https://sputnikglobe.com/20231031/live-updates-netanyahu-rejects-uns-call-for-immediate-ceasefire-in-gaza-1114613664.html

LIVE UPDATES: Number of Hostages Held by Hamas in Gaza Rises to 240

Sputnik International

On October 7, the Palestinian militant group Hamas staged a surprise large-scale attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip, breaching the border and launching scores of rockets toward the Jewish state.

2023-10-31T05:20+0000

2023-11-01T04:30+0000

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palestine-israel conflict, unrwa's call for gaza ceasefire, october 7 hamas attack on israel

An overview of a destroyed home the day after an Israeli airstrike on the Palestinian Nuseirat refugee camp, in the central Gaza Strip on October 30, 2023. - Sputnik International

LIVE UPDATES: Number of Hostages Held by Hamas in Gaza Rises to 240

05:20 GMT 31.10.2023 (Updated: 04:30 GMT 01.11.2023)

On October 7, the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a surprise large-scale attack on Israel from Gaza, breaching the border and firing scores of rockets. Israel retaliated with air strikes and ordered and imposed a blockade on Gaza, home to more than two million people.

The Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, told a UN Security Council meeting on Monday that "more than 420 children are being killed or injured in Gaza every day."

According to him, this "surpasses the number of children killed annually across the world’s conflict zones since 2019." Lazzarini warned that "an immediate humanitarian ceasefire has become a matter of life and death for millions," adding that “the present and future of Palestinians and Israelis depend on it."

In a separate development on Monday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it was expanding its ground incursion into Gaza and would continue its "large-scale, significant strikes" in pursuit of Hamas militants.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, made it clear that his country would not agree to a cease-fire, saying, "This is a time for war''.

Follow Sputnik’s live feed to learn more.

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03:46 GMT 01.11.2023

Egypt Stations Dozens of Tanks Near Rafah Crossing on Border With Gaza Strip - Reports

Egypt has deployed dozens of tanks and armored vehicles near the Rafah crossing on the border with the Gaza Strip, The Times of Israel newspaper has reported.

The newspaper reported, citing pictures taken near the border crossing, that around dozens of Egyptian tanks had been stationed in the area as Egypt is concerned over a possible influx of tens of thousands of refugees from the Gaza Strip following further escalation there.

03:44 GMT 01.11.2023

Israeli Military Attacking Gaza City From 5 Different Directions - Reports

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is attacking Gaza City in the Gaza Strip from five different directions, the Al Arabiya broadcaster reported.

The Israeli forces are conducting the attack on the capital of the Gaza Strip from five directions accompanied by airstrikes and artillery shelling, the report added.

On October 27, IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said that the military was expanding its ground operations in the Gaza Strip.

03:43 GMT 01.11.2023

EU Calls Current Tense Situation in West Bank 'Settler Terrorism' Against Palestinians

The European Union has condemned a growing number of attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians in the West Bank amid ongoing hostilities in the Gaza Strip, with the lead EU spokesperson for external affairs, Peter Stano, calling the situation "settler terrorism."

"The upsurge of settler terrorism in the West Bank has led to very high numbers of civilian casualties and Palestinian communities being forced out of their homes. The situation could get out of control and is causing unspeakable suffering to local communities. Urgent measures are needed," Stano said in a statement on Tuesday.

The spokesman added that Israel "has the duty" to protect civilian population in the West Bank from extremist violence and hold perpetrators accountable.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell also on Tuesday condemned attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinian people in the West Bank and expressed concern over the situation there.

03:28 GMT 01.11.2023

Biden, King of Jordan Oppose Displacement of Palestinians Outside of Gaza - White House

US President Joe Biden and King of Jordan Abdullah II agreed during a phone call that Palestinians should not be forcibly displaces outside of the Gaza Strip, the White House has said in a statement.

"President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke today with His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan ... They also agreed that it is critical to ensure that Palestinians are not forcibly displaced outside of Gaza," the statement read.

The US president and the king also affirmed their commitment to work together and with other regional partners to set the conditions for a "durable and sustainable peace in the Middle East" to include the establishment of a Palestinian state.

03:26 GMT 01.11.2023

Colombian President Gustavo Petro Says Recalled Ambassador from Israel

Colombian President Gustavo Petro said on Tuesday that Bogota would recall its ambassador to Israel over the "massacre of the Palestinian people".

"I have decided to recall our ambassador in Israel for consultations. If Israel does not stop the massacre of the Palestinian people, we cannot be there," Petro said via X (formerly Twitter).

Colombia becomes the third Latin American country to break diplomatic relations or recall ambassadors from Israel, following up on Bolivia and Chile.

03:23 GMT 01.11.2023

White House Says Biden Would Veto House Supplemental Bill on $14.3Bln Aid to Israel

US President Joe Biden would veto the House supplemental bill on $14.3 billion aid to Israel since it would politicize assistance to Israel, the White House has said.

"The [Biden] Administration strongly opposes House passage of the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024, a bill making emergency supplemental appropriations to respond to the attacks in Israel for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and for other purposes ... It inserts partisanship into support for Israel, making our ally a pawn in our politics, at a moment we must stand together ... If the President were presented with this bill, he would veto it," the White House said in a statement on Tuesday.

The Biden administration also criticized the bill on the Israel aid since it provides no aid for Ukraine at all, which would "send a terrible message" to Russia, the statement added.

The Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act was unveiled by US House Republicans on Monday and is expected to be brought to the House floor later this week.

02:43 GMT 01.11.2023

Blinken to Visit Israel on Friday, Followed By Other Stops in Region - Reports

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Israel on Friday to meet with Israeli government officials amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, Reuters reported.

The report said on Tuesday that Blinken will also make additional stops in other countries in the Middle East.

Media reported earlier that the United States and Israel are looking into various options for dealing with a possible post-Hamas Gaza, which may include placing the enclave under temporary United Nations oversight or deploying a multinational force to maintain security.

Earlier on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the Palestinian Authority taking over Gaza’s governance and security would “make the most sense” after the current conflict with Israel ends. He added that having Hamas or Israel run Gaza were not options.

02:38 GMT 01.11.2023

WHO Delivers Medical Aid to Only 370,000 People in Gaza Strip Since October 7 - Chief

The World Health Organization (WHO) has managed to transport health aid for only 370,000 out of 2 million people living in the Gaza Strip since the start of the hostilities in the area on October 7, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

"The conflict started on 7 October, the first aid crossing was on 21 October. Since then, the WHO has only been able to transport enough supplies for approximately 370,000 people, including for traumatic wound and burn care, and treatment for serious chronic conditions. The population of Gaza is over 2 million," Ghebreyesus wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Tuesday.

The WHO chief stated that the organization needs immediate access to deliver more health supplies, while urging all sides to guarantee safe movement for humanitarian convoys. Ghebreyesus also called for an "immediate humanitarian pause" in the area.

"There's no time to waste. Every moment matters," the WHO head added.

02:34 GMT 01.11.2023

An Israeli army soldier advances during a drill at a position in the upper Galilee region of northern Israel near the border with Lebanon - Sputnik International, 1920, 01.11.2023

World

US, Israel Mull Having Multinational Force Oversee Gaza When War Ends - Report

1 November 2023, 02:07 GMT

01:31 GMT 01.11.2023

UK's Sunak Holds Phone Calls With Israel's Netanyahu, Palestine's Abbas on Gaza

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has had separate phone conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and leader of the Palestinian National Authority Mahmoud Abbas to discuss the current situation in the Gaza Strip, the UK government said.

"The [UK] Prime Minister spoke to Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this afternoon. The Prime Minister stressed the importance of rapidly increasing the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza and welcomed Israel’s commitment to facilitate significantly more deliveries. He said the UK would support all efforts to ensure life-saving aid reaches those in need, including temporary humanitarian pauses," the government said in a statement on Tuesday.

During the conversation with Abbas, Sunak said that the UK would continue to take diplomatic efforts to protect Palestinians and prevent further escalation.

"The Prime Minister set out the intensive diplomatic and practical efforts the United Kingdom is making to rapidly increase the delivery of life-saving aid to Gaza, following the announcement that the UK will double aid funding for Palestinian civilians," the statement added.

23:46 GMT 31.10.2023

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin - Sputnik International, 1920, 31.10.2023

World

France Mobilizes 10,000 Police Officers to Guard Jewish Sites

31 October 2023, 23:46 GMT

22:01 GMT 31.10.2023

IDF Says Eliminated 50 Hamas Militants in Northern Gaza Strip in Past Day

About 50 members of Palestinian group Hamas have been eliminated in the northern Gaza Strip over the past day, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Tuesday.

"Over the past day, IDF troops commanded by the Givati Brigade operated in a Hamas military stronghold in the northern Gaza Strip. During their ground activities today, the troops killed approximately 50 terrorists," the IDF said on Telegram.

21:53 GMT 31.10.2023

Two French Children Die in Gaza Strip - Foreign Ministry

Two French children have died in the northern Gaza Strip, while their mother and another sibling have been injured, the French Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

"France was saddened to learn of the death of two French children who were in the northern Gaza Strip with their French mother. She herself was wounded, as was her third child," the ministry said.

The French Consulate General in Jerusalem has been unable so far to establish direct contact with the family and ascertain its situation, it added.

"We urgently ask that all foreign nationals, and our compatriots in particular, be allowed to leave Gaza. The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs is doing everything we can in this regard," the press release read.

Moreover, Paris reiterates its call for a humanitarian truce to enable "continuous, swift, secure and unhindered" access to humanitarian aid for those who need it, the ministry said.

Last week, France's government announced sending a helicopter-carrier with medical aid to Gaza and said it hoped to evacuate about 170 French nationals stranded in the Palestinian exclave. A total of 35 French nationals have been killed so far in the course of hostilities between Israel and Palestinian movement Hamas, while another nine count missing.

21:45 GMT 31.10.2023

More Than 80 People to Be Transferred From Gaza to Egypt for Treatment - Border Authority

More than 80 people in critical condition will be transferred from the Gaza Strip to Egypt for treatment on Wednesday, the border crossing authority said on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, Egypt’s Al Qahera News reported that the Rafah border crossing will open on Wednesday for injured Palestinians.

"The border crossing authority reports that it has been informed by the Egyptian side that tomorrow, November 1, 81 seriously injured people will be sent for treatment to hospitals in the Arab Republic of Egypt," the authority said in a statement.

21:44 GMT 31.10.2023

Fuel Shortage in Gaza Raises Concerns for Healthcare, Infrastructure - White House

The White House is concerned over the critical shortage of fuel in Gaza and the potential threat that this poses to hospitals and water pumps in the territory, Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said on Tuesday.

"No fuel has gotten in and the existing stocks are dang near down to zero. And that's that's perilous here for the hospitals for the water pumps. And so we're working hard with Israel to make sure we can find some accommodations to get fuel," Kirby said during a press briefing.

Kirby said that he has heard the argument that supplying fuel to the territory would aid Hamas. But he emphasized the need for clarity on this matter and stressed that there had been no indication that Hamas has obtained any of the humanitarian assistance provided to Gaza.

"It goes from these UN trucks, to humanitarian organizations and the UN for delivery to the people of Gaza," Kirby said.

21:14 GMT 31.10.2023

Egypt's Foreign Minister, UN Mission Chief Discuss Aid for Gaza Strip - Ministry

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and Commissioner-General of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, have discussed humanitarian aid supplies to the Gaza Strip, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

The meeting took place at the Egyptian Foreign Ministry in Cairo.

"The parties shared their assessments of Egypt's efforts as well as of the coordination among Cairo, the UNRWA, assistance agencies and international organizations for the delivery of humanitarian and emergency assistance on a continuous basis and safely through the Rafah border crossing," the ministry said in a statement.

The third batch of humanitarian aid was delivered from Egyptian territory to the Gaza Strip via the Rafah border crossing on October 21. Rafah is the only border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip.

21:12 GMT 31.10.2023

Bolivia Breaks Diplomatic Relations With Israel - Report

Bolivia has decided to cut diplomatic ties with Israel over "crimes against humanity," Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing the Bolivian Foreign Ministry.

Bolivia already severed diplomatic relations with Israel in 2009 and reestablished ties again in 2020.

21:11 GMT 31.10.2023

Biden to Discuss Gaza Humanitarian Situation With Jordanian King

President Joe Biden is scheduled to hold talks with King Abdullah II of Jordan to address the deteriorating humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said on Tuesday.

"President Biden will speak with His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan this afternoon to discuss further cooperation with our partners to address this worsening humanitarian situation," Kirby said during a press briefing.

19:44 GMT 31.10.2023

Muslim Democrats Demand Biden Forces Ceasefire in Gaza Fighting

President Joe Biden must act immediately to force a ceasefire in Gaza where at least 8,000 Palestinians have been killed in retaliatory Israeli Army actions or he will face losing Arab American support in critical swing states in next year's presidential election, the National Muslim Democratic Council (NMDC) said in a letter to the US leader on Tuesday.

"The situation in Gaza has reached a critical juncture, nearing a complete humanitarian catastrophe, and we implore you to take immediate action to secure a ceasefire by Tuesday, October 31st at 5 pm EST [Eastern Standard Time]," the letter said.

The massacre of over 8,000 Palestinians and the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza were both unacceptable, the letter said

"We call on the White House to urgently advocate for an immediate ceasefire. Your administration's unconditional support, encompassing funding and armaments, has played a significant role in perpetuating the violence that is causing civilian casualties and has eroded trust in voters who previously put their faith in you," the council wrote.

The US state of Michigan in the 2020 presidential election was decided by a mere 2.6% margin and holds 16 electoral votes. Ohio, Iowa, Florida, Arizona, Nevada, Georgia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee are also critical states where significant blocks of Arab American voters resided, the letter noted.

19:39 GMT 31.10.2023

US Senate Confirms Jack Lew as Ambassador to Israel

The US Senate on Tuesday confirmed the nomination of Jack Lew to serve as the United States’ Ambassador to Israel, amid an effort by the Biden administration to back Israel in its conflict with Hamas.

Senators approved of Lew’s nomination in a 53-43 vote.

US President Joe Biden nominated Lew, who previously served as Treasury Secretary, in September. The ambassadorship has been vacant since Tom Nides stepped down from the role in July.

The Senate confirmed Lew in the wake of Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel earlier this month, which sparked a state of war in the country. The Biden administration and most lawmakers have expressed support for Israel, including proposing billions of dollars in emergency military aid.