Israel-Hamas Conflict: Israeli Forces Kill Another Hamas Commander; Confirmed Hostages Now At 224

IDF 'eliminated' another top Hamas commander

Israeli fighter jets "guided by intelligence information" from the Shin Bet security services agency and Amman, Jordan, "eliminated the commander of the North Khan Yunis rocket firing array of the terrorist organization Hamas, Hassan Al-Abdullah," the IAF said in a Google-translated post on X Thursday afternoon local time.

Other Hamas terrorists were also assassinated, the IAF said. Daniel Hagari, chief of the IDF Spokesperson's Unit, also posted the same report on his X account, accompanied by a video of the supposed air strikes that killed the Hamas commander.

The IDF said Wednesday that Israeli forces killed a top Hamas commander, Taysir Mubasher, who was a former naval troops leader in the terror group.

'Barrage of rockets' fired at central Israel: reports

A "huge barrage of rockets" were fired at Tel Aviv and other communities across central Israel on Thursday afternoon local time, as per posts on X, formerly Twitter.

Around the same time as social media piled up with reports of rockets fired at central Israel, the IDF also posted on the platform that sirens were sounding in Tel Aviv.

China to provide $2 million for Gaza

China's International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) said Thursday it will provide 15 million yuan (approximately $2.05 million) worth of humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza. The amount is on top of the $1 million it previously committed for Gaza residents.

IDF, Shin Bet arrest 60 people suspected of Hamas links

The IDF and Israel's security agency Shin Bet, in coordination with the Border Police, reportedly arrested more than 60 people suspected of having affiliations with Hamas, the Jerusalem Post reported, citing the IDF Spokesperson's Unit.

Of the suspected individuals, 46 were identified as active members of the terrorist group, the report added.

224 empty chairs, baby strollers placed around UN Geneva's Broken Chair

More than 200 empty chairs and baby strollers have been placed around the Broken Chair across the street from the Palace of Nations in Geneva as part of Israel's efforts in its "bring them home" campaign.

"They may be held hostages in Hamas terror tunnels, but today, we give them a voice in front of" the United Nations office in Geneva and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Israel's permanent representative to the UN, Meirav Eilon Shahar, wrote on X Thursday.

Confirmed hostages now at 224: IDF

The confirmed number of hostages being held by Hamas has increased to 224, the IDF said Thursday. The families of abducted victims have been notified.

Daniel Hagari, head of the IDF Spokesperson's Unit, said the number "is subject to change" as the government continues to locate hostages and missing people. He also revealed that there have been 309 Israeli soldiers killed since Oct. 7.

Hamas allegedly shooting people, preventing Gaza residents from evacuating

The IDF released a recording of a Gaza civilian who spoke to an Israeli officer over the phone during a call aimed at convincing the individual named Muhammad to evacuate to Khan Yunis, a city in the southern Gaza Strip. The call respondent said Hamas militants were blocking the Salah al-Din route, which is the main highway in Gaza that runs throughout the strip.

"People go there and they are simply sent back to their homes," the civilian told the IDF officer as per a transcript of the recording. When asked how exactly the terrorists were blocking people from leaving, the civilian said "they are shooting at people."

Israel strikes more than 250 Hamas assets

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) said Thursday that it attacked "more than 250 targets of the terrorist organization Hamas in the Gaza Strip" in the past day, as per a Google-translated post on X, formerly Twitter.

Among the assets targeted were Hamas infrastructure, tunnel shafts, operational bases, and rocket launchers "placed in a civilian environment which were used to shoot at Israel during the fighting."

Thai leaders attend mourning ceremony of 7 Thai workers killed in Israel

Thailand's minister of education, Inspector General of the Ministry of Defense, and the ambassador of Israel among others, attended the Thursday mourning ceremony for seven Thai workers killed in Israel on Oct. 7. The bodies arrived in Thailand on Wednesday.

The Thai government previously said 30 Thai nationals have been killed in Israel, 18 were injured, and 19 are believed to have been abducted by Hamas, as per PBS World. The government has also urged other Thais still in Israel to "consider returning to Thailand as soon as possible."

Ground incursion delayed due to Israel wanting to 'minimize' civilian casualties: Envoy

The all-out ground incursion into Gaza by Israeli forces has been delayed for now as Israel "wants to make sure to minimize civilian casualties," Ambassador of Israel to the United Kingdom, Tzipi Hotovely, said Thursday.

She added that Israel has given Palestinians "enough time" to evacuate to the southern region of Gaza. The Wall Street Journal previously reported that Israel agreed to delay its ground operations in Gaza upon request of the U.S.

UK to hold COBRA meeting over Israel-Hamas response

The United Kingdom's COBRA emergency response committee will hold a meeting Thursday to discuss strategies related to the Israel-Hamas war.

British Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden told Sky News that the meeting, which he will chair, will focus on discussions regarding hostages and "we'll discuss the wider situation in the region and we will also discuss ... securing humanitarian aid." He also hinted that Britain will "update" its position on the conflict.

Israeli shepherd 'seriously injured' by Palestinian attack at West Bank: report

Palestinians attacked a 25-year-old Israeli shepherd and another man in the Binyamin region of the West Bank Thursday, resulting in the serious head injury of the shepherd, the Jerusalem Post reported. The victims have since been evacuated to Jerusalem's Shaare Zedek Medical Center for treatment.

Hamas stockpiling fuel for its 'war-fighting capabilities': IDF

IDF spokesperson Jonathan Conricus said early Thursday local time that Hamas has all the fuel international organizations are asking for amid the deepening civilian crisis in Gaza.

"It's all inside the Gaza Strip and there's enough for many days for hospitals and water plants to run, only, the priorities are different. Hamas prefers to have all of the fuel for its war-fighting capabilities, leaving civilians without it," he said.

Conricus added that he believes nonprofit groups should be asking the terror group for fuel since they have "access" to the commodity being the ones governing the Gaza Strip, instead of blaming Israel for the fuel dilemma.

He said in a BBC interview Wednesday that Hamas has not only stockpiled fuel before the conflict, but has also "stolen" fuel from the UN and private vendors.

Australia announces $15 million more in aid for Gaza

Australia will provide $15 million more in humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza, in addition to the $10 million the government previously committed. The additional assistance package should "help address immediate and emerging needs" among Gaza civilians affected by the war.

IDF strikes northern Gaza terrorist cells

The IDF said early Thursday local time that it struck "numerous terrorist cells, infrastructure and anti-tank missile launch posts" in northern Gaza as part of preparations for the "next stages of combat." Israeli soldiers have since returned home after the operation.

Biden, Netanyahu talk hostages, humanitarian aid and aftermath of war

U.S. President Joe Biden spoke over the phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Wednesday wherein the two leaders discussed efforts to secure the release of hostages being held by Hamas and ensuring that humanitarian aid gets through to civilians in besieged Gaza, as per a readout from the White House.

Biden reiterated that "Israel has every right and responsibility to defend its citizens from terrorism and to do so in a manner consistent with international humanitarian law." He also emphasized the importance of efforts to work on a "pathway for a permanent peace" between Israelis and Palestinians after the war.

Biden has 'no confidence' in Gaza death toll numbers

U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday raised doubts about the death toll from Israeli air strikes that Gaza's health ministry has provided. The ministry put the numbers at more than 6,500 killed. International Business Times cannot independently verify the reported Palestinian death toll.

Biden clarified that he was "sure innocents have been killed, and it's the price of waging a war," but he has "no confidence in the number that the Palestinians are using."

More than half of hostages are foreign nationals: Israel

The Israeli government said more than half of the over 200 hostages being held by Hamas had foreign passports from across 25 different countries, as per Reuters. 54 of the abducted civilians were Thai nationals, the government said.

15 others were from Argentina, 12 were from Germany, 12 were Americans, six were from Russia and six were French nationals, it added.

Hundreds of rockets Hamas fired fell within Gaza Strip, endangering civilians: IDF

IDF spokesperson Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus said in a live update on the IDF X (Twitter) account that rockets were fired "many times" throughout Wednesday across Israel, including central parts of the country. "The rocket threat is not over and Hamas continues to fire indiscriminately at our civilians," he said

Speaking about the bombardments from Hamas since Oct. 7, Conricus said the terror group has "fired more than 7,000 rockets" from the Gaza Strip. Between 500 and 600 of the rockets "fell short" and ended up within the Gaza Strip, which "endangered Palestinians," Conricus said.

Israel agrees to delay Gaza invasion: Report

Israel has agreed to delay, for now, its ground invasion into Gaza upon request of Washington to allow the U.S. to prepare missile defenses in the region, the Wall Street Journal reported.

U.S. officials are looking to deploy nearly a dozen air defense systems across the region, including in Saudi Arabia, Syria and the United Arab Emirates to protect American troops serving in the region from missiles and rockets, the report added. The deployments could reportedly be completed as early as later this week.

As part of its preparations for the ground incursion, Tel Aviv is also reportedly taking into account efforts to get humanitarian aid flowing for civilians inside Gaza.

Netanyahu says Israel will exact 'full price' in Gaza ground incursion

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement Wednesday that Israeli forces were "preparing for a ground incursion" but did not provide more details about the operations. Instead, he vowed that the country will "not forget for a moment" the atrocities committed by Hamas when it raided Israel on Oct. 7.

"When we go into Gaza, in the continuation of the fighting, we will exact the full price from the murderers," he said. He also said the "failure" of the Israeli government and forces to protect its people during the surprise attack "will be investigated thoroughly" and everyone responsible, himself included, will need to provide answers after the war.

Netanyahu added that since the war started earlier this month, 600 new emergency squads were established and more units will be added with the arrival of weapons purchased abroad.

Rocket attack hits Rishon LeZion

Israeli emergency services agency Magen David Adom (MDA) said a rocket attack was launched at Rishon LeZion Wednesday night. The city is located about 10 miles south of Tel Aviv.

Several civilians were reported to have been injured by the rocket attack, including a 13-year-old seeking shelter. An apartment building in Rishon LeZion was reportedly damaged due to the attack.

US, Russia fail to pass competing resolutions at UN Security Council

Washington and Moscow both failed to get their rival resolutions passed at the United Nations Security Council Wednesday. China and Russia vetoed a U.S.-sponsored draft resolution, while Russia's proposed resolution did not get enough votes to be adopted.

Both resolutions called for a "humanitarian pause" to the Israel-Hamas war. However, the U.S. proposal mentioned states' inherent right to defend themselves from an attack, while the Russian draft called for the immediate cancelation of Israel's order for civilians to move to southern Gaza.

IDF exchanges fire with Hezbollah

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Wednesday that an anti-tank missile was fired at Israeli soldiers in the northern Israeli town of Avivim, causing IDF troops to return fire, the IDF said as per CNN. A Hezbollah military compound and observation post in southern Lebanon were struck by Israeli fighter jets the process.

US representatives pass pro-Israel resolution

The U.S. House of Representatives led by new Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday passed a resolution supporting Israel and condemning Hamas atrocities in a sweeping 412-10 vote.

There is concern that Johnson's elevation into the speakership could endanger U.S. President Joe Biden's bid to get approval for billions in funding for Ukraine, Taiwan, border security, and $14.3 billion for Israel. Johnson is known for his staunch opposition to Ukraine aid.