Day 5 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Wednesday, Oct. 11

8:40 pm: US forces in Middle East brace for fallout of Israel-Gaza conflict

Pentagon officials have been increasingly concerned about the potential for wider conflict across the Middle East should Hezbollah and other Iran-backed groups open new fronts against Israel amid its war with Gaza. Jared Szuba reports.

5:52 pm: IDF spokesperson scoffs at report of Hamas releasing hostages

IDF spokesperson Avichay Adraee dismissed Al Jazeera’s report of Hamas releasing Israeli hostages. Responding to a tweet by the Qatari news outlet of a video purportedly showing the release, Adraee said, “Hamas is trying to change the truth,” and called the group a “barbaric organization.” Earlier, Al Jazeera had reported that Hamas’ military wing announced the release of three hostages.

5:45 pm: 27 countries evacuate citizens from Israel   
Several countries across Europe, the Americas and Asia are evacuating their citizens from Israel and the Palestinian territories as the Israel-Hamas war escalates and approaches its sixth day. Adam Lucente reports here.

5:40 pm: Biden speaks with UAE president

During a phone call with Emirati President Mohamed bin Zayed, President Joe Biden "stressed his condemnation of Hamas’ terror and his warning against anyone who might seek to exploit the current situation,” the White House said in a readout of their call. The two leaders also discussed the importance of ensuring that humanitarian aid reaches those in need and agreed to remain in close contact, the statement said.

5:39 pm: US raises Israel travel advisory

The State Department raised its travel advisory for Israel and the West Bank to “Level 3: Reconsider Travel.” Its advisory for the Gaza Strip remains at “Level 4: Do Not Travel.”

“Terrorist groups, lone-actor terrorists and other violent extremists continue plotting possible attacks in Israel and the West Bank and Gaza,” the department said, warning that tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets, shopping malls and local government facilities are vulnerable to such attacks. “There has been a marked increase in demonstrations throughout Israel, some with little or no warning,” it added.

4:38 pm: Hamas military wing releases three Israeli hostages: Al Jazeera

Hamas’ al-Qassam Brigades announced the release of an Israeli settler and her two children captured during the group’s assault on Saturday, Al Jazeera reported. The outlet broadcast footage of a woman and small child surrounded by gunmen and a security fence, describing it as footage of the release.

4:15 pm: Saudi, Iranian leaders discuss Gaza in first call

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed “war crimes against Palestine” in their first-ever phone call, an aide to Raisi wrote on X.

“Islamic unity was stressed and both believed the regime's crimes and the US green light will cause destructive insecurity for the regime and backers,” read a post from Mohammad Jamshidi, the Iranian president's deputy chief of staff for political affairs. 

But in a statement published later by the Saudi Press Agency, Riyadh offered a different take on the call. It read that MBS received the call and stressed the need to de-escalate in Gaza. “The Crown Prince stressed the Kingdom’s position rejecting the targeting of civilians in any way and the need to take into account the principles of international humanitarian law," the Saudi readout said. 

4:05 pm: Netanyahu, Gantz address Israelis, announce emergency government 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and National Unity party leader Benny Gantz addressed Israelis on TV to officially announce the establishment of an emergency government signed earlier today. Gantz said, "Our partnership is not a political one. It’s a partnership of fate."

He went on, "This is not the time for difficult questions, but the time for striking responses on the battlefield." Gantz added that he hopes other opposition parties will join them.

4:00 pm: Gaza war tests fragile Israel-Turkey rapprochement

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has upped his criticism of Israel and its response to Hamas' deadly attack on its citizens. The heated rhetoric is raising questions about Israeli-Turkish rapprochement. Ezgi Akin explains here.

3:05 pm: Erdogan reportedly issues instructions to contact Hamas over hostages 

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reportedly instructed his government’s relevant agencies to contact Hamas for discussions on the release of hostages, according to several Turkish media outlets. The Turkish presidency hasn’t confirmed the reports yet, but Erdogan declared Tuesday that his country was ready to serve as a mediator between the two sides on all issues including hostage. The Turkish leader also discussed the conflict with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Jordanian King Abdullah and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune on Wednesday, the Turkish presidency said. 

2:30 pm: Arab League condemns civilian deaths, calls for immediate cessation of hostilities 

The Arab League called for the immediate cessation of hostilities following its emergency meeting on the Israel-Hamas war. The final declaration issued after the meeting condemned the civilian deaths on both sides, calling on all parties to show restraint. It also called on Israel to allow humanitarian aid to reach Gaza through the United Nations.

Demonstrators gather to show their solidarity with Palestine despite Austrian police prohibiting the gathering on Oct. 11, 2023, in Vienna, Austria. Photo credit: Thomas Kronsteiner/Getty Images

2:00 pm: European Parliament members support Israel, call for release of hostages 

Leaders of the European Union, including many members of the European Parliament, participated Wednesday evening in a rally in front of the European Parliament building in Brussels in solidarity with Israel. The rally was organized by the Secular Jewish community of Brussels and activist Dan Sobovitz. Israel’s Ambassador to the European Union Haim Regev said it was one of the largest-ever rallies in support of Israel to be organized in Brussels.

1:50 pm: US, Israel, Egypt discuss safe passage for Gaza civilians

“We support safe passage for civilians,” National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters. “Civilians are not to blame for what Hamas has done. They didn't do anything wrong.”

Kirby said the US government is “actively discussing” with Egyptian and Israeli counterparts how to create safe passage for civilians trapped in Gaza amid Israel’s bombing of the densely populated Palestinian enclave. He declined to discuss specific routes.

1:45 pm: Israeli army kills three assailants near Kibbutz Nir Am in south

The IDF has not finished clearing the southern region of Hamas infiltrators. Three Hamas attackers in a vehicle were shot and killed by IDF troops near Kibbutz Nir Am, not far from the border with Gaza. The IDF did not say whether they entered recently or last Saturday and continues to search the region.

1:30 pm: 33 Airlines suspend flights to Israel

Dozens of global airlines have suspended flights to Israel in response to its ongoing war with the Hamas militant group in the Gaza Strip. Jack Dutton has the details on the ongoing disruptions.

1:25 pm: IDF says Hamas militants still in areas near Gaza

IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari said there are still some Hamas militants in the Israeli areas near Gaza, according to military assessments. He added that IDF forces killed three Hamas militants near Beach Zikim on Tuesday.

1:22 pm: Palestinian death toll rises to 1,100

The death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 1,100 with another 5,339 wounded, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.

12:57 pm: UN’s Guterres concerned over Lebanon attack reports

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said he is concerned about reported attacks on Israel from southern Lebanon.

“I appeal to all parties, and those who have an influence over those parties, to avoid any further escalation and spillover,” Guterres told reporters.

The IDF reported no casualties following the alert in the north.

12:26 pm: Israel reports no casualties following alert in north

The IDF said it has not detected any injuries following reports of an attack from Lebanon.

Sirens sounded across northern Israel around an hour earlier after the IDF said it received a report of a suspected militant entering from Lebanon. Authorities instructed Israelis in the north to take shelter.

IDF spokesperson Avichay Adraee later tweeted that no missile strike from Lebanon was detected.

12:23 pm: US Embassy in Lebanon denies evacuation plans

The US Embassy in Beirut issued a tweet on Wednesday denying social media posts that it has evacuated its premises. “The US Embassy in Beirut has not evacuated and is open and operating normally. Reports saying otherwise are false,” the post on X read.

12:19 pm: US confirms at least 22 Americans killed

At least 22 Americans have died in the war between Israel and Hamas, according to the US State Department.

“We extend our deepest condolences to the victims and to the families of all those affected,” a spokesperson said as the confirmed US death toll climbed from 14.

The Biden administration said Tuesday at least 20 US citizens remained unaccounted for in Israel, without elaborating on how many were believed to be held captive by Hamas or were presumed dead.

Following a briefing with their national security team, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on Wednesday morning “to discuss ongoing US support for Israel,” a White House statement said. Their call was the fourth between Biden and Netanyahu since Saturday’s attack.

12:10 pm: Israelis in north instructed to take shelter

Hamas says it launched rockets toward Haifa and residents in northern Israel are instructed to remain in shelters until further notice. The IDF said fears that an assailant had entered the mixed town of Ma’alont-Tarshikha were unfounded, but it is still unclear whether drones managed to cross from Lebanon into Israeli skies. 

Hamas claims to have fired rockets all the way to Israel’s third-large city of Haifa, in the north of the country. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is holding a security briefing in Tel Aviv. His new cabinet partners, National Unity leaders Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot, will participate.

11:49 am: Lebanon reports flares over border town

Lebanon's National News Agency reported that Israel fired flares over the town of Hamamus near the Israeli border.

11:40 am: Sirens sound in north of Israel, new fear of threats from air

Israeli authorities fear that drones launched from Lebanon and perhaps even paragliders carrying assailants are trying to enter Israel. Sirens have sounded in recent minutes in the Upper Galilee region for possible attack by drones and Yent is reporting that there are fears assailants are trying to infiltrate Kibbutz Maayan Baruch.

All of the residents of northern Israel have been instructed to enter their shelters and lock their homes from inside.

11:26 am: Israel reports 'suspected infiltration' from Lebanon

The IDF tweeted it had received a report of a "suspected infiltration" from Lebanon into Israeli airspace. The Israeli army did not immediately provide further details.

There was no immediate response from Lebanon.

11:15 am: Hospitals reaching capacity in Gaza

The humanitarian situation in Gaza is quickly deteriorating as fuel runs out and hospitals reach capacity. Beatrice Farhat reports on the situation inside the blockaded enclave, where nearly 200,000 are now displaced and hospitals are flooded with casualties.

11:11 am: US intel shows Iranian leaders surprised by Hamas attack

US intelligence has collected multiple indications that Iranian leaders were surprised by Hamas’ attack on Israel earlier this week, The New York Times reported.

The NYT’s sources did not identify the Iranian officials, but said they were typically aware of the IRGC Quds Force’s activities.

US officials have not ruled out an Iranian hand in the attack, but say they have no evidence at this time that Iranian officials or forces helped plan it. 

9:55 am: Netanyahu, Gantz reach deal to form emergency government

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the head of the National Union party Benny Gantz have reached an agreement to form an emergency government on Wednesday as the war enters its fifth day and a Gaza invasion looms. Rina Bassist reports.

8:00 am: Israel's intel minister says Iran shares responsibility for attack

Speaking to Rina Bassist, Intelligence Minister Gila Gamliel did not accuse Iran of plotting the Hamas attack, but still held it responsible for its backing of Hamas. Asked about Israel’s intelligence failure, Gamliel said, “The time for inquiry committees, for reassessing our policies will come, but not now. Now we must focus on winning the war.”

7:29 am: UK foreign minister to arrive in Israel today

British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly is expected to arrive in Israel on Wednesday as part of “a show of solidarity” amid the Middle Eastern country’s war with Hamas.

Cleverly is expected to meet President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, according to an announcement by the Israeli Foreign Ministry.

Cleverly’s visit comes a day before US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is due to arrive in Israel.

7:14 am: 17 British nationals feared dead or missing

Seventeen UK citizens are feared dead or missing after the attack by Hamas on Israel over the weekend, the BBC reported.

The channel, citing an official source, said that they include children. A previous estimate had put the number at more than 10.

British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said Tuesday that a “significant number” of British-Israeli nationals had been caught in the conflict. 

6:49 am: Israel irons out agreement for emergency government

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and National Unity leader Benny Gantz have finished their meeting in Tel Aviv on establishing an emergency government. Ynet reports that representatives of both sides are now "fine-tuning" the agreement. In a sign of an imminent deal, the prime minister’s wife, Sara, said that “unity is the order of the hour.”

6:36 am: More than 1,000 Gazans killed in Israeli airstrikes

The death toll in the Gaza Strip has topped 1,055, while injuries reached 5,184 since Israel launched its air campaign against the enclave on Saturday, according to the Gaza-based Ministry of Health.

6:29 am: Hamas says it launched intense rocket attack on Ashkelon

Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military wing, said in a statement posted on its Telegram channel that it launched a major rocket attack on the city of Ashkelon in southern Israel in response to the continued targeting and displacement of civilians in the Gaza Strip.

6:14 am: UNIFIL says staffers in Gaza killed in Israeli strikes

The UN refugee agency said nine of its staffers in the Gaza Strip have been killed since Saturday. Juliette Touma, director of communications of the agency, UNRWA, told The Associated Press that they were killed while in their homes across the enclave.

“The protection of civilians is paramount, including in times of conflict,” she urged. She added that the Israeli bombing has damaged 18 UNRWA schools where thousands of Gazans are sheltering and its headquarters in Gaza City without leaving any casualties.

6:12 am: Israeli schools still closed, distance learning to start Sunday

Education Minister Yoav Kisch said that under Home Front Command orders, schools will remain closed. Kisch said that all schools will begin distance learning as of Sunday. Some started today.

On Wednesday, the Interior Ministry is set to propose delaying the local elections scheduled for Oct. 31 by three months.

6:08 am: Jordanian king says no peace without two-state solution

Jordan’s King Abdullah II stressed his country’s support for the Palestinian cause and people, saying there can be no security or stability in the Middle East without the two-state solution. “The dangerous escalation and acts of violence and aggression currently taking place in the Palestinian territories are proof that confirms, once again, that our region will never be secure nor stable without achieving just and comprehensive peace on the basis of the two-state solution,” he said in a speech before parliament on Wednesday.

 “Our compass will always point to Palestine, with Jerusalem in its heart, and we will never falter in defending its interests and just cause,” he stressed, adding that his country is committed to its role in protecting the holy sites in Jerusalem.

Jordan, which was one of the first Arab countries after Egypt to strike a peace deal with Israel in 1994, is the official custodian of Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem. The latest Hamas-Israel escalation followed weeks of repeated violations by Israeli settlers at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

5:30 am: Erdogan slams Israel’s bombardment of Gaza

Ramping up his rhetoric against the Israeli bombardment of Gaza, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized Israel over what he described as indiscriminate bombings. “Preventing people from accessing the most basic human needs and destroying the buildings in which civilians live with bombs is not a war, but a massacre,” Erdogan told his party members in Ankara. He added that disproportionate attacks on Gaza “may push Israel into an unexpected and undesirable position before the world public opinion.”

4:55 am: IDF strikes Islamic University in Gaza 

The Israeli army said its fighter jets have bombed the Islamic University in Gaza City. An IDF spokesperson said the university is “an important center of political and military power” for Hamas and a “training institution for the development and production of weapons.”

4:45 am: Sirens go off in UN peacekeeping sites in south Lebanon

Sirens went off in several posts affiliated with the UN peacekeeping forces in southern Lebanon, state media reported. The National News Agency said Israeli drones are currently bombing several border areas in southern Lebanon.

4:29 am: Zelenskyy calls on NATO leaders to support, visit Israel

Arriving in Brussels for the Oct. 11-12 summit of NATO defense ministers, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged the West to rally around the people of Israel as they have been supporting Ukraine since the Russian invasion. “My recommendation to the leaders [is] to go to Israel and … to support people — just people, I’m not speaking about any institutions — just to support people who have been under terrorist attacks,” he said. 

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky visited Israel on Tuesday, becoming the first European official to visit the country after the attack launched by Hamas on Saturday.

4:18 am: 16 people killed in heavy airstrikes in Khan Yunis

At least 16 people were killed when Israeli warplanes bombed houses in Khan Yunis in the south of the Gaza Strip. The official Palestinian WAFA news agency said the Israeli bombing came without warning, giving time for evacuation. Dozens of others were injured.

Heavy airstrikes in Khan Yunis and in the north of the Gaza Strip are continuing while Israeli attack boats pound coastal areas of the enclave.

3:50 am: IDF retaliates after missile fired from Lebanon

The IDF said that an anti-tank missile was fired at an Israeli army position near the Lebanese border. The Mate Asher regional council informed residents who live up to 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from the border that they must enter shelters. The IDF is now responding with fire at the source of the missile launch.

The Lebanese group’s affiliated Al-Manar station reported that Hezbollah fired two guided missiles toward Israeli positions on the Israeli-Lebanese border, causing a number of injuries.

3:30 am: IDF has notified families of 60 abductees 

IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari said the army has contacted the families of 60 people abducted by Hamas and taken to the Gaza Strip. Hamas and the Islamic Jihad have claimed to be holding 163 hostages. Israel's government has said only that more than 100 people were kidnapped.

3:26 am: Ben-Gvir tells police to brace for violence inside Israel

Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the police station of the southern city of Sderot, the theater of a deadly battle with Hamas militants. He said, "I instructed the chief of police to prepare for a 'Guardian of the Walls 2' scenario, which I think is looming."

Israel's 2021 Operation Guardian of the Walls against Hamas had sparked fighting inside Israel. An unnamed senior in the cabinet was cited by Ynet as saying, "Ben-Gvir harms the security of the state in order to squeeze [into] headlines. The entire security establishment is busy separating the arenas and he is engaged in populism."

2:55 am: Palestinian minister warns that Gaza hospitals' fuel runs out tomorrow

Palestinian Health Minister Mai al-Kaila in Ramallah warned that the fuel stocks to operate the generators of hospitals in the Gaza Strip will run out Thursday. In a statement to the Voice of Palestine radio station, Kaila said the situation inside Gaza hospitals will further worsen once generators stop operating, amid concerns that the power supply will also be cut within hours.

Palestinian Energy Authority Chairman Thafer Melhem earlier told the Voice of Palestine that Gaza’s sole power plant currently has 300,000 liters of fuel, which will run out within 10 to 12 hours. Earlier this week Israel stopped all electricity and water supplies to the already besieged Gaza Strip in response to Hamas’ surprise attack.

2:29 am: Gaza rockets hit four buildings in Sderot

Five rockets fired by Hamas hit buildings in the southern city of Sderot, the municipality said. Two rockets hit an empty school building (schools are closed until Thursday for the moment), one hit a parking lot and the two others hit homes. At least one person was injured.

1:46 am: Denmark offers to evacuate its citizens from Israel, Palestinian territories

The Danish Foreign Ministry estimates that around 1,200 nationals and permanent residents are currently in Israel and another 90 in Palestinian territories. The ministry added that planes will be sent to the region shortly and evacuation will start in the coming days. 

Norwegian Air, in coordination with the Norwegian Foreign Ministry, said it was organizing an extra flight from Tel Aviv to Oslo to evacuate Norwegian citizens and others wishing to leave Israel. The carrier, which also operates direct flights to Tel Aviv from Stockholm and Copenhagen, said on Tuesday it was canceling its flights from those destinations until Dec. 19.

Canada, Germany and Australia are also organizing evacuation flights. Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport is operating but many foreign countries have decided to suspend flights.

1:26 am: Gaza death toll rises to 950

The Hamas-run Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip said that 950 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli airstrikes in the enclave since Saturday. It added in a statement that 5,000 people have been injured.

1:23 am: PayBox yearly limit increased by Bank of Israel to support fundraising initiatives 

Israeli digital wallet PayBox received permission from the Bank of Israel to increase the yearly limit of funds that can be collected or received by an individual through the application from $25,000 to $50,000. The approval was granted temporarily to support fundraising initiatives for residents of the south of Israel and IDF soldiers.

1:11 am: IDF destroys Hamas aircraft detection system 

The IDF said it has destroyed a system established by Hamas to detect Israeli jets in Gaza skies. A report read, "Over the years, Hamas has established a network of high-quality cameras which were hidden inside solar heaters [on rooftops] throughout the Gaza Strip with the aim of identifying and tracking [Israeli] aircrafts."

12:45 am: Israel's death toll passes 1,200

The IDF reported that more than 1,200 people have been killed in Israel since Hamas started its attack on Saturday morning and that Hamas has so far launched more than 5,000 rockets. The IDF retaliated with fire on 2,329 targets in Gaza, including some at sea.

"The moorings in the cities of Khan Yunis and Gaza were attacked with artillery fire from missile ships, helicopter gunships and artillery batteries from land. In addition, naval troops killed a Hamas diver that tried entering Israeli territory from the shores of Gaza," read the statement.

Click here for our most recent updates.

For our previous live coverage, see:

Day 4 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Tuesday, Oct. 10

Day 3 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Monday, Oct. 9

Day 2 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Sunday, Oct. 8

Day 1 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Saturday, Oct. 7