Israel-Hamas Conflict: Israel Shuts Down Reopened Humanitarian Corridor For Evacuations Amid Hamas Shelling

Israel shuts down reopened evacuation corridor amid Hamas shelling

Israel has shut down a humanitarian corridor that it opened for four hours Monday amid continuous shelling by Hamas, local media reported.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released footage of the corridor's reopening wherein dozens of civilians can be seen leaving an undisclosed area in the Gaza Strip. The IDF said the corridor was opened so northern Gaza residents can move to the south.

Israel said it opened humanitarian corridors for several hours on Saturday and Sunday.

Hamas 'should be eradicated' but Gaza civilians should get aid: Bulgaria PM

Bulgaria's Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Hamas "should be eradicated," local media reported. Denkov is in Jerusalem and in his meeting with Netanyahu said that Bulgaria was also concerned with "what happens in the Gaza Strip" and civilians in the enclave need aid.

Denkov is one of several world leaders who visited Israel amid intensifying battles between the Israeli army and Hamas terrorists.

Kiryat Shmona government urges remaining citizens to leave

The municipal government of Kiryat Shmona, a northern city in Israel, has urged remaining citizens to leave the area Monday local time. An evacuation order was already issued two weeks earlier amid Israel-Hezbollah tensions, local media reported.

The latest evacuation notice was made amid "continuous shelling coming from southern Lebanon" throughout Monday morning.

Gaza split in two: IDF

Israeli troops conducting ground operations in the Gaza Strip have split the enclave in two regions, the IDF said Monday.

"The north and south [of Gaza] have been cut off from one another and is under IDF control, which indeed means that we are pushing forward towards Gaza City. We've encircled Gaza City two days ago already and we are moving forward," IDF spokesperson Ret. Lt. Col. Peter Lerner told CNN.

Hamas rocket launchers found near children's pool in Gaza: IDF

Israeli troops found rocket launchers installed by Hamas "near a children's pool and launch pits and rocket launchers in an old playground in the Gaza Strip," the IDF said in a Google-translated statement Monday.

The Israeli military said the discovery proves how Hamas has been establishing military capabilities around civilian communities.

Video of Iron Dome's supposed malfunctioning goes viral

A video shared on social media has gone viral as it showed Israel's Iron Dome defense system seemingly malfunctioning. In the video, the system seemingly did a U-turn and fell on Israeli territory instead of intercepting a rocket fired by Hamas terrorists from Gaza.

Several outlets have reported about the incident. International Business Times cannot independently verify the reports. The Israeli army has not yet addressed the reports.

Over 1,350 wanted individuals arrested since Oct. 7: IDF

More than 1,350 wanted persons have been arrested since the war started, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Daniel Hagari said Monday in a Google-translated post on X. Around 850 of the arrested individuals had connections to Hamas, he said.

The arrests were made across Judea, Samaria and the Bekaa Valley.

Photos suggest Thai hostages being held by Hamas are alive: PM

Thailand's Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin told reporters Monday that he has seen photographic evidence of Thai hostages being held by Hamas, indicating that the hostages were still alive, multiple local outlets reported.

He said there was no information about the exact whereabouts of at least 23 Thai hostages. However, he said a ceasefire of up to two days may open a window of opportunity to allow the release of all hostages.

450 Hamas targets attacked in the past day: IAF

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) said Monday that its fighter jets attacked about Hamas assets and targets in the past 24 hours, including observation posts and military compounds.

French death toll from Hamas attacks now at 40

A total of 40 French nationals have died in Israel due to Hamas attacks, French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said Monday.

Eight French citizens are still missing. Some of them are believed to be among hostages being held by Hamas.

UK temporarily withdraws some staff from Lebanon embassy

The United Kingdom's Foreign Office said Monday that it was temporarily calling back some of its staff at the British embassy in Lebanon.

About two weeks into the Israel-Hamas war, the office advised "against all travel to Lebanon." It also encouraged British nationals in Lebanon to leave while commercial travel options were still available.

Netanyahu suspends minister who said dropping a nuclear bomb on Gaza a possibility

Netanyahu on Sunday suspended far-right minister Amichai Eliyahu for saying that dropping a nuclear bomb on Gaza was "one way" of eliminating Hamas.

Eliyahu made the comments while being interviewed by a Hebrew radio station Sunday morning, multiple outlets reported. Netanyahu said Eliyahu's remarks were "disconnected from reality" and reiterated that the Israeli army would defend the country "according to the highest standards of international law" so civilian casualties can be prevented.

Israeli troops seize Hamas outpost in Gaza: IDF

Israeli ground forces took control of a Hamas outpost in Gaza Sunday night, the IDF said Monday. It is unclear whether the seized outpost is located in the north or south of the strip.

Hamas special security commander killed: IDF

Jamal Musa, commander of Hamas' special security forces, has been assassinated, the IDF said Monday in a Google-translated post on X.

Musa allegedly led a "shooting against IDF forces who were on patrol in the Gaza Strip" in 1993.

Israel paused air strikes for a few hours for evacuation purposes: IDF

The Israeli army paused attacks on the northern Gaza Strip twice for a few hours over the weekend to allow for the evacuation of Palestinians living in the area. "We've opened specific humanitarian corridors yesterday and today for the continued unhindered flow of the Palestinian civilians [moving to the] south, to safer areas," IDF spokesperson Jonathan Conricus said Sunday.

The humanitarian windows were set up along the Salah al-Din Road, which is Gaza's main highway. He said Palestinians were informed beforehand that pauses will be carried out, adding that Israel wants "all of the civilians in Gaza to be out of harm's way."

He added that Hamas militants "hindered" the humanitarian efforts to evacuate the north, with terrorists firing within the area where the corridors were established.

Blinken makes unexpected trip to West Bank

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a surprise visit to the occupied West Bank Sunday where he met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

The Palestinian leader pressed for an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war during the meeting, but Blinken has been consistent in stopping short of calling for a ceasefire over fears that such a move could benefit Hamas instead.

Gaza communications experience another blackout: reports

Gaza communications went out for the third time since Israel-Hamas tensions blew up on Oct. 7 after the militant group's carnage in southern Israel.

Telecommunications were cut off early Sunday evening amid intense Israeli bombardments in Gaza, multiple outlets reported. It is unclear if communications have been restored Monday.

The first blackout more than a week ago lasted around 36 hours, while the second communications outage lasted for several hours.

Hostages' release is Israel's top priority: IDF

Israel's top priority amid the raging war is the release of more than 200 hostages being held by Hamas, the IDF's Hagari said late Sunday.

"We are going to free our hostages; it is our top priority. We are dealing with a murderous organization that did a massacre on the 7^th of October. We will not forget the massacre," he said.

Hamas official Ghazi Hamad said Friday that the terror group was "now ready" to come up with a "complete compromise" for the release of the hostages, but Hamas wants all of its detained operatives in Israel to be freed in exchange of the hostages.

U.S. submarine arrives in the Middle East

The United States has deployed an Ohio-class guided missile submarine in the Middle East Sunday, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced.

Observers said the announcement was a rare move by the U.S. and it indicates that Washington was sending a clear message to Iran and its proxies to not make moves that could trigger a regional spillover from the Israel-Hamas war.

On Saturday, the CENTCOM also said the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group (IKECSG) arrived in the Middle East "as part of the increase in regional posture."

Rear Adm. Marc Miguez, commander of the Carrier Strike Group 2, IKECSG, said the deployment "brings an unparalleled combat superiority to CENTCOM" and also enhances "regional security" as the U.S. operates alongside its defense allies in the area.

Lebanon cooperating with Hezbollah: foreign minister

Lebanese foreign ministry Abdallah Bou Habib said Sunday that the government was working with Hezbollah and other Palestinian groups to prevent a war from spilling over.

"We are working with Hezbollah and other Palestinian organizations here to prevent a war, and we'd like the U.S. also to pressure Israel not to start a war," he told CNN. He said Israel had been provoking Lebanon "every day."

Bou Habib added that the Lebanese government was under the impression Hezbollah, which is also supported by Iran just as Hamas militants are, doesn't want "any big war" unless Israel triggers it by attacking Lebanon "or the situation gets very bad in Gaza."

The Israeli army reported multiple times in the past two weeks that it has been exchanging fire in the Lebanon border due to missiles fired from Lebanese territory.

Jordan airdrops medical aid into Gaza

Jordan's King Abdullah II said early Monday that the Jordanian Air Force "air-dropped at midnight urgent medical aid to the Jordanian field hospital in Gaza." He said it was Jordan's "duty" to help injured individuals.

"We will always be there for our Palestinian brethren," he added.

Parachutes were utilized to drop the supplies from a Jordanian Air Force plane as medical supplies were running out at the field hospital.

An Israel official told Axios that the airdrop was coordinated with the Israeli army.

No ceasefire without hostages' return: Netanyahu

Netanyahu reiterated during his visit to the Ramon Air Force Base in the Negev desert that Israel would never agree to a ceasefire unless all hostages being held by Hamas were freed.

"I also want you to know that there is one thing we will not do: there will be no ceasefire without the return of the hostages. This should be completely removed from the lexicon," he told Air Force troops, as per a statement regarding his desert trip. He added that there was "no alternative" for Israel but to fight "together until victory."