 PM EDT
United, American, Delta airlines to suspend Israel operations
United Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Airlines announced they will suspend operations to Israel Saturday night following unrest in the region. After two departures scheduled for Saturday, United’s future operations will be suspended until conditions allow them to resume, the airline said.
“The safety of our customers and crew is our top priority. We are closely monitoring the situation and we are adjusting flight schedules as required,” the carrier told ABC News.
American Airlines said it will temporarily suspended operations to and from Tel Aviv and will continue to monitor the situation, adjusting its operations as needed.
“American Airlines has temporarily suspended operations to and from Tel Aviv, Israel (TLV) [Saturday] and [Sunday], and has issued a travel alert providing additional flexibility to customers whose travel plans are affected. We will continue to monitor the situation with safety and security top of mind and will adjust our operation as needed,” American Airlines said in a statement.
Delta Air Lines has canceled scheduled flights in and out of Tel Aviv this weekend. The airline said its working to “safely transport Delta people back to the U.S. and will work with the U.S. government as needed to assist with the repatriation of U.S. citizens who want to return home.”
-ABC News’ Amanda Maile and Sam Sweeney
Oct 07, 11:19 AM EDT
Biden speaks with Netanyahu, offers ‘all appropriate means of support’
President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, telling him that the U.S. “condemns” Hamas’ assault on Israel.
“I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the Government and people of Israel. Terrorism is never justified. Israel has a right to defend itself and its people. The United States warns against any other party hostile to Israel seeking advantage in this situation. My Administration’s support for Israel’s security is rock solid and unwavering,” Biden said in a statement.
Biden also extended his condolences for lives lost and wished those wounded a “swift recovery.”
“My team and I are tracking this situation closely, and I will remain in close touch with Prime Minister Netanyahu,” Biden said.
Oct 07, 10:25 AM EDT
Blinken says US condemns Hamas’ attack on Israel
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a statement condemning Hamas’ attack on Israel, saying the U.S. will “remain in close contact with our Israel partners.”
“The United States unequivocally condemns the appalling attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israel, including civilians and civilian communities. There is never any justification for terrorism. We stand in solidarity with the government and people of Israel, and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks,” Blinken said in a statement.
-ABC News’ Shannon Crawford
Oct 07, 10:23 AM EDT
Death toll, number of injured rise after Hamas fires rockets, Israel declares war
The death toll has risen after Hamas fired rockets into Israel from Gaza in a surprise attack and Israel declared war.
According to Israeli officials, at least 40 people have died in Israel and more than 700 people have been injured. The Palestinian Health Ministry said 160 people were killed in Gaza and over a 1,000 others were injured.
According to Al Jazeera, Israeli forces have surrounded a house in the Israeli settlement of Ofakim and negotiations are underway with Palestinian fighters who are allegedly holding hostages. According to the Jerusalem Post, dozens of hostages are being by Hamas in the Kibbutz Be’eru in southern Israel.
Oct 07, 9:50 AM EDT
Biden briefed on attacks in Israel
President Joe Biden was briefed Saturday “on the appalling Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel,” according to the White House.
“Senior national security officials briefed the President this morning on the appalling Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel. The President will continue to receive updates and White House officials remain in close contact with Israeli partners,” the White House said in a statement.
-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow
Oct 07, 8:58 AM EDT
Defense secretary says US will ‘work to ensure that Israel has what it needs’
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin released a statement saying he is “closely monitoring” the situation in Israel and extended his condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives.
“Over the coming days the Department of Defense will work to ensure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself and protect civilians from indiscriminate violence and terrorism,” Austin said.
Separately, a U.S. defense official said that Austin had a call with his team Saturday morning, including U.S. Centcom Commander Gen. Eric Kurilla. Israel falls under Centcom’s area of responsibility.
-ABC News’ Luis Martinez
Oct 07, 8:01 AM EDT
Netanyahu says Israel is at ‘war’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a video statement on social media, saying simply, “We are at war. We will win,” in his first comments, made in Hebrew, after the attack.
“Citizens of Israel, we are at war, not in an operation or in rounds, but at war. This morning, Hamas launched a murderous surprise attack against the State of Israel and its citizens. We have been in this since the early morning hours. I convened the heads of the security establishment and ordered – first of all – to clear out the communities that have been infiltrated by terrorists,” Netanyahu said. “This currently is being carried out. At the same time, I have ordered an extensive mobilization of reserves and that we return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known. The enemy will pay an unprecedented price. In the meantime, I call on the citizens of Israel to strictly adhere to the directives of the IDF and Home Front Command. We are at war and we will win it.”
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