Israel-Hamas Conflict: Israeli Battalion Commander Killed In Gaza; Hostage Count At 242

Over 1,200 wanted persons arrested since Oct. 7: IDF

More than 1,220 wanted individuals have been arrested across Judea, Samaria and around the Bekaa Valley since the war started, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Thursday afternoon local time. Over 740 of the arrested had connections to Hamas.

332 Israeli soldiers died since Oct. 7, 18 of them since ground operations in Gaza: IDF

A total of 18 Israeli fighters have lost their lives in battle since ground operations started in Gaza, the IDF confirmed Thursday. A high-ranking official was among those announced to have died Thursday.

Since the war started, the Israeli army has lost 332 soldiers, including fighters who died on Oct. 7.

Australia's Bondi Beach features display calling for hostages' release

More than 200 towels and flip flops were displayed at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, hours before the IDF announced that 242 hostages were being held by Hamas.

There have been several demonstrations across Australia since the war started, most calling for further action in the release of the abducted individuals.

Israeli battalion commander dies in northern Gaza: IDF

Lt. Col. Salman Habkah, commander of the IDF's 53^rd Battalion of the 188^th Armored Brigade, was killed while fighting Hamas terrorists in the northern Gaza Strip, the IDF said in a statement Thursday, as per a Google translation.

Habkah, who led his armored unit while covering for Golani Brigade and was killed on the spot, leaves behind his wife and two-year-old child. He is the highest-ranking Israeli military official confirmed to have died since the war started on Oct. 7.

Israeli journalist Almog Boker posted a tribute to the fallen commander on X.

4 Israeli soldiers seriously injured in Gaza ground clashes: IDF

Four Israeli soldiers were "seriously injured" Thursday amid ground encounters with Hamas terrorists, IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari said in a series of Google-translated posts on X.

One of the wounded soldiers was a reserve officer from the 679^th Brigade who was fighting in the northern Gaza Strip. Another was a female soldier under the Karakal Battalion. The families of the injured fighters have been informed.

Germany bans Hamas activities, dissolves Samidoun

Nancy Faeser, Germany's Federal Minister of the Interior, on Thursday announced that she was banning "activities of Hamas and Samidoun in Germany." She also announced the dissolution of Samidoun's German wing.

Samidoun is a pro-Palestinian group that Faeser said was disguised as a solidarity organization for prisoners but had been spreading anti-Semitic propaganda.

Hostage count climbs again

There are 242 hostages being held by Hamas, an IDF spokesperson said Thursday, as per local media. Earlier this week, the number was at 240 following the "rescue" of an Israeli soldier who was among the individuals abducted by militants on Oct. 7.

Forensic experts struggle to identify burnt, dismembered bodies from Oct. 7

Forensic specialists are having a hard time identifying some of the burnt bodies of people murdered by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7 due to the severe state of the retrieved remains, CNN's Jake Tapper reported.

In imaging data produced by Israeli forensic experts, a burnt body part was found to be "two sets of rib cages – one of them is smaller – with a wire tying them together." The forensic team concluded that the remains were "the burned bodies of an adult and a child tied together, maybe embracing."

The identification process was made even more difficult due to the lack of DNA for tracing. Some body bags contained the charred remains of more than one person, the forensic team revealed.

More than 12,000 Hamas targets attacked in Gaza since Oct. 7: IDF

More than 12,000 Hamas targets have been attacked across the Gaza Strip since the fighting started, the IDF's Hagari said in a Google-translated post on X on Thursday.

Over 46,000 Israel workers laid off or placed on unpaid leave: Labor ministry

Around 70% of an estimated 46,004 workers in Israel have been put on unpaid leave since the war started on Oct. 7, data from Israel's Ministry of Labor revealed Thursday, as per the Jerusalem Post. The rest were laid off, the ministry added.

China coordinating for evacuation of nationals in Gaza

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Thursday that they were coordinating with different parties to help Chinese nationals leave Gaza after the first group of Americans, Australians, and British citizens were allowed to cross over into Egypt.

Egypt will be 'vital' in humanitarian efforts after Hamas crushed: IDF

Egypt is expected to play a major role in facilitating humanitarian efforts for Gaza civilians after Hamas is eliminated, IDF spokesperson Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus said in an interview.

"We understand that Egypt will be a vital part of the day after Hamas where we all will have to find a solution to the civilians who are left in Gaza and for the security situation," he said, adding that Egypt had a "responsibility to do what's right."

Conricus made the remarks amid questions about why foreigners were allowed to leave the strip only after more than three weeks of fighting. He said Egypt had been helpful in facilitating humanitarian aid into Gaza, "which is good," but that it was "very strict" in terms of what comes out of the enclave.

10 Japanese, 8 Palestinian relatives leave Gaza

Ten Japanese nationals and eight of their Palestinian family members were among hundreds of foreign passport holders who were able to leave Gaza Wednesday after the Rafah border crossing reopened, Japan's chief cabinet secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said Thursday.

All 18 had arrived in Egypt and were in good health, Matsuno added. He previously said Tokyo was working to evacuate Japanese citizens from Israel and had deployed three Japanese Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) aircraft to Jordan for that matter.

Fallen Israeli soldier's organs save 5 lives

The organs of 20-year-old Shoam Ben Harush, who was mortally wounded during the Oct. 7 carnage of Hamas terrorists in southern Israel, saved the lives of five other people, Israel's National Transplant Center said, as per the Jerusalem Post.

Ben Harush was transported to a Jerusalem medical facility but later succumbed to his injuries. Among the people who received his organs was a 69-year-old patient who needed a kidney transplant.

"The knowledge that he saved lives provides comfort alongside the great pain," Ben Harush's father, Ilan, said.

20 Australians leave Gaza

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) said Wednesday that 20 Australians were able to exit Gaza through the reopened Rafah border crossing, as per Sky News Australia. Three other individuals registered with the DFAT were also allowed to leave, the DFAT said.

There are still around 65 Australian nationals trapped within the war-torn enclave.

First group of Britons leave Gaza

Only a "small number of British citizens" have been allowed to leave Gaza Wednesday, Good Morning Britain reported. There are around 200 British or dual nationals stranded in the area.

Around 400 foreign passport holders were allowed to leave the war-torn strip and more are expected to cross over into Egypt in the coming days.

Israeli soldiers, Hamas engaged in 'prolonged' fighting overnight: IAF

Israeli troops "engaged in prolonged battles with the terrorists" Wednesday night, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) said in a Google-translated post on X.

Israeli soldiers from the Golani Brigade, a military unit associated with the Northern Command, were met with terrorist squads that fired anti-tank missiles, set off explosives and threw grenades. "Dozens" of Hamas operatives were killed after ground forces directed Israeli air strikes towards the enemy. A missile ship also fired at terrorists from the sea, the IAF said.

Biden echoes calls for a 'pause' in Israel-Hamas war, but stops short of calling for full ceasefire

U.S. President Joe Biden has expressed his support for a humanitarian "pause" in the raging Israel-Hamas war after a heckler told him Wednesday during a farm visit in Minnesota that he should "call for a ceasefire right now."

"I think we need a pause. A pause means giving time" for hostages being held by Hamas terrorists to be released, he responded.

Read the full story here.

Missile launches from Lebanon continue: IDF

Missile launches from Lebanese territory continued Wednesday night, the IDF's Hagari said Thursday morning local time, as per Google-translated posts on X.

Some of the rockets fell in open areas around Mount Dov and Hermon, he said. In response to the launches, Israeli forces attacked the source.

Jabalia refugee camp residents should have left after evacuation order: IDF

Amid concerns that Israeli air strikes around the Jabalia refugee camp were similar to a "massacre" of civilians, the IDF's Conricus said early Thursday it was never Israel's intention for any civilian to die. However, he reiterated that Palestinians were warned two weeks earlier to evacuate the area.

"You should have evacuated. You and your family – you shouldn't have been there," he said, addressing residents who stayed after the warning was issued. "That doesn't mean that we wanted to kill anybody. It just means that when we warned Palestinians two weeks ago to evacuate that specific area ... they should have heeded the warning, and they should have left," he added.

Another Israeli air strike hits Jabalia neighborhood

A second Israeli air strike hit the Jabalia neighborhood Wednesday, multiple outlets reported. The Hamas-run government media office said around 195 Palestinians were killed in the second attack, according to Reuters. International Business Times could not independently verify the reported number of casualties.

First few Americans leave Gaza Strip

The first group of U.S. nationals trapped in the Gaza Strip have crossed over and are now in Egypt, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said. At least five nonprofit workers were confirmed to be on the Wednesday list of people that were allowed to depart the strip.

Top Hamas commander in Gaza killed: IDF

Muhammad A'sar, the head of Hamas' anti-tank missile unit in Gaza, has been assassinated, the IDF said early Thursday.

A'sar led the terror group's entire anti-tank missile operations across Gaza. He also allegedly assisted Hamas forces under the unit during emergencies and commanded attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians.

Hamas says it will repeat Oct. 7 carnage 'again and again'

"We must teach Israel a lesson, and we will do this again and again ... because we have the determination, the resolve, and the capabilities to fight," Hamas official Ghazi Hamad said in an interview published and translated by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) Wednesday.

When asked if the militant group's actions since Oct. 7 were to "annihilate" Israel, Hamad said the "existence of Israel is what causes all that pain, blood, and tears," adding that the enemy country's existence "is illogical."

"On October 7, October 10, October 1,000,000 – everything we do is justified," he added.

Biden says Washington won't give up on freeing hostages

Biden said Wednesday that his government "continues to work around the clock to reunite" families with more than 200 hostages being held by Hamas.

"We are not going to give up, period," he said while visiting a farm in Minnesota. He also hailed the Rafah border crossing's reopening, saying the development took place after "intense and urgent American diplomacy with our partners in the region."

The border's reopening for the first time since the fighting started was mediated by Qatar in close coordination with the U.S.