Airstrikes that Israel said were aimed at Hamas militants hit the densely populated area of Jabaliya in Gaza today, leaving a large crater and causing widespread damage.
The Gaza Health Ministry, which is controlled by Hamas, said the strikes killed or wounded “hundreds” of people. A doctor at a nearby hospital said the facility was receiving hundreds of injured and that dozens were dead.
The Israeli military said its strike had killed Hamas militants, including Ibrahim Biari, a commander who it said had helped plan the massacres in Israel on Oct. 7. It also said that the “underground terror infrastructure” beneath the buildings in Jabaliya had collapsed following the strike.
Photographs showed shattered apartment blocks and piles of rubble around at least one large crater in the area. Another photograph, published by Reuters, showed white sheets wrapped around what appeared to be more than 30 bodies laid on the ground.
Israeli ground troops and tanks continued to push deeper into Gaza today, edging closer to Gaza City, the local authorities said. See a detailed satellite view of the invasion.
On the ground: Humanitarian officials warned that two million Palestinian civilians in Gaza faced a growing catastrophe. Access to water is dwindling.
In the U.S., the F.B.I. director warned senators that several foreign terrorist organizations have called for attacks against Americans since the Oct. 7 Hamas assault on Israel.
As Maine grieves, officials reconsider the state’s gun laws
The police in Maine received explicit warnings about five months ago that a military reservist had grown increasingly paranoid and said that he would go on a shooting spree. But there was no indication in public documents that any law enforcement officers had ever made contact with the man before he killed 18 people in Lewiston, Maine, last week.
Now the state’s laws dictating who can purchase a gun and when those guns can be taken away are receiving intense scrutiny. One of Maine’s representatives in Congress called for a ban on assault weapons, and the governor, Janet Mills, said “action is needed.”
But many Mainers are still skeptical. Gun rights, both for recreation and self-defense, are deeply embedded in the state’s laws and culture. “It’s one of the most permissive states in the country,” a sociologist at Bates College in Lewiston said.
The new speaker sets up a clash over military aid
Speaker Mike Johnson, who was elevated to the House’s top leadership position just last week, said that he planned to force a stand-alone vote on aid for Israel, rejecting a request by the Biden administration for Congress to approve aid simultaneously for Israel and Ukraine. The move sets the House on a collision course with the Democratic-held Senate.
Johnson, who has voted against sending military aid to Kyiv, released a $14 billion aid bill for Israel yesterday. It included a provision that would rescind the same amount of money earmarked for the I.R.S., a popular idea among conservatives that would add to the national debt, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
F.D.A. experts said an innovative sickle cell cure is safe
An independent panel of experts said today that a groundbreaking new medical treatment for sickle cell disease — which would be the first treatment in humans to use the revolutionary gene editing tool CRISPR — is safe enough for clinical use. The panel’s decision sets the stage for the Food and Drug Administration’s likely approval later this year of a powerful potential cure for the disease, which more than 100,000 Americans have.
More top news
Climate: The Biden administration approved what would be the biggest offshore wind farm in the U.S., 176 turbines off the coast of Virginia.
Law: Sam Bankman-Fried denied knowing that money was missing from his FTX crypto exchange, as he concluded his testimony at his fraud trial.
International: King Charles III began a trip to Kenya, where he will face calls to answer for colonial abuses.
Economy: A key measure of wages grew at a moderate pace this summer, slightly faster than expected.
U.S.: A fast-moving fire in Southern California forced the evacuation of thousands of people and had burned more than 2,200 acres.
War in Ukraine: Moscow said it had detained two Russian soldiers in connection with the killing of nine people, including two children, in Ukrainian territory controlled by Moscow.
Education: Schools in Orlando, Fla., banned cellphones. Parents and students said there were benefits, but there was little research on long-term effects.
Sports: Saudi Arabia was confirmed as the sole bidder for soccer’s 2034 World Cup after Australia dropped out.
Arts: The Egyptian Book of the Dead, which has been stowed in a vault for the past four decades, will be shown to the public for the first time tomorrow.
TIME TO UNWIND
The scariest things we know
For Halloween, seven writers and editors from around The Times shared the pieces of art or culture that they turn to when they need a good scare, like an episode of “The X-Files” so horrifying that executives felt compelled to pull it from syndication.
The result is a collection of stories that might send a chill down your spine. Have a listen.
An apple-picking apocalypse
For many families, a day at the apple orchard is a must-do activity at this time of year. But in upstate New York, there have been vanishingly few good opportunities to do so: The Hudson Valley has been rained on every single weekend since Labor Day.
The uncharacteristically wet stretch has strained several of the region’s pick-your-own apple farms, which lost a quarter to half of their typical fall revenue. Some have sought new ways to make up for lost sales, such as hauling in spotlights and opening the orchards to apple picking and hayrides on weeknights.
Dinner table topics
Half Baked Harvest: From her hilltop compound, Tieghan Gerard has built a recipe empire, inspiring both loyalty and controversy.
Side gig: Dr. Michael Hayden is one of the world’s leading geneticists. But he spends his free time searching for silver Judaica stolen from his grandparents by the Nazis.
Cheese tour: In Britain’s countryside, a good Cheddar rules the day.
Living together: Two art enthusiasts went in together on a beautiful “cathedral-esque” country house outside New York City. But is buying a house with a friend a good idea?
WHAT TO DO TONIGHT
Cook: In less than 30 minutes, you can make this restaurant-quality fish dinner.
Watch: Here are three great documentaries to stream right now.
Clean: My colleague found joy in picking up other people’s trash.
Heed: Most supplements probably aren’t worth taking. Here’s when to consider them.
Level up: Rather than just an air fryer, consider one of these air fryer toaster ovens.
Ogle: Here are six of the best space images from this month.
Compete: Take this week’s Flashback history quiz.
Play: Here are today’s Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all our games here.
ONE LAST THING
How well do you know Halloween candy?
Halloween is not just a day for costumes, ghost stories and spooky decorations. It’s a holiday for sweets. Kids around the country will indulge tonight — and for days to come — in their trick-or-treating candy haul. And many adults will grab a handful as well.
But how much do you know about the chocolates, gummies, caramels and other assorted treats that make this week so sweet? Take our quiz and test your candy I.Q.
Have an enticing evening.
Thanks for reading. I’ll be back tomorrow. — Matthew
We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com.