Israel Hamas war live: Netanyahu creates wartime cabinet, vows to ‘crush and destroy’ Hamas as US death toll rises

Previous incursions have caused thousands of civilian casualties. This time could be worse, Richard Hall writes in this analysis:

The El-Naklas travelled to Gaza last week to visit an elderly relative and Ms El-Nakla’s brother, who works as a doctor in Gaza.

They found themselves trapped after militant group Hamas sent fighters across the border and fired thousands of rockets in what it said was a new operation on Saturday.

My colleague Joe Middleton has more:

A 22-year-old Irish-Israeli citizen has been confirmed dead after the Hamas attacks in Israel.

Kim Damti had been attending a music festival near the Gaza border on Saturday when the surprise attack by the Hamas militant group was carried out.

Irish president Michael D Higgins said he heard the news of Ms Damti’s death with the “greatest sadness”.

“The circumstances in which her life was taken, having travelled as she did to attend a music festival, are truly appalling,” he said.

The Israeli army is poised for a ground invasion of Gaza, as the United Nations warned of an unfolding “humanitarian catastrophe” in the besieged Strip.

Over the last few days, the Israeli air force has launched near continual and ferocious bombardments of Gaza, levelling whole neighbourhoods and reducing city blocks to rubble.

Military officials warned that “every option was on the table” in response to the unprecedented attack by Hamas militants who breached the border fence in dozens of locations at the weekend, killing hundreds of people and taking dozens hostage.

Our international correspondent Bel Trew reports:

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu joined with a top political rival on Wednesday to create a wartime cabinet to oversee the fight to avenge the gruesome weekend attack by Hamas militants.

In the sealed-off Gaza Strip, Palestinian suffering mounted as Israeli bombardment demolished neighbourhoods and the only power plant ran out of fuel.

Mr Netanyahu vowed to “crush and destroy” Hamas. “Every Hamas member is a dead man,” he said in a televised address.

The new cabinet establishes a degree of unity after years of bitterly divisive politics and at a time when the Israeli military appears increasingly likely to launch a ground offensive into Gaza. The war has already claimed at least 2,300 lives on both sides.

The Israeli government is under intense public pressure to topple Hamas after its militants stormed through a border fence on Saturday and massacred hundreds of Israelis in their homes, on the streets and at an outdoor music festival.

President Joe Biden on Wednesday said the US is deeply engaged with Israeli officials and providing resources and expertise towards the recovery of the hundreds of hostages taken by Hamas after this past weekend’s terrorist attacks but declined to go into detail, citing operational safety concerns.

“We’re working on every aspect of the hostage crisis in Israel, including deploying experts to advise and assist with recovery efforts,” he said during an event to discuss the White House’s strategy to counter antisemitism alongside Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff.

Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters at the White House’s daily briefing that the government’s count of Americans killed in the attacks current stands at 22, with 17 unaccounted for and thought to be held hostage.

The United Nations Palestinian refugee agency said on Wednesday it was seeking $104m for life-saving aid to Gaza, which has been pounded by Israeli reprisal strikes following attacks by Hamas against Israel.

“UNRWA is urgently seeking US$ 104 million to enable its multi-sectoral humanitarian response over the coming 90 days,” the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said in a statement.

“The requested funds will cover the urgent immediate food, non-food, health, shelter and protection needs of up to 250,000 persons seeking safety in UNRWA shelters across the ravaged Gaza Strip and another 250,000 Palestine refugees within the community.”

UNRWA, which was already facing financial difficulties, said it had enough funding to continue its regular services, including education, healthcare and social protection, across the region until the end of October.

“To keep our life-saving work in Gaza and throughout the region ongoing and to remain a lifeline for millions of Palestine Refugees across the region, I appeal to UNRWA’s donors and partners to scale up their financial support,” said Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of UNRWA.

More than 330,000 people have been displaced since Israel began bombarding the Gaza Strip, the UN said on Thursday.

“The cumulative number of displaced people increased by 30 per cent over the past 24 hours, now totalling 338,934, of whom over two thirds are taking shelter in UNRWA schools,” a statement from United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said.

Gaza’s only power plant has run out of fuel, plunging swathes of the enclave into darkness and threatening its water supply.

It comes as UN officials have said the crowded Strip is effectively “sealed” and no aid was being allowed in – while food and medical supplies are worryingly low.

Israel is pounding the tiny besieged enclave with the heaviest strikes ever recorded, according to Israeli military officials, who told The Independent they had launched an “unprecedented response to an unprecedented attack” from the Hamas militant group.

My colleague Bel Trew reports:

Nets coach Jacque Vaughn said their opponent from Israel still wants to play an exhibition game on Thursday night in Brooklyn, days after the country was attacked by Hamas militants.

Maccabi Ra’anana will be opening a three-game tour against NBA teams. Nets centre Nic Claxton questioned on Wednesday whether the game should be played because of the ongoing war that has already claimed more than 2,300 lives.

“We feel for the players that we’re playing against,” the centre said. “I don’t know if we should be playing the game personally. I don’t think we should be playing the game.”