Israel-Gaza updates: IDF releases Hamas 'psychological terror' video of young hostages
Hagari said the footage was recovered by IDF troops.
As the Israel-Hamas war crosses the seven-month mark, renewed negotiations are underway to secure the release of hostages taken by the terrorist organization, as Israeli forces continue to prepare for an apparent invasion of the southern Gazan town of Rafah.
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Floating pier in place off coast of Gaza, aid coming ashore soon
The floating pier system -- the U.S. military's Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore, or JLOTS, capability -- is now in place off the coast of Gaza, the U.S. Central Command announced Thursday morning. Officials said they expect to begin transporting about 500 tons of assistance to shore "in coming days."
They said the expectation remains that between 90 and 150 truckloads a day of aid will flow into Gaza, but the officials called that characterization "an imperfect measure" and stressed it was more important to focus on the amount of tons of aid. There are currently 500 tons of aid waiting to be offloaded.
Security for U.S. forces and nongovernmental organizations participating in the JLOTS system is a top priority, officials said, adding the Israel Defense Forces will provide security at the point where the aid will arrive and be transferred to the U.N. and other NGOs.
But officials said the security for those working on bringing aid ashore could still be improved.
"The deconfliction measures are not where they need to be at, given the complexity of the environment," said Sonali Korde, assistant to the administrator of USAID's Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance. "So those conversations are ongoing. They need to continue and they need to get to a place where humanitarian aid workers feel safe and secure and able to operate safely and I don't think we're there yet."
-ABC News' Luis Martinez
IDF confirms they sent more troops into Rafah
The Israel Defense Forces' Commando Brigade was deployed to southern Gaza’s Rafah overnight, joining the 162nd Division that has been operating in the eastern part of the city since earlier this month.
The move comes as the Israeli government is expected to approve widening the offensive there.
"Additional troops will join the ground operation in Rafah," Israel Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant said Thursday, in remarks after completing an operational situation assessment at the Gaza border in Rafah.
"Several tunnels in the area have been destroyed by our troops and additional tunnels will be destroyed soon. This activity will intensify," he said.
-ABC News' Jordana Miller and Will Gretsky
Floating pier designed to increase aid to Gaza now in place
A floating pier designed to increase the amount of aid getting into Gaza -- known as a Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (JLOTS) system -- was successfully anchored to the central Gazan shore on Thursday morning, according to IDF Spokesperson Nadav Shoshani.
The Israeli Navy will be securing an aid ship to JLOTS and Israeli soldiers from the 99th Division will be on the ground securing the port area, according to the IDF.
The United Nations, led by the World Food Programme, will be responsible for distributing the aid from JLOTS, the IDF said.
Putin and Xi discuss Ukraine, Israel and Hamas war
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping held several hours of talks on Thursday in China, with Putin saying both Russia and China want political solutions to the “Ukrainian crisis” and Xi calling for a two-state solution to stop the war between Israel and Hamas.
Xi also took a moment to praise China's “everlasting friendship” with Russia.
President Putin was welcomed with pomp expected on his state visit to China, complete with red carpet, military band and hundreds of Chinese militaries standing at attention to welcome him to the Great Hall of the People.
3 US medical workers remain in Gaza despite warning from US government
Three U.S. medical professionals remain in Gaza despite warnings from the U.S. State Department that the American government may not be able to get them out later.
Tamer Hassan, a registered nurse, Dr. Jomana Al-Hinti and Dr. Adam Hamawy were the only ones out of a group of 20 American medical professionals who stayed behind to help treat patients.
"They understand that the U.S. embassy may not be able to facilitate their departure in the same manner as we have just effected today," a person with knowledge of the situation told ABC News.
Hamawy released a statement Saturday explaining why he stayed behind.
"We worry that the European Hospital we currently are in will suffer a similar fate of Al-Shifa and Nasser hospitals, where humanitarian workers, patients, and civilians were massacred," he said.
"To my wife, daughters and son, I know it hurts that I am not coming home this weekend, and I am sorry. But I know that you are proud that I am upholding my oath to never leave anyone behind," he added.
The doctors who left Gaza "made their way to safety with assistance from the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem," a State Department spokesman said.
-ABC News' Anne Flaherty, Nadine Shubailat and Zoe Magee