Israel-Gaza updates: Blinken tells Israel onus is on Hamas to accept cease-fire
The 26-year-old was kidnapped from the Nova music festival.
As the Israel-Hamas war crosses the seven-month mark, negotiations are apparently stalled to secure the release of hostages taken by the terrorist organization, and Israeli forces continue to launch incursions in the southern Gazan town of Rafah ahead of a possible large-scale invasion.
Latest headlines:
World Central Kitchen suspends operations in Rafah over safety
World Central Kitchen has suspended its humanitarian efforts in Rafah due to safety concerns. Jose Andre's aid group had restarted their relief efforts in Gaza after seven aid workers were killed by an Israeli strike, sparking international outrage over the protection of civilians in Gaza.
The group will continue to operate elsewhere in Gaza.
"In the face of Israeli operations in Rafah, countless families are being forced to flee once again. Ongoing attacks have forced us to pause work at our main kitchen in Rafah and relocate many of our community kitchens further north. The situation is dire but WCK's Palestinian team—all directly impacted by the war—is showing up every day to support neighbors in need," WCK said in a statement Wednesday.
"Yesterday we provided almost 100,000 meals and will increase capacity this week as 58 of our aid trucks have entered Gaza since Sunday," WCK said.
-ABC News' Will Gretsky
War expected to last through end of year, Israeli official says
Israel expects that the war in Gaza will likely be long, lasting for at least seven more months of fighting against Hamas, a senior Israeli official said Wednesday.
"We expect another seven months of combat in order to shore up our achievement and realize what we define as the destruction of Hamas and Islamic Jihad’s military and governing capabilities," Tzachi Hanegbi, the head of the Israeli national security council, said in a radio interview to Kann News.
-ABC News' Dana Savir
Israel has 'tactical control' over Philadelphi corridor in Gaza: IDF
Israeli Defense Forces have "tactical control over the Philadelphi corridor" in Gaza, an IDF official told reporters Wednesday.
"IDF has tactical control over the Philadelphi corridor, which does mean it doesn't mean that we have boots on the ground across all of the corridor, but it means that we can control and we have the ability to cut off the oxygen line that Hamas has used for replenishing and movement in and around that area," the IDF official said.
-ABC News' Bruno Nota
Kirby says he hopes for end to war ‘as soon as possible’
After comments from Israeli officials predicted the war in Gaza would last through the end of the year, White House national security communications adviser John Kirby expressed a desire to reach an end much sooner than that -- “as soon as possible,” he said.
“I’ll let the defense minister speak for his own views and opinions. Our view, in our opinion, is we gotta get this hostage deal now. The time is now to do it -- to get that temporary cease-fire and to end this conflict as soon as possible,” Kirby said.
“I can tell you that President Biden is committed to seeing that we find a way to end this conflict. And to end as soon as practicable.”
Kirby confirmed that there is a “fresh” proposal on the table that the Israels are “fully supportive of,” but it is too “fresh” to provide details on. He emphasized that the Biden administration still believes there is a path for a cease-fire deal that could “lead to something more sustainable” and a “potential end of the conflict.”
Kirby also said the fighting “could end tomorrow if Mr. Sinwar did the right thing and agreed to this deal,” referring to the Hamas leader.
-ABC News’ Cheyenne Haslett