By — Associated Press Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/live-updates-whats-happening-in-the-israel-hamas-war-as-israeli-forces-continue-raids-into-gaza Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Live updates: What’s happening in the Israel-Hamas war as Israeli forces continue raids into Gaza World Updated on Oct 27, 2023 9:17 PM EDT — Published on Oct 27, 2023 10:04 AM EDT Israeli forces conducted another ground raid in Gaza in advance of an expected invasion of the Hamas-ruled territory. U.S. warplanes, meanwhile, struck targets in eastern Syria after attacks on U.S. forces by Iran-backed fighters, adding to regional tensions fueled by the 3-week-old Gaza war. The Palestinian death toll passed 7,000 as Israel launched waves of airstrikes in response to the bloody Hamas rampage in southern Israel on Oct. 7. The Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza, which tracks the toll, released a detailed list, including names and ID numbers on Thursday. In the occupied West Bank, more than 110 Palestinians have been killed in violence and Israeli raids since Oct. 7. WATCH: UN official warns ‘hell is settling in’ as it struggles with Gaza humanitarian crisis More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, mostly civilians slain during the initial Hamas attack. In addition, 229 people — including foreigners, children and older adults — were taken by Hamas during the incursion and remain in captivity in Gaza. Four hostages were released earlier. Here’s what’s happening in the Israel-Hamas war. 8:09 p.m. EDT Explosions shatter the night sky over Gaza as Israel expands bombing GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip – The dull orange glow of Israeli flares shone in the night sky over Gaza, slowly descending through the haze to illuminate targets for warplanes before eventually flickering out, plunging the scene back into darkness. Multiple explosions from Israeli airstrikes tore into northern Gaza on Friday, quick flashes of bright orange silhouetted against the rooftops of Palestinian apartments and refugee camps. The sharp crunching sound of the bombs followed each time, seconds later, one after another. WATCH: Israel intensifies bombing and ground operations, sending Gaza into internet blackout Overhead, the buzz of Israeli military drones cut through, growing quieter and louder as the crafts circled the airspace overhead. For most Palestinians trapped in the Gaza Strip, their world has shrunk to these few sounds and colors. Israel dramatically ramped up its bombardment Friday after knocking out internet and communication in Gaza, largely cutting off the tiny besieged enclave’s 2.3 million people from contact with each other and the outside world. UN general assembly calls for ‘humanitarian truce’ in Gaza leading to halt in Israel-Hamas fighting UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. General Assembly approved a nonbinding resolution on Friday calling for a “humanitarian truce” in Gaza leading to a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Gaza’s Hamas rulers. It was the first U.N. response to Hamas’ surprise Oct. 7 attacks on Israel and Israel’s ongoing military response and vow to obliterate Hamas. The 193-member world body adopted the resolution by a vote of 120-14 with 45 abstentions after rejecting a Canadian amendment backed by the United States to unequivocally condemn the “terrorist attacks” by Hamas and demand the immediate release of hostages taken by the militant group. Gaza’s largest hospital struggles to keep its neonatal units running as Israel tightens siege GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip – Premature babies wiggle and squirm, some with oxygen tubes under their noses, in rows of clear plastic incubators inside the neonatal unit of Gaza’s largest hospital, which, like the rest of the besieged Palestinian territory, is running out of fuel, food, water and electricity. Doctors in Gaza say conditions have reached catastrophic levels. They say a lack of basic supplies has left them struggling to maintain hygiene and sanitation, and hospital grounds are overcrowded with displaced civilians seeking refuge from Israeli airstrikes. “We have noticed an increase in premature birth cases,” said Dr. Nasser Bulbul, head of the NICU at al-Shifa Hospital. READ MORE: Dozens of premature babies at risk of death as fuel supplies dwindle in Gaza, doctors say “We had to perform a premature delivery of the fetus from the mother’s womb while she’s dying,” he said. “Many of these infants are orphaned, and we don’t know the fate of their relatives or have information about their identities.” Around 50,000 pregnant women are caught up in the conflict, with around 5,500 due to give birth within the next 30 days, according to the United Nations Population Fund. If fuel supplies run out, neonatal intensive care units will be impacted and planned or emergency caesarean sections will be impossible, the U.N. agency said. Press group says the past 3 weeks have been deadliest period for journalists covering conflict NEW YORK — The Committee to Protect Journalists says the past three weeks have been the deadliest on record for journalists covering conflict since the organization started tracking in 1992. The organization said in a statement Friday that at least 29 journalists have died covering the Israel-Hamas war since it ignited Oct. 7, including 24 Palestinians, four Israelis and 1 Lebanese. Additionally, 8 other journalists were reported injured and 9 were reported missing or detained. CPJ also criticized the cutting of communications services in the Gaza Strip, warning that the blackout is also a “news blackout” that has compromised the public’s ability to “know and understand what is happening in this conflict.” “This can lead to serious consequences with an independent, factual information vacuum that can be filled with deadly propaganda, dis- and misinformation,” it said. The organization stressed that journalists are civilians that must be respected and protected in accordance with international humanitarian law, adding that “deliberating targeting journalists or media infrastructure constitutes possible war crimes.” 6:35 p.m. EDT ‘We’re not drawing red lines for Israel,’ White House official says WASHINGTON — White House National Security spokesman John Kirby repeatedly refused to comment on Israel saying its ground forces were expanding activity in Gaza and also refused to comment on what a satisfactory long-term objective might be for the fighting. “We’re not drawing red lines for Israel,” Kirby said Friday on a call with reporters. “We’re going to continue to support them” but “since the very beginning we have, and will continue to have, conversations about the manner that they are doing this.” Kirby said the U.S. is still evaluating the impact of airstrikes against Iranian-backed militias and “we will not hesitate to take further actions in our own self-defense.” He also said 10 additional trucks filled with humanitarian aid had made it to Gaza, bringing the total to 84, but that the U.S. is aware that fuel there “is only anticipated to last a couple of days.” The White House previously said President Joe Biden was briefed Friday morning by his national security team on the latest developments in Israel and Gaza. Aid groups say blackout is impeding staff communications and operations RAMALLAH, West Bank — Aid groups say the communications blackout in the Gaza Strip has not only left them unable to contact their staff, but has also impeded their operations in the territory. “It doesn’t only mean that Gaza is isolated from the world but also it means people can’t connect to each other. Our emergency line is down so people are literally not able to call an ambulance,” said Nebal Farsakh, a spokesperson for the Palestinian Red Crescent. “We are extremely worried because we are completely cut off from our teams.” The International Committee of the Red Cross also said it’s currently unable to reach its staff in Gaza. “We are deeply worried for their safety and the safety of all civilians where hostilities are taking place. Without access to information in a communication blackout, people don’t know where to go for safety,” the organization said in a statement. “Blackouts impede humanitarian and medical personnel from working safely and effectively.” Israeli army says ground forces will expand their activity in Gaza friday evening JERUSALEM — The Israeli military on Friday said its ground forces were “expanding their activity” in the Gaza Strip, as the army moved closer to a full-on ground invasion of the besieged territory. Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the army’s spokesman, said aerial attacks had been targeting Hamas tunnels and other targets. “In addition to the attacks that we carried out in recent days, ground forces are expanding their activity this evening,” he said. “The IDF is acting with great force … to achieve the objectives of the war.” READ MORE: Israel to begin ‘long’ ground war in Gaza soon, internet services collapse under relentless airstrikes Israel has amassed hundreds of thousands of troops along the border with Gaza ahead of an expected ground offensive against the Hamas militant group. Israel has been pounding Gaza with airstrikes since Hamas militants carried out a bloody cross-border incursion on Oct. 7. Pope Francis leads special prayers for countries and regions affected by war VATICAN CITY — Amid signs of escalating tensions in the Middle East, Pope Francis led special prayers Friday evening in St. Peter’s Basilica for a world “in a dark hour” and in “great danger” from what he described as the folly of war. In his remarks, delivered in the form of a prayer to the Virgin Mary, Francis didn’t mention by name the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which exploded into war after the Hamas attack against Israelis on Oct. 7. Instead, he said he was praying for “especially those countries and regions at war.” “Intercede for our world, in such turmoil and great danger,″ the pope prayed, in apparent reference to widespread anxiety that the Israeli-Hamas war could quickly develop into a wider, regional war in the Middle East. Palestinians gather to collect water from a truck at a United Nations-run school where displaced Palestinians shelter, as the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas continues, in central Gaza Strip October 27, 2023. REUTERS/Mohammed Fayq Abu Mostafa Palestinian telecom provider say internet service has been cut in Gaza Strip RAMALLAH, West Bank — The Palestinian telecom provider Paltel says internet service in Gaza Strip has been cut off by Israeli bombardment. Services were cut Friday evening, following a heavy round of Israeli airstrikes that lit up the night sky over the darkened territory. Rights groups and journalists also say they lost contact with colleagues in the enclave. The Associated Press’s attempts to contact people in Gaza did not go through. Airstrike in Deir al-Balah kills father and son who were praying in a mosque DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — A 14-year-old boy and his father were killed Friday when the roof of a mosque they were praying in collapsed during an Israeli airstrike in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, witnesses said. Several people were killed and an unknown number trapped when a bomb also destroyed a home and damaged the mosque next door. Bloodied survivors were rushed to a hospital. A girl wearing pink who was covered in dirt grimaced as doctors poured liquid on an open leg wound. Dozens of men gathered to view the blast zone where cars were crushed and buried up to their axles in dirt. Several homes appeared to be destroyed and the half-open remains of one house tilted precariously toward a crater full of rubble and metal scraps. The father and son who died in the mosque were from the northern town of Beit Lahiya. Several others in the mosque were also feared dead. Outside a United Nations-run school that’s since become a shelter, funeral prayers were said over the shrouded body of the teen. 12:39 p.m. EDT Argentine baby among hostages held by Hamas, official says BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — One of the youngest hostages being held captive in Gaza by Hamas is a 9-month-old Argentine baby, according to the head of Argentina’s embassy in Israel. “The youngest hostage, a baby of only 9 months, is Argentine. It’s very difficult to talk about such painful topics,” Francisco Tropepi told Vis á Vis, a news outlet focused on reporting related to Israel and the Jewish community in Argentina, in an interview. Tropepi did not reveal the baby’s identity. There are 21 Argentine citizens who remain missing and are presumed to be held hostage by Hamas, Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero said in a radio interview Friday morning. An estimated nine Argentines have been killed in the conflict. WATCH: The horrific task Israelis face in finding and identifying Hamas terror attack victims “In some cases, we have precise information that they’ve been captured, and in others, we’ve been actively searching for them,” Cafiero said, adding that he had spoken with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to request his intervention for the release of the Argentine hostages who are being held in the Gaza Strip. UN General Assembly schedules vote on resolution calling for ‘humanitarian truce’ in Israel-Hamas war UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. General Assembly has scheduled a vote on a resolution calling for a “humanitarian truce” in Gaza leading to a cease-fire of hostilities between Israel and Gaza’s Hamas rulers. Jordan’s U.N. Ambassador Ayman Safadi, speaking on behalf of the U.N.’s 22-nation Arab group which drafted the resolution, called for a 3 p.m. EDT vote Friday, before all 112 speakers get to the assembly’s rostrum, because of the urgency of taking action. The Arab group is seeking action by the 193-member world body because of the failure of the more powerful 15-member U.N. Security Council to agree on a resolution after four attempts. Unlike the Security Council, there are no vetoes in the General Assembly so the resolution is certain to be adopted. But while council resolutions are legally binding, assembly resolutions are not. They do, however, serve as an important barometer of world opinion. 12:07 p.m. EDT U.S. humanitarian organization says it has medical supplies and other resources waiting in Egypt NEW YORK — The American humanitarian organization, Project HOPE, says it has had primary health care, surgical and emergency medical supplies positioned in Egypt near the Rafah border crossing for over a week. Those now include emergency surgical equipment designed to support 700 interventions and basic medical supplies to support some 60,000 people for three months. Arlan Fuller, head of the nonprofit’s emergency response, said the organization is also ready to send Arabic-speaking medical teams from partner organizations in Morocco and Jordan, as soon as they would be allowed to enter the Gaza Strip or treat people coming out of Gaza. Turkish foreign minister pleads with Israel to heed calls for peace ANKARA, Turkey — Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan appealed to Israel on Friday to “heed Turkey’s call for peace,” warning that the country could find itself in a growing spiral of violence. Speaking during a joint news conference with Denmark’s foreign minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Fidan said: “Humanity is at a crossroads. Either there will be a great war that will spread all over the world, or a great peace will emerge.” Fidan continued: “Ignoring the existence of the Palestinians, ignoring the rights of the Palestinians, and applying pressure and cruelty to the Palestinians have not — and will not — bring peace to Israel. If Israel wants to be in peace and security, it must respect the right of the Palestinians to live their own state on their own land.” Rasmussen defined Hamas as a terrorist organization in an apparent rebuke of Turkish President Recep Tayyip who earlier this week described the militant group as “liberation fighters.” Fidan said Turkey regards Hamas as a political party “that is part of the Palestinian state system,” but added that this did not mean that Ankara “accepts the killing of civilians.” Telegram shutters several Hamas-affiliated accounts BEIRUT — Social media messaging app Telegram has closed down several accounts for the militant Hamas group and its military wing that have been used to release messages and videos related to the Israel-Hamas war. When clicking on the account of Hamas’ military wing, the Qassam Brigades, which has nearly 693,000 followers, the page displays a message that reads: “Unfortunately, this channel couldn’t be displayed on your device.” The same message appears when opening the page of Qassam Brigades spokesman Abu Obeida that has 584,000 followers. Telegram did not immediately respond to a request for comment by The Associated Press. A Google spokesperson, who was not authorized to speak publicly to the media and spoke on the condition of anonymity, confirmed reports that Telegram closed the Hamas pages and said, “the reporting has been accurate.” The spokesperson said Google Play’s policies require all apps that feature user-generated content to effectively moderate egregious content, including content that promotes terrorist acts, incites violence, or celebrates terrorist attacks. “When violations are found we take appropriate action,” the spokesperson said. During the early days of the war, Hamas released graphic images and videos of its attack on southern Israel that left more than 1,400 Israeli civilians and troops dead as well more than 220 who were taken hostages. Pre-dawn airstrike brings more death, destruction to a Gaza neighborhood KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — An early morning airstrike killed at least two people in a Gaza neighborhood where several homes were damaged or destroyed. The blast rocked Khan Younis hours before dawn, said Yasser Abu al-Arraj, who ran next door to pull a mother, daughter and a son, who was one of those killed, from the wreckage. “May God avenge us from (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu,” Abu al-Arraj said. A man carries a child at the site of an Israeli air strike on a house, as the conflict between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas continues, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on Oct. 27, 2023. Photo by Mohammed Salem/ Reuters Chunks of concrete, clothing and broken furniture littered the street outside a home where the first floor remained standing. A woman who survived the attack gestured toward a pile of cinderblocks that had toppled, saying she and the 19 others who survived had to search for each other through a cloud of dust. Nine children huddled on cushions on the other side of the room. “People of Gaza are being shattered,” she said. “I can’t believe that my kids came out of this alive.” Boys outside picked through the sea of rubble, looking for anything that could be salvaged. At another house that was damaged, Soaad Abdulahadi said she had been having breakfast with her children when the ceiling started to collapse. “We just saw the house falling over our heads,” Abdulahadi said. “Half of them (my family) are in the hospital and the other half are displaced. This is our house, where should we go now?” A U.S. spokesman says American strikes on Iran proxies in Syria were ‘self-defense’ WASHINGTON — The White House national security spokesman told ABC’s “Good Morning America” that U.S. strikes on Iranian proxies in Syria were targeting storage and weapons facilities. “These strikes were in self defense,” John Kirby said Friday. READ MORE: U.S. airstrikes target Iran-linked sites in Syria after U.S. troops attacked He spoke hours after American fighter jets launched airstrikes early Friday on two locations linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps. The Pentagon said the strikes were in retaliation for a slew of drone and missile attacks against U.S. bases and personnel in the region that began early last week. Asked if Iran will retaliate, Kirby said, “It’s not uncommon for them to strike back. If they do, we’ll absolutely do what we have to do to protect our troops and our facilities.” “We’ll be ready for that,” he added. Speaking about the Israel-Hamas war and the timing of a ground offensive that Israel has announced, Kirby said that “we’re not dictating terms to” the Israelis. But he echoed President Joe Biden’s comments that if “we can take some time to get more hostages out, that’s something we all want to be looking at.” In Israel, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Friday that the ground offensive into Gaza will be long and difficult, with the aim to destroy a vast network of tunnels used by the territory’s militant Hamas rulers. 9:15 a.m. EDT A trickle of aid gets into Gaza as ‘humanitarian catastrophe’ deepens The International Committee of the Red Cross says that 10 of its staffers, including a combat surgery team, entered Gaza on Friday, along with six trucks of medical aid and water purification tablets. The medical supplies are enough to treat between 1,000 and 5,000 people, the ICRC said, and the water purification tablets can treat 50,000 liters of water. This crucial humanitarian assistance is a small dose of relief, but it’s not enough,” said Fabrizio Carboni, the ICRC’s regional director. “Our surgical team and medical supplies will help relieve the extreme pressure on Gaza’s doctors and nurses. But safe, sustained humanitarian access is urgently needed.” “This humanitarian catastrophe is deepening by the hour,” he said. Meanwhile, UNESCO said that since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7, more than 200 schools have been damaged in the Gaza Strip — around 40% of all schools there. Iran-backed fighters in Syria fire rockets at oil facility housing American troops BEIRUT — Syrian opposition activists say Iran-backed fighters fired rockets at an oil facility housing U.S. troops in eastern Syria. The attack came hours after American fighter jets launched airstrikes early Friday on two locations linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps. The Pentagon said the strikes were in retaliation for a slew of drone and missile attacks against U.S. bases and personnel in the region that began early last week. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said six rockets hit al-Omar oil field in the eastern province of Deir el-Zour. The Observatory said it wasn’t clear if there were any casualties. The Observatory said the U.S. strikes earlier Friday wounded seven Iraqi Iran-backed fighters. Russia defends hosting Hamas official for talks MOSCOW — The Kremlin dismissed criticism of a visit to Moscow by a senior Hamas figure, saying that Russia considers it necessary to maintain contacts with all warring parties. Russia has tried to maneuver carefully over the Israel-Hamas war as it seeks to expand its global clout. The Israeli Foreign Ministry criticized Moscow for hosting Abu Marzouk, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, and urged Russia to expel him. The Russian Foreign Ministry said it discussed the release of hostages in the Gaza Strip and the evacuation of Russian nationals and other foreign citizens during Thursday’s talks with Hamas. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia considers “it necessary to continue contacts with all the parties and we will certainly continue our dialogue with Israel.” He wouldn’t comment when asked if Hamas’ visit could hurt Russia-Israeli ties. Also in Moscow on Thursday was Iran’s deputy foreign minister for political affairs, Ali Bagheri Kani, who told Abu Marzouk that Tehran’s “priority” in negotiations “is an immediate cease-fire, providing assistance to the people and lifting the repressive blockade of Gaza.” The Iranian official also met with Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, who serves as the Kremlin envoy for the Middle East. 4 Palestinians, including militant commander killed in West Bank clashes overnight RAMALLAH, West Bank — Israeli forces killed four Palestinians in the West Bank during a widescale overnight arrest raid, Palestinian health officials said. A militant commander was among those killed. Since the Israel-Hamas war erupted on Oct. 7, the death toll in the occupied West Bank has reached 110, making it one of the deadliest periods there in at least a decade. Palestinian officials said three of the Palestinians were killed when a firefight with local gunmen erupted in the Jenin refugee camp. The Israeli military said forces responded with live fire when assailants hurled explosive devices and shot at troops in the camp. One of the three killed was a commander for the military wing of the militant Islamic Jihad group, the group said. Israeli forces killed a fourth Palestinian early Friday morning in the west Bank City of Qalqilya, Palestinian health officials said. Israeli forces arrested at least 70 Palestinians in the raid, according to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club, which represents current and former prisoners. Since the start of the war, Israeli authorities have made more than 1,530 arrests of Palestinians in the West Bank. France’s top diplomat says Hamas is holding ‘at least some’ of the French citizens missing since Oct. 7 PARIS — French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna says that at least some of the nine French citizens who have been missing since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel are being held hostage by Hamas militants in Gaza. In an interview with the French radio station RTL on Friday, she said the nine “disappeared” on Oct. 7. “We have no specific news (of them) but some of them we know have been taken hostage,” Colonna said and added that the French government is working with Egypt and Qatar to free them. “We demand the release of all hostages and not just French hostages,” she added. On Thursday, the French foreign ministry said that 35 French citizens have been killed in the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel. Hamas and other militants in Gaza are believed to have taken more than 220 people, including an unconfirmed number of foreigners and dual citizens. Head of UN agency for Palestinians says services in Gaza collapsing fast JERUSALEM — The head of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees warned on Friday that remaining public services in Gaza are collapsing fast and that people now face food shortages. Speaking to reporters in Jerusalem, UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said the international community “seems to have turned its back on Gaza.” He said the agency was very short on fuel in Gaza and needs about 160,000 liters (42,200 gallons) of fuel a day to supply hospitals and bakeries. As for UNRWA staffers in Gaza, “for the first time ever, they report that now people are hungry,” Lazzarini said. “Civil order is collapsing.” Asked how long supplies will last, Lazzarini said “certainly no more than few days.” Lazzarini added that 57 employees of the agency in Gaza have been killed since the war started on Oct. 7. “We cannot turn a blind eye to this human tragedy,” he said. Also Friday in Geneva, Lynn Hastings, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Palestinian territories, said there was “a significant backup of some 150 aid trucks” at the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt. More trucks were stalled in the nearby Egyptian city of el-Arish. Though Israel has blocked all fuel from accessing the Gaza Strip, Hastings said that UNWRA has been able to access a limited amount of fuel to power desalination plants and distribute to bakeries and hospitals. She said that if desalination plants run out of fuel, raw sewage that is currently being pumped into the sea will begin to spill onto the streets. Missile hits Egyptian Red Sea city near Israel border CAIRO — A missile that landed in Egypt’s Red City of Taba on the Sinai Peninsula early on Friday injured six people, Egyptian state media said. The source of the missile was not identified. An Israeli army spokesman said that “an aerial threat was identified in the area” of the Red Sea earlier on Friday, forcing Israel to scramble fighter planes. According to al-Qahera news, which has close ties to Egypt’s intelligence service, the missile struck a medical facility where ambulances were parked and a hospital administration building. An investigation is underway. All six people had minor injuries and were being treated at a hospital, Egypt’s Health Ministry said. An unnamed security source cited by al-Qahera said Egypt reserved the right to respond to the attack. Once the destination for the launch is determined, all options are available, he added. Taba lies right on the border with Israel, and is some 6 miles, or 10 kilometers, from the southern Israeli city of Eilat. Israeli Read Adm. Daniel Hagari said “the origin of the hit that occurred in Egypt” appeared to be from the threat over the Red Sea. The issue is under investigation, he said. “Israel will work with Egypt and the United States and will tighten the defense in the region against threats from the area of the Red Sea,” he added. In a separate incident Friday, al-Qahera news said a “strange object” landed near a power station in the Red Sea town of Nuweiba, not far from Taba. Footage broadcasted by the news outlet showed debris and smoke rising from the side of mountain near the town. No further information was available. U.S. targeted 2 sites tied to Iran-backed fighters BEIRUT — The U.S. airstrikes on Syria’s eastern province of Deir el-Zour targeted two locations where Iran-backed fighters are based, according to Syrian opposition activists. Omar Abu Layla, a Europe-based activist who heads the Deir Ezzor 24 media outlet, said the main target was an area known as the farms just outside the town of Mayadeen. The site had been evacuated and no one was hurt, he said. The second strike early Friday hit an area known as the “green belt” in the Boukamal area that borders Iraq, he said. “These strikes were expected because of the repeated provocative acts,” said Abu Layla referring to attacks that targeted U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria. Abu Layal said the farms area is an important point where weapons brought from Iran are stored and then shipped to other areas in Lebanon. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, also reported strikes on the farms area near Mayadeen and Ashara near the border with Iraq. The Observatory said ambulances were seen rushing to the area, but it was not clear if there were casualties. The Pentagon said the airstrikes targeted two locations linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps in retaliation for drone and missile attacks against U.S. bases and personnel in the region. UN General Assembly session on the war resumes Friday morning UNITED NATIONS — “Stop the bombs and save lives!” the Palestinian ambassador pleaded at an emotional U.N. meeting Thursday on the war in Gaza. But Israel’s envoy was adamant, declaring again, “We will not rest until Hamas is obliterated.” The war sparked by Gaza’s Hamas rulers’ surprise attacks on Israel on Oct. 7 played out in the vast hall of the 193-nation General Assembly, where Arab nations expected to adopt a resolution Friday calling for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza after the Security Council’s four failed attempts to agree on any action. At the assembly’s resumed emergency special session, speaker after speaker backed the Arab resolution’s cease-fire call — except for Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Gilad Erdan, who told the 193-member world body, “A cease-fire means giving Hamas time to rearm itself, so they can massacre us again.” The emergency General Assembly meeting resumes Friday morning, with about 100 speakers remaining. The resolution being putting to a vote in the afternoon calls for an immediate cease-fire and demands that all parties respect international law and protect civilians. General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding. But they do reflect world opinion and the size of the vote in favor will be closely watched. By — Associated Press Associated Press
Israeli forces conducted another ground raid in Gaza in advance of an expected invasion of the Hamas-ruled territory. U.S. warplanes, meanwhile, struck targets in eastern Syria after attacks on U.S. forces by Iran-backed fighters, adding to regional tensions fueled by the 3-week-old Gaza war. The Palestinian death toll passed 7,000 as Israel launched waves of airstrikes in response to the bloody Hamas rampage in southern Israel on Oct. 7. The Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza, which tracks the toll, released a detailed list, including names and ID numbers on Thursday. In the occupied West Bank, more than 110 Palestinians have been killed in violence and Israeli raids since Oct. 7. WATCH: UN official warns ‘hell is settling in’ as it struggles with Gaza humanitarian crisis More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, mostly civilians slain during the initial Hamas attack. In addition, 229 people — including foreigners, children and older adults — were taken by Hamas during the incursion and remain in captivity in Gaza. Four hostages were released earlier. Here’s what’s happening in the Israel-Hamas war. 8:09 p.m. EDT Explosions shatter the night sky over Gaza as Israel expands bombing GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip – The dull orange glow of Israeli flares shone in the night sky over Gaza, slowly descending through the haze to illuminate targets for warplanes before eventually flickering out, plunging the scene back into darkness. Multiple explosions from Israeli airstrikes tore into northern Gaza on Friday, quick flashes of bright orange silhouetted against the rooftops of Palestinian apartments and refugee camps. The sharp crunching sound of the bombs followed each time, seconds later, one after another. WATCH: Israel intensifies bombing and ground operations, sending Gaza into internet blackout Overhead, the buzz of Israeli military drones cut through, growing quieter and louder as the crafts circled the airspace overhead. For most Palestinians trapped in the Gaza Strip, their world has shrunk to these few sounds and colors. Israel dramatically ramped up its bombardment Friday after knocking out internet and communication in Gaza, largely cutting off the tiny besieged enclave’s 2.3 million people from contact with each other and the outside world. UN general assembly calls for ‘humanitarian truce’ in Gaza leading to halt in Israel-Hamas fighting UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. General Assembly approved a nonbinding resolution on Friday calling for a “humanitarian truce” in Gaza leading to a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Gaza’s Hamas rulers. It was the first U.N. response to Hamas’ surprise Oct. 7 attacks on Israel and Israel’s ongoing military response and vow to obliterate Hamas. The 193-member world body adopted the resolution by a vote of 120-14 with 45 abstentions after rejecting a Canadian amendment backed by the United States to unequivocally condemn the “terrorist attacks” by Hamas and demand the immediate release of hostages taken by the militant group. Gaza’s largest hospital struggles to keep its neonatal units running as Israel tightens siege GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip – Premature babies wiggle and squirm, some with oxygen tubes under their noses, in rows of clear plastic incubators inside the neonatal unit of Gaza’s largest hospital, which, like the rest of the besieged Palestinian territory, is running out of fuel, food, water and electricity. Doctors in Gaza say conditions have reached catastrophic levels. They say a lack of basic supplies has left them struggling to maintain hygiene and sanitation, and hospital grounds are overcrowded with displaced civilians seeking refuge from Israeli airstrikes. “We have noticed an increase in premature birth cases,” said Dr. Nasser Bulbul, head of the NICU at al-Shifa Hospital. READ MORE: Dozens of premature babies at risk of death as fuel supplies dwindle in Gaza, doctors say “We had to perform a premature delivery of the fetus from the mother’s womb while she’s dying,” he said. “Many of these infants are orphaned, and we don’t know the fate of their relatives or have information about their identities.” Around 50,000 pregnant women are caught up in the conflict, with around 5,500 due to give birth within the next 30 days, according to the United Nations Population Fund. If fuel supplies run out, neonatal intensive care units will be impacted and planned or emergency caesarean sections will be impossible, the U.N. agency said. Press group says the past 3 weeks have been deadliest period for journalists covering conflict NEW YORK — The Committee to Protect Journalists says the past three weeks have been the deadliest on record for journalists covering conflict since the organization started tracking in 1992. The organization said in a statement Friday that at least 29 journalists have died covering the Israel-Hamas war since it ignited Oct. 7, including 24 Palestinians, four Israelis and 1 Lebanese. Additionally, 8 other journalists were reported injured and 9 were reported missing or detained. CPJ also criticized the cutting of communications services in the Gaza Strip, warning that the blackout is also a “news blackout” that has compromised the public’s ability to “know and understand what is happening in this conflict.” “This can lead to serious consequences with an independent, factual information vacuum that can be filled with deadly propaganda, dis- and misinformation,” it said. The organization stressed that journalists are civilians that must be respected and protected in accordance with international humanitarian law, adding that “deliberating targeting journalists or media infrastructure constitutes possible war crimes.” 6:35 p.m. EDT ‘We’re not drawing red lines for Israel,’ White House official says WASHINGTON — White House National Security spokesman John Kirby repeatedly refused to comment on Israel saying its ground forces were expanding activity in Gaza and also refused to comment on what a satisfactory long-term objective might be for the fighting. “We’re not drawing red lines for Israel,” Kirby said Friday on a call with reporters. “We’re going to continue to support them” but “since the very beginning we have, and will continue to have, conversations about the manner that they are doing this.” Kirby said the U.S. is still evaluating the impact of airstrikes against Iranian-backed militias and “we will not hesitate to take further actions in our own self-defense.” He also said 10 additional trucks filled with humanitarian aid had made it to Gaza, bringing the total to 84, but that the U.S. is aware that fuel there “is only anticipated to last a couple of days.” The White House previously said President Joe Biden was briefed Friday morning by his national security team on the latest developments in Israel and Gaza. Aid groups say blackout is impeding staff communications and operations RAMALLAH, West Bank — Aid groups say the communications blackout in the Gaza Strip has not only left them unable to contact their staff, but has also impeded their operations in the territory. “It doesn’t only mean that Gaza is isolated from the world but also it means people can’t connect to each other. Our emergency line is down so people are literally not able to call an ambulance,” said Nebal Farsakh, a spokesperson for the Palestinian Red Crescent. “We are extremely worried because we are completely cut off from our teams.” The International Committee of the Red Cross also said it’s currently unable to reach its staff in Gaza. “We are deeply worried for their safety and the safety of all civilians where hostilities are taking place. Without access to information in a communication blackout, people don’t know where to go for safety,” the organization said in a statement. “Blackouts impede humanitarian and medical personnel from working safely and effectively.” Israeli army says ground forces will expand their activity in Gaza friday evening JERUSALEM — The Israeli military on Friday said its ground forces were “expanding their activity” in the Gaza Strip, as the army moved closer to a full-on ground invasion of the besieged territory. Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the army’s spokesman, said aerial attacks had been targeting Hamas tunnels and other targets. “In addition to the attacks that we carried out in recent days, ground forces are expanding their activity this evening,” he said. “The IDF is acting with great force … to achieve the objectives of the war.” READ MORE: Israel to begin ‘long’ ground war in Gaza soon, internet services collapse under relentless airstrikes Israel has amassed hundreds of thousands of troops along the border with Gaza ahead of an expected ground offensive against the Hamas militant group. Israel has been pounding Gaza with airstrikes since Hamas militants carried out a bloody cross-border incursion on Oct. 7. Pope Francis leads special prayers for countries and regions affected by war VATICAN CITY — Amid signs of escalating tensions in the Middle East, Pope Francis led special prayers Friday evening in St. Peter’s Basilica for a world “in a dark hour” and in “great danger” from what he described as the folly of war. In his remarks, delivered in the form of a prayer to the Virgin Mary, Francis didn’t mention by name the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which exploded into war after the Hamas attack against Israelis on Oct. 7. Instead, he said he was praying for “especially those countries and regions at war.” “Intercede for our world, in such turmoil and great danger,″ the pope prayed, in apparent reference to widespread anxiety that the Israeli-Hamas war could quickly develop into a wider, regional war in the Middle East. Palestinians gather to collect water from a truck at a United Nations-run school where displaced Palestinians shelter, as the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas continues, in central Gaza Strip October 27, 2023. REUTERS/Mohammed Fayq Abu Mostafa Palestinian telecom provider say internet service has been cut in Gaza Strip RAMALLAH, West Bank — The Palestinian telecom provider Paltel says internet service in Gaza Strip has been cut off by Israeli bombardment. Services were cut Friday evening, following a heavy round of Israeli airstrikes that lit up the night sky over the darkened territory. Rights groups and journalists also say they lost contact with colleagues in the enclave. The Associated Press’s attempts to contact people in Gaza did not go through. Airstrike in Deir al-Balah kills father and son who were praying in a mosque DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — A 14-year-old boy and his father were killed Friday when the roof of a mosque they were praying in collapsed during an Israeli airstrike in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, witnesses said. Several people were killed and an unknown number trapped when a bomb also destroyed a home and damaged the mosque next door. Bloodied survivors were rushed to a hospital. A girl wearing pink who was covered in dirt grimaced as doctors poured liquid on an open leg wound. Dozens of men gathered to view the blast zone where cars were crushed and buried up to their axles in dirt. Several homes appeared to be destroyed and the half-open remains of one house tilted precariously toward a crater full of rubble and metal scraps. The father and son who died in the mosque were from the northern town of Beit Lahiya. Several others in the mosque were also feared dead. Outside a United Nations-run school that’s since become a shelter, funeral prayers were said over the shrouded body of the teen. 12:39 p.m. EDT Argentine baby among hostages held by Hamas, official says BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — One of the youngest hostages being held captive in Gaza by Hamas is a 9-month-old Argentine baby, according to the head of Argentina’s embassy in Israel. “The youngest hostage, a baby of only 9 months, is Argentine. It’s very difficult to talk about such painful topics,” Francisco Tropepi told Vis á Vis, a news outlet focused on reporting related to Israel and the Jewish community in Argentina, in an interview. Tropepi did not reveal the baby’s identity. There are 21 Argentine citizens who remain missing and are presumed to be held hostage by Hamas, Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero said in a radio interview Friday morning. An estimated nine Argentines have been killed in the conflict. WATCH: The horrific task Israelis face in finding and identifying Hamas terror attack victims “In some cases, we have precise information that they’ve been captured, and in others, we’ve been actively searching for them,” Cafiero said, adding that he had spoken with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to request his intervention for the release of the Argentine hostages who are being held in the Gaza Strip. UN General Assembly schedules vote on resolution calling for ‘humanitarian truce’ in Israel-Hamas war UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. General Assembly has scheduled a vote on a resolution calling for a “humanitarian truce” in Gaza leading to a cease-fire of hostilities between Israel and Gaza’s Hamas rulers. Jordan’s U.N. Ambassador Ayman Safadi, speaking on behalf of the U.N.’s 22-nation Arab group which drafted the resolution, called for a 3 p.m. EDT vote Friday, before all 112 speakers get to the assembly’s rostrum, because of the urgency of taking action. The Arab group is seeking action by the 193-member world body because of the failure of the more powerful 15-member U.N. Security Council to agree on a resolution after four attempts. Unlike the Security Council, there are no vetoes in the General Assembly so the resolution is certain to be adopted. But while council resolutions are legally binding, assembly resolutions are not. They do, however, serve as an important barometer of world opinion. 12:07 p.m. EDT U.S. humanitarian organization says it has medical supplies and other resources waiting in Egypt NEW YORK — The American humanitarian organization, Project HOPE, says it has had primary health care, surgical and emergency medical supplies positioned in Egypt near the Rafah border crossing for over a week. Those now include emergency surgical equipment designed to support 700 interventions and basic medical supplies to support some 60,000 people for three months. Arlan Fuller, head of the nonprofit’s emergency response, said the organization is also ready to send Arabic-speaking medical teams from partner organizations in Morocco and Jordan, as soon as they would be allowed to enter the Gaza Strip or treat people coming out of Gaza. Turkish foreign minister pleads with Israel to heed calls for peace ANKARA, Turkey — Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan appealed to Israel on Friday to “heed Turkey’s call for peace,” warning that the country could find itself in a growing spiral of violence. Speaking during a joint news conference with Denmark’s foreign minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Fidan said: “Humanity is at a crossroads. Either there will be a great war that will spread all over the world, or a great peace will emerge.” Fidan continued: “Ignoring the existence of the Palestinians, ignoring the rights of the Palestinians, and applying pressure and cruelty to the Palestinians have not — and will not — bring peace to Israel. If Israel wants to be in peace and security, it must respect the right of the Palestinians to live their own state on their own land.” Rasmussen defined Hamas as a terrorist organization in an apparent rebuke of Turkish President Recep Tayyip who earlier this week described the militant group as “liberation fighters.” Fidan said Turkey regards Hamas as a political party “that is part of the Palestinian state system,” but added that this did not mean that Ankara “accepts the killing of civilians.” Telegram shutters several Hamas-affiliated accounts BEIRUT — Social media messaging app Telegram has closed down several accounts for the militant Hamas group and its military wing that have been used to release messages and videos related to the Israel-Hamas war. When clicking on the account of Hamas’ military wing, the Qassam Brigades, which has nearly 693,000 followers, the page displays a message that reads: “Unfortunately, this channel couldn’t be displayed on your device.” The same message appears when opening the page of Qassam Brigades spokesman Abu Obeida that has 584,000 followers. Telegram did not immediately respond to a request for comment by The Associated Press. A Google spokesperson, who was not authorized to speak publicly to the media and spoke on the condition of anonymity, confirmed reports that Telegram closed the Hamas pages and said, “the reporting has been accurate.” The spokesperson said Google Play’s policies require all apps that feature user-generated content to effectively moderate egregious content, including content that promotes terrorist acts, incites violence, or celebrates terrorist attacks. “When violations are found we take appropriate action,” the spokesperson said. During the early days of the war, Hamas released graphic images and videos of its attack on southern Israel that left more than 1,400 Israeli civilians and troops dead as well more than 220 who were taken hostages. Pre-dawn airstrike brings more death, destruction to a Gaza neighborhood KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — An early morning airstrike killed at least two people in a Gaza neighborhood where several homes were damaged or destroyed. The blast rocked Khan Younis hours before dawn, said Yasser Abu al-Arraj, who ran next door to pull a mother, daughter and a son, who was one of those killed, from the wreckage. “May God avenge us from (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu,” Abu al-Arraj said. A man carries a child at the site of an Israeli air strike on a house, as the conflict between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas continues, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on Oct. 27, 2023. Photo by Mohammed Salem/ Reuters Chunks of concrete, clothing and broken furniture littered the street outside a home where the first floor remained standing. A woman who survived the attack gestured toward a pile of cinderblocks that had toppled, saying she and the 19 others who survived had to search for each other through a cloud of dust. Nine children huddled on cushions on the other side of the room. “People of Gaza are being shattered,” she said. “I can’t believe that my kids came out of this alive.” Boys outside picked through the sea of rubble, looking for anything that could be salvaged. At another house that was damaged, Soaad Abdulahadi said she had been having breakfast with her children when the ceiling started to collapse. “We just saw the house falling over our heads,” Abdulahadi said. “Half of them (my family) are in the hospital and the other half are displaced. This is our house, where should we go now?” A U.S. spokesman says American strikes on Iran proxies in Syria were ‘self-defense’ WASHINGTON — The White House national security spokesman told ABC’s “Good Morning America” that U.S. strikes on Iranian proxies in Syria were targeting storage and weapons facilities. “These strikes were in self defense,” John Kirby said Friday. READ MORE: U.S. airstrikes target Iran-linked sites in Syria after U.S. troops attacked He spoke hours after American fighter jets launched airstrikes early Friday on two locations linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps. The Pentagon said the strikes were in retaliation for a slew of drone and missile attacks against U.S. bases and personnel in the region that began early last week. Asked if Iran will retaliate, Kirby said, “It’s not uncommon for them to strike back. If they do, we’ll absolutely do what we have to do to protect our troops and our facilities.” “We’ll be ready for that,” he added. Speaking about the Israel-Hamas war and the timing of a ground offensive that Israel has announced, Kirby said that “we’re not dictating terms to” the Israelis. But he echoed President Joe Biden’s comments that if “we can take some time to get more hostages out, that’s something we all want to be looking at.” In Israel, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Friday that the ground offensive into Gaza will be long and difficult, with the aim to destroy a vast network of tunnels used by the territory’s militant Hamas rulers. 9:15 a.m. EDT A trickle of aid gets into Gaza as ‘humanitarian catastrophe’ deepens The International Committee of the Red Cross says that 10 of its staffers, including a combat surgery team, entered Gaza on Friday, along with six trucks of medical aid and water purification tablets. The medical supplies are enough to treat between 1,000 and 5,000 people, the ICRC said, and the water purification tablets can treat 50,000 liters of water. This crucial humanitarian assistance is a small dose of relief, but it’s not enough,” said Fabrizio Carboni, the ICRC’s regional director. “Our surgical team and medical supplies will help relieve the extreme pressure on Gaza’s doctors and nurses. But safe, sustained humanitarian access is urgently needed.” “This humanitarian catastrophe is deepening by the hour,” he said. Meanwhile, UNESCO said that since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7, more than 200 schools have been damaged in the Gaza Strip — around 40% of all schools there. Iran-backed fighters in Syria fire rockets at oil facility housing American troops BEIRUT — Syrian opposition activists say Iran-backed fighters fired rockets at an oil facility housing U.S. troops in eastern Syria. The attack came hours after American fighter jets launched airstrikes early Friday on two locations linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps. The Pentagon said the strikes were in retaliation for a slew of drone and missile attacks against U.S. bases and personnel in the region that began early last week. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said six rockets hit al-Omar oil field in the eastern province of Deir el-Zour. The Observatory said it wasn’t clear if there were any casualties. The Observatory said the U.S. strikes earlier Friday wounded seven Iraqi Iran-backed fighters. Russia defends hosting Hamas official for talks MOSCOW — The Kremlin dismissed criticism of a visit to Moscow by a senior Hamas figure, saying that Russia considers it necessary to maintain contacts with all warring parties. Russia has tried to maneuver carefully over the Israel-Hamas war as it seeks to expand its global clout. The Israeli Foreign Ministry criticized Moscow for hosting Abu Marzouk, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, and urged Russia to expel him. The Russian Foreign Ministry said it discussed the release of hostages in the Gaza Strip and the evacuation of Russian nationals and other foreign citizens during Thursday’s talks with Hamas. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia considers “it necessary to continue contacts with all the parties and we will certainly continue our dialogue with Israel.” He wouldn’t comment when asked if Hamas’ visit could hurt Russia-Israeli ties. Also in Moscow on Thursday was Iran’s deputy foreign minister for political affairs, Ali Bagheri Kani, who told Abu Marzouk that Tehran’s “priority” in negotiations “is an immediate cease-fire, providing assistance to the people and lifting the repressive blockade of Gaza.” The Iranian official also met with Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, who serves as the Kremlin envoy for the Middle East. 4 Palestinians, including militant commander killed in West Bank clashes overnight RAMALLAH, West Bank — Israeli forces killed four Palestinians in the West Bank during a widescale overnight arrest raid, Palestinian health officials said. A militant commander was among those killed. Since the Israel-Hamas war erupted on Oct. 7, the death toll in the occupied West Bank has reached 110, making it one of the deadliest periods there in at least a decade. Palestinian officials said three of the Palestinians were killed when a firefight with local gunmen erupted in the Jenin refugee camp. The Israeli military said forces responded with live fire when assailants hurled explosive devices and shot at troops in the camp. One of the three killed was a commander for the military wing of the militant Islamic Jihad group, the group said. Israeli forces killed a fourth Palestinian early Friday morning in the west Bank City of Qalqilya, Palestinian health officials said. Israeli forces arrested at least 70 Palestinians in the raid, according to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club, which represents current and former prisoners. Since the start of the war, Israeli authorities have made more than 1,530 arrests of Palestinians in the West Bank. France’s top diplomat says Hamas is holding ‘at least some’ of the French citizens missing since Oct. 7 PARIS — French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna says that at least some of the nine French citizens who have been missing since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel are being held hostage by Hamas militants in Gaza. In an interview with the French radio station RTL on Friday, she said the nine “disappeared” on Oct. 7. “We have no specific news (of them) but some of them we know have been taken hostage,” Colonna said and added that the French government is working with Egypt and Qatar to free them. “We demand the release of all hostages and not just French hostages,” she added. On Thursday, the French foreign ministry said that 35 French citizens have been killed in the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel. Hamas and other militants in Gaza are believed to have taken more than 220 people, including an unconfirmed number of foreigners and dual citizens. Head of UN agency for Palestinians says services in Gaza collapsing fast JERUSALEM — The head of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees warned on Friday that remaining public services in Gaza are collapsing fast and that people now face food shortages. Speaking to reporters in Jerusalem, UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said the international community “seems to have turned its back on Gaza.” He said the agency was very short on fuel in Gaza and needs about 160,000 liters (42,200 gallons) of fuel a day to supply hospitals and bakeries. As for UNRWA staffers in Gaza, “for the first time ever, they report that now people are hungry,” Lazzarini said. “Civil order is collapsing.” Asked how long supplies will last, Lazzarini said “certainly no more than few days.” Lazzarini added that 57 employees of the agency in Gaza have been killed since the war started on Oct. 7. “We cannot turn a blind eye to this human tragedy,” he said. Also Friday in Geneva, Lynn Hastings, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Palestinian territories, said there was “a significant backup of some 150 aid trucks” at the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt. More trucks were stalled in the nearby Egyptian city of el-Arish. Though Israel has blocked all fuel from accessing the Gaza Strip, Hastings said that UNWRA has been able to access a limited amount of fuel to power desalination plants and distribute to bakeries and hospitals. She said that if desalination plants run out of fuel, raw sewage that is currently being pumped into the sea will begin to spill onto the streets. Missile hits Egyptian Red Sea city near Israel border CAIRO — A missile that landed in Egypt’s Red City of Taba on the Sinai Peninsula early on Friday injured six people, Egyptian state media said. The source of the missile was not identified. An Israeli army spokesman said that “an aerial threat was identified in the area” of the Red Sea earlier on Friday, forcing Israel to scramble fighter planes. According to al-Qahera news, which has close ties to Egypt’s intelligence service, the missile struck a medical facility where ambulances were parked and a hospital administration building. An investigation is underway. All six people had minor injuries and were being treated at a hospital, Egypt’s Health Ministry said. An unnamed security source cited by al-Qahera said Egypt reserved the right to respond to the attack. Once the destination for the launch is determined, all options are available, he added. Taba lies right on the border with Israel, and is some 6 miles, or 10 kilometers, from the southern Israeli city of Eilat. Israeli Read Adm. Daniel Hagari said “the origin of the hit that occurred in Egypt” appeared to be from the threat over the Red Sea. The issue is under investigation, he said. “Israel will work with Egypt and the United States and will tighten the defense in the region against threats from the area of the Red Sea,” he added. In a separate incident Friday, al-Qahera news said a “strange object” landed near a power station in the Red Sea town of Nuweiba, not far from Taba. Footage broadcasted by the news outlet showed debris and smoke rising from the side of mountain near the town. No further information was available. U.S. targeted 2 sites tied to Iran-backed fighters BEIRUT — The U.S. airstrikes on Syria’s eastern province of Deir el-Zour targeted two locations where Iran-backed fighters are based, according to Syrian opposition activists. Omar Abu Layla, a Europe-based activist who heads the Deir Ezzor 24 media outlet, said the main target was an area known as the farms just outside the town of Mayadeen. The site had been evacuated and no one was hurt, he said. The second strike early Friday hit an area known as the “green belt” in the Boukamal area that borders Iraq, he said. “These strikes were expected because of the repeated provocative acts,” said Abu Layla referring to attacks that targeted U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria. Abu Layal said the farms area is an important point where weapons brought from Iran are stored and then shipped to other areas in Lebanon. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, also reported strikes on the farms area near Mayadeen and Ashara near the border with Iraq. The Observatory said ambulances were seen rushing to the area, but it was not clear if there were casualties. The Pentagon said the airstrikes targeted two locations linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps in retaliation for drone and missile attacks against U.S. bases and personnel in the region. UN General Assembly session on the war resumes Friday morning UNITED NATIONS — “Stop the bombs and save lives!” the Palestinian ambassador pleaded at an emotional U.N. meeting Thursday on the war in Gaza. But Israel’s envoy was adamant, declaring again, “We will not rest until Hamas is obliterated.” The war sparked by Gaza’s Hamas rulers’ surprise attacks on Israel on Oct. 7 played out in the vast hall of the 193-nation General Assembly, where Arab nations expected to adopt a resolution Friday calling for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza after the Security Council’s four failed attempts to agree on any action. At the assembly’s resumed emergency special session, speaker after speaker backed the Arab resolution’s cease-fire call — except for Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Gilad Erdan, who told the 193-member world body, “A cease-fire means giving Hamas time to rearm itself, so they can massacre us again.” The emergency General Assembly meeting resumes Friday morning, with about 100 speakers remaining. The resolution being putting to a vote in the afternoon calls for an immediate cease-fire and demands that all parties respect international law and protect civilians. General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding. But they do reflect world opinion and the size of the vote in favor will be closely watched.