Live blog: 'War could last months' — Israeli defence minister

Sunday, October 22, 2023

1825 GMT — Israeli defence minister has said that Israeli war on Gaza could take "months".

Yoav Gallant stepped up the war of words with Hamas as he spoke with forces gathered for an expected ground invasion of the Palestinian territory in response to the shock Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7.

"It will take one month, two months, three months, and at the end there will be no more Hamas," Gallant said at an air force base whose location was not given by the defence ministry.

"Before Hamas makes contact with our tanks and our infantry, they will know the shells from our air force."

He added that Israel's fighter jets "know how to make this precise, qualitative and mortal".

"This should be the last war in Gaza, for the simple reason that there will be no more Hamas," Gallant said.

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2202 GMT — Spain's PM calls for humanitarian ceasefire in talks with Israeli counterpart

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called for a humanitarian ceasefire in a phone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Sanchez expressed his "deep concern for the protection of all civilians and the need for sufficient and sustained humanitarian aid to reach the people of Gaza." For this to happen, a humanitarian cease-fire is necessary, he emphasised.

He also reiterated his condemnation of attacks against Israel by Hamas, affirming Tel Aviv's right to "defend itself against them within the limits of international and humanitarian law."

2151 GMT — Gaza Health Ministry warns 1,100 kidney failure patients at risk as hospitals lack fuel

The lives of 1,100 kidney failure patients, including 38 children, are at risk due to a lack of fuel supply to hospitals, the Health Ministry in Gaza said.

Ministry spokesperson Ashraf al-Qudra called for fuel to be provided to hospitals and ambulances.

He said healthcare teams have also identified the use of "unconventional weapons" that are causing serious burns to the bodies of the dead and injured.

2136 GMT — Hamas leader, Iran's FM discuss means of stopping Israeli brutal crimes in Gaza

Palestinian Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian discussed the means of stopping the Israeli "brutal crimes" in the besieged Gaza enclave, the group said in a statement.

2108 GMT — Thousands rally in Brussels in support of Palestine

Thousands of people gathered in the Belgian capital Brussels to express their solidarity with Palestinians, local media reported.

Demonstrators who attended the "Stop the Massacre in Gaza" rally chanted slogans urging the European Union to work toward a ceasefire and to remove an Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip, said the Le Soir daily.

The crowd, which numbered 40,000 according to the organisers and 12,000 according to police, also demanded European authorities provide political and financial support to the International Criminal Court's investigation into the situation in Palestine, according to the newspaper.

2102 GMT — Thousands gather in Paris in 1st pro-Palestinian rally allowed by French police

Thousands in Paris gathered in the first Pro-Palestinian demonstration allowed by police since October 7.

Raising Palestinian flags and chanting "Gaza, Paris is with you," the demonstrators voiced solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip amid intense Israeli bombardment and blockade on the enclave.

More than 15,000 people gathered at the Place de la Republique square, according to police figures.

1820 GMT — Netanyahu: French, Dutch leaders to visit Israel this week

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that French President Emmanuel Macron and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte will visit Israel this week.

Netanyahu's office said in a statement that the two leaders "will arrive on Monday and Tuesday" and meet with him.

1805 GMT — Biden, Netanyahu discussed Israel, Gaza

US President Joe Biden held a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the situation in Israel and Palestine's Gaza, the White House said.

1754 GMT — Missile from Gaza kills one Israeli soldier

An Israeli soldier was killed and three others were injured by an anti-tank missile during a raid into Gaza, Israeli army said.

Israeli troops have been conducting raids across the border, which the military says are meant to clear the area and gather intelligence about missing people and captives being held by Hamas in the enclave.

"An IDF (Israel Defense Forces) soldier was killed, one was moderately injured, and two were lightly injured as a result of an anti-tank missile launched toward an IDF tank and an engineering vehicle," the military said.

1727 GMT — Turkish, Canadian FM's discuss humanitarian situation in Gaza

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan spoke over the phone with his Canadian counterpart Melanie Joly on the humanitarian situation in Gaza amid the ongoing conflict, diplomatic sources said.

Fidan and Joly also discussed the latest developments about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the region, according to sources who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

1723 GMT — Palestinian death toll in occupied West Bank increases

The total number of Palestinians killed in the occupied West Bank since Oct. 7 rose to 91, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

In a statement, it said that the General Authority for Civil Affairs, the Palestinian Authority's contact point with the Israeli side, informed it of the death of a citizen — the sixth on Sunday — whose identity is yet to be confirmed.

The deaths came after "Israeli forces' gunfire near Al Arroub camp," the ministry added.

1641 GMT — Turkish presidential plane arrives in Cairo with medical aid for Gaza

A Turkish presidential plane, loaded with medicines and medical supplies destined for Palestine's Gaza, has arrived at Egypt's capital Cairo, according to the Turkish Health Ministry.

A group of 20 expert healthcare professionals were also on board the plane, which landed at around noon in Cairo after taking off from Ankara Esenboga Airport in the Turkish capital at 10.45 AM local time (0745GMT), the ministry said in a statement.

The team, which includes doctors and Turkish Health Ministry officials, met with Egyptian deputy health minister and other officials at the country's Health Ministry in Cairo and evaluated the medical assistance for Gaza.

1617 GMT — Over 500,000 women forcibly displaced

Over 500,000 women were forcibly displaced due to ongoing Israeli aggression, said Palestinian media office in Gaza.

1636 GMT — Egypt army reports 'minor injuries' in accidental Israeli shelling

Egypt's military spokesperson said an unspecified number of border guards sustained "minor injuries" from "fragments of a shell accidentally fired from an Israeli tank".

The Egyptian army said Israel had "immediately expressed its regret over the unintentional incident and an investigation is under way".

1658 GMT — UN staff death toll rises to 29 in Israeli assault on Gaza — agency

The United Nations Agency for Palestinian Refugees said that 29 of its staff had been killed in Gaza since the outbreak of the recent conflict.

"We are in shock and mourning. It is now confirmed that 29 of our colleagues in Gaza have been killed since October 7," UNRWA wrote on X, formerly Twitter, after having released a death toll of 17 staffers on Saturday.

1550 GMT — Thousands gather in Paris for first authorised pro-Palestinian demo

Thousands of people waving Palestinian flags and chanting "Gaza, Paris is with you" gathered for the first pro-Palestinian demonstration allowed by police in the French capital since the start of the conflict on October 7.

Around 15,000 people turned out at the Place de la Republique, according to police figures, to express solidarity with Palestinians and to call for a ceasefire as the death toll from Israeli strikes in Gaza rose to more than 4,700.

1546 GMT — Israel 'accidentally' hit Egyptian position: military

The Israeli military said it accidentally fired an Egyptian site near Kerem Shalom crossing, near the border with Gaza, as the army bombards the Palestinian enclave.

"The IDF expresses sorrow regarding the incident" near the Kerem Shalom area, an army statement said.

1535 GMT — New aid convoy enters Gaza as Israel steps up strikes

A new convoy of 17 aid trucks entered Israeli-bombarded Gaza as Tel Aviv stepped up strikes on the Palestinian enclave which is suffering a "catastrophic" humanitarian situation in the recent fighting.

1535 GMT — 10 hospitals now non-operational in Gaza

At least 10 hospitals are now non-operational in Gaza due to fuel shortages, Israeli strikes, with 23 ambulances destroyed in the bombardment, according to the Gaza-based Health Ministry.

Some 1,100 kidney failure patients, including 38 children, are at risk due to lack of fuel in hospitals, the ministry also said.

1506 GMT — Palestinian PM calls for 'united front' against Israeli attacks

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh has called on the international community to create "united front" to stop Israel's attacks in Gaza.

"We place at the top of our priorities stopping the Israeli aggression (...) and bringing in medical and relief aid to prevent a major humanitarian catastrophe," Shtayyeh said during a meeting with 25 ambassadors, representatives and consuls.

1410 GMT — Hamas ambushes Israeli force east of Khan Yunis

The military wing of Hamas said that it had destroyed an Israeli tank and two bulldozers in an ambush east of the city of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza

In a brief statement, the Palestinian resistance group's Al Qassam Brigades said its "fighters engaged an armored Israeli force in a well-prepared ambush to the east of Khan Yunis, just moments after it crossed the border by a few meters."

"The fighters bravely engaged with the infiltrating force, destroyed two bulldozers and a tank, compelling the force to withdraw, and they returned to their bases safely," the statement further noted.

1454 GMT — Lack of hotel rooms delay evacuation from Ashkelon: Israeli media

Civilian evacuations have been suspended in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon, local authorities announced, citing a shortage of accommodations.

"Up to today, despite full readiness for evacuating residents, there are no available hotel rooms across the country," the coastal city's municipality said, according to radio station Kan Darom.

The broadcaster also reported that since Thursday, authorities in Ashkelon had decided to move 24,000 at-risk residents, including 3,000 elderly, to hotels and other hospitality establishments for 15 days.

It said that $40 million of government spending has been earmarked for the initiative, launched amid the ongoing conflict in nearby Gaza.

1416 GMT — Blast, ambulances heard near Rafah crossing between - witnesses

A blast and the sound of ambulances was heard near the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Palestine's Gaza, shortly after a second aid convoy had entered the crossing from the Egyptian side, witnesses said.

1342 GMT — US 'won't hesitate' to act in case Middle East conflict escalates

The United States will take "appropriate action" in response to any escalation in the Middle East of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has said.

"If any group or any country is looking to widen this conflict and take advantage of this very unfortunate situation that we see, our advice is: don't," he told ABC News, hours after the Pentagon announced it was increasing its military presence in the region.

"We maintain the right to defend ourselves and we won't hesitate to take the appropriate action," Austin added.

1331 GMT — Number of Israelis injured rises

The Israeli Health Ministry said the number of Israelis injured since the start of the armed conflict with Palestinian group Hamas has risen to 5,132.

In a statement, the ministry said 47 of the injured people are in serious condition.

According to the local private broadcaster Channel 12, the Israeli army has classified 1,210 injured soldiers as "disabled" since Oct. 7. The military had previously announced that 307 of its members had lost their lives.

1320 GMT — China says force 'not way' to resolve Israeli-Palestinian conflict

China believes "force is not a way to resolve" the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and is once again calling for a ceasefire, its envoy for the Middle East pleaded in Egypt, the foreign ministry said.

Beijing's envoy for the Middle East, Zhai Jun, met Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit on the sidelines of the summit.

The Chinese diplomat called for an "immediate ceasefire and an end to the fighting as quickly as possible", his ministry said in a statement.

"China believes that force is not a way to resolve the problem and that responding to violence with violence will only lead to a vicious circle of revenge," Zhai said according to the statement, which mentioned neither Israel nor Hamas.

1247 GMT — Hezbollah says 4 of its fighters killed in southern Lebanon

Hezbollah said that four of its fighters were killed while fighting the Israeli army in southern Lebanon.

The death toll of Hezbollah affiliates killed in fighting with the Israeli army has risen to 22 since Oct. 7.

1241 GMT — UN agency says it will run out of fuel in Gaza in three days

The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) announced that it will run out of fuel in Gaza in three days.

"Without fuel, there will be no water, no functioning hospitals and bakeries. Without fuel, aid will not reach many civilians in desperate need. Without fuel, there will be no humanitarian assistance," Philippe Lazzarini, the UN agency's commissioner-general, said in a written statement.

He further said that no fuel will "further strangle" the people of Gaza, adding that without fuel, they "will fail the people of Gaza whose needs are growing by the hour, under our watch."

"This cannot and should not happen," Lazzarini said.

"I call on all parties and those with influence over them to immediately allow fuel supplies into Gaza and to ensure that fuel is strictly used to prevent a collapse of the humanitarian response," he added.

Pope Francis has said he is saddened by the attacks on Greek Orthodox Porphyrius Church and an Anglican hospital in Gaza earlier this week.

"I follow what is happening in Israel and Palestine. I express my particular pain and concern, pray, and stand by the hostages, the victims, and their families. I am thinking of the serious humanitarian situation in Gaza. It hurts me that the Anglican hospital and the Greek Orthodox parish have been hit in recent days,” Francis said.

“I reiterate my appeal for spaces to be opened, for humanitarian aid to continue to arrive, and for hostages to be freed,” the pope added.

1233 GMT — At least 18 Palestinian journalists killed in Gaza

At least 18 Palestinian journalists have been killed in Gaza since Oct. 7, according to a local syndicate.

The latest victim was Palestinian journalist Rushdi Sarraj, who lost his life in Israeli attacks, the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate said on Sunday in a written statement.

1220 GMT — Netanyahu threatens to devastate Lebanon if Hezbollah joins 'war'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned Hezbollah against opening a second war front with Israel, saying that doing so would bring Israeli counter-strikes of "unimaginable" magnitude that would wreak "devastation" upon Lebanon.

In an official transcript of a briefing Netanyahu gave Israeli commandos near the Lebanese border, he also said: "I cannot tell you right now if Hezbollah will decide to enter the (Gaza) war fully."

Hezbollah "will make the mistake of its life. We will strike it with a force it cannot even imagine, and the significance for it and the state of Lebanon will be devastating," Netanyahu said on a visit to troops in northern Israel near the Lebanon border.

That war, launched after a devastating cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct 7, was "do or die" for Israel.

1214 GMT — Palestinian death toll rises

More than 4,741 Palestinians killed and 15,898 wounded in Israeli strikes on Gaza since October 7, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.

1147 GMT — 17 trucks carrying aid enter war-torn Gaza from Egypt

For the second day in a row, trucks carrying aid crossed the Rafah border passage from Egypt into the besieged and heavily bombarded Gaza.

Sunday saw the passage of 17 trucks, a day after 20 trucks carried medical aid, food and water into the Palestinian enclave, according to officials.

The United Nations has estimated about 100 trucks per day are needed to meet the needs of Gaza, where over 4,600 people have been killed under Israeli air strikes and over a million people have been displaced.

1056 GMT — Israel expands evacuations as Lebanon border clashes escalate

Israel has expanded planned evacuations of communities on its northern front with Lebanon as cross-border clashes with fighters from the Lebanese group Hezbollah have intensified since the war in Gaza erupted more than two weeks ago.

After enacting a plan last week to move residents out of 28 border-area villages, and the nearby town of Kiryat Shmona, with state-funded temporary accommodation, the Defence Ministry said it was adding 14 communities to the evacuation list.

1049 GMT — Palestinian death toll in Gaza swells

A spokesperson of the Health Ministry in Gaza has said that Israel killed 266 Palestinians in the last 24 hours, including 117 children.

Palestinian death toll in Israeli attacks since October 7, has risen to 4,651.

The number includes 1,873 children and 1,023 women, in addition to 14,245 injured, according to Health Ministry in Gaza.

In a separate report from the Prisoners group, Israel arrested 65 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank on Sunday as the total number of detainees climbed to 1,130 since October 7.

0858 GMT — Not sure if more aid will arrive in Gaza: UN

The United Nations humanitarian chief says it’s unclear whether more aid will enter Gaza.

“We had hoped for more today,” Martin Griffiths told Sky News. “I‘m not sure we’re going to get it. We’re deep in negotiation at the moment with the Israelis, the Egyptians, with a huge amount of help, by the way, from the United States.

Griffiths said the trucks that entered on Saturday were “a very good start but it’s nowhere near enough.” He added the main sticking point was the inspection regime for the trucks coming in. He said it should be “efficient, quick, hopefully random, hopefully light.”

“If they don’t go today, we certainly expect, assume and plan for trucks to move in tomorrow,” Griffiths said.

0756 GMT — Israel claims killing Hamas commander, reports 212 hostages

Israel has confirmed that 212 people are being held hostage in Gaza, the military spokesperson has said, adding that Israeli strikes overnight killed dozens of fighters, including the deputy chief of Hamas rocket forces.

On the northern front, Israel has been attacking fighters trying to fire missiles in across the Lebanese border and struck a site in Lebanon from where a missile was fired at an Israeli aircraft, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said in a briefing.

0745 GMT — Türkiye sends medical experts, aid to Israel-besieged Gaza

A Turkish presidential aircraft, loaded with medicines and medical supplies destined for Gaza, has departed from Ankara to Egypt's capital Cairo.


A group of 20 expert healthcare professionals are also on board the plane that took off from Ankara Esenboga Airport at 10:45 a.m. local time (0745 GMT).

This team, which includes doctors, will conduct feasibility studies for field hospitals to be established at Egypt's El-Arish Airport in the Sinai Peninsula and the Rafah border crossing as part of the planning in cooperation with the Egyptian Health Minister.

"Our plane has taken off for Gaza with aid. The presidential plane, loaded with medicine and medical supplies, and carrying 20 expert physicians, is now en route from Ankara to Egypt," Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on X.

0627 GMT — Tel Aviv reports increase in wounded Israelis

The Israeli Health Ministry has said the number of Israelis injured since the start of the armed conflict with the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7 has risen to 5,132.

In a statement, the ministry said 47 of the injured people were in serious condition. The Israeli death toll stands at 1,400 since October 7, according to Israeli official statements.

At least 4,385 Palestinians, including 1,756 children and 1,000 women have been killed in Israeli attacks on besieged Gaza.

0541 GMT — Casualties as Israel bombs mosque in occupied West Bank

Israeli aircraft have struck a mosque in Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, killing two Palestinians and wounding several others, Palestinian medics said.

The strike hit the Al-Ansar mosque, which the Israeli military alleged "was used by the terrorists as a command centre to plan the attacks and as a base for their execution."

In separate Israeli attacks, two Palestinians were killed in Tubas in the northeastern West Bank. Another Palestinian also succumbed to his wounds and died as a result of the attacks in the region.

The death toll has reached to 90 in the occupied West Bank since October 7.

0511 GMT — Israel kills over 50 Palestinians

More than 50 Palestinians were killed in Israeli air strikes on Gaza over Saturday night, Gaza medical sources have said.

0500 GMT — Israel plans to evacuate more communities from conflicted areas

Israel added 14 communities to its evacuation plan in the north of the country, a joint statement by the defence ministry and military said on Sunday.

The communities outlined in the statement, which were approved by Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, lie close to Lebanon and Syria.

2100 GMT — Hezbollah says group already 'in the heart' of Israel-Palestine war

A top official with Hezbollah has vowed that Israel will pay a high price whenever it starts a ground invasion in besieged Gaza and said that his group based in Lebanon is already "in the heart of the battle."

The comments by Hezbollah’s deputy leader, Sheikh Naim Kassem, came as Israel shelled and made drone strikes in southern Lebanon, and Hezbollah fired rockets and missiles toward Israel.

For Hezbollah, heating up the Lebanon-Israel border has a clear purpose, Kassem said: "We are trying to weaken the Israeli enemy and let them know that we are ready."

Hamas officials have said that if Israel starts a ground invasion in Gaza, Hezbollah will join the fighting.

Hezbollah earlier said that it dealt the Israeli army "confirmed casualties" in a cross-border attack on two military barracks.

Hezbollah said in separate statements that its members launched guided missiles at a Humvee vehicle belonging to the occupation forces in the vicinity of the Dovif barracks, resulting in casualties among its crew, including killed and injured.

"As an Israeli tank advanced towards the targeted site, the [Hezbollah] fighters targeted it with guided missiles," it added.

In another statement, the group noted that its members targeted an Israeli infantry unit "in the occupied Hunin barracks [Rameem]," and confirmed that there were casualties on the Israeli side.

2102 GMT — 130 babies at mortal risk in Gaza's hospitals

Israel's refusal to allow fuel to enter besieged Gaza is threatening the lives of 130 premature babies in the besieged enclave's hospitals, local authorities said.

In a statement, Gaza's Health Ministry said, "130 premature babies in Gaza are at risk of death due to the insistence of the Israeli occupation to prevent the delivery of fuel necessary to run hospital generators."

Pointing to the lack of fuel, the ministry underlined the difficulties in running generators in the region, which has been under two weeks of intense Israeli bombardment and blockade.

Israeli Army Spokesperson Avichay Adraee announced in a statement that fuel will not be allowed to enter Gaza.

"If fuel is not urgently delivered to hospitals in Gaza, it will pose a serious danger to the injured and patients," the Gazan Health Ministry had previously warned.

At least 4,385 Palestinians, including 1,756 children, have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza, while the figure stands at more than 1,400 people in Israel.

2009 GMT — Israel destroyed 31 mosques: Gaza

Israeli strikes have destroyed 31 mosques since October 7, Gaza's Religious Endowments Ministry has said.

The ministry said dozens of mosques were also severely damaged by Israeli air strikes in most areas of the enclave.

It said Israeli warplanes also destroyed the ministry's headquarters, the ministry's Quran radio station and a church.

And it urged "the Islamic and international organisations to urgently intervene to take practical steps to stop the aggression on Gaza, and to hold Israel accountable for its criminal practices against civilians, mosques and churches."

2200 GMT — Hamas says Israel rejected offer to release two detainees

Hamas' armed wing said it wanted to release two Israeli captives without any conditions, but Israel "refused to receive them."

"We informed our Qatari brothers last night that we would release Norit Yitzhak and Yochefed Levitchitz for compelling humanitarian reasons, and we asked nothing in return," Al Qassam Brigades spokesman Abu Obaida said in a statement.

"However, the Israeli occupation government refused to receive them both," he said.

Israeli prime minister's office said, "We will not relate to mendacious propaganda by Hamas."

Following the Israeli response, Abu Obaida issued a separate statement confirming that his group is ready to release the two captives "tomorrow, via the same procedures by which the two American detainees were released yesterday."

The development comes one day after the Al-Qassam Brigades announced the release of two American captives "for humanitarian reasons" in response to Qatari mediatory efforts.

For our live updates from Saturday (October 21), click here.