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Israel-Gaza live updates: 3 premature babies die at Al-Shifa Hospital, doctor says
The hospital has been treating thousands of wounded people.
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.
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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.
CIA director meets about potential hostage deal: US official
CIA Director William Burns took part in a meeting in Qatar regarding a potential hostage deal, a U.S. official confirmed.
Burns also traveled to Egypt "where he met with his intelligence counterparts and country leaders," the official said. "They discussed issues of mutual concern, including the situation in Gaza and the USA commitment to ensuring humanitarian aid there."
'General' cease-fire would benefit Hamas, US official says
A "general" cease-fire would benefit Hamas and "legitimize" the group's Oct. 7 surprise attack on Israel, U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said Thursday.
"A general cease-fire means everybody lays your arms down and you talk about the end of this conflict," Kirby told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos on "Good Morning America." "To do that right now would be a benefit to hamas. It would give them time. It would also legitimatize what they did on October 7th."
He said Israeli military forces were in the middle of an "operational campaign" targeting Hamas leadership.
"We believe Israel has a right to do that and we'll continue to make sure they get the tools and capabilities," Kirby said.
But there may be a need for a "pause" if some of the about 240 hostages taken by Hamas are to be released, Kirby said
"What we want to make sure is not only can we secure their release, George, but that when we get that release secured, that we can get them safely out of Gaza and into Israel, into safer hands," he said. "That requires this idea of a temporary humanitarian pause."
-ABC News' Kevin Shalvey
About 72,000 have fled northern Gaza in 4 days, U.N. says
About 72,000 people have fled northern Gaza in the last four days, moving south along a corridor opened by Israeli military forces, the United Nations said Thursday.
About 50,000 traveled along Salah al-Din Road in the hours the corridor was opened on Wednesday, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said.
“Clashes and shelling on and around the road reportedly continued, endangering evacuees with reports of corpses alongside the road,” the U.N. statement said.
Many have arrived at the corridor on foot. Some who’ve driven there have been told to leave their vehicles along the outskirts of Gaza City, the U.N. said. Videos and photos released by the Israel Defense Forces have shown crowds marching while waving white flags.
“The evacuees then walk 4-5 kilometres down the corridor, with an estimated distance of up to 20 kilometres for those traveling farthest,” the U.N. said.
-ABC News’ Victoria Beaule
Israel considering Egypt-Qatar proposal for humanitarian pause: Sources
Israel is considering a proposal presented by Egypt and Qatar for a humanitarian pause in exchange for the release of hostages, sources tell ABC News.
The U.S. is in close coordination with all parties negotiating this possible deal, the sources said and no final deal has been reached yet.
No further details were available.
Israel agrees to 4-hour pauses in Gaza each day: White House
Israel will start to implement four-hour pauses in fighting in areas of northern Gaza each day, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby announced Thursday.
"We've been told by the Israelis that there will be no military operations in these areas over the duration of the pause, and that this process is starting today," Kirby said.
Israel Defense Forces spokesman Richard Hecht said the pauses are already being held. Kirby said the pauses will be announced three hours ahead of time.
Kirby said these pauses are a "step in the right direction" and "significant first steps" to help civilians reach safer areas, away from the fighting.
"A four-hour pause for instance will allow, potentially, to move humanitarian assistance into that localized area, over that span of time. It could also provide enough of a window to help people get out of harm's way," Kirby said. "It could also provide brief windows of opportunity for safe passage for those hostages from where they're being held, to safer ground."
He said the Israelis have also agreed to a second humanitarian corridor that will allow people to leave hostile areas of northern Gaza.
"The second route along the coastal road will enable many more thousands to reach safer areas in the south," Kirby said. "Of course, we remain concerned that Hamas will discourage or prevent civilians from fleeing. At the same time, when encouraging people to leave areas of active operations, it's critical, absolutely vital, that humanitarian supplies and assistance are expanded in the areas where people are moving, in this case, southern Gaza."
Hecht, the IDF spokesman, stressed that it will only be "tactical, local pauses for humanitarian aid of a limited time and area," and the evacuation corridors would be for people to move south for humanitarian aid.
-ABC News' Justin Ryan Gomez