It's morning in Israel and Gaza. Catch up on the latest headlines here
From CNN staff
Conditions in Gaza have deteriorated dangerously, experts say, with serious shortages of clean water and food as tens of thousands of Palestinians attempt to flee crippling airstrikes and an Israeli ground offensive.
About half a million people have left northern Gaza for the south following Israel's evacuation notice on Friday, an Israel Defense Forces spokesperson said Sunday.
The estimate represents roughly half the population of northern Gaza, where the IDF is gearing up for the next stages of its war with Hamas, which controls the territory.
Israel launched its offensive in response to devastating Hamas terror attacks that killed 1,400 people on October 14.
In his first clear denouncement of Hamas' attacks, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said the militant group's actions "do not represent the Palestinian people."
Here's what else you need to know:
Next stages:Israel has been signaling it is preparing for a ground invasion of Gaza, even as a humanitarian crisis grows inside the coastal Palestinian enclave. Israel’s military said Saturday its forces are readying for the next stages of the war, including “combined and coordinated strikes from the air, sea and land.” More than 2,600 people have died as Israel pounds Gaza with strikes, the Palestinian health ministry said.
Crossing "will be open": Israel has closed its two border crossings with Gaza and imposed a “complete siege” on the territory, blocking supplies of fuel, electricity and water. That has left the Rafah crossing with Egypt as the only viable outlet to get people out of the enclave — and supplies into it. On Monday, the US embassy said desperate residents hoping to exit Gaza via Rafah may receive "very little notice" if it opens. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday that "Rafah will be open" after meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
Humanitarian crisis: Shelters in southern Gaza are overloaded, with shortages of crucial supplies, as tens of thousands of people flee from Israeli airstrikes in the north, a UN official said. "There aren’t shelters available in the south in terms of the numbers that are coming," UN coordinator Lynn Hastings told UNTV. Southern Gaza is also experiencing shortages of food, water and fuel, she said.
Biden's warning: US President Joe Biden warned Israel against occupying Gaza in one of his most notable public calls for restraint. In an interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes” that aired Sunday, Biden said it would be a “big mistake” for Israel to occupy Gaza. Later Sunday, Israel's ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan told CNN Israel "has no interest" in occupying Gaza but will do "whatever is needed" to eliminate Hamas.
Fears of regional conflict:The Pentagon has ordered a second carrier strike group to the eastern Mediterranean Sea and is sending Air Force fighter jets to the region, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Saturday. On Sunday, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan warned of the risk of a wider regional conflict, telling CBS's "Face the Nation" the US' move was "a very clear message of deterrence to any state or any actor that would seek to exploit this situation."
Beijing's stance: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday reiterated Beijing’s support for an independent Palestinian state as a way out of the conflict. In a phone call with his Iranian counterpart, Wang presented China as a peace broker, saying Beijing would “stand on the side of peace and justice and to support the Palestinian people in their just cause of safeguarding their national rights.”
Protests in Europe: Large-scale demonstrations in support of Palestinians took place around Europe over the weekend, including in London, Amsterdam and Switzerland. As the conflict reaches unprecedented heights, protests in support of both Israelis and Palestinians have been seen around the world — some resulting in violent clashes.
3 min ago
Rafah crossing may open at short notice and for a "limited" time, US Embassy says
From CNN's Philip Wang
Rafah border is seen on October 10. Said Khatib/AFP/Getty Images
Desperate residents hoping to exit Gaza via the Rafah crossing may receive "very little notice" if it opens, the US Embassy in Israel warned on Monday.
The Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt is the only remaining outlet to get people out of the enclave and supplies into it, but it has been closed for much of the past week.
“It is unclear whether, or for how long, travelers will be permitted to transit the crossing. If you assess it to be safe, you may wish to move closer to the Rafah border crossing,” the embassy said, adding there may be “very little notice if the crossing opens and it may only open for a limited time.”
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday that "Rafah will be open" after meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
56 min ago
Half a million people have fled to southern Gaza, IDF says
From CNN's Yong Xiong
About half a million people have left northern Gaza for the south following Israel's evacuation notice on Friday, an Israel Defense Forces spokesperson said Sunday.
The estimate represents roughly half the population of northern Gaza, where the IDF is gearing up for the next stages of its war with Hamas, which runs the territory.
“The estimates — and I emphasize these are estimates and it is difficult to track — but we are looking at approximately half a million [people],” IDF spokesperson Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus told CNN's Anderson Cooper.
The evacuation advisory came after Israel imposed a complete siege on Gaza. The IDF said Saturday it would allow safe movement on specified streets for residents to move from the northern city of Beit Hanoun to Khan Yunis in the south — a roughly 20-mile distance of rubble-strewn streets.
Southern Gaza is struggling to accommodate the influx of people. Shelters are overloaded and the area is experiencing shortages of food, water and fuel.
Conricus said Israel has “opened taps” on its side to allow water to enter southern Gaza, but said he "doesn't have visibility on exactly how much is actually flowing where it should."
1 hr 19 min ago
Israel "has no interest to occupy Gaza," UN envoy says
From CNN's Sehar Ahmed
Israel "has no interest" in occupying Gaza but will do "whatever is needed" to eliminate Hamas, the country's ambassador to the United Nations said Sunday.
His remarks come after US President Joe Biden warned Israel against occupying the coastal enclave as it signals it is preparing for a ground invasion amid a spiraling humanitarian crisis.
"We have no interest to occupy Gaza or to stay in Gaza, but since we are fighting for our survival and the only way, as the president [Biden] himself defined is to obliterate Hamas, so we will have to do whatever is needed to obliterate their capabilities," Israel's ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan told CNN's Kaitlan Collins.
In an interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes” that aired Sunday, Biden said it would be a “big mistake” for Israel to occupy Gaza.His comments amount to one of the few times the US president has called on Israel to use restraint in responding to the Hamas attacks that left 1,400 dead.
Michael Herzog, the Israeli ambassador to the US, told CNN on Sunday that Israel does not intend to occupy Gaza after the conflict ends.
“We have no desire to occupy or reoccupy Gaza. We have no desire to rule over the lives of more than 2 million Palestinians,” Herzog said.
Biden meanwhile, has called for the protection of civilians as the US has been working to alleviate shortages of food, water and gas.
Erdan said water has been turned back on in southern Gaza, but he didn't say if electricity was on for desalination.
3 hr 4 min ago
Israel-Hamas war risks escalating into wider conflict, US national security adviser warns
From CNN's Tara Subramaniam
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Sunday warned of the risk of a wider regional conflict in the Middle East as Israel pounds Gaza with airstrikes in response to Hamas' unprecedented surprise attacks.
“There is a risk of an escalation of this conflict, the opening of a second front in the north, and of course of Iran’s involvement — that is a risk. And that’s a risk that we have been mindful of since the start," Sullivan said Sunday on CBS's "Face the Nation." "It’s why the President moves so rapidly and decisively to get an aircraft carrier into the eastern Mediterranean, to get aircraft into the Gulf, because he wants to send a very clear message of deterrence to any state or any actor that would seek to exploit this situation."
The Pentagon has ordered a second carrier strike group to the eastern Mediterranean Sea and is sending Air Force fighter jets to the region as Israel prepares to expand its Gaza operations, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement Saturday.
The US warships are not intended to join the fighting in Gaza or take part in Israel’s operations, but the presence of two of the Navy’s most powerful vessels is designed to send a message of deterrence to Iran and Iranian proxies in the region, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Some more context: If Hezbollah joins the conflict, it could provide the next flashpoint that would entangle bigger regional powers such as Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Israel has long accused Iran of engaging in a form of proxy war by backing groups — including Hamas — that have launched attacks on its shores. Iran has denied any involvement in the October 7 attacks.
US President Joe Biden on Sunday said there’s "no clear evidence" of Iran being behind the attacks.
3 hr 3 min ago
Biden says Israeli occupation of Gaza would be a "big mistake"
In an interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes” that aired Sunday, Biden said it would be a “big mistake” for Israel to occupy Gaza. Israel has been signaling it is preparing for a ground invasion of Gaza, even as a humanitarian crisis grows inside the coastal Palestinian enclave. Biden has called for the protection of civilians, and the United States has been working to alleviate shortages of food, water and gas.
“What happened in Gaza, in my view, is Hamas and the extreme elements of Hamas don’t represent all the Palestinian people,” Biden told interviewer Scott Pelley.
Biden said he believes Hamas should be eliminated entirely, “but there needs to be a Palestinian Authority. There needs to be a path to a Palestinian state.”
The comments amount to one of the few times the US president has called on Israel to use some sort of restraint in responding to the Hamas attacks that left 1,400 Israelis dead. In its response, Israel unleashed a massive bombing campaign against the northern Gaza Strip, from which Hamas launched its attack.
Michael Herzog, the Israeli ambassador to the United States, told CNN’s Jake Tapper on Sunday that Israel does not intend to occupy Gaza after the conflict ends.
“We have no desire to occupy or reoccupy Gaza. We have no desire to rule over the lives of more than 2 million Palestinians,” Herzog said.
In the “60 Minutes” interview, Biden notably did not say it was time for a ceasefire.
“Look, there’s a fundamental difference. Israel is going after a group of people who have engaged in barbarism that is as consequential as the Holocaust,” he said. “So I think Israel has to respond. They have to go after Hamas. Hamas is a bunch of cowards. They’re hiding behind the civilians. … The Israelis are gonna do everything in their power to avoid the killing of innocent civilians.”
Palestinian Authority president condemns Hamas attacks on Israel
From CNN's Kareem Khadder and Hamdi Alkhshali
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, in his first clear and stark denouncement of Hamas' attacks on Israel, said the militant group's actions “do not represent the Palestinian people.”
“The policies and actions of Hamas do not represent the Palestinian people, and it is the policies, programs, and decisions of the Palestine Liberation Organization that represent the Palestinian people as their legitimate and sole representative,” Abbas said during a phone call with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Sunday, the official Palestinian press agency WAFA reported.
Abbas called for an end to civilian casualties, the release of prisoners and a rejection of violence, according to WAFA.
During the call, Abbas also emphasized the urgent need for Israel to stop its aggression in Gaza and to immediately protect Gazan civilians by opening a humanitarian corridor for provisions of medical supplies, water, electricity, and fuel, WAFA reported.
Abbas said displacing Palestinians from Gaza would represent “a second catastrophe for the Palestinian people,” WAFA added.
Key context: Israel is at war with Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that controls Gaza and carried out devastating terror attacks in Israel earlier this month.
Abbas is the leader of the Palestinian Authority, a government body with limited self-rule in the West Bank. It was established in the 1993 Oslo Accords, a peace pact between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization that saw the PLO give up armed resistance against Israel in return for promises of an independent Palestinian state.
Hamas — which is designated as a terrorist organization by the US, European Union and other countries — presents itself as an alternative to the Palestinian Authority, which has recognized Israel and has engaged in multiple failed peace initiatives with it.
CNN's Abbas Al Lawati and Nadeen Ebrahim contributed reporting to this post.
4 hr 4 min ago
Israel says it killed a Hamas commander as it launched dozens of strikes on Gaza
From CNN's Mitchell McCluskey
The Israeli military said it killed a Hamas commander as part of strikes on some 250 targets Sunday, mostly in the northern Gaza Strip.
The commander was identified in an Israel Defense Forces statement as Muetaz Eid, commander of the Hamas Southern District of National Security, who was located through intelligence from the IDF and the Israeli Security Agency, the statement said.
Hamas has not yet made a statement.
The IDF said it also hit “dozens of military headquarters, a series of military observation posts, and a number of rocket launching posts used by Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorist organizations.”
Some background: Israel launched its offensive in response to the devastating October 7 Hamas terror attacks that killed 1,400 people.
Hamas controls Gaza, which is home to 2.2 million Palestinians. More than 2,600 people have died there as Israel pounds the territory with strikes, the Palestinian health ministry said. The ministry has slammed Israel for killing civilians and emergency workers in its assault.
Israel has told the 1.1 million residents of northern Gaza to leave home for their safety as it gears up for the next stages of its war with Hamas.
1 min ago
UN warns Middle East is on "verge of the abyss." Here's what other officials are saying
From CNN’s Caroline Faraj, Jassar Al-Tahat, Hamdi Alkhshali, Nikki Carvajal and Catherine Nicholls
The humanitarian crisis is deepening in Gaza. The Hamas-run enclave — home to 2.2 million Palestinians — has been pounded by airstrikes in retaliation for the militant group's devastating October 7 terror attacks on Israel.
Diplomatic efforts took center stage over the weekend. Here's some of the latest from world leaders:
United Nations: In a statement, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said we "are on the verge of the abyss" in the Middle East. He urged Hamas to release hostages immediately, and without conditions. And he called on Israel to allow "rapid and unimpeded access for humanitarian aid" for civilians in Gaza. He said UN disaster supplies could be delivered "within hours" if they are granted safe passage.
Jordan: The country's prime minister has accused Israel of "blatant violations of international law" in Gaza, saying Jordan rejects "any measures and steps leading to the forced displacement of the Palestinian people" after the Israeli military warned 1.1 million northern Gazans to leave home before it steps up its war against Hamas. Jordanian King Abdullah also told UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak “denying food, water, and electricity supplies to innocent civilians in the Gaza Strip is a war crime that the world must condemn and denounce.”
European Union: The bloc "condemns in the strongest possible terms Hamas and its brutal and indiscriminate terrorist attacks across Israel" and called for the immediate release of "all hostages without any precondition," the European Council said in a statement Sunday. The EU said it is working to provide urgent humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza, and will "engage broadly with the legitimate Palestinian authorities" to ensure its assistance is not "abused" by Hamas terrorists.
Saudi Arabia: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called for the "immediate lifting of the siege on Gaza." He slammed the “targeting of civilians, the destruction of critical infrastructure, and the disruption of essential services” in Gaza, and said he was working with other regional players to de-escalate the situation.
United States: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been engaged in whirlwind diplomacy efforts, meeting with various regional leaders, including those of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. The US has pledged steadfast support for Israel, repeatedly stating it is conducting "legitimate security operations." It has also, however, urged Israel to mitigate impacts to civilians in Gaza and prevent the war from expanding.Separately, top national security officials held meetings with Arab and Muslim American community leaders in the US Sunday.
Egypt: President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said during a meeting with the US secretary of state that Israel’s response to the deadly Hamas attack has gone beyond its right to self-defense, and that it has started punishing the collective civilian population of Gaza.
Conditions in Gaza have deteriorated into a "complete catastrophe," aid workers say, as tens of thousands of Palestinians try to flee south.
Israel says half a million residents have left northern Gaza for the south as it gears up for the next stages of its war with Hamas. More than 2,600 people have died as Israel pounds Gaza with strikes, the Palestinian health ministry says.
Diplomatic efforts to address the crisis are intensifying. Egypt faces pressure to open a humanitarian corridor, while top US officials meet with leaders across the region.
Israel launched its offensive in response to devastating Hamas terror attacks that killed 1,400 people. It says the next phase of battle will feature more strikes and "significant ground operations."
Conditions in Gaza have deteriorated dangerously, experts say, with serious shortages of clean water and food as tens of thousands of Palestinians attempt to flee crippling airstrikes and an Israeli ground offensive.
About half a million people have left northern Gaza for the south following Israel's evacuation notice on Friday, an Israel Defense Forces spokesperson said Sunday.
The estimate represents roughly half the population of northern Gaza, where the IDF is gearing up for the next stages of its war with Hamas, which controls the territory.
Israel launched its offensive in response to devastating Hamas terror attacks that killed 1,400 people on October 14.
In his first clear denouncement of Hamas' attacks, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said the militant group's actions "do not represent the Palestinian people."
Here's what else you need to know:
Next stages:Israel has been signaling it is preparing for a ground invasion of Gaza, even as a humanitarian crisis grows inside the coastal Palestinian enclave. Israel’s military said Saturday its forces are readying for the next stages of the war, including “combined and coordinated strikes from the air, sea and land.” More than 2,600 people have died as Israel pounds Gaza with strikes, the Palestinian health ministry said.
Crossing "will be open": Israel has closed its two border crossings with Gaza and imposed a “complete siege” on the territory, blocking supplies of fuel, electricity and water. That has left the Rafah crossing with Egypt as the only viable outlet to get people out of the enclave — and supplies into it. On Monday, the US embassy said desperate residents hoping to exit Gaza via Rafah may receive "very little notice" if it opens. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday that "Rafah will be open" after meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
Humanitarian crisis: Shelters in southern Gaza are overloaded, with shortages of crucial supplies, as tens of thousands of people flee from Israeli airstrikes in the north, a UN official said. "There aren’t shelters available in the south in terms of the numbers that are coming," UN coordinator Lynn Hastings told UNTV. Southern Gaza is also experiencing shortages of food, water and fuel, she said.
Biden's warning: US President Joe Biden warned Israel against occupying Gaza in one of his most notable public calls for restraint. In an interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes” that aired Sunday, Biden said it would be a “big mistake” for Israel to occupy Gaza. Later Sunday, Israel's ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan told CNN Israel "has no interest" in occupying Gaza but will do "whatever is needed" to eliminate Hamas.
Fears of regional conflict:The Pentagon has ordered a second carrier strike group to the eastern Mediterranean Sea and is sending Air Force fighter jets to the region, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Saturday. On Sunday, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan warned of the risk of a wider regional conflict, telling CBS's "Face the Nation" the US' move was "a very clear message of deterrence to any state or any actor that would seek to exploit this situation."
Beijing's stance: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday reiterated Beijing’s support for an independent Palestinian state as a way out of the conflict. In a phone call with his Iranian counterpart, Wang presented China as a peace broker, saying Beijing would “stand on the side of peace and justice and to support the Palestinian people in their just cause of safeguarding their national rights.”
Protests in Europe: Large-scale demonstrations in support of Palestinians took place around Europe over the weekend, including in London, Amsterdam and Switzerland. As the conflict reaches unprecedented heights, protests in support of both Israelis and Palestinians have been seen around the world — some resulting in violent clashes.
Rafah border is seen on October 10. Said Khatib/AFP/Getty Images
Desperate residents hoping to exit Gaza via the Rafah crossing may receive "very little notice" if it opens, the US Embassy in Israel warned on Monday.
The Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt is the only remaining outlet to get people out of the enclave and supplies into it, but it has been closed for much of the past week.
“It is unclear whether, or for how long, travelers will be permitted to transit the crossing. If you assess it to be safe, you may wish to move closer to the Rafah border crossing,” the embassy said, adding there may be “very little notice if the crossing opens and it may only open for a limited time.”
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday that "Rafah will be open" after meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
About half a million people have left northern Gaza for the south following Israel's evacuation notice on Friday, an Israel Defense Forces spokesperson said Sunday.
The estimate represents roughly half the population of northern Gaza, where the IDF is gearing up for the next stages of its war with Hamas, which runs the territory.
“The estimates — and I emphasize these are estimates and it is difficult to track — but we are looking at approximately half a million [people],” IDF spokesperson Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus told CNN's Anderson Cooper.
The evacuation advisory came after Israel imposed a complete siege on Gaza. The IDF said Saturday it would allow safe movement on specified streets for residents to move from the northern city of Beit Hanoun to Khan Yunis in the south — a roughly 20-mile distance of rubble-strewn streets.
Southern Gaza is struggling to accommodate the influx of people. Shelters are overloaded and the area is experiencing shortages of food, water and fuel.
Conricus said Israel has “opened taps” on its side to allow water to enter southern Gaza, but said he "doesn't have visibility on exactly how much is actually flowing where it should."
Israel "has no interest" in occupying Gaza but will do "whatever is needed" to eliminate Hamas, the country's ambassador to the United Nations said Sunday.
His remarks come after US President Joe Biden warned Israel against occupying the coastal enclave as it signals it is preparing for a ground invasion amid a spiraling humanitarian crisis.
"We have no interest to occupy Gaza or to stay in Gaza, but since we are fighting for our survival and the only way, as the president [Biden] himself defined is to obliterate Hamas, so we will have to do whatever is needed to obliterate their capabilities," Israel's ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan told CNN's Kaitlan Collins.
In an interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes” that aired Sunday, Biden said it would be a “big mistake” for Israel to occupy Gaza.His comments amount to one of the few times the US president has called on Israel to use restraint in responding to the Hamas attacks that left 1,400 dead.
Michael Herzog, the Israeli ambassador to the US, told CNN on Sunday that Israel does not intend to occupy Gaza after the conflict ends.
“We have no desire to occupy or reoccupy Gaza. We have no desire to rule over the lives of more than 2 million Palestinians,” Herzog said.
Biden meanwhile, has called for the protection of civilians as the US has been working to alleviate shortages of food, water and gas.
Erdan said water has been turned back on in southern Gaza, but he didn't say if electricity was on for desalination.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Sunday warned of the risk of a wider regional conflict in the Middle East as Israel pounds Gaza with airstrikes in response to Hamas' unprecedented surprise attacks.
“There is a risk of an escalation of this conflict, the opening of a second front in the north, and of course of Iran’s involvement — that is a risk. And that’s a risk that we have been mindful of since the start," Sullivan said Sunday on CBS's "Face the Nation." "It’s why the President moves so rapidly and decisively to get an aircraft carrier into the eastern Mediterranean, to get aircraft into the Gulf, because he wants to send a very clear message of deterrence to any state or any actor that would seek to exploit this situation."
The Pentagon has ordered a second carrier strike group to the eastern Mediterranean Sea and is sending Air Force fighter jets to the region as Israel prepares to expand its Gaza operations, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement Saturday.
The US warships are not intended to join the fighting in Gaza or take part in Israel’s operations, but the presence of two of the Navy’s most powerful vessels is designed to send a message of deterrence to Iran and Iranian proxies in the region, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Some more context: If Hezbollah joins the conflict, it could provide the next flashpoint that would entangle bigger regional powers such as Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Israel has long accused Iran of engaging in a form of proxy war by backing groups — including Hamas — that have launched attacks on its shores. Iran has denied any involvement in the October 7 attacks.
US President Joe Biden on Sunday said there’s "no clear evidence" of Iran being behind the attacks.
In an interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes” that aired Sunday, Biden said it would be a “big mistake” for Israel to occupy Gaza. Israel has been signaling it is preparing for a ground invasion of Gaza, even as a humanitarian crisis grows inside the coastal Palestinian enclave. Biden has called for the protection of civilians, and the United States has been working to alleviate shortages of food, water and gas.
“What happened in Gaza, in my view, is Hamas and the extreme elements of Hamas don’t represent all the Palestinian people,” Biden told interviewer Scott Pelley.
Biden said he believes Hamas should be eliminated entirely, “but there needs to be a Palestinian Authority. There needs to be a path to a Palestinian state.”
The comments amount to one of the few times the US president has called on Israel to use some sort of restraint in responding to the Hamas attacks that left 1,400 Israelis dead. In its response, Israel unleashed a massive bombing campaign against the northern Gaza Strip, from which Hamas launched its attack.
Michael Herzog, the Israeli ambassador to the United States, told CNN’s Jake Tapper on Sunday that Israel does not intend to occupy Gaza after the conflict ends.
“We have no desire to occupy or reoccupy Gaza. We have no desire to rule over the lives of more than 2 million Palestinians,” Herzog said.
In the “60 Minutes” interview, Biden notably did not say it was time for a ceasefire.
“Look, there’s a fundamental difference. Israel is going after a group of people who have engaged in barbarism that is as consequential as the Holocaust,” he said. “So I think Israel has to respond. They have to go after Hamas. Hamas is a bunch of cowards. They’re hiding behind the civilians. … The Israelis are gonna do everything in their power to avoid the killing of innocent civilians.”
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, in his first clear and stark denouncement of Hamas' attacks on Israel, said the militant group's actions “do not represent the Palestinian people.”
“The policies and actions of Hamas do not represent the Palestinian people, and it is the policies, programs, and decisions of the Palestine Liberation Organization that represent the Palestinian people as their legitimate and sole representative,” Abbas said during a phone call with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Sunday, the official Palestinian press agency WAFA reported.
Abbas called for an end to civilian casualties, the release of prisoners and a rejection of violence, according to WAFA.
During the call, Abbas also emphasized the urgent need for Israel to stop its aggression in Gaza and to immediately protect Gazan civilians by opening a humanitarian corridor for provisions of medical supplies, water, electricity, and fuel, WAFA reported.
Abbas said displacing Palestinians from Gaza would represent “a second catastrophe for the Palestinian people,” WAFA added.
Key context: Israel is at war with Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that controls Gaza and carried out devastating terror attacks in Israel earlier this month.
Abbas is the leader of the Palestinian Authority, a government body with limited self-rule in the West Bank. It was established in the 1993 Oslo Accords, a peace pact between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization that saw the PLO give up armed resistance against Israel in return for promises of an independent Palestinian state.
Hamas — which is designated as a terrorist organization by the US, European Union and other countries — presents itself as an alternative to the Palestinian Authority, which has recognized Israel and has engaged in multiple failed peace initiatives with it.
CNN's Abbas Al Lawati and Nadeen Ebrahim contributed reporting to this post.
The Israeli military said it killed a Hamas commander as part of strikes on some 250 targets Sunday, mostly in the northern Gaza Strip.
The commander was identified in an Israel Defense Forces statement as Muetaz Eid, commander of the Hamas Southern District of National Security, who was located through intelligence from the IDF and the Israeli Security Agency, the statement said.
Hamas has not yet made a statement.
The IDF said it also hit “dozens of military headquarters, a series of military observation posts, and a number of rocket launching posts used by Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorist organizations.”
Some background: Israel launched its offensive in response to the devastating October 7 Hamas terror attacks that killed 1,400 people.
Hamas controls Gaza, which is home to 2.2 million Palestinians. More than 2,600 people have died there as Israel pounds the territory with strikes, the Palestinian health ministry said. The ministry has slammed Israel for killing civilians and emergency workers in its assault.
Israel has told the 1.1 million residents of northern Gaza to leave home for their safety as it gears up for the next stages of its war with Hamas.
The humanitarian crisis is deepening in Gaza. The Hamas-run enclave — home to 2.2 million Palestinians — has been pounded by airstrikes in retaliation for the militant group's devastating October 7 terror attacks on Israel.
Diplomatic efforts took center stage over the weekend. Here's some of the latest from world leaders:
United Nations: In a statement, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said we "are on the verge of the abyss" in the Middle East. He urged Hamas to release hostages immediately, and without conditions. And he called on Israel to allow "rapid and unimpeded access for humanitarian aid" for civilians in Gaza. He said UN disaster supplies could be delivered "within hours" if they are granted safe passage.
Jordan: The country's prime minister has accused Israel of "blatant violations of international law" in Gaza, saying Jordan rejects "any measures and steps leading to the forced displacement of the Palestinian people" after the Israeli military warned 1.1 million northern Gazans to leave home before it steps up its war against Hamas. Jordanian King Abdullah also told UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak “denying food, water, and electricity supplies to innocent civilians in the Gaza Strip is a war crime that the world must condemn and denounce.”
European Union: The bloc "condemns in the strongest possible terms Hamas and its brutal and indiscriminate terrorist attacks across Israel" and called for the immediate release of "all hostages without any precondition," the European Council said in a statement Sunday. The EU said it is working to provide urgent humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza, and will "engage broadly with the legitimate Palestinian authorities" to ensure its assistance is not "abused" by Hamas terrorists.
Saudi Arabia: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called for the "immediate lifting of the siege on Gaza." He slammed the “targeting of civilians, the destruction of critical infrastructure, and the disruption of essential services” in Gaza, and said he was working with other regional players to de-escalate the situation.
United States: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been engaged in whirlwind diplomacy efforts, meeting with various regional leaders, including those of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. The US has pledged steadfast support for Israel, repeatedly stating it is conducting "legitimate security operations." It has also, however, urged Israel to mitigate impacts to civilians in Gaza and prevent the war from expanding.Separately, top national security officials held meetings with Arab and Muslim American community leaders in the US Sunday.
Egypt: President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said during a meeting with the US secretary of state that Israel’s response to the deadly Hamas attack has gone beyond its right to self-defense, and that it has started punishing the collective civilian population of Gaza.
