This was CNBC's live blog tracking developments in the Israel-Hamas war. Click here for the latest Israel news and updates on Gaza.
Watch NBC6 free wherever you are
WATCH HERE
The Gaza Strip's health services have entered a "critical stage," Palestinian health authorities say. In its daily update, the Israeli Defense Forces said 2,600 "terrorist targets" inside the Gaza Strip have been struck, including the Islamic University, which Hamas militants are said to be using as a training camp.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader Benny Gantz have agreed to form an emergency government, seeking to shore up security decision-making as the conflict with Hamas persists.
Get local news you need to know to start your day with NBC 6's News Headlines newsletter.
SIGN UP
The Gaza Strip's single operational power plant has now run out of fuel amid an ongoing "complete siege" by Israel, which is no longer sending its own supplies to the region and its more than two million inhabitants.
The death toll is rising in Israel and the Gaza Strip, as missiles rain down and hostilities rage for a fifth day Wednesday.
Israeli military said it is amassing troops near the Gaza Strip as part of its response following a brutal multipronged attack from Palestinian militant group Hamas over the weekend.
Money Report
The U.S., whose State Secretary Antony Blinken is due to arrive in Israel on Thursday, is discussing a possible humanitarian corridor from the Gaza Strip with Egypt, amid U.N. concerns over damage against civilians. The Hamas terrorist offensive of Saturday also targeted civilian sites, including a music festival.
Rippling into the financial sphere, the Israeli crisis could affect the oil markets, a top Russian official warned. Crude prices are typically sensitive to political turbulence in the Middle East, where much of the world's oil production is based.
As a result of the ongoing Israeli-Hamas war, at least 1,200 Israelis have been killed, with more than 2,700 injured, while roughly 950 people in Gaza have been killed, with 5,000 injured.
Medical services in Gaza enter 'critical stage,' Palestinian health ministry says
Health services in the Gaza Strip are at a "critical stage," the Palestinian health ministry said in a Facebook post.
"Medicines, medical consumption and fuel are running out" and hospitals are fully occupied, with wounded patients "on the ground due to the intensification of Israeli aggression," a spokesman said.
"Urgent action must be taken to provide a safe corridor for medical supplies and the wounded and patients should leave before it is too late," the ministry warned.
Egypt is reportedly in talks with the U.S. to provide aid to Palestinians through the Egyptian border with Gaza, Reuters reported quoting Egyptian security sources, adding that moves to set up a safe passageway for fleeing refugees of the Palestinian enclave have been rejected.
— Joanna Tan
IDF claims to have struck 2,600 'terrorist targets' in Gaza, including the Islamic University
The Israel Defense Forces said late Wednesday they have struck 2,600 "terrorist targets" in the Gaza Strip deemed as belonging to Hamas and the Islamic Jihad even as 169 Israeli soldiers have died in battle.
Among the more prominent targets its fighter jets have hit in Gaza: the Islamic University, which the IDF said Hamas militants used as a training camp for military intelligence operatives, as well as for the development and production of weapons.
The IDF said it will continue to prioritize the targeting of senior Hamas leaders in Gaza, following the strikes on Hamas' minister of economy and the head of its internal relations office on Tuesday, according to its daily update.
The IDF said it has confirmed the identities of 60 Israelis among the dozens of hostages currently being held in Gaza.
— Clement Tan
Biden tells Iranians: 'Be careful'
President Joe Biden said his administration warned Iran to be careful after Hamas' attacks on Israel.
After listing aid the U.S. is sending to Israel, Biden "made it clear to the Iranians: Be careful."
The president made the remarks at a roundtable of Jewish leaders at the White House on Wednesday afternoon.
Sources tell NBC News that U.S. intelligence shows Iranian leaders were surprised by Hamas' attack on Israel, but White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Tuesday that Iran was "complicit" in the attack because it has backed Hamas for decades.
Biden called the attack by Hamas "pure cruelty."
"I would argue it's the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust," Biden said.
— Emma Kinery
U.S. State Department asks travelers to 'reconsider travel' to Israel and West Bank
The U.S. State Department has raised the advisory level for travel to Israel and the West Bank to Level 3, asking American citizens to "reconsider travel due to terrorism and civil unrest."
"Terrorist groups, lone-actor terrorists and other violent extremists continue plotting possible attacks in Israel and the West Bank and Gaza," the advisory said. "Terrorists and violent extremists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, and local government facilities."
The U.S. State Department's travel advisory for Gaza remains at Level 4 - "do not travel due to terrorism, civil unrest, and armed conflict."
At least 1,200 Israelis have been killed, with more than 2,700 injured, while roughly 950 people in Gaza have been killed, with 5,000 injured in the Israel-Hamas war.
— Riya Bhattacharjee
Defense stocks rise broadly amid Israel-Hamas conflict
Defense stocks have risen broadly this week as the Israel-Hamas war continues. The iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) is up 5.8% week to date through Wednesday's close. That puts it on track for its best weekly performance since October 2022.
Kratos Defense and Northrop Grumman have led the gains this week, rising more than 10% each. All but one stock in the exchange-traded fund is higher for the week.
— Fred Imbert
U.S. intelligence: Iran surprised by Hamas attack
U.S. intelligence shows Iranian leaders were surprised by Hamas' attack on Israel, two sources tell NBC News.
White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Tuesday that Iran was "complicit" in the attack because it has backed Hamas for decades, but he noted there was no evidence at this time that Iran was involved in planning the attack.
— Emma Kinery
Europe gives Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg 24 hours to respond to misinformation on Israel-Hamas conflict on social media platforms
European regulator Thierry Breton shared a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg urging the billionaire to be "vigilant" about removing disinformation on his company's platforms amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
Breton, European commissioner for the internal market, said the European Union has seen an increase in illegal content and disinformation on "certain platforms" following militant organization Hamas' attack on Israel. Meta owns Instagram and Facebook, as well as Threads, the company's competitor for X, formerly known as Twitter.
Under the EU's newly enacted Digital Services Act, Meta is responsible for monitoring and removing illegal content such as terrorist content or illegal hate speech. Failure to comply with the European regulations around illegal content could result in fines worth 6% of a company's annual revenue.
Read the full story here.
— Ashley Capoot
'We don't want to see this conflict widen or expand,' White House says
White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby declined to discuss future military operations in Israel and reiterated that the recent deployment of the USS Gerald Ford Carrier Strike Group closer to the region is to serve as a deterrent for additional aggression.
"We moved that carrier strike group to the eastern Mediterranean primarily as a deterrent to make, to send a strong signal," Kirby told MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell during an interview.
Kirby said the Biden administration does not "want to see any actor, any group, any organization, any nation state try to take advantage of the situation, Israel and try to perpetuate their hostility on Israel by opening up or widening this conflict."
"We don't want to see this conflict widen or expand. We certainly don't believe it's in the Israeli Defense Force interest for there to be a second front now that they're going to have to fight and defend against as they're trying to prosecute a conflict against or prosecute operations against Hamas," he added.
— Amanda Macias
Blinken says he will meet with Netanyahu while in Israel
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli President Isaac Herzog and other senior officials.
"I look forward to seeing our embassy teams as well that's been doing terrific work during these difficult days," Blinken told reporters before boarding a plane from Joint Base Andrews.
Blinken added that while in Israel, he will reiterate Biden's warning that no country or any party try to take advantage of the situation.
"The President deployed as you know, the world's largest aircraft carrier group, to the region to make very clear our intent to deter anyone contemplating any further aggression against Israel," Blinken added.
— Amanda Macias
Israeli soldiers secure Kibbutz Be'eri after deadly Hamas terrorist attacks
EDITOR'S NOTE: Graphic content: This post contains images of death from Kibbutz Be'eri attacks.
Israeli soldiers regain control of the Kibbutz Be'eri after Hamas attack.
— Getty Images / Reuters
Death toll of Americans caught in Israel-Hamas conflict may go up, Biden administration warns
Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned that the death toll of Americans from the Israel-Hamas conflict could go up as violence escalates in the region.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said during a press briefing that at least 22 U.S. citizens have died in the war and at least 17 Americans are unaccounted for. The White House also said the number of American hostages held by Hamas is "less than a handful."
— Amanda Macias
At least 22 U.S. citizens confirmed dead in Israel-Hamas conflict, State Department says
The State Department confirmed to NBC News that at least 22 American citizens have died in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
"We extend our deepest condolences to the victims and to the families of all those affected," a State Department spokesperson added.
— Amanda Macias
Biden calls Hamas attacks 'beyond the pale' in White House address
President Joe Biden, speaking ahead of a scheduled address on junk fees, condemned the attacks by militant organization Hamas as "beyond the pale."
"This attack has brought to the surface the painful memories and scars left by a millennia of antisemitism and genocide against the Jewish people," Biden said from the White House Rose Garden. "In this moment, we have to be crystal clear: There is no justification for terrorism, no excuse. And the type of terrorism that was exhibited here was just beyond the pale, beyond the pale."
Biden said he and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday morning and the White House "continue[s] to monitor the situation in Israel very closely."
"The United States has Israel's back and we're going to be working on this all day and beyond."
— Emma Kinery
British Airways suspends Israel service, Virgin Atlantic cuts flights
British Airways has suspended its service to and from Tel Aviv, the latest airline to halt Israel service as the war escalates.
"Safety is always our highest priority and following the latest assessment of the situation we're suspending our flights to and from Tel Aviv," British Airways said in a statement.
Virgin Atlantic has canceled some of its flights but is still operating service to Tel Aviv from London.
American Airlines said Tuesday that it won't fly its only nonstop flight to Tel Aviv from the U.S. until at least Dec. 5. Meanwhile, Delta Air Lines has suspended its nonstops to Israel through at least the end of October. United Airlines' Israel flights are suspended indefinitely.
El Al is still flying between the U.S. and Israel, as well as other destinations.
— Leslie Josephs
Biden and Netanyahu hold fourth call since Hamas attacks
President Joe Biden spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a senior administration official confirmed to NBC News.
The call marks the fourth time the two leaders have spoken since militant organization Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel over the weekend.
— Amanda Macias
Israel opposition leader Benny Gantz speaks to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Schumer
Israel's opposition leader Benny Gantz said Wednesday in a social media post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that he spoke to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
"I conveyed my deep appreciation for his unrelenting support for Israel and his commitment to Israel's security," Gantz wrote on X.
"I conveyed plainly, this is Israel's 9/11," he added.
— Amanda Macias
Israel to form emergency government for war against Hamas
Israel will form an emergency government amid the war against Hamas, seeking to shore up security decision-making as the conflict with the Palestinian militant group persists.
Opposition leader and former head of the army Benny Gantz will join Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's war cabinet alongside Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Israeli media reported.
— Sam Meredith
How to donate to help victims of the Israel-Gaza crisis
People looking to help those affected by the Israel-Gaza crisis may consider donating to charities already working on the ground there.
To that end, the Federal Trade Commission recommends searching the internet for the name of any charity you're considering donating to along with the words "complaint," "review," "rating," "fraud" and "scam."
Laurie Styron, CEO and executive director of CharityWatch, said her organization looks for charities that already have a presence in the affected region and a history of helping people there.
"If it's not an organization with a clear plan, your donation could just sit there," Styron said.
The folks at CharityWatch have put together a list of top-rated charities providing aid during the Israel-Gaza crisis. The list includes Doctors Without Borders, which has had medical programs in Gaza for more than 20 years, Styron said. "So they're going to be able to mobilize quickly."
Another charity on its list is the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, which is currently providing a wide range of emergency services to victims in Israel.
— Annie Nova
Israelis continue to pound Gaza with airstrikes and artillery
Israeli airstrikes continue to pound Gaza. Israel declared war on Hamas following a shock land, air and sea assault by the Palestinian militant group.
— Getty Images
Brazil's Lula calls for urgent ceasefire and international humanitarian intervention in Israel-Hamas war
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva called for Palestinian militant group Hamas to release children captured during its surprise assault on Israel and urged Israel to stop a barrage of attacks on the enclosed territory of Gaza.
"Hamas must release Israeli children who have been kidnapped from their families. Israel must cease bombing so that Palestinian children and their mothers can leave the Gaza Strip across the border with Egypt. There needs to be a minimum of humanity in the insanity of war," Lula said Wednesday via X, formerly known as Twitter, in a Google-translated post.
"An international humanitarian intervention is urgently needed. A ceasefire is urgently needed in defense of Israeli and Palestinian children," he added.
Brazil currently holds the presidency of the United Nations Security Council.
— Sam Meredith
Israel thanks U.S. after first plane of ammunition and military supplies arrives
Israel's Foreign Minister Eli Cohen shared a picture on X, formerly known as Twitter, of a billboard by a road that depicted U.S. President Joe Biden alongside the message, "thank you, Mr. President."
It comes shortly after the first plane carrying U.S. armaments arrived at an air base in southern Israel. The weapons are aimed at facilitating Israel's military operations as the country continues to respond to the surprise attack from Hamas militants over the weekend.
Biden had previously pledged to provide "surging additional military assistance, including ammunition, and interceptors."
"We are going to make sure that Israel does not run out of these critical assets to defend its cities and its citizens," Biden said.
— Sam Meredith
Turkey's Erdogan criticizes killing of civilians in Israel-Hamas conflict
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized the killing of civilians in the Israeli-Hamas conflict, separately accusing Israel of a "disproportionate" response in the Gaza Strip.
"We openly oppose the killing of civilians on Israeli territory," he said in a Google-translated speech distributed on the X social media platform, previously known as Twitter, referencing the terrorist attacks of Palestinian group Hamas against Israel over the weekend.
"Likewise, we never accept the indiscriminate massacre of innocents in Gaza by being subjected to constant bombardment," he added, condemning Israel's total siege of the Gaza Strip, which cuts off its supplies of water, fuel, electricity and food to the premises.
Erdogan, whose relations with Israel have been thawing after years of animosity, said Sunday that his country would ramp up diplomatic attempts to end clashes between Israeli and Palestinian forces, Reuters reports.
— Ruxandra Iordache
Gaza's sole power plant runs out of fuel
The Gaza Ministry of Energy said the strip's sole power plant has now run out of fuel, threatening the access to electricity for the two million inhabitants of the region.
Earlier Wednesday, the diesel-run plant was said to have sufficient fuel supplies to stay online for another 10 to 12 hours. The facility has a nominal capacity to generate up to 140 megawatts.
Israel has launched a total siege of the Gaza Strip, disrupting access to supplies of fuel, electricity, water and food to the area.
— Ruxandra Iordache
Shuttered Israeli schools to switch to remote classes
Israeli schools will switch to remote learning starting Sunday, Israel's Education Ministry said, according to Reuters.
The studies will put emphasis on ways to "strengthen resilience, and on educational content appropriate for the situation," the ministry said.
Israeli schools were already closed, with some universities set to delay the start of the new term, following the Saturday terrorist attack of Palestinian militant group Hamas.
— Ruxandra Iordache
U.K. foreign minister arrives in Israel
U.K. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly arrived in Israel on Wednesday to meet with Israeli leadership, the British Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office confirmed in an emailed statement.
Cleverly will "demonstrate the UK's unwavering solidarity with the Israeli people following Hamas' terrorist attacks. He will be meeting survivors of the attacks and senior Israeli leaders to outline UK support for Israel's right to defend itself," a spokesperson said.
Britain has previously expressed solidarity with Israel, following the terrorist offensive of Palestinian militant group Hamas over the weekend. About 17 U.K. nationals are feared dead or missing in the attack, British public broadcaster BBC reported.
— Ruxandra Iordache
9 U.N. staff members dead in airstrikes
Nine United Nations staff members have been killed in airstrikes in the Gaza Strip since the Saturday terrorist attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas, the U.N. Agency for Palestine Refugees said Wednesday in a post on the social media platform X, previously known as Twitter.
"The protection of civilians is paramount, including in times of conflict. They should be protected in accordance with the laws of war," said Juliette Touma, UNRWA director of communications.
On Tuesday, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk condemned attacks on civilians in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, noting Israeli air operations had struck the premises of the UNRWA, resulting in civilian casualties.
— Ruxandra Iordache
Ukraine's Zelenskyy urges support for victims of Israel terror attacks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged the international community to support the people who were harmed during the Saturday terrorist offensive of Palestinian militant group Hamas against Israel.
The Ukrainian premier spoke at a press briefing during his first visit to the Brussels headquarters of the NATO military alliance since Russia's full-scale invasion of Kyiv. He is attending to request defense aid and weapons to tide another challenging wartime winter.
"We are in war, so we understand what does it mean, such terroristic attacks," he said Wednesday. Zelenskyy has previously called for international solidarity with Israel, following the attacks. The NATO coalition has likewise condemned the Hamas assault.
The Kremlin has meanwhile placed blame on a failure of U.S. foreign policy for the latest spate of hostilities in the Middle East, Reuters reports.
"I remember the first days of our full-scale war. It began from terroristic attacks from Belarus, by missile, then Russian army. And, you know, that was the biggest tragedy that we had. So many dying people and so many deaths, and so ... it was very important not to be alone," Zelenskyy said Wednesday.
"My recommendation to the leaders [is] to go to Israel. And I think to support people. Just people. I'm not speaking about any institutions. Just to support people who have been under terroristic attacks," he stressed, adding, "Unity is more important than to be alone."
— Ruxandra Iordache
Russia warns that 'hot war' in Israel is 'potentially very dangerous'
The Kremlin warned Wednesday that the Israel-Hamas conflict has the hallmarks of a "hot war" right now and could potentially be "very dangerous," especially on a humanitarian level.
"The situation is alarming, it is potentially very dangerous, dangerous with consequences, [including] of a humanitarian nature,” Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov told reporters Wednesday, news agency TASS reported.
As Peskov noted, “after it is possible to bring [the conflict] out of the hot war phase, the period of searching for ways of a peaceful settlement will already begin," he said.
“It is too early to talk about [Russia’s] role in the actual settlement, because the conflict is at the stage of a hot war," he said.
Russia's reaction to the outbreak of violence in Israel and Gaza is being closely watched, given that it occupies a strange and somewhat unique position in Middle Eastern geopolitics, being allies with both Israel and Iran, which traditionally backs Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that attacked Israel last weekend.
The group, designated a terrorist organization by the U.S., U.K. and EU, launched one of the deadliest attacks Saturday, prompting Israel to declare a state of war against the group. Israel has since launched relentless airstrikes on Gaza and its troops are massing at the border.
Peskov appeared to criticize both Hamas and Israel, saying "we need to stop terrorist attacks. We need to stop the disproportionate use of force. We need to ensure the minimum needs of the population in Gaza," the Kremlin spokesman said.
"The fact is that now this area is completely closed ... [There is] a shortage of medicines, a shortage of beds in hospitals, a shortage of hospitals themselves. Which is now leading to very serious humanitarian problems."
Russia's concerns for the humanitarian situation in Israel come 19 months into its own invasion of its neighbor Ukraine, a conflict which has thousands of soldiers and civilians die and millions of people displaced. Russia says it does not target civilians despite numerous instances of civilian infrastructure being targeted and destroyed.
— Holly Ellyatt
Israel likely to launch a ground offensive into Gaza, former U.S. ambassador says
Israel is likely to press ahead with a ground incursion into the Gaza Strip, former U.S ambassador William Roebuck told CNBC's Dan Murphy on Wednesday.
"I do think a large-scale ground assault is expected soon. Israel has already undergone a 300,000-person mobilization, one of the largest in their history. Pretty clear that they're massing forces on the border, massing equipment."
In an overnight video update, a spokesperson for the Israeli Defense Forces acknowledged that Israel is amassing personnel and artillery on the Gaza border to carry out a government-assigned mission to "make sure that Hamas, at the end of this war, won't have military capabilities by which they can threaten or kill Israeli civilians."
At the time, the spokesperson did not confirm a ground incursion would take place.
"I suspect what they're going to do or try to do is decapitate the leadership, destroy Hamas' command in control and their ability to operate as a paramilitary terrorist force. But they've tried this before, it will be a challenge to do this," Roebuck said, noting that the Israeli hostages abducted by Hamas during its Saturday terrorist attack would give the Palestinian militant group a "powerful bargaining chip."
— Ruxandra Iordache
Satellite images show the scale of Gaza destruction
Satellite images from U.S. space technology firm Maxar Technologies show the scale of the destruction in and around the enclosed territory of Gaza, following a recent barrage of Israeli airstrikes.
The images, all published on Tuesday, show the aftermath of Israel's response to a coordinated assault from Palestinian militant group Hamas.
— Sam Meredith
Palestinian offensive represents an 'act of despair,' former Jordan FM says
The latest hostilities carried out by Palestinian militant group Hamas against Israel have their root in the growing hopelessness of the Palestinian people to form their state, Marwan Muasher, former foreign minister of Jordan, told CNBC's Dan Murphy.
"Gaza has been under, basically, a siege by Israel for the last 20 years. It's been a big prison. There is no political horizon to give the Palestinians hope that the occupation will end, and the Palestinian state will be established," he said. "When people are locked down for that long, they are going to react."
He stressed that the offensives represent "not an act to necessarily end occupation, it is an act by people who have despaired of any hope to establish their own state."
Notably, Hamas rejects a two-state solution that would create a separate state for the Palestinian people in the West Bank.
Palestinian statehood also remains internationally disputed, with the U.S. among nations that does not recognize the Palestinian state. Palestine was granted non-member observer state status in the United Nations in November 2012.
— Ruxandra Iordache
The sole power plant of Gaza to reportedly run out of fuel within the day
The only operational power plant of the Gaza Strip will run out of fuel in 10 to 12 hours, Reuters reports, citing Palestinian Energy Authority Chairman Thafer Melhem speaking early Wednesday morning to the Voice of Palestine radio broadcaster.
The plant runs on diesel fuel and has a nominal capacity to generate up to 140 megawatts.
Israel disrupted its own electricity, fuel, water and food supply deliveries to the Gaza Strip on Monday, as part of a "complete siege" on the area in response for the Hamas attacks of Saturday.
— Ruxandra Iordache
Seventeen UK nationals feared dead or missing in Israel-Hamas conflict
Seventeen U.K. nationals, including children, are feared dead or missing following the Saturday terrorist attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas against Israel, British public broadcaster BBC said Wednesday.
The news agency cited an anonymous official U.K. source. CNBC has not independently verified the report.
Roughly 1,200 Israelis have died since the weekend start of the conflict, with at least another 973 killed in the Gaza Strip and West Bank.
— Ruxandra Iordache
Hezbollah and Israel exchange shelling
Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has claimed a missile attack against an Israeli position at the border with Lebanon, prompting retaliatory shelling from Israel.
Hezbollah said its offensive was a "decisive" response for the "aggression which killed 3 Hezbollah fighters," according to the Hezbollah-affiliated al-Manar media outlet.
The militant group said it is "firm in retaliating Israeli attacks on Lebanon, especially when martyrs fall in such attacks."
Earlier on Wednesday, the Israeli Defense Force reported that "a launch of an anti-tank missile from Lebanon towards a military post adjacent to the community of Al-Aramshe on the Lebanese border was identified" in a Telegram social media post. The Israeli military updated that it is "currently striking in Lebanese territory" as a result, without disclosing the specific region targeted.
Lebanon and Israel have repeatedly exchanged fire since the attacks carried out by Palestinian militant group Hamas on Saturday, which rekindled tensions in the Middle East.
— Ruxandra Iordache
Pope Francis calls for Hamas to release hostages, expresses concern about Israel’s siege
Pope Francis on Wednesday urged the Palestinian militant group Hamas to immediately release all hostages captured during the weekend's unprecedented assault, and said he was worried about Israel's "complete siege" on the Gaza Strip.
Israel on Monday imposed a siege on the Gaza Strip, seeking to cut off electricity, food, water and fuel to the already blockaded population of approximately 2.3 million people. The move follows a surprise terrorist attack from Hamas on southern Israel on Saturday, sparking chaos in the region.
"I pray for those families who have seen a day of celebration turned into a day of mourning and ask for the immediate release of the hostages," the pope said during his weekly audience, according to Vatican News.
"It is the right of those who are attacked to defend themselves," the pope said, but expressed concern about the "total siege facing the Palestinians in Gaza, where there have also been many innocent victims."
The pope added, "The Middle East does not need war but peace, a peace built on justice, dialogue, and the courage of fraternity."
— Sam Meredith
Israel is amassing soldiers at Gaza border, military spokesperson says
Israel is amassing troops at the border to the Gaza Strip in preparation for a potential ground incursion against Palestinian militant group Hamas, an Israeli military spokesperson said.
"What we're also doing in these areas close to the Gaza Strip is that we have deployed, actually, we have sent our infantry, armored soldiers, our artillery, core, and many other soldiers, from the reserves, 300,000 in numbers, in different brigades and divisions, and they are now close to the Gaza Strip, getting ready to execute the mission that they have been given, that we have been given by the Israeli government," Israeli Defense Force spokesperson Jonathan Conricus said in a video update distributed overnight on the X social media platform, previously known as Twitter.
"And that is to make sure that Hamas, at the end of this war, won't have military capabilities by which they can threaten or kill Israeli civilians. That is our military aim," he added.
Israel has called upon 300,000 reservists for its armed response to terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas over the weekend, further transporting back soldiers who were posted abroad to be drafted into the offensive. In the Gaza Strip, it has launched a "complete siege," disrupting fuel, water, electricity and food provisions.
— Ruxandra Iordache
Death toll rises to at least 1,200 killed in Israel, 900 in Gaza Strip
At least 1,200 Israelis have been killed, with more than 2,700 others wounded since the start of the Israeli-Hamas conflict, a spokesperson for the Israeli Defense Forces said in a video briefing.
Roughly 900 people were killed in the Gaza Strip, with another 19 dead in the West Bank over the same period, according to the respective Health ministries of the two regions.
The numbers are expected to increase in the wake of a surprise multi-pronged terrorist attack dealt by Palestinian militant group Hamas to Israel, and Israel's armed response since.
— Ruxandra Iordache
U.S. in talks with Egypt over Gaza Strip humanitarian corridor
The U.S. has signaled efforts to broker a humanitarian corridor with Egypt for civilians stranded amid crossfire in the besieged Gaza Strip.
Asked on where Gaza Strip civilians may take refuge during a Tuesday press briefing, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said, "This is something also we have been discussing with our counterparts in Israel and with our counterparts in Egypt. And without getting into the specific of safe passage for civilians and so forth, I will say it is something that the U.S. government sees ... in supporting how we do that operationally. But the details of that are something that are being discussed."
He declined to supply further details, but stressed that "there are consultations ongoing."
In a Google-translated Tuesday post on the X social media platform, previously known as Twitter, a spokesperson for the Egyptian ministry of foreign affairs had said that "Egypt is working every effort to contain the escalation, calm the situation, and facilitate the arrival of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip."
Israel on Monday declared a "complete siege" of the Gaza Strip in retaliation for the Hamas attacks over the weekend, cutting off water, fuel, electricity and food supplies to the region and its roughly 2 million inhabitants.
— Ruxandra Iordache
Israel conflict could affect oil markets, Russian official says
The current war between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas could affect oil markets, according to Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak.
Novak represents Moscow in discussions and policy-setting carried out by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, collectively known as OPEC+.
On Wednesday, he will meet with Saudi Energy Minister and de facto OPEC leader Abdulaziz bin Salman to consult on the crude market, Reuters reported.
"Of course, we are discussing these issues. Any such events in the world can in one way or another affect the situation with the consumption of energy resources in one direction or another," Novak said Wednesday, in Google-translated comments carried by Russia's state news outlet Tass.
Russia and Saudi Arabia are the largest OPEC+ producers and typically set the tone of the alliance's output strategy and of voluntary production moves carried out by some members.
Crude prices have been bolstered by instability in the Middle East. Over the weekend, a terrorist attack delivered by Hamas struck Israel on nearly the 50th anniversary of the Arab-Israel war of 1973, which rattled oil markets through an Arab oil embargo against the U.S.
— Ruxandra Iordache
At least 1,000 Gaza infiltrators dead since weekend, Israeli military says
Israeli forces killed 1,000 infiltrators from the Gaza Strip since the terrorist attacks of Palestinian militant group Hamas, a military spokesperson said, according to Israeli public broadcaster Kan.
"We counted 1,000 bodies of terrorists, there are hundreds more on the fence - this indicates the scale of the attack, they planned not an attack and retreat but an occupation. In the last day, there were encounters with 18 terrorists in the Gaza Strip and Ashkelon," the unnamed spokesperson said, in Google-translated comments.
Israel said it gained control of the border with Gaza on Tuesday.
In the same Kan report, the spokesperson added that Israel carried out attacks on more than 200 targets in the Gaza Strip at sites it believes were Hamas headquarters.
CNBC could not independently verify developments on the ground.
— Ruxandra Iordache
First plane carrying U.S. military supplies arrives in Israel
The first plane carrying U.S. ammunition and military supplies has landed at an air base in southern Israel, the Israeli Defense Force said.
The weapons are aimed at facilitating Israel's military operations and boosting its preparedness as the nation defends itself against Hamas militants that infiltrated Israel on Saturday.
"We are grateful for the U.S. backing and assistance to the IDF," the force said. "Our common enemies know that the cooperation between our militaries is stronger than ever, and is a key part in ensuring regional security and stability."
U.S. President Joe Biden has pledged to provide "surging additional military assistance, including ammunition, and interceptors to replenish Iron Dome" to the Jewish state.
"We are going to make sure that Israel does not run out of these critical assets to defend its cities and its citizens," Biden said.
— Joanna Tan
Hamas slams Biden's ‘sheer evil’ label, saying it's 'double standards'
Hamas has condemned Biden's comments calling the militant group's attacks on Israel were "sheer evil."
The group accused Biden of "double standards" for excusing Israel's occupation and regular raids on one of Islam's most sacred sites at Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem on the West Bank.
After avoiding military operations against Israel since 2021, Hamas on Saturday infiltrated the Jewish state after launching a surprise assault by air, sea and land on parts of southern Israel that border the Gaza Strip.
The dawn attacks — which occurred over the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah and came 50 years after the outbreak of the 1973 Arab-Israeli war — killed hundreds and wounded thousands in Israel. It spurred retaliatory strikes from Israel that have killed hundreds of civilians in the Gaza Strip so far.
— Clement Tan
Correction: This post has been updated to reflect that Hamas attacked Israel on Saturday. An earlier version misstated the day.
Biden confirms Americans are being held hostage, calls Hamas attack 'sheer evil'
President Joe Biden confirmed in a speech Tuesday afternoon at least 14 Americans have been killed in Israel.
Biden confirmed for the first time that Americans are among the people being held hostage by Hamas.
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters after Biden's speech that the government believes there are around 20 or more Americans missing but noted that it didn't mean all 20 were taken hostage.
"We do not know the number of hostages we have at this time," Sullivan said.
— Emma Kinery
Read CNBC's previous live coverage here
First U.S. weapons arrive in Israel, Biden calls Hamas attack 'sheer evil.'
