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LIVE UPDATES: Hezbollah Says It Struck Five Israeli Border Positions

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Hostilities rage for the second consecutive week around Gaza Strip, after Palestinian militant organization Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, firing thousands of missiles and catching regular army off guard.

2023-10-16T05:18+0000

2023-10-16T16:22+0000

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LIVE UPDATES: Hezbollah Says It Struck Five Israeli Border Positions

05:18 GMT 16.10.2023 (Updated: 16:22 GMT 16.10.2023)

Being updated

Hostilities rage for the second consecutive week around the Gaza Strip, after the Palestinian militant organization, Hamas, launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, firing thousands of missiles and catching IDF off guard.

The attack resulted in civilians and military personnel being killed or taken hostage, while the Israeli government declared a state of war and launched retaliatory strikes in the Gaza Strip.

In response, the Israeli government declared a state of war and launched retaliatory strikes in the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli government imposed a complete humanitarian blockade on Gaza, depriving the civilian population of water, food and electricity. Politicians worldwide and international organizations condemned this decision, drawing attention to the escalating threat of disease outbreak in the region.

Israeli air strikes on Gaza also sparked cross-border tensions with other Middle Eastern states, most notably Lebanon. Iran has issued a warning, stating that a ground operation in Gaza will inevitably escalate the ongoing conflict. The United States, meanwhile, has made a vow to dispatch a second aircraft carrier strike group to the area.

Russia urges the parties to the conflict to prioritize diplomacy over military actions and return to the negotiating table. Moscow has drafted a ceasefire resolution for the UN Security Council and requested a vote on the issue on October 16.

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Table of contents

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03:27 GMT 17.10.2023

A picture taken from Sderot shows smoke plumes rising above buildings during an Israeli strike on the northern Gaza Strip on October 14, 2023. - Sputnik International, 1920, 17.10.2023

World

Large Majority of Americans Want to Help Palestinians Flee Violence - Poll

17 October 2023, 03:31 GMT

02:38 GMT 17.10.2023

EU’s Michel Says Discussed With Emir of Qatar Release of Hostages Held in Gaza

European Council President Charles Michel said on Monday that he had discussed with Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani the release of Israeli hostages and the need to ensure humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip.

"In a call with HH the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani: discussed efforts to release hostages in Gaza held by Hamas and to enable humanitarian access," Michel said on X.

01:45 GMT 17.10.2023

White House: Must Take Hamas Statements With ‘Grain of Salt’ Amid Hostage Situation

The United States must be skeptical of public statements issued by Hamas amid efforts to free foreign hostages taken by the Palestinian militants, White House Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby said during a briefing.

“I cannot comment on the reports that Hamas might be willing to negotiate. They shouldn’t have held any hostages in the first place. They should release them immediately,” Kirby said on Monday. “We have to, obviously, take any public statements by Hamas with a huge grain of salt.”

00:11 GMT 17.10.2023

Biden Will Travel to Israel on Wednesday - Blinken

President Joe Biden boards Air Force One for a trip to Israel and Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, July 12, 2022, at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. - Sputnik International, 1920, 17.10.2023

World

Biden to Visit Israel Wednesday Amid Heightened Palestine-Israel Conflict

17 October 2023, 01:06 GMT

00:11 GMT 17.10.2023

Netanyahu: Israel Will Not Stop Advancing in Gaza Until It Destroys Hamas' Potential

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, said Israel will not stop its military operation in the Gaza Strip until it destroys the military and administrative potential of Hamas, the prime minister's office said.

"On the evening of October 16, 2023, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Prime Minister explained that Israel, having been attacked by heinous and brutal murderers, entered the war full of determination and unity, and will not stop until it destroys the military and administrative potential of Hamas," the office said in a statement.

On Monday, the Kremlin said that Putin, in a conversation with Netanyahu, expressed his sincere condolences to the families and friends of the deceased Israelis and emphasized his strong rejection and condemnation of any actions that target the civilian population.

23:43 GMT 16.10.2023

UNSC Rejects Russian Resolution Calling for Humanitarian Ceasefire in Gaza

The UN Security Council voted to reject a Russia-proposed draft resolution to resolve the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.

The vote on Monday was 5-4 in favor, with six abstentions.

"We regret that the council once again has found itself a hostage to the ego, to the selfish intentions of the Western bloc of countries," Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said after the vote.

Following other states' draft resolution proposals, the Russian mission to the United Nations included amendments to its resolution to condemn the indiscriminate Israeli strikes against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and call for a humanitarian ceasefire amid the dire situation for the civilians there.

22:41 GMT 16.10.2023

IDF Announces Strikes Against Hezbollah Targets in Lebanon

22:40 GMT 16.10.2023

Biden Reportedly Considering Trip to Israel, Planning Underway

US President Joe Biden is considering making a trip to Israel as soon as this week to demonstrate support for the country following a surprise attack by Hamas, US media reported, citing three administration officials.

Planning for the potential trip has already begun, including in Israel itself; however, it is not certain whether Biden will visit any other country while traveling to the region, media said.

22:22 GMT 16.10.2023

IDF Says Killed One of Hamas Leaders in Gaza Strip

The Israel Defense Forces said on Tuesday that the country’s armed forces killed one of the leaders of Palestinian movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

"The IDF and ISA [Israel Securities Authority] killed Osama Mazini, the head of the Shura Council of Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip. Mazini was responsible for Hamas prisoners and directed terrorist activities against Israel," the IDF said on Telegram.

21:04 GMT 16.10.2023

FBI Opens Probe Into Murder of Palestinian Child, Illinois Governor Labels It Hate Crime

The FBI in Chicago on Monday said it launched a federal investigation following the death of 6-year-old Wadea Al-Fayoume and an attack on his mother in Plainfield, Illinois.

Last week, Al-Fayoume, an American Muslim of Palestinian descent, was fatally stabbed 26 times, in what is believed to be a hate crime by his 71-year-old landlord. Wadea's mother was also attacked, and is currently receiving treatment in the hospital.

"The Chicago FBI Field Office, the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, and the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois have opened a federal investigation into the recent death of 6-year-old Wadea Al-Fayoume and the attack on his mother Hanaan Shahin at their home in Plainfield, Illinois," the FBI said in a statement.

In a separate statement on Monday, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said the death of Al-Fayoume was a "hate crime." The governor also said all Illinois residents, including those from Muslim, Jewish, and Palestinian backgrounds, should live without such threats.

According to media reports, prosecutors allege the suspect, Joseph Czuba, had become "obsessed" with the Israel-Hamas war and confronted the boy's mother over it the night before the attack.

18:39 GMT 16.10.2023

Palestine's Islamic Jihad Says Carrying Out Strikes Against Israeli Cities

Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement (banned in Russia), said on Monday that it is carrying out missile strikes against Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and several other Israeli cities.

"At 21.00 [local time, 18:00 GMT], the Al-Quds Brigades fired missiles at Jerusalem, Ashdod, Beer-Sheva, Ashkelon and Netivot in response to the massacre of civilians by occupation [by Israel]," the statement read.

The military group also reported that it had shelled Tel Aviv and Sderot.

18:23 GMT 16.10.2023

Netanyahu, Blinken Meet in Tel Aviv for Second Time Since Beginning of Escalation

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Tel Aviv for the second time since the escalation of the Palestine-Israel conflict, Netanyahu's office stated on Monday.

The officials met at the Kiria complex, the Israeli General Staff building, in Tel Aviv, and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant and ministers without portfolio Benny Gantz, Gadi Eizenkot, Ron Dermer, as well as lawmaker Aryeh Deri were also present at the meeting, the office said in a statement.

18:19 GMT 16.10.2023

US Lawmakers Introduce Resolution Calling for Ceasefire in Israel, Aid to Gaza

A group of US House Democratic lawmakers stated on Monday that they are introducing a resolution calling for a ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian Hamas fighters, as well as the provision of aid to civilians in Gaza.

"Today… [lawmakers] announced a resolution urging the Biden administration to call for an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Israel and occupied Palestine, to send humanitarian aid and assistance to Gaza, and to save as many lives as possible," the lawmakers said in a statement.

The legislation, dubbed the Ceasefire Now Resolution, is backed by House Democrats including Cori Bush, Rashida Tlaib, Jamaal Bowman, Ilhan Omar and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Earlier this month, Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, which was met with retaliatory strikes on Gaza. The fighting has left more than 1,400 Israelis and 2,700 Palestinians dead, and thousands more wounded, according to the resolution text.

The resolution calls for the Biden administration to urge and facilitate de-escalation and a ceasefire. Moreover, the resolution calls on the Biden administration to provide and ensure the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

"The United States bears a unique responsibility to exhaust every diplomatic tool at our disposal to prevent mass atrocities and save lives. We can’t bomb our way to peace, equality, and freedom," Bush emphasized.

The resolution is also backed by groups including the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, Council on American Islamic Relations, and Jewish Voice for Peace Action, the statement said.

18:12 GMT 16.10.2023

1,200 People Under Rubble After Israeli Strikes on Gaza - Palestinian Health Ministry

At least 1,200 people, including 500 children, remain under the rubble from Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip, a representative the Palestinian Health Ministry said on Monday.

"The authorities have recorded that about 1,200 reports of missing people under the rubble of houses, including about 500 reports of missing children, and we hope that some of them are still alive," the representative told a press conference.

17:29 GMT 16.10.2023

Why's Gaza Still Under Blockade?

Gazans flee from their homes after Israeli airstrikes on the Rafah refugee camp.
- Sputnik International, 1920, 16.10.2023

World

Why's the Only Available Checkpoint to Gaza Still Closed?

16 October 2023, 17:06 GMT

16:57 GMT 16.10.2023

EU Launches 'Humanitarian Air Bridge' to Deliver Aid to Gaza - European Commission

The EU is launching a "humanitarian air bridge" to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip via Egypt, and the first two flights will take place this week, the European Commission said on Monday.

"The EU is now launching an EU Humanitarian Air Bridge operation consisting of several flights to Egypt to bring lifesaving supplies to humanitarian organisations on the ground in Gaza," the statement read.

The first flights will take place this week, the Commission stated.

"The first two flights will take place this week, carrying humanitarian cargo from UNICEF including shelter items, medicines and hygiene kits," the statement said.

16:53 GMT 16.10.2023

Israel Security Agency Head Says Responsible for Not Preventing Hamas Attack

The head of the Israeli Security Agency (ISA), Ronen Bar, said on Monday that the responsibility for not preventing the attack of Hamas on the country lies on him.

"Despite a number of actions we have taken, unfortunately, on Saturday we were unable to create a sufficient warning that would allow us to prevent the attack. As the head of the organization, I declare that the responsibility for this lies with me. There will be time for an investigation. We have to fight for now," Bar said in a letter to the ISA employees.

15:52 GMT 16.10.2023

UN Commission Says Israeli Attacks on Gaza Constitute ‘War Crimes’

A UN commission tasked with probing the conduct of Israeli and Palestinian combatants concluded in a report out Monday that Israel's attacks on the Gaza Strip and its 16-year blockade of the territory constituted war crimes.

The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory looked into evidence related to Israeli-Palestinian hostilities recorded between May 2021 and August 2023, before the latest upsurge in violence.

"Taking into account the military targets and the incidental effects of the air strikes, the Commission concludes that as the damage and casualties caused by the actions of Israeli security forces were not proportionate to the military advantage, said actions constitute a war crime," it read.

The 27-page report also found that "preventing the entry of food and medical supplies into Gaza is a violation of international humanitarian law."

On the Palestinian armed groups, the inquiry body acknowledged that "the use by Palestinian armed groups of rockets and mortars that are inherently indiscriminate in their nature constitutes a violation of the prohibition of indiscriminate attacks and is thus a war crime."

The commissioners also said they had examined the murder of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and concluded that the Israeli military used lethal force "without justification" under international human rights law and "intentionally or recklessly" violated Abu Akleh's right to life.

The 51-year-old Palestinian-American journalist was shot in the head on May 11, 2022, during an Israeli raid in the West Bank. Reporters on the scene said they were targeted by Israeli snipers when the group was alone in the streets of the Palestinian city of Jenin and were clearly identifiable as being members of the press.

Before the surprise Hamas attack on Israel unleashed retaliatory fire on the Gaza Strip on October 7, the Israeli army raided the densely populated Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank in July in what was considered the largest military incursion into Palestinian territory in decades. It left at least 12 Palestinians dead and dozens more wounded.

15:06 GMT 16.10.2023

Hezbollah Says Carried Out Strikes on Five Israeli Positions on Border

14:00 GMT 16.10.2023

At Least 291 Israeli Soldiers Killed as Fighting With Hamas Continues - Reports

At least 291 Israeli soldiers have been killed in the hostilities that followed the attack launched by Palestinian group Hamas on Israel, the local newspaper reported on Monday, citing Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Daniel Hagari.

Hagari also said that 199 Israelis had been abducted to the Gaza Strip, the newspaper reported.