Live blog: Israel imposes lockdown on occupied West Bank  — report

Sunday, October 8, 2023

2108 GMT — The Israeli army has declared a comprehensive closure of the occupied West Bank.

The army also closed the entrances to a number of towns with iron gates, earth mounds and cement blocks, according to an Anadolu correspondent.

It established military checkpoints in several locations while closing all shops in the towns located on the main streets that settlers use.

The army also closed the main entrances to the cities of Ramallah and Al Bireh as well as all entrances to the city of Nablus.

More updates: 👇

2250 GMT — UAE calls Hamas attack on Israel ‘serious, grave escalation’

The United Arab Emirates has said the latest attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on illegal Israeli settlements was a “serious and grave escalation.”

In a statement, the UAE’s Foreign Ministry called for ending the violence and the protection of the civilian population.

“Attacks by Hamas against Israeli towns and villages near the Gaza Strip, including the firing of thousands of rockets at population centres, are a serious and grave escalation,” said the statement cited by state news agency WAM.

2236 GMT — Over 130 Israelis are captive: Palestinian fighting groups

Palestinian warring groups have said that more than 130 Israelis are being held captive in Gaza following a surprise attack by Hamas fighters on illegally occupied Israeli towns.

Musa Abu Marzouk, a senior Hamas member, said his group is holding more than 100 Israelis.

“Senior Israeli officers are among those being held,” Abu Marzouk told the Arabic language news outlet Al Ghad.

The Islamic Jihad movement also said its fighters are holding more than 30 Israelis.

2231 GMT — Over 700 Israelis killed in war with Hamas: army

More than 700 Israelis have been killed since Hamas launched its large-scale attack on Israel, according to an updated toll from the Israeli army.

It also said on X social platform that 2,150 Israelis had been wounded in the attack.

2215 GMT — Al Qassam Brigades announce rocket attack on Ben Gurion Airport

Hamas' military wing, the Izzeddin al Qassam Brigades has claimed responsibility for a rocket attack on Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv.

The Al Qassam Brigades announced on Telegram that they launched a rocket attack on the airport in response to ongoing Israeli attacks on civilians in Gaza.

The statement also stressed that as part of Operation Al Aqsa Flood, 100 rockets were fired at the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon.

The military wing of Islamic Jihad, the Al Quds Brigades, also said in an announcement that Tel Aviv and Ashkelon were targeted with rockets.

2144 GMT — Israeli forces mistakenly shoot Israeli civilian near Gaza border

Israeli soldiers mistakenly shot an Israeli citizen after he failed to comply with a traffic stop, Hebrew media has reported.

Israeli forces opened fire on a vehicle in the city of Ashdod near the Gaza border, the Yedioth Ahronoth daily reported.

“We don’t know why he was driving fast and didn’t obey the stop warning,” said a police officer at the scene.

He added that an investigation into the incident has been launched.

2043 GMT — Palestinian, Egyptian leaders discuss situation in Gaza

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el Sisi on Sunday discussed the situation in Gaza as fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian group Hamas continued for a second day.

During the phone call, Abbas stressed "the necessity of working with all parties to ensure an end to the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people everywhere," according to the official Wafa news agency.

The Palestinian president also underlined the importance of continuing the delivery of "relief and medical aid to the people in Gaza."

Sisi, for his part, told Abbas that he is exerting efforts with "all international and regional parties to stop the ongoing escalation and ensure the arrival of aid to the Gaza Strip."

1905 GMT — Palestinian, Israeli death toll spikes amid ongoing fighting

At least 413 Palestinians, including 78 children and 41 women, have been killed and 2,300 others injured in Israeli attacks launched after a surprise attack by Hamas on Saturday, the Health Ministry in Gaza said in a statement.

Palestinian group Hamas launched Operation Al Aqsa Flood, saying it was in response to the storming of the Al Aqsa Mosque and increased settler violence. It said it fired rockets and captured many Israelis.

In retaliation, the Israeli army initiated Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas, launching airstrikes on Gaza.

The Israeli death toll, meanwhile, climbed to at least 700, as fighting continued for the second day on Sunday.

Israel's Security Cabinet declared a state of war and approved "taking of significant military steps."

1847 GMT — Israel UN envoy decries 'war crimes,' vows to obliterate Hamas

Israel's ambassador to the United Nations has accused the Palestinian Hamas movement of committing war crimes, vowing that it was time to "obliterate" Hamas infrastructure while seeking to keep normalisation talks with Saudi Arabia on track.

"These are war crimes, blatant documented war crimes," Israel's UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan told reporters.

"The era of reasoning with these savages is over," he said. "Now is the time to obliterate Hamas terror infrastructure, to completely erase it, so that such horrors are never committed again."

Israel pounded besieged Gaza on Sunday, killing hundreds of people in retaliation.

1826 GMT — Over 20,000 Palestinians take shelter in UNRWA schools in Gaza

More than 20,000 Palestinians in Gaza taking shelter in The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) schools, agency's media adviser has told Anadolu news agency.

1725 GMT — Biden tells Netanyahu more military aid on way to Israel

US President Joe Biden said fresh military aid is on its way to Israel after the operation by the Palestinian group Hamas with "more to follow over the coming days," the White House has announced.

Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also "discussed ongoing efforts to ensure that no enemies of Israel believe they can or should seek advantage from the current situation," it said in a statement.

1709 GMT — Jordanian king discusses developments in Gaza with Egypt, Iraq

Jordan’s King Abdullah II has separately discussed the latest developments on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el Sisi and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al Sudani.

Speaking with al Sisi, King Abdullah stressed the “importance of joint efforts to prevent further escalations between Palestinians and Israelis which could lead to serious repercussions on efforts to restore calm, regional stability,” the Jordanian Royal Court said in a statement on X.

He also called for stepping up joint efforts to de-escalate in Gaza and its surroundings, and to encourage both sides to exercise restraint, protect civilians, and respect international humanitarian law.

During the conversation with the Iraqi prime minister, the monarch “urged strengthening Arab coordination to stop the escalation in Gaza and its surroundings, and to support the Palestinian people in achieving their legitimate rights."

1608 GMT — Over 50 Israeli personnel killed in fighting: Israeli army

Israeli army says at least 57 of its personnel killed in ongoing fighting with Palestinian groups.

1607 GMT — Top Turkish, US diplomats discuss Israel-Palestine conflict

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken have spoken over the phone amid recent tensions between Israel and Palestine, Turkish diplomatic sources said.

Fidan and Blinken discussed the latest developments in the region, the sources added.

This was the second phone call between the two since tensions escalated between Israel and Palestine on Saturday.

1557 GMT — Hamas says it hit Israeli targets with explosive-laden Al Zawari drones

The armed wing of Palestine's Hamas movement has said it used explosive-laden drones to attack Israeli targets in its large-scale military operation.

In a statement, Al Qassam Brigades said it fired 35 of its Al Zawari attack drones on all fighting fronts with Israel.

The Hamas-produced UAVs are named after Tunisian engineer Mohamed Al Zawari, who helped in their development and was assassinated in Tunisia in 2016. Hamas said Israeli intelligence was behind the killing.

1542 GMT — Gaza official says Israel destroyed 159 residential units

Authorities in Gaza have said Israeli warplanes have destroyed at least 159 residential units across the Palestinian enclave.

Israeli forces have caused "complete destruction" of 13 residential buildings housing 159 residential units, Salama Marouf, chairman of the media office in Gaza, said in a statement. He added that 1,210 residential units were partially damaged.

Marouf said several government buildings and public facilities, including two mosques, were also targeted.

The Israeli decision to cut power supply to Gaza will aggravate the humanitarian situation, he added.

1449 GMT — Erdogan says freedom of Palestine along 1967 borders must not be delayed

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged both Israel and Hamas to cease fighting, saying the realisation of independent, geographically integrated Palestinian state based on 1967 borders, with Jerusalem as capital, cannot be delayed.

While addressing a gathering at the inauguration of Mor Efrem Syriac Orthodox Church in Istanbul, Erdogan said Türkiye is ready to do its part to stop the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and help both sides de-escalate tensions.

1316 GMT — Iran's president speaks to Hamas, Islamic Jihad leaders: media

Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi spoke with leaders of the Palestinian Hamas movement and Islamic Jihad, official media said.

"Raisi discussed the developments in Palestine in separate phone calls with Ziyad al Nakhalah, secretary general of the Islamic Jihad movement, and Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the (Hamas) political bureau," state news agency IRNA reported, without giving further details.

Iran hailed the Palestinian attack calling it a "proud operation" and a "great victory".

1254 GMT — Israel, Hamas fighting continues as death toll rises

Israeli soldiers continue battling Hamas fighters in the streets of southern Israel, launching retaliation strikes that leveled buildings in Gaza, while in northern Israel a brief exchange of strikes with Lebanon's Hezbollah group raised fears of a broader conflict.

At least 600 people have reportedly been killed in Israel — a staggering toll on a scale the country has not experienced in decades — and more than 300 have been killed in Gaza.

There was still some fighting underway more than 24 hours after the unprecedented surprise attack from Gaza, in which Hamas fighters, backed by a volley of thousands of rockets, broke through Israel's security barrier and rampaged through nearby communities.

1254 GMT — Malaysia expresses 'solidarity' with Palestinians

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has said the international community continues to take one-sided actions regarding all forms of cruelty and oppression against the Palestinian people.

“The confiscation of land and property belonging to the Palestinian people is done relentlessly by the Zionists. As a result of this injustice, hundreds of innocent lives were sacrificed,” Anwar said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“Malaysia remains in solidarity with the struggle of the Palestinian people," he maintained.

In a separate statement, the Malaysian Foreign Ministry said that Kaula Lumpur is concerned over the loss of so many lives due to clashes in and around Gaza.

Kaula Lumpur called upon the UN Security Council to "urgently convene an emergency session to demand all parties stop the violence as well as respect and protect the lives of innocent civilians."

1158 GMT — South Africa calls for cessation of hostilities between Israel, Palestine

The South African government has called for an immediate cessation of violence between Israel and Palestine.

“South Africa expresses its grave concern over the recent devastating escalation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) said in a statement.

It said: “The new conflagration has arisen from the continued illegal occupation of Palestine land, continued settlement expansion, desecration of the Al Aqsa Mosque and Christian holy sites, and ongoing oppression of the Palestinian people.”

1101 GMT — Palestinian Qassam Brigades claims hitting Israel's Sderot settlement

The Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, said that it had fired 100 rockets into the Sderot settlement in response to the Israeli army targeting civilian houses in Gaza.

“Sderot was hit by 100 rockets,” said the group’s spokesman Abu Ubaida in a statement.

He also confirmed “new infiltration attempts into Israel,” adding that reinforcement was sent to the groups in the field.

0932 GMT — Israel says to evacuate residents near Gaza within 24 hours

Israel's army said it aims to evacuate all Israelis living close to Gaza within 24 hours as it deployed tens of thousands of soldiers to respond Palestinian fighters who had infiltrated into Israel.

"Our mission for the upcoming 24 hours is to evacuate all residents living around Gaza," military spokesperson Daniel Hagari told reporters, adding that fighting was still on to "rescue hostages" held by militants in Israel.

He said the evacuation had to be done after a proper "scan of the territory" to ensure that no militants were present.

"There are tens of thousands of combat soldiers in the area. We'll reach each and every community till we kill every terrorist in Israel," Hagari said.

0927 GMT — China calls for creation of Palestinian state to end conflict

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the country is “deeply concerned over the current escalation of tensions and violence between Palestine and Israel.”

“The recurrence of the conflict shows once again that the protracted standstill of the peace process cannot go on,” the statement said. “The fundamental way out of the conflict lies in implementing the two-state solution and establishing an independent State of Palestine.”

The Chinese foreign ministry said China would continue to work with the international community to find a way to bring about peace, and urged the community to act with greater urgency and help “facilitate early resumption of peace talks between Palestine and Israel.”

0728 GMT — UN urges warring sides to exercise restraint

The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) urged conflicting sides to exercise restraint to prevent further escalation of tensions on the Lebanon-Israel border.

“We urge everyone to exercise restraint and make use of UNIFIL’s liaison and coordination mechanisms to de-escalate to prevent a fast deterioration of the security situation,” the UN force said on X.

The UNIFIL said it is in contact with authorities on both sides, at all levels, “to contain the situation and avoid a more serious escalation.”

“Our peacekeepers remain in their positions and on task. They continue to work, some from shelters for their safety,” it added.

0713 GMT — Palestine requests urgent Arab League meeting over Israeli escalation

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs requested an emergency ministerial-level meeting of the Arab League over the latest Israeli escalation.

In a statement, the ministry said it had directed “its permanent delegation to the Arab League to request an emergency meeting of the League Council at the ministerial level.”

This comes in light of “the escalation of the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people,” it said.

0628 GMT — Hamas says its fighters still engaged in battle inside Israel

Hamas's armed wing has said that its fighters are still engaged in fierce clashes in several sites inside Israel.

The statement by Qassam Brigades said fighting continues in several areas bordering Gaza, including Ofakim, Sderot, Yad Mordechai, Kfar Azza, Be'eri, Yatid and Kissufim.

Gun battles were still raged between Israeli forces and hundreds of Hamas fighters in multiple locations.

0523 GMT — Hezbollah owns up to attack on Israeli-occupied land

Lebanon's Hezbollah claimed responsibility for a rocket and artillery attack on the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms, saying it was "in solidarity" with the Palestinian people.

The group said in a written statement that the attack targeted three posts including a "radar site" in the Shebaa Farms, a slice of land occupied by Israel since 1967 that Lebanon has claimed as its own.

Israel responded with artillery fire on southern Lebanon.

0100 GMT — China calls for truce as Israel bombs mosques, home in Gaza

China has said it was "deeply concerned" by the weekend's dramatic escalation of violence between Israel and the Palestine, urging all sides to show "calm".

"China is deeply concerned about the current escalation of tension and violence between Palestine and Israel," Beijing's Foreign Ministry said, adding it "calls on all parties concerned to remain calm and exercise restraint, cease fire immediately, protect civilians and prevent further deterioration of the situation".

2330 GMT — Israel launches new air strikes in Gaza

Israeli warplanes have launched new airstrikes in Gaza amid rising tensions following the surprise Hamas attack into Israeli towns.

Anadolu Agency citing an Israeli military statement said fighter jets struck two Hamas control rooms in Gaza. "Two operational infrastructures" inside mosques were also attacked by planes.

Another strike targeted a house in Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza, the military said.

2300 GMT — Fighting against Hamas ongoing in Israel

The Israeli military is still engaged in fighting with Hamas in some parts of southern Israel and the situation in the country was not totally under control, an Israeli army spokesperson has said.

In a briefing on social media, the spokesperson also said that the high number of civilian and military personnel taken hostage by Hamas in Saturday's surprise attack on illegal settlements and Israeli towns near Gaza would shape the future of the war and what Israel would do against Hamas.

Meanwhile, Israeli PM Netanyahu said security cabinet has approved decisions to destroy military and governmental capabilities of Hamas and Islamic Jihad in besieged Palestinian enclave of Gaza. His office said Israel will stop supplying electricity, fuel and goods to blockaded Gaza as Israel stepped up its bombardment of the tiny Palestinian enclave.

Separately, Israeli media reported that there are at least 100 Israeli prisoners who were captured by Hamas and transferred into besieged Gaza.

2200 GMT — Israeli troops kill 6 Palestinians in occupied West Bank

Six Palestinians have been killed in the occupied West Bank cities of Ramallah, Jericho, Qalqilya and Hebron by Israeli soldiers, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Among the dead were Ahmed Abdunnasir er Rabi, 3 and Basim Hamis, 18.

The Palestinian Red Crescent announced that teams assisted 92 people who were wounded in occupied East Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank.

It was reported that the Israeli military used live ammunition and tear gas canisters against Palestinians.

2119 GMT — Number of Israelis taken prisoner 'several times greater' than dozens: Hamas

The total number of Israelis captured by Hamas was "several times greater" than dozens, a spokesperson for the armed wing of Hamas said in a recording aired shortly after midnight.

The spokesperson said those taken captive were spread throughout all areas of besieged Gaza.

2113 GMT — Palestine blames new escalation on Israeli aggression

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has spoken on the telephone with French President Emmanuel Macron and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken amid escalating tension in the region.

"Abbas emphasised that the current escalation in the region is a result of the political impasse, the denial of the Palestinian people's legitimate right to self-determination and the establishment of their independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital, the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people, their land, and their sacred sites, and the continued terrorism of Israeli settlers," Palestine’s official WAFA news agency said about the call.

Abbas "highlighted the international community's silence, which has encouraged the Israeli occupation to commit more crimes, as witnessed in Gaza, the [occupied] West Bank, including Jerusalem, where hundreds of Palestinian civilians have lost their lives, thousands have been injured, and many have been taken captive," it said.

The Palestinian president also urged Macron "to urgently intervene to halt the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people by Israeli occupation forces and extremist settler groups."

Abbas spoke separately with Blinken.

"I spoke with Palestinian Authority President Abbas to discuss the terrorist attacks against Israel," Blinken wrote on X. "I urged that all leaders in the region must condemn these appalling acts of 'terrorism'."

2108 GMT — Netanyahu tells Palestinians to leave Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked Palestinians to leave besieged Gaza and said the army would turn Hamas sites "into rubble."

"We will turn all the places in which Hamas is based … all the places Hamas is hiding in, acting from into rubble," Netanyahu said in a televised address to the nation.

He called on Palestinians in the area to "leave now."

"This war will take time, it will be difficult. Challenging days are ahead of us," he said.

2100 GMT — Blinken urges Palestinian leader Abbas to condemn attack

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has spoken with Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas, urging him to condemn the Hamas attack on Israeli settlements and towns.

Fatah dominates the Palestinian Authority, based in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, while Hamas governs Gaza.

In the call, Blinken "called on all leadership in the region to condemn" the Hamas assault on Israel, the US State Department said in a statement.

2000 GMT — Ukraine calls for world solidarity with Israel

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on world leaders to show solidarity and unity in supporting Israel and condemning the attack by Hamas.

Zelenskyy, whose army has been fighting a war Russia launched against it 19 months ago, said that Israel — just like Ukraine — has "every right" to protect itself.

2000 GMT — Saudi foreign minister talks to Blinken, urges halt to violence

Saudi Arabia has said its foreign minister had told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that the kingdom rejects the targeting of unarmed civilians "in any way".

Prince Faisal bin Farhan also called for "concerted efforts to calm the situation and avoid further violence," the Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

1900 GMT — US says working with others to prevent Gaza conflict from spreading

The United States is working with other governments to make sure the crisis does not spread and is contained to Gaza following a deadly Hamas attack in Israel, a senior Biden administration official said.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, also said the US did not have any information at the moment to determine that Iran was involved in the "specific" assault in Israel, even though Tehran's long-standing support for Hamas was well known.

The official said the US was looking closely at the issue.