Israel-Hamas War Live Updates: Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to “crush” Hamas
Israel-Hamas War Live Updates:
Amid growing international pressure for a ceasefire, Israel said it was pounding Gaza with “significant” strikes after cutting it in two. A military spokesperson said that the Israeli troops had surrounded the main city in Gaza.
“They reached the coast in the southern part of Gaza City and they encircled Gaza City,” army spokesperson Daniel Hagari said.
The strikes came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu again vowed that “there won’t be a ceasefire until the hostages are returned”.
“We will simply continue until we win. We have no alternative,” he said.
The war began when Hamas launched a surprise attack on southern Israel on October 7 and killed 1,400 people.
Over 9,700 people — mostly children and women — have reportedly died since Israel started its offensive in retaliation for the Hamas rampage.
Here are the live updates on the Israel-Hamas war:
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Lebanese authorities have said that an Israeli strike on a car in the south of the country has killed three children and their grandmother.
Israel’s chief military spokesperson, however, said the military had attacked “terrorist targets of Hezbollah in southern Lebanon” in response to a missile attack against tanks that killed an Israeli citizen.
Hezbollah said it responded by firing rockets at the town of Kiryat Shmona in northern Israel. The Iran-backed group also said it would never tolerate attacks on civilians and its response would be “firm and strong”.
Pope Francis has joined the calls for peace. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he said that he continued to think about the “serious situation” in Palestine and in Israel, “where many, many people have lost their lives”.
“In God’s name, I beg you to stop: cease using weapons! I hope that avenues will be pursued so that an escalation of the conflict might be absolutely avoided,” he said on Sunday.
I continue to think about the serious situation in Palestine and in Israel where many, many people have lost their lives. In God’s name, I beg you to stop: cease using weapons! I hope that avenues will be pursued so that an escalation of the conflict might be absolutely avoided.
– Pope Francis (@Pontifex) November 5, 2023
“Let the hostages be freed immediately. Let’s think of the children, of all the children affected by this war, as well as in Ukraine and by other conflicts: this is how their future is being killed. Let us pray that there might be the strength to say, “enough”,” he added.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has remained firm on his position, vowing that “there won’t be a ceasefire until the hostages are returned”.
“We will simply continue until we win. We have no alternative,” he said after meeting Israeli troops.
אין הפסקת אש בלי החזרת החטופים pic.twitter.com/kT9PX8iyMf
– Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) November 5, 2023
He also said that Hamas started a war against Israel “because it wants to kill us all and not because of any argument within us”.
“Hamas was wrong – and will therefore be eliminated,” Mr Netanyahu said.
Israel today pounded Gaza with “significant” strikes with soldiers battling Hamas forces in the besieged territory.
“We have troops on the ground; infantry, armour, combat engineers. They are striking and they are also directing fire from the air,” he said, adding efforts were focused on the “underground infrastructure” network of Hamas tunnels.