The latest updates on the conflict.
Israel says it has brought in special forces to try to wrest control of four sites from Hamas terrorists after the terrorist group launched its unprecedented incursion into Israel. On Sunday, Israel formally declared war and gave the green light for “significant military steps” to retaliate against Hamas for Saturday’s surprise attack. The Israeli military tried to crush fighters still in southern towns and intensified its bombardment of the Gaza Strip.
The toll passed 1,100 dead and thousands wounded on both sides.
The fighting continued in several locations Monday morning. At least 700 people have reportedly been killed in Israel and more than 400 have been killed in Gaza.
Here are the latest updates on the conflict.
European Union Suspends Payments to Palestinians
European Union Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi said Monday that the bloc is suspending “all payments immediately” to the Palestinians because of what he called the “scale of terror and brutality” during the attacks of Hamas against Israel.
The surprise announcement by Mr. Varhelyi came just hours after EU officials stressed that no EU money had been going to Hamas and that contacts had been frozen for 16 years. The EU considers Hamas a terror group.
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Qatar in talks with Hamas, Israel to swap Israeli hostages for Palestinians in Israeli jails
Qatar’s foreign ministry confirmed to Reuters its involvement in mediation talks with Hamas and Israeli officials, including over a possible prisoner swap.
“We are in constant contact with all sides at the moment. Our priorities are to end the bloodshed, release the prisoners and make sure the conflict is contained with no regional spillover,” foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari told Reuters, without elaborating.
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9 Americans Are Among the Dead in Israel
The U.S. State Department said Monday that at least nine American citizens have been killed in the weekend Hamas attacks on Israel, raising the toll from four.
The State Department says an undetermined number of American citizens remain missing and unaccounted for. It is not clear whether the missing had been taken hostage, were killed, or are in hiding.
The State Department is in touch with families “and providing all appropriate consular assistance,” spokesman Matthew Miller said.
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Death Toll Rises as Israel and Hamas Fighting Intensifies
Israel says it has brought in special forces to try to wrest control of four sites from Hamas terrorists after the terrorist group launched its unprecedented incursion into Israel. On Sunday, Israel formally declared war and gave the green light for “significant military steps” to retaliate against Hamas for Saturday’s surprise attack. The Israeli military tried to crush fighters still in southern towns and intensified its bombardment of the Gaza Strip.
The toll passed 1,100 dead and thousands wounded on both sides.
The fighting continued in several locations Monday morning. At least 700 people have reportedly been killed in Israel and more than 400 have been killed in Gaza.
Here are the latest updates on the conflict.
Biden in Tough Spot After Surprise Attack on Israel Exposes Massive Intelligence Failures
Israel has been through many wars before, but the recent Hamas assault, which displayed an unexpected level of sophistication and coordination, shocked Israelis and the rest of the world.
Using motorcycles, pickup vehicles, and even paragliders and speed boats, Hamas terrorists penetrated Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip and began killing and kidnapping civilians. They also launched thousands of rockets into Israeli cities starting at 6:30 a.m. on the morning of Oct. 7.
Read more here
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Schumer Confirms at Least 4 Americans Killed in Vicious Hamas Attacks
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has confirmed that at least four Americans have been killed in the attack in Israel.
“The administration told us that they know of four [Americans who were killed] thus far, but, sadly, we know the toll will rise,” Mr. Schumer said in a statement released Sunday night.
The senator said he had received an unclassified briefing from Acting Deputy Secretary of State Toria Nuland and Acting Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Sasha Baker about the “overwhelming and heart wrenching” viciousness and brutality in what he called an “unprecedented attack.”
Read from here
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Flights Disrupted to and From Tel Aviv, US May Restrict Use of Israeli Airspace
The “state of war” that was dropped by the Hamas terror group in Israel this weekend has disrupted flight operations in and out of Israeli airports, with several major U.S. airlines either halting or re-routing flights.
According to the flight tracking website Flightradar24, flights to and from Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport by airlines like Delta Air Lines and United Airlines have been canceled, amongst many other airlines flying to and from Israel.
The State Department said in a travel update on Sunday, “While Ben Gurion International Airport remains open, we are aware that several major airlines have announced that they have suspended flights.”
Read more here
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1,000 Terrorists Participated in Saturday’s Attack on Israel: IDF Update
An Israel Defense Force (IDF) spokesperson has revealed approximately 1,000 terrorists participated in Saturday’s assault on Israel, resulting in more deaths in one day than at any other time in the nation’s history since the Yom Kippur War in 1973.
Hamas, recognized as a terrorist organization by the United States and other nations, initiated a surprise attack against Israel from the air, land, and sea on Saturday, launching thousands of rockets from their territory in the Gaza Strip, and raiding homes where they killed or took hostage Israeli civilians.
Read more here
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Rashi Varshney, Emel Akan, Stephen Katte, Reuters, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
