Israel-Hamas war live updates and news on Gaza

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to meet with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh at 7:30 a.m. local time (12:30 a.m. ET), a U.S. official said.

The meeting comes as Blinken is scheduled to depart for Egypt later in the day, where he is expected to discuss a tentative agreement to grant Americans in Gaza safe passage through the Rafah border crossing.

— Christine Wang

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East called on Israeli authorities to protect all civilians in its shelters across the Gaza Strip, including those in northern Gaza and Gaza City.

The UNRWA warned that despite Israel’s order to evacuate the north, many people will not be able to flee, particularly pregnant women, children, the elderly and people with disabilities.

“UNRWA shelters in Gaza and northern Gaza are no longer safe. This is unprecedented,” it said.

“This war should be no exception, protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, including United Nations buildings, applies to this conflict too.”

Israel has ordered roughly 1 million residents in northern Gaza to evacuate to the south ahead of an anticipated ground offensive.

Separately, the UNRWA warned 2 million people are at risk as water runs out in Gaza and called for humanitarian supplies to be let in. It said its newly relocated base in the south is also running out of water as it takes in refugees, thousands of whom it said followed the evacuation order.

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said fuel needs to be brought in immediately to guarantee safe drinking water.

“If not, people will start dying of severe dehydration, among them young children, the elderly and women. Water is now the last remaining lifeline. I appeal for the siege on humanitarian assistance to be lifted now,” he said.

— Christine Wang

The Israel Defense Forces reiterated its call for residents to evacuate to southern Gaza, in a post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

Earlier, the military posted another video listing other acts committed by Hamas, saying the Palestinian militant group “has shown the world time and time again what they are capable of.”

“Now the IDF is prepared to counter with an even greater force. There is no place in the world for terrorism,” it said.

The posts come as Israel is expected to commence a ground offensive in Gaza.

— Christine Wang

The tentative agreement to grant Americans in Gaza safe passage into Egypt through the Rafah gate continues to face significant obstacles to implementation, U.S. officials told NBC News.

Previous discussions between Egypt, U.S., Qatar and Israel looked set to allow Americans across the border crossing during a five-hour window Saturday, but NBC reports the deadline came and went without any immediate sign of success. One official told NBC the parties are continuing to negotiate.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to land in Cairo on Sunday and the deal is set to be a key issue on his agenda.

While sticking points remain, the State Department has urged the estimated 500 to 600 Americans in Gaza to move south, warning that if the crossing opens, the window could be brief.

— NBC News, Christine Wang

Iran warned on Saturday that if Israel’s “war crimes and genocide” are not halted immediately, “the situation could spiral out of control & ricochet far-reaching consequences,” Tehran’s mission to the United Nations in New York posted on X.

“If the Israeli apartheid’s war crimes & genocide are not halted immediately, the situation could spiral out of control & ricochet far-reaching consequences — the responsibility of which lies with the UN, the Security Council & the states steering the Council toward a dead end,” the post read.

— Reuters

A State Department spokesperson on Saturday said the death toll of U.S. citizens involved in the Israel-Hamas conflict has risen to 29.

“We extend our deepest condolences to the victims and to the families of all those affected,” the spokesperson said, without commenting on the identities of those killed.

The department is also aware that 15 others remain unaccounted for, along with one permanent resident, according to the spokesperson.

“The U.S. government is working around the clock to determine their whereabouts and is working with the Israeli government on every aspect of the hostage crisis, including sharing intelligence and deploying experts from across the United States government to advise the Israeli government on hostage recovery efforts.”

— Terri Cullen

Israeli airstrikes continue to pound Gaza as Israel prepares for a ground offensive.

U.S. President Joe Biden reiterated unwavering U.S. support for Israel in a call on Saturday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the White House said.

“President Biden discussed with Prime Minister Netanyahu U.S. coordination with the United Nations, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, and others in the region to ensure innocent civilians have access to water, food, and medical care,” the White House said in a statement. “President Biden affirmed his support for all efforts to protect civilians.”

Separately, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with his Israeli counterpart on Saturday, underscoring Washington’s support for Israel’s security and discussing the importance of adhering to the law of war, the Pentagon said.

“During the call, he discussed the importance of adhering to the law of war, including civilian protection obligations, and addressing the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza while Israel continues its operations to restore security,” the Pentagon said in a statement.

— Reuters

A planeload of World Health Organization supplies has landed at Egypt’s el-Arish airport and is destined for Gaza when humanitarian access across the border is possible, the U.N. said Saturday.

The cache includes enough basic essentials for 300,000 people and enough trauma medicines and materials for 1,200 wounded, the U.N. said in a release. It called for opening the Rafah border crossing immediately to humanitarian deliveries.

“The critically injured, the sick and the vulnerable cannot wait,” the world body said.

Meanwhile, the relatives of Israelis taken captive by Hamas on Saturday demanded that the militant group allow in medicine to hostages who require it, saying their loved ones are suffering.

“Every day without her medication is torture. She’s being tortured,” said Yifat Zailer, who said her kidnapped 63-year-old aunt has Parkinson’s disease. She was taken along with several other family members, Zailer said.

In its assault on southern Israeli communities, Hamas militants captured dozens of Israelis and some foreign or dual nationals, including children, women and the elderly, dragging them into the Gaza Strip.

Israeli military spokesman Read Adm. Daniel Hagari said Saturday Israel had so far identified 126 captives. Their fate becomes more complicated as Israel continues its bombardment of Gaza.

— Associated Press

Tzachi Hanegbi, the head of Israel’s National Security Council, said at a press briefing on Saturday that the claim that Egypt warned Israel of an imminent Hamas attack days before it happened is “fake news.”

“The Egyptians didn’t get in touch with any of the government, directly or indirectly, no hint or clue. It’s fake news and Egypt says the same,” Hanegbi said.

Days after Hamas’ deadly attack against Israel, Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas), the chair of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, said that Israeli officials had received advanced notice from Egypt that the invasion was coming.

Hanegbi said at the Saturday briefing that though one U.S. congress member made that claim, “No one echoes it.”

He detailed that two hours before Hamas’ airstrikes, Israeli security officials received some intelligence of a threat but ultimately concluded that there was “no indication” that it would escalate.

Hanegbi also touched on the hostage situation, ensuring that Israel is committed to their rescue but saying that Israel has no way “to negotiate with Hamas.”

— Rebecca Picciotto

Gazans with foreign passports arrive at the Rafah Border Gate and wait to cross into Egypt as Israel’s attacks on the Gaza Strip continue on the eighth day in Rafah, Gaza, on Oct. 14, 2023.

—Mustafa Hassona | Anadolu | Getty Images

The Israel Defense Forces, or IDF, said it was “preparing to implement a wide range of offensive operative plans” which will include “an integrated and coordinated attack from the air, sea and land” against Hamas.

The IDF added that it had already completed its mobilization of hundreds of thousands of servicemen for the counteroffensive, according to a statement translated by NBC News.

“IDF battalions and soldiers are deployed all over the country and are prepared to increase readiness for the next stages of the war — with an emphasis on a significant ground operation,” the statement added.

People looking to help those affected by the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict can consider donating to the following charities listed here.

— Amanda Macias

A United Nations human rights expert warned that Palestinians are in grave danger of mass ethnic cleansing and called on global powers to mediate a ceasefire as the Israel-Hamas conflict drags into its second week.

“The international community has the responsibility to prevent and protect populations from atrocity crimes. Accountability for international crimes committed by Israeli occupation forces and Hamas must also be immediately pursued,” wrote Francesca Albanese, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory, in a statement.

Time is of the essence. Palestinians and Israelis both deserve to live in peace, equality of rights, dignity and freedom,” Albanese added.

— Amanda Macias

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer spoke with senior United Nations officials on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza triggered by the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The Biden administration conveyed U.S. efforts with regional partners to “enable safe movement for civilians seeking protection in Gaza and to facilitate humanitarian access and assistance, including water, food, and medical care.”

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on all parties to allow “immediate humanitarian access” as the Israel-Hamas conflict intensifies.

“We need immediate humanitarian access throughout Gaza, so that we can get fuel, food and water to everyone in need,” Guterres told reporters at the United Nations in New York.

“Even wars have rules,” he added.

— Amanda Macias

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited with troops on the frontlines ahead of a looming Israeli counteroffensive into Gaza.

Netanyahu received visits from U.S. Secretary of State Antony Binken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin earlier in the week. Both Biden administration officials reiterated U.S. support for Israel as the conflict with Hamas enters its second week.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer will lead a bipartisan group of lawmakers to Israel over the weekend.

Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisana, Democrat Senator Jackie Rosen of Nevada, Republican Senator Mitt Romney of Utah and Democrat Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona are also traveling in the delegation.

The lawmakers are slated to discuss U.S. humanitarian and security assistance with Israeli officials.

The congressional delegation’s visit to Israel comes on the heels of Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s trip.

— Amanda Macias

Supporters and family members of Israeli hostages snatched by the Palestinian militant group Hamas last week in a surprise attack into Israel, plaster their images on a wall during a rally outside of the Israeli military base of HaKirya in central Tel Aviv on Oct. 14, 2023. Nine people captured by Hamas in an attack on Israel a week ago have been killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza in the past 24 hours, the Islamist group’s armed wing said on Oct. 14.

— Gil Cohen-Magen | AFP | Getty Images

The Louvre Museum in Paris and Versailles Palace were evacuated on Saturday after separate bomb threats, the Associated Press reported. France is on high-security alert after a fatal school stabbing on Friday by a former student who is suspected of Islamic radicalization.

France has deployed 7,000 troops to increase security after Friday’s school attack.

The French government is also wary of the fallout from the war between Israel and Hamas, AP said.

— Terri Cullen

Hamas’ military arm, the Al-Qassam Brigades, on Saturday announced that nine hostages, including four foreigners, were killed “as a result of” Israel’s counterattack bombing of the Gaza Strip, adding to the death toll that Hamas reported yesterday.

On Friday, Hamas said 13 hostages had been killed when Israel bombed areas in the North and Gaza. The military group said six were killed in the North and seven in Gaza.

CNBC has not independently verified this claim.

It is estimated that Hamas took 150 hostages following its deadly attack on Israel last weekend.

— Rebecca Picciotto