Oct 08, 2023, 2:37 PM EDT
IDF evacuating Israelis from towns near Gaza border
The IDF said it's evacuating Israeli civilians from at least two dozen towns along the Gaza border within the next 24 hours.
-ABC News' Joe Simonetti
Israel-Gaza updates: IDF preparing for 'wide range of offensive plans'
Fighting is ongoing after Hamas launched an attack on Israel on Oct. 7.
ByABC NEWS
Last Updated: October 8, 2023, 2:37 PM EDT
At least 1,400 people have died and 3,400 others have been injured in Israel after the militant group Hamas launched an unprecedented incursion from air, land and sea on Oct. 7, Israeli authorities said.
In Gaza, 3,000 people have been killed and another 12,500 were injured, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
Tensions are high with the prospect of ground war and evacuation orders for Gaza after the Israel Defense Forces called for "all residents of Gaza City to evacuate their homes" and "move south for their protection" early Friday, saying residents should move "and settle in the area south of the Gaza River." The announcement was made, according to the IDF, because it plans to "operate significantly in Gaza City in the coming days" and wanted "to avoid harming civilians."
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Latest headlines:
- Oct 17, 2023, 2:24 PM EDT
- Oct 17, 2023, 11:32 AM EDT
- Oct 17, 2023, 9:06 AM EDT
- Oct 16, 2023, 8:54 PM EDT
- Oct 16, 2023, 1:49 PM EDT
Here's how the news is developing. All times Eastern.
Oct 16, 2023, 2:47 PM EDT
Timeline: The Hamas attack and response
On the morning of Oct. 7, sirens echoed across Israel as Hamas terrorists began a full-fledged surprise attack from the air, sea and ground. Hundreds of armed Hamas fighters stormed into Israel from Gaza, charging into cities and gunning down citizens.
Violeta Santos Moura/Reuters
Israeli forces responded by sending wave after wave of bombs into Gaza, killing thousands, trapping civilians and raising fears of a wider conflict in the Middle East.
Click here for the full timeline
Oct 08, 2023, 1:44 PM EDT
Pentagon: US will 'rapidly' send munitions to Israel
The U.S. is sending a carrier strike group to the eastern Mediterranean to bolster deterrence in the region and "will be rapidly providing the Israel Defense Forces with additional equipment and resources, including munitions," according to a statement from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Sunday.
"Today, in response to this Hamas attack on Israel, and following detailed discussions with President Biden, I have directed several steps to strengthen Department of Defense posture in the region to bolster regional deterrence efforts," he said.
The U.S. materiel support will begin shipping today and will arrive in the coming days, according to Austin.
Menahem Kahana/AFP via Getty Images
The strike group will include the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier, the guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy and four guided-missile destroyers -- the USS Thomas Hudner, USS Ramage, USS Carney and USS Roosevelt, Austin said.
The U.S. will also boost its F-35, F-15, F-16 and A-10 fighter squadrons in the region, according to the defense secretary.
"The U.S. maintains ready forces globally to further reinforce this deterrence posture if required," he said.
-ABC News' Matt Seyler
Oct 08, 2023, 1:34 PM EDT
More than 700 dead in Israel: Health officials
More than 700 people are dead in Israel and over 2,100 others injured, Israeli health officials said.
The Palestinian Health Authority said there are 370 people dead in Gaza and 2,200 others injured.
Oct 08, 2023, 1:24 PM EDT
Biden tells Netanyahu 'additional assistance' for IDF is on its way
President Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday and informed him the U.S. was providing "additional assistance for the Israeli Defense Forces" was already on its way "with more to follow over the coming days," according to the White House.
-ABC News' Fritz Farrow
