All the latest developments on the Israel-Hamas war and the conflict in the Middle East.
ADVERTISEMENTIsrael’s military says it has prepared plans to respond to a possible Iranian attack.
The army’s spokesman, Daniel Hagari, said late Friday that Israel is ready for a “wide variety of scenarios” that include both defensive and offensive actions. He also said that Israel’s military chief has completed a situation assessment with the head of the US Central Command Erik Kurilla who is visiting Israel.
“Our defenses are ready and know how to deal with every threat separately,” Hagari told reporters. “Next to defense, we are prepared to attack. We are ready to attack with a range of capabilities and we know how to act and protect the people of Israel.”
Israel has been bracing for a possible Iranian attack since an airstrike killed two Iranian generals in the Syrian capital of Damascus last week.
Hagari said the visit by Kurilla is meant to “guarantee that the coordination between us is tight.”
Israeli settlers storm West Bank village
Dozens of Israeli settlers rampaged through the village of al-Mughayyir in search of a missing 14-year-old Israeli boy, according to rights group Yesh Din. The group said that settlers were shooting and setting houses on fire in the village.
Palestinian health officials said one Palestinian was killed and 18 were wounded.
Videos posted to X, formerly Twitter, by the rights group showed dark clouds of smoke billowing from burning cars as gunshots rang out.
The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that one man was declared dead upon arrival at a hospital, though details were not provided. At least 18 injured Palestinians were treated at hospitals, with the Palestine Red Crescent Society noting eight of the wounded had suffered gunshot wounds from settlers.
Israel’s military said it was looking into reports of the incident.
Israel opens new aid truck crossing
Israel opened a new crossing for aid trucks into northern Gaza as its efforts to ramp up aid to the besieged enclave came under criticism from a top United Nations official.
Tel Aviv, facing mounting US pressure to improve the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, has pledged this week to dramatically increase aid to the strip.
The military said that trucks carrying food passed the newly opened northern crossing on Thursday. It said the aid was inspected at its Kerem Shalom crossing near the Egyptian border before being transported inside Israel to the crossing. The new system aims to provide an alternative to the risky and difficult task of transporting aid across Gaza from north to south.
Israel plans to open its southern Ashdod port for additional aid shipments in the coming days. Currently, most aid enters through land routes from neighbouring Egypt.
However, according to the UN, the surge of aid is not being felt in Gaza because difficulties persist in distributing the aid.
“It’s very easy for Israel to say, ‘We’ve sent you 1,000 trucks so please deliver them inside Gaza,’” said Jamie McGoldrick, the UN humanitarian coordinator for the Palestinian territories.
The UN has warned that distributing aid within Gaza is perilous and plagued by lengthy delays at inspection checkpoints. McGoldrick said delivering aid to the northern part of the territory, where famine is imminent, is especially challenging, with only one or two roads to the north open at any time.
ADVERTISEMENTSeveral aid organizations have suspended their convoys north after an Israeli strike on a World Central Kitchen aid mission killed seven aid workers.
Protesters turn to U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv
Demonstrators rallied outside the US Embassy in Tel Aviv on Friday to call for the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
Protesters carried large photos of hostages as well as signs with slogans, calling for help from US President Joe Biden.
"Help us, Biden," one protester said into a megaphone at the rally, while another held up a sign reading "Stop sacrificing the hostages."
"Our only hope is international intervention, mainly the US administration," said Zahiro Mor, the nephew of Avraham Munder, one of the hostages.
ADVERTISEMENTOn 7th October, Hamas militants stormed into southern Israel, killing over 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages.
Hamas is believed to be holding roughly 100 hostages, as well as the remains of about 30 people who were killed on the 7th October or who have died in captivity.