16 Nov 2023

Israel-Hamas war top developments Nov 16

Wion Web Desk
Authored By Wion Web Desk
Published: Nov 16, 2023, 12:53 AM IST | Updated: Nov 16, 2023, 11:46 PM IST
Israel-Hamas war top developments Nov 16

Israel Hamas war LIVE updates Photograph: (WION Web Team)

Focus continues to be on Al-Shifa hospital with Israeli troops inside searching for a Hamas command centre inside the hospital. Israeli troops and Hamas fighters are still clashing elsewhere in the Gaza Strip. There isn't a promising update about the release of hostages in Hamas custody. Qatar is trying to mediate between Israel and Hamas to reach a deal over this.

Key Updates

16 Nov 2023, 11:09 PM (IST)

Hamas's armed wing claimed responsibility Thursday for a gun attack near Jerusalem that killed a soldier, saying it was in response to the ongoing bloodshed in Gaza where it is locked in a major conflict with Israel. 

In a statement on Telegram, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades said the attack, in which three of its militants opened fire, killing the soldier and wounding five other members of the Israeli security forces, was "in revenge for the blood of the martyrs in Gaza". 

16 Nov 2023, 10:17 PM (IST)

Israel's defence minister, Yoav Gallant, says his forces have made 'significant discoveries' at Gaza's Al-Shifa hospital and 'cleaned up' the entire western part of the city. Soldiers raided Al-Shifa the day before in search of a command centre they said militants had built under the complex, a charge denied by Hamas and the leaders of the hospital, which has become a focal point of the war. 

16 Nov 2023, 9:23 PM (IST)

The Red Crescent said Israeli tanks were laying siege to Gaza's Al-Ahli hospital in a "violent attack" on Thursday, as Israel accuses Hamas of using health facilities as bases.

"Teams are unable to move and reach those who are injured," the organisation said on X, formerly Twitter.

16 Nov 2023, 9:14 PM (IST)

The head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees said a new communications blackout hit the Gaza Strip on Thursday due to a lack of fuel. "Gaza is again in a total communication blackout, and ... it is because there is no fuel," UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini told a press conference in Geneva.

16 Nov 2023, 8:52 PM (IST)

Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, warned Thursday of a deliberate attempt to paralyse its operations. "I do believe there is a deliberate attempt to strangle our operation and paralyse the UNRWA operation," he told a press conference in Geneva.

16 Nov 2023, 8:14 PM (IST)

An Israeli army official said Thursday that footage relating to hostages seized in the Hamas attacks on Israel had been found on computers seized during the raid on Gaza's Al-Shifa hospital.

The images were found on equipment "belonging to Hamas", the official said in a statement, adding, "The soldiers are proceeding one building at a time, searching each floor, all while hundreds of patients and medical staff remain in the complex."

16 Nov 2023, 7:52 PM (IST)

Israel President Isaac Herzog said that "evil" Iran is trying to "undermine the entire regional situation". Speaking of the IMEC corridor, Herzog said, "About a month and a half or two months ago, at the G-20 summit, where Prime Minister Modi was there, US President Joe Biden announced a special corridor of energy and communications and business and science from Israel all the way down to India, through Saudi Arabia and the Gulf and Jordan." 

"An amazing vision that connects all of us together, that will connect Europe to Southeast Asia and even America all the way to Australia. That's a grand vision that gives India a huge strength on the way. But somebody decided that they want to derail this effort of inclusion of Israel and this huge peace vision of President Biden... This empire of evil, of Iran, is working extra hours to undermine any inclusion of Israel in the region and any peace process. And we all, all nations in the world must fight Iran for pursuing this evil approach," he added. 

16 Nov 2023, 7:42 PM (IST)

The Hamas-run health ministry said Thursday (Nov 16) that an Israeli raid had "destroyed" a medical department and damaged two others at Gaza's largest hospital, where hundreds of patients, staff, and displaced Palestinians were sheltering.

Israeli forces who went into Al-Shifa hospital on Wednesday had "destroyed the radiology service, and bombed the burns and dialysis departments", health ministry spokesman Ashraf Al-Qudra told AFP.
 

16 Nov 2023, 7:38 PM (IST)

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov in a meeting with Venezuelan foreign minister Yvan Gil Pinto said that Israel is breaching humanitarian rights in Gaza and the West Bank. He also added that Russia is concerned about Israeli army raids on West Bank

16 Nov 2023, 7:31 PM (IST)

Palestinian health ministry has said that 26 of Gaza's 35 hospitals not functioning.


The ongoing Israeli operation at Gaza's biggest hospital, Al-Shifa, comes as the Ramallah-based Palestinian health ministry warns that 26 of Gaza's 35 hospitals are no longer operational. It says the remaining nine are only "partially functioning", reports BBC.

16 Nov 2023, 6:51 PM (IST)

Israeli fighter jets struck the Gaza home of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas’s political bureau, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have said on Telegram.

Haniyeh, considered to be the militant group’s overall leader, has lived in Qatar for several years.

The IDF said his house was “used as terrorist infrastructure and often served as a meeting point for Hamas’s senior leaders”.

16 Nov 2023, 5:54 PM (IST)

The Israel Defense Forces say it attacked a terror cell in Lebanon that was launching anti-tank missiles across the border.

The army also confirms that several projectiles were launched at an IDF post in the Misgav Am area on the border.

The army says there are no casualties and IDF artillery is shelling the areas where the fire came from.

The IDF publishes video of its strike on the terror cell.

16 Nov 2023, 5:36 PM (IST)

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell appealed a “pause of hostilities” to permit humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip after carrying out intense aerial bombardment overnight on the coastal territory.

“Gaza is in complete blackout and isolation while heavy shelling continues. UNRWA warns about the desperate situation of Gaza people without electricity, food, water," said Borrell, while speaking to the UN relief agency for Palestinian Refugees.

“Far too many civilians, including children, have been killed. This is against International Humanitarian Law. A pause of hostilities is urgently needed to enable humanitarian access,” he added.

Borrell further criticised attacks on civilians, “including continuing indiscriminate rocket attacks against Israel” and called for the “immediate and unconditional release of all hostages”.


 

16 Nov 2023, 5:31 PM (IST)

The UAE will be installing three water desalination plants to provide drinking water inside the Gaza Strip, stated the Emirati state-run WAM news agency. The plants will be established in southern Gaza.

“The production capacity of each plant is 200,000 gallons per day with a total of 600,000 gallons, benefiting 300,000 people per day,” WAM stated.

16 Nov 2023, 5:07 PM (IST)

The EU's chief diplomat Josep Borrell and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen are scheduled to visit West Asia in a bid to protect civilians in Gaza and opening of fresh humanitarian corridors.

Borrell will arrive on Nov 16 and will start with a visit to an Israeli kibbutz attacked on 7 October followed by high level meetings with Israel’s foreign minister, the UN special coordinator and representatives of hostage families.

He is then scheduled to fly to Ramallah for a meeting with de-facto Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas followed by meetings in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. Borrell will also meet representatives of Iraq and Kuwait in Bahrain separately.

16 Nov 2023, 4:48 PM (IST)

South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) party said on Thursday (Nov 16) that it would support a parliamentary motion calling for the Israeli embassy in South Africa to be closed.

According to a report in the Reuters, the opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) is scheduled to propose the motion later on Thursday, while also calling for the suspension of all diplomatic relations with Israel in solidarity with the Palestinian people amid the Israel-Hamas war.

In a statement, the ANC said:

"The African National Congress will agree to a parliamentary motion which calls upon the government to close the Israel embassy in South Africa and suspend all diplomatic relations with Israel until Israel agrees to a ceasefire."

Earlier this month South Africa recalled its diplomats from Israel.

16 Nov 2023, 4:22 PM (IST)

Several Hezbollah targets were hit by Israeli warplanes in Lebanon, stated the IDF. The targets included many posts used by Hezbollah terrorists.

The IDF also stated that  a Hezbollah operative was attacked who was carrying out operations along the border near the Israeli town of Shlomi.

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16 Nov 2023, 3:41 PM (IST)

The UN human rights chief Volker Turk crtiicised the alleged violations of international laws in the Israel-Hamas war and called for an international investigation in the issue.

Turk stated that an "extremely serious allegations of multiple and profound breaches of international humanitarian law, whoever commits them, demand rigorous investigation and full accountability".

16 Nov 2023, 3:19 PM (IST)

The UN's human rights chief said on Thursday that outbreaks of disease and hunger seemed "inevitable" in Gaza.

According to Reuters, at an informal briefing to states at the UN in Geneva after a visit to the West Asia, Volker Turk said:

"Massive outbreaks of infectious disease, and hunger, seem inevitable."

16 Nov 2023, 3:01 PM (IST)

Israeli troops have dropped leaflets warning Palestinians to leave parts of southern Gaza, reflecting a possibility of further expansion of Israel's ground operations in Gaza. 

The leaflets were dropped in areas east of the southern town of Khan Younis. They warned civilians to evacuate the area and saying anyone in the vicinity of terrorists or their positions “is putting his life in danger.”

Similar leaflets were dropped over northern Gaza for weeks ahead of the ground invasion.Images of the leaflets purportedly dropped by the Israeli forces near Khan Younus were shared on social media

Images of the leaflets purportedly dropped by the Israeli forces near Khan Younis were shared on social media

Two local reporters who live east of Khan Younis confirm seeing the leaflets to the Associated Press. 

16 Nov 2023, 2:31 PM (IST)

UK opposition polician and Labour party leader Keir Starmer faced setback in the House of Commons after prominent Labour leaders resigned from his frontbench on Wednesday night (Nov 15) over his refusal to back a ceasefire in Gaza. 

Click here to read more...

16 Nov 2023, 1:50 PM (IST)

Israel's Defense Forces said that after two more soldiers were killed in action in northern Gaza Strip on Wednesday, the total ground ops toll of Israeli troops stood at 50 since the start of Gaza ground operations.
 

16 Nov 2023, 1:29 PM (IST)

Thai politicians were quoted as saying by the news agency Reuters that they had received assurances from Hamas that all Thai hostages will be released if a truce is successfully brokered in Gaza.

Hamas took about 249 people hostage on October 7. The Thai foreign ministry said that 25 Thais were among those held as captives and 39 Thai citizens were killed during Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7.

Over 30,000 Thais were working in agriculture in Israel, according to Thai government estimates, but more than 7,200 have been repatriated since October 7.

16 Nov 2023, 1:24 PM (IST)

At least five people are wounded in an armed attack at the "tunnel road" checkpoint south of Jerusalem, The Times of Israel reported while citing the medics.

The publication cited Magen David Adom rescue service as saying that the medics are treating the wounded, including one in critical condition. 

Police said that the attacker was shot and neutralised.

16 Nov 2023, 1:06 PM (IST)

Israel has denounced a UN Security Council resolution calling for 'humanitarian pause' in Gaza as 'meaningless' and 'disconnected from reality'.

Israel’s UN ambassador Gilad Erdan said that regardless of what the Council decides, Israel will continue acting according to int’l law while the Hamas terrorists will not even read the resolution at all, let alone abide by it.

The UN security council resolution, passed late Wednesday after weeks of disagreement among members, calls for "urgent extended humanitarian pauses for [a] sufficient number of days to allow aid access" to Gaza.

16 Nov 2023, 12:56 PM (IST)

Israel's Defense Forces (IDF) said that a fighter jet struck the home of Ismael Haniyeh, the chief of Hamas political bureau in Gaza.

Haniyeh, described as the overall leader of Hamas, has lived in Qatar for several years.

The IDF said his house was "used as terrorist infrastructure and often served as a meeting point for Hamas’ senior leaders".

IDF also "located and destroyed a Hamas naval forces weapons cache, containing diving gear, explosive devices and weapons," the IDF said.

They also "struck terrorists and located weapons including explosive belts, explosive barrels, RPGS, anti-tank missiles, comms equipment and intelligence documents".

16 Nov 2023, 11:26 AM (IST)

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16 Nov 2023, 11:00 AM (IST)

IDF said that its soldiers on Wednesday successfully transferred medical supplies while conducting searches for terrorist infrastructure within the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza. 

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16 Nov 2023, 10:59 AM (IST)

Biden said he had made it clear to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that a two-state solution was the only answer to resolve the Israel-Palestinian conflict. 

He also said that he told him that occupying Gaza would be "a big mistake". 

Biden told reporters he was doing everything in his power to free hostages held by the Hamas militant group in Gaza, but that did not mean sending in the U.S. military.

16 Nov 2023, 9:39 (IST)

Police in riot gear used pepper spray and made arrests to try to disperse demonstrators who had gathered outside the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters in Washington on Wednesday evening to demand a ceasefire in Gaza. 

The demonstration was organised by three advocacy groups and took place in an area near the US Capitol building.

U.S. Capitol Police said its officers were "working to keep back approximately 150 people who are illegally and violently protesting".

"Officers are making arrests," it said on X. It advised people to stay away from the area.

-Reuters 

16 Nov 2023, 8:38 (IST)

Fuji TV reported that a car crashed into a barricade near the Israeli embassy in Tokyo on Thursday. 

It added that a  man in his 50s was arrested on the spot. One police officer was injured, the broadcaster said. 

16 Nov 2023, 8:10 (IST)

The US president during the press conference also said that he made it very clear to Netanyahu that it would be a mistake to occupy or reoccupy Gaza and even try to hold it and the ultimate solution to the ongoing violence would be the two-state solution.

Biden also told Netanyahu that Israel has a duty to protect civilians during their operations and assured that US is doing everything to secure the release of the hostages held by Hamas.

16 Nov 2023, 7:55 (IST)

The US president, during the press conference amid the ongoing APEC summit in California also spoke about the Israel-Hamas war. Biden said that he is "mildly hopeful" that there would be a deal to free Hamas-held hostages in Gaza. 

He also said that US asked Israel to be "incredibly careful" in its military moves around hospitals in the strip. 

"I don't want to get ahead of myself here because I don't know what's happened in the last four hours, but we have gotten great cooperation from the Qataris," Biden said speaking about the progress on freeing the hostages. 

He also seemingly said that Israel has agreed to a "pause" before cutting off his thought and saying "I'm going to stop. But I am mildly hopeful."

When asked about the Israeli raid on Gaza's Al-Shifa hospital, Biden said that Hamas has a command node but had warned the Israeli army that the operation needed to be a precision one. 

He also said that US asked Israel to be "incredibly careful" in its military moves around hospitals in the strip. 

"Let me be precise. We've discussed the need for them to be incredibly careful," said the US president. 

16 Nov 2023, 7:05 (IST)

US President Joe Biden is speaking at a press conference. He said that 'real progress' has been made during his discussion with his Chinese counterpart.

16 Nov 2023, 6:53 (IST)

Family members of Israeli hostages staged a demonstration in Tel Aviv on Wednesday evening and urged the government to secure their release.

16 Nov 2023, 5:32 (IST)

Hama-run health ministry in Gaza has alleged that Israel has deployed bulldozers at Al-Shifa hospital.

"Israeli bulldozers destroyed parts of the southern entrance" to the hospital, the ministry said in a brief statement in Arabic. 

16 Nov 2023, 4:50 (IST)

A senior official with Gaza's health ministry has told The Associated Press that dozens of babies were inside Gaza City's Al-Shifa hospital when Israeli forces entered the biggest medical facility in Gaza City.

16 Nov 2023, 4:01 (IST)

A vote on Gaza ceasefire has been in the British Parliament by 125 votes to 293. Opposition leader Keir Starmer had to face a rebellion as 56 Labour MPs broke ranks. The vote was called for an end to the "collective punishment of the Palestinian people" and urging a ceasefire.

16 Nov 2023, 2:25 (IST)

United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has adopted resolution for an "extended humanitarian pauses" in the Gaza Strip.

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16 Nov 2023, 2:18 (IST)

Hamas-run government in the Gaza Strip has said that the death toll in the enclave has hit 11,500 mark. It said that at least 4710 children were killed and also 3160 women. The number of those injured is now 29,800.

16 Nov 2023, 2:15 (IST)

Israeli shelling has hit villages in southwestern Lebanon. Israeli forces and Hezbollah have been exchanging fire for many days now. The exchange of fire on the Lebanese border started soon after outbreak of Israel-Hamas war.

16 Nov 2023, 2:12 (IST)

Flares could be seen over Beit Lahia which is in the northern Gaza Strip. Israeli forces have for many days deployed flares over cities across the Palestinian enclave.

16 Nov 2023, 0:55 (IST)

"In the hospital, we found weapons, intelligence materials, and military technology and equipment," said military spokesman Daniel Hagari. "We also found an operational headquarters with comms equipment... belonging to Hamas."

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