The Times of Israel is liveblogging Sunday’s events as they unfold.
Rocket alerts sound in Kiryat Shmona and surroundings
Rocket alarms sound in Kiryat Shmona and nearby towns.
There are no immediate reports of impacts or injuries.
US notes boosted aid to north Gaza after ‘unacceptable’ 2-week halt, says amount must increase further
The US notes the uptick in humanitarian aid that Israel has allowed into northern Gaza after an “unacceptable” two-week halt on all assistance reaching that part of the Strip at the beginning of the month, adding that the subsequent increase must be sustained.
“We note the resumption of deliveries this week into northern Gaza, including through the vital lifeline from Jordan, with 129 trucks entering northern Gaza this week, after an unacceptable slowdown since October 1st,” says National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett.
“That number must further increase over the coming week, and we are grateful for Jordan’s leadership in organizing these deliveries,” he adds in a statement, adding that the US is working to boost aid into Gaza and appreciates the airdrops of assistance that the UAE has constructed in recent days.
The US sent a letter to Israel on October 13, warning that it has 30 days to take significant steps to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza or risk the continued supply of some offensive weapons.
Harris: The ‘first and most tragic story’ coming out of Gaza is Oct. 7 onslaught
US Vice President is asked about whether anger at the administration among pro-Palestinians could cost her the election.
“There are so many tragic stories coming from Gaza, and of course, the first in the phase of everything that has happened, the first and most tragic story is October 7th, and what happened that day, and then what has happened since,” she answers, going on to elaborate that the Hamas atrocities last year included “1,200 innocent Israelis being slaughtered, women being horribly raped.”
Harris also laments the “extraordinary number of innocent Palestinians who have been killed,” adding that the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar presents an opportunity to end the war.
“We can’t give up” on this, she concludes.
In Detroit, Vice President Kamala Harris was asked if she could lose due to the anger felt by Arabs, Muslims, and supporters of the Palestinian cause over civilian deaths in Gaza.
As part of her response, Harris said, “The first, most tragic story is October 7.”
That line, in… pic.twitter.com/UhuqA7bM9V
— Yashar Ali ???? (@yashar) October 19, 2024
IDF claims footage shows Sinwar’s wife entering tunnel with $32,000 handbag
The IDF’s Arabic-language spokesperson, Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee, claims that in footage unveiled by the military of slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar fleeing with his family to a tunnel on the eve of the October 7, 2023, onslaught, the terror chief’s wife can be seen holding a Hermès Birkin handbag worth $32,000.
That claim echoes online speculation regarding the handbag.
In his tweet, Adraee contrasts this with the poverty experienced by most residents of Gaza, who “don’t have enough money for food.”
هل زوجة السنوار دخلت معه إلى النفق في السادس من أكتوبر وبحوزتها حقيبة لشركة بيركين التي تقدر كلفتها بنحو 32 ألف دولار؟! أترك لكم التعليق.
بينما لا يملك سكان غزة الأموال الكافية لخيمة أو للمواد الأساسية نرى أمثلة كثيرة لحب يحيي السنوار وزوجته الخاص للأموال… pic.twitter.com/sGft4Qg9s8— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) October 19, 2024
IDF: Hamas-claimed casualty figures in Gaza strike ‘exaggerated and don’t line up’ with our info
The Israel Defense Forces says in a statement that the Gazan casualty numbers being claimed by Hamas-controlled media are “exaggerated and don’t line up with the existing information in the IDF, the pinpoint munitions being used, and the accuracy of the hit on a terror target belonging to the Hamas terror group.”
The military urges media outlets to be wary of figures released by Hamas-run bodies, “as was also proven in previous incidents.”
The IDF states it is continuing to probe the incident, stressing that it happened in an active combat zone and that it does its utmost to avoid harming innocents.
The Hamas media office has claimed at least 73 died and dozens were injured in airstrikes in the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahiyeh.
Hamas-claimed toll from Gaza strike appears exaggerated, Israeli official says
Claims by the Hamas media office that at least 73 people have been killed in Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza appear to be exaggerated, an Israeli official says.
The IDF is checking reports on the incident, with a preliminary examination suggesting that the numbers published by the Palestinian terror group do not match the information available to the Israeli military, the official says.
Hamas claims at least 73 dead in Israeli strikes in northern Gaza; IDF looking into incident
Hamas media claims that at least 73 people have been killed and dozens wounded or missing in Israeli strikes on Saturday that hit several houses in the Beit Lahiya town in the northern Gaza Strip.
The Hamas-run Gaza government media office asserts that many women and children are among the dead, though the terror group’s figures routinely don’t distinguish between terror operatives and civilians.
Medics say the airstrikes targeted a multi-floor building and damaged several houses nearby.
The IDF says it is looking into the claims.