LIVE UPDATES

Israel-Gaza live updates: Netanyahu video was 'perplexing,' 'disappointing,' US says

The U.S. says "no other country is doing more to help Israel defend itself."

As the Israel-Hamas war continues, 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.


0

Flow of aid resumes at temporary Gaza pier: Pentagon

The flow of aid through a temporary pier off the coast of Gaza has resumed after it was preemptively detached from the beach to ride out rough seas, the Pentagon confirmed.

"I can confirm that U.S. Central Command personnel re-anchored and re-established the temporary pier to the Gaza beach yesterday," Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters Thursday. "As has been the case in the past, Israeli Defense Force engineers provided all the necessary support to ensure the safe and placement of the pier on the beach. And there were no U.S. boots on the ground during the reestablishment of the pier."

Since resuming overnight, more than 1.4. million pounds of humanitarian assistance has flowed from Cyprus to Gaza, he said.

Overall, more than 9.1 million pounds have been delivered through the corridor since May 17, he said.

Ryder stressed that no end-date has been established for the pier mission.

"We'll continue to facilitate the transfer of humanitarian aid via the maritime corridor and as always take necessary steps to ensure the safety and security of the personnel operating the pier to include adjusting to sea states in the eastern Mediterranean Sea," he said.

-ABC News' Luis Martinez


White House: Netanyahu video was 'perplexing,' 'disappointing'

White House national security spokesman John Kirby said the video released by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claiming the U.S. had paused weapons shipments was a surprise.

The video was "perplexing to say the least" and "certainly disappointing, especially given that no other country is doing more to help Israel defend itself," Kirby told reporters on Thursday.

Netanyahu said in a video Tuesday, "It's inconceivable that in the past few months, the administration has been withholding weapons and ammunitions to Israel."

Asked if the administration had any sense of why Netanyahu felt it was necessary to release the video, Kirby reiterated their frustration.

"No idea. You'd have to talk to the prime minister about what prompted him to do that. Again, it was vexing and disappointing to us -- as much as it was incorrect. So difficult to know exactly what was on his mind," he said.

Kirby was also asked about efforts behind the scenes to get an apology from Netanyahu over the video. Kirby said, "I think we've made it abundantly clear to our Israeli counterparts from various vehicles our deep disappointment in the statements expressed in that video and our concerns over the accuracy in the statements made."

Netanyahu said in response Thursday, "I am ready to suffer personal attacks provided that Israel receives from the U.S. the ammunition it needs in the war for its existence."

Kirby also confirmed that national security adviser Jake Sullivan was still holding a meeting on Thursday with high-level Israeli officials.

Kirby said the "wide-ranging meeting" will include "everything that's going on with the Gaza war, with our support to Israel, with our efforts to get a better sense of how they're continuing to prosecute operations against Hamas, as well as continuing to talk about the importance of closing on this deal."

-ABC News’ Molly Nagle and Michelle Stoddart


Netanyahu meets with families of hostages declared dead in Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Thursday with the families of hostages declared dead in Gaza.

Netanyahu met with rescued hostages right away but has received criticism for not meeting with the families of the dead until now.

"We are committed to returning all of them, all 120 abductees -- the living and the victims alike," Netanyahu said to the families. "We will not give up on anyone."

The Hostage Center is holding another large rally on Saturday calling for the government to reach a cease-fire deal and bring the rest of the hostages home.

-ABC News’ Will Gretsky


Temporary pier to resume flow of aid

The temporary pier (JLOTS) off the coast of Gaza has been reattached to the beach, according to two defense officials. Aid should begin flowing soon says one of the officials.

Since the pier first became operational on May 7, more than 3,500 metric tons of humanitarian aid have been transported to that beach for distribution inside Gaza.

But the pier has had two lengthy breaks in service, the first time when rough seas broke off sections of the pier, and this latest preemptive move to the port of Ashdod so it could ride out rough seas to avoid a repetition of the first break in service.

-ABC News' Luis Martinez


End of Rafah operation weeks away: IDF

The Israeli military is "weeks" away from wrapping up the main part of its controversial ground invasion in and around Rafah in southern Gaza, Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari told ABC News.

"We are there to dismantle the military framework of the [Hamas'] Rafah Brigade," Hagari said on Monday.

"We are weeks now just from achieving this goal," he said.

The Israeli military now controls over 60% of the Rafah area, Israeli defense officials told ABC News on Monday.

-ABC News’ Tom Soufi Burridge, Hugo Leenhardt and Dana Savir