Day 36 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Saturday, Nov. 11

Saudi Arabia on Saturday held an emergency summit on the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, with Arab and Muslim leaders calling for an arms embargo against Israel.

Rina Bassist, Ezgi Akin, Beatrice Farhat, Elizabeth Hagedorn, Adam Lucente, Jack Dutton, Jared Szuba and Al-Monitor’s contributors on the ground in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel contributed to this blog.

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Live updates (all times EDT):

Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023

3:30 pm: Netanyahu rejects cease-fire calls, vows to demilitarize Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there will be no cease-fire in Gaza until the roughly 240 hostages taken during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel are released. “There will be no cease-fire without the return of our hostages,” he said during a press conference on Saturday night. 

Netanyahu also vowed to demilitarize Gaza, saying that his country would continue to control security in the Palestinian enclave. “I will not give up security control under any circumstances,” he said, though he rejected Israeli resettlement in the Gaza Strip. "I am saying it in the clearest way possible," he said at the press conference. 

1:45 pm: Israel-Jordan ties, peace treaty tested by Gaza war

As the Israel-Hamas war drags on, Jordan continues to make statements, condemnations and diplomatic gestures. The growing criticism has Israeli diplomats worried about the repercussions of the conflict on the country’s relations with the Hashemite Kingdom, with which it has had a peace treaty for almost 30 years, Rina Bassist reports.

9:30 am: Hezbollah leader says war in Gaza must end if US wants to avoid regional conflict

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said in a speech Saturday that the “aggression and war” in Gaza must end if the United States wants to prevent the conflict from turning into a regional war. His comments came amid increasing clashes between Israeli forces and the Iran-backed Lebanese armed group along Israel’s northern border. 

Nasrallah also called on Islamic nations to turn up the pressure on the United States to stop what he described as Israeli aggression against Palestinians in Gaza. 

The Hezbollah leader’s speech was his second since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel and the ensuing war between the Jewish state and the Gaza-based militant group.

The speech also coincided with an ongoing emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Riyadh. Calling on the leaders in attendance to form a united front against Israel and the United States, Nasrallah said, “If you are unable to stop [the Israeli] attacks, at least ensure the delivery of aid to Gaza.”

7:30 am: Saudi crown prince calls for cessation of military operations in Israel-Hamas war

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called for the cessation of military operations in Gaza. Delivering opening remarks at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation summit in Riyadh, the kingdom’s de facto ruler also said humanitarian corridors must immediately be set up for the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, which is under Israeli blockade. “We hold the Israeli occupation forces and authorities responsible for the crimes against the Palestinian people,” he said.

7:00 am:  Iranian president arrives in Riyadh for OIC summit

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi arrived in Riyadh to attend a major summit on the Israel-Hamas war. The trip marks Raisi's first visit to Saudi Arabia since the two states normalized ties earlier this year under a China-brokered agreement.

Dozens of regional leaders traveled to Riyadh for a combined emergency meeting of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, including Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

4:00 am: IDF strikes Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon 

The Israel Defense Forces struck several positions in southern Lebanon using air power and artillery, IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari said Saturday. Hagari identified the targets as “infrastructure” sites used by Hezbollah, including a rocket launcher in southern Lebanon. The Israeli strikes came a day after a series of Hezbollah missile attacks against northern Israel. 

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