The war between Israel and Hamas has entered its 98th day. We are tracking the latest developments in our live blog. At the time of writing the morning brief, the latest development in the conflict is that Saudi Arabia on Friday (Jan 12) expressed concerns over the US&nbsp;and the UK carrying out strikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen.&nbsp;

Former US president Donald Trump has claimed innocence in the New York fraud trial.&nbsp;Prosecutors demanded&nbsp;$370 million from Trump over fraud allegations and have appealed to stop him from carrying out business in the state.&nbsp;“We have a situation where I’m an innocent man," Trump said on Thursday during the court hearing.

In other news from the US, President Joe Biden's son Hunter&nbsp;pleaded not guilty to federal tax charges.

Click on the headlines to read more:

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hamas-war-live-saudi-arabia-expresses-concern-over-strikes-on-houthis-in-yemen-679165">Israel-Hamas war LIVE: Saudi Arabia expresses concern over strikes on Houthis in Yemen</a>

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Saudi Arabia has expressed concerns over the US and the UK carrying out strikes&nbsp;on Houthi rebels in Yemen.&nbsp;"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is following with great concern the military operations taking place in the Red Sea region and the air strikes on a number of sites in the Republic of Yemen," a statement from the Saudi foreign ministry said. The foreign ministry called out for&nbsp;"self-restraint and avoiding escalation."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ny-fraud-trial-trump-calls-himself-innocent-claims-what-happened-here-is-fraud-on-me-679190">NY fraud trial: Trump calls himself 'innocent', claims ‘what happened here is fraud on me’</a>

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The last hearing of former US president Donald Trump’s fraud trial started in a frenzy in New York on Thursday morning (Jan 11), as a bomb squad reached the home of the judge, who is overseeing the cases, and spectators, as well as reporters, packed the courtroom to see the end of the trial.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hunter-biden-pleads-not-guilty-to-federal-tax-charges-a-day-after-contempt-of-congress-hearing-679161">Hunter Biden pleads not guilty to federal tax charges a day after contempt of Congress hearing</a>

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US President Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to federal tax charges on Thursday (Jan 12). This comes after the collapse of a plea deal in July 2023, which was criticised as a "sweetheart deal" by Republicans and sparked concerns about whether the deal would have ultimately resulted in equal treatment for Biden as other defendants.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-opens-probe-into-boeing-following-alaska-airlines-incident-679135">US opens probe into Boeing following Alaska Airlines incident</a>

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The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that it was opening an investigation into Boeing following a near-catastrophic incident with Alaska Airlines' Boeing 737 MAX. The probe is aimed at Boeing's quality control.

Watch| China warns against any form of US-Taiwan exchange

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The war between Israel and Hamas has entered its 98th day. We are tracking the latest developments in our live blog. At the time of writing the morning brief, the latest development in the conflict is that Saudi Arabia on Friday (Jan 12) expressed concerns over the US and the UK carrying out strikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen.

The war between Israel and Hamas has entered its 98th day. We are tracking the latest developments in our live blog. At the time of writing the morning brief, the latest development in the conflict is that Saudi Arabia on Friday (Jan 12) expressed concerns over the US and the UK carrying out strikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen. Former US president Donald Trump has claimed innocence in the New York fraud trial. Prosecutors demanded $370 million from Trump over fraud allegations and have appealed to stop him from carrying out business in the state. “We have a situation where I’m an innocent man," Trump said on Thursday during the court hearing. In other news from the US, President Joe Biden's son Hunter pleaded not guilty to federal tax charges. Click on the headlines to read more: Israel-Hamas war LIVE: Saudi Arabia expresses concern over strikes on Houthis in Yemen Saudi Arabia has expressed concerns over the US and the UK carrying out strikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen. "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is following with great concern the military operations taking place in the Red Sea region and the air strikes on a number of sites in the Republic of Yemen," a statement from the Saudi foreign ministry said. The foreign ministry called out for "self-restraint and avoiding escalation." NY fraud trial: Trump calls himself 'innocent', claims ‘what happened here is fraud on me’ The last hearing of former US president Donald Trump’s fraud trial started in a frenzy in New York on Thursday morning (Jan 11), as a bomb squad reached the home of the judge, who is overseeing the cases, and spectators, as well as reporters, packed the courtroom to see the end of the trial. Hunter Biden pleads not guilty to federal tax charges a day after contempt of Congress hearing US President Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to federal tax charges on Thursday (Jan 12). This comes after the collapse of a plea deal in July 2023, which was criticised as a "sweetheart deal" by Republicans and sparked concerns about whether the deal would have ultimately resulted in equal treatment for Biden as other defendants. US opens probe into Boeing following Alaska Airlines incident The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that it was opening an investigation into Boeing following a near-catastrophic incident with Alaska Airlines' Boeing 737 MAX. The probe is aimed at Boeing's quality control. Watch| China warns against any form of US-Taiwan exchange ×

Morning brief: US, UK strike Houthi rebels in Yemen; Trump claims innocence in NY fraud trial, and more

Israel on Thursday (Jan 11) called South Africa a "legal arm" of Hamas militants as lawyers presented a "genocide" case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).&nbsp;

Lior Haiat, who is the foreign ministry spokesman, described South Africa's case over Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip as "one of the greatest shows of hypocrisy in history".&nbsp;

South Africa claimed that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and demanded an emergency suspension of the military campaign in Gaza.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/un-launches-info-gathering-mission-on-hamas-alleged-sexual-violence-in-israel-678990">UN launches info-gathering mission on Hamas' alleged sexual violence in Israel</a>&nbsp;

Israel has dismissed the case as "atrocious" and "preposterous" and vowed to set out a robust defence on Friday.&nbsp;

Pretoria's Justice Minister Ronald Lamola said that "no armed attack on a state territory, no matter how serious... can provide justification for or defend breaches of the convention".&nbsp;

He added that "Israel's response to the October 7 attack has crossed this line and given rise to the breaches of the convention".&nbsp;

On the day the case was being heard, thousands of pro-Israeli protesters gathered in front of the UN's top court, carrying Israeli and Dutch flags. They were also carrying posters with images of people taken hostage by Hamas.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-to-send-warships-aircraft-carrier-to-indian-ocean-for-joint-training-with-indian-forces-678963">UK to send warships, aircraft carrier to Indian Ocean for joint training with Indian forces</a>&nbsp;

Separately, a pro-Palestinian march was also present with red and green coloured smoke symbolising the Palestinian flag.&nbsp;

Heavy police presence made sure both sides do not clash, leading to a situation of chaos in two days of hearings, as the World Court will hear South Africa's arguments on Thursday and Israel's response on Friday.&nbsp;

Later this month, a ruling on the emergency measures is expected. The court will not rule at that time on the genocide allegations.&nbsp;

Watch: Panel of 17 Judges presides over South Africa's genocide case against Israel&nbsp;

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<h2>October 7 attack&nbsp;</h2>

Hamas militants launched an unprecedented cross-border attack on Israel, killing about 1,140 people, mostly civilians, claim&nbsp;Israeli authorities. Hamas had also taken some 250 people as hostages, some of them were later returned as part of a deal in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.&nbsp;

After the attack, Israel responded with several strikes on Gaza and have continued its offensive since then killing at least 23,210 people, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.&nbsp;

<h2>What is a genocide</h2>

The intentional killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group with the aim of destroying that nation or group is regarded as genocide.&nbsp;

The United Nations Genocide Convention in 1948 defined genocide as any of five "acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group".&nbsp;

A document by the UN mentioned that Polish lawyer Raphäel Lemkin first coined the word "genocide" in 1944 in his book Axis Rule in Occupied Europe. The word consists of the Greek prefix genos, which means race or tribe, and the Latin suffix cide, which means killing.&nbsp;

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Israel on Thursday (Jan 11) called South Africa a "legal arm" of Hamas militants as lawyers presented a "genocide" case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Israel on Thursday (Jan 11) called South Africa a "legal arm" of Hamas militants as lawyers presented a "genocide" case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Lior Haiat, who is the foreign ministry spokesman, described South Africa's case over Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip as "one of the greatest shows of hypocrisy in history". South Africa claimed that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and demanded an emergency suspension of the military campaign in Gaza. Also read: UN launches info-gathering mission on Hamas' alleged sexual violence in Israel Israel has dismissed the case as "atrocious" and "preposterous" and vowed to set out a robust defence on Friday. Pretoria's Justice Minister Ronald Lamola said that "no armed attack on a state territory, no matter how serious... can provide justification for or defend breaches of the convention". He added that "Israel's response to the October 7 attack has crossed this line and given rise to the breaches of the convention". On the day the case was being heard, thousands of pro-Israeli protesters gathered in front of the UN's top court, carrying Israeli and Dutch flags. They were also carrying posters with images of people taken hostage by Hamas. Also read: UK to send warships, aircraft carrier to Indian Ocean for joint training with Indian forces Separately, a pro-Palestinian march was also present with red and green coloured smoke symbolising the Palestinian flag. Heavy police presence made sure both sides do not clash, leading to a situation of chaos in two days of hearings, as the World Court will hear South Africa's arguments on Thursday and Israel's response on Friday. Later this month, a ruling on the emergency measures is expected. The court will not rule at that time on the genocide allegations. Watch: Panel of 17 Judges presides over South Africa's genocide case against Israel × October 7 attack Hamas militants launched an unprecedented cross-border attack on Israel, killing about 1,140 people, mostly civilians, claim Israeli authorities. Hamas had also taken some 250 people as hostages, some of them were later returned as part of a deal in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. After the attack, Israel responded with several strikes on Gaza and have continued its offensive since then killing at least 23,210 people, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry. What is a genocide The intentional killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group with the aim of destroying that nation or group is regarded as genocide. The United Nations Genocide Convention in 1948 defined genocide as any of five "acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group". A document by the UN mentioned that Polish lawyer Raphäel Lemkin first coined the word "genocide" in 1944 in his book Axis Rule in Occupied Europe. The word consists of the Greek prefix genos, which means race or tribe, and the Latin suffix cide, which means killing. Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel reacts to genocide accusations at UN court hearing, calls South Africa 'legal arm' of Hamas

Germany, on Wednesday (Jan 10) said that they have approved the delivery of 150 IRIS-T air-to-air missiles to Saudi Arabia, marking a reversal in the years-long decision to ban arms exports to the kingdom. The restrictions were imposed by Berlin in 2018 in response to the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.&nbsp;

Government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit confirmed a report by the German weekly Spiegel, which said Berlin had authorised the sale of the 150 missiles to Riyadh. “The details of this report are accurate,” said Hebestreit, speaking at a daily press conference.

He added that IRIS-T could “be fired from aircraft at airborne targets, that is to say missiles, drones and so on”.&nbsp;

<h2>What changed Germany’s mind?</h2>

The move marks a major shift of policy for Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government. According to Spiegel, the authorisation to send missiles, produced by German arms maker Diehl and fired by Saudi Arabia’s Eurofighter jets, was granted towards the end of last year.&nbsp;

Reuters citing a security source said that the new batch of missiles is meant to replenish Saudi stocks depleted over the past years, adding that recently the kingdom has used them to shoot down drones fired from Houthi-controlled Yemen.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/german-railways-grind-to-near-halt-in-three-day-train-drivers-strike-678776">German railways grind to near halt in three-day train drivers’ strike</a>

The ban on Saudi Arabia was imposed by the government of&nbsp;former Chancellor Angela Merkel following Khashoggi’s killing inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October 2018.

However, Berlin has recently loosened its stance, and even praised Saudi Arabia’s “constructive approach,” amid the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.&nbsp;

German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock during a visit to Jerusalem on Sunday (Jan 7) said Saudi Arabia has been making a significant contribution to Israel’s security after Hamas’ October 7 attacks and “this is helping to contain the danger of the conflict spreading across the region.”

She noted that Riyadh had also made efforts to intercept missiles fired at Israel by Iran-backed Yemen-based Houthi rebels.&nbsp;

Scholz and Baerbock have also said that Germany will no longer stand in the way of British plans to sell additional Eurofighters to Saudi Arabia.

Currently, Saudi Arabia has 72 Eurofighters, as reported by DW. Previously, the United Kingdom said that they would like to supply 48 more to the kingdom, a decision which required Berlin’s approval since the Eurofighter project is a joint British, German, Italian and Spanish effort.

German Economy Minister Robert Habeck, currently in Saudi Arabia to discuss energy and economic cooperation, said the country had an important role to play regarding the stabilisation of the Middle East.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-in-favour-of-tangible-steps-for-palestinian-state-blinken-tells-abbas-678690">US in favour of 'tangible steps' for Palestinian state, Blinken tells Abbas</a>

“Saudi Arabia is engaging in a such way that there is no escalation there,” Habeck said in comments broadcast by NTV. He added, “My perception is that Saudi Arabia is self-confident enough to know its role and wants to fulfil it.”&nbsp;

<h2>Decision sparks disagreements</h2>

The shift in policy about supplying arms to Saudi Arabia has sparked disagreements within the ruling coalition, with prominent figures from Baerbock’s Green Party voicing their concerns.&nbsp;

Co-chair of the Greens, Ricarda Lang insisted that “with a view on the human rights situation, including Saudi Arabia’s domestic constitution, I think as before that it is wrong to deliver Eurofighters” to the kingdom.

Notably, the 2021 coalition agreement between Scholz’s SPD, FDP and Greens explicitly states that there will be no approval of arms deliveries to any country directly involved in the war in Yemen.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Germany, on Wednesday (Jan 10) said that they have approved the delivery of 150 IRIS-T air-to-air missiles to Saudi Arabia, marking a reversal in the years-long decision to ban arms exports to the kingdom.

Germany, on Wednesday (Jan 10) said that they have approved the delivery of 150 IRIS-T air-to-air missiles to Saudi Arabia, marking a reversal in the years-long decision to ban arms exports to the kingdom. The restrictions were imposed by Berlin in 2018 in response to the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit confirmed a report by the German weekly Spiegel, which said Berlin had authorised the sale of the 150 missiles to Riyadh. “The details of this report are accurate,” said Hebestreit, speaking at a daily press conference. He added that IRIS-T could “be fired from aircraft at airborne targets, that is to say missiles, drones and so on”. What changed Germany’s mind? The move marks a major shift of policy for Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government. According to Spiegel, the authorisation to send missiles, produced by German arms maker Diehl and fired by Saudi Arabia’s Eurofighter jets, was granted towards the end of last year. Reuters citing a security source said that the new batch of missiles is meant to replenish Saudi stocks depleted over the past years, adding that recently the kingdom has used them to shoot down drones fired from Houthi-controlled Yemen. ALSO READ | German railways grind to near halt in three-day train drivers’ strike The ban on Saudi Arabia was imposed by the government of former Chancellor Angela Merkel following Khashoggi’s killing inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October 2018. However, Berlin has recently loosened its stance, and even praised Saudi Arabia’s “constructive approach,” amid the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock during a visit to Jerusalem on Sunday (Jan 7) said Saudi Arabia has been making a significant contribution to Israel’s security after Hamas’ October 7 attacks and “this is helping to contain the danger of the conflict spreading across the region.” She noted that Riyadh had also made efforts to intercept missiles fired at Israel by Iran-backed Yemen-based Houthi rebels. Scholz and Baerbock have also said that Germany will no longer stand in the way of British plans to sell additional Eurofighters to Saudi Arabia. Currently, Saudi Arabia has 72 Eurofighters, as reported by DW. Previously, the United Kingdom said that they would like to supply 48 more to the kingdom, a decision which required Berlin’s approval since the Eurofighter project is a joint British, German, Italian and Spanish effort. German Economy Minister Robert Habeck, currently in Saudi Arabia to discuss energy and economic cooperation, said the country had an important role to play regarding the stabilisation of the Middle East. ALSO READ | US in favour of 'tangible steps' for Palestinian state, Blinken tells Abbas “Saudi Arabia is engaging in a such way that there is no escalation there,” Habeck said in comments broadcast by NTV. He added, “My perception is that Saudi Arabia is self-confident enough to know its role and wants to fulfil it.” Decision sparks disagreements The shift in policy about supplying arms to Saudi Arabia has sparked disagreements within the ruling coalition, with prominent figures from Baerbock’s Green Party voicing their concerns. Co-chair of the Greens, Ricarda Lang insisted that “with a view on the human rights situation, including Saudi Arabia’s domestic constitution, I think as before that it is wrong to deliver Eurofighters” to the kingdom. Notably, the 2021 coalition agreement between Scholz’s SPD, FDP and Greens explicitly states that there will be no approval of arms deliveries to any country directly involved in the war in Yemen. (With inputs from agencies)

Germany resumes arms sales to Saudi Arabia, ending years-long ban

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Wednesday (Jan 10) amid escalating tensions in West Asia.&nbsp;

During his crucial tour, Blinken pushed to limit the spread of ongoing war. He also pressed Israel's leaders to offer a pathway to a Palestinian state.&nbsp;

Blinken told Abbas that Washington supports "tangible steps" towards the creation of a Palestinian state, reiterating America's longstanding position that a Palestinian state must stand alongside Israel.&nbsp;

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement that "with both living in peace and security".&nbsp;

Palestinian statehood was expected during the Oslo Accords of the 1990s, but talks have been stalled for years.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hamas-war-blinken-tells-netanyahu-to-avoid-further-civilian-harm-in-gaza-678383">Blinken tells Netanyahu to avoid 'further civilian harm' in Gaza</a>&nbsp;

Blinken's visit and his remarks show how the US is trying to end the war and civilian casualties, but the Israeli government has shown no interest in reviving negotiations.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the Palestinian leadership remains split between the Palestinian Authority, headed by Abbas, and Hamas, which rules Gaza.&nbsp;

The official Palestinian news agency Wafa said that according to Abbas, the Gaza Strip is "an integral part of the Palestinian state".&nbsp;

"It is not possible to accept or deal with the plans of the occupation authorities to separate it, or cut off any part of it," the Palestinian leader told Blinken.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-the-secret-hospitalisation-of-us-defense-secretary-llyod-austin-678603">The secret hospitalisation of US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin</a>&nbsp;

Discussions over Gaza's post-war governance have been ongoing for weeks, despite Israel's warning that the combat will likely last months.&nbsp;

Wafa reported that the Palestinian president also raised "efforts made to stop the Israeli aggression against Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank".&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Blinken urges Israel to make 'hard choices'&nbsp;

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<h2>Palestinians protest amid Blinken's visit&nbsp;</h2>

The Times of Israel reported that hundreds of Palestinians protested against Blinken's visit. They marched through the streets of Ramallah.&nbsp;

The protesters were holding up signs saying "Blinken you are not welcome here". Palestinian Authority security forces dispersed the protests.&nbsp;

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A protest march in Ramallah, Palestine, rejecting the visit of US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. <a href="https://t.co/bOyHcaZeJZ">pic.twitter.com/bOyHcaZeJZ</a>
— Darine (@Darineeli) <a href="https://twitter.com/Darineeli/status/1745029922496696564?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<h2>Death toll update&nbsp;</h2>

The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said Wednesday at least 23,357 people have been killed in more than three months of war between the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel.&nbsp;

The toll includes 147 deaths over the past 24 hours, a ministry statement said, while 59,410 people have been wounded across the Palestinian territory since the war erupted on October 7.&nbsp;

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Wednesday (Jan 10) amid escalating tensions in West Asia.

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Wednesday (Jan 10) amid escalating tensions in West Asia. During his crucial tour, Blinken pushed to limit the spread of ongoing war. He also pressed Israel's leaders to offer a pathway to a Palestinian state. Blinken told Abbas that Washington supports "tangible steps" towards the creation of a Palestinian state, reiterating America's longstanding position that a Palestinian state must stand alongside Israel. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement that "with both living in peace and security". Palestinian statehood was expected during the Oslo Accords of the 1990s, but talks have been stalled for years. Also read: Blinken tells Netanyahu to avoid 'further civilian harm' in Gaza Blinken's visit and his remarks show how the US is trying to end the war and civilian casualties, but the Israeli government has shown no interest in reviving negotiations. Meanwhile, the Palestinian leadership remains split between the Palestinian Authority, headed by Abbas, and Hamas, which rules Gaza. The official Palestinian news agency Wafa said that according to Abbas, the Gaza Strip is "an integral part of the Palestinian state". "It is not possible to accept or deal with the plans of the occupation authorities to separate it, or cut off any part of it," the Palestinian leader told Blinken. Also read: The secret hospitalisation of US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin Discussions over Gaza's post-war governance have been ongoing for weeks, despite Israel's warning that the combat will likely last months. Wafa reported that the Palestinian president also raised "efforts made to stop the Israeli aggression against Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank". Watch: Blinken urges Israel to make 'hard choices' × Palestinians protest amid Blinken's visit The Times of Israel reported that hundreds of Palestinians protested against Blinken's visit. They marched through the streets of Ramallah. The protesters were holding up signs saying "Blinken you are not welcome here". Palestinian Authority security forces dispersed the protests. A protest march in Ramallah, Palestine, rejecting the visit of US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. pic.twitter.com/bOyHcaZeJZ — Darine (@Darineeli) January 10, 2024 × Death toll update The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said Wednesday at least 23,357 people have been killed in more than three months of war between the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel. The toll includes 147 deaths over the past 24 hours, a ministry statement said, while 59,410 people have been wounded across the Palestinian territory since the war erupted on October 7. Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. (With inputs from agencies)

US backs 'tangible steps' for Palestinian state, Blinken tells Abbas

It's a war in the Red Sea. Maritime trade through this critical passage for world trade has been hit by relentless Houthi attacks as Yemen's rebel group seeks to avenge the continuous Israeli assault on Palestinians in Gaza. Their target is Western shipping. The U.S. has mobilized heavily in the waters and many countries have rushed warships to the region. But is this strategy working?

Gravitas: Houthi launch biggest attack on ships in Red Sea | Is U.S Ops Prosperity Guardian working?

Tensions and threats are high for the Red Sea shipping route the US and UK repelled a big Houthi attack this morning while the Indian Navy Chief has said that they're studying debris found on the attacked ships.

Houthis Red Sea attacks: Indian naval chief speaks on piracy attacks in the Red Sea

The State Department said that the United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday (Jan 9) urged Israel's leaders to avoid civilian harm in the war in Gaza during a crucial visit to the warring nation.&nbsp;

Blinken called for maintaining a path towards the creation of a Palestinian state&nbsp;at meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his war cabinet.&nbsp;

During his tour to West Asian nations amid escalating tensions, Blinken met with top Israeli officials in Tel Aviv.&nbsp;

The visit aimed at stopping an escalation of the war in the region and reaching a consensus on the territory's future.&nbsp;

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Blinken had reaffirmed US support for Israel's attempts to stop any repeat of the Hamas attack of October 7, which was the main reason behind the start of the war.&nbsp;

Miller said Blinken then "stressed the importance of avoiding further civilian harm and protecting civilian infrastructure in Gaza".&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-defense-secretary-lloyd-austin-will-stay-in-job-says-white-house-678203">US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will stay in job, says White House</a>&nbsp;

<h2>October 7 attack&nbsp;</h2>

Hamas militants launched an unprecedented cross-border attack on Israel, killing about 1,140 people, mostly civilians, official Israeli figures. Hamas had also taken some 250 people as hostages, some of them were later returned as part of a deal in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.&nbsp;

In the aftermath of the October 7 attack, Israel responded with several strikes on Gaza that have&nbsp;killed at least 23,210 people, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.&nbsp;

As per the State Department, Blinken and Netanyahu discussed attempts to free the remaining hostages from the October 7 attack, which Israel says number 132, though 25 of them are believed to have been killed. They also talked about the importance of getting more aid to the people of Gaza.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Egypt officials: Ceasefire a priority over post-war arrangements

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"The secretary reiterated the need to ensure lasting, sustainable peace for Israel and the region, including by the realisation of a Palestinian state," said Miller.&nbsp;

Israel's defence minister told Blinken that increasing pressure on Iran was "critical" as it could prevent a regional escalation as the war grinds on in Gaza. "An increase in the pressure placed on Iran is critical and may prevent regional escalation in additional arenas," Yoav Gallant was quoted as saying in a government statement.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/highest-number-of-civilian-casualties-by-explosives-recorded-in-2023-more-than-any-year-in-over-a-decade-678270">Highest number of civilian casualties by explosives recorded in 2023, more than any year in over a decade</a>&nbsp;

<h2>Cameron on Israel breaching international law&nbsp;</h2>

Meanwhile, Britain's foreign minister David Cameron said on Tuesday he was worried that Israel might have breached international law in Gaza.&nbsp;

Cameron said that the advice he had received so far was that Israel was compliant but there were questions to answer.&nbsp;

During a question-and-answer session with lawmakers, when asked if Israel could be vulnerable to a challenge at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague over whether their actions were proportionate, Cameron said the stance was "close to that".&nbsp;

Cameron did not directly answer lawmakers about whether he had received legal advice that Israel might have broken international law but said some incidents had raised questions over whether there had been breaches.

"Am I worried that Israel has taken action that might be in breach of international law, because this particular premises has been bombed, or whatever? Yes, of course," Cameron said as he took questions from parliament's foreign affairs committee.&nbsp;

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The State Department said that the United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday (Jan 9) urged Israel's leaders to avoid civilian harm in the war in Gaza during a crucial visit to the warring nation.

The State Department said that the United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday (Jan 9) urged Israel's leaders to avoid civilian harm in the war in Gaza during a crucial visit to the warring nation. Blinken called for maintaining a path towards the creation of a Palestinian state at meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his war cabinet. During his tour to West Asian nations amid escalating tensions, Blinken met with top Israeli officials in Tel Aviv. The visit aimed at stopping an escalation of the war in the region and reaching a consensus on the territory's future. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Blinken had reaffirmed US support for Israel's attempts to stop any repeat of the Hamas attack of October 7, which was the main reason behind the start of the war. Miller said Blinken then "stressed the importance of avoiding further civilian harm and protecting civilian infrastructure in Gaza". Also read: US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will stay in job, says White House October 7 attack Hamas militants launched an unprecedented cross-border attack on Israel, killing about 1,140 people, mostly civilians, official Israeli figures. Hamas had also taken some 250 people as hostages, some of them were later returned as part of a deal in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. In the aftermath of the October 7 attack, Israel responded with several strikes on Gaza that have killed at least 23,210 people, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry. As per the State Department, Blinken and Netanyahu discussed attempts to free the remaining hostages from the October 7 attack, which Israel says number 132, though 25 of them are believed to have been killed. They also talked about the importance of getting more aid to the people of Gaza. Watch: Egypt officials: Ceasefire a priority over post-war arrangements × "The secretary reiterated the need to ensure lasting, sustainable peace for Israel and the region, including by the realisation of a Palestinian state," said Miller. Israel's defence minister told Blinken that increasing pressure on Iran was "critical" as it could prevent a regional escalation as the war grinds on in Gaza. "An increase in the pressure placed on Iran is critical and may prevent regional escalation in additional arenas," Yoav Gallant was quoted as saying in a government statement. Also read: Highest number of civilian casualties by explosives recorded in 2023, more than any year in over a decade Cameron on Israel breaching international law Meanwhile, Britain's foreign minister David Cameron said on Tuesday he was worried that Israel might have breached international law in Gaza. Cameron said that the advice he had received so far was that Israel was compliant but there were questions to answer. During a question-and-answer session with lawmakers, when asked if Israel could be vulnerable to a challenge at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague over whether their actions were proportionate, Cameron said the stance was "close to that". Cameron did not directly answer lawmakers about whether he had received legal advice that Israel might have broken international law but said some incidents had raised questions over whether there had been breaches. "Am I worried that Israel has taken action that might be in breach of international law, because this particular premises has been bombed, or whatever? Yes, of course," Cameron said as he took questions from parliament's foreign affairs committee. Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel-Hamas war: Blinken tells Netanyahu to avoid 'further civilian harm' in Gaza

India at the United Nations General Assembly strongly condemned the rising civilian casualties of the Israel-Hamas war and said that the alarming humanitarian crisis was "clearly unacceptable".

Speaking at the UNGA meeting on Tuesday, India's permanent representative to the United Nations, Ruchira Kamboj said, "The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has led to a large-scale loss of civilian lives, especially women and children, and has resulted in an alarming humanitarian crisis."

"This is clearly unacceptable, and we have strongly condemned the deaths of civilians," added the Indian envoy.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-thwarts-24-missiles-and-drones-launched-by-houthi-rebels-from-yemen-678400">US thwarts 24 missiles and drones launched by Houthi rebels from Yemen</a>

She also acknowledged that the "immediate trigger" for Israel's strikes on Gaza "were the terror attacks in Israel on October 7, which were shocking and deserve our unequivocal condemnation."&nbsp;

"India has a zero-tolerance approach to terrorism," added Kamboj, as reported by PTI.

<h2>India calls for immediate release of hostages</h2>

Calling for the immediate release of hostages, Kamboj said the leadership of India is in constant touch with the region's leaders — including Palestine and Israel.&nbsp;Addressing the 193-member UNGA, Kamboj also highlighted her nation's continuous efforts to de-escalate the situation and extend humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hamas-war-blinken-tells-netanyahu-to-avoid-further-civilian-harm-in-gaza-678383">Israel-Hamas war: Blinken tells Netanyahu to avoid 'further civilian harm' in Gaza</a>

"India has so far provided 70 tonnes of humanitarian aid, including 16.5 tonnes of medicine and medical supplies in two tranches, to the people of Palestine. We've also provided us dollars 5 million, including the USD 2.5 million we provided in end December 2023 to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees in the Near east, which will go to support the agency's core programs and services, including education, health care, relief and social services provided to Palestinian refugees,"&nbsp;said India's permanent envoy to the UN.

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India has provided 70 tons of humanitarian aid including 16.5 tons of medicines to people of Palestine says Indian Envoy to UN <a href="https://twitter.com/IndiaUNNewYork?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IndiaUNNewYork</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ruchirakamboj?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ruchirakamboj</a>; Points,'Its important to prevent escalation..' <a href="https://t.co/xPfcOmZ8Ow">pic.twitter.com/xPfcOmZ8Ow</a>
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<h2>Two-state solution has India's support</h2>

Voicing India's support for the two-state solution, Kamboj said it can only be achieved "through direct and meaningful negotiations between both sides."

"The message that India has conveyed since the start of this conflict is clear and consistent. It is important to prevent escalation, to ensure continued delivery of humanitarian aid, and to work towards an early restoration of peace and stability. A peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy is the only way forward," she said.

"By reaffirming India's firm commitment to achieving a just, peaceful and lasting solution to the Israel-Palestine issue. We firmly believe that only a two-state solution achieved through direct and meaningful negotiations between both sides on final status issues, will deliver an enduring peace that the people of Israel and Palestine desire and deserve. For this, we urge the parties to de-escalate, eschew violence and work towards creating conditions for an early resumption of direct peace negotiations," added Kamboj.

(With inputs from agencies)

India at the United Nations General Assembly strongly condemned the rising civilian casualties of the Israel-Hamas war and said that the alarming humanitarian crisis was "clearly unacceptable".

India at the United Nations General Assembly strongly condemned the rising civilian casualties of the Israel-Hamas war and said that the alarming humanitarian crisis was "clearly unacceptable". Speaking at the UNGA meeting on Tuesday, India's permanent representative to the United Nations, Ruchira Kamboj said, "The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has led to a large-scale loss of civilian lives, especially women and children, and has resulted in an alarming humanitarian crisis." "This is clearly unacceptable, and we have strongly condemned the deaths of civilians," added the Indian envoy. Also read | US thwarts 24 missiles and drones launched by Houthi rebels from Yemen She also acknowledged that the "immediate trigger" for Israel's strikes on Gaza "were the terror attacks in Israel on October 7, which were shocking and deserve our unequivocal condemnation." "India has a zero-tolerance approach to terrorism," added Kamboj, as reported by PTI. India calls for immediate release of hostages Calling for the immediate release of hostages, Kamboj said the leadership of India is in constant touch with the region's leaders — including Palestine and Israel. Addressing the 193-member UNGA, Kamboj also highlighted her nation's continuous efforts to de-escalate the situation and extend humanitarian aid to Gaza. Also read | Israel-Hamas war: Blinken tells Netanyahu to avoid 'further civilian harm' in Gaza "India has so far provided 70 tonnes of humanitarian aid, including 16.5 tonnes of medicine and medical supplies in two tranches, to the people of Palestine. We've also provided us dollars 5 million, including the USD 2.5 million we provided in end December 2023 to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees in the Near east, which will go to support the agency's core programs and services, including education, health care, relief and social services provided to Palestinian refugees," said India's permanent envoy to the UN. India has provided 70 tons of humanitarian aid including 16.5 tons of medicines to people of Palestine says Indian Envoy to UN @IndiaUNNewYork @ruchirakamboj; Points,'Its important to prevent escalation..' pic.twitter.com/xPfcOmZ8Ow — Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) January 10, 2024 × Two-state solution has India's support Voicing India's support for the two-state solution, Kamboj said it can only be achieved "through direct and meaningful negotiations between both sides." "The message that India has conveyed since the start of this conflict is clear and consistent. It is important to prevent escalation, to ensure continued delivery of humanitarian aid, and to work towards an early restoration of peace and stability. A peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy is the only way forward," she said. "By reaffirming India's firm commitment to achieving a just, peaceful and lasting solution to the Israel-Palestine issue. We firmly believe that only a two-state solution achieved through direct and meaningful negotiations between both sides on final status issues, will deliver an enduring peace that the people of Israel and Palestine desire and deserve. For this, we urge the parties to de-escalate, eschew violence and work towards creating conditions for an early resumption of direct peace negotiations," added Kamboj. (With inputs from agencies)

'Clearly unacceptable': India condemns Israel-Hamas war's rising civilian death toll, calls for de-escalation

The US and the UK on Tuesday (Jan 9)&nbsp;shot down 21 missiles and drones launched by Houthi rebels from Yemen. The attack, as per reports, was one of the largest Houthi attacks to take place in the Red Sea in recent months.

Quoting two US defence officials,&nbsp;CNN had reported that the attack consisted of 24 missiles and drones. It also said that initial assessments indicate no harm to ships and no injuries or casualties resulting from the extensive drone and missile barrage.

As per a US Central Command (CENTCOM) statement "Iranian-backed Houthis launched a complex attack of Iranian designed one-way attack UAVs..., anti-ship cruise missiles, and an anti-ship ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen into the Southern Red Sea."

It further said that the drones and missiles were downed by a combination of F/A-18 warplanes operating from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier and one British and three American destroyers.

<h2>How the US carried out the strike</h2>

The US deployed three destroyers to counter and eliminate the imminent threats, said one official.&nbsp;

"We can confirm a Houthi attack occurred today near the southern Red Sea. We’ll provide additional details when they’re available," said a third official, as quoted by CNN.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hamas-war-blinken-tells-netanyahu-to-avoid-further-civilian-harm-in-gaza-678383">Israel-Hamas war: Blinken tells Netanyahu to avoid 'further civilian harm' in Gaza</a>

As a key participant in Operation Prosperity Guardian, the United States has a number of ships in the Red Sea. The operation, a multinational endeavour, has more than 20 nations collaborating to safeguard shipping in one of the world's most critical waterways.&nbsp;

This incident unfolds against the backdrop of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's diplomatic mission to the Middle East, where he is actively engaging&nbsp;in de-escalation efforts related to the Gaza conflict.

In Israel on Tuesday, Blinken told officials that Palestinians in Gaza must be allowed to return to their homes "as soon as conditions allow."

<h2>Act of solidarity?</h2>

The Houthi rebels, aligning themselves with Iran, have said that their missile and drone launches are symbolic acts of solidarity with the Palestinian people. Initial attacks, soon after the start of the Israel-Hamas war, targeted vessels with connections to Israel. However, since then, as per Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of the US Naval Central Command, most of the last dozen attacks had no connection to Israel at all.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-biden-interrupted-by-pro-palestinian-supporters-calling-for-ceasefire-in-gaza-678170">WATCH | Biden's speech interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters calling for ceasefire in Gaza</a>

"The impact of these attacks spreads across the globe, and as we’ve said, this is an international problem that requires an international solution," he said.

According to the US assessment, around 55 nations have direct connections to the attacked vessels.

(With inputs from agencies)

The US and the UK on Tuesday (Jan 9) shot down 21 missiles and drones launched by Houthi rebels from Yemen. The attack, as per reports, was one of the largest Houthi attacks to take place in the Red Sea in recent months.

The US and the UK on Tuesday (Jan 9) shot down 21 missiles and drones launched by Houthi rebels from Yemen. The attack, as per reports, was one of the largest Houthi attacks to take place in the Red Sea in recent months. Quoting two US defence officials, CNN had reported that the attack consisted of 24 missiles and drones. It also said that initial assessments indicate no harm to ships and no injuries or casualties resulting from the extensive drone and missile barrage. As per a US Central Command (CENTCOM) statement "Iranian-backed Houthis launched a complex attack of Iranian designed one-way attack UAVs..., anti-ship cruise missiles, and an anti-ship ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen into the Southern Red Sea." It further said that the drones and missiles were downed by a combination of F/A-18 warplanes operating from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier and one British and three American destroyers. How the US carried out the strike The US deployed three destroyers to counter and eliminate the imminent threats, said one official. "We can confirm a Houthi attack occurred today near the southern Red Sea. We’ll provide additional details when they’re available," said a third official, as quoted by CNN. Also read | Israel-Hamas war: Blinken tells Netanyahu to avoid 'further civilian harm' in Gaza As a key participant in Operation Prosperity Guardian, the United States has a number of ships in the Red Sea. The operation, a multinational endeavour, has more than 20 nations collaborating to safeguard shipping in one of the world's most critical waterways. This incident unfolds against the backdrop of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's diplomatic mission to the Middle East, where he is actively engaging in de-escalation efforts related to the Gaza conflict. In Israel on Tuesday, Blinken told officials that Palestinians in Gaza must be allowed to return to their homes "as soon as conditions allow." Act of solidarity? The Houthi rebels, aligning themselves with Iran, have said that their missile and drone launches are symbolic acts of solidarity with the Palestinian people. Initial attacks, soon after the start of the Israel-Hamas war, targeted vessels with connections to Israel. However, since then, as per Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of the US Naval Central Command, most of the last dozen attacks had no connection to Israel at all. Also read | WATCH | Biden's speech interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters calling for ceasefire in Gaza "The impact of these attacks spreads across the globe, and as we’ve said, this is an international problem that requires an international solution," he said. According to the US assessment, around 55 nations have direct connections to the attacked vessels. (With inputs from agencies)

US and UK thwart 21 missiles and drones launched by Houthi rebels from Yemen

Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad on Monday (Jan 8) released video footage which it claimed showed an Israeli hostage alive in its custody in Gaza after being held hostage during Hamas' Oct 7 assault against Israel.

The man in the video, who spoke in English and Hebrew languages, pleaded for his release and also paid tribute to another hostage Tamir Adar, who was announced dead in early January by his kibbutz community in southern Israel, according to news agency AFP reports.

The location, from where the video was shot, is not yet known.

The family of the hostage, who hails from Nir Oz kibbutz, reportedly urged the media to not broadcast the footage.

The hostage is one out of the 75 people seized by Palestinian militants from Nir Oz during the unprecedented Oct 7 attack launched by Hamas against Israel, as per the Israeli community near the border with the Gaza Strip.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israeli-hamas-war-strike-on-lebanon-kills-senior-commander-in-elite-hezbollah-unit-677882">Israeli-Hamas war: Strike on Lebanon kills senior commander in elite Hezbollah unit</a>

Earlier in December, the Al Quds Brigades, which is the armed wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, released a video of two male Israeli hostages on its Telegram account, pleading for their release.

The two men, who identified themselves as Gadi Moses and Elad Katzir, in the video called for the efforts to be intensified so that they could reunite with their families.

"We are dying every moment. We are in an unbearable situation," said Moses, looking at the camera against a plain background. The two men were both unshaven and appeared to have lost weight.

Hamas had also released a short video which showed three other elderly Israeli hostages whom the Islamist group had held during the rampage when it took around 240 people hostage.&nbsp;

Israel denounced the footage as a "criminal, terrorist video."

Hamas, during its rampage, seized nearly 253 hostages from southern Israel, out of which 132 still remain in captivity, according to Israeli officials.

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad on Monday (Jan 8) released video footage which it claimed showed an Israeli hostage alive in its custody in Gaza after being held hostage during Hamas' Oct 7 assault against Israel.

Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad on Monday (Jan 8) released video footage which it claimed showed an Israeli hostage alive in its custody in Gaza after being held hostage during Hamas' Oct 7 assault against Israel. The man in the video, who spoke in English and Hebrew languages, pleaded for his release and also paid tribute to another hostage Tamir Adar, who was announced dead in early January by his kibbutz community in southern Israel, according to news agency AFP reports. The location, from where the video was shot, is not yet known. The family of the hostage, who hails from Nir Oz kibbutz, reportedly urged the media to not broadcast the footage. The hostage is one out of the 75 people seized by Palestinian militants from Nir Oz during the unprecedented Oct 7 attack launched by Hamas against Israel, as per the Israeli community near the border with the Gaza Strip. Also read: Israeli-Hamas war: Strike on Lebanon kills senior commander in elite Hezbollah unit Earlier in December, the Al Quds Brigades, which is the armed wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, released a video of two male Israeli hostages on its Telegram account, pleading for their release. The two men, who identified themselves as Gadi Moses and Elad Katzir, in the video called for the efforts to be intensified so that they could reunite with their families. "We are dying every moment. We are in an unbearable situation," said Moses, looking at the camera against a plain background. The two men were both unshaven and appeared to have lost weight. Hamas had also released a short video which showed three other elderly Israeli hostages whom the Islamist group had held during the rampage when it took around 240 people hostage. Israel denounced the footage as a "criminal, terrorist video." Hamas, during its rampage, seized nearly 253 hostages from southern Israel, out of which 132 still remain in captivity, according to Israeli officials. Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel-Hamas war: Islamic Jihad releases video showing Gaza hostage alive

Idan Amedi, an actor-singer best known for his role in the Netflix series Fauda, has reportedly sustained serious injuries while fighting as an Israeli Army reservist during the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza.

<h2>What do we know about his condition?</h2>

Amedi, who is a reservist for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), was injured while fighting in Gaza’s Khan Younis and airlifted to a hospital on Monday (Jan 8) where he was sedated and is receiving treatment, reported Times of Israel.&nbsp;

The actor-singer’s condition was later confirmed by his father in an interview with the Walla news site. He said his son was no longer in danger.&nbsp;

The 35-year-old was born and raised in Jerusalem to Kurdish immigrants and is married with two children.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hamas-war-israeli-military-shows-cluster-of-weapons-factories-of-hamas-in-gaza-678060">Israel-Hamas war: Israeli military shows cluster of weapons factories of Hamas in Gaza</a>

In reel life, that is on the show Fauda, Amedi is known for playing a soldier in an elite IDF unit that operates in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. However, in real life, the 35-year-old was serving as an IDF reservist in the Combat Engineering Corps when he was injured.&nbsp;

A report by Times of Israel citing Hebrew media reported that Amedi was brought to Sheba Medical Center in the Israeli city of Ramat Gan at around 4:00 pm (local time), on Monday.

He reportedly underwent urgent, serious and lengthy surgery.&nbsp;

<h2>‘A little tired, but fine’</h2>

The actor-singer, who had completed his mandatory military service in the IDF Combat Engineering Corps’ 603rd Battalion between 2006 and 2009, spoke to an Israeli television reporter in Gaza who described him as “a little tired, but fine.”

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-naval-officer-sentenced-to-over-two-years-in-prison-for-selling-military-secrets-to-china-678052">US naval officer sentenced to over two years in prison for selling military secrets to China</a>

“It’s weird to see you here (amid the war in Gaza). You suddenly feel so clean to me, I don’t know how to act with this,” Amedi told the reporter from Israel’s Channel 12 news. He then said, “We are working hard for everyone’s security. We really love you.”

When asked about the Hamas tunnels that his team was working to uncover, the IDF reservist said, “It’s crazy, what they built here.”&nbsp;

He added, “The operation here is on a very central (Hamas tunnel) route. We found kilometres of tunnels here, weaponry, even special weaponry. We’ve been busy the past two days trying to destroy it.”

On October 12, amid a call-up of more than 300,000 reservists, Amedi posted a video on X where he was seen wearing military fatigues and saying, “This isn’t a scene from Fauda, it’s real life.”&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-to-begin-desalination-program-in-lakshadweep-hails-its-pristine-and-majestic-underwater-marvels-677973">Israel to begin desalination programme in Lakshadweep, hails its ‘pristine and majestic’ underwater marvels</a>

Hamas launched a deadly attack against Israel on October 7, killing around 1,200 people and taking some 240 hostages back to Gaza.&nbsp;

Israel has since retaliated with constant bombardment and a ground operation in Gaza, killing at least 23,000 people, mostly women and children in the Palestinian enclave, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

Idan Amedi, an actor-singer best known for his role in the Netflix series Fauda, has reportedly sustained serious injuries while fighting as an Israeli Army reservist during the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza.

Idan Amedi, an actor-singer best known for his role in the Netflix series Fauda, has reportedly sustained serious injuries while fighting as an Israeli Army reservist during the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza. What do we know about his condition? Amedi, who is a reservist for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), was injured while fighting in Gaza’s Khan Younis and airlifted to a hospital on Monday (Jan 8) where he was sedated and is receiving treatment, reported Times of Israel. The actor-singer’s condition was later confirmed by his father in an interview with the Walla news site. He said his son was no longer in danger. The 35-year-old was born and raised in Jerusalem to Kurdish immigrants and is married with two children. ALSO READ | Israel-Hamas war: Israeli military shows cluster of weapons factories of Hamas in Gaza In reel life, that is on the show Fauda, Amedi is known for playing a soldier in an elite IDF unit that operates in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. However, in real life, the 35-year-old was serving as an IDF reservist in the Combat Engineering Corps when he was injured. A report by Times of Israel citing Hebrew media reported that Amedi was brought to Sheba Medical Center in the Israeli city of Ramat Gan at around 4:00 pm (local time), on Monday. He reportedly underwent urgent, serious and lengthy surgery. ‘A little tired, but fine’ The actor-singer, who had completed his mandatory military service in the IDF Combat Engineering Corps’ 603rd Battalion between 2006 and 2009, spoke to an Israeli television reporter in Gaza who described him as “a little tired, but fine.” ALSO READ | US naval officer sentenced to over two years in prison for selling military secrets to China “It’s weird to see you here (amid the war in Gaza). You suddenly feel so clean to me, I don’t know how to act with this,” Amedi told the reporter from Israel’s Channel 12 news. He then said, “We are working hard for everyone’s security. We really love you.” When asked about the Hamas tunnels that his team was working to uncover, the IDF reservist said, “It’s crazy, what they built here.” He added, “The operation here is on a very central (Hamas tunnel) route. We found kilometres of tunnels here, weaponry, even special weaponry. We’ve been busy the past two days trying to destroy it.” On October 12, amid a call-up of more than 300,000 reservists, Amedi posted a video on X where he was seen wearing military fatigues and saying, “This isn’t a scene from Fauda, it’s real life.” ALSO READ | Israel to begin desalination programme in Lakshadweep, hails its ‘pristine and majestic’ underwater marvels Hamas launched a deadly attack against Israel on October 7, killing around 1,200 people and taking some 240 hostages back to Gaza. Israel has since retaliated with constant bombardment and a ground operation in Gaza, killing at least 23,000 people, mostly women and children in the Palestinian enclave, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

Israel-Hamas war: ‘Fauda’ actor Idan Amedi ‘seriously injured’ while fighting in Gaza

The Israeli military on Monday (Jan 8) showed journalists a cluster of weapons factories and tunnels used by Hamas in the Gaza Strip to manufacture rockets, the news agency AFP reported.

The Israeli military on Monday (Jan 8) showed journalists a cluster of weapons factories and tunnels used by Hamas in the Gaza Strip to manufacture rockets, the news agency AFP reported. During a media tour in Gaza's Bureij, Israeli soldiers said that what looked like cement factories and other industrial facilities were in fact used to make missiles and shells stored in deep shafts. At the site, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Daniel Hagari held what he said were detonators for rockets capable of hitting targets 100 kilometres away- a range covering much of central and southern Israel. Hagari told reporters that the factory had been built around Salah al-Din Road, a major north-south route also used to transport humanitarian aid into the besieged territory. 'Largest weapons production site found since war began' In a statement, the Israeli army said the factory (around the Salah al-Din Road), was the largest weapons production site found since the beginning of the war on Oct 7 last year. Click here to follow all updates on the Israel-Hamas war Before the conflict started, Bureij was home to tens of thousands of people. However, many people fled the region after the war, and the areas shown to journalists during the army tour looked abandoned with no Palestinians in sight, AFP reported. Israel faces genocide case at ICJ In other latest news from the conflict, Israel is facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The case was brought by South Africa which accused Israel of "genocidal acts" in Gaza. This week, the ICJ will hold hearings on the case. In an 84-page submission to the ICJ, South Africa urged judges to order Israel to "immediately suspend its military operations" in Gaza. "The acts are all attributable to Israel, which has failed to prevent genocide and is committing genocide in manifest violation of the Genocide Convention," the filing said. Also read: WHO reflects on obstacles in Gaza, says cancelled planned mission in hospital for the 4th time Hitting back at the accusations, Israel vowed to fight the South African case it described as "absurd blood libel". "How tragic that the rainbow nation that prides itself on fighting racism will be fighting pro bono for anti-Jewish racists," government spokesperson Eylon Levy said. (With inputs from agencies)

Israeli military shows cluster of weapons factories of Hamas in Gaza

The Israeli military has shown a cluster of weapons factories and tunnels used by Hamas in the Gaza Strip to manufacture rockets. During a media tour on Monday (Jan 8), in Gaza's Bureij, Israeli soldiers said that what looked like cement factories and other industrial facilities were being used to make weapons.

Two airlines in the United States - United Airlines and Alaska Airlines - found loose bolts while carrying out inspections of the Boeing 737 Max 9 fleet. The inspections came after a door plug of a Boeing 737 Max 9 blew out from an Alaska Airlines aircraft this past weekend.

In other news from around the world, Ecuador declared a state of emergency for 60 days after the country's most-wanted criminal disappeared from the jail where he was being held.

Click on the headlines to read more:

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hamas-war-israeli-military-shows-cluster-of-weapons-factories-of-hamas-in-gaza-678060">Israel-Hamas war: Israeli military shows cluster of weapons factories of Hamas in Gaza</a>

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The Israeli military on Monday (Jan 8) showed journalists a cluster of weapons factories and tunnels used by Hamas in the Gaza Strip to manufacture rockets, the news agency AFP reported.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-airlines-and-alaska-airlines-find-loose-bolts-in-boeing-jets-during-inspections-678065">United Airlines and Alaska Airlines find loose bolts in Boeing jets during inspections</a>

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United Airlines on Monday (Jan 8) said that they found loose bolts while carrying out inspections of the Boeing 737 Max 9 fleet after a door plug blew out from an Alaska Airlines plane over the weekend. The airlines said that they found the bolts required "additional tightening" during inspections of Boeing 737 Max 9s. &nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ecuador-declares-state-of-emergency-after-its-most-wanted-criminal-disappears-from-jail-678015">Ecuador declares state of emergency after its most-wanted criminal disappears from jail</a>

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Ecuador on Monday (Jan 8) declared a state of emergency for 60 days after the country's most-wanted criminal disappeared from the jail where he was being held.&nbsp;Adolfo Macias, leader of the Los Choneros criminal gang, disappeared from the Guayaquil prison on Sunday&nbsp;where he was serving a 34-year sentence.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-naval-officer-sentenced-to-over-two-years-in-prison-for-selling-military-secrets-to-china-678052">US naval officer sentenced to over two years in prison for selling military secrets to China</a>

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A United States Navy serviceman, who pleaded guilty to accepting bribes from a Chinese intelligence officer in exchange for sensitive US military information, was sentenced to more than two years in prison&nbsp;on Monday (Jan 8), said the Department of Justice (DOJ).&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Taiwan election poses test for Island's ties with China | Will China succeed in 'reunifying' Taiwan?

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The Israeli military has shown a cluster of weapons factories and tunnels used by Hamas in the Gaza Strip to manufacture rockets. During a media tour on Monday (Jan 8), in Gaza's Bureij, Israeli soldiers said that what looked like cement factories and other industrial facilities were being used to make weapons.

The Israeli military has shown a cluster of weapons factories and tunnels used by Hamas in the Gaza Strip to manufacture rockets. During a media tour on Monday (Jan 8), in Gaza's Bureij, Israeli soldiers said that what looked like cement factories and other industrial facilities were being used to make weapons. Two airlines in the United States - United Airlines and Alaska Airlines - found loose bolts while carrying out inspections of the Boeing 737 Max 9 fleet. The inspections came after a door plug of a Boeing 737 Max 9 blew out from an Alaska Airlines aircraft this past weekend. In other news from around the world, Ecuador declared a state of emergency for 60 days after the country's most-wanted criminal disappeared from the jail where he was being held. Click on the headlines to read more: Israel-Hamas war: Israeli military shows cluster of weapons factories of Hamas in Gaza The Israeli military on Monday (Jan 8) showed journalists a cluster of weapons factories and tunnels used by Hamas in the Gaza Strip to manufacture rockets, the news agency AFP reported. United Airlines and Alaska Airlines find loose bolts in Boeing jets during inspections United Airlines on Monday (Jan 8) said that they found loose bolts while carrying out inspections of the Boeing 737 Max 9 fleet after a door plug blew out from an Alaska Airlines plane over the weekend. The airlines said that they found the bolts required "additional tightening" during inspections of Boeing 737 Max 9s. Ecuador declares state of emergency after its most-wanted criminal disappears from jail Ecuador on Monday (Jan 8) declared a state of emergency for 60 days after the country's most-wanted criminal disappeared from the jail where he was being held. Adolfo Macias, leader of the Los Choneros criminal gang, disappeared from the Guayaquil prison on Sunday where he was serving a 34-year sentence. US naval officer sentenced to over two years in prison for selling military secrets to China A United States Navy serviceman, who pleaded guilty to accepting bribes from a Chinese intelligence officer in exchange for sensitive US military information, was sentenced to more than two years in prison on Monday (Jan 8), said the Department of Justice (DOJ). Watch: Taiwan election poses test for Island's ties with China | Will China succeed in 'reunifying' Taiwan? ×

Morning brief: Israel-Hamas war updates, 2 US airlines find loose bolts in Boeing jets, and more

When Hamas carried out a deadly assault on Israeli territory on October 7th United States was the first country to rush to Israel's rescue ensuring unconditional military and diplomatic support. But 3 months on Washington's tone has changed towards its ally.

Israel-Hamas war | Three months on, U.S. shifts on Israel-Hamas war

Last year witnessed the highest number of civilian casualties, killed or injured, by airstrikes, bombs or artillery than any other year for more than a decade, according to an annual study.&nbsp;

The report by the United Kingdom-based monitoring group said that the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza significantly contributed to this record-high number.&nbsp;

<h2>122% rise in civilian fatalities</h2>

Action on Armed Violence (AOAV), a London-based charity in its annual report recorded a 122 per cent rise in civilian fatalities caused by explosives last year.&nbsp;

In 2023, according to the report, 33,846 non-combatants had been killed or wounded, the largest number it had counted since it began conducting its annual survey in 2010.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hamas-war-israeli-military-shows-cluster-of-weapons-factories-of-hamas-in-gaza-678060">Israeli military shows cluster of weapons factories of Hamas in Gaza</a>

Notably, the total casualty levels recorded last year exceeded the number witnessed at the height of the Syrian civil war and early stages of the Western campaign against the Islamic State, between 2013 and 2017. During this time, the number of total killed and injured was regularly over 30,000.

“Last year proved to be the most harmful to civilians from explosive violence since our monitor began in 2010,” Iain Overton, the group’s executive director.

Last year, the AOAV also identified at least 7,307 explosive incidents across the world, which is up from 4,322 recorded in 2022.&nbsp;

There was a 226 per cent rise in the use of air-launched weapons across the world in 2023, according to the London-based charity.&nbsp;

The report, according to the AOAV, is based on data collected from reputable media organisations.&nbsp;

<h2>Israel-Hamas war a ‘major cause’</h2>

AOAV describes the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza as a “major cause for such a dramatic increase” in civilian casualties accounting for around one-third of the global total.&nbsp;

The UK-based organisation recorded 920 incidents of explosive weapons use in Gaza, resulting in the death of 9,334 people.&nbsp;

While the staggering rise has mainly been attributed to the Israel-Hamas war, ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Sudan also contributed significantly to the total number of civilian casualties.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-biden-interrupted-by-pro-palestinian-supporters-calling-for-ceasefire-in-gaza-678170">Biden's speech interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters calling for ceasefire in Gaza</a>

Speaking about the ongoing war in Gaza, Overton noted that since Hamas launched its surprise attack against Israel, on October 7 there had been “a massive spike” in incidents during Israel’s retaliatory attacks.&nbsp;

He added, “Gaza almost overwhelmed our capacity to record each individual and injurious reported strike.”

The AOAV director also said that the data should be a stark warning to states that using explosive weapons in urban areas disproportionately impacts civilians.&nbsp;

The report also dubbed Israel as the “most injurious state actor in 2023” with more than 1,000 attacks leading to 12,950 civilian casualties, both killed and injured. Israel’s Swords of Iron operation reportedly accounted for 37 per cent of all civilian casualties last year.&nbsp;

Israel was followed by Russia with its war in Ukraine causing 8,351 civilian casualties, according to AOAV.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Last year witnessed the highest number of civilian casualties, killed or injured, by airstrikes, bombs or artillery than any other year for more than a decade, according to an annual study.

Last year witnessed the highest number of civilian casualties, killed or injured, by airstrikes, bombs or artillery than any other year for more than a decade, according to an annual study. The report by the United Kingdom-based monitoring group said that the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza significantly contributed to this record-high number. 122% rise in civilian fatalities Action on Armed Violence (AOAV), a London-based charity in its annual report recorded a 122 per cent rise in civilian fatalities caused by explosives last year. In 2023, according to the report, 33,846 non-combatants had been killed or wounded, the largest number it had counted since it began conducting its annual survey in 2010. ALSO READ | Israeli military shows cluster of weapons factories of Hamas in Gaza Notably, the total casualty levels recorded last year exceeded the number witnessed at the height of the Syrian civil war and early stages of the Western campaign against the Islamic State, between 2013 and 2017. During this time, the number of total killed and injured was regularly over 30,000. “Last year proved to be the most harmful to civilians from explosive violence since our monitor began in 2010,” Iain Overton, the group’s executive director. Last year, the AOAV also identified at least 7,307 explosive incidents across the world, which is up from 4,322 recorded in 2022. There was a 226 per cent rise in the use of air-launched weapons across the world in 2023, according to the London-based charity. The report, according to the AOAV, is based on data collected from reputable media organisations. Israel-Hamas war a ‘major cause’ AOAV describes the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza as a “major cause for such a dramatic increase” in civilian casualties accounting for around one-third of the global total. The UK-based organisation recorded 920 incidents of explosive weapons use in Gaza, resulting in the death of 9,334 people. While the staggering rise has mainly been attributed to the Israel-Hamas war, ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Sudan also contributed significantly to the total number of civilian casualties. ALSO READ | Biden's speech interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters calling for ceasefire in Gaza Speaking about the ongoing war in Gaza, Overton noted that since Hamas launched its surprise attack against Israel, on October 7 there had been “a massive spike” in incidents during Israel’s retaliatory attacks. He added, “Gaza almost overwhelmed our capacity to record each individual and injurious reported strike.” The AOAV director also said that the data should be a stark warning to states that using explosive weapons in urban areas disproportionately impacts civilians. The report also dubbed Israel as the “most injurious state actor in 2023” with more than 1,000 attacks leading to 12,950 civilian casualties, both killed and injured. Israel’s Swords of Iron operation reportedly accounted for 37 per cent of all civilian casualties last year. Israel was followed by Russia with its war in Ukraine causing 8,351 civilian casualties, according to AOAV. (With inputs from agencies)

Highest number of civilian casualties by explosives recorded in 2023, more than any year in over a decade

United States President Joe Biden was interrupted on Monday (Jan 8) by pro-Palestinian supporters during a campaign event in the US state of South Carolina. The group of protesters called for a ceasefire in Gaza amid the ongoing war between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas.&nbsp;

<h2>What happened at the event?</h2>

Biden was speaking at a campaign event in the Mother Emanuel AME, a Black church – the site of a mass shooting in 2015 where nine people were killed by a reported white supremacist shooter – when a group of protesters interrupted him.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hamas-war-israeli-military-shows-cluster-of-weapons-factories-of-hamas-in-gaza-678060">Israeli military shows cluster of weapons factories of Hamas in Gaza</a>

“If you really care about the lives lost here, you should honour the lives and also call for a ceasefire in Palestine,” a woman was heard shouting. Subsequently, the group of protesters began chanting “ceasefire now.”

They were then asked to leave as Biden supporters in the crowd began chanting, “Four more years.”&nbsp;

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President Joe Biden’s speech in South Carolina was interrupted by protesters calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. It was soon followed by other attendees’ chants supporting his re-election bid <a href="https://t.co/CZtrZzeORm">https://t.co/CZtrZzeORm</a> <a href="https://t.co/pB3ODtq9DJ">pic.twitter.com/pB3ODtq9DJ</a>
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Hamas launched a deadly attack against Israel on October 7, killing around 1,200 people and taking some 240 hostages back to Gaza, according to Israeli officials. Since then, the Biden administration and the US president himself have staunchly supported Israel.&nbsp;

However, Israel has since retaliated with constant bombardment and a ground operation in Gaza, killing at least 23,000 people, mostly women and children in the Palestinian enclave, according to the latest update by the Hamas-run health ministry.

Amid the mounting death toll and deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, the Biden administration has faced criticism, particularly from young voters, over its ongoing support for Israel.&nbsp;

<h2>Pushing Israel to ‘significantly get out of Gaza’: Biden</h2>

In response to the woman’s statement and chants that followed, Biden, acknowledging the protest, said that he’s “quietly” pushing Israel to “significantly get out of Gaza”.&nbsp;

“I understand their passion and I’ve been quietly working with the Israeli government to get them to reduce and significantly get out of Gaza — and I’m using all that I can to do that,” said the US president.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hamas-war-fauda-actor-idan-amedi-seriously-injured-while-fighting-in-gaza-678082">Israel-Hamas war: ‘Fauda’ actor Idan Amedi ‘seriously injured’ while fighting in Gaza</a>&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken landed in Tel Aviv on Monday amid his high-stakes trip as American allies who backed Israel are now growing critical amid mounting civilian death toll in Gaza.&nbsp;

Blinken, as per AFP, will also speak to Israeli officials as he seeks to prevent the Gaza conflict from widening. During his visit, Washington’s top diplomat is also expected to put pressure on Israel’s government to reduce civilian casualties in the Gaza Strip.

The recent visit by Washington’s top diplomat will be the latest in a long parade of officials from the Biden administration going to Tel Aviv to meet Israeli government officials. This is Blinken’s fifth visit to Israel since the beginning of the war.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

United States President Joe Biden was interrupted on Monday (Jan 8) by pro-Palestinian supporters during a campaign event in the US state of South Carolina. The group of protesters called for a ceasefire in Gaza amid the ongoing war between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas.

United States President Joe Biden was interrupted on Monday (Jan 8) by pro-Palestinian supporters during a campaign event in the US state of South Carolina. The group of protesters called for a ceasefire in Gaza amid the ongoing war between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas. What happened at the event? Biden was speaking at a campaign event in the Mother Emanuel AME, a Black church – the site of a mass shooting in 2015 where nine people were killed by a reported white supremacist shooter – when a group of protesters interrupted him. ALSO READ | Israeli military shows cluster of weapons factories of Hamas in Gaza “If you really care about the lives lost here, you should honour the lives and also call for a ceasefire in Palestine,” a woman was heard shouting. Subsequently, the group of protesters began chanting “ceasefire now.” They were then asked to leave as Biden supporters in the crowd began chanting, “Four more years.” President Joe Biden’s speech in South Carolina was interrupted by protesters calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. It was soon followed by other attendees’ chants supporting his re-election bid https://t.co/CZtrZzeORm pic.twitter.com/pB3ODtq9DJ — Reuters (@Reuters) January 9, 2024 × Hamas launched a deadly attack against Israel on October 7, killing around 1,200 people and taking some 240 hostages back to Gaza, according to Israeli officials. Since then, the Biden administration and the US president himself have staunchly supported Israel. However, Israel has since retaliated with constant bombardment and a ground operation in Gaza, killing at least 23,000 people, mostly women and children in the Palestinian enclave, according to the latest update by the Hamas-run health ministry. Amid the mounting death toll and deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, the Biden administration has faced criticism, particularly from young voters, over its ongoing support for Israel. Pushing Israel to ‘significantly get out of Gaza’: Biden In response to the woman’s statement and chants that followed, Biden, acknowledging the protest, said that he’s “quietly” pushing Israel to “significantly get out of Gaza”. “I understand their passion and I’ve been quietly working with the Israeli government to get them to reduce and significantly get out of Gaza — and I’m using all that I can to do that,” said the US president. ALSO READ | Israel-Hamas war: ‘Fauda’ actor Idan Amedi ‘seriously injured’ while fighting in Gaza Meanwhile, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken landed in Tel Aviv on Monday amid his high-stakes trip as American allies who backed Israel are now growing critical amid mounting civilian death toll in Gaza. Blinken, as per AFP, will also speak to Israeli officials as he seeks to prevent the Gaza conflict from widening. During his visit, Washington’s top diplomat is also expected to put pressure on Israel’s government to reduce civilian casualties in the Gaza Strip. The recent visit by Washington’s top diplomat will be the latest in a long parade of officials from the Biden administration going to Tel Aviv to meet Israeli government officials. This is Blinken’s fifth visit to Israel since the beginning of the war. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

WATCH | Biden's speech interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters calling for ceasefire in Gaza

World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Monday (Jan 8) that its unit in the Palestinian territory has been facing massive troubles in reaching the war-ravaged region.&nbsp;

In a blog post on social media platform X, the office of WHO Palestinian territories said that it's been 12 days since they were last able to reach northern Gaza.&nbsp;

It added, "Heavy bombardment, movement restrictions, and interrupted communications are making it nearly impossible to deliver medical supplies regularly and safely across Gaza, particularly in the north."&nbsp;

The office of WHO said informed that on Monday, it cancelled a planned mission to Al-Awda hospital and the central drug store in northern Gaza for the fourth time since December 26 because they did not receive deconfliction and safety guarantees.&nbsp;

"The mission planned to move urgently needed medical supplies to sustain the operations of five hospitals in the north, including Al-Awda," it said.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/islamic-jihad-releases-video-showing-gaza-hostage-alive-677929">Islamic Jihad releases video showing Gaza hostage alive</a>&nbsp;

The world health agency emphasised that in the absence of adequate health care, the suffering in Gaza is growing each hour.&nbsp;

As quoted by WHO in its post, Dr Mohamed Obied, an Orthopedic Consultant at Al-Awda Hospital explained the challenges amputees face.&nbsp;

He said that "injured people are often only able to reach doctors days or weeks after they've been hurt, sometimes with severe infections, reducing the possibility of saving their limbs".&nbsp;

Dr Obied added that the "health facilities don't have the specialised health workers medicines or equipment these injuries require".&nbsp;

Doctors face the hard choice of performing above-knee rather than below-knee amputations. These pose rehabilitation challenges and can lead to poor life quality in the future, Dr Obied further added.&nbsp;

He said that amputees need physiotherapy and rehabilitation, proper nursing care, along with nutritious food and mental health support, the facilities which are&nbsp;currently unavailable.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israeli-hamas-war-strike-on-lebanon-kills-senior-commander-in-elite-hezbollah-unit-677882">Strike on Lebanon kills senior commander in elite Hezbollah unit</a>&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Israeli strike kills two Palestinian journalists in Gaza&nbsp;

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<h2>Death toll update&nbsp;</h2>

Meanwhile, the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza claimed on Monday that at least 23,084 people have been killed in the Palestinian territory since war with Israel began on October 7.&nbsp;

The ministry said in a statement that it had recorded 249 deaths in the past 24 hours, while a total of 58,926 people had been wounded in the Gaza Strip during the more than three months of fighting.&nbsp;

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

(With inputs from agencies)

World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Monday (Jan 8) that its unit in the Palestinian territory has been facing massive troubles in reaching the war-ravaged region.

World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Monday (Jan 8) that its unit in the Palestinian territory has been facing massive troubles in reaching the war-ravaged region. In a blog post on social media platform X, the office of WHO Palestinian territories said that it's been 12 days since they were last able to reach northern Gaza. It added, "Heavy bombardment, movement restrictions, and interrupted communications are making it nearly impossible to deliver medical supplies regularly and safely across Gaza, particularly in the north." The office of WHO said informed that on Monday, it cancelled a planned mission to Al-Awda hospital and the central drug store in northern Gaza for the fourth time since December 26 because they did not receive deconfliction and safety guarantees. "The mission planned to move urgently needed medical supplies to sustain the operations of five hospitals in the north, including Al-Awda," it said. Also read: Islamic Jihad releases video showing Gaza hostage alive The world health agency emphasised that in the absence of adequate health care, the suffering in Gaza is growing each hour. As quoted by WHO in its post, Dr Mohamed Obied, an Orthopedic Consultant at Al-Awda Hospital explained the challenges amputees face. He said that "injured people are often only able to reach doctors days or weeks after they've been hurt, sometimes with severe infections, reducing the possibility of saving their limbs". Dr Obied added that the "health facilities don't have the specialised health workers medicines or equipment these injuries require". Doctors face the hard choice of performing above-knee rather than below-knee amputations. These pose rehabilitation challenges and can lead to poor life quality in the future, Dr Obied further added. He said that amputees need physiotherapy and rehabilitation, proper nursing care, along with nutritious food and mental health support, the facilities which are currently unavailable. Also read: Strike on Lebanon kills senior commander in elite Hezbollah unit Watch: Israeli strike kills two Palestinian journalists in Gaza × Death toll update Meanwhile, the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza claimed on Monday that at least 23,084 people have been killed in the Palestinian territory since war with Israel began on October 7. The ministry said in a statement that it had recorded 249 deaths in the past 24 hours, while a total of 58,926 people had been wounded in the Gaza Strip during the more than three months of fighting. Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel-Hamas war: WHO cites Gaza obstacles, cancels planned mission in hospital for the 4th time

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is on his fourth visit to West Asia since the Israel-Hamas War began. The top US Diplomat has meetings lined up with various leaders of the region shortly after a touchdown in Saudi Arabia.

US Secretary of State on 5-day diplomatic visit to West Asia

Al Jazeera said Sunday (Jan 7) two of its Palestinian journalists in the Gaza Strip were killed in an Israeli strike on their car, in what the Qatar-based media network claimed was a "targeted killing".

Al Jazeera said Sunday (Jan 7) two of its Palestinian journalists in the Gaza Strip were killed in an Israeli strike on their car, in what the Qatar-based media network claimed was a "targeted killing". Hamza Wael Dahdouh and Mustafa Thuria, who also worked as a video stringer for AFP and other news organisations, were killed while they were "on their way to carry out their duty" for the channel in the Gaza Strip, the network said. A third freelance journalist travelling with them, Hazem Rajab, was seriously injured. The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza also confirmed the deaths and blamed an Israeli strike. Witnesses told AFP that two rockets were fired at the car. While one hit the front of the vehicle, the other hit Hamza who was sitting next to the driver. "We later found the body parts (of those in the car). The ambulance then came and carried those who were in the car," a witness, who declined to give his name for security reasons, told AFP. The Israeli army told AFP that it had "struck a terrorist who operated an aircraft that posed a threat to IDF troops", adding that it was "aware of the reports that during the strike, two other suspects who were in the same vehicle as the terrorist were also hit". US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the journalists' deaths were an "unimaginable tragedy". "And that's also been the case for far too many innocent Palestinian men, women and children," he said in Doha during a regional tour. AFP video footage showed a crowd of people inspecting the car's mangled remains, while pools of blood lay on the road. No other damage was visible in the area. Al Jazeera said in a statement it "strongly condemns the Israeli occupation forces' targeting of the Palestinian journalists' car", accusing Israel of "targeting" journalists and "violating the principles of freedom of the press". Hamza's father Wael al-Dahdouh is Al Jazeera's Gaza bureau chief and was recently wounded in a strike himself after his wife and two other children were killed in Israeli bombardment in the initial weeks of the war. "Hamza was everything for me ... while we are full of humanity they (Israel) are full of murder and hatred," Dahdouh said on Al Jazeera television. Watch | Israel-Hamas war: 2 more Gaza Journalists killed in alleged strike × 'What did my family do?' AFP's global news director Phil Chetwynd said the agency was "shocked" by Mustafa's death and its thoughts were with his family. "We vigorously condemn all attacks against journalists doing their jobs and it is essential we have a clear explanation as to what happened," Chetwynd added. Crowds of people gathered later Sunday at the funeral where a tearful Dahdouh was seen kissing the hand of his dead son. "The world should see with two eyes, not with an Israeli eye. They should see everything happening to the Palestinian people," Dahdouh said. Also read | Israel-Hamas war LIVE: Blinken to visit Saudi Arabia, UAE in next leg of Mideast tour "What did Hamza do to them (Israelis)? What did my family do to them? What did the civilians do to them? They did nothing to them, but the world closes its eyes to what's happening in the Gaza Strip." Wael Dahdouh was wounded in an Israeli strike in December that also killed Al Jazeera cameraman Samer Abu Daqqa. The Qatar-based channel has lost three journalists since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7. Thuria, in his 30s, had worked with AFP since 2019 and had also worked with other international media outlets. Thuria and Hamza Wael Dahdouh had been tasked with filming the aftermath of a strike on a house in Rafah and their car was hit while they were on their way back, AFP correspondents said. The war in Gaza erupted when Hamas militants stormed across Gaza's border into Israel in an unprecedented attack which left some 1,140 people dead, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures. Israel has vowed to eradicate Hamas, denounced as a terrorist group by the US and EU, and has kept up a relentless bombing of Gaza, which the Hamas-run health ministry says has killed 22,835 people, mostly civilians. "We are in shock," Christophe Deloire of the media advocacy group Reporters Without Borders wrote Sunday on X, formerly Twitter, calling the situation a "never-ending slaughter". The Committee to Protect Journalists says at least 79 journalists and media professionals, the vast majority Palestinian, have been killed since the start of the war. In May 2022, Shireen Abu Akleh, a veteran Palestinian journalist working for Al Jazeera, was killed while covering an Israeli raid on the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. The Israeli army later admitted one of its soldiers probably shot the reporter -- who was wearing a helmet and a bulletproof vest marked "press" -- having mistaken her for a militant.

Two Al Jazeera journalists killed in Israeli air strike in Gaza

The Israeli army, on Saturday (Jan 6) said that it had “completed the dismantling” of the Palestinian militant group Hamas’ command structure in northern Gaza. The statement was made as the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza will enter&nbsp;its fourth month on Sunday (Jan 7) amid heightened concerns about&nbsp;the conflict spilling over in the region.&nbsp;

Separately, at least six people were killed&nbsp;during an Israeli raid in&nbsp;the occupied West Bank's Jenin, on early Sunday, according to the Palestinian health ministry.&nbsp;

<h2>Hamas’ ‘command centre’ in northern Gaza</h2>

“We have completed the dismantling of the Hamas military framework in the northern Gaza Strip,” Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said in an online briefing, adding that the Israeli forces killed around 8,000 militants in that area.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hamas-war-blinken-meets-erdogan-un-warns-gaza-uninhabitable-677287">Israel-Hamas war: Blinken meets Erdogan; UN warns Gaza 'uninhabitable'&nbsp;</a>

“We are now focused on dismantling Hamas in the centre of and south of the (Gaza) strip,” Hagari added. According to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) official, Palestinian militants will now be operating in the area only sporadically and “without commanders”.&nbsp;

“Fighting will continue during 2024. We are operating according to a plan to achieve the war’s goals, to dismantle Hamas in the north and south,” he added.&nbsp;

Israel launched retaliatory attacks against Hamas in Gaza after Palestinian militants from the strip attacked Israel on October 7 killing at least 1,200 people and taking around 240 hostages, according to Israeli officials. More than 100 hostages are still believed to be held by Hamas.

Meanwhile, at least 22,722 people have been killed in Gaza, most of them women and children, amid Israel’s constant bombardment and ground operation in the Palestinian enclave, according to the Hamas-run Palestinian health ministry.&nbsp;

Speaking about the military efforts to dismantle Hamas in central and southern Gaza, Hagari, without elaborating said, “we will do it in a different way”.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-imposes-sanctions-on-five-us-military-manufacturers-in-retaliation-for-arms-sales-to-taiwan-677304">China imposes sanctions on five US military manufacturers in retaliation over arms sales to Taiwan</a>

He also claimed that “refugee camps in the central Gaza Strip are crowded and full of terrorists”. Hagari added that Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, has an elaborate underground network of tunnels and “it will take time.”

Israel has garnered criticism from various countries amid the mounting death toll and deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza.&nbsp;

The fighting has displaced most of Gaza’s 2.3 million population, with many homes and civilian infrastructure left in ruins amid acute shortages of food, water and medicine.

<h2>‘Eliminate Hamas’</h2>

Earlier on Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country would continue its campaign to “eliminate Hamas, return our hostages and ensure that Gaza will no longer be a threat to Israel”.&nbsp;

He added, “The war must not be stopped until we achieve all of the goals.”&nbsp;

Netanyahu’s government continues to face mass protests and&nbsp;demonstrators in the country, calling for the return of Israeli hostages in Gaza, the dissolution of the Israeli parliament and the holding of an early election, reported Israeli newspaper Haaretz.&nbsp;

<h2>At least seven&nbsp;killed in West Bank</h2>

The&nbsp;Palestinian authority-run ministry of health in the West Bank said six people were killed after Israeli forces launched an air strike in Jenin. "An Israeli occupation bombardment on a group of citizens killed six people in Jenin," said the Palestinian health official.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Israeli forces confirming the airstrike said that the aircraft&nbsp;fired on Palestinian militants who had attacked troops in the West Bank on Sunday (Jan 7).&nbsp;

An Israeli border police officer was killed and others wounded when their vehicle was hit by an explosive device during operations in the West Bank city of Jenin, said the Israeli police and military.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hamas-war-focus-on-ending-israeli-aggression-hamas-chief-tells-antony-blinken-677218">&nbsp;Israel-Hamas war: Focus on ending Israeli aggression, Hamas chief tells Antony Blinken</a> 
 
This was after&nbsp;Palestinian news agency Wafa, early&nbsp;Sunday reported that a&nbsp;major deployment of Israeli forces was under way in Jenin.

Since the beginning of the war in Gaza, violence has also&nbsp;intensified in the West Bank. At least&nbsp;327 Palestinians have been killed since Hamas' October 7 attacks on Israel, according to the&nbsp;Palestinian Authority's ministry of health.

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

The Israeli army, on Saturday (Jan 6) said that it had “completed the dismantling” of the Palestinian militant group Hamas’ command structure in northern Gaza. The statement was made as the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza will enter its fourth month on Sunday (Jan 7) amid heightened concerns about the conflict spilling over in the region.

The Israeli army, on Saturday (Jan 6) said that it had “completed the dismantling” of the Palestinian militant group Hamas’ command structure in northern Gaza. The statement was made as the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza will enter its fourth month on Sunday (Jan 7) amid heightened concerns about the conflict spilling over in the region. Separately, at least six people were killed during an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank's Jenin, on early Sunday, according to the Palestinian health ministry. Hamas’ ‘command centre’ in northern Gaza “We have completed the dismantling of the Hamas military framework in the northern Gaza Strip,” Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said in an online briefing, adding that the Israeli forces killed around 8,000 militants in that area. ALSO READ | Israel-Hamas war: Blinken meets Erdogan; UN warns Gaza 'uninhabitable' “We are now focused on dismantling Hamas in the centre of and south of the (Gaza) strip,” Hagari added. According to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) official, Palestinian militants will now be operating in the area only sporadically and “without commanders”. “Fighting will continue during 2024. We are operating according to a plan to achieve the war’s goals, to dismantle Hamas in the north and south,” he added. Israel launched retaliatory attacks against Hamas in Gaza after Palestinian militants from the strip attacked Israel on October 7 killing at least 1,200 people and taking around 240 hostages, according to Israeli officials. More than 100 hostages are still believed to be held by Hamas. Meanwhile, at least 22,722 people have been killed in Gaza, most of them women and children, amid Israel’s constant bombardment and ground operation in the Palestinian enclave, according to the Hamas-run Palestinian health ministry. Speaking about the military efforts to dismantle Hamas in central and southern Gaza, Hagari, without elaborating said, “we will do it in a different way”. ALSO READ | China imposes sanctions on five US military manufacturers in retaliation over arms sales to Taiwan He also claimed that “refugee camps in the central Gaza Strip are crowded and full of terrorists”. Hagari added that Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, has an elaborate underground network of tunnels and “it will take time.” Israel has garnered criticism from various countries amid the mounting death toll and deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza. The fighting has displaced most of Gaza’s 2.3 million population, with many homes and civilian infrastructure left in ruins amid acute shortages of food, water and medicine. ‘Eliminate Hamas’ Earlier on Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country would continue its campaign to “eliminate Hamas, return our hostages and ensure that Gaza will no longer be a threat to Israel”. He added, “The war must not be stopped until we achieve all of the goals.” Netanyahu’s government continues to face mass protests and demonstrators in the country, calling for the return of Israeli hostages in Gaza, the dissolution of the Israeli parliament and the holding of an early election, reported Israeli newspaper Haaretz. At least seven killed in West Bank The Palestinian authority-run ministry of health in the West Bank said six people were killed after Israeli forces launched an air strike in Jenin. "An Israeli occupation bombardment on a group of citizens killed six people in Jenin," said the Palestinian health official. Meanwhile, Israeli forces confirming the airstrike said that the aircraft fired on Palestinian militants who had attacked troops in the West Bank on Sunday (Jan 7). An Israeli border police officer was killed and others wounded when their vehicle was hit by an explosive device during operations in the West Bank city of Jenin, said the Israeli police and military. ALSO READ | Israel-Hamas war: Focus on ending Israeli aggression, Hamas chief tells Antony Blinken This was after Palestinian news agency Wafa, early Sunday reported that a major deployment of Israeli forces was under way in Jenin. Since the beginning of the war in Gaza, violence has also intensified in the West Bank. At least 327 Palestinians have been killed since Hamas' October 7 attacks on Israel, according to the Palestinian Authority's ministry of health. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

Israel says it ‘dismantled’ Hamas command structure in north Gaza; at least 7 killed in West Bank raid

In pics | Thousands protest in Tel Aviv calling for return of Israeli hostages, against Netanyahu govt

The health ministry in the Gaza Strip said on Sunday (Jan 7) that two journalists were killed in an Israeli air strike in the war-torn region as the conflict between Israel and Hamas escalates.

The health ministry in the Gaza Strip said on Sunday (Jan 7) that two journalists were killed in an Israeli air strike in the war-torn region as the conflict between Israel and Hamas escalates. According to the health ministry and medics, Mustafa Thuria, a video stringer for AFP news agency, and Hamza Wael Dahdouh, a journalist with Al Jazeera television network, were killed while they were travelling in a car. Hamza's father Wael al-Dahdouh is Al Jazeera's bureau chief in the Gaza Strip and was also recently wounded in a strike, AFP reported. He was wounded after his wife and two children were killed by a separate Israeli strike in the initial weeks of the war which started on Oct 7 last year. Thuria, meanwhile, joined AFP in 2019. In a statement, Hamas' media office condemned the killings. "We condemn this heinous crime committed by the Israeli occupation army in a bid to intimidate and prevent media coverage," it said. 77 journalists killed since the war started According to the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists, by Dec 31 last year, at least 77 journalists and media workers had been killed since the war started on Oct 7. Among the 77 killed, 70 were Palestinians, four Israelis, and three Lebanese. The death toll in Gaza Strip has climbed to 22,835 with 113 people killed in the last 24 hours, the health ministry claimed on Sunday. A total of 58,416 people had been wounded during the three months of fighting. Also read: Israel says it ‘dismantled’ Hamas command structure in north Gaza; at least 7 killed in West Bank raid On Saturday, the Israeli army said that it "dismantled" Hamas' military leadership in northern Gaza, adding its forces killed more "terrorists" in central Gaza, including in a drone strike in the Bureij refugee camp, a built-up urban area. An early morning Israeli strike in Jenin killed six Palestinians, while an Israeli border police officer died when a roadside bomb hit her vehicle Sunday, AFP reported. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel-Hamas war: Health ministry in Gaza says two journalists killed in Israeli strike

United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, on Saturday (Jan 7) released a statement taking “full responsibility” for failing to disclose a recent and ongoing week-long hospitalisation following reports that&nbsp;the White House was not informed about it&nbsp;until at least Thursday morning.

At least one official has told US media that the Biden administration was not informed for days that US Defence Secretary had been hospitalised.&nbsp;Austin, 70, was admitted to the Walter Reed Medical Center on Monday due to complications following surgery, the reason for which remains shrouded in secrecy. 
 
The statement comes amid reports that President Joe Biden&nbsp;was in the dark that Austin was ill and unable to carry out his duties during this time.&nbsp;

<h2>Week-long hospitalisation hidden</h2>

The 70-year-old was admitted on Monday (Jan 1) to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for what the Pentagon has said were “complications following a recent elective medical procedure.”&nbsp;

The Department of Defense waited until Friday (Dec 5) evening to make the announcement, a breach of standard protocol at a time when Washington is embroiled in two wars – the Israel-Hamas war and the Russia-Ukraine war.&nbsp;

Pentagon spokesperson said that its chief resumed “full duties” Friday evening, but remained in the hospital.

Several American media reports citing sources have also claimed that not only was the hospitalisation hidden from the public but also the US president for days.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-says-it-dismantled-hamas-command-structure-in-northern-gaza-fighting-to-continue-677326">Israel says it ‘dismantled’ Hamas command structure in north Gaza; at least 6 killed in West Bank raid</a>

Speaking on condition of anonymity, an American official told Reuters that Biden was only informed on Thursday evening, a day before the Pentagon released the statement.&nbsp;

However, according to a second US official as per Reuters, Biden maintained confidence in Austin and the two spoke on Saturday evening.&nbsp;

“I recognize I could have done a better job ensuring the public was appropriately informed. I commit to doing better,” said Austin, in a statement.&nbsp;

He added, “But this is important to say: this was my medical procedure, and I take full responsibility for my decisions about disclosure.” Austin said he will be “returning to the Pentagon soon.”

Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks was prepared to step in during Austin’s illness, and made some routine decisions on his behalf during the time, a Defense Department spokesperson told AFP.

Notably, Austin sits below Biden at the top of the chain of command of the US military and his duties often require him to be available at a moment’s notice to respond to any national security-related crisis.&nbsp;

<h2>Secrecy garners backlash</h2>

Politico was among the first of many media outlets to report that Austin had been in the hospital for three days before Pentagon officials told National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and other top White House officials.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pentagon-chief-lloyd-austin-was-hospitalised-defence-department-gives-update-677030">Pentagon Chief Lloyd Austin hospitalised, defence department gives update&nbsp;</a>

According to Politico, Sullivan then informed Biden. It also said that Congress found out about Austin’s hospitalisation 15 minutes before Friday evening’s public statement.

The apparent cover-up of Austin’s hospitalisation has led Republican lawmakers to criticise Democrat Biden’s administration and have since demanded an explanation.

Top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Roger Wicker, accused the Pentagon of failing to inform Congress immediately about such matters and said that the incident further eroded the public’s trust in the Biden administration.&nbsp;

He also cited past failures of the current administration to quickly disclose information about national security incidents, including the appearance of a Chinese spy balloon over the US last year.&nbsp;

“When one of the country's two National Command Authorities is unable to perform their duties, military families, Members of Congress, and the American public deserve to know the full extent of the circumstances,” said Wicker in a statement.&nbsp;

The Pentagon Press Association which comprises of journalists who cover the Defense Department, in a statement expressed “significant concerns” over the apparent cover-up, saying that Austin was a public figure who had no claim to medical privacy in such a situation.

It added, “At a time when there are growing threats to U.S. military service members in the Middle East and the U.S. is playing key national security roles in the wars in Israel and Ukraine, it is particularly critical for the American public to be informed about the health status and decision-making ability of its top defense leader.”&nbsp; 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, on Saturday (Jan 7) released a statement taking “full responsibility” for failing to disclose a recent and ongoing week-long hospitalisation following reports that the White House was not informed about it until at least Thursday morning.

United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, on Saturday (Jan 7) released a statement taking “full responsibility” for failing to disclose a recent and ongoing week-long hospitalisation following reports that the White House was not informed about it until at least Thursday morning. At least one official has told US media that the Biden administration was not informed for days that US Defence Secretary had been hospitalised. Austin, 70, was admitted to the Walter Reed Medical Center on Monday due to complications following surgery, the reason for which remains shrouded in secrecy. The statement comes amid reports that President Joe Biden was in the dark that Austin was ill and unable to carry out his duties during this time. Week-long hospitalisation hidden The 70-year-old was admitted on Monday (Jan 1) to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for what the Pentagon has said were “complications following a recent elective medical procedure.” The Department of Defense waited until Friday (Dec 5) evening to make the announcement, a breach of standard protocol at a time when Washington is embroiled in two wars – the Israel-Hamas war and the Russia-Ukraine war. Pentagon spokesperson said that its chief resumed “full duties” Friday evening, but remained in the hospital. Several American media reports citing sources have also claimed that not only was the hospitalisation hidden from the public but also the US president for days. ALSO READ | Israel says it ‘dismantled’ Hamas command structure in north Gaza; at least 6 killed in West Bank raid Speaking on condition of anonymity, an American official told Reuters that Biden was only informed on Thursday evening, a day before the Pentagon released the statement. However, according to a second US official as per Reuters, Biden maintained confidence in Austin and the two spoke on Saturday evening. “I recognize I could have done a better job ensuring the public was appropriately informed. I commit to doing better,” said Austin, in a statement. He added, “But this is important to say: this was my medical procedure, and I take full responsibility for my decisions about disclosure.” Austin said he will be “returning to the Pentagon soon.” Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks was prepared to step in during Austin’s illness, and made some routine decisions on his behalf during the time, a Defense Department spokesperson told AFP. Notably, Austin sits below Biden at the top of the chain of command of the US military and his duties often require him to be available at a moment’s notice to respond to any national security-related crisis. Secrecy garners backlash Politico was among the first of many media outlets to report that Austin had been in the hospital for three days before Pentagon officials told National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and other top White House officials. ALSO READ | Pentagon Chief Lloyd Austin hospitalised, defence department gives update According to Politico, Sullivan then informed Biden. It also said that Congress found out about Austin’s hospitalisation 15 minutes before Friday evening’s public statement. The apparent cover-up of Austin’s hospitalisation has led Republican lawmakers to criticise Democrat Biden’s administration and have since demanded an explanation. Top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Roger Wicker, accused the Pentagon of failing to inform Congress immediately about such matters and said that the incident further eroded the public’s trust in the Biden administration. He also cited past failures of the current administration to quickly disclose information about national security incidents, including the appearance of a Chinese spy balloon over the US last year. “When one of the country's two National Command Authorities is unable to perform their duties, military families, Members of Congress, and the American public deserve to know the full extent of the circumstances,” said Wicker in a statement. The Pentagon Press Association which comprises of journalists who cover the Defense Department, in a statement expressed “significant concerns” over the apparent cover-up, saying that Austin was a public figure who had no claim to medical privacy in such a situation. It added, “At a time when there are growing threats to U.S. military service members in the Middle East and the U.S. is playing key national security roles in the wars in Israel and Ukraine, it is particularly critical for the American public to be informed about the health status and decision-making ability of its top defense leader.” (With inputs from agencies)

Prez Biden kept in dark about Austin’s hospitalisation, US defence secretary pledges transparency

The war between Israel and Hamas will enter the third month on Sunday (Jan 7). The conflict is intensifying in the Gaza Strip and the United Nations (UN) warned on Saturday that the besieged Palestinian territory has simply become "uninhabitable.

The war between Israel and Hamas will enter the third month on Sunday (Jan 7). The conflict is intensifying in the Gaza Strip and the United Nations (UN) warned on Saturday that the besieged Palestinian territory has simply become "uninhabitable." The Palestinian health ministry said that at least 22,722 people have been killed in Gaza since the war started on Oct 7 last year. A total of 58,166 people have been injured so far. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is on a week-long tour to the Middle East, continuing Washington's diplomacy over the war. Blinken's visit comes amid heightened concerns that the conflict is spilling over. Blinken already visited Turkey and Greece and is left to make stops in Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. Here's a look at the latest updates from the war: > US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul on Saturday. In a post on X, Blinken said that he and Erdogan "discussed the conflict in Gaza, shared security priorities as NATO Allies, and desire to expand our bilateral trade and investment." > Following his meeting with Erdogan, Blinken arrived in Greece to meet Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and address Greece's concerns about the looming sale of US fighter jets to Turkey. According to Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis, the talks between Blinken and Mitsotakis would focus on international developments regarding the war in Gaza and Ukraine, and bilateral relations, especially on energy and defence cooperation issues, including the supply of F-35s. > As Blinken left for the Middle East, Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh called on the US Secretary of State to use his week-long tour to end Israel's "aggression" as the conflict escalated in Gaza. > Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group said on Saturday that it fired more than 60 rockets at an Israeli military base in response to the killing in Beirut of Hamas's deputy leader. "As part of the initial response to the crime of assassinating the great leader Sheikh Saleh al-Aruri... the Islamic resistance (Hezbollah) targeted the Meron air control base with 62 missiles of various types," Hezbollah said in a statement, the news agency AFP reported. Also read: Pregnant women in Gaza face medical uncertainty with dozens of hospitals closed > Josep Borrell, the European Union foreign policy chief, said on Saturday it was absolutely necessary that Lebanon was not dragged into the conflict. "It is imperative to avoid regional escalation in the Middle East. It is absolutely necessary to avoid Lebanon being dragged into a regional conflict," Josep Borrell said during a press conference in Beirut with Lebanon's Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib. > The US military shot down a drone early Saturday over the Red Sea in international waters near several commercial vessels. "An unmanned aerial vehicle launched from Iranian-backed Huthi-controlled areas of Yemen was shot down in self-defence" by the USS Laboon, the US Central Command said in a social media post. > This incident came days after a 12-nation group led by the US warned Houthi rebels in Yemen against continuing their attacks on Red Sea shipping. Since the conflict started, Houthi rebels launched more than 100 drone and missile strikes toward targets in the Red Sea. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel-Hamas war: Blinken meets Erdogan; UN warns Gaza 'uninhabitable'

India's first solar mission Aditya-L1 reached its destination within the anticipated four-month timeframe. Launched on Sept 2 last year, the spacecraft positioned itself at Lagrange Point 1, from where it will undertake a comprehensive study of the sun. "India creates yet another landmark. It is a testament to the relentless dedication of our scientists in realizing among the most complex and intricate space missions," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post on X.

North Korea on Saturday fired over 60 artillery rounds near the Yeonpyeong Island in South Korea. This comes a day after both countries conducted live-fire drills near their maritime border.

In the latest news from the Israel-Hamas war, Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh called on US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to use his current tour to the Middle East to end Israel's aggression as the war in the Gaza Strip rages on. Blinken is on a week-long visit to the Middle East, his fourth such tour since the conflict started on Oct 7 last year.

Click on the headlines to read more:

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/aditya-l1-isros-first-solar-mission-enters-final-orbit-for-uninterrupted-sun-observation-677176">Aditya-L1: India’s first solar mission successfully enters final orbit for uninterrupted sun observation</a>

<img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/07/28/369966-adital1.jpg?imwidth=3840" />

Aditya-L1, the inaugural mission by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) aimed at solar study, successfully reached&nbsp;its designated orbit on Saturday (Jan 6), concluding its ambitious journey that commenced over four months ago from ISRO's Sriharikota launchpad.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-fires-over-60-artillery-rounds-near-souths-yeonpyeong-island-677249">North Korea fires over 60 artillery rounds near South's Yeonpyeong Island</a>

<img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/01/06/404068-succession-2024-01-06t203606432.jpg?imwidth=3840" />

North Korea fired over 60 artillery rounds on Saturday (Jan 6) near Yeonpyeong Island, said Seoul's army, a day after both the sides, North and South, conducted live-fire drills near their maritime border.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hamas-war-focus-on-ending-israeli-aggression-hamas-chief-tells-antony-blinken-677218">Israel-Hamas war: Focus on ending Israeli aggression, Hamas chief tells Antony Blinken</a>

<img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/01/06/404049-hamas-chief-ismail-haniyeh-on-friday-jan-5-called-on-us-secretary-of-state-antony-blinken-to-use-his-current-tour-to-the-middle-east-to-end-israels-aggression-as-the-war-in-the-gaza-strip-rages-1.png?imwidth=3840" />

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh on Friday (Jan 5) called on US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to use his current tour to the Middle East to end Israel's aggression as the war in the Gaza Strip rages on.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/death-toll-in-japan-earthquake-reaches-126-as-harsh-weather-conditions-hamper-rescue-efforts-677209">Death toll in Japan earthquake reaches 126 as harsh weather conditions hamper rescue efforts</a>

<img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/01/06/404043-succession-2024-01-06t183144174.jpg?imwidth=3840" />

The death toll from the major earthquake, that rocked Japan on Monday (Jan 1), reached 126 on Saturday (Jan 6) as the rescuers combed through debris to recover trapped bodies.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/apple-watch-credited-for-saving-us-womans-life-during-carbon-monoxide-leak-677221">Apple watch credited for saving US woman’s life during carbon monoxide leak</a>

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Natalie Nasatka, a resident of Delaware, narrowly escaped a potentially fatal incident, all thanks to her quick thinking and the intervention of her Apple Watch's SOS feature.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/ram-mandir-indian-marathoner-from-launches-1008km-run-toward-ayodhya-for-consecration-ceremony-677233">Ram mandir: Indian marathoner starts 1,008 km run to reach Ayodhya for consecration ceremony</a>

<img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/12/28/402158-untitled-design-2023-12-28t140650018.png?imwidth=3840" />

In a testament of devotion and endurance, 22-year-old ultra marathoner Karthik Joshi from India has embarked on a 1,008 km run from Indore in Madhya Pradesh to Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh. His mission is&nbsp;to reach for the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple on January 22.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mexican-president-asks-us-billions-in-funding-to-combat-illegal-migration-677217">Mexican president seeks billions in funding from US to combat illegal migration</a>

<img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/01/10/324236-untitled-design-2023-01-10t081114707.png?imwidth=3840" />

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has urged the United States to allocate $20 billion to tackle the escalating issue of illegal immigration.&nbsp;Obrador's comment comes in the wake of a significant rise in illegal border crossings.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-royal-navy-turns-to-social-media-for-top-job-recruitment-submariner-says-utterly-shameful-677172">UK: Royal Navy turns to social media for top job recruitment, submariner says 'utterly shameful'</a>

<img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/11/20/394306-sub.jpg?imwidth=3840" />

Royal Navy, in an unprecedented move, has resorted to advertising a high-ranking position on social media. The £150,000-a-year rear-admiral role was posted on LinkedIn in December. This comes as the Navy struggled to find a suitable candidate, leaving one former senior submariner to dub the situation as "utterly shameful."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pat-cummins-to-avoid-batting-reshuffle-after-warners-retirement-says-im-pretty-happy-with-smith-at-no-4-677198">Pat Cummins to avoid batting reshuffle after Warner’s retirement, says ‘I’m pretty happy with Smith at No 4’</a>

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Australia skipper Pat Cummins is determined not to reshuffle his batting line-up as Australia search for a new opener in the team. Saturday’s (Jan 6) win against Pakistan at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG)&nbsp;was the last dance for veteran batter David Warner as he bid farewell to the red-ball format.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/sriram-raghavan-on-making-merry-christmas-in-two-different-versions-ill-not-do-this-again-677252">Sriram Raghavan on making Merry Christmas in two different versions: I’ll not do this again</a>

<img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2022/12/24/320656-merry-christmas.png?imwidth=3840" />

Director Sriram Raghavan's fourthcoming movie&nbsp;Merry Christmas&nbsp;starring two stalwarts Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupati, is all set to hit the screens on January 12. The romantic thriller will be released in two versions: Hindi and Tamil, and both versions will be different from each other. 
&nbsp;

India's first solar mission Aditya-L1 reached its destination within the anticipated four-month timeframe. Launched on Sept 2 last year, the spacecraft positioned itself at Lagrange Point 1, from where it will undertake a comprehensive study of the sun.

India's first solar mission Aditya-L1 reached its destination within the anticipated four-month timeframe. Launched on Sept 2 last year, the spacecraft positioned itself at Lagrange Point 1, from where it will undertake a comprehensive study of the sun. "India creates yet another landmark. It is a testament to the relentless dedication of our scientists in realizing among the most complex and intricate space missions," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post on X. North Korea on Saturday fired over 60 artillery rounds near the Yeonpyeong Island in South Korea. This comes a day after both countries conducted live-fire drills near their maritime border. In the latest news from the Israel-Hamas war, Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh called on US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to use his current tour to the Middle East to end Israel's aggression as the war in the Gaza Strip rages on. Blinken is on a week-long visit to the Middle East, his fourth such tour since the conflict started on Oct 7 last year. Click on the headlines to read more: Aditya-L1: India’s first solar mission successfully enters final orbit for uninterrupted sun observation Aditya-L1, the inaugural mission by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) aimed at solar study, successfully reached its designated orbit on Saturday (Jan 6), concluding its ambitious journey that commenced over four months ago from ISRO's Sriharikota launchpad. North Korea fires over 60 artillery rounds near South's Yeonpyeong Island North Korea fired over 60 artillery rounds on Saturday (Jan 6) near Yeonpyeong Island, said Seoul's army, a day after both the sides, North and South, conducted live-fire drills near their maritime border. Israel-Hamas war: Focus on ending Israeli aggression, Hamas chief tells Antony Blinken Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh on Friday (Jan 5) called on US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to use his current tour to the Middle East to end Israel's aggression as the war in the Gaza Strip rages on. Death toll in Japan earthquake reaches 126 as harsh weather conditions hamper rescue efforts The death toll from the major earthquake, that rocked Japan on Monday (Jan 1), reached 126 on Saturday (Jan 6) as the rescuers combed through debris to recover trapped bodies. Apple watch credited for saving US woman’s life during carbon monoxide leak Natalie Nasatka, a resident of Delaware, narrowly escaped a potentially fatal incident, all thanks to her quick thinking and the intervention of her Apple Watch's SOS feature. Ram mandir: Indian marathoner starts 1,008 km run to reach Ayodhya for consecration ceremony In a testament of devotion and endurance, 22-year-old ultra marathoner Karthik Joshi from India has embarked on a 1,008 km run from Indore in Madhya Pradesh to Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh. His mission is to reach for the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple on January 22. Mexican president seeks billions in funding from US to combat illegal migration Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has urged the United States to allocate $20 billion to tackle the escalating issue of illegal immigration. Obrador's comment comes in the wake of a significant rise in illegal border crossings. UK: Royal Navy turns to social media for top job recruitment, submariner says 'utterly shameful' Royal Navy, in an unprecedented move, has resorted to advertising a high-ranking position on social media. The £150,000-a-year rear-admiral role was posted on LinkedIn in December. This comes as the Navy struggled to find a suitable candidate, leaving one former senior submariner to dub the situation as "utterly shameful." Pat Cummins to avoid batting reshuffle after Warner’s retirement, says ‘I’m pretty happy with Smith at No 4’ Australia skipper Pat Cummins is determined not to reshuffle his batting line-up as Australia search for a new opener in the team. Saturday’s (Jan 6) win against Pakistan at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) was the last dance for veteran batter David Warner as he bid farewell to the red-ball format. Sriram Raghavan on making Merry Christmas in two different versions: I’ll not do this again Director Sriram Raghavan's fourthcoming movie Merry Christmas starring two stalwarts Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupati, is all set to hit the screens on January 12. The romantic thriller will be released in two versions: Hindi and Tamil, and both versions will be different from each other.

Top 10 world news: India's Aditya-L1 successfully enters final orbit, and more

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh on Friday (Jan 5) called on US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to use his current tour to the Middle East to end Israel's aggression as the war in the Gaza Strip rages on.

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh on Friday (Jan 5) called on US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to use his current tour to the Middle East to end Israel's aggression as the war in the Gaza Strip rages on. In a televised statement, Haniyeh said he hoped Blinken learned the lessons of the last three months during which Israel has relentlessly bombarded Gaza to destroy Hamas. Haniyeh said that Washington's support for the Israeli military campaign "caused unprecedented massacres and war crimes against our people in Gaza." Click here to follow LIVE updates on the Israel-Hamas war "We... hope that he will be more focussed this time on ending the aggression" as well as "the occupation of all Palestinian lands", the Hamas chief added and urged regional leaders to meet Blinken to tell him that stability in the Middle East was "closely linked to our Palestinian cause". Blinken in Middle East This is Antony Blinken's fourth trip to the Middle East since Hamas launched an unprecedented attack against Israel on Oct 7 last year. Blinken arrived in Turkey's Istanbul on Friday to begin his week of diplomacy around the Middle East. The US Secretary of State will visit Israel, the Palestinian Authority base in the West Bank, and five Arab countries -- Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, according to the State Department. "We don't expect every conversation on this trip to be easy. There are obviously tough issues facing the region and difficult choices ahead," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters. "But the secretary believes it is the responsibility of the United States of America to lead diplomatic efforts to tackle those challenges head-on," he added. Also read: Pregnant women in Gaza face medical uncertainty with dozens of hospitals closed On Saturday, Blinken met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for talks expected to focus on the war in Gaza and Ankara's request for US fighter jets. This meeting comes after Blinken held a two-hour meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. The Turkish foreign ministry said that both Blinken and Fidan talked about "the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Sweden's NATO accession process, bilateral and regional issues." Death toll in Gaza over 22,700 The death toll in the Gaza Strip has now climbed to 22,722 since the conflict started. The Hamas-run Palestinian health ministry claimed on Saturday that 122 people in the war-torn region died in the last 24 hours. On the other hand, a total of 58,166 people have been wounded so far. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel-Hamas war: Focus on ending Israeli aggression, Hamas chief tells Antony Blinken

Pregnant women in the Gaza Strip are facing medical uncertainty as dozens of hospitals and health centres are closed due to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.

Pregnant women in the Gaza Strip are facing medical uncertainty as dozens of hospitals and health centres are closed due to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. According to a report by the news agency Reuters on Friday (Jan 5), 29-year-old Iman Al-Masry recently gave birth to quadruplets via a c-section at the Al-Awda Hospital in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. Her fourth child was still in the hospital's nursery. Weeks ago, Al-Masry, together with her husband Ammar Yasser, and their three children, fled from the severe Israeli bombing on the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza. The family was staying inside the Rufaida school in Deir al-Balah. Click here to follow all updates on the Israel-Hamas war Speaking to Reuters, Yaseer said, "I had to evacuate our home because of my fear for the newborns, and my wife was very ill. Unfortunately, we had to separate from my family. My father stayed at home when I was displaced. I cannot bear being separated from my father and leaving him there after we were displaced. It is a difficult and painful feeling." 'Suffered a lot during my pregnancy' Al-Masry was six months pregnant at the time and walked five kilometres from her home until she found a car to Deir al-Balah. This led to premature delivery. During the first week of her eighth month of pregnancy, doctors decided to induce labour, and the quadruplets were born on Dec 18. "I suffered a lot during my pregnancy due to displacement from place to place and moving on the roads in dangerous situations. This caused me great fatigue and led to premature birth in the eighth month by caesarean section and one of the children remaining in the nursery for care," she told Reuters. Also read: Israel spy agency Mossad's chief says all Oct 7 attackers will be tracked down As the war intensified, hospitals were overcrowded, and the 29-year-old did not have time to recover from the C-section. She was forced to leave her fourth child, a boy, who needed medical supervision, in the nursery. Reuters reported that another woman- 30-year-old Sabreen Abu Warda, and her 15-day-old daughter suffered due to the war. After the girl was born, doctors operated on her oesophagus. But since then, there has been no improvement in the infant's condition because of a lack of medicines and doctor follow-up. War threatening nutritional status of infants Last month, a statement by the Global Nutrition Cluster (GNC) said that the Israel-Hamas war was threatening "the nutritional status of infants, young children, pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, and other vulnerable groups, due to shock, stress and deprivation of food, water and other essential lifesaving services." "About 50,000 pregnant women in Gaza – 5,500 of whom are expected to deliver in the next month – are unable to obtain basic health and nutrition services. There are also an additional 105,800 breastfeeding mothers who are struggling to feed themselves and their babies," the statement said. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel-Hamas war: Pregnant women in Gaza face medical uncertainty with dozens of hospitals closed

North Korea has opened fire near South Korean islands. Yemen's Houthis have detonated an unmanned boat near a U.S. warship in the Red Sea. Israeli forces have carried out airstrikes on Lebanon. Ground raids in Gaza continue. A ship with an Indian crew has been hijacked in the Arabian Sea. Venezuela has threatened an oil war in South America. War is raging across the world. Is this the start of a new world war?

Gravitas | Ring of Fire: Is this the start of a new world war? | Here are the signs

David Barnea, the head of Mossad, said on Wednesday (Jan 3) that the Israeli intelligence service agency will track down every Hamas member engaged in the October 7 attack on Israel, which started the ongoing war.&nbsp;

In a eulogy for his predecessor Zvi Zamir near Tel Aviv, Barnea said: "Let every Arab mother know that if her son took part, directly or indirectly, in the October 7 massacre, his blood is forfeit."&nbsp;

The Israel spy chief's remarks came a day after Saleh al-Arouri, the deputy head of the Palestinian militant group, was killed in a suspected Israeli strike in Beirut.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/benny-gantz-preferred-over-benjamin-netanyahu-after-gaza-war-ends-poll-finds-676125">Benny Gantz preferred over Benjamin Netanyahu after Gaza war ends, poll finds</a>&nbsp;

Al-Arouri&nbsp;was killed along with his bodyguards in the Lebanese capital, which is a stronghold of Hamas ally Hezbollah.&nbsp;

Senior Lebanese officials accused Israel of carrying out the strike. Israel has not claimed responsibility and there's nothing official regarding who was behind the attack, but some reports suggest that what Barnea said appeared to be the strongest indication that Israel was behind the blast.&nbsp;

He also made a comparison to the aftermath of the 1972 Munich Massacre, which led to Mossad agents tracking down and killing a string of Palestinian militants involved in killing Israeli athletes at that year's Olympic games.&nbsp;

"It will take time, just like after the Munich massacre, but we will lay our hands on them wherever they will be," Barnea said.&nbsp;

"Today we are again in the middle of a war. The Mossad, today as it was 50 years ago, is committed to settling the score with the murderers who rampaged through the Gaza periphery on October 7 - with the planners, and with those who dispatched them," he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-twin-blasts-putin-in-shock-raisi-terms-terrorist-attacks-heinous-676302">Iran twin blasts: Putin in shock, Raisi terms terrorist attacks ‘heinous’</a>&nbsp;

Israel launched a massive operation against Hamas in the Gaza Strip after the Palestinian militant group entered southern Israel on October 7, killing at least 1,140 people, according to Israeli figures.&nbsp;

Israel's retaliation has claimed the lives of at least 22,313 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.&nbsp;

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

David Barnea, the head of Mossad, said on Wednesday (Jan 3) that the Israeli intelligence service agency will track down every Hamas member engaged in the October 7 attack on Israel, which started the ongoing war.

David Barnea, the head of Mossad, said on Wednesday (Jan 3) that the Israeli intelligence service agency will track down every Hamas member engaged in the October 7 attack on Israel, which started the ongoing war. In a eulogy for his predecessor Zvi Zamir near Tel Aviv, Barnea said: "Let every Arab mother know that if her son took part, directly or indirectly, in the October 7 massacre, his blood is forfeit." The Israel spy chief's remarks came a day after Saleh al-Arouri, the deputy head of the Palestinian militant group, was killed in a suspected Israeli strike in Beirut. Also read: Benny Gantz preferred over Benjamin Netanyahu after Gaza war ends, poll finds Al-Arouri was killed along with his bodyguards in the Lebanese capital, which is a stronghold of Hamas ally Hezbollah. Senior Lebanese officials accused Israel of carrying out the strike. Israel has not claimed responsibility and there's nothing official regarding who was behind the attack, but some reports suggest that what Barnea said appeared to be the strongest indication that Israel was behind the blast. He also made a comparison to the aftermath of the 1972 Munich Massacre, which led to Mossad agents tracking down and killing a string of Palestinian militants involved in killing Israeli athletes at that year's Olympic games. "It will take time, just like after the Munich massacre, but we will lay our hands on them wherever they will be," Barnea said. "Today we are again in the middle of a war. The Mossad, today as it was 50 years ago, is committed to settling the score with the murderers who rampaged through the Gaza periphery on October 7 - with the planners, and with those who dispatched them," he said. Also read: Iran twin blasts: Putin in shock, Raisi terms terrorist attacks ‘heinous’ Israel launched a massive operation against Hamas in the Gaza Strip after the Palestinian militant group entered southern Israel on October 7, killing at least 1,140 people, according to Israeli figures. Israel's retaliation has claimed the lives of at least 22,313 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory. Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel spy agency Mossad's chief says all Oct 7 attackers will be tracked down: 'Let every Arab mother know'

Drones have changed the course of wars. Earlier drones used to play a supporting role in military operations, but now they have become an indispensable part of warfare. How are drones going to affect the future of wars?

Gravitas | Drones of war: Tomorrow's killers today

Hezbollah said on Thursday (Jan 5) that a local leader was among four fighters&nbsp;killed overnight in southern Lebanon, in&nbsp;Israeli strikes on the border town of Naqura.&nbsp;

The news agency AFP reported that a source close to the militant group said that the deaths included a local Hezbollah leader.&nbsp;

This comes after a strike on Beirut this week&nbsp;killed a senior Hamas leader, which further raised tensions in the West Asia region due to the war in the Gaza Strip.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-allies-warn-yemens-houthis-of-consequences-if-red-sea-shipping-crisis-continues-676351">US, allies warn Yemen's Houthis of 'consequences' if Red Sea shipping crisis continues</a>&nbsp;

Providing details in a statement&nbsp;Hezbollah said that the four fighters had been killed "on the road to Jerusalem" - it is a phrase which they use to announce deaths of its members due to Israeli fire since the Israel-Hamas fighting started on October 7.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, a source close to Hezbollah told AFP that&nbsp;four were killed in Naqura near the Israeli border, adding that one of them was the movement's local leader.&nbsp;

As reported by Lebanon's official National News Agency, Israeli aircraft "carried out raids on the centre of Naqura, which destroyed a home and damaged surrounding houses".&nbsp;

Since the war started, Hezbollah has exchanged fire almost every day with Israeli forces.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iraq-accuses-us-led-coalition-of-baghdad-strike-calls-it-blatant-aggression-676570">Iraq accuses US-led coalition of Baghdad strike, calls it 'blatant aggression'</a>&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Iran blames US &amp; Israel's role in twin blast, vows harsh response&nbsp;

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<h2>Video shows strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon&nbsp;</h2>

The Lebanese group on Wednesday announced the deaths of five other fighters in southern Lebanon. &nbsp;

A video released by Israel on Wednesday was said to show strikes on Hezbollah targets in the Lebanese town of Yaroun, including a "terrorist squad," an army spokesperson announcement said, further adding that several launches from Lebanon into Israel were identified, crossing into Israel and landing in open areas.&nbsp;

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Hezbollah said on Thursday (Jan 5) that a local leader was among four fighters killed overnight in southern Lebanon, in Israeli strikes on the border town of Naqura.

Hezbollah said on Thursday (Jan 5) that a local leader was among four fighters killed overnight in southern Lebanon, in Israeli strikes on the border town of Naqura. The news agency AFP reported that a source close to the militant group said that the deaths included a local Hezbollah leader. This comes after a strike on Beirut this week killed a senior Hamas leader, which further raised tensions in the West Asia region due to the war in the Gaza Strip. Also read: US, allies warn Yemen's Houthis of 'consequences' if Red Sea shipping crisis continues Providing details in a statement Hezbollah said that the four fighters had been killed "on the road to Jerusalem" - it is a phrase which they use to announce deaths of its members due to Israeli fire since the Israel-Hamas fighting started on October 7. Meanwhile, a source close to Hezbollah told AFP that four were killed in Naqura near the Israeli border, adding that one of them was the movement's local leader. As reported by Lebanon's official National News Agency, Israeli aircraft "carried out raids on the centre of Naqura, which destroyed a home and damaged surrounding houses". Since the war started, Hezbollah has exchanged fire almost every day with Israeli forces. Also read: Iraq accuses US-led coalition of Baghdad strike, calls it 'blatant aggression' Watch: Iran blames US & Israel's role in twin blast, vows harsh response × Video shows strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon The Lebanese group on Wednesday announced the deaths of five other fighters in southern Lebanon. A video released by Israel on Wednesday was said to show strikes on Hezbollah targets in the Lebanese town of Yaroun, including a "terrorist squad," an army spokesperson announcement said, further adding that several launches from Lebanon into Israel were identified, crossing into Israel and landing in open areas. Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. (With inputs from agencies)

Hezbollah source says local chief among four killed in south Lebanon