Israel-Hamas war top developments Nov 13 | Gaza's biggest hospital becoming a cemetery, says WHO

Christian Lindmeier, a spokesman for the World Health Organisation, told the BBC that t Gaza City's Al Shifa hospital, the largest in the territory, is facing power cuts and a lack of fuel are causing severe difficulties.

Doctors in Gaza say dead bodies are beginning to pile up both inside and outside the hospital, and Lindmeier also described this, saying the hospital was functioning more like a cemetery.

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen says that Tel Aviv is facing increased diplomatic pressure for a ceasefire in Gaza as calls are being raised over humanitarian issues. 

Speaking during a briefing to reporters, Cohen says that his diplomatic counterparts have emphasized humanitarian issues during the conversations he has held with them and some have requested that Israel seek a ceasefire, although they have not done so publicl, the Times of Israel newspaper reported.

The Israeli finance ministry said on Monday that it has raised $7.8 billion in debt since the start of the war with Hamas militants.

"The financing capabilities of the State of Israel allow the government to fully and optimally finance all its needs," the ministry's accountant-general division said.

Supermarkets in the Gaza Strip are facing a shortage of food and other goods. According to a report by the news agency Reuters, the growing number of evacuees from northern Gaza has also added to the shortage of supplies across supermarkets. 

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said on Monday that its operations in Gaza would shut down within two days due to fuel shortages. 

"The humanitarian operation in Gaza will grind to a halt in the next 48 hours as no fuel is allowed to enter Gaza," UNRWA's Gaza chief Thomas White said in a post on X. 

The Israel Electric Corporation said on Monday (Nov 13) that its worker was killed by an anti-tank missile strike across the Lebanese border on Sunday.

Shalom Abudi, 56, was killed on Sunday night "by Hezbollah fire during his work in the Dovev area," the company said. 

Palestinian prime minister Mohammad Shtayyeh has called on the European Union and the United Nations to "parachute aid" into the Gaza Strip.

"I call on the United Nations and the European Union to parachute aid into the Gaza Strip, especially the north," he said, referring to the area where fighting is most intense.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Naser Kanani in a recent statement said that Iran was not looking for the expansion of war in the region. 

Instead, possibly alluding to the US, he said that "those" publicly sending big loads of military, weapons and even equipment that are prohibited to the Zionist regime are looking to expand war. 

"We are not looking for the expansion of war in the region; those are looking for the expansion of war, who instead of putting pressure on the Israeli regime, which is committing war crimes, officially and openly declare that it is not yet time for ceasefire and are still publicly sending big loads of military, weapons and even equipment that are prohibited to the Zionist regime."

"Only by immediately stopping the killing, the war, and war crimes against the people of Palestine and Gaza, completely lifting the human blockade of Gaza and immediately withdrawing the Zionist military from the region, it (The US) can prevent the expansion of the scope of the war and its spread to the region or the entry of other resistance groups." 

"This depends on the behaviour of the Zionist regime in Gaza and the US government as a supporter of this regime and as a leading role in the war," he added.

UK Interior Minister Suella Braverman was fired from her position on Monday (Nov 13) amid a row over her 'hate march' comment for the pro-Palestine rally, media reports said, adding UK's Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has now been appointed in her place.

Read more here

IDF in a post on X has announced an update on its humanitarian efforts. As per the update, for civilians, its evacuation corridors will remain open between 09:00-16:00.

The United Nations on Monday observed a minute's silence to honour the more than 100 employees killed in Gaza since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.

As UN flags flew at half-mast and a candle was lit in memory of the 101 employees of the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) killed in the Israeli assault on Gaza, staff at UN offices in Geneva bowed their heads.

"We are gathered here today, united in this very symbolic location, to pay respect to our brave colleagues who sacrificed their lives while serving under the United Nations flag," said Tatiana Valovaya, Director-General of the United Nations in Geneva.

"This is the highest number of aid workers killed in the history of our organisation in such a short time," she added.

Israeli forces reached the gates of Gaza City's main hospital on Monday, the primary target in their battle to seize control of the northern half of the Gaza Strip, where medics said patients including newborns are dying.

EU nations have jointly condemned the Hamas militant group for its alleged use of hospitals and civilians as "human shields" in the war against Israel.

The bloc, as per EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell, has also asked Israel for "maximum restraint and targeting in order to avoid human casualties".

In a statement, the nations jointly called for "immediate pauses in hostilities and the establishment of humanitarian corridors, including through increased capacity at border crossings and through a dedicated maritime route, so that humanitarian aid can safely reach the population of Gaza."

They also reiterated their "call on Hamas for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. It is crucial that the International Committee of the Red Cross is granted access to the hostages."

It further said that "the EU condemns the use of hospitals and civilians as human shields by Hamas."

In Gaza, medics as per reports have reported that patients, including newborns, were dying due to the lack of fuel.

Israel claims that it had attempted to evacuate babies from the neo-natal ward. It also said that it left 300 litres of fuel to power emergency generators at the Al Shifa entrance. However, this effort was allegedly blocked by the Hamas.

Gaza health ministry spokesperson Ashraf Al-Qidra denied that they had rejected offers of fuel. He also said that 300 litres of fuel would only power the hospital for half an hour.

As per Qidra, the hospital needs 8,000 to 10,000 litres of fuel per day. 

European Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic flagged the urgent need to "define and respect humanitarian pauses" at a meeting of the bloc’s foreign ministers in Brussels.

“These pauses have to be meaningful,” Lenarcic said adding, “Fuel needs to get in. As you could see, more than half of the hospitals in the Gaza Strip stopped working, primarily because of lack of fuel, and fuel is desperately needed.”

As many as 44 Israeli soldiers were killed in Gaza since the start of war following the Hamas assault on October 7, media reports said quoting the army. 

Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza said Monday (Nov 13) that all the hospitals in north Gaza are 'out of service'. Deputy health minister Youssef Abu Rish said that a total of six premature babies and nine other patients have died. 

As the humanitarian situation remains dire in Gaza amid the expanded operation by Israel, an eyewitness video showed how medical staff stitched up a patient’s head wound using a torchlight from a mobile phone on Sunday (November 12). This comes as Gaza is facing power cuts at Gaza’s Indonesia hospital.

The Israeli army has released a video that shows what they claim to be explosives and weapons in the residence of a senior member of Islamic Jihad, an armed wing and ally of Hamas, on the outskirts of the Al-Shati Camp. 

As per a report by Jerusalem Post quoting IDF, Israeli forces fighting the Hamas militant group in Gaza found a cache of weapons hidden in a kid's bedroom inside the home of a top Palestinian Islamic Jihad official in the ransacked city. 

At least 21 Israelis, including 14 civilians, have been injured after Iranian-backed Lebanon-based militant group, Hezbollah launched anti-tank missiles from southern Lebanon, on Sunday (Nov 12), said the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and medical officials.

This comes amid concerns of another front opening in the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza, as skirmishes along the Israel-Lebanon have also steadily escalated since the beginning of the war on October 7. 

Click here to read more...

The first group of 70 Russians evacuated from the Gaza Strip arrived at the operational headquarters of the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry in Cairo, Egypt, reported Russian news agency TASS. 

According to the report, the evacuees were met by teams of medical workers and representatives of the ministry of emergency situations who will remain in Egypt until all Russians who want to leave Gaza are evacuated.

"We will stay here for as long as it takes to evacuate everyone. We will leave only when the last compatriot or person who turned to us for help is taken out and put on a plane," said Russian Minister of Emergency Situations, Daniil Martynov, as quoted by TASS. 

The Russian minister also said that the operational group "is ready to evacuate all Russian citizens and those who asked for help - about 1,000 people - over a few days."

The Israel Defense Forces said it had supplied 300 liters of fuel to Al-Shifa hospital, one of Gaza's largest hospitals, after coordinating with its staff but that Hamas had prevented them from accepting it. 

"In the last 24 hours, the IDF delivered 300 liters of fuel to the Shifa Hospital's doorstep, yet the fuel remains untouched after Hamas threatened hospital staff," said the Israeli army. 

However, the Palestinian militant group denied that it refused the fuel and said the hospital was under the authority of Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry. 

Al-Shifa Hospital director Muhammad Abu Salmiya rejected the Israeli statement, as per Al Jazeera and called it "propaganda". 

"Israel wants to show the world that it is not killing babies. It wants to whitewash its image with 300 litres of fuel, which barely lasts 30 minutes," Abu Salmiya told Al Jazeera.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) said three of Al-Shifa’s nurses have been killed since Friday amid Israeli bombardment and clashes near the complex. 

"Bombardments and armed clashes around the Shifa hospital in Gaza city intensified since the afternoon of 11 November. Critical infrastructure, including the oxygen station, water tanks and a well, the cardiovascular facility, and the maternity ward, was damaged,and three nurses killed," said the UN agency, in its update. 

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported the death of two more soldiers amid its going ground operation in northern Gaza, bringing the total death toll to 44. 

The two Commando Brigade troops were identified as Major Isachar Natan (28) and Staff Sergeant Itay Shoham (21). 

A report by Israeli media outlet Ynet, citing unnamed senior officials, said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sought to install his former British counterpart Tony Blair as a humanitarian coordinator for the Gaza Strip, in a bid to improve the humanitarian situation inside the Palestinian enclave and reduce international pressure on Israel. 

According to the report, Netanyahu hopes to leverage Blair's experience as a former envoy to the region for the Middle East Quartet over the civilian cost of Israel's campaign in Gaza. 

However, the former British PM's office told Ynet in response that "he has not been given or offered a position," but did not directly deny any contact. 

In an interview with NBC News, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed a possible deal to free hostages taken by Hamas saying that there "could be" a potential hostage deal with Hamas but declined to give any further details. 

He also said that any deal was "the result of pressure, military pressure" and also praised the work of the Israeli army.

"That’s the one thing that might create a deal and if a deal is available. Well, we will talk about it when it’s there. We’ll announce it if it’s achievable," the Israeli PM told NBC News. 

When asked if he knew where all the hostages were being held Netanyahu said, "We know a great deal, but I won't go beyond that."

New Zealand's government, on Monday said that 11 of its citizens have left Gaza overnight and entered Egypt via the Rafah border crossing, reported Reuters.

The news agency citing Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) spokeswoman saying that Kiwi nationals were met with a consular team from the country and were provided with support. 

The spokeswoman from New Zealand also said that they working around the clock to get its remaining citizens and permanent residents out of Gaza.

United States President Joe Biden discussed efforts to secure the release of at least 240 hostages taken by Hamas following its October 7 attack on Israel during his latest phone call with Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. 

The US president "condemned unequivocally the holding of hostages by Hamas, including many young children, one of whom is a 3-year old American citizen toddler, whose parents were killed by Hamas on October 7," said the White House. 

Biden also expressed his appreciation to Qatar for its mediation efforts to release of four hostages last month, two of whom were US citizens, said the White House.

The two leaders also discussed the need to protect civilians in Gaza and ensure the continuous flow of humanitarian aid into the enclave. 

An Egyptian border official told CNN that at least 826 foreign nationals left the Gaza on Sunday through the Rafah crossing, which is said to be the highest number to leave the Palestinian enclave in a single day amid the war. 

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in an update said that the UN agency was able to get in touch with the health professionals at the Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza and described the situation as "dire and perilous."

"It's been 3 days without electricity, without water and with very poor internet which has severely impacted our ability to provide essential care. The constant gunfire and bombings in the area have exacerbated the already critical circumstances," said the WHO chief, in a post on X. 

"Tragically, the number of patient fatalities has increased significantly, he added. 

"Regrettably, the hospital is not functioning as a hospital anymore. The world cannot stand silent while hospitals, which should be safe havens, are transformed into scenes of death, devastation, and despair." 

The WHO chief also went on to reiterate his calls for a ceasefire in Gaza.