Israel-Hamas War News Live Updates: Israel to step up Gaza strikes, says military spokesman

As the President, there is no higher priority for me than the safety of Americans who are hostage ... In Israel, I saw people who are strong, determined, resilient, and also angry, in shock, and in deep, deep pain. I also spoke with President Abbas of the Palestinian Authority and reiterated the United States remains committed to the Palestinian people's right to dignity and to self-determination. Like so many others, I'm heartbroken by the tragic loss of Palestinian life, including the explosion at the hospital in Gaza, which was not done by the Israelis. We mourn every innocent life lost. We can't ignore the humanity of innocent Palestinians who only want to live in peace and have an opportunity: Biden

The Pentagon on Thursday (local time) said that the United States is continuing to assess the nature of the Hamas attacks that took place in Israel on October 7 and added that at this point, the information of Iran's link to it is not clear. "We're continuing to assess the nature of these attacks, and that's something that we will continue to look very closely...At this point, the information that we have does not show a direct connection to the Hamas attacks on October 7 as it relates to Iran...," Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brigadier General Pat Ryder said in a press briefing on Thursday. (ANI)

The assault on Israel echoes nearly 20 months of war, tragedy, and brutality inflicted on the people of Ukraine, people that were very badly hurt since Putin launched his all-out invasion. Hamas and Putin represent different threats, but they share this in common. They both want to completely annihilate a neighbouring democracy...Hamas uses Palestinian civilians as human shields and innocent Palestinian families are suffering greatly because of them. Meanwhile, Putin denies Ukraine has or ever had real statehood. He claims the Soviet Union created Ukraine: Biden

President Joe Biden launched an urgent mission on Thursday to get Americans behind billions more dollars in spending for Israel and Ukraine, using a rare Oval Office speech to say US backing is critical for the two major allies immersed in wars. Biden sought to link Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip who attacked Israel to Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose forces invaded Ukraine. "Hamas and Putin represent different threats, but they share this in common: They both want to annihilate a neighboring democracy," he said. Israel is poised to launch a ground offensive to root out Palestinian Hamas militants from Gaza and tensions are at a fever pitch after a deadly blast at a Gaza hospital.

President Joe Biden on Thursday exhorted the US Congress to approve urgent military support for Israel and Ukraine, saying the aid would boost US security "for generations." "It is a smart investment that's going to pay dividends for American security for generations. (It'll) help us keep American troops out of harm's way. (It'll) help us build a world that is safer, more peaceful and more prosperous for our children and grandchildren," Biden said.

US President Joe Biden on Thursday said that both Hamas militants attacking Israel and Russian leader Vladimir Putin in his invasion of Urkaine are seeking to "annihilate" neighboring democracies. "Hamas and Putin represent different threats, but they share this in common: They both want to completely annihilate a neighboring democracy," Biden said in a rare televised address from the Oval Office.

Lebanon's army blamed Israel Friday for killing a member of a "journalist team" covering cross-border tensions in the country's south, as war rages further south between Israel and Gaza-based militants. On Thursday, "a journalist team of seven people covering news... near the Israeli enemy’s al-Abad site outside the town of Hula, was targeted with machine guns by enemy (Israeli) members, killing one and injuring another," the Lebanese army said in a statement. Earlier, peacekeepers with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said in a statement that one person had been killed after civilians were caught in cross-border fire in Lebanon's south. (AFP)

The toll in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict crossed 5,000 Thursday amid reinforcement of western support for Israel — from visiting British PM Rishi Sunak — and adeclaration by Egypt that the Rafah crossing would be opened Friday to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza. Late night, the Israeli defence minister hinted at the expected ground invasion, telling troops they will soon see Gaza “from inside”. The Hamas-run health ministry said 3,785 people have been killed in Gaza in Israeli airstrikes since October 7 when the Palestinian outfit launched an offensive in Israel, killing 1,400 people. Sunak vowed to stand by Israel “in its darkest hour”.

Israeli airstrikes on Gaza continue and Israel's defense minister has told troops to be ready for a ground assault on the Palestinian territory, although he has not said when that will begin. More than 1 million Palestinians, roughly half of Gaza’s population, have fled homes in the north and Gaza City after Israel told them to evacuate. The airstrikes early Thursday continued across the entire territory, including in areas in the south that Israel had declared as “safe zones.” The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that limited humanitarian aid would be allowed into Gaza from Egypt following a request from U.S. President Joe Biden. The war that began on Oct. 7 after Hamas militants stormed into Israel, and Israel vowed to destroy the militant group, has become the deadliest of five Gaza wars for both sides. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry said Thursday that 3,785 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 12,500 others have been wounded. More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, mostly in the initial attack. An Israeli military spokesperson said Thursday that the families of 206 people believed to have been captured by Hamas and taken into Gaza had been notified.

A US Navy ship in the Red Sea shot down missiles and drones that had been fired by Iran-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen, possibly at Israel, the Pentagon said. The ship was patrolling in the area as part of a reinforced US military presence.

The Hamas-run interior ministry in Gaza said several people who sought shelter at a church complex were killed or wounded in an Israeli strike. Witnesses said the strike appeared to have been aimed at a target near the church. Israel's army said it was checking.

More than 300 people were arrested for illegally demonstrating and three people were charged with assaulting police after protesters descended on Capitol Hill to call for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. Hundreds of demonstrators from Jewish advocacy groups, including Jewish Voice for Peace and If Not Now, poured into a congressional office building on Wednesday. They wore shirts that read "Jews say cease fire now" and they chanted "let Gaza live" and "not in my name" before they were detained by Capitol Police. Demonstrations are not allowed inside Capitol buildings, and police said they warned the crowd gathered in the rotunda of the Cannon House Office Building to stop before they began making the arrests. The 305 people arrested for illegally demonstrating were subsequently released and those charged with assault were held in custody pending an appearance before a judge. A few liberal members of Congress have been pushing for a resolution in the latest Hamas-Israel war, saying that Israeli bombardment of civilians in Gaza is leading to a humanitarian crisis.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday the Hamas attack on Israel was aimed at preventing the expansion of peace in the Middle East, and called on British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to keep supporting Israel's Gaza counteroffensive. Sunak is the latest Western leader to visit Jerusalem to show support for Israel and to try to negotiate a way to secure the release of hostages taken by Hamas and ease the provision of humanitarian aid to people in Gaza. The British leader then flew to Saudi Arabia to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Sources have said Saudi Arabia has put U.S.-backed plans to normalise ties with Israel on ice. Netanyahu said the attack from Gaza by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, which killed 1,400 people in Israel, was aimed at derailing attempts to establish a wider peace in the region. "We were on the cusp of expanding that peace, and destroying that move was one of the reasons why this action was taken," Netanyahu told Sunak at their meeting in Jerusalem. "This is our darkest hour," he added. "That means that this is a long war, and we'll need your continuous support." Sunak met Netanyahu after holding talks with Israeli President Isaac Herzog. He welcomed the decision to allow aid into Gaza, saying he knew Israel was "taking every precaution to avoid harming civilians in direct contrast to the terrorists of Hamas".

Protesters demanding the release of hostages taken by Hamas planned a rally in New York's Times Square on Thursday, as President Joe Biden faces mounting pressure to leverage every diplomatic tool to secure the freedom of any American captives.US officials have said Hamas is holding some 200 people hostage after the Palestinian group's Oct. 7 surprise attack on Israel, when militants killed about 1,400 Israelis.While there is no official list of Americans in captivity, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Jim Risch, told reporters on Wednesday that 10 of the hostages held by Hamas were American."This is the most sensitive thing we're dealing with here. It is the highest priority here. We want those people out," Risch said.Thursday's protest in Times Square, organized by the nonprofit Israeli American Council, was expected to draw hundreds of demonstrators and many officials, including New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

Dozens of other journalists have been wounded in the conflict since it erupted on October 7 after Hamas militants carried out a deadly attack on Israel that triggered a blistering Israeli bombardment of the Palestinian territory, the Palestinian journalists' union said.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has met with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Riyadh, the Saudi state news agency SPA reported on Thursday.

Israel's ambassador to Ankara, Irit Lillian, has left Turkey along with other Israeli diplomats, Turkish broadcaster NTV and other media said on Thursday. The Israeli embassy declined to comment on the reports. Turkish protesters have staged many anti-Israel demonstrations and Turkey has declared three days of mourning following a blast that killed large numbers of Palestinians at a Gaza hospital.

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant told troops gathered at the Gaza border on Thursday that they will soon see the Palestinian enclave "from inside", suggesting an expected ground invasion with the aim of annihilating Hamas could be nearing.