As the war between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas entered its 12th day on Wednesday, October 18, the death toll on both sides has risen to more than 4,800.
In Gaza, the health ministry said more than 3,478 Palestinians have been killed, including 1,000 children and 12,065 citizens wounded due to Israeli attacks.
On the Israeli side, at least 1,400 people have been killed, including 304 soldiers and 4,475 wounded.
Key updates so far
- The war began on Saturday, October 7, after Hamas infiltrated southern Israel, sending fighters, firing 5,000 rockets, and taking hostages, which prompted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to warn of “a long and difficult war.“
- Defence minister Yoav Gallant on Monday, October 9, ordered a “complete siege” of Gaza, cutting off entry of food, fuel and supplies.
- On October 9, Hamas threatened to kill Israeli hostages every time Israel targets Gaza “without warning”.
- According to the UN, one million Palestinians have fled from their homes in Gaza.
- Gaza is facing a humanitarian crisis due to power outages, scarcity of clean water, and shortage of medical supplies.
- At least 500 people were killed in an Israeli air attack on the Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza.
- The Hamas militant group blamed the blast on an Israeli airstrike, while the Israeli military attributed it to a misfired rocket by other Palestinian militants.
- Protests erupt around the world with regional leaders condemning the hospital attack.
Biden announces USD 100 million aid for Gaza, West Bank
President Joe Biden announced that the US will provide 100 million dollars in aid to the West Bank and Gaza.
Israel agrees humanitarian aid to move from Egypt into Gaza: Biden
Israel has agreed to allow humanitarian aid from Egypt into Gaza, subject to inspections, AFP reported.
Turkey declares 3 days’ mourning over Gaza hospital strike
Turkey has declared three days of mourning over a deadly strike on a hospital in war-torn Gaza that killed hundreds, a Turkish official told AFP on Wednesday.
OIC meeting to discuss escalation in Gaza
The extraordinary meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which the Saudi Kingdom called to discuss the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, began in the Saudi city of Jeddah on Wednesday afternoon.
In his speech, Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki condemned Gaza’s genocide and claimed all those who granted Israel a mandate and weapons were responsible for the mass killing.
The Palestinian minister emphasised the need to lift the cover from Israeli occupation crimes and prevent the normalisation of these crimes against the Palestinian people.
He pointed out that Israel kills a child every 15 minutes, displacing a million Palestinians in a week, and continues to starve those displaced from their homes.
During the meeting, Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan emphasised the need for the international community to take a stance on safeguarding the Palestinians in Gaza.
He also called on the international community to “create conditions for peace to guarantee the rights of the Palestinian people.”
OIC aims to discuss the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip and the worsening humanitarian situation that threatens the safety and security of civilians, as well as the threat to the stability of the region.
Unprecedented catastrophe: UN Agency
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini has urged the OIC’s foreign ministers, who are meeting today to unconditionally support humanitarian efforts to protect civilians in Gaza.
“An unprecedented catastrophe is unfolding before our eyes. Gaza is being strangled and the world seems to have lost its humanity. Every hour we receive more and more desperate calls for help from people across the Gaza Strip. Thousands of civilians were killed over the last 12 days, including women and children,” he said in a statement.
Al-Sudais condemns Gaza hospital attack
The President of Religious Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, Sheikh Dr Abdulrahman Al-Sudais, strongly condemned the Israeli aggressive massacre against Al-Muadhami Hospital in Gaza, and praising the efforts of the kingdom to lift the siege.
Biden says Israel didn’t bomb hospital
Biden meets Netanyahu in Israel
PM Modi expresses grief over hospital bombing
“Deeply shocked at the tragic loss of lives at the Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza. Our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, and prayers for speedy recovery of those injured,”
“Civilian casualties in the ongoing conflict are a matter of serious and continuing concern. Those involved should be held responsible,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X.
Israeli army audio in connection with Gaza hospital bombing
The Israeli army has released a recording of a phone call between two fighters discussing the failure of an Islamic Jihad rocket that hit Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital.
Israel shares before and after footage of Gaza hospital
“A failed rocket launch by the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization hit the Al Ahli hospital in Gaza City. IAF footage from the area around the hospital before and after the failed rocket launch by the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization,” IDF said while sharing the video on X.
Situation in Gaza ‘spiralling out of control’: WHO chief
“The situation in #Gaza is spiralling out of control,” the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X. “We need violence on all sides to stop.”
“Every second we wait to get medical aid in, we lose lives,” he added. “We need immediate access to start delivering life-saving supplies.”
Guterres calls for immediate humanitarian ceasefire
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Middle East.
“I call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Middle East to ease the epic human suffering. Too many lives – and the fate of the entire region – hang in the balance.”
17 journalists killed since war began, says CPJ
At least 17 journalists have been killed since the conflict between Israel and Hamas began, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported in a statement on Wednesday.
