Israel-Gaza updates: Blinken, Abbas meet on restoring 'calm' in West Bank, State Department says
The top U.S. diplomat made an unannounced stop in the West Bank on Sunday.
Thousands of people have died and thousands more have been injured since the militant group Hamas launched an unprecedented surprise attack on Israel on Oct. 7 and Israel retaliated with a bombing campaign and total siege of the neighboring Gaza Strip, leaving the region on the verge of all-out war.
Click here for updates from previous days.
Latest headlines:
- Blinken meets with Iraqi prime minister
- Blinken visits West Bank, meets with Palestinian Authority leader Abbas
- Blinken in Jordan reaffirms need for 'increased, sustained' humanitarian aid for Gaza
- ABC News' Ian Pannell embeds with IDF in Gaza
- Doctors Without Borders says conflict has reached ‘new low’ after ambulance strike
What we know about the conflict
The latest outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that governs the Gaza Strip, has passed the four-month mark.
In the Gaza Strip, at least 30,228 people have been killed and 71,377 others have been wounded by Israeli forces since Oct. 7, according to Gaza's Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health.
In Israel, at least 1,200 people have been killed and 6,900 others have been injured by Hamas and other Palestinian militants since Oct. 7, according to the Israel Defense Forces.
There has also been a surge in violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Israeli forces have killed at least 395 people in the territory since Oct. 7, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
The ongoing war began after Hamas-led militants launched an unprecedented incursion into southern Israel from neighboring Gaza via land, sea and air. Scores of people were killed while more than 200 others were taken hostage, according to Israeli authorities. The Israeli military subsequently launched retaliatory airstrikes followed by a ground invasion of Gaza, a 140-square-mile territory where more than 2 million Palestinians have lived under a blockade imposed by Israel and supported by Egypt since Hamas came to power in 2007. Gaza, unlike Israel, has no air raid sirens or bomb shelters.
52 Palestinians killed in refugee camp strike, Gaza Health Ministry says
The Gaza Health Ministry, which is run by Hamas, put out a statement claiming that 52 Palestinians were killed in the Israel Defense Forces strike on the Jabalia refugee camp earlier Tuesday.
-ABC News' Ellie Kaufman, Nasser Atta and Samy Zayara
Israeli forces 'fighting deep inside the Gaza Strip': IDF
The Israeli military is "fighting deep inside the Gaza Strip," killing "terrorists in close range combat" and "conducting coordinated strikes on terror targets from land, air and sea," the Israel Defense Forces said Tuesday.
The IDF said it has "eliminated many terrorists and destroyed terror infrastructure."
On Tuesday, Israeli soldiers killed terror leader Ibrahim Biari, the IDF said.
"Striking Biari caused the collapse of adjacent buildings because of the expansive infrastructure there whose purpose was to launch terror attacks against our forces," the IDF said. "During the battle, the entire infrastructure collapsed and many terrorists were killed."
"The Hamas terrorists continue to use civilian population as protective armor. This is intentional and devastatingly barbaric," the IDF continued. "Once again, today, we call on the citizens of Northern Gaza to move Southward. … We will act forcefully in the city of Gaza and in the Northern Gaza Strip. We will continue to act against any terrorist in every part of the Gaza Strip."
-ABC News' Ellie Kaufman
State Department says 'good progress' made toward securing exit for Americans in Gaza
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller signaled Tuesday that the U.S. might be close to securing safe passage for the approximately 400 Americans and 600 of their immediate family members trapped in Gaza, saying negotiators "have made good progress on this."
"We are making very good progress on this issue. You may have seen some reports that have moved from the region just in the last few hours about the possibility of Rafah gate opening tomorrow,” Miller said. "I'm not in the position to make any announcements as I stand here right now, but I would say that we would welcome any agreement that would permit the safe exit of American citizens, families, other foreign nationals."
The Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza is expected to open Wednesday to receive injured Palestinians from Gaza, according to Egypt state-linked TV channels.
-ABC News' Shannon Crawford
Rafah border crossing to open Wednesday to 'receive injured Palestinians': Egypt state-linked TV
The Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza will open Wednesday to receive injured Palestinians from Gaza, according to Egypt state-linked TV channels.
The Palestinian interior ministry’s border authority said it has been informed by Egyptian authorities that 81 critically injured Palestinians will be allowed entry from Gaza Wednesday to receive treatment at Egyptian hospitals.
More than 21,000 people have been injured in Gaza since Oct. 7, according to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry.
-ABC News' Ellie Kaufman
13 killed from strikes on ambulances at gate of Gaza hospital: Gaza Health Ministry
Thirteen people were killed and 26 were injured from a blast that struck ambulances at the gate of Gaza's Al-Shifa hospital complex, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said the group of ambulances were returning to the hospital from a mission to transport injured people to the Gaza-Egypt Rafah border crossing.
The Israel Defense Forces said its aircraft hit an ambulance that it believes was being used by Hamas.
"We have information which demonstrates that Hamas' method of operation is to transfer terror operatives and weapons in ambulances," the IDF said.
"A number" of Hamas terrorists were killed in the blast, the IDF said.
The IDF said, "We emphasize that this area is a battle zone. Civilians in the area are repeatedly called upon to evacuate southwards for their own safety."