Here are the latest updates on the Israel–Hamas war.
Israel Hits ‘Over 200 Targets’ in Airstrikes Towards Gaza: IDF
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that dozens of its fighter jets struck over 200 targets in Al-Furqan, a neighborhood in the northern Gaza Strip, “a short while ago.”
“This is the third strike in the area during the last 24 hours, in which the IDF struck over 450 targets,” the IDF said in its announcement, at 4:10 a.m. local time Israel.
“Al-Furqan … is used as a terror hub for the Hamas terrorist organization, where a large number of terror attacks against Israel are directed.”
“The IDF will continue to operate against Hamas terror infrastructure that directs terror against Israel.”
____
Biden Emphasizes Need for Global Condemnation of Hamas Atrocities
President Joe Biden “underscored the need for all countries to unequivocally condemn Hamas’s brutal atrocities, which are akin to the atrocities of ISIS from many years ago” in a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday afternoon.
Per a White House readout of the call, which was also joined by Vice President Kamala Harris, President Biden also said he was briefed by his national security team and noted that the U.S. support that is being provided to Israel include ammunition, Iron Dome interceptors, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, and other defense material.
According to the White House readout, Mr. Netanyahu provided an update from Israel, and the two leaders agreed to speak again in the next few days.
____
US Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Help Israel With Iron Dome Defense System
Republican and Democrat lawmakers in the House on Tuesday introduced legislation to appropriate $2 billion for Israel’s Iron Dome defense system—the air defense system designed to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells fired at Israel.
Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.), Max Miller (R-Ohio) and Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) joined other co-sponsors from both sides of the aisle to introduce the “Operation Swords of Iron” Iron Dome Supplemental Appropriations Act (pdf), which they say “has received widespread support, including from FDD Action, JINSA, and the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA).”
Mr. Gottheimer said in a release announcing the legislation that it is “critical to increasing American security assistance for Israel’s missile defense system, which is saving millions of innocent lives.”
“Radical Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists are kidnapping, torturing, raping, burning alive, and brutally murdering innocent babies, children, women, men, and grandparents in Israel—parading their bodies through the streets,” he noted in the release.
Ms. Tenney said in the release she “unequivocally support Israel’s right to self-defense,” and that “[w]ithout the critical Iron Dome system, which intercepts Palestinian rockets in the air, many, many more civilians would have been wounded or killed.”
“Just in the last few days, Israel’s Iron Dome has intercepted over 3,200 rockets,” she noted. “The United States must stand with our Israeli brothers and sisters and support our strongest ally in the Middle East in its unequivocal right to defend itself and pursue justice for the Israeli and American citizens harmed by Palestinian leadership.”
With the House Speaker position vacant, House business is stalled. Republicans will meet on Wednesday to vote on a Speaker, but unity on a choice remains uncertain.
____
Mexican Govt. Evacuates 135 of Its Citizens Out of Israel
A total of 135 Mexicans have been successfully evacuated out of Israel.
Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alicia Bárcena announced on X, formerly Twitter, at 12:05 a.m. Israel local time: “I am happy to report that the first humanitarian flight bringing 135 compatriots home took off from Israel.”
A second military aircraft is heading to Israel to evacuate more Mexicans, according to the Mexican Foreign Ministry, which confirmed the first flight had arrived in Mexico around 3:26 p.m. local time (12:26 a.m. Israel local time).
Following attacks by Hamas, two Mexican citizens remain unaccounted for, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced on Tuesday.
____
First Plane Carrying US Weaponry Arrives in Israel: IDF
Israel’s military announced the first plane carrying U.S. armaments has arrived, at the Nevatim Airbase in Israel on Tuesday evening local time.
“The cooperation between our militaries is a key part of ensuring regional security and stability in times of war,” the IDF added in its announcement in the early hours of Wednesday local time.
____
20 or More Americans Missing: White House
Twenty or more Americans are missing following Palestinian Islamist group Hamas’ attack on Israel over the weekend that left hundreds dead, U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Tuesday.
Mr. Sullivan said it was not known how many of those still missing are being held as hostages.
“We believe that there are 20 or more Americans who at this point are missing, but I want to underscore and stress that does not mean necessarily that there are 20 or more American hostages. Just that is the number who are currently unaccounted for,” Sullivan told reporters.
____
US Says It’s Talking to Israel About Safe Passage for Gaza Civilians
The United States is talking to Israeli officials and others about the idea of a safe passage for Gaza civilians after Israel’s air strikes following a deadly Hamas attack over the weekend, the U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Tuesday.
“We are focused on this question, there are consultations going on,” Mr. Sullivan told reporters in a White House press briefing.
Israel has battered Palestinians with deadly air strikes in Gaza after Palestinian Islamist group Hamas’ attack on Israel on Saturday that left hundreds dead.
____
Biden Directs US Agencies to Prevent Domestic Threat After Hamas Attacked Israel
President Joe Biden said on Tuesday U.S. law enforcement agencies were taking steps to disrupt any domestic threat that may emerge after Palestinian Islamist group Hamas’ weekend attack on Israel that left hundreds dead.
The FBI said earlier it was “closely monitoring unfolding events” but added it “does not have specific and credible intelligence indicating a threat to the United States stemming from the Hamas attacks in Israel.”
President Biden said police departments in the U.S. had “stepped up security around centers of Jewish life.”
“There is no place for hate in America, not against Jews, not against Muslims, not against anybody,” President Biden said.
____
Israel Shells Syria After Rockets Hit Open Land in Golan Heights
The Israeli military said it shelled Syria on Tuesday after rockets hit open land in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights.
The military did not accuse any group of the rocket attack.
The Syrian government did not comment. However, Britain-based opposition war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says a Palestinian faction conducted the rocket attack from Syrian territory.
____
US Intelligence Didn’t See Attack Coming, Security Adviser Says
U.S. intelligence did not pick up signs of the Hamas attack on Israel, White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Tuesday.
“We did not see anything that suggested an attack of this type was going to unfold any more than the Israelis did,” Mr. Sullivan told reporters.
As other White House officials have done in recent days, Mr. Sullivan also reiterated that the U.S. government has also not seen any direct linkage between Iran and the Hamas attack over the weekend.
“While Iran plays this broad role — sustained, deep and dark role — in providing all this support and capabilities to Hamas, in terms of this particular, gruesome attack on Oct. 7, we don’t currently have that information,” Mr. Sullivan said.
____
US Secretary of State Going to Israel on Urgent Mission
U.S. President Joe Biden is dispatching his top diplomat to Israel on an urgent mission to show U.S. support after the unprecedented attack by Hamas militants, the State Department said Tuesday.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken will leave Wednesday and is expected to arrive Thursday to deliver a message of solidarity and support, and will “talk about what additional resources we can give them,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Tuesday.
____
Gaza Health Ministry Says Death Toll Has Risen to 900
Israeli airstrikes since Saturday have resulted in 900 deaths in Gaza, including 260 children and 230 women, with an additional 4,500 individuals wounded, the Ministry of Health in Gaza said Tuesday.
The airstrikes have caused the deaths of 150 members of 22 families, six health workers, and eight journalists, while 15 health workers and 20 journalists have been wounded, the ministry said.
Airstrikes on residential neighborhoods have displaced approximately 140,000 citizens to U.N. shelters and hospitals, the ministry said. The U.N. is reporting that at least 200,000 residents have been displaced.
The strikes have targeted nine health institutions, including the Ministry of Health building, the Rimal Clinic, and the International Eye Center, and bombed 15 ambulances, the ministry said.
The situation is further complicated by fuel shortages and electrical outages affecting generators, the ministry said.
____
US Says Special Operations Forces Working With Israelis
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Tuesday that a small group of U.S. special operations forces is now working with the Israelis to help with planning and intelligence in their counteroperations against Hamas.
“We also have the ability to rapidly deploy other resources into the region,” Mr. Austin said.
Mr. Austin released the information to reporters traveling with him to a Ukraine contact group meeting in Brussels.
____
At Least 14 Americans Killed in Hamas Attacks
President Joe Biden on Tuesday denounced Hamas and stressed U.S. support for Israel as it mourns the killing of more than 1,000 people, including at least 14 Americans, from a surprise attack launched by the Palestinian terrorist group.
The president also voiced concern for Americans being held hostage by Hamas, an Iranian-backed terrorist group.
“There are moments in this life and I mean this literally when the pure unadulterated evil is unleashed on this world. The people of Israel lived through one such moment this weekend,” President Biden said.
”This is an act of sheer evil,” he said.
Israel pounded the Gaza Strip on Tuesday with the fiercest air strikes in its 75-year-old conflict with the Palestinians, razing whole districts despite a threat from Hamas terrorists to execute a captive for each home hit without warning.
President Biden spoke after his third phone call in four days with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He outlined in his remarks the U.S. military assistance being sent to help Israel in its fight.
President Biden also offered an overview of the actions the United States is taking with allies around the world to support Israel.
The White House on Monday said it expected to fulfill additional security requests from Israel as quickly as possible.
The United States does not plan to put American military forces on the ground, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters. Israel has called up an unprecedented 300,000 of its own reservists.
____
Rep. McCaul Introduces Pro-Israel Resolution Condemning Hamas Terrorism
House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) introduced a resolution on Oct. 10 expressing solidarity with Israel and condemning the terrorist group Hamas.
The four-page resolution stated Hamas terrorists crossed the border on Oct. 7 from Gaza into Israel, where they abducted Israelis—including children and the elderly—and launched thousands of rockets into Israeli territory.
____
Israel Broadens Gun Laws, Allowing ‘As Many Citizens as Possible to Arm Themselves’ Following Hamas Attack
Israel is easing its gun laws following the unprecedented and bloody attack by the Palestinian group Hamas over the weekend, officials announced on Oct. 8.
Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter, that he has directed the Firearms Licensing Division, which is responsible for issuing gun licenses, to undergo an “emergency operation” and broaden gun license standards in the country to “allow as many citizens as possible to arm themselves.”
____
8 French Citizens Have Been Killed in Israel, Officials Say
The number of French people killed in Israel has risen to eight—with 20 unaccounted for—the French Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. Several of those are believed held hostage.
The ministry previously confirmed the deaths of four other French citizens killed in the Hamas militant attacks in Israel. At the time, the ministry said another 13 French citizens were missing and that some of them have “very likely” been kidnapped, including a 12-year-old boy.
French media identified the boy by his first name, Eitan, and reported that he lived with his family in the Nir Oz kibbutz in southern Israel. Le Parisien newspaper quoted an aunt as saying that the boy was captured Saturday by Hamas militants who took him away on a motorbike.
____
Carrier Strike Group Arrives in Eastern Mediterranean, US Official Says
The Ford carrier strike group has arrived in the far Eastern Mediterranean, within range to provide a host of air support or long-range strike options for Israel if requested, but also to surge U.S. military presence to prevent the now four-day old war with Hamas from spilling over into a more dangerous regional conflict, a U.S. official told the Associated Press.
The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the arrival ahead of an official announcement.
The Pentagon has said that the U.S. warplanes, destroyers and cruisers that sailed with the Ford will conduct maritime and air operations which could range from intelligence collection and interdictions to long range strike.
Along with the Ford, the U.S. is sending the cruiser USS Normandy and destroyers USS Thomas Hudner, USS Ramage, USS Carney, and USS Roosevelt, and augmenting regional Air Force F-35, F-15, F-16, and A-10 fighter aircraft squadrons in the region.
____
Russian Death Toll in Hamas Attacks Rises to 4
Russia’s embassy in Israel said the number of Russian citizens killed in the latest Israel-Palestinian war has risen to four.
The embassy’s spokesperson Marina Ryazanova told the Russian state news agency Tass that the victims had dual Israeli and Russian citizenship. She said six others remain missing.
Previously, two Russian citizens were believed to have been killed and four were missing, according to Anatoly Viktorov, Russian Ambassador to Israel.
____
Netanyahu says Israel’s Offensive Against Hamas ‘Only Started’
Mr. Netanyahu delivered the pronouncement in a nationally televised address as Israel pressed ahead with a third day of heavy airstrikes in Gaza following Hamas’s unprecedented and deadly bombing of and incursion into Israel.
“We have only started striking Hamas,” he said. “What we will do to our enemies in the coming days will reverberate with them for generations.”
Israel urged Palestinians in Gaza to evacuate from Hamas locations on Friday, and formally declared war on Sunday.
____
Huge Barrage of Rockets Fired From Gaza
Hamas said it fired hundreds of rockets on Ashkelon in “response to the displacement of civilians in Gaza,” according to a statement on Telegram.
This comes after a Hamas spokesperson issued a warning to the residents of the southern Israeli city to leave the city before 5 p.m. local time.
A video shared by Hamas showed rockets flying through the sky with people taking cover on the side of the road in Israel.
The Israel Defense Forces said sirens were sounded in the area surrounding the Gaza Strip.
_____
Israel Death Toll Rises to More Than 1,000 in Hamas Attacks, Israeli Embassy in US Says
More than 1,000 people were killed in an attack by Hamas on Israel over the weekend, according to the Israeli Embassy in the United States.
The death toll now stands at 1,008, with at least 3,418 injured, the embassy said on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
_____
Putin Says the Latest Gaza War is Result of US Policy Failures
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday described the latest Israel-Palestinian war as a result of failed U.S. foreign policy.
Speaking at the start of his talks with visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Al-Sudani, Mr. Putin said in his first comment on the war that “many will agree with me that this is a vivid example of the failure of the U.S. policies in the Middle East.”
He added that the Untied States has “tried to monopolize the settlement, but, regrettably hasn’t bothered to search for compromises that would be acceptable to both parties and, just the opposite, sought to enforce their own view of how it should be done, exerting pressure on both parties.”
Mr. Putin said the United States has failed “to take vital interests of the Palestinian people into account,” ignoring U.N. General Assembly resolutions envisaging the creation of an independent Palestinian state.
____
Iran Rejects Allegations That It Played Role in Hamas Attacks
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected allegations Tuesday about his country’s role in Hamas attacks against Israel, but said Iran will continue supporting Palestinians, media reported. It was the first reaction to the war by Mr. Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters in the country.
However, Mr. Khamenei said, “We defend Palestine, we defend the fights.” He praised Palestinian “capable, smart and courageous” young Palestinians. He said the disaster for Israel came because of mistakes by Israel against Palestinians.
____
Germany Investigating Kidnapping of Its Citizens in Israel
German prosecutors are investigating after German citizens were apparently kidnapped in the attack by Hamas on Israel.
The federal prosecutor’s office said in an emailed statement that the investigation of unknown members of Hamas on suspicion of hostage-taking, murder, and membership in a foreign terrorist organization was opened on Tuesday.
The German Foreign Ministry has said it has to assume that an unspecified number of German-Israeli dual citizens were among those kidnapped by Hamas on Saturday.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Tuesday that Germany is working closely with Israel to determine how many citizens were kidnapped and how they might be freed.
_____
Russia Says It Will Talk to Israel and Palestinians in Hopes of Reaching a Settlement
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday that Moscow has been talking to both Israel and the Palestinians to help search for a settlement.
Asked about a claim by the Palestinian ambassador to Moscow that Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas will visit Moscow soon, Mr. Peskov said that the visit had been planned before the war. He added that Moscow will announce the date after it’s finally determined.
Mr. Peskov rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s claim that Moscow was interested in fueling the war as “totally baseless.”
______
4 French Citizens Have Been Killed by Hamas Militant Attacks in Israel
France’s Foreign Ministry has confirmed the deaths of another two French citizens killed by Hamas terrorists attacks in Israel, taking the total number of French victims to four.
The ministry said Tuesday that another 13 French citizens are missing and that some of them have “very likely” been kidnapped. The ministry has previously said that a 12-year-old appears to be among those taken captive.
_____
1,500 Bodies of Hamas Terrorists Found, Israel Claims Full Control Over Border
The Israeli military said Tuesday morning it had largely gained control in the south and “restored full control” over the border.
Spokesperson Richard Hecht said that 1,500 bodies of Hamas terrorists have been found in Israeli territory and no Hamas terrorists have crossed into Israel since Monday night, although infiltrations could still be possible.
Mr. Hecht said the military struck hundreds of Hamas targets overnight in Gaza City’s Rimal neighborhood, which is home to many of Hamas’s ministries and institutional buildings. He said that Palestinian residents were being notified over social media before the strikes to evacuate, but did not elaborate further.
He suggested that Palestinians should try to leave through the Rafah crossing to Egypt.
_____
A Florida Vigil for Israeli Victims Turns to Chaos
A vigil for victims of the attacks in Israel at the University of Florida erupted into chaos over a misunderstanding and at least five people were hurt, officials said.
A crowd gathered at the Gainesville campus for the “United With Israel” candlelight vigil when someone fainted and others began calling for people to call 911, the UF Police Department said in a statement.
“The call was misunderstood by the crowd, which dispersed in a panic,” the police statement said. Five people were treated at the scene for minor injuries, campus police said.
_____
18 Thais Feared Dead as War Enter 4th Day
Based on reports from employers, 18 Thais are feared dead, while the numbers of those injured and abducted stand at 9 and 11 respectively as of the fourth day of the Israel-Hamas war, Thai Foreign Ministry spokesperson Kanchana Patarachoke said on Tuesday.
She said more than 3,000 Thais have registered for repatriation. The first batch of 15 evacuees is scheduled to board a flight to arrive in Thailand on Thursday. She said Israel told Thailand’s foreign minister that it will try its best to take care of Thai workers.
_____
US Military Assistance Is ‘On the Way’ to Israel
U.S. military assistance is “on the way” to Israel, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said on Oct. 9.
“The first tranche [of security assistance], in the wake of these terrorist attacks, is already on the way,” Mr. Kirby told reporters in a call.
“I don’t believe it’s actually made it to Israel yet, but it’s making its way there.”
He did not specify what kind of equipment was being sent.
The administration, he said, expects that “there’ll be additional requests for security systems from Israel as they continue to expend munitions in this fight, and we will stay in lockstep with them, fulfilling their needs as best as we can and as fast as we can.”
Mr. Kirby said he “knows of no efforts to go to Congress” to request additional assistance to the Jewish state.
The United States gives $3.8 billion annually in assistance to Israel, with all but $500 million of it being for military aid.
_____
Epoch Times staff, Jackson Richman, Katabella Roberts, Reuters, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
