The UN relief agency has warned of devastation in the Gaza Strip as Israel has conducted several ground operations over the past few weeks.
As the death toll in the Gaza Strip mounts, Gaza ”is becoming the graveyard of a population trapped between war, siege and deprivation,” UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini wrote Thursday in an opinion piece published in the Guardian.
His words come as the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Thursday that the number of Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7 has reached 7,028. Among those killed, 2,913 are children, according to the ministry.
Gaza residents told Al-Monitor that Hamas members have blocked them from fleeing south amid the bombardment in the northern part of the enclave.
Almost a week after the Rafah border crossing connecting Egypt to Gaza was opened, some 74 trucks carrying aid have entered the Gaza Strip, according to the Palestine Red Crescent. Still, delays at the crossing persist due to inspections by Israel.
Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces conducted a limited ground offensive in the northern Gaza Strip on Wednesday night, targeting Hamas terror infrastructure and personnel. The IDF said Thursday that the deputy head of Hamas’ intelligence directorate, Shadi Barud, was killed in an Israeli airstrike. The Israeli military and security agencies accuse Barud of being one of the key planners of the Oct. 7 massacre in southern Israel that killed 1,400 people. Hassan al-Abdallah, the head of Hamas’ rocket array out of northern Khan Yunis, was also killed in an airstrike, according to the IDF and Shin Bet, Israel’s security agency.
The IDF confirmed that 224 Israeli families have been informed that their loved ones are being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza.
A woman looks at a wall displaying pictures of people still held hostage in Gaza, on Oct. 26, 2023, in Tel Aviv, Israel. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
A Hamas delegation arrived in Moscow on Thursday led by Mousa Mohammed Abu Marzook, a senior member of the group’s political wing, according to Russian state media. There are also reports that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas “will soon arrive on an official visit in Moscow,” according to Russia’s Tass news agency.
On Wednesday evening, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country’s war cabinet and IDF had agreed on a timeline for a ground operation in the Gaza Strip.
Rina Bassist, Adam Lucente, Ezgi Akin, Jack Dutton, Beatrice Farhat, Jared Szuba, Ben Caspit and Al-Monitor’s contributors on the ground in Gaza contributed to this blog.
Live updates (all times EDT):
Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023
2:20 pm: Gaza turns to ‘graveyard’ as bombing, siege intensify
In an op-ed published in The Guardian on Thursday, UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said the Gaza Strip “is becoming the graveyard of a population trapped between war, siege and deprivation.” He added, “History will ask why the world did not have the courage to act decisively and stop this hell on earth.”
More than 7,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel started its bombardment of the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Thursday. Read Beatrice Farhat’s report here.
11:40 am: IDF kills deputy head of Hamas’ intelligence bureau
The IDF said Thursday that it killed the deputy head of Hamas’ intelligence directorate, Shadi Barud, in an airstrike. The Israeli military and security agencies accuse Barud of being one of the key planners of the Oct. 7 massacre in southern Israel that killed 1,400 people. Barud “was responsible for planning numerous terror attacks against Israeli civilians,” the IDF said.
11:15 am: Hamas delegation visits Moscow
A Hamas delegation arrived in Moscow on Thursday led by senior member Mousa Mohammed Abu Marzook, according to Russian state media. The Kremlin said that Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani is also currently in Moscow and that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas “will soon arrive on an official visit.” Adam Lucente reports.
9:47 am: Hamas ministry reports Gaza death toll tops 7,000, roughly 40% children
The Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Thursday that the number of Palestinians killed in the ongoing Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7 has reached 7,028. Among those killed are 2,913 children and 1,709 women, according to the ministry. Meanwhile, more than 18,484 people have sustained various injuries in the bombardment. In Israel, at least 1,400 people have been killed since the Hamas attack on Oct.7, according to government figures.
6:02 am: Red Crescent says 12 aid trucks entered Gaza via Rafah crossing
The Palestine Red Crescent said 12 aid trucks carrying water, food, medicine and medical supplies have crossed from Egypt into Gaza through the Rafah border crossing. Its tweet also read that 74 trucks have entered the besieged Gaza Strip since the opening of the Rafah crossing over the weekend as the humanitarian situation in the enclave continues to deteriorate. However, no fuel has been allowed inside the territory despite pleas from Gaza hospitals as they struggle to cope with rising casualties.
@PalestineRCS received 12 trucks from their Egyptian Red Crescent counterparts at the #Rafah border crossing, containing water, food, medicines and medical supplies. So far, a total of 74 trucks have been received, but fuel has not been allowed to enter the Strip till this moment pic.twitter.com/RVoCOWSyOI
— PRCS (@PalestineRCS) October 26, 20234:46 am: At least 15 killed in Israeli airstrikes in Khan Yunis
At least 15 people were killed and more than 60 others injured in a massive Israeli airstrike on a residential neighborhood in Khan Yunis, in the south of Gaza, reported WAFA, the official Palestinian news agency. Hundreds of thousands of people have fled the northern areas of Gaza toward the south ahead of Israel’s looming ground offensive.
4:44 am: Israeli army has notified 224 families of kidnapped relatives
The families of 224 people have received official notice that their relatives have been kidnapped by Hamas and taken to Gaza, said the IDF. The army also said it had hit 250 Hamas targets, including missile launch sites, over the last 24 hours.
4:40 am: Fire caused by Israeli strikes engulfs forests in Lebanese border areas
The residents of a border village in south Lebanon are calling on the Lebanese army and UN peacekeeping forces deployed in the area to extinguish a massive fire that was caused by Israeli airstrikes overnight. Israeli warplanes fired several airstrikes toward Lebanese territory, sparking a fire in Naqoura and Alma al-Shaab. It quickly expanded this morning and has reached the outskirts of al-Dhayra village. Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in tit-for-tat exchanges since Hamas’ surprise attack on southern Israel Oct. 7.
2:56 am: Limited Israeli raid in north Gaza
Israeli armored forces operated within the northern Gaza Strip, attacking Hamas targets before withdrawing to Israeli territory, the IDF reported, saying the raid was conducted “as part of preparing the space for the next battle stages.”
Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023
7:45 pm: Americans trapped in Gaza wait for US help
While humanitarian aid is trickling into Gaza, Americans stranded in the besieged territory can’t get out. “My family is waiting for our destiny, and it might easily come before evacuation,” Said Shaath, a US citizen who escaped Gaza City with his family and is now sheltering in a friend’s home near the Gaza-Egypt border, told Al-Monitor. Read Elizabeth Hagedorn’s report.
4:25 pm: At least 24 journalists, mostly Palestinians, dead in Israel-Hamas war
At least 24 journalists, 20 of them Palestinians, have been killed in the Hamas-Israel war. The number exceeds that of all the journalists killed in 19 months in the war in Ukraine.
3:20 pm: Turkey’s Erdogan hails Hamas as liberators
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday ditched any semblance of neutrality in the Gaza conflict, saying that the Palestinian militant group Hamas was not a terrorist organization but “a patriotic liberation movement fighting to protect Palestinian lands and people.”
The Turkish president’s speech to lawmakers from his party aligned him more firmly with the Sunni Muslim world, pushing aside the benefits of closer ties with Israel and other regional economies, Amberin Zaman reports.
2:40 pm: S&P downgrades Israel to ‘negative’
S&P Global Ratings, a major credit rating agency, downgraded Israel’s outlook on Wednesday from “stable” to “negative” as Israel’s war in Gaza continues to affect the country’s economic situation. Still, the agency affirmed Israel’s AA- rating for foreign and local currency. Adam Lucente reports.
1:50 pm: Netanyahu says timing of Gaza invasion set
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an address to the Israeli public on Wednesday evening that the timing for a ground invasion of Gaza has been determined by Israel’s war cabinet, but did not provide details. Meanwhile, Israel’s security cabinet is currently convening in Tel Aviv. Netanyahu said, “Everyone will have to answer [for the Hamas attack], including me,” but added that that would only happen after the war concludes.
1:41 pm: Senior State official travels to Middle East
The State Department has dispatched its top official for the Middle East, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf, to the region. Leaf, who arrived Wednesday in the United Arab Emirates, will also travel to Qatar, Oman, Egypt, Jordan and Israel.
In her meetings with regional partners, Leaf “will discuss humanitarian solutions to protect civilians while reiterating US support for a region that advances the aspirations of all its people,” the department said.
1:27 pm: Lebanon’s volatility rises as Hezbollah leader meets Palestinian factions
Sporadic clashes between the Hezbollah movement and Israel continue, increasing fears that the Hamas-Gaza war could spill over to the rest of the Middle East, including south Lebanon. As Palestinian armed factions held a three-way meeting with Hezbollah’s leader, travel alerts poured in. Beatrice Farhat reports from Beirut.
1:05 pm: Iranian-backed groups in Iraq split on entering Gaza war
Iranian-backed Iraqi armed factions are unlikely to participate directly in the Israel-Hamas war as long as it is solely led by the Palestinian militant group, amid a split over the decision to target US military bases in Iraq and Syria, commanders of Iranian-backed armed groups told Al-Monitor. Suadad al-Salhy reports from Baghdad.
1:00 pm: Qatar ‘hopeful’ about hostage negotiations
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said negotiations with Hamas over the Israeli hostages are ongoing, adding that his country is hopeful for more releases. His remarks came after Israel publicly acknowledged the Gulf country’s role in the process, describing it as “essential.” Speaking at a joint press conference with the Qatari premier, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warned Israel of the potential regional ramifications of a ground operation into the Gaza Strip. Ezgi Akin reports.
11:04 am: Queen Rania rues West’s ‘double standard’ on Gaza
Jordan’s Queen Rania accused Western leaders of a “glaring double standard” for not condemning Israel’s killing of Palestinian civilians in its bombardment of Gaza in an interview aired Wednesday.
The royal, born to Palestinian parents in Kuwait, blasted Western nations for opposing a blanket cease-fire and said their silence gave the impression they were “complicit” in Israel’s attacks on the Gaza Strip.
10:30 am: Al-Monitor poll shows Americans wary of US intervention in war
A new Al-Monitor/Premise poll has found that a majority of Americans are wary of Washington being dragged into a military intervention amid the Hamas-Israel war. While the majority of respondents said that their support for Israel has remained unchanged or increased following the escalation, the poll also showed that most respondents are either unsure of or reject US intervention in the current conflict. Read our full report here.
8:10 am: Turkey’s Erdogan says canceling plans to visit Israel
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday he was canceling plans to visit Israel because of its “inhumane” war against Hamas militants in Gaza.
“We had a project to go to Israel, but it was canceled. We will not go,” Erdogan told ruling party lawmakers in parliament, adding that he viewed Hamas as “liberators” fighting for their own land.
7:10 am: Gaza death toll surpasses 6,500
The Hamas-run Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip said at least 6,546 Palestinians, including 2,704 children, have been killed since Israel launched its air campaign against the enclave in response to the militant group’s attack on southern Israel Oct. 7. More than 17,439 others have been injured.
The ministry had warned earlier of the collapse of Gaza’s health sector, calling for urgent action to allow the entry of medical aid and fuel required to operate hospitals. The official death toll in Israel stands at 1,400.
2:49 am: Hezbollah chief meets with Hamas, Islamic Jihad leaders
The head of Lebanon’s paramilitary Hezbollah group, Hassan Nasrallah, met with Hamas deputy chief Saleh al-Arouri and Islamic Jihad head Ziad al-Nakhala, the Hezbollah-owned Al-Manar channel reported. The three leaders discussed the latest developments in the Gaza Strip and the fire exchanges on the southern Lebanese border with Israel.
“The meeting assessed the positions taken internationally and what the axis of resistance must do,” Al-Manar said, in reference to the alliance between Iran and its proxy groups in the region.
1:20 am: After feeling south, some Gazans return despite bombardment
Muhammad Hussam is among the hundreds of thousands of Gaza City residents who evacuated to the south with his family on Oct. 13 following an Israeli army directive to head south for their safety.
However, after one week, ongoing Israeli airstrikes in the south and the lack of basic facilities led Hussam and many others to return home to the north.
Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023
8:10 pm: Pentagon confirms 24 personnel hurt in rocket, drone attacks in Iraq, Syria
Twenty-four US personnel have been injured in at least 13 rocket and drone attacks in Syria and Iraq since Oct. 17, a US official confirmed to Al-Monitor. Twenty troops were injured in a drone attack on the Al-Tanf garrison on Oct. 18, the largest single incident of US troops being injured since attacks began amid Israel’s war in Gaza.
8:00 pm: Israeli army hits Syrian military targets
Israeli jets struck overnight several Syrian military targets and mortar-launching sites after rockets were fired from Syrian territory toward Israeli communities in the Golan Heights. Also overnight, Israeli troops exchanged fire in two incidents with armed Palestinians in the West Bank city of Jenin.
5:49 pm: Blinken backs ‘humanitarian pause’ in Gaza
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday endorsed a possible “humanitarian pause” in the fighting to protect civilians and allow for aid delivery in Gaza, marking the first time the Biden administration has publicly suggested a break in the hostilities. Elizabeth Hagedorn reports.
4:00 pm: Turkey’s foreign minister visits UAE
Turkey’s top diplomat Hakan Fidan visited the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday and will head to Qatar as Ankara seeks to expand its mediation role in the Israel-Hamas war. Ezgi Akin reports.
3:50 pm: Israeli army says it killed 6 Hamas divers
The Israeli army said on Tuesday that it killed six Hamas divers who were trying to enter southern Israel from the sea. Hamas-affiliated news agency Safa reported Tuesday that a number of divers had successfully entered Israel and have been clashing with the IDF.
2:50 pm: Saudi Arabia evacuates embassy staff, diplomats’ families from Lebanon
Saudi Arabia has evacuated the families of its diplomats and employees at its embassy in Beirut on two military planes, The Associated Press reported, citing Lebanese airport officials. The Saudi government did not immediately comment on the news.
The Saudi Embassy in Lebanon urged citizens to leave the country last week amid the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The US Embassy in Lebanon took similar action last week amid border clashes between Hezbollah and Israel.
Earlier on Tuesday, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan called for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and the lifting of the siege over the enclave.
2:30 pm: 13 attacks target US forces in Iraq, Syria
The US Department of Defense said on Tuesday that American and coalition troops in Iraq and Syria came under attack at least 13 times in the last week.
2:00 pm: Macron meets Abbas in Ramallah
French President Emmanuel Macron met with his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday in Ramallah after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier in the day. Macron stressed to Abbas the importance of maintaining humanitarian aid to Gaza.
The French president will head to Jordan on Wednesday to meet with King Abdullah II.
1:20 pm: Israel relayed to Russia ‘dissatisfaction’ over Hamas position
Israel has quietly expressed to Russia its displeasure over statements issued by Moscow on the Hamas war, a senior Israeli diplomatic source confirmed to Al-Monitor’s Rina Bassist.
12:00 pm: 33 Americans killed in Israel-Hamas war
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday that the number of Americans killed in the Hamas attack now stands at 33.
11:53 am: Five Israelis wounded by rockets fired at Tel Aviv
Five Israelis were wounded in a barrage of rockets fired from the Gaza Strip at the Tel Aviv region. Rockets were also fired at the central Sharon region, the south of Israel and the West Bank.
10:00 am: Israel sees Gaza ground invasion as inevitable
With the Gaza war in its third week, Israeli security officials tell Al-Monitor that Israel will not necessarily wait for approval from the Biden administration to launch the ground offensive against Hamas, but that it is taking messages relayed by Washington very seriously. An insider read from Ben Caspit.
9:43 am: China calls on Israel to ‘protect Chinese institutions’
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a call with his Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen, during which the Chinese diplomat called for de-escalation and dialogue in the ongoing war in Gaza and urged Israel to “take effective measures to protect the safety of Chinese citizens and institutions in Israel,” according to a Tuesday readout.
China has criticized Israel’s conduct in the war but has not explicitly condemned Hamas. China has significant economic interests in Israel, including a port in Haifa. Adam Lucente reports.
8:12 am: Hospitals in Gaza at ‘total collapse’ as death toll reaches 5,791
Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry reported that 12 hospitals and 32 clinics have stopped operating due to airstrikes. Speaking at a press conference in Gaza City, ministry spokesperson Ashraf al-Qudra said 12 hospitals in the territory are now out of service as the number of injured continues to increase. He added the Israeli bombardment since Oct. 7 has killed at least 5,791 Palestinians, including 2,360 children, and wounded 16,297 others.
5:51 am: Israeli airstrikes near Palestinian Red Crescent hospital in Gaza
Israeli airstrikes hit a residential house near a hospital affiliated with the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Khan Yunis, leaving a number of deaths and injuries. The PRCS said in a post on X that Al-Amal hospital is sheltering more than 4,000 displaced people who fled northern Gaza.
2:15 am: Qatar’s emir says no ‘green light for unconditional killing’ by Israel
Qatar’s ruling Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani condemned Israel’s indiscriminate bombardment of civilians in the Gaza Strip. “Israel should not be given a green light for unconditional killing,” Sheikh Tamim said in a speech before Qatar’s Shura Council. Doha hosts several senior Hamas officials.
1:30 am: Dozens killed in overnight Israeli raids across Gaza
At least 140 Palestinians were killed in a series of Israeli airstrikes that hit various areas of the Gaza Strip overnight, according to the Hamas-run government media office in Gaza. More than 5,000 Palestinians have been killed and at least 15,000 injured since the Hamas-Israel war erupted Oct. 7.
12:47 am: France’s Macron lands in Israel
French President Emmanuel Macron has landed in Israel for a solidarity visit. He will meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog and families of French nationals kidnapped by Hamas. Thirty French nationals have been killed by Hamas and seven are missing.
12:21 am: Israeli army strikes 400 Hamas targets in last 24 hours
IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari said the Israeli army attacked over 400 military targets in the Gaza Strip and killed several Hamas field commanders. Israeli air force jets struck dozens of infrastructural targets and various Hamas meeting points in the northern Gaza Strip neighborhoods of Shujaiya, Shati, Jabaliya, Darj Tafah and Zeitoun, as well as the entrance of a Hamas tunnel on the Gaza coast.