Israel-Gaza-Lebanon updates: Iranian president responds to Israel's retaliation

Israel Defense Forces attacked military targets in Iran Saturday.

Last Updated: October 27, 2024, 10:37 PM EDT

The Israel Defense Forces conducted what it called "precise strikes on military targets" in Iran on Friday in response to the Iranian missile strikes earlier this month.

Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes and ground fighting continued in Gaza -- particularly in the north of the strip -- and in Lebanon, with renewed Israeli attacks on Beirut.

Oct 24, 2024, 3:03 PM EDT

Israel to meet with US, Qatari officials over cease-fire deal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced that the head of Israel’s intelligence agency will travel to Doha, Qatar, on Sunday for a meeting with the CIA director and the Qatari prime minister as part of efforts to resume talks for a cease-fire and hostage exchange deal.

This comes after a high-level Egyptian security delegation met with a delegation of Hamas leaders in Cairo on Thursday as part of efforts to restart negotiations for a cease-fire in Gaza, Egypt’s state-owned Al-Qahera News reported.

-ABC News' Jordanna Miller and Ayat Al-Tawy

Oct 24, 2024, 2:57 PM EDT

Israel could reach 'sharp conclusion' with Hezbollah, IDF chief says

Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said "there’s a possibility of reaching a sharp conclusion" with Lebanese militant group Hezbollah in the north.

"We thoroughly dismantled Hezbollah’s senior chain of command,” he said Wednesday while touring the hard-hit northern Gaza Strip.

The IDF said Halevi "conducted a situational assessment" of the Jabaliya area amid an ongoing offensive there against Hamas.

"Another achievement -- Jabaliya is falling, this is another psychological collapse. Both physically and psychologically,” Halevi said. “And if we take out the northern Gaza Brigade commander, it's another collapse. These moves, again, I don't know what we'll encounter tomorrow, but this pressure brings us closer to more achievements."

-ABC News' Jordanna Miller

Oct 24, 2024, 1:04 PM EDT

IDF attempting to make us 'killable targets,' Al Jazeera journalist in north Gaza says

Israel has accused six Al Jazeera journalists of being "Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists," publishing their names and photographs.

Al Jazeera said the claims were "unfounded" and "fabricated accusations as a blatant attempt to silence the few remaining journalists in the region, thereby obscuring the harsh realities of the war from audiences worldwide," in a statement.

Hossam Shabat, one of the journalists named said dossiers released by the IDF claiming to link the journalists to militant groups were "fabricated."

“This blatant and belligerent attempt to transform us, the last witnesses in the north, into killable targets is an assassination threat and obvious attempt to preemptively justify our murder,” he said in a post on X.

Al Jazeera broadcast engineer Mohammad Salameh works at the Master Control Room unit inside the network's office in the West Bank city of Ramallah on May 5, 2024.
Nasser Nasser/AP, FILE

Israel and Al Jazeera have history, but this latest claim has sparked major concern amongst media organizations and prominent journalists around the world.

"Israel has repeatedly made similar unproven claims without producing credible evidence. After killing Al Jazeera correspondent Ismail Al Ghoul in July, the IDF previously produced a similar document, which contained contradictory information, showing that Al Ghoul, born in 1997, received a Hamas military ranking in 2007 – when he would have been 10 years old," The Committee to Protect Journalists said in a statement.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken responded to a question about the accusations saying he can't speak to the accuracy of them, but said "it clearly needs to be examined."

Al Jazeera cameraman Zaid Aqrat works at his network's office in the West Bank city of Ramallah Sunday, May 5, 2024.
Nasser Nasser/AP, FILE

"We very much support the work of journalists in Gaza and everywhere else around the world and including in areas of conflict and we're equally determined that journalists be protected. Far too many have lost their lives in Gaza. We're determined to do what we can to ensure that, again, they can do their work safely and securely as possible," Blinken told reporters during a joint press conference in Doha on Thursday.

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatar’s prime minister and foreign minister, also commented on the the accusations.

"At Al-Jazeera, they are running at the highest international standards, and if there are any premises to these accusations, they are going to take care of the measures that's needed for their journalists. But also, we need to know that we learned throughout this war that we cannot take those accusations of Israel for face value," he said.

-ABC News' Guy Davies

Oct 24, 2024, 9:14 AM EDT

Blinken says negotiations to resume on hostage release, cease-fire in Gaza

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at a press conference in Doha on Thursday that negotiators will resume talks with Hamas "in coming days" to discuss a path forward in Gaza to release the hostages and end the war.

But, he added, it's not clear whether Hamas was "prepared to engage" following the death of its leader, Yahya Sinwar.

"We haven't yet really determined whether Hamas is prepared to engage, but the next step is getting the negotiators together, and I anticipate we'll know and we'll certainly learn more in the coming days," he said.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, and Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani shake hands as they attend a press conference in Doha, Qatar, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024.
Nathan Howard/AP

Blinken announced the development at a press conference with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who said his government had been in touch with Hamas officials in recent days.

"I believe that until now, there is no clarity what will be the way forward or the clear position," bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said.

Blinken also announced another $135 million in aid to Gaza civilians, bringing the total contribution to $1.2 billion, he said.

-ABC News' Anne Flaherty

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