Israel-Hamas war: Biden calls Hamas attack ‘pure evil’

The death toll continued to climb Wednesday as the war between Israel and Hamas entered its fifth day.

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Editor’s note: This story is no longer being updated. The latest updates can be found here.

The Israel Defense Force continued to pound the Gaza Strip with airstrikes after Hamas militants carried out surprise attacks that claimed hundreds of lives on Saturday. At least 22 U.S. citizens are among the more than 2,300 people confirmed dead on either side of the conflict.

IDF: ‘Large-scale strike’ made on terror targets

Update 10:08 p.m. EDT Oct. 11: According to Israel Defense Forces, Israeli troops are “currently conducting a large-scale strike on terror targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip,” CNN reported.

The information came from an IDF social media post, according to the cable news outlet.

-- Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Israeli airstrikes kill 51 on Gaza Strip

Update 9:24 p.m. EDT Oct. 11: Airstrikes by Israeli forces on the Gaza Strip have left at least 51 people dead and another 281 injured as of early Thursday, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said.

The ministry said the casualties were in the residential areas of Zeitoun, Sabra, Al-Nafaq, and Tel al-Haw, CNN reported.

Some of the victims are still under the rubble, according to Deputy Health Minister Yousef Abu Al-Ris said.

-- Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Biden speaks by phone with UAE president about Israel, Gaza

Update 6:46 p.m. EDT Oct. 11: President Joe Biden spoke on Wednesday with United Arab Emirates President Mohamed bin Zayed “to discuss the terrorist attacks on Israel,” according to a readout from the White House.

“The President stressed his condemnation of Hamas’s terror and his warning against anyone who might seek to exploit the current situation,” the readout stated. “The two leaders also discussed the importance of ensuring humanitarian assistance reaches those in need.”

-- Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

State Department raises travel advisory to Israel

Update 6:22 p.m. EDT Oct. 11: The U.S. State Department raised its travel advisory level on Wednesday, warning Americans to reconsider travel to Israel after the Hamas attacks, CNN reported.

The advisory was raised to “Level 3: Reconsider Travel” and warned that “the situation in Israel remains dynamic; mortar and rocket fire may take place without warning.”

“Individuals should follow the instructions of security and emergency response officials,” an advisory said.

-- Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Netanyahu vows to ‘crush and eliminate’ Hamas

Update 6:05 p.m. EDT Oct. 11: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during a news conference that every member of the Hamas militant group “is a dead man.”

The prime minister, who held a news conference with Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and political rival Benny Gantz, promised to “crush and eliminate” the group, The New York Times reported.

-- Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Biden: Hamas attack an act of ‘pure evil’

Update 5:02 p.m. EDT Oct. 11: An emotional President Joe Biden called the Hamas attack of Israel an act of “pure evil’ as he spoke during a round table discussion with Jewish leaders in the Indian Treaty Room of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, The New York Times reported.

The president’s voice rose at one point as recalled taking his grandchildren to the concentration camp at Dachau, where Jews were murdered by the Nazi government.

“I want them to see,” Biden yelled.

“I never thought I’d see and have confirmed terrorists beheading children,” Biden said, referencing reports about atrocities allegedly carried out by the militants.

-- Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

First gentleman: ‘We witnessed a mass murder’

Update 4:44 p.m. EDT Oct. 11: First gentleman Douglas Emhoff opened a round table discussion with Jewish leaders in the Indian Treaty Room of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, The New York Times reported.

“We witnessed a mass murder of innocent civilians,” said Emhoff, who is Jewish and is the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris. “Our president and vice president are making sure Israel has what it needs to defend itself.”

-- Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Turkey working to release civilian Israelis

Update 4:38 p.m. EDT Oct. 11: Turkey is negotiating to release civilian prisoners held by Hamas militants, The New York Times reported.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan previously said his country is ready to step in if parties demand mediation, according to the newspaper.

Erdogan’s office said the president also wants his country to work on delivering humanitarian aid to civilians affected by the conflict, CNN reported.

Erdogan made the comments during a telephone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and “stressed that it is important for regional countries to give constructive messages for the termination of the conflicts,” the Turkish presidency said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

-- Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Netanyahu says soldiers beheaded, women raped

Update 4:27 p.m. EDT Oct. 11: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed during a late-night television address that Hamas militants beheaded soldiers and raped women when they attacked Israel, The Associated Press reported.

The prime minister also claimed that boys and girls were shot in the head and that some people had been burned alive.

“We are fighting a cruel enemy, an enemy that is worse than ISIS,” Netanyahu said, according to The New York Times. He added that Israeli forces “will crush and eliminate it, like the world crushed and eliminated ISIS.”

He also called Hamas “wild animals” and “barbarians.”

-- Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Egypt refuses to allow Palestinians into country

Update 4:15 p.m. EDT Oct. 11: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said that his country will not allow Palestinians to seek refuge in his country.

All border crossings between Israel and Gaza have been closed since Saturday’s attack, The New York Times reported. Rafah, the only crossing between Gaza and Egypt, was hit by Israeli airstrikes on Tuesday night and was closed on Wednesday, according to Reuters.

“Egypt hopes for a resolution of the Palestinian cause through negotiations leading to a just peace and the establishment of a Palestinian state,” el-Sisi said in comments reported by the state-backed Middle East News Agency. “However, Egypt will not allow the Palestinian cause to be settled at the expense of other parties.”

-- Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Harris condemns ‘extreme acts of terrorism’

Update 3:25 p.m. EDT Oct. 11: Vice President Kamala Harris said she is “completely outraged” by the “extreme acts of terrorism” being seen in Israel amid the country’s war against Hamas.

“One of our highest priorities, of course, is the safety and well-being of American citizens, and that will continue to be one of our highest priorities,” Harris said Wednesday.

“The president and I take very seriously our commitment to Israel and the people of Israel. And to support them and in particular, to give Israel what it needs to defend itself.”

White House: US working to secure safe passage of civilians out of Gaza

Update 3:15 p.m. EDT Oct. 11: The U.S. is in conversations with Israeli and Egyptian officials to allow civilians to safely leave Gaza, said John Kirby, strategic communications coordinator for the National Security Council.

At a White House news conference Wednesday, Kirby said the U.S. supports

“Civilians are not to blame for what Hamas has done. They didn’t do anything wrong,” he said. “Civilians are protected under the laws of armed conflict, and they should be given every opportunity to avoid the fight.”

He declined to share details about the discussions, saying that Israel and Egypt are “the two most significant players when it comes to trying to get that corridor open.

“We don’t want to see any more civilian life taken or lost. None,” Kirby said. “I mean, the number should be zero, of innocent civilians killed or harmed right now. Sadly, that’s not the case.”

US keeping options open for hostage recovery

Update 2:40 p.m. EDT Oct. 11: The U.S. has not ruled out any options to rescue Americans who have been taken hostage by Hamas since the militant group launched surprise attacks on Israel on Saturday, said John Kirby, strategic communications coordinator for the National Security Council.

“We haven’t made any policy options or operational decisions with respect to hostage recovery at this time,” he said at a White House news conference on Wednesday. He added that officials are “keeping the options wide open right now, as we get more information.”

“We just don’t have enough granularity to be able to fine-tune those options,” he said.

Earlier, Kirby said that at least 17 Americans remained unaccounted for on Wednesday. It was not clear how many of those, if any, were believed to be hostages.

At least 17 Americans unaccounted for in Israel-Hamas war

Update 1:40 p.m. EDT Oct. 11: The number of Americans believed to be missing since the war in Israel began over the weekend has fallen slightly to 17 on Wednesday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

“We know that so far, 22 Americans lost their lives and 17 remain unaccounted for,” she said. “We know that these numbers are likely to increase in the days ahead.”

John Kirby, strategic communications coordinator for the National Security Council, said “a number of Americans are being held hostage right now by Hamas,” though he did not specify how many people were believed to be held by the militant group.

“I think we all need to steel ourselves for the very distinct possibility that these numbers will keep increasing and that we may in fact find out that more Americans are part of the hostage pool,” he said.

At least 22 US citizens killed in Israel-Hamas conflict, State Department says

Update 12:35 p.m. EDT Oct. 11: A spokesperson for the State Department said Wednesday that the number of Americans who have died in the war between Israel and Hamas has risen from 14 to 22.

“At this time, we can confirm the deaths of at least 22 U.S. citizens,” the spokesperson said in a statement obtained by CBS News. “We extend our deepest condolences to the victims and to the families of all those affected.”

Death toll rises to 1,100 in Gaza

Update 12:15 p.m. EDT Oct. 11: The death toll in the Gaza Strip rose to 1,100 on Wednesday, including nearly 330 children, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

Officials said almost 5,340 people have been injured in the Gaza Strip as fighting continues.

In Israel, officials said more than 1,200 people have died, while 2,700 others have been wounded.

Biden speaks again with Netanyahu

Update 11:40 a.m. EDT Oct. 11: President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke Wednesday, marking the fourth conversation between the leaders since Hamas launched surprise attacks on Israel on Saturday.

Netanyahu thanked Biden “for his powerful words of support” and “for his unequivocal support for the State of Israel,” according to a statement from the prime minister’s office.

Jordan’s king says two-state solution will bring security, stability to region

Update 11:30 a.m. EDT Oct. 11: Jordanian King Abdullah said Wednesday that the two-state solution — a proposal that would see separate states created for Israel and Palestine — will bring security, peace and stability to the region in a speech to Jordan’s parliament, CNN reported.

“The dangerous escalation and acts of violence and aggression currently taking place in the Palestinian territories are proof that confirms, once again, that our region will never be secure nor stable without achieving just and comprehensive peace on the basis of the two-state solution,” Abdullah said, according to CNN.

The king said establishing a Palestinian state would end “the cycles of killing, where the ultimate victims are innocent civilians.”

More than 1,200 Israelis dead in Israel-Hamas conflict

Update 10:40 a.m. EDT Oct. 11: A spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters at a news briefing on Wednesday that more than 1,200 Israelis have died since Hamas carried out surprise attacks on the country on Saturday, NBC News reported.

The spokesperson, Tal Heinrich, said more than 2,700 people have been injured.

Health officials said earlier Tuesday that 1,055 people have been killed in Gaza and nearly 5,200 others were wounded.

King Charles condemns ‘barbaric acts of terrorism in Israel’

Update 10:25 a.m. EDT Oct. 11: King Charles III on Wednesday became the latest world leader to condemn the surprise attacks launched Saturday by Hamas.

Charles is “appalled by and condemns the barbaric acts of terrorism in Israel,” a Buckingham Palace spokesperson told BBC News.

“This is a situation His Majesty is extremely concerned about, and he has asked to be kept actively updated,” the spokesperson said.

“His thoughts and prayers are with all of those suffering, particularly those who have lost loved ones, but also those actively involved as we speak.”

Netanyahu, opposition form unity government, war cabinet

Update 10:15 a.m. EDT Oct. 11: Benny Gantz, Israel’s former defense minister and a key member of the opposition, has agreed to form an emergency government with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to The Guardian and The Associated Press.

In a statement obtained by the AP, Gantz and Netanyahu said they would form a five-member “war-management” Cabinet that includes Netanyahu, Gantz and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Two other top officials will serve as “observer” members, according to the statement.

The “emergency national government” will aim to unify Israel, which is also grappling with “deep domestic political fractures during a crisis,” The Guardian reported.

Israeli official thanks Biden

Update 9:55 a.m. EDT Oct. 11: Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen shared thanks for U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday, one day after the president called surprise attacks launched Saturday by Hamas “sheer evil.”

Cohen shared a picture of a billboard showing a picture of Biden and the words “Thank you, Mr. President.” The foreign minister echoed the sentiment in his post.

On Tuesday, Biden said the U.S. was surging military assistance to help Israel, sending ammunition and interceptors to replenish the country’s Iron Dome defense system, among other things.

Gaza’s only power plant runs out of fuel

Update 9:10 a.m. EDT Oct. 11: The only power plant in Gaza ran out of fuel on Wednesday, days after Israel’s defense minister announced a “complete siege” and blocked Gaza from electricity, food, water and fuel.

Israel’s energy minister, Israel Katz, confirmed in a statement posted on social media that the power station collapsed, leaving Gaza without electricity. He vowed that Israel will “continue to tighten the siege until the Hamas threat to Israel and the world is removed.”

“What was will not be,” he said.

Gaza power authority head Galal Ismail told CNN that people in Gaza will still be able to use power generators for electricity, though it was unclear how long fuel would be available to keep them running.

US official visits site of Hamas attack: ‘It is evil’

Update 8:55 a.m. EDT Oct. 11: Stephanie Hallett, the chargé d’affaires ad interim representing the U.S. in Israel, said she has visited the site of an attack by Hamas near the Gaza border “to bear witness to the atrocities committed on Saturday.”

In an emotional video posted to social media, Hallett called the scene “really unbelievable.”

“As a mother, and just as a human being, to see and to know what happened here — it’s really important to say that we’ve been here, we’ve seen it, and it is evil,” she said. “And we stand with Israel. All of us. We stand with Israel.”

Pope Francis calls for release of Hamas hostages

Update 8:30 a.m. EDT Oct. 11: Pope Francis on Wednesday urged Hamas militants to release hostages taken in its war with Israel.

“I pray for those families who have seen a feast day transformed into a day of mourning, and I ask that the hostages be released immediately‚” Francis said Wednesday during his general audience in St. Peter’s Square.

He added that he was “very concerned about the total siege under which the Palestinians are living in Gaza, where there have also been many innocent victims.”

“Terrorism and extremism do not help reach a solution to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, but fuel hatred, violence, revenge, and only cause each to other suffer,” he said. “The Middle East does not need war, but peace, a peace built on dialogue and the courage of fraternity.”

Threats against US

Update 8 a.m. EDT Oct. 11: The leader of the Kataib Hezbollah militia said that his group will attack American military bases if the U.S. intervenes in the war between Israel and Hamas, the Associated Press reported.

Ahmad “Abu Hussein” al-Hamidawi said, “Our missiles, drones, and special forces are ready to direct qualitative strikes at the American enemy in its bases and disrupt its interests in this battle.”

Al-Hamidawi also said they will aim missiles at Israeli targets.

‘Legitimate military targets’

Update 7:58 a.m. EDT Oct. 11: The IDF confirmed that it is hitting civilian buildings in Gaza because the opposition is using them for headquarters with assets hidden inside, CNN reported.

“You may have seen footage on TV or on social media and you may see a building standing and then flashes and then the building collapses and you say to yourself, well, that looks very much like a civilian building,” IDF spokesperson Lt. Col. Jonathan Concricus said.

“What I want to tell you is that no, that isn’t a civilian building. It is a legitimate military target. And why is that? Because Hamas uses all, locates all of their offices, headquarters, their research and development and all of their other military assets, if it’s above ground, they locate themselves in civilian buildings.”

Concricus called Hamas “cowards” because of it.

Original report: The United Nations Relief and Works Agency said that nine staffers have been killed since Saturday, including several who were killed on Tuesday, the Associated Press reported. They were killed at their homes. The UNRWA said 18 of its schools that were being used as shelters, as well as its headquarters, were damaged, but there were no casualties.

The UNRWA said it has 250,000 people in shelters in Gaza with about 260,000 people displaced, The New York Times reported. The agency is launching a 90-day emergency humanitarian response.

An airstrike also damaged the Islamic University of Gaza which, according to the IDF, was a training camp for Hamas for military intelligence and to develop and produce weapons, the AP reported.

Overall the war that started on Saturday has killed 2,200 Israelis and Palestinians over the past five days, the AP reported. The IDF said that 1,200 people have died in Israel while the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza said at least 1,055 have died there, CNN reported.

The IDF said it also hit a Lebanese territory after Hezbollah targeted an IDF post near the border. Hezbollah said they used “guided missiles” after three of its members were killed earlier this week, CNN reported.

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