Oct 17, 2023, 10:42 AM EDT
Another Hamas leader killed
The Israel Defense Forces said its fighter jets have killed Iman Nofal, a senior Hamas member who was a former leader of Hamas' military intelligence.
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 17, 2023, 4:16 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."
Click here for the latest updates.
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, 8:19 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
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 17, 2023, 10:23 AM EDT
Gaza hospitals running out of fuel
Gaza hospitals are estimated to have less than 24 hours of fuel left, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.
Fatima Shbair/AP
Ahmed Zakot/Reuters
Oct 17, 2023, 9:17 AM EDT
John Kirby discusses safety concerns for Biden's trip to Israel and Jordan
President Joe Biden departs for the Middle East on Tuesday for in-person meetings with Israeli and Arab leaders amid concerns of an expanded conflict in the Israel-Hamas war.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told "Good Morning America" that Biden's focus is on the hostage situation, to make sure humanitarian aid can flow to civilians in Gaza, and to get an update from Israeli counterparts on their plans and ground operations.
3:26
John Kirby talks President Joe Biden's trip to the Middle East
The top National Security Council spokesman discusses the president's trip on Wednesday.
Asked about safety concerns, Kirby said "there’s always a concern" wherever the president goes, and those concerns would be "appropriately addressed through the necessary force protection and personnel protection measures. "
Asked if Biden's visit also includes urging Israel to avoid a full-scale ground invasion of Gaza, Kirby reiterated that the U.S. is not telling the Israeli military how to operate but that civilians should be protected.
Lisi Niesner/Reuters
Kirby added that it's "vital" that the administration gets supplemental funding from Congress for Israel and Ukraine.
-ABC News' Justin Gomez
Oct 17, 2023, 9:06 AM EDT
3,000 tons of aid with nowhere to go as Gaza-Egypt border remains closed
The Egyptian Food Bank has nearly 3,000 tons of aid, including food, medicine and blankets, ready to cross into Gaza to help its trapped residents, its CEO said. But for now, the trucks are sitting still as the Gaza-Egypt border remains closed.
Mahmoud Khaled/Getty Images
Qatar News Agency via Reuters
Mohsen Sarhan, the CEO of the Egyptian Food Bank, told ABC News he went to the border on Tuesday morning.
"You can see people dying, like, few miles away from you," he said. "Everyone in the world knows that these people have run out of water, and they have run out of medicine and have they have run out of food. And you have all that right in front of you. And you can't give it to the people. It's a human rights crisis. And it's very frustrating."
2:08
War is one of the world’s worst public health crises
About 2 billion people, which is a quarter of the world’s population, is impacted by war each year.
-ABC News' Matt Rivers
