Day 42 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Friday, Nov. 17

Regional spillover from the fighting in the Gaza Strip has seen a spike in attacks on US forces in Iraq and Syria and ongoing Israeli raids in the West Bank.

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):

Friday, Nov. 17, 2023

4:30 pm: Tensions erupt at Turkey’s Erdogan presser in Germany over Gaza war

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Berlin visit was aimed at deepening bilateral cooperation, finalizing defense deals and shoring up trade between Turkey and Germany. But at the press conference on Friday while standing next to his counterpart Olaf Scholz, the visit took a tense turn as the Turkish leader lashed out at a German reporter over the war in Gaza, Ezgi Akin reports from Ankara.

12:01 pm: US blames Iran-backed militia for Iraq, Syria attacks, issues new sanctions

The US Treasury Department placed economic sanctions on six people affiliated with the Iran-backed Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah (KH) on Thursday for ongoing rocket and drone attacks on US bases in Iraq and Syria amid Israel’s war in Gaza.

“Trained, funded and supported by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Force-Quds Force (IRGC-QF), KH is behind a spate of recent attacks against the United States and partners in Iraq and Syria,” the Treasury said in a press release.

Washington also designated another Iran-backed Iraqi militia, Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada, and its leader, Hashim Finyan Rahim al-Saraji, for allegedly having planned and been involved in attacks on US personnel in Iraq and Syria.

11:30 am: Hamas publishes video of hostage, raising concern for medical condition

Hamas published a video showing 86-year-old Arye Zalmanovich, kidnapped by the group on Oct. 7 from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz. Zalmanovich suffers from medical issues, and the video has led watchers to fear for his life. Since Oct. 7, many Israeli media outlets have refused to publish these videos so as not to participate in what Israel calls Hamas’ “psychological war.” Several outlets declined to even report that another video had been released.

9:40 am: Israel says no agreement reached on hostage release

No deal for the release of hostages in Gaza has been reached at this stage, Israel’s national security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi said in a statement on Friday. Addressing journalists, Hanegbi said that Israel would agree to a temporary cease-fire only in exchange for a “massive” release of hostages. Still, Hanegbi said that any cease-fire agreed to as part of such a deal would be “limited and short.”

9:00 am: US Embassy in Turkey sends new security alert amid protests, boycotts

The US Embassy in Ankara issued a new security alert on Friday, stating that US government personnel “have been cautioned to minimize public engagements and movements, not wear US-affiliated clothing, not draw attention to their nationality.”

It’s the second such alert issued by the US government in a month and comes amid growing boycotts and protests in Turkey against US companies, including Starbucks, McDonalds and Coca-Cola, over perceived and unproven backing for Israel's war in Gaza.

“Demonstrations critical of US foreign policy continue alongside calls for boycotts of US businesses, anti-US rhetoric and graffiti, property damage, and some injuries to local employees of certain US-branded businesses,” the embassy said in its alert.

The warning also cautioned US citizens not to travel to the US Consulate in the southern Turkish province of Adana, where the Incirlik air base — home to US troops and the site of recent protests — is located.

8:00 am: Israeli hostage negotiator cuts contact with Hamas

Israeli peace activist and hostage negotiator Gershon Baskin, who played a key role in spearheading back-channel negotiations with Hamas for the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2011, recently cut off communication with his Hamas contacts. Baskin tells Al-Monitor’s Gabrielle Debinski that red lines have been crossed.

7:45 am: Suspected Israeli strikes in Syria target Hezbollah, Iran-backed groups

Syrian air defense systems intercepted a series of Israeli missiles near Damascus on Friday at dawn, government media said. A war monitor reported that the attack targeted Hezbollah and other Iran-linked groups. Beatrice Farhat reports.

6:00 am: Israel to allow two fuel trucks a day to enter Gaza

Israel’s war cabinet has agreed to permit two fuel trucks per day to enter the Gaza Strip for the use of UN agents, an Israeli diplomatic official said. Israel conditioned the authorization on the fuel being used for the good of the civilian population and not reaching Hamas hands.

Far-right ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir objected to the decision of the war cabinet, of which they are not members. Haaretz reported that the move could help advance negotiations for the release of hostages.

5:55 am: Two Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in Hebron

Israeli forces shot and killed two Palestinians near an Israeli checkpoint in the West Bank city of Hebron, the WAFA news agency reported. The Palestinian Ministry of Health identified the two as Mohammed Kamel Abu Meizar and Abdul Rahman Talal Abu Sneina. The Israeli army said its forces had opened fire on two Palestinians in a vehicle driving toward a checkpoint at the northern entrance of Hebron. The incident coincides with a protest held in Hebron in support of Palestinians in Gaza. According to local media, Israeli forces fired tear gas at the crowds.

At least 200 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since fighting between Hamas and Israel broke out in the Gaza Strip following Hamas's Oct. 7 surprise attack on Israel.

4:55 am: Israeli army, Hezbollah exchange fire along Israel-Lebanon border

The Israeli army said it had struck several Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, including a weapons warehouse. Lebanon’s official National News Agency reported Israeli strikes and artillery shelling in several towns and villages in the south. The Iran-backed Hezbollah militia earlier claimed direct hits on Al-Malikiyah, a military site in northern Israel. The Israel-Lebanon border has been the scene of intense exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israeli forces since the Hamas-Israel war erupted on Oct. 7.

3:10 am: Kurdish officials say armed drone targeted Iraqi base housing US forces

An armed drone targeted Iraq’s al-Harir air base, which houses US and international forces near Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan’s counterterrorism service said in a statement on Friday. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of pro-Iranian Iraqi Shiite armed groups, claimed responsibility for the attack. US bases and positions in Iraq and Syria have come under increasing attacks by Iran-backed groups since Oct. 7. The United States has launched three aerial strikes in less than three weeks on positions in Syria linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

1:56 am: Israeli drone strike kills three Palestinians in Jenin

At least three Palestinians were killed and nine others injured in an Israeli drone strike on the Jenin refugee camp in the northern West Bank, according to the WAFA news agency. The Israeli army confirmed that it had carried out an airstrike on the camp, saying it killed several militants. According to WAFA, Israeli forces launched a massive raid on the camp overnight, with bulldozers destroying streets and other buildings inside the camp. Violence has escalated in the West Bank since the Hamas-Israel war broke out on Oct. 7. Adam Lucente reports.

1:00 am: Israeli military in Gaza recovers body of soldier announced dead earlier this week 

Israeli troops recovered the body of IDF soldier Noa Marciano from the Gaza Strip Thursday, three days after announcing she had been killed in Hamas captivity, said IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari. Her body was found in a building adjacent to Al-Shifa hospital. On Monday, Hamas had published a video of Marciano, showing her speaking to the camera four days after being taken hostage on Oct. 7.

On Wednesday, Israeli troops recovered the body of Yehudit Weiss, who had been kidnapped by Hamas from the Be’eri kibbutz.

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