Israel-Hamas war updates and latest news on Gaza conflict

Stock markets within the Gulf declined on Sunday amid considerations about an escalation within the Israel-Hamas war and further rate of interest hikes from the U.S. Federal Reserve.

• Saudi Arabia’s benchmark index was down for a 3rd consecutive session, ending 1.5% decrease, as of October 22. Al Rajhi Bank, a Saudi Arabian financial institution which is the world’s largest Islamic financial institution by capital, misplaced 2.1%.
• The Qatari index continued its five-day streak of losses, ending 0.9% decrease, with Industries Qatar dropping 2.2% and Qatar Navigation sliding 3%. The Qatar National Bank declined by 2.1%.
• The Dubai Financial Market General Index, Dubai’s most important share index, retreated 1.5%.
• Outside the Gulf, Egypt’s blue-chip index gained 2.4%.

Monetary coverage within the Gulf Cooperation Council is normally guided by the Federal Reserve’s insurance policies as most regional currencies are pegged to the U.S. greenback. The Gulf Cooperation Council, or GCC, has six members: Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

— Pia Singh

The gas provide in Gaza will run out in three days, additional limiting humanitarian support to the enclave’s residents, a high United Nations official stated in a press release on Sunday.

“In three days, UNRWA will run out of fuel, critical for our humanitarian response across the Gaza Strip,” Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner General for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees within the Near East, or UNRWA, stated. “Without fuel, there will be no water, no functioning hospitals and bakeries. Without fuel, aid will not reach many civilians in desperate need. Without fuel, there will be no humanitarian assistance.”

A 20-truck humanitarian support convoy — the primary because the war began — was despatched to the Gaza Strip on Saturday by means of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. The restricted quantity of support despatched included meals, water and drugs however no gas provides, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The determination to exclude gas from the primary support supply was a concession to Israel over worries that Hamas might use it for army functions, in keeping with a Washington Post report.

Egypt’s state-run media has reported that 17 extra vans have been crossing into Gaza on Sunday, however the United Nations said none had crossed. “Until now, there is no convoy,” a spokeswoman for the U.N. company for Palestinian refugees stated.

— Pia Singh

United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin stated the U.S. is positioning troops and making ready to defend itself if different Middle Eastern nations escalate the Israel-Hamas war.

“If any group or any country is looking to widen this conflict and take advantage of this very unfortunate situation, see our advice is: Don’t,” Austin stated Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.” “We maintain the right to defend ourselves and we won’t hesitate to take the appropriate action.”

On Thursday, the united statesS. Carney, a U.S. naval ship, shot down three missiles fired by pro-Iranian Houthi forces, which the Pentagon stated might have been directed at Israel.

“I applaud the work of the crew of the Carney,” stated Austin. “They demonstrated what our very capable United States Navy can do and will do if challenged.”

Throughout the week, a number of U.S. bases within the Middle East have been attacked. There is a few hypothesis that Iran-backed militant teams launched these assaults.

Austin additionally addressed the civilian lives which have been misplaced within the crossfire of the war. He stated that the U.S. has been urging Israel to remain inside the bounds of wartime legislation and that every potential assault goal needs to be “carefully assessed” to reduce the risk to civilian lives.

— Rebecca Picciotto

Cindy McCain, the director of the United Nations World Food Programme, reported {that a} trickle of 17 vans of humanitarian support arrived in Gaza on Sunday with 40 extra are anticipated tomorrow.

Yesterday, 20 vans of support acquired by means of to Gaza through the Rafah border crossing in northeastern Egypt. McCain stated these convoys have been in a position to serve 200,000 individuals at dinner final evening, which, she added, is nowhere near sufficient.

“This dribbling system is not going to work,” McCain stated Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.”

More convoys of support are able to be deployed and are simply ready to get the clearance to cross the Rafah border. For reference, McCain stated that there have been 400 vans crossing the Rafah border previous to the war starting.

“This is a war zone and things are very fluid so that’s why we have to be able to get these trucks safely and sustainably,” stated McCain.

— Rebecca Picciotto

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited troops stationed close to the border with Lebanon, the place the Israeli military and Iran-backed Hezbollah militants even have traded fireplace through the Hamas-Israel war.

A high official with Iran Hezbollah vowed Saturday that Israel would pay a excessive value every time it begins a floor offensive within the Gaza Strip and stated Saturday that his militant group based mostly in Lebanon already is “in the heart of the battle.”

Speaking to troops within the north on Sunday, Netanyahu stated Israel would react extra fiercely than it did throughout its quick 2006 war with Hezbollah, which relies in Lebanon.

“If Hezbollah decides to enter the war, it will miss the Second Lebanon War. It will make the mistake of its life. We will cripple it with a force it cannot even imagine and the consequences for it and the Lebanese state are devastating,” the Israeli chief stated.

— Associated Press

Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that Israel’s exit technique doesn’t contain reclaiming governance of Gaza.

“What I’ve heard from the Israelis is absolutely no intent, no desire to be running Gaza themselves,” Blinken stated Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

At the identical time, he famous that Israel won’t settle for returning to the established order of Hamas’ management of Gaza. He stated that whereas Israel doesn’t wish to govern Gaza, the nation additionally doesn’t wish to stay with the specter of one other deadly assault just like the one Hamas launched on Oct. 7.

Blinken additionally stated that Israelis have made it clear to him that they are not looking for any escalation within the area. He stated that it’s not in anybody’s curiosity for a second or third entrance to kind in Lebanon, northern Israel, southern Lebanon or elsewhere.

That’s why, he added, the U.S. has despatched plane battle teams to the area: “Not to provoke, but to deter, to make clear that if anyone tries to do anything, we’re there.”

Blinken additionally addressed the hostage scenario and humanitarian disaster in Gaza.

Two U.S. hostages, Natalie and Judith Raanan, have been launched yesterday. Blinken stated he didn’t have intel as to why Hamas selected to launch them first. He additionally stated that “some significant number” of the 10 unaccounted-for Americans are being held hostage, however he doesn’t know what number of nor which of them.

Blinken stated that extra convoys of humanitarian support are set to maneuver into Gaza right now after the primary waves of help trickled into the area yesterday.

“This is a work in progress,” he stated.

— Rebecca Picciotto

A convoy of 17 vans bringing support to besieged Palestinians crossed into Gaza on Sunday, Egypt’s state-run media reported.

The supply could be the second cargo into the territory prior to now two days.

Residents of Gaza have been underneath an Israeli blockade that reduce off meals, water, drugs and electrical energy since Hamas militants rampaged by means of southern Israel on Oct. 7.

The greater than 2 million residents of the territory have been struggling underneath Israeli airstrikes and with dwindling sources since then.

— Associated Press

Concerns concerning the danger of wider Middle East conflict triggered by the Israel-Hamas war rose on Sunday with the U.S. dispatching extra army belongings to the area as Israel pummelled targets in Gaza and Hamas supporters in Lebanon and Syria.

Medical sources in Gaza stated greater than 50 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli air strikes in a single day on the enclave, to which Israel laid “total siege” after a cross-border Oct. 7 rampage by Hamas militants that has traumatized Israelis.

In neighboring Syria — the place Hamas’s most important regional backer Iran has a army presence — Israeli missiles hit Damascus and Aleppo worldwide airports early on Sunday, killing not less than two employees, in keeping with Syrian state media.

In south Lebanon, the place the Iran-backed Hezbollah has been exchanging cross-border fireplace with Israel in assist of Hamas, Israel stated its plane bombed Hezbollah targets on Saturday. Hezbollah stated six of its fighters have been killed.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken cautioned Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister that the Lebanese inhabitants could be affected if his nation have been drawn into the Israeli-Hamas war, the State Department stated.

— Reuters

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) stated Sunday that the scenario within the besieged Gaza Strip is “terrible,” with humanitarian provides “very limited” and meals and consuming water scarce.

The company referred to as for the continual provide of significant support provides to keep away from an excellent higher humanitarian catastrophe.

“We need a sustainable supply line of aid to avoid catastrophe in the Strip,” the UNRWA director stated in a press release.

— Sam Meredith

Images revealed Sunday by Getty Images confirmed black smoke billowing within the southern Gaza Strip after Israeli airstrikes in a single day.

Palestinians in Gaza might be seen evacuating destroyed buildings and inspecting the injury at a time when Israel has vowed to step up its bombardment of the beseiged enclave.

Israel’s army stated Sunday it launched an air strike on an underground compound at a mosque within the metropolis of Jenin within the occupied West Bank that allegedly contained a “terror cell” of operatives from Palestinian militant group Hamas and a second Palestinian militant group, Islamic Jihad.

The Israel Defense Forces and the Israel Securities Authority stated in joint assertion that the operatives “were responsible for several terror attacks over the last months, and were organizing an additional imminent terror attack.”

CNBC couldn’t independently confirm this declare.

“Intel was recently received which indicated that the terrorists, that were neutralized, were organizing an imminent terror attack. The mosque was used by the terrorists as a command center to plan the attacks and as a base for their execution,” the joint assertion stated.

— Sam Meredith

Palestinians stated they’d obtained renewed warnings from Israel’s army to maneuver from north Gaza to the south of the strip, with the added warning that they might be recognized as sympathisers with a “terrorist organisation” in the event that they stayed put.

The message was delivered in leaflets marked with the Israel Defense Forces identify and emblem from Saturday and despatched to individuals through cell phone audio messages throughout the Gaza Strip, a slender territory that’s simply 45 km (28 miles) lengthy.

“Urgent warning, to residents of Gaza. Your presence north of Wadi Gaza puts your life in danger. Whoever chooses not to leave north Gaza to the south of Wadi Gaza might be identified as an accomplice in a terrorist organisation,” the leaflet stated.

— Reuters

Approximately 1.4 million individuals have been internally displaced in Gaza because the begin of the Israel-Hamas war, in keeping with the latest day by day replace kind the Hamas-run authorities media workplace.

Half of these displaced in Gaza have sought refuge within the 217 shelter facilities, whereas Hamas stated the others are staying with family, mates, and others.

The day by day replace stated 248 individuals in Gaza had been killed over the previous 24 hours, taking the full demise toll since Oct. 7 to 4,385, with 13,561 residents injured.

Hamas stated Israeli forces continued to focus on academic establishments, with 176 colleges subjected to varied damages and 30 colleges out of service.

— Sam Meredith

Israel’s army focused airstrikes towards Damascus and Aleppo airports, Syria’s state-run Syrian Arab News Agency stated Sunday, killing one civilian employee and injuring one other.

The injury from the missiles put each airports out of service, SANA stated.

CNBC couldn’t independently confirm particulars on the bottom.

— Sam Meredith

“Hezbollah is playing a very dangerous game,” IDF spokesman Jonathan Conricus warned in a social media replace.

Residents within the northern metropolis of Kiryat Shmona have already been requested to evacuate for their very own security as violence on the Israel-Lebanon border flares up.

Overnight, Israel stated it struck Hezbollah military targets belonging to the Iran-backed group in Lebanon and one among its troopers was killed by an anti-tank missile. “The IDF will not stand by as its soldiers and civilians are attacked,” the IDF stated.

Hezbollah misplaced six of its fighters within the cross-border preventing, Reuters reported.

— Joanna Tan

The Israel Defense Forces stated it has “has no intention of considering those who have yet to evacuate as a member of a terrorist group.”

There have been reports Israel will take into account residents in Gaza who select to not evacuate, however to stay within the north, as associates of terrorist organizations.

“The translation from Arabic that has now spread across platforms is imprecise,” the IDF stated in a put up on X, previously Twitter.

The IDF reiterated that “for the safety of Gazan civilians,” residents ought to evacuate to the south of Wadi Gaza. “All those who remain are endangering themselves due to the Hamas’ terrorist activities within civilian areas.”

— Joanna Tan

Canada’s National Department of Defence stated on Saturday that Israel was not behind the Al-Ahli hospital strike in Gaza on Oct. 17.

“Analysis conducted independently by the Canadian Forces Intelligence Command indicates with a high degree of confidence that Israel did not strike the Al-Ahli hospital on 17 October 2023,” it stated in a press release.

The strike was extra probably attributable to an errant rocket fired from Gaza, the protection division stated based mostly on evaluation of open supply and categorized reporting.

Canada’s findings are much like conclusions by France and the U.S.

— Reuters

Israel will improve assaults on Hamas targets within the Gaza Strip within the subsequent stage of the war, a spokesman for the Israeli army stated.

“We will intensify the attacks on Hamas’ strongholds in the north of Gaza Strip,” Daniel Hagari, spokesperson for Israel Defense Forces advised reporters, in keeping with an NBC News translation.

“We’ll continue attacking targets that can be a threat to our ground forces in the following stages of the war,” he added.

As of Saturday, greater than 700,000 residents from northern Gaza Strip have evacuated and moved to the south aspect of the Gaza Stream, he added.

— Joanna Tan

U.N. companies welcomed the supply of a 20-truck convoy carrying humanitarian provides to Gaza, however stated it’s “far from enough.”

The companies referred to as for a humanitarian cease-fire, “immediate, unrestricted humanitarian access throughout Gaza,” and for humanitarian support to be at scale and sustained.

“We call for safe and sustained access to water, food, health – including sexual and reproductive health – and fuel, which is necessary to enable essential services,” the statement said.

Health services are working on small quantities of gas secured domestically, which is “expected to run out in the next day or so,” they stated. “Vulnerable people are at greatest risk and children are dying at an alarming rate.”

“Gaza was a desperate humanitarian situation before the most recent hostilities. It is now catastrophic. The world must do more,” the U.N. companies stated in a joint assertion.

— Joanna Tan