Israel-Hamas war LIVE updates: US sanctions eight high-ranking Hamas members

Lynn Hastings, the United Nations humanitarian coordinator renewed call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.

"The mentally and physically exhausted people of Gaza are in urgent need of relief," she said.

Joe Biden has met in person with the families of some of the eight Americans still unaccounted for and presumed taken captive by Hamas during its 7 October attack on Israel, the Associated Press reports.

Secretary of state Antony Blinken and principal deputy national security adviser Jon Finer joined the US president at the White House where they met with 13 family members in person, and three others who attended by phone.

It was the first in-person meeting with families for Biden, who has previously hosted virtual meetings and spoken with others by phone.

"He’ll guarantee them that we are not going to lose sight of their loved ones, we’re not going to stop trying to get them home," National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told CNN ahead of the meeting.

Israel army has released footage which it said shows combat in southern Gaza's Bani Suheila on the outskirts of Khan Younis.

As the Israel-Hamas goes on, rockets were seen in the sky above Nuseirat refugee camp. The camp is located in central Gaza.

A funeral was held for Lieutenant Colonel Tomer Grinberg, who was killed in Gaza. He was buried in Jerusalem. The funeral has come on a day Israeli army reported its worst losses in more than a month. Grinberg was commander of the Golani infantry brigade.

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen has made a combative comment saying war in Gaza will continue "with or without international support" 

"Israel will continue the war against Hamas with or without international support. A ceasefire at the current stage is a gift to the terrorist organisation Hamas, and will allow it to return and threaten the residents of Israel," Cohen told a visiting diplomat, according to a statement issued by his ministry.

The head of the United Nations agency responsible for Palestinian refugees states that the bombardment has also affected various civilian infrastructure in Gaza.

“I was horrified by images yesterday of an UNRWA school being blown up in north of Gaza,” he said at the Global Refugee Forum.

People in Gaza “feel abandoned by the international community”, he added.

Isaac Herzog says the “US-led international activities against the Houthi terror-pirates must be bolstered and strengthened in the form of a truly international coalition”.

“Under the direction of their totalitarian commanders in Tehran, the Houthis’ continued acts of terrorism and piracy against ships of all nationalities and ownerships require the entire international community to act, united, forcefully, and decisively to stamp out this vile threat to the global economy and trade,” the Israeli president said on X.

Physicians for Human Rights-Israel reported that a mere 430 out of more than 49,000 injured Palestinians have been relocated to Egypt as of now.

“The Palestinian Health Ministry says Israel waits up to three days before responding to exit requests, leading to rapid deterioration in patient conditions to the point of death. The organisation has urged the Israeli military to accelerate its response times to these requests,” PHRI said, as reported by Al Jazeera. 

The Palestine Red Crescent said obstructions put by by the Israeli military were stopping the ambulance crew from reaching the refugee camp in Jenin. 

“There is a severe shortage in baby formula and bread for dozens of citizens whose homes are occupied by soldiers and are being prevented from leaving,” read the statement by Palestine Red Crescent. 

Qatar released a strongly-worded statement on Wednesday, condemning Israeli decision to confiscate Palestinian lands in East Jerusalem. 

Qatar “considers this decision a flagrant violation of the principles and provisions of international law and the relevant UNESCO resolutions”, it said in a statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

As many as eight Hamas terrorists were sanctioned by the US on Wednesday - the fourth such round since the events of October 7. 

“We closely coordinated this action with the United Kingdom, which is concurrently targeting several key Hamas officials with sanctions," said State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller, who added that eight sanctioned Hamas members represent the group’s interests abroad and manage its finances. 

The IDF on its Telegram channel said it had struck Hezbollah terror targets inside Lebanon. 

"Earlier today, IDF tanks and fighter jets struck Hezbollah terror targets in Lebanon. IDF soldiers also struck a number of terrorist cells in different locations along the Lebanese border."

Israeli Foreign Minister on Wednesday said the war with Hamas will continue, with or without international support. 

“Israel will continue the war against Hamas with or without international support. A ceasefire at the current stage is a gift to the terrorist organisation Hamas, and will allow it to return and threaten the residents of Israel," he told Reuters. 

Israeli forces, comprised of border police and municipality workers, on Wednesday morning (December 13) carried out the demolition of a building that housed 30 people in East Jerusalem, the owner told Reuters. Local sources said the reason given for the demolition was that it had allegedly been erected without appropriate permits. The destruction of the home came as a surprise to owner Zuheir Ghaith, he said, as the family had come to an agreement with Israeli authorities over the building's arrangements. Ghaith also said he had been asked to demolish the dwelling himself but refused. Ghaith's family home, like many Palestinian-owned structures in East Jerusalem, had been under threat of demolition for years, he said, because it was built without Israeli-issued permits. Rights groups say such permits are nearly impossible to obtain and Palestinians have long said that demolition orders were Israel's effort to forcibly remove them from the city. A Jerusalem municipality statement said that demolitions are routinely enforced across the city in accordance with the law and in coordination with police. Palestinians say that Israel has ramped up its demolition orders in Palestinian territories and raids into West Bank since October 7 Hamas attack on Southern Israel.

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen backs imposing sanctions on "extremist" Israeli settlers responsible for attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank. "The rise in violence by extremist settlers is inflicting immense suffering on the Palestinians. It undermines the prospects for a lasting peace and could further exacerbate regional instability," the European Commission president tells EU lawmakers in the parliament in Strasbourg.

An Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin entered a second day on Wednesday (December 13), a day after seven Palestinians were killed, including a 13-year-old boy. Five of the seven killed on Tuesday (December 12) died in a drone strike, the Palestinian health ministry and the Palestinian official news agency WAFA said. The 13-year-old died after Israeli forces prevented an ambulance from transferring him to the hospital to receive medical treatment, the Palestinian authorities and news agency said. Palestinian journalists at the entrance of the Jenin camp on Wednesday (December 13) said the army was preventing them from entering the area. Reuters video showed the Israeli forces checking Palestinian ambulances entering and exiting the camp. Israel's military confirmed the drone strike, and said it had killed an unspecified number of Palestinians who were spotted hurling explosive devices and firing at its forces.

Heavy rains in southern Gaza brought more despair to displaced Palestinians on Wednesday (December 13) living in a tent camp in Rafah. "We were drenched in rain," said Ramdan Mohadad, standing next to the tent he is staying in - with nothing but a torn nylon sheet covering it. He and other displaced Palestinians spoke about lack of warm clothes, blankets and protection from the rain. "I don't know what to do in the rain, where to go," Neda Sokar said. Israel's assault on Gaza to root out Hamas has killed at least 18,205 Palestinians including many children and wounded nearly 50,000 since Oct. 7, according to the Gaza health ministry. The conflict has also led to starvation, displaced 85% of the population from their homes and caused diseases to spread, according to the U.N. and Gaza health ministry.

Pope Francis has renewed his call for a humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and appealed Hamas to return the hostages.

“May both sides involved have courage to take up the negotiations again, and I ask everyone to take on the urgent job of getting humanitarian aid to the population of Gaza. They are at the end of their rope and really need it,” he said.

“Free all the hostages immediately who saw some hope in the ceasefire a few days ago. May this great suffering for the Israelis and the Palestinians end. Please no to arms and yes to peace,” Pope added.

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen has been supporting sanctions on “extremist” Israeli settlers who were behind attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank.

“I am in favor of sanctioning those involved in the attacks in the West Bank. They must be held accountable. This violence has nothing to do with the fight against Hamas and must stop,” said the European Commission president, while speaking to EU lawmakers.

The United Nations refugee chief warned that the Gaza conflict could lead to more displacement in the wider region as lawmakers and aid groups gathered in Geneva on Wednesday to seek solutions to a global displacement crisis.

A record 114 million people around the world have been driven from their homes, including about 40 million refugees fleeing dozens of active conflicts including in Sudan and Ukraine.

"A major human catastrophe is unfolding in the Gaza Strip and so far the Security Council has failed to stop the violence," Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, told the Global Refugee Forum in Geneva. 

"We foresee more civilian deaths and suffering and also further displacement that threatens the region."

Grandi also urged the international community not to lose sight of other pressing humanitarian and refugee crises. 

Pope Francis has renewed his call for an "immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza calling for an end to the suffering of both Israelis and Palestinians.

"I renew my appeal for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire," said the Pope. 

He added, "May this great suffering for the Israelis and the Palestinians be over."

The Israeli army said at least 115 soldiers have been killed so far in its offensive against Hamas in Gaza.

The death toll rose after 10 soldiers died in fighting in the northern part of the Palestinian enclave on Tuesday, in what was said to be the deadliest day for the military since the ground assault began on October 27.

Israel has conducted more than 250 strikes in the Gaza Strip over the past day, targeting Hamas fighters and infrastructure belonging to the militant group, said the Israeli army. 

The Israeli army also claimed to have found a Hamas cell in Gaza City's Shejaiya neighborhood preparing to fire rockets at Israel.

Argentina’s newly sworn-in President Javier Milei during a Hannukah celebration in Beunos Aires said, "After so many years of darkness and occultism, light will come out. And this will be a moral revolution because we will do so from our values."

The ceremony, as per a Reuters report citing the organiser Tzeire Agudath Jabad Israeli Argentine Association, was devoted to "the release of Hamas’ hostages, soldiers, dead, and the support to the people of Israel."

On the sixth day of the festivity, Milei, who says he intends to convert to Judaism, lightened the candle on.

Palestinian-owned buildings were demolished by Israeli forces in Anata and Marj Na’ja in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday (Dec 12), media reports said citing UN report.
 

Israel came under pressure Wednesday from its allies over its war in Gaza, with key backer the United States criticising its bombing in response to the October 7 attacks as "indiscriminate".

The Gazan economy has ground to an almost total standstill as a result of the war between Israel and Hamas that has left about 85 per cent of workers without jobs, the World Bank has said.

In an assessment of the economic impact of the two-month-long conflict, the Washington-based development organisation said Gaza was operating at only 16 per cent of its productive capacity and was in “deep recession”.

In a belated response to international media outlets demanding protection in Gaza, the US secretary of state said that the press must be protected from harm.

“The United States has and will continue to underscore with Israel, and with all countries, that journalists must be protected from harm,” Blinken wrote in a letter that the French news agency AFP says it received on Tuesday.

“We stand unequivocally for the protection of journalists during armed conflict and mourn those who have been killed or injured,” Blinken also said, according to the AFP.

India voted in favour of a draft resolution in the UN General Assembly that demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict as well as the unconditional release of all hostages.

Earlier, in October, India had abstained in the General Assembly on a resolution that had called for an immediate humanitarian truce in the Israel-Hamas conflict and unhindered humanitarian access in the Gaza strip. 

(With inputs from agencies)

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Wednesday that her nation had backed a UN resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, a rare split with close ally US. Australia said it did so out of concerns for the troubled residents of Gaza.

The 193-member UN General Assembly passed a resolution calling for a ceasefire with 153 countries including Australia voting in favour and 23 abstaining.

Ten countries voted against, including the US and Israel, which argue a ceasefire only benefits Hamas.

(With inputs from agencies)

Biden said on Wednesday that Israeli-American hostage Liat Beinin had been released by Hamas. The US president said that Beinin had crossed the Gaza border and was safe in Egypt. 

Beinin was among 16 hostages released on Wednesday by Hamas on the final day of a two-day extension of a truce in the Gaza war.

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United States President Joe Biden on Tuesday (Dec 12) issued a strong warning to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he said that Israel is "starting to lose the support" of the international community because of the Gaza bombing, which is killing Palestinians. 

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Erdan said that the General Assembly finds itself "about to vote on another hypocritical resolution" and not only does this "resolution fail to condemn Hamas for crimes against humanity, it does not mention Hamas at all". 

The only intention of Hamas is to "destroy Israel and that the group has declared that it will repeat its atrocities again and again until Israel ceases to exist", Erdan said. 

The Palestinian envoy to the United Nations said the overwhelming vote in favour of a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, in which 153 countries backed a downing of arms, marked a "historic day".

"Today was a historic day in terms of the powerful message that was sent from the General Assembly. And it is our collective duty to continue in this path until we see an end to this aggression against our people," said the Palestinian ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour.

The UN General Assembly overwhelmingly passed a non-binding resolution Tuesday demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza -- a call the paralyzed Security Council has so far failed to make, piling pressure on Israel and Washington.

The body, which includes all 193 UN member nations, voted 153 in favor of the resolution, exceeding the 140 or so countries that have routinely backed resolutions condemning Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. Ten countries, including the United States and Israel, voted against, while 23 abstained.

President of the General Assembly Dennis Francis declared that the 10th Emergency Special Session opened once more, he highlighted the new request to meet once again in light of the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. 

Humanitarian sources in Egypt said that the nation sent an aid convoy of 80 trucks on Tuesday to the reopened Kerem Shalom crossing from Israel into war-torn Gaza for inspection. Another 100 trucks were sent to the Nitzana border post, which has been processing all international aid from Egypt's Rafah border crossing before it is allowed into Gaza.

Israel agreed on Tuesday to reopen Kerem Shalom as a checkpoint to inspect aid into Gaza. Kerem Shalom was used for 60 per cent of goods entering the Palestinian territory before October 7. 

No new direct crossings will be opened, Israel said, but the Kerem Shalom crossing would be used to check trucks before sending them in through Rafah. 

Palestinian health officials reported that Israeli forces killed six Palestinians in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin on Tuesday. 

Israel's military  said it carried out an operation targeting an explosives-manufacturing facility.

The health ministry said five people were killed in an Israeli operation in the morning, while the sixth was a man who was shot in the thigh and later died after Israeli forces allegedly prevented him from reaching hospital in time.

Biden also said that Israel is "starting to lose the support" of the international community because of the Gaza bombing, which is killing Palestinians. 

"They're starting to lose that support," said Biden, further adding that Netanyahu needs to change his hardline government. 

The United Nations said on Tuesday its satellite analysis agency UNOSAT had determined that 18 percent of Gaza's infrastructure had been destroyed since the start of the war. The estimate is based on an image taken on November 26, the agency said, a 49-percent increase in the total number of structures affected since a previous assessment on November 7.

It said, "As of 26 November 2023, UNOSAT has identified 10,049 destroyed structures, 8,243 severely damaged structures, and 19,087 moderately damaged structures, totalling 37,379 structures affected. This corresponds to around 18% of the total structures in the Gaza Strip." 

"These findings underscore the urgent need for immediate ceasefire and support to address the growing humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip," UNOSAT said. 

"The impact on civilian infrastructures is evident, with thousands of homes and essential facilities being damaged."

US President Joe Biden said Tuesday the Israeli administration was opposed to a two-state solution with the Palestinians and urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to "change" his government.

"Bibi's got a tough decision to make," Biden said, referring to Netanyahu and his hardline right-wing government. 

"This is the most conservative government in Israel's history," he said, adding that the Israeli government "doesn't want a two-state solution."