Israel-Hamas Conflict: Israeli Troops Take Over Gaza Harbor; Evacuation Corridor Reopens

Israel war cabinet to meet amid reports of progress in efforts to reach hostage deal

Israel's war cabinet, which is composed of Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and minister without portfolio Benny Gantz, will meet Thursday night amid reports that there is progress in efforts to reach a deal to free more than 200 hostages being held by Hamas and other militant groups in Gaza, local media reported.

Qatar is reportedly seeking negotiations for a hostage agreement that includes the release of around 50 civilian hostages being held in Gaza in exchange for a three-day ceasefire.

Israeli forces attack Hezbollah positions near northern peace zone: IDF

Israeli fighter jets attacked Hezbollah terrorist targets "operating in Lebanese territory, near the peace zone," the IDF said Thursday.

Israeli troops take over Gaza harbor: IDF

Israeli forces have successfully gained "operational control" of the Gaza harbor, the IDF announced Thursday.

"In the last few days, in multi-armed combat, the fighters of the 188^th Brigade's combat team together with the fighters of the 13^th Fleet, achieved operational control over the central stronghold of Gaza" that Hamas allegedly used "as a training facility" for its naval forces, IDF spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said in a series of Google-translated posts on X.

The port was allegedly used by Hamas operatives to "direct and carry out naval attacks" against Israel. Civilian vessels on the port were also allegedly used by the militant group.

A 'very strong force' may be needed in Gaza after war: Herzog

A "very strong force" may be needed to remain in Gaza after the war to ensure that Hamas will not re-emerge in the enclave, Israeli President Isaac Herzog told Financial Times in an interview published Thursday.

"If we pull back, then who will take over? We can't leave a vacuum. We have to think about what will be the mechanism, there are many ideas that are thrown in the air," Herzog said, adding that he believes the U.S. and "our neighbors in the region" may have some sort of involvement in post-war discussions.

Rocket sirens sound near northern Israel: Local media

Rocket sirens sounded near Israel's northern border with Lebanon on Thursday morning amid fears of the Israel-Hamas conflict seeing a regional spillover.

Israel reopens evacuation corridor, urges multiple communities to leave 'immediately'

The IDF has reopened a humanitarian corridor at the Salah al-Din Road for evacuating northern Gaza residents, IDF spokesperson for Arab media Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee said Thursday. As implemented in the past days, the passage will be open through 4 p.m. local time (5:30 a.m. ET).

Adraee also urged residents from Tal al-Hawa, al-Sabra, al-Zaytoun al Garbi, al-Daraj al-Tuffah, al-Shuja'iya, and Jabaliya neighborhoods to evacuate "immediately" for their safety.

All Thai hostages to be freed if mediators succeed in brokering deal: Thai-Muslim politician

Thai nationals will be among hostages that Hamas will release if mediators in the elusive hostage deal succeed in brokering a ceasefire in Gaza, Reuters reported, citing Lepong Syed, president of the Thai-Iran alumni association, a group of Thai-Muslim politicians.

"This could be in less than ten days or in the next two to three days," Lepong told reporters in Bangkok's parliament building Thursday. "Any ceasefire either 3 or 5 days ... Hamas will release hostages, including all Thais being held, which they promised," he added.

The political group has been in communication with the terror group since October following the Hamas massacre in Israel that killed 39 Thai nationals. Thailand's foreign ministry has said there are 25 Thais being held in Gaza.

Over 100 Russians and dependents leave Gaza

A total of 107 Russians and their family members crossed over into Egypt from Gaza Wednesday through the Rafah border crossing, the Russian Emergencies Ministry said Thursday.

5 people injured in Jerusalem terror attack: local media

A shooting terror attack was reported Thursday morning local time around the checkpoint south of Jerusalem that leads to Gush Etzion, as per local media.

Four people have been transported to a local hospital due to gunshot wounds. One person was critically injured when three terrorists opened fire around the checkpoint, local media reported.

Israeli security forces said two terrorists have been neutralized.

Israeli air strikes attack Hamas political chief's house: IDF

The house of Ismail Haniyeh, head of Hamas' political bureau, was attacked Wednesday night by Israeli air strikes, the IDF said Thursday. The Israeli army said the residence was "used as a terrorist infrastructure, and among other things, as a meeting place for the organization's senior officials."

Israel, Hamas 'very close' to potential deal: US Rep. Mike McCaul

U.S. Rep. Mike McCaul, R-Texas, who chairs the House of Representatives' Foreign Affairs Committee, said Israel and Hamas were "very close" to a possible deal regarding the release of hostages being held by the terror group.

"They're actually very close to a potential deal, particularly with women and children, to be able to get them out of Gaza – and it would entail a potential short cease-fire, but I think that was the most encouraging news we had," McCaul told MSNBC's Andre Mitchell Reports.

McCaul's comments came after Reuters reported that Qatari mediators were seeking a potential deal that would see the release of up to 50 civilian hostages being held in the Gaza Strip.

UN played 'big role' in allowing Hamas to turn Gaza Strip into 'war machine': Israeli representative

"The UN played a big role in allowing Hamas to turn the Gaza Strip into a war machine, a terror machine against Israel and against the civilized world," Israel's permanent representative to the UN, Gilad Erdan said Wednesday.

He said that while the Israeli government will make its own decisions, he recommends that Israel "hold a serious assessment regarding our relations with the UN," and to "expel and not to issue visas to some of the UN officials who are exploiting their position in order to spread lies, in order to enable Hamas."

Erdan's comments came after the UN Security Council adopted a resolution that called for both the urgent release of hostages and more humanitarian pauses for Gaza evacuations.

Israel rejects UN Security Council resolution

Israel on Wednesday immediately rejected a resolution adopted by the UN Security Council that called for "urgent and extended humanitarian pauses" to cater to evacuating Gaza civilians, along with the urgent release of hostages being held by Hamas.

While 12 members voted in favor of the resolution, three countries abstained from the vote: the UK, Russia, and the United States.

2 IDF captains die in northern Gaza

Two Israeli military captains were killed in battles against Hamas in northern Gaza, the IDF announced Thursday in its tribute page for soldiers who fell in battle since the war started on Oct. 7.

• Capt. Assaf Master, 22 – platoon commander in the 601^st Battalion
• Capt. Kafir Yitzhak Franco, 22 – platoon commander in the 52^nd Battalion

Biden says Hamas committed 'war crime' by establishing headquarters under Al-Shifa

Biden on Wednesday night said Hamas committed a "war crime" by "having their headquarters, their military, hidden under a hospital [Al-Shifa], and that's a fact, that's what's happening."

Referring to the IDF's entry into the Gaza Strip's largest health complex, Biden said Israel "did not go in with a large number of troops," adding that even as Israeli troops were hunting down Hamas terrorists within the hospital, the IDF was bringing in incubators and other medical supplies to help patients.

IDF attacks Hezbollah assets in Lebanon

The Israeli army attacked several military assets of Iran-backed paramilitary group Hezbollah in Lebanon Wednesday, the IDF said in a Google-translated post on X Thursday. Among the assets hit by Israeli air strikes were observation and launch posts, military infrastructure, and a weapons warehouse.

Israel's opposition leader calls for Netanyahu's resignation

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid called on Netanyahu to step down from his position, saying the country needed a change of government. He said many people now understand "the country is going to a bad place."

"This government isn't functioning ... We cannot allow ourselves to conduct a prolonged campaign with a prime minister that the public has no faith in," he said in an interview with local N12 News, as per a Times of Israel translation.

Lapid's comments come amid increasing outcry over slow progress in securing a deal to release more than 200 hostages – mostly civilians – being held by Hamas and other groups in Gaza.

IDF publishes raw video of weapons, ammunition allegedly found inside Al-Shifa Hospital's MRI center

The IDF on early Thursday published raw footage that showed what it said were weapons, explosives, ammunition and other Hamas military equipment Israeli troops found after securing the Al-Shifa Hospital's magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) building.

"A few of the most interesting that we have found totally confirmed, without any doubt, that Hamas systematically uses hospitals in their military operations, in violation of international law," said IDF spokesperson Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus during a tour of the facility amid ongoing gunfire nearby.

He first showed how security cameras inside the center were covered. Inside one room, a bag filled with military equipment such as ammunition, a rifle, cartridges, grenades, and a uniform was found "hidden, very conveniently" behind an MRI machine.

On the other side of the MRI machine, Israeli forces found "a backpack with what appears to be very important intelligence, including a laptop."

In a closet within the MRI building, Israeli troops discovered rifles that "absolutely have no business being inside a hospital." In another area of the center, Conricus said the IDF found a bag that contained a "full military kit for one Hamas terrorist" that included a grenade, a fighting vest with ammunition, boots, uniforms, and a "standard AK-47" rifle.

The items uncovered were only "the tip of the iceberg," Conricus pointed out.