Palestinians inspect the damage to destroyed houses after Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City, Tuesday, October 24. Photo: AP/PTI
LIVE | Day 19 of Israel-Hamas war: Israel urges India to declare Hamas as terror organisation
The leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah group held talks on Wednesday with senior Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad figures in a key meeting of three top anti-Israel militant groups amid the war raging in Gaza.
Israel has been escalating its bombardment of targets in the Gaza Strip ahead of an expected ground invasion against Hamas militants. The war is rapidly raising the death toll in Gaza, and the US fears the fighting could spark a wider conflict in the region.
Gaza’s 2.3 million people have been running out of food, water and medicine since Israel sealed off the territory following the Hamas attack on Israeli towns on October 7. The aid convoys allowed into Gaza so far have carried a fraction of what's needed, and the UN said distribution will have to stop if there's no fuel for the trucks.
The war, in its 19th day on Wednesday, is the deadliest of five Gaza wars for both sides. The Hamas-run Health Ministry said at least 5,791 Palestinians have been killed and 16,297 wounded. In the occupied West Bank, 96 Palestinians have been killed and 1,650 wounded in violence and Israeli raids since October 7. More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, according to Israeli officials, mostly civilians who died in the initial Hamas rampage. In addition, 222 people including foreigners were believed captured by Hamas during the incursion and taken into Gaza, Israel's military has said. Four of those have been released.
Read The Federal’s articles on the Israel-Hamas conflict
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Live Updates
- 25 Oct 2023 7:27 AM IST
Israelis can make their own decisions: Biden on ground invasion of Gaza
Amidst reports of an imminent ground invasion of Gaza by Israel, President Joe Biden has said that Israel can make its own decisions, as the US firmly backs its ally while urging caution.
Biden made the comment on Tuesday in response to a question while posing for a picture with the visiting Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
“Are you urging Israel to delay its ground invasion?” Biden was asked, to which he replied, “The Israelis can make their own decisions.”
Last week, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant laid out the Jewish nation's plan to change the “security regime" in Gaza – implying Hamas' removal – and said the plan was designed in three stages. Gallant said that the Israeli Defence Forces (IFD) was in the plan's first stage when it was carrying out aerial strikes. It will be followed by ground incursion and finally, the change of security regime in Gaza, he said.
- 25 Oct 2023 7:22 AM IST
Israeli defence forces urges Gaza residents to reveal location of hostages
With around 220 hostages said to be in Hamas’ captivity, the Israeli military on social media platform X has urged residents of Gaza Strip to give the whereabouts of the hostages.
While assuring that the identity of the informers will be kept confidential, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) has offered money to those who provide accurate information on the location of the hostages.
“If your will is to live in peace and have a better future for your children, do the humanitarian deed immediately and share verified and valuable information about hostages being held in your area,” the IDF said in the post.
