That's the end of our live blog coverage of the Israel-Hamae war for Monday 9 October. Read all the updates below to see how events unfolded during Monday. We're back with a new live blog on Tuesday morning at 06:00 CET.

At least 20 'anti-Semitic' incidents reported in France over the past 48 hours

Netanyahu says of war against Hamas: 'We will change the Middle East'

Macron expresses 'deep concern' for Israeli hostages and the injured

EU suspends ‘all payments’ to Palestinian authorities

The European Commission has “immediately” suspended all payments made to the Palestinian authorities under the common EU budget, Olivér Várhelyi, the European Commissioner for enlargement and neighbourhood policy, has announced in reaction to the military attack launched by Hamas against Israel.

“As the biggest donor of the Palestinians, the European Commission is putting its full development portfolio under review, worth a total of EUR 691 (million),” Várhelyi said on X, formerly Twitter.

The move will affect all payments and all projects, he said. Additionally, all new budget allocations, including for 2023, will be postponed “until further notice,” the Commissioner added.

“The foundations for peace, tolerance and co-existence must now be addressed. Incitement to hatred, violence and glorification of terror have poisoned the minds of too many,” Várhelyi said. “We need action and we need it now.”

The EU has traditionally been a major provider of humanitarian and financial aid to the West Bank, which is partially governed by the Palestinian Authority and President Mahmoud Abbas. This support goes into essential services, such as healthcare, social assistance, salaries of civil servants and development projects in the field of “state-building.” For Gaza, the money is channelled through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

Israel deploys troops against incursion from Lebanon

An Israeli military spokesperson has said soldiers have been deployed against a suspected infiltration from southern Lebanon. 

“A report was received about the infiltration of several suspects into Israeli territory from Lebanese territory. IDF forces are deployed in the area,” Daniel Hagari said in a post on X.

The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) later claimed it "killed a number of militants who crossed into Israeli territory from Lebanese territory". 

"Helicopter gunships are now attacking in space," it wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday afternoon. 

EU bias towards Israel, claims ex-EU ambassador 

James Moran, a former EU Ambassador to Egypt, has expressed concern at the EU's reaction to the violence in Israel and Gaza, calling it "one-sided". 

Brussels bureaucrats "seem to have lost sight of an even-handedness in this affair. Yes, everybody's horrified by the violence and condemns terrorism. But many of the individual statements of leaders and institutions, especially from [European Commission President Ursula] von der Leyen have been rather one-sided."

"That is worrying because normally Europe does have its place to play [in negotiations]. It may not have a place at the top of the table as the main influence in the region - we all know that is the Americans, of course - but that even-handedness has in the past served Europe reasonably well."

"I'm a bit worried at the moment because there are too many knee-jerk reactions which have not tried to balance the position in the way that we normally do," he continues. 

Distracted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Moran said there has been a struggle within the EU itself, with countries like Hungary striking a more pro-Israel position. 

"It will make it very difficult for Europe to play its traditional role as a peacemaker in the region, at least in the short term, if indeed, some diplomatic space opens up for new peace talks, which we have to hope will happen," he tells Euronews. 

The ex-EU diplomat said Europe had an important role to play when it comes to peace talks, highlighting the bloc's "very special" trading relationship with Israel and humanitarian support for Palestine. 

"We have a certain amount of leverage available if we wish to use it to prevail on both parties to somehow revive this peace process," he adds. "Europe is part of the story, no question." 

'Grave miscalculation': Why was Israel blindsided by Gaza attack? 

A former Lieutenant Colonel in the Israeli army has told Euronews many failures by Israeli intelligence services led up to the unprecedented assault by Hamas militants. 

Click the link to find out more. 

MEPs to debate Israel-Gaza violence tomorrow

The European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee (AFET) will hold an extraordinary debate on the ongoing fighting in Israel and Gaza tomorrow at 10 a.m. in Brussels.

“MEPs will discuss the latest violence on the ground and what consequences the renewed hostilities between Israel and Hamas could have for the stability of the wider Middle East region,” the parliament said in a short press release.

The debate will begin with a brief presentation by representatives of the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the European Commission, and then be followed by an exchange of views between lawmakers.

Israel kills its own prisoners in Gaza, claims Hamas 

Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip killed four "prisoners" held by Hamas, the Islamist movement controlling the Palestinian enclave said on Monday.

Israel's bombings "last night and today on the Gaza Strip caused the death of four enemy prisoners,” said a press release from the armed wing of Hamas, the Al-Qassam Brigades. 

Dozens of Israelis have been taken hostage by Hamas since the start of hostilities.

(AFP)

Bank of Israel attempts to rein in shekel following Hamas assault

The Bank of Israel has announced it is intervening in the foreign exchange market to mitigate the volatility of the Israeli currency, the shekel, which fell sharply after Hamas's surprise weekend offensive. 

Read more on this story here.

What is the current situation in Gaza? 

As Israel announces a "complete siege" of the Gaza Strip, here is a snap shot of what life is like in the enclave: 

• Gaza has one of the highest unemployment rates in the world at more than 45 per cent
• Children make up 47% of Gaza's population of two million, with over 800,000 having never known life without Israel's blockade, says Save the Children
• 96 per cent of the water supplied is unsuitable for drinking, according to Unicef 
• Gazan residents had only 13 hours of electricity on average in 2023, says the UN
• Gaza has no functional airports after Israel bombed and demolished the Yasser Arafat International Airport in 2001, only three years after it opened.
• The Gaza Strip is one of the most densely populated areas of the world 

Water supplies to Gaza ‘immediately cut’ - Israel minister

Israeli energy minister, Israel Katz, has ordered “to immediately cut the water supply” to Gaza, his spokesperson said.

The move comes after an earlier announcement of a “total blockade” on Gaza by the defence ministry.

EU does not give money to Hamas - spokesperson

The European Commission said on Monday the EU's common budget did not provide “direct or indirect” funding to Hamas, which the bloc considers a terrorist organisation.

The EU has traditionally provided humanitarian and financial aid to the West Bank, which is partially governed by the Palestinian Authority and President Mahmoud Abbas.

This support goes into essential services, such as healthcare, social assistance, salaries of civil servants and development projects in the field of “state-building.”

For Gaza, the money is channelled through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). The issue of financial aid will be discussed by EU foreign affairs ministers in an emergency meeting set to take place tomorrow afternoon.

“The EU does not fund Hamas or any terrorist organisation activities, either directly or indirectly. The EU has very strict rules in place to screen and vet the beneficiaries of EU funds,” said Ana Pisonero, the European Commission’s spokesperson for enlargement and neighbourhood policy.

“All recipients of EU funding are required to ensure that these funds are not made available, either directly or indirectly, to entities, individuals or groups which have been designed under EU restrictive measures or to their representatives.”

The Commission had not had any contact with Hamas since 2007 when the terrorist organisation took over the Gaza Strip as a result of the military confrontation with Fatah.

Death toll in Gaza continues to rise 

At least 511 people have been killed in Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip since Saturday, Gaza's health ministry says. 

Around 2,750 people have been injured it noted, with rights groups urging both parties to cease hostilities. 

Israel says it is striking Hamas targets in Gaza following Saturday's unprecedented assault on Israeli civilians and soldiers by Palestinian gunmen who entered from the enclave, opening fire in the streets and in communities.

Children make up 47% of Gaza's population, according to the NGO Save the Children. 

Earlier today, Human Rights Watch said the "deliberate killing of civilians" was a "heinous crime that has no justification". 

Israel strikes refugee camps in Gaza - Palestinian foreign affairs ministry

Two refugee camps have been hit by Israeli air strikes in Gaza, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

It says both the Al-Shati and Jabalia camps were attacked, reportedly leaving several injured and dead.

There are eight recognised refugee camps in the densely-populated Gaza Strip, which many have likened to an open-air prison. 

Chance of third party entering war, says Russia 

Moscow has there is a said “high risk” of a third party entering the ongoing fighting, following an announcement from the US Pentagon it was moving warships and aircraft carriers closer to Israel.

“The risk of third forces becoming involved in this conflict is high. It is very important to find ways as soon as possible to move towards some kind of negotiation process,” Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman, was quoted as saying by local media outlet TASS news agency.

Top EU diplomat calls emergency meeting 

Josep Borrell, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, said on Monday he would convene an emergency meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers to discuss the violence in Israel and fine-tune their collective response.

The meeting will take place tomorrow afternoon in Muscat, Oman, where Borrell and some ministers have travelled to attend a previously scheduled gathering of the EU-Gulf Cooperation Council.

Those unable to attend in person will join by video call.

Zelenskyy compares Hamas to Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has drawn a parallel between Russia’s invasion of his country and the Hamas militant group’s incursion into Israel, saying only “rules (and) international law” can ensure peace around the world.

“The same evil, and the only difference is that there is a terrorist organization that attacked Israel, and here is a terrorist state that attacked Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said in a video address Monday to a NATO parliamentary assembly in Copenhagen.

“Our unity must and can stop the evil,” Zelenskyy said. “Let everyone who sponsors terror feel the power of our wrath. And let everyone who needs help defending themselves against terror feel the power of our solidarity.”

Israel to impose 'full siege' on Gaza

Israel’s defence minister, Yoav Gallant, said Israel is imposing a “full siege” on Gaza.

“There is no electricity, there is no food, there is no water, there is no food no gas, everything is closed” he told an Israeli newspaper.

"I ordered a complete siege on Gaza. We are fighting human animals, and we act accordingly" he said.

Defence Minister Yoav Gallant is currently conducting a situation assessment with the IDF Southern Command.

Denmark hits back at claim it was too soft on Hamas

Copenhagen has rejected what it called "false information" that the country objected to calling Hamas a terrorist organisation in an EU declaration. 

"DK would never do that," Denmark's Foreign Ministry wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "Hamas is listed a terror organisation by the EU and DK has on several occasions referred to Hamas as such."

It made the comment in reference to a report by i24 News English, which claimed to be citing a diplomatic source, that Brussels wanted to issue a hasher statement on the recent violence, but Luxembourg, Ireland and Denmark refused to call Hamas a terror organisation. 

Euronews cannot verify this claim. 

In a statement published on Saturday, the EU said it "condemns in the strongest possible terms the multiple and indiscriminate attacks across Israel by Hamas and deeply deplores the loss of lives."

It called for "an immediate cessation of these senseless attacks and violence, which will only further increase tensions on the ground and seriously undermine Palestinian people’s aspirations for peace."

"The EU stands in solidarity with Israel, which has the right to defend itself in line with international law, in the face of such violent and indiscriminate attacks," it added. 

Israeli forces regain control of areas overrun by Hamas - military 

Israel's military has taken back control of communities near the Gaza Strip that had been infiltrated by Hamas, according to an Israeli Defence Forces spokesperson.

“We have total control of the communities” in southern Isreal said General Daniel Hagari during a televised press briefing, after three days of vicious fighting. 

However, “there could still be terrorists in the area,” he added. 

(AFP)

Gunfights ongoing, as 'hostile aircraft' enters Israeli territory

Israel's Channel 12 reports gun battles are happening between Hamas and Israeli forces in a community in southern Israel.

It comes as Israeli authorities warn a "hostile aircraft" has entered the country's territory near the besieged Gaza Strip, according to Israel's Haaretz newspaper. 

Sirens are reportedly sounding across Jerusalem and southern Israel. 

Zelenskyy urges international community to unite against terrorism

Ukraine’s president has said the world must come together to fight terrorist organisations, linking the tactics used by Hamas in its assault on Israel with those used by Russia in Ukraine

He said Israeli journalists in Ukraine, who saw the aftermath of atrocities in places like Bucha where mass graves were discovered, were now seeing similar tactics in their home country.

Speaking via video link at a NATO meeting in Copenhagen, Ukraine's number one said: “Thousands of missiles. Shooting people in cars. No one was spared. The terrorists themselves gave the world footage of their atrocities, and were proud of that. They even tried to humiliate the dead. We saw all of this in Israel.”

He said the international community could agree on basic rules, such as “do not rape women. Do not kill. Do not consider children as trophies. Do not fill villages and towns with blood. Do not shoot civilians in cars.” 

Other observers point to what they see as violent terror tactics by Israel. 

"For the past year, the most racist, fundamentalist, far-right government in Israeli history has ruthlessly escalated its military occupation over Palestinians in the name of Jewish supremacy with violent expulsions and home demolitions, mass killings, military raids on refugee camps, unrelenting siege and daily humiliation," wrote the Jewish Voice for Peace in a statement published on Sunday. 

"The Israeli government has suffocated Palestinians in Gaza under a draconian air, sea and land military blockade, imprisoning and starving two million people and denying them medical aid," it added, claiming Israel "routinely massacres Palestinians." 

Referring to Tehran's supplies of drones to Russia, Zelenskyy pointed the finger at Iran, saying the country could not say it had nothing to do with the attack on Israel when its officials support it. 

In remarks possibly directed at Republican politicians in Washington, the Ukrainian president said: "This is not the time to withdraw from the international arena into internal disputes. This is not the time to stay silent.”

Austria suspends aid to Palestinians 

EU member Austria has suspended aid for Palestine, the country's foreign minister Alexander Schallenberg said today.

“The extent of the terror is so horrific ... that we cannot go back to business as usual. We will therefore put all payments from Austrian development cooperation on ice for the time being,” Schallenberg told ORF radio.

Some €19 million in assistance would be withheld he said.

Humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip are especially dire, with Irsael's blockade putting the enclave's population under immense pressure.

The recent flurry of airstrikes looks set making the situation far worse. 

More Israeli soldiers captured - reports

Hamas has captured a new group of Israeli soldiers, according to Al Jazeera. 

Israel has not confirmed this.

More than 123,000 displaced in Gaza - UN

More than 123,000 people have been displaced in the Gaza Strip since the outbreak of the conflict between Palestinian fighters and Israel, according to the United Nations.

“Over 123,538 people, have been internally displaced in Gaza, mostly due to fear, protection concerns and the destruction of their homes,” said the UN’s humanitarian agency, OCHA.

EU countries pull citizens out of Israel

Some European Union member states have begun evacuating their citizens from Israel after the outbreak of fighting with Hamas. 

On Monday morning, Hungarian MP Balázs Orbán said his country had evacuated 215 people in a joint rescue operation. 

"Our priority is the safety of our people," he said, thanking Israel, Cyprus, Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania for their cooperation. 

Poland has also started evacuating its citizens from Israel, with the first plane carrying around 120 people landing in Warsaw early on Monday.

"The first people evacuated from Israel are already in Poland. I would like to thank [our] soldiers for carrying out the operation efficiently. You are the best," Polish defence minister Mariusz Blaszczak tweeted. 

At least 200 Polish soldiers are assisting with the operation.

Two more flights are expected later in the day. 

On Sunday, Blaszczak said some 200 Polish tourists, including children on a school trip, waiting to leave Israel.

19 members of the same family killed in Israeli airstrike

The evacuation warning came shortly after dark. The Israeli military fired a warning shot near Nasser Abu Quta’s home in the southern Gaza Strip.

The 57-year-old thought he and his extended family would be safe some hundred metres away from the house that was alerted to the pending airstrike. He huddled with his relatives on the ground floor of his four-story building, bracing for impact.

But the house of Abu Quta’s neighbour was never hit.

In an instant, an explosion ripped through his own home, wiping out 19 members of his family, including his wife and cousins, he said. The airstrike also killed five of his neighbours standing outside in the jam-packed refugee camp, a jumble of buildings and alleyways.

The airstrike in Rafah, a southern town on the border with Egypt, came as Israeli forces intensified their bombardment of targets in the Gaza Strip following a big, multi-front attack by Hamas militants Saturday that had killed over 700 people in Israel by Sunday night.

(AP)

Both sides 'flouting' the law - HRW 

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has condemned both Israel and Hamas for violating international law, calling for an end to "further abuses". 

“Deliberate killings of civilians, hostage-taking, and collective punishment are heinous crimes that have no justification,” said Omar Shakir, Israel and Palestine Director at HRW, a US-based NGO. 

“The unlawful attacks and systematic repression that have mired the region for decades will continue, so long as human rights and accountability are disregarded,” he added in a statement sent to Euronews on Monday. 

Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups stormed Israeli homes and shot civilians en mass, also taking scores of Israelis hostage. They also reportedly launched more than 3,000 rockets towards Israel indiscriminately. 

HRW said Palestinians have recently faced "unprecedented repression," noting Israeli authorities had killed more Palestinians in the occupied West Bank in the first nine months of 2023 than in any year since the UN began systematically recording fatalities in 2005. 

In previous outbreaks of violence, HRW said it has documented "serious violations of the laws of war by Israeli forces and by Palestinian armed groups."

It also claimed Israel has repeatedly carried out indiscriminate airstrikes that killed scores of civilians and targeted civilian infrastructure, including destroying high-rise Gaza towers full of homes and businesses, with no evident military targets in the vicinity.

For 17 years, Israel has shut Gaza off from the outside world, banning Palestinians in the tiny pocket of land from travelling. 

On 7 October, Israel's Energy Minister announced that  authorities would no longer provide electricity to Gaza’s 2.2 million residents.

“If we’ve learned anything through prior escalations, it is that so long as there is impunity for serious abuses, we will continue to see more repression and shedding of civilian blood,” Shakir said.

Death toll from Israeli music festival attack climbs

The number of people killed at an Israeli music festival has gone up to 260, according to the country's media. 

Some 3,000 people attended the all-night rave which was targeted by Hamas as part of a huge surprise attack on Israel.

The festival was held in the Negev desert - near the Gazan border. 

Israeli PM responsible for disaster, claims leading newspaper

Haaretz, one of Israel's largest newspapers, has said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is to blame for the violence that broke out on Saturday.

"The disaster that befell Israel on the holiday of Simchat Torah is the clear responsibility of one person: Benjamin Netanyahu," its Editorial Board wrote.

"The prime minister, who has prided himself on his vast political experience and irreplaceable wisdom in security matters, completely failed to identify the dangers he was consciously leading Israel into when establishing a government of annexation and dispossession when appointing Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir to key positions, while embracing a foreign policy that openly ignored the existence and rights of Palestinians." 

Haaretz, markets itself as a centre-left progressive newspaper, it has the third largest circulation in Israel and is read widely overseas. 

Iran claims not involved in Hamas offensive

Iran has denied any involvement in the unprecedented attacks launched by Hamas within Israel.

“We emphatically stand in unflinching support of Palestine, however, we are not involved in Palestine’s response as it is taken solely by Palestine itself,” Iran’s mission to the UN said in a statement.

“The resolute measures taken by Palestine constitute a wholly legitimate defence against seven decades of oppressive occupation and heinous crimes committed by the illegitimate Zionist regime,” it continued added.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday that Iran's Revolutionary Guards helped plot the attack against its enemy Israel over several weeks, giving the green light for an assault at a meeting in Beirut last Monday. 

A spokesman for Hamas, Ghazi Hamad, told the BBC that the militant group had received support from its ally Iran. Others have helped too, he told the broadcaster without naming them.

US officials say they haven’t seen evidence of Tehran’s involvement.

Iran and Israel are key regional enemies in the Middle East, with Tehran supporting Palestine and often openly calling for the destruction of the state of Israel. 

Both countries compete regionally, trying to assert their influence and interests at the expense of the other in several other countries. 

Fighting rages on

There are ongoing battles in "7 or 8" locations in Israel and around Gaza, the Israeli army said Monday morning. 

(AFP)

'Root of violence is oppression' - Jewish peace group

Israel's war against Palestine is the "source of all this violence", the Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) claimed in a statement published on Sunday. 

"The Israeli government may have just declared war, but its war on Palestinians started over 75 years ago. Israeli apartheid and occupation — and United States complicity in that oppression — are the source of all this violence," it said.

The state of Israel was founded 75 years ago in the Middle East, with Israeli leaders then invoking their historical and biblical ties to the land. 

"For the past year, the most racist, fundamentalist, far-right government in Israeli history has ruthlessly escalated its military occupation over Palestinians in the name of Jewish supremacy with violent expulsions and home demolitions, mass killings, military raids on refugee camps, unrelenting siege and daily humiliation," the statement continued. 

The Israel-Palestine conflict is a highly sensitive and complex issue. 

Israel maintains it needs to defend its citizens and borders against possible terrorism or violence from Palestinian groups. It has been repeatedly attacked in the past. 

"For 16 years, the Israeli government has suffocated Palestinians in Gaza under a draconian air, sea and land military blockade, imprisoning and starving two million people and denying them medical aid. The Israeli government routinely massacres Palestinians in Gaza; ten-year-olds who live in Gaza have already been traumatized by seven major bombing campaigns in their short lives," wrote the Jewish Voice for Peace. 

"For 75 years, the Israeli government has maintained a military occupation over Palestinians, operating an apartheid regime. Palestinian children are dragged from their beds in pre-dawn raids by Israeli soldiers and held without charge in Israeli military prisons. Palestinians' homes are torched by mobs of Israeli settlers, or destroyed by the Israeli army. Entire Palestinian villages are forced to flee, abandoning the homes and orchards and land that were in their family for generations."

Based in the US, the JVP describes itself as the world's largest organisation "working towards Palestinian freedom and Judaism beyond Zionism."

Israel-Hamas violence jolts oil prices 

Oil prices jumped by more than 4% on Monday after the surprise assault by Hamas against Israel. 

A barrel of Brent from the North Sea jumped 4.7% to $86.65, while one of American West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was up 4.5% to $88.39 as Asian markets opened. 

The surprise offensive by the Palestinian militant group against Israel has raised concerns about oil supplies from the Middle East. 

“What is key for markets is whether the conflict remains contained or spreads to other regions, particularly Saudi Arabia,” said analysts Brian Martin and Daniel Hynes.

"At least initially, markets seem to think that the situation will remain limited in scope, duration and impact on oil prices. But greater volatility can be expected." 

This crisis comes at a time when oil prices are already high due to worries about falling production from Russia and Saudi Arabia. 

Fears also surround its impact on prices. Rising energy costs are one of the main drivers of inflation, as winter looms. 

(AFP)

Israeli army hammers Gaza Strip overnight 

“More than 500 targets” of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad were hit overnight from Sunday to Monday by airstrikes and artillery fire in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli army announced.

“During the night, fighter jets, helicopters, aircraft and artillery struck more than 500 targets of Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists,” it said in a statement.

(AFP)

Death toll in Israel expected to rise

Israel's military has said the country's death toll will increase, with a large number of people critically wounded. 

"Never before have so many Israelis been killed by one single thing, let alone enemy activity on one day," said Jonathan Conricus, a spokesman for the Israel Defence Forces, in a video on Sunday night.

He likened the scale of Hamas' attack to "a 9/11 and a Pearl Harbour wrapped into one". 

Good morning, this is the Euronews live blog on the Israel-Hamas war.