Israel-Gaza updates: Israeli forces preparing for 'wide range of offensive plans'

Fighting is ongoing after Hamas launched an attack on Israel on Oct. 7.

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.


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.

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


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Protests in Tel Aviv: 'Bibi is a murderer'

People have taken to the streets of Tel Aviv in protest of the Israeli government, blaming Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu for not protecting Israel's citizens.

Some chanted, "Bibi is a murderer."

Posters of kidnapped men, women and children are plastered on the wall outside where Israeli leaders are meeting.

Many Israelis are concerned a ground incursion into Gaza would put hostages in harm's way and they said more focus should be on bringing hostages home.


'Time is running out,' UNRWA says

With 1 million people already displaced, Julia Touma, director of communications for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, said she's concerned that the conditions for Gaza residents will soon worsen.

"No humanitarian agency, including UNWRA, has been able to bring in any supplies for one week," she told ABC News Live on Saturday. "[There's] no drinking water and 2 million people are at the risk of dehydration. So it is very, very critical that humanitarian passage is given, that the siege on Gaza is lifted, so that organizations like my own, UNWRA, are able to deliver assistance."

"Time is running out. It's becoming a matter of life and death," she warned.


Blinken meets with Saudi FM

As Secretary of State Antony Blinken continues his tour through the Middle East, there continues to be a disconnect between the U.S. stance and the stance of other nations more closely aligned with the Palestinians as they stop short of directly condemning Hamas.

“It’s a disturbing situation. It’s a very difficult situation," Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud said in remarks with Blinken. "And the primary sufferer of this situation are civilians – civilian populations on both sides are being affected. And here it’s important, I think, that we all condemn the targeting of civilians in any form, at any time, by anyone."

Blinken repeated that "no country can or should be expected to tolerate what Israel has just been on the receiving end of."

“Hamas is not representative of the Palestinian people or their legitimate aspirations for the future," Blinken added. "Hamas is a terrorist group. Its only agenda is to destroy the state of Israel and to murder Jews. And it’s important that the entire world see it as such."

In readout of their private meeting, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Blinken against emphasized "the United States’ unwavering focus on halting terrorist attacks by Hamas against Israel" as well as "continued engagement with regional partners to prevent the spread of conflict in the region and their shared commitment to taking steps to help protect civilians."

-ABC News' Shannon Crawford


How to help victims of Israel-Hamas conflict

As the horrendous carnage from the Israel-Hamas conflict grows, the need for humanitarian support has become more urgent on both sides of the border.

Among the organizations people can donate to are: IsraAid, American Red Cross, UNICEF and The Jewish Federation.


IDF says Hamas fighters 'are still hiding' in Israeli communities

Hamas fighters are believed to be "still hiding" in some communities in southern Israel even after the Israeli military took back control, according to Israel Defense Forces spokesman Maj. Doron Spielman.

"We are in control of the communities, but we actually assume that there are Hamas terrorists that are still hiding in these areas, including in the road where we are now," Spielman told ABC News during an interview Monday in Sderot, Israel. "In all these communities, we've seen terrorist come out of hiding. Just yesterday, they took over an ambulance."

"We're still being very, very careful," he added. "This is a war zone with active terrorists that are operating here."

Sderot is a southwestern Israeli city located near the county's border with the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. A police station there was stormed by Hamas fighters on Saturday as part of the militant group's wider incursion, leaving at least six Israeli police officers dead. The IDF then bombed the police station with the Hamas fighters inside, demolishing it.

Hamas fighters and other Palestinian militants are "striking strategic locations" along the border fence, allowing them to drive through in pickup trucks, Spielman said. Civilians in some of the local communities have been ordered to evacuate, while others have left voluntarily, according to Spielman.

"We do have a lot of ground troops in this area. We have a lot of tanks. We have, in addition, artillery. And we're prepared forever for anything," he said. "And if it happens, the next stage, it's going to happen here because this is the area that was the flashpoint and this is the area we're going to be presenting ourselves and finishing this battle. We, of course, have no choice but to finish."

When asked about the mounting casualties of Palestinian civilians in Gaza as a result of the IDF's retaliatory airstrikes, Spielman said: "We always try to avoid civilian casualties. However, I would say that this is war and our first priority here is to destroy Hamas."

-ABC News' Angus Hines and Ian Pannell