IDF: Hamas commander who 'directed' October 7 terror attack killed in airstrike

Courtesy of Sammy Nabulsi

The Massachusetts family stranded in Gaza amid the ongoing war between Israeli forces and Hamas terrorists said they continue to struggle to access drinking water, fuel and other resources and are hoping for safety as they await updates from the U.S. government about a possible exit plan.

Abood Okal, Wafa Abuzayda and their 1-year-old son, Yousef, were visiting family in Gaza when Hamas launched its largest attack against Israel on Oct. 7. The family has been in the region since late September, and had intended to return home to Medway, Massachusetts, on Oct. 13 before the violence delayed their plans.

In an audio recording obtained by Fox News Digital, Okal explained that the family ran out of drinking water on Sunday and that a nearby desalination station had run out of fuel needed to power generators. He said they have been roaming the main roads and streets in Rafah City, where they are staying in a single-family home with 40 other people including his sister Haneen and her three kids, in search of trucks or carriages carrying tanks of 1,000 or 2,000 liters of drinking water. Haneen and her children are also Americans.

"Hicimos cola, creo que unas dos horas, para llenar un galón. Intentaron limitar las raciones, así que la nuestra era de un galón. Y esperábamos que eso nos durara para el resto del día de hoy y para la mayor parte de mañana, hasta que pudiéramos encontrar otro lugar del que obtener agua potable", dijo Okal en la grabación creada el lunes.

"Near the eastern side of the city where we're staying, every once in a while we would hear heavy caliber gunfire that we believe is fired from tanks," he continued. "And our biggest fear now is that the ground invasion is imminent near the neighborhoods where we are because we've heard of the reports of both intense artillery shelling, as well as gunfire exchanges, as an invasion is happening or right preceding an invasion. And that's basically what's been happening in northern Gaza."

Okal added, "We're staying hopeful that tonight will be another safe night for us. At this point, we don't care much about how intense the bombing is as long as we come out alive in the morning."

Ahmad Hasaballah/Getty Images

Foreign passport holders were seen entering the Rafah Crossing from Gaza to Egypt Wednesday morning.

These individuals are the first travelers to enter the crossing since the war between Israeli forces and Hamas terrorists began on Oct. 7.

This, after Qatar mediated an agreement between Egypt, Hamas and Israel in coordination with the U.S. to open the Rafah Crossing on Wednesday. The agreement allows foreign passport holders and some critically injured civilians out of Gaza.

It is unclear how long the crossing will remain open.

More than 9,700 people have been killed in Gaza and Israel since Hamas launched its largest attack against Israel in decades on Oct. 7, leading to retaliatory action from Israeli forces . Thousands more have been wounded, and many others have been taken hostage by Hamas and raped, tortured and murdered.

Associated Press y Reuters han contribuido a este informe.

RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP via Getty Images

The Israeli military reported additional casualties inside the Gaza Strip, the day after it said its first two soldiers were killed during its ground invasion against Hamas Tuesday morning, the first such casualties in Gaza since Israel began its ground operations there.

According to Fox News’ Trey Yingst, who is in Israel, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) were hit by an anti-tank guided missile while operating in the northern part of the strip, leaving 10 dead.

Israeli forces entered the second stage of their war with Hamas in what is expected to be a lengthy military operation. Until this week, Israel had largely relied on airstrikes and artillery to retaliate against Hamas' massacre in Israel on Oct. 7.

Military officials have warned that the war will be long and difficult, potentially spanning months or longer.

The IDF began expanded ground operations this week and ground troops are now tasked with clearing out a complex network of Hamas tunnels and other fortified strongholds. IDF says it has attacked 11,000 targets in Gaza Strip since Oct. 7.

"Combined forces of the IDF attacked many terrorist targets throughout the Gaza Strip during the night, including operational headquarters and squads of Hamas terrorists," a translated statement from the IDF Wednesday read.

Fox News' Lawrence Richard and Trey Yingst contributed to this report.

At campuses across the U.S., anti-Israel protesters have organized massive demonstrations since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7. The surge in incidents has been paired with antisemitic rhetoric and violence against Jews, leaving many students feeling unsafe and fearful of attending class.

"So we've had a plethora of incidents happen at UC Berkeley, everything from two physical assaults of students getting physically hurt on campus. We've had professors offering bonus and extra credit to students for attending pro-Hamas rallies. But the most concerning is Jewish student leaders getting an email from administration telling us to avoid certain parts of campus, to avoid showing our faces, to avoid filming these incidents and at these events, due to a fear of our safety," UC Berkeley student Danielle Sobkin said on "FOX & Friends First" Tuesday.

"So what does it mean when administrators are telling me to not be a target, which is leading me to believe that in order to be safe on campus at UC Berkeley, I need to hide my Jewish identity."

Campuses including UC Berkeley have become an increasingly hostile environment and home to some of the most aggressive anti-Israel demonstrations.

Most recently, student groups supporting Palestinians held a national walkout on Wednesday in support of Gaza and to protest U.S. funding of Israel, according to posts by pro-Palestinian student groups on social media.

Fox NewsMadeline Coggins ha contribuido a este informe.

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Nearly three dozen U.S. citizens were killed when Hamas terrorists executed a sneak attack on Israel on Oct. 7, according to the U.S. State Department.

A spokesperson for the State Department confirmed to Fox News Digital that 35 Americans were killed in the attacks.

"At this time, we can confirm the deaths of 35 U.S. citizens who were killed in the October 7 attacks," the spokesperson said, adding that an additional U.S. citizen died as a result of continued violence after the attacks.

As far as the number of Americans who have died in Gaza, the State Department spokesperson said they are not aware of any, but information about U.S. fatalities in Gaza is "extremely limited" because of the situation.

"We extend our deepest condolences to the victims and to the families of all those affected," the spokesperson said on behalf of the department.

Of the 35 U.S. citizens the State Department said have died, 26 have been confirmed.

Fox News' Lawrence Richard and Greg Wehner contributed to this report.

The Ivy League student who allegedly made threats of a mass shooting and antisemitic violence at Cornell University has been criminally charged.

Court documents show that 21-year-old Patrick Dai, a junior at Cornell has been federally charged in connection with the threats following an investigation by the Joint Terrorism Task Force.

"It is concerning, of course, that the threats came from within the campus. It must be particularly frightening for students to think that someone they sat in class with or socialized with could make such threats," said William A. Jacobson, a Clinical Professor of Law and Director of the Securities Law Clinic at Cornell Law School. "I hope that there will be a full and transparent investigation of his connections, if any, to any groups or others who may have known of the threats."

Click here to read Stepheny Price's full article

Ali Rashid al-Nuaimi -- chairman of the Defense, Interior and Foreign Affairs Committee in the United Arab Emirates' (UAE's) Federal National Council -- speaks at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Remembrance Center in Jerusalem during his visit to Israel on February 7, 2022. (Photo by GIL COHEN-MAGEN/AFP via Getty Images)

An Emerati official said on Tuesday that the Abraham Accords will be adhered to, despite the escalating conflict between the Israeli military and Hamas terrorists.

Ali Rashid al-Nuaimi, who serves as Chairman of the Defense, Interior and Foreign Affairs Committee of the United Arab Emirates Federal National Council, made the remarks during an online briefing, according to the European Free Press.

“This is the third war in Gaza. Whenever there is something happening in Gaza, people come to us and ask: ‘What do you think of the Abraham Accords. Are you going to change?’” Nuaimi said.

"The Accords are our future," he explained. "It is not an agreement between two governments but a platform that we believe should transform the region where everyone will enjoy security, stability and prosperity."

"They are part of our history and they should be part of our future," the official added.

Map of attacks against U.S. troops in the Middle East since October 7, as of October 31.

A Pentagon official announced that U.S. troops in the Middle East have been attacked at least 27 times since the Israel-Hamas war began.

Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder confirmed the new number at a briefing on Tuesday afternoon. An official told Fox News that the two latest attacks were at Mission Support Site Green Village in Syria. They took place on October 23 and 27.

It was reported on Monday that forces had been attacked 24 times. A 25th incident took place on Tuesday morning, in which drones were launched against Iraq’s Ain al-Asad airbase.

Militants, likely backed by Iran, have been attacking American forces with one-way drones and rockets. One American contractor has died, and at least 24 troops have been injured.

16 of the incidents took place in Iraq, while 11 happened in Syria. Officials say that most of the weapons "failed to reach their targets, thanks to our robust defenses."

Fox News Digital's Liz Friden and Lawrence Richard contributed to this report.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during an event for the launch of the 2023 U.S. Strategy and National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) at the U.S. State Department on October 31, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Secretary of State Antony Blinken will fly to Israel later this week, as the country's war against Hamas terrorists continues.

Spokesperson Matt Miller confirmed the news to Fox News on Tuesday.

“Secretary Blinken will travel to Israel on Friday for meetings with members of the Israeli government, and then will make other stops in the region," he said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Blinken told lawmakers that the U.S. "anticipate[s]" that some humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip will inevitably go to Hamas terrorists.

"Can I promise you in this committee that there'll be 100% delivery to the designated recipients? No, there will inevitably be some spillage," Blinken explained. "We haven't seen it to date, but I think we have to anticipate that. But the overwhelming, overwhelming majority of the assistance thus far is getting to people who need it. And we need more." 

Fox News Digital's Nicholas Kalman and Greg Norman contributed to this report.

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Doron Spielman joined "The Story" on Tuesday afternoon after Hamas commander Ibrahim Biari was killed in a Gaza refugee camp.

Spielman told host Martha MacCallum that Biari was "one of the major architects and executioners of that horrific massacre that took place on October 7th."

"My heart goes out to the civilians [who were killed]. But we have to ask the question, why was this Hamas battalion commander literally operating underneath a civilian area?" Spielman asked. "It goes to show exactly what we're trying to face. They have no concern for the civilians and we're trying to defend our own civilians and eliminate them while trying to minimize when possible damage to their own civilians."

"Unfortunately, the death of any civilian is a reality of war. And we mourn that," he added.

Spielman also disputed claims that there was no fuel in Gaza, which has been under a blockade by the IDF. Hamas has launched 8,000 rockets against Israel's civilian population since the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks.

"This whole time that they're saying there's no fuel in Gaza and there's no aid in Gaza," the spokesperson said. "There's never been a lack of fuel, apparently, for the rockets that they've been sending our direction."

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have killed a Hamas leader who was hiding in a refugee camp in Gaza, according to Israeli officials.

Trey Yingst reported the news live from southern Israel on Tuesday night.

"We are learning more about the strike that took place earlier today on the Jabalia refugee camp," Yingst explained. "The Israelis say that fighter jets targeted the commander of Hamas's central Jabalia battalion. His name [was] Ibrahim Biari, and he was responsible, according to the Israelis, for a number of attacks."

The reporter discussed the news as the Israeli military continued launching airstrikes in the Gaza Strip.

"You can see this area and an explosion there in the distance as I'm giving you this information here...There is some sort of firefight taking place in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, just beneath where those flares are being fired," he added. "We've heard heavy machine gun fire and targeted airstrikes. The Israelis appear to be calling in some air support."

The Israelis have repeatedly warned Palestinians to evacuate the camp in recent days, due to the presence of Hamas operatives there.

Craig Mokhiber retired Tuesday from his role as the director of the New York Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. (United Nations/YouTube)

A high-ranking United Nations official has retired after calling for a one-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict. In his letter, the official wrote on what he called "essential points" regarding the war between Israel and Hamas terrorists.

In what was described as his "last official communication" as the director of the New York Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Craig Mokhiber sent an Oct. 28 letter to Volker Türk of Austria, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, detailing what he believes a "U.N.-norm-based position" on the war would look like.

In what critics are calling comments devoid of historic fact, Mokhiber called for a one-state solution, which could mean the end of the Jewish state.

Click here to read the rest of Kyle Morris's article

Jack Lew, former US Treasury secretary and US ambassador to Israel nominee for US President Joe Biden, during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee nomination hearing in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (Valerie Plesch/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The Senate moved to confirm President Biden's nominee pick for ambassador to Israel, Jack Lew, Tuesday after weeks of Republican opposition.

In a 53 to 43 vote, senators confirmed Lew, who faced mounting Republican opposition to his nomination over his past work on Iran sanctions while he worked as treasurer under the Obama administration in the weeks leading up to the vote.

Every Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee — except Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., — voted against Lew's advancement in the committee earlier this month. 

Click here to read the rest of Jamie Joseph's article

Former Israeli diplomat Shahar Azani appeared on "Outnumbered" on Tuesday afternoon to give his reaction to the United Nations Security Council's highly-criticized response to Hamas terrorists.

The security council is accused of remaining silent towards atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists in its latest war against Israel, which began on the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah on October 7.

"When I look at those images from the United Nations, the very organization that came to be to stand up against that evil and now looks the other way, it's clear to me that that moral compass that it was supposed to be has completely lost its sense of direction," Azani began.

"Why do I feel a special affinity to be on this program with you, Kayleigh?" the former diplomat said to "Outnumbered" co-host Kayleigh McEnany. "Because when I look at the resolution at the UN, 120 states voted not for a cease fire, but to disregard Hamas as evils. We know that the forces of good are outnumbered out there, and it was only the United States and other 13 countries were the one that stood up for moral clarity and against moral hate."

"And even though we are outnumbered, because we have the upper moral hand, I have no doubt that we will win this," he added.

National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby speaks during the daily briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on October 31, 2023. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

During a White House press briefing on Wednesday, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby accused Hamas terrorists of 'putting up obstacles' to prevent Americans from leaving Gaza.

"Why have Americans and foreign nationals still been unable to get out of Gaza, even though aid trucks have been going in?" a reporter asked during the briefing. "Beyond putting blame on Hamas, what more can you say about what's going on here and what the progress is?"

"How about if I just put the blame on Hamas?" the White House official shot back. "I mean, Secretary Blinken talked about this in his hearing this morning."

"I mean, they are they are putting obstacles up to allow us to get folks out," he continued. "It's not Israel. It's not Egypt. It's not places like Jordan...Hamas has been making it difficult to do this."

National Security Council Coordinator For Strategic Communications John Kirby talks to reporters at the White House on October 31, 2023 in Washington, DC.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby denied claims that Israel has genocidal intentions in its war against Hamas during a briefing on Tuesday.

Kirby was answering a question by a journalist who referenced recent remarks by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu recently alluded a biblical story between the Amalekites and Israelites, which some have viewed as genocidal.

"I'm not qualified to speak much on biblical history here, but obviously, I think we've been crystal clear not only there but around the world on our concerns about genocidal behavior by any leader," Kirby began. "And that is not what we're seeing, is real desire to do that."

"They are going after Hamas terrorists, going after leadership that attacked their country October 7th in a gross and in barbaric fashion," he added. "They are not interested in genocidal activity to the people of Gaza."

Kirby acknowledged civilian losses in Gaza, but maintains that it was not the Israeli military's intention to kill innocents.

"We recognize there have been many thousands of casualties...way too many, should be zero. We understand that," he concluded. "But their war aim, as I said earlier, is not to target the innocent civilians of Gaza. Their war aim is to go after Hamas."

NEW YORK, UNITED STATES - 2023/10/11: Governor Kathy Hochul. (Photo by Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Tuesday that a person of interest in relation to threats of a mass shooting and antisemitic violence at Cornell University had been identified by law enforcement. 

"This individual is currently in New York State Police custody for questioning," Hochul wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

"When I met with Cornell students yesterday, I promised them we would do everything possible to find the perpetrator. Public safety is my top priority and I'm committed to combating hate and bias wherever it rears its ugly head," the governor added. 

Earlier Tuesday, Hochul had delivered a message of "solidarity" to New Yorkers a day after she visited Jewish students at Cornell University's Center for Jewish Living who have received online death threats amid the Israel-Hamas war, insisting there is "zero tolerance" for antisemitism, Islamophobia or "hate or any kind." 

In a video, the Democrat announced that she tapped Judge Jonathan Lippman, the former chief judge of the New York State Court of Appeals, to conduct an independent third party review of CUNY [City University of New York] policies and procedures related to antisemitism and discrimination. 

"We will take on the antisemitism we have seen on college campuses. The problem didn't begin with the weeks following October 7th attacks. It's been growing on a number of campuses," she said. "While his assessment will be focused on CUNY, his recommendations will be a roadmap for institutions across the state and the country. My commitment to your safety is unwavering, but we can't do it alone."

Fox News Digital's Danielle Wallace contributed to this update.

Yale Daily News (YDN), the independent student newspaper and oldest college daily in the country, issued an editor's note on a pro-Israel column over claims it made "unsubstantiated claims that Hamas raped women."

An Oct. 12 column by Yale student Sahar Tarak titled, "Is Yalies4Palestine a hage group?" was hit with an editor's note on Oct. 25, reading, "This column has been edited to remove unsubstantiated claims that Hamas raped women and beheaded men." 

Yalies4Palestine es un grupo estudiantil que se describe a sí mismo como "organizador de la comunidad universitaria de Yale para apoyar los derechos humanos y la libertad del pueblo palestino" en su página de Instagram.

The piece by Tartak still contains lines about beheadings by Hamas and condemning the "barbarism" that was carried out by "terrorists from Gaza who seemed intent on killing as many Jews as possible."

"Sí, secuestraron niños", escribió. "Sí, vitorearon todo el tiempo. Está todo en vídeo. Hay más de 1.200 muertos, por no mencionar a los secuestrados y mutilados. Esto es terror, y Hamás es un grupo designado terrorista, como lo califican Estados Unidos, la Unión Europea y decenas de otros países."

There have been multiple reports that Hamas terrorists committed rape during their rampage. Israel released footage of one captured attacker who said they were given permission to rape the corpse of a girl, according to The Times of Israel. NBC News reported on "signs of rape" in videos of the attack presented to journalists last week. Military forensic teams in Israel also said they found signs of torture and rape among the victims, according to Reuters.

Fox News Jeffrey Clark, de Digital, ha contribuido a esta actualización.

WASHINGTON DC, USA - OCTOBER 31: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a United States Senate Committee on Appropriations hearing on Capitol Hill October 31, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Celal Güne/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has admitted to lawmakers Tuesday that "we have to anticipate" some of the humanitarian aid flowing into the Gaza Strip will end up in the hands of the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas. 

Blinken made the remark in front of the Senate Appropriations Committee as he said the U.S. is trying to coordinate 100 trucks of aid per day into the conflict zone this week, arguing that it is the "bare minimum of what is needed." 

"Can I promise you in this committee that there'll be 100% delivery to the designated recipients? No, there will inevitably be some spillage," he said. "We haven't seen it to date, but I think we have to anticipate that. But the overwhelming, overwhelming majority of the assistance thus far is getting to people who need it. And we need more." 

Blinken said so far, the U.S. has gotten up to 50 trucks of aid per day into the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. 

"Before the conflict in Gaza, before Hamas' aggression against Israel and its response, the U.N. and other agencies and other organizations providing relief were sending in between 500 and 800 hundred trucks a day," he said. "Right now, we're up to almost 60. We're trying to get to 100 this week." 

Fox News Greg Norman, de Digital, ha contribuido a esta actualización.

House Speaker Mike Johnson told "Outnumbered" co-host Kayleigh McEnany in a recent interview that he was intending to divert some IRS funding for aid to Israel. 

"Mi intención y mi deseo en el primer borrador de este proyecto de ley es tomar parte del dinero que se ha reservado para construir y abultar el IRS ahora mismo", dijo, y destinarlo a la ayuda a Israel. 

"Tienen unos 67.000 millones de dólares en ese fondo e intentaremos tomar los 14.500 [millones] necesarios para esta necesidad inmediata y urgente", dijo Johnson sobre la guerra en curso entre Israel y Hamás, que comenzó el 7 de octubre después de que los terroristas mataran, secuestraran y agredieran a ciudadanos israelíes, estadounidenses y de otros países en un festival.  

Cuando se le preguntó hasta qué punto estaba "unida" la Conferencia Republicana en cuanto a proporcionar financiación a Israel en sus esfuerzos bélicos, Johnson dijo que el GOP estaba "100 % unido". 

"Espero que los demócratas también lo estén", añadió Johnson. 

Los republicanos de la Cámara de Representantes han presentado un proyecto de ley por el que se conceden 14.300 millones de dólares en ayudas a Israel, al tiempo que se recortan los fondos que el presidente Joe Biden destinó el año pasado al Servicio de Impuestos Internos (IRS).

The 13-page bill released on Monday would completely offset the foreign aid by rescinding those funds from the Inflation Reduction Act passed last year. Specifically, it targets some of the $80 billion the package gave to the IRS.

Se espera que el nuevo Presidente de la Cámara celebre una votación sobre el proyecto de ley de ayuda a Israel el jueves.

Fox News Jeffrey Clark, de Digital, ha contribuido a esta actualización.

Screenshots show Jordan, Cyprus, Lebanon and other countries on the map, but not Israel. (Fox Business)

Chinese companies have removed the name of "Israel" from their online maps, Fox News has confirmed. 

Maps from the companies like Baidu and Alibaba list all the countries around Israel, but no longer name of Israel.

The Wall Street Journal first reported that internet users in China were confused by the missing Jewish state. 

"Baidu’s Chinese language online maps demarcate the internationally recognized borders of Israel, as well as the Palestinian territories, plus key cities, but don’t clearly identify the country by name," the outlet reported. "The same is true with online maps produced by Alibaba’s Amap, where even small nations like Luxembourg are clearly marked. Neither company responded to questions on Monday. It is unclear whether the development is new, though it has been discussed by Chinese internet users since war broke out."

China has a close relationship with Iran, and Iran is a known backer of Hamas. China remains Iran largest trading partner. Over the past several months, the Chinese have bought a record amount of Iranian oil. 

Fox Business' Edward Lawrence contributed to this update.

TOPSHOT - El presidente de Estados Unidos, Joe Biden, se une al primer ministro de Israel para el inicio de la reunión del gabinete de guerra israelí, en Tel Aviv el 18 de octubre de 2023, en medio de los combates en curso entre Israel y el grupo palestino Hamás. El presidente de Estados Unidos, Joe Biden, aterrizó en Tel Aviv el 18 de octubre de 2023, mientras estallaba la ira en Oriente Medio tras la muerte de centenares de personas por el impacto de un cohete en un hospital de Gaza, devastada por la guerra, y Israel y los palestinos se apresuraban a intercambiar culpas. (Foto de MIRIAM ALSTER/POOL/AFP vía Getty Images)

Nearly 2,500 Holocaust survivors and their families wrote a letter to President Biden thanking him for his support of Israel after the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks. 

"We are Holocaust survivors, children of Holocaust survivors, grandchildren of Holocaust survivors, and great grandchildren of Holocaust survivors living in the United States, and we write to thank you for strongly supporting Israel in its time of need," the letter dated Monday states. 

"Holocaust survivors lived through the worst of human capability," the letter continues. "We witnessed the murder of our families, our communities, and the near annihilation of the Jewish people. We chose the United States as our home, rebuilt our lives, and worked tirelessly to share our most painful experiences so the Holocaust would never occur again. We fought for the rights of all people to live in peace."

"Yet, the Jewish people have been massacred again. We are mourning and grieving the loss from the attacks of October 7, 2023, in which Hamas terrorists killed more than 1,400 people and abducted more than 200 innocent civilians in Israel. The trauma runs deep. The terrorists went home to home, family to family, killing and torturing with no regard for human life, just as the Nazis did. 

"But today is different," it concludes. "Today we have Israel. Today we have the United States of America and a President willing to support the State of Israel and denounce antisemitism at home and abroad.Your unwavering affirmation of Israel’s right to defend itself is meaningful to us. President Biden, we thank you, and we need your continued support to ensure that Israel recovers from this tragedy and emerges stronger than before. The United States and Israel have a shared destiny, united in our love for humanity and our belief in a brighter future. Thank you for standing with us and with the people of Israel." 

The letter was signed by 870 holocaust survivors. 

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 26: Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) attends a House Oversight Committee hearing titled "Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena: Implications on National Security, Public Safety, and Government Transparency" on Capitol Hill 26, 2023 in Washington, DC. Several witnesses are testifying about their experience with possible UFO encounters and discussion about a potential covert government program concerning debris from crashed, non-human origin spacecraft. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

A Florida Republican congresswoman is introducing a bipartisan bill to strip the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) of taxpayer funding until the international body condemns the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., on Monday introduced the Stand With Israel Act to withhold U.S. funding to the UNHRC until a resolution is passed condemning Hamas after the group's deadly surprise terrorist attack on Israel on October 7.

"No debería resultar pesado para la ONU, que afirma promover los derechos humanos en todo el mundo, aprobar una resolución que condene lo que pasará a la historia como uno de los atentados más mortíferos contra el pueblo judío", declaró Luna en un comunicado de prensa obtenido en exclusiva por Fox News Digital.

"Estados Unidos no debe financiar el Consejo de Derechos Humanos de la ONU hasta que deje de atacar a nuestro aliado más cercano", afirmó Luna. "La ONU debe condenar inequívocamente el absoluto desprecio de Hamás por la vida humana y el terror que están infligiendo a los israelíes y a los palestinos inocentes que utilizan como escudos humanos."

Luna dijo que hasta que "esta institución no pueda defender derechos humanos objetivos, y no sesgos ideológicos subjetivos, será una lacra para los valores que dice defender."

"La hipocresía de todo esto es que mientras el CDHNU sermonea a Israel sobre defensa, China (uno de sus miembros del CDHNU) está metiendo activamente a musulmanes en campos de concentración", dijo Luna. "Ya es hora de que ahorren al mundo su señalización de virtudes y les desfinanciemos".

La Ley "Stand With Israel" prohíbe que los fondos de los contribuyentes se destinen al CDHNU hasta que tanto el Consejo de Seguridad como la Asamblea General de la ONU adopten una resolución clara de condena de la organización terrorista palestina.

Fox News' Houston Keene and Thomas Phippen contributed to this update.

The World Bank is warning Monday that the prices of oil and other commodities could see "large increases" if the Israel-Hamas war spreads through the Middle East. 

The Washington-based institution said in its October 2023 Commodity Markets Outlook report that despite commodity markets responding "calmly" to the war, "historical precedent" suggests that escalating conflict in the region could substantially disrupt commodity supply. 

"Although neither Israel nor Gaza is a major energy producer, an escalation of the conflict and its spread to the wider region could lead to large increases in the prices of oil and other commodities," the report says. "Historical precedent also indicates this could have destabilizing implications for the global economy. Moreover, spillovers to food prices could exacerbate food insecurity in conflict-afflicted areas in the region and around the world." 

If that happens, depending on the level of impact to the global oil supply, the World Bank says prices per barrel could rise from the 2023 Q4 baseline forecast of $90 a barrel to around $102 in a "small disruption scenario" to as much as $157 a barrel in a "large disruption scenario." 

"These types of disruptions in oil supplies can have a cascading impact on the prices of other commodities – especially natural gas prices, which are even more susceptible to transportation disruptions than oil," the World Bank also says.  

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg attends a press conference in Oslo, on October 31, 2023. (Photo by JAVAD PARSA/NTB/AFP via Getty Images)

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday warned Iran-backed terrorist groups including Hezbollah against taking advantage of the Israel-Hamas war to start a larger conflict in the Middle East.

“It is also important that this war does not escalate into a major regional conflict,” Stoltenberg said in Oslo, where he attended the annual meeting of the Nordic Council.

“The suffering we have seen in recent weeks reminds us once again that we must not give up the work for a lasting, peaceful political solution to the conflict.”

The eight-member regional grouping includes Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, as well as the autonomous areas of the Aland islands, the Faeroe Islands and Greenland.

U.S. forces conducted airstrikes on facilities in eastern Syria last week in response to continued attacks on U.S. troops by Iranian proxies in recent weeks, striking a weapons depot and an ammo storage area believed to be used by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and affiliated groups, a senior U.S. defense official told Fox News' chief national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin.

Los ataques se producen cuando funcionarios del Pentágono han advertido de las posibles consecuencias de la guerra de Israel con Hamás, que podrían aumentar el peligro para las fuerzas estadounidenses, y un alto funcionario de Defensa ha dicho a los periodistas que "ven una perspectiva de escalada mucho más significativa contra las fuerzas y el personal estadounidenses a corto plazo y, seamos claros, el camino conduce de nuevo a Irán", según un informe de Military.com.

The warning came as Israel began its second phase, which saw a number of troops enter Gaza in response to the Hamas terror group's attack on communities in the country's south on Oct. 7 that saw some 1,400 Israelis killed and hundreds taken hostage. While U.S. troops are not directly involved in the conflict, forces carrying out counter-terrorism operations in Iraq and Syria have been put at increased risk, particularly from attacks by Iranian-backed proxies looking to influence U.S. support for Israel.

Fox News Digital's Michael Lee and the Associated Press contributed to this update.

FBI Director Christopher Wray testifies during a Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on October 31, 2023. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)

FBI Director Christopher Wray testified before the Senate Homeland Security Committee on Tuesday, where he said the atrocities committed by Hamas against Israel may inspire attacks against America. 

"The reality is that the terrorism threat has been elevated throughout 2023, but the ongoing war in the Middle East has raised the threat of an attack against Americans in the United States to a whole another level since the horrific terrorist attacks committed by Hamas against innocent people in Israel a few weeks ago," Wray told lawmakers.  

"We assess that the actions of Hamas and its allies will serve as an inspiration, the likes of which we haven't seen since ISIS launched its so-called caliphate several years ago. In just the past few weeks, multiple foreign terrorist organizations have called for attacks against Americans and the West. Al Qaida issued its most specific call to attack the United States in the last five years. ISIS urged its followers to target Jewish communities in the United States and Europe. Hezbollah has publicly expressed its support for Hamas and threatened to attack US interests in the Middle East. And we've seen an increase in attacks on U.S. military bases overseas carried out by militia groups backed by Iran." 

Fox News' David Spunt and Jake Gibson contributed to this update.

US Vice President Kamala Harris speaks with US President Joe Biden during an event in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Monday, Oct. 30, 2023. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Kamala Harris and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak are reportedly to meet and discuss the wars in Ukraine and Israel during the vice president's trip to London this week to attend an artificial intelligence summit. 

Se espera que Harris hable sobre la guerra entre Israel y Hamás y "consulte sobre los próximos pasos en nuestro apoyo a Ucrania" con Sunak durante una visita a Londres a finales de esta semana, informó Reuters el lunes, citando a un funcionario anónimo de la Casa Blanca. 

La reunión se produce días después de la emisión de una entrevista de "60 Minutos" con Harris, en la que el vicepresidente abordó si las fuerzas estadounidenses podrían intervenir sobre el terreno en la Franja de Gaza, donde fueron tomados rehenes estadounidenses durante el ataque de Hamás a Israel del 7 de octubre.

"No tenemos absolutamente ninguna intención ni ningún plan de enviar tropas de combate a Israel o Gaza, y punto", declaró Harris.

La vicepresidenta tiene previsto partir hacia el Reino Unido el martes y regresar el 2 de noviembre, y estará acompañada por su marido, Douglas Emhoff, según su oficina.

Fox News Digital's Danielle Wallace contributed to this update.

Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for missile and drone attacks fired at Israel on Tuesday.

In a video statement, the militants said it was the third such attack and threatened to carry out more strikes "until the Israeli aggression stops," the Associated Press reported.

Earlier this month, a U.S. Navy destroyer in the Red Sea intercepted three cruise missiles and several drones launched toward Israel by the Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen, including its capital, Sanaa. Mysterious projectiles have also struck inside Egypt, near the Israeli border.

Iran has long denied arming the Houthis even as it has been transferring rifles, rocket-propelled grenades, missiles and other weaponry to the Yemeni militia using sea routes. Independent experts, Western nations and United Nations experts have traced components seized aboard other detained vessels back to Iran.

Critics have urged the United States to consider reclassifying the Houthis as a terrorist organization as the Iran-backed group has mounted attacks against Israel and U.S. military assets. 

"In word and in deed, the Houthi’s in Yemen are proving to the world their connectivity to Iran’s axis of resistance and why they should have remained on the U.S. terror list," Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital. 

"Pulling punches and failing to hold Iran and it’s proxies to account, even diplomatically, shows you how far things have devolved," he added. 

Fox News Digital's Peter Aitken and the Associated Press contributed to this update.

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 26: Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks during an unveiling of her portrait at the State Department on September 26, 2023 in Washington, DC. Secretary Clinton joined her predecessors to have their portraits hung at the seventh floor of the State Department. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pushed back on activists demanding a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, saying such an agreement would be a "gift" for the terrorist government.

The former presidential candidate made the remarks during the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy's 30th anniversary event on Thursday. 

"People who are calling for a ceasefire now, don’t understand Hamas," Clinton said, according to The Jerusalem Post. "That is not possible."

She continued, "It would be such a gift to Hamas because they would spend whatever time there was a ceasefire in effect rebuilding their armaments, creating stronger positions to be able to fend off an eventual assault by the Israelis."

Israel has entered its fourth week of war against Hamas after the terrorist group infiltrated the country on Oct. 7, firing thousands of rockets at residential areas and butchering civilians.

As many as 9,900 people have been killed in the war on both sides, including at least 1,400 Israeli civilians and soldiers and 32 Americans. The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry claims more than 8,500 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and 111 in the West Bank. At least 10 Americans are feared to be among the 239 people held captive by Hamas.

Fox News Timothy H.J. Nerozzi, de Digital, ha contribuido a esta actualización.

A Columbia University professor condemned an open letter penned and signed by Columbia and Barnard College professors in support of students who have made anti-Israel statements in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack.

Jennifer La'O, who teaches macroeconomics, took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to condemn the letter. 

"As a @Columbia faculty member, I absolutely do NOT endorse this open letter," she posted. "This letter is a disgrace. I am disheartened and disappointed in my colleagues who have signed this."

Universities across the country, most notably Ivy Leagues colleges, have been ground zero for pro-Palestinian support in the U.S. following the surprise Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel that left at least 1,400 Israeli civilians and soldiers, including 33 Americans, dead. In addition, 239 hostages remain in captivity in Gaza. 

The faculty members published the letter Monday under the title: "An Open Letter from Columbia University and Barnard College Faculty in Defense of Robust Debate About the History and Meaning of the War in Israel/Gaza."

"The most recent devastating violence in Israel and Gaza that began on October 7, 2023 has had very disturbing reverberations on our campus – for all of us, students, faculty, staff, and the larger Columbia community," the letter began. "We write now to express grave concerns about how some of our students are being viciously targeted with doxing, public shaming, surveillance by members of our community, including other students, and reprisals from employers."

The letter calls on every person in the Columbia University community to do more to protect all students in response to "those who label our students anti-Semitic if they express empathy for the lives and dignity of Palestinians, and/or if they signed on to a student-written statement that situated the military action begun on October 7th within the larger context of the occupation of Palestine by Israel."

Fox News Digital's Kendall Tietz contributed to this update.

Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly speaks at the High-Level Dialogue on the Declaration Against Arbitrary Detention in State-to-State Relations, in New York City, September 20, 2023, on the sidelines of the 78th United Nations General Assembly. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

The Canadian government has reportedly attempted to clarify its stance on a "humanitarian truce" in the Israel-Hamas war, just days after the country abstained from a United Nations resolution on the matter. 

Delivering a speech Monday before the Economic Club of Canada in Toronto, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly called for "humanitarian pauses" and a "humanitarian truce" in Gaza, as at least seven Canadian nationals have died, at least two others remain unaccounted for and "could be held hostage," and "400 Canadians are trapped in Gaza." 

"At this point, we need an agreement from all parties to get our foreign nationals out," Joly said Monday, telling a business audience she had been in contact with Israel, Qatar, Egypt and the U.S. nearly every day for the past three weeks. "All hostages must be released, and it is important to allow food, fuel and water in Gaza. And Canada will be reaching out to more countries to join in that call." 

Joly spoke out against the Hamas terrorist attacks, while also recognizing the situation that Palestinian civilians find themselves in.

"We have seen horrific scenes of unspeakable violence as Hamas launched its terrorist attacks against the people of Israel, which Canada unequivocally condemns," Joly said. "What is unfolding in Gaza is also a human tragedy. The humanitarian situation facing the Palestinian people – Palestinian women and children in particular – is dire. 

"And extremist settler attacks continue in the West Bank and must stop," Joly added. "Like all states, of course Israel has a right to defend itself against terrorist attacks. It has an obligation to do so in accordance with international law. For even in crisis, there are principles and even in war, there are rules." 

Fox News Digital's Danielle Wallace contributed to this update.

A Massachusetts family has been stuck in Gaza for weeks amid the ongoing war between Israeli forces and Hamas terrorists, and they are now without adequate resources – including food, water, fuel and connectivity – as they continue to look for a way home.

Abood Okal, Wafa Abuzayda and their 1-year-old son, Yousef, were visiting family in Gaza when Hamas launched its surprise attack against Israel on Oct. 7. The family, which had been in the region since late September, was initially planning to return to their home in Medway, Massachusetts, on Oct. 13.

Sammy Nabulsi, friend and attorney for the family, spoke with Fox News Digital about their situation on the ground in Gaza, which he described as "extremely dangerous and dire," adding that their circumstances continue to worsen each day they remain in the region.

"Currently, the family is staying in a single-family home with 40 other people taking shelter," Nabulsi said. "They're having to sleep on the floor, as they've been doing for a little over two weeks. Their chief concern has been access to water. A couple of times over the last week, they've run out of clean drinking water. They've had to resort to drinking salt water from a well that they have access to."

"Another concern now on top of that is there hasn't been any access to fuel," he continued. "They rely on diesel fuel to pull and pump the well water, which is just the running water that they have at this home, and also to filter it, which they've been unable to do because they've run out of fuel and have no access to any fuel. So there have been days when they've just had to drink salt water, unfiltered salt water, to stay hydrated."

La Universidad de California-Davis aún no ha completado su investigación sobre un miembro del profesorado supuestamente vinculado a una cuenta de redes sociales que amenazó violentamente a "periodistas sionistas" y a sus hijos a principios de este mes.

Un portavoz de la universidad dijo el lunes a Fox News Digital que facilitaría información actualizada cuando hubiera noticias que anunciar.

Una cuenta afiliada a una profesora de la Universidad de California-Davis llamada Jemma Decristo publicó el 10 de octubre en X: "Un grupo de personas a las que tenemos fácil acceso en Estados Unidos son todos esos periodistas sionistas que difunden propaganda y desinformación... tienen casas con direcciones, hijos en la escuela... pueden temer a sus jefes, pero deberían temernos más a nosotros". El post terminaba con emojis que representaban un cuchillo, un hacha y gotas de sangre. 

Desde entonces, la cuenta se ha vuelto privada, y la biografía de Decristo en la página de la UC-Davis está inactiva. Decristo ha sido profesora adjunta de Estudios Americanos y Estudios Afroamericanos en la universidad, según Forward. 

El 19 de octubre, el rector Gary S. May emitió un comunicado en el que manifestaba su total desacuerdo con los comentarios y explicaba cómo estaba procediendo la universidad.

"Condeno absolutamente las publicaciones atribuidas a un miembro de la facultad de UC Davis que aparecieron recientemente en la plataforma de medios sociales X", escribió. "Los comentarios me parecen repugnantes en todos los sentidos, y estoy en total desacuerdo con ellos. UC Davis rechaza toda forma de violencia y discriminación, ya que son antitéticas a los valores de nuestra universidad. Nos esforzamos por fomentar un clima de equidad y justicia basado en la comprensión y el respeto mutuos de todos los miembros de la comunidad."

Continuó diciendo que cuando la universidad recibe una denuncia de que un miembro del profesorado ha incurrido en mala conducta, el asunto se revisa internamente como una cuestión confidencial de personal.

"Algunos se han preguntado por qué este miembro del profesorado sigue empleado en UC Davis", añadió May entonces. "El sistema de la Universidad de California cuenta con procedimientos específicos para la revisión de las denuncias de mala conducta del profesorado, en consonancia con las políticas y los estatutos de toda la universidad. El estado de las denuncias presentadas contra miembros del profesorado son asuntos confidenciales de personal, por lo que no podemos comentar públicamente los pasos que estamos dando."

Fox News David Rutz, de Digital, ha contribuido a esta actualización.

Mosab Hassan Yousef, cuyo padre es uno de los dirigentes fundadores de Hamás, se unió el martes a "Fox & Friends" y pidió a Estados Unidos que instara a Egipto a abrir sus fronteras a los refugiados palestinos.

"Tenemos que presionar de algún modo al gobierno egipcio para que abra la frontera y los gazatíes puedan marcharse sin más", declaró Yousef. 

"En lugar de que las Naciones Unidas culpen a todo el mundo y digan 'crisis humanitaria', deberían permitir la evacuación de los civiles. Egipto tiene que abrir las fronteras. Estados Unidos debe presionar, ejercer una tremenda presión sobre el gobierno egipcio para que abra la frontera". 

Por el paso fronterizo de Rafah ha pasado una ayuda humanitaria limitada a Gaza, pero Egipto se ha negado hasta ahora a acoger a refugiados palestinos. 

Egipto teme desde hace tiempo que Israel quiera forzar una expulsión permanente de los palestinos a su territorio, como ocurrió durante la guerra que rodeó la independencia de Israel. Egipto gobernó Gaza entre 1948 y 1967, cuando Israel capturó el territorio, junto con Cisjordania y Jerusalén oriental. La inmensa mayoría de la población de Gaza son descendientes de refugiados palestinos desarraigados de lo que hoy es Israel.

El presidente de Egipto, Abdel Fattah El-Sissi, ha declarado que una afluencia masiva de refugiados de Gaza eliminaría la causa nacionalista palestina. También supondría el riesgo de llevar militantes al Sinaí, donde podrían lanzar ataques contra Israel, ha dicho. Eso pondría en peligro el tratado de paz de 1979 entre ambos países. Propuso que, en su lugar, Israel alojara a los palestinos en el desierto del Néguev, vecino de la franja de Gaza, hasta que pusiera fin a sus operaciones militares.

Associated Press ha contribuido a esta actualización.

El ejército israelí logró liberar el lunes a una soldado que había sido secuestrada por Hamás durante su ataque del 7 de octubre contra Israel.

La soldado Ori Megidish, de 19 años, fue liberada de su cautiverio por la noche durante la operación terrestre en curso. Había sido secuestrada en la base de Nahal Oz el 7 de octubre.

"La soldado fue examinada médicamente, su estado es bueno y se reunió con su familia", dijeron las Fuerzas de Defensa israelíes en un comunicado.

Megidish fue una de las casi 240 personas tomadas como rehenes en el atentado del 7 de octubre.

El primer ministro israelí, Benjamin Netanyahu, elogió a las FDI por liberar Megidish. 

"Felicito a la ASI y a las FDI por este importante y conmovedor logro, que expresa nuestro compromiso de lograr la liberación de todos los rehenes. Todo el pueblo de Israel saluda a la ASI y a las FDI", declaró. 

"A los terroristas de Hamás y del ISIS les digo: sois monstruos. Seguiremos persiguiéndoos. Seguiremos cazándoos. Os golpearemos hasta que caigáis a nuestros pies".

Fox News Anders Hagstrom, de Digital, ha contribuido a esta actualización.

Fuerzas militares israelíes operan cerca de la frontera entre Israel y Gaza, en Israel, 31 de octubre de 2023. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

El ejército israelí anunció el martes que otros 300 objetivos de Hamás han sido atacados en la Franja de Gaza durante el último día, mientras las tropas sobre el terreno "libraron varios combates con escuadrones terroristas que dispararon misiles antitanque o ametralladoras contra las fuerzas". 

El portavoz de las Fuerzas de Defensa de Israel, Jonathan Conricus, dijo que la actividad militar en curso en el norte de Gaza se centra en "el centro de gravedad de Hamás." 

"Estamos persiguiendo a sus comandantes. Estamos atacando sus infraestructuras y siempre que hay algún objetivo potente relacionado con Hamás, lo atacamos", dijo. "Ahora lo hacemos con profesionalidad. Hamás es el enemigo, no la población civil". 

La Fuerza Aérea israelí dijo en un tuit el martes que las FDI han "atacado unos 300 objetivos durante el último día, entre ellos pozos de posiciones antitanque y de lanzamiento de cohetes, pozos de túneles y recintos militares de la organización terrorista Hamás." 

"Durante las actividades de las fuerzas terrestres, las fuerzas libraron varios combates con escuadrones terroristas que dispararon misiles antitanque o ametralladoras contra las fuerzas", continuó. "Las fuerzas eliminaron a los terroristas y dirigieron a las fuerzas aéreas para destruir objetivos e infraestructuras terroristas en tiempo real". 

"Aviones de combate de la Fuerza Aérea atacaron hace poco las infraestructuras de la organización terrorista Hezbolá en el territorio de Líbano", dijo también, señalando que "armas, posiciones y sitios utilizados por la organización fueron destruidos." 

Fox NewsGreg Norman ha contribuido a esta actualización.

Se ven numerosos tanques israelíes reunidos en el sur de Israel mientras Israel dice que está ampliando sus operaciones militares en Gaza. 30 de octubre de 2023. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

El general de división israelí Yaron FInkelman, jefe del Mando Sur, dijo a las tropas que combaten en la Franja de Gaza que no puede haber "otro resultado que la victoria." 

Las FDI difundieron un mensaje de audio de Finkelman en el que decía que Israel está lanzando un ataque contra Hamás y los grupos terroristas palestinos en la franja, informó el Times of Israel.

"Nuestro objetivo es uno: la victoria. No importa lo larga que sea la lucha, lo difícil que sea, no hay otro resultado que la victoria", dijo Finkelman.

"Lucharemos con profesionalidad y fuerza a la luz de los valores de las FDI en los que nos educaron. El principal de ellos es atenerse a la misión y luchar por la victoria", continuó. 

"Lucharemos en los callejones, lucharemos en los túneles, lucharemos donde sea necesario. Golpearemos al terrible enemigo que se alza ante nosotros.

"Mis hermanos combatientes, los habitantes de Be'eri, Sderot, Nir Oz, Kfar Aza y las comunidades del Negev occidental, y con ellos toda la nación de Israel, nos están mirando ahora. Como yo, ellos también confían en vosotros y creen en vosotros,. Sois la generación de la victoria", dijo. 

"Ve a tus tareas, golpea al enemigo, cambio y fuera".

Las tropas estadounidenses que operan en Oriente Medio se han enfrentado a un repunte de los atentados en las últimas semanas, una tendencia que podría continuar a medida que Estados Unidos apoye el esfuerzo bélico de Israel contra Hamás.

Las fuerzas estadounidenses llevaron a cabo ataques aéreos contra instalaciones en el este de Siria la semana pasada en respuesta a los continuos ataques contra las tropas estadounidenses por parte de apoderados iraníes en las últimas semanas, atacando un depósito de armas y una zona de almacenamiento de municiones que se cree que utilizan los Cuerpos de la Guardia Revolucionaria Islámica de Irán y grupos afiliados, dijo un alto funcionario de defensa estadounidense a la corresponsal jefe de seguridad nacional Jennifer Griffin, de Fox News.

Los ataques se producen cuando funcionarios del Pentágono han advertido de las posibles consecuencias de la guerra de Israel con Hamás, que podrían aumentar el peligro para las fuerzas estadounidenses, y un alto funcionario de Defensa ha dicho a los periodistas que "ven una perspectiva de escalada mucho más significativa contra las fuerzas y el personal estadounidenses a corto plazo y, seamos claros, el camino conduce de nuevo a Irán", según un informe de Military.com.

La advertencia se produjo cuando Israel inició su segunda fase, en la que varias tropas entraron en Gaza en respuesta al ataque del grupo terrorista Hamás contra comunidades del sur del país el 7 de octubre, en el que murieron unos 1.400 israelíes y cientos fueron tomados como rehenes. Aunque las tropas estadounidenses no participan directamente en el conflicto, las fuerzas que llevan a cabo operaciones antiterroristas en Irak y Siria se han visto expuestas a un mayor riesgo, sobre todo por los ataques de apoderados respaldados por Irán que pretenden influir en el apoyo estadounidense a Israel.

Fox News Michael Lee, de Digital, ha contribuido a esta actualización.

El primer ministro israelí, Benjamin Netanyahu, habla durante una rueda de prensa en Tel Aviv, Israel, el sábado 28 de octubre.

El primer ministro israelí, Netanyahu, rechazó rotundamente las peticiones de alto el fuego en declaraciones a la prensa el lunes.

Netanyahu comparó la masacre del 7 de octubre perpetrada por Hamás con los atentados de Pearl Harbor y del 11-S contra Estados Unidos, y afirmó que Israel tiene la misma justificación para tomar represalias contra los terroristas de Hamás en Gaza. Continuó diciendo que Israel continuará su guerra contra Hamás "hasta la victoria".

"Los llamamientos a un alto el fuego son llamamientos a Israel para que se rinda a Hamás, para que se rinda al terrorismo, para que se rinda a la barbarie. Eso no ocurrirá", dijo Netanyahu.

"Señoras y señores, la Biblia dice que hay un tiempo para la paz y un tiempo para la guerra. Éste es tiempo de guerra. Una guerra por nuestro futuro común", continuó. "Hoy trazamos una línea entre las fuerzas de la civilización y las fuerzas de la barbarie. Es hora de que cada uno decida cuál es su posición. Israel se enfrentará a las fuerzas de la barbarie hasta la victoria. Espero y rezo para que las naciones civilizadas de todo el mundo respalden esta lucha."

Las fuerzas israelíes entraron esta semana en la segunda fase de su conflicto con Hamás, ampliando considerablemente las operaciones terrestres dentro de la franja de Gaza. Los oficiales militares han advertido de que la guerra será larga y difícil.

Fox NewsAnders Hagstrom ha contribuido a esta actualización.

El director de una agencia de las Naciones Unidas dijo durante una reunión de emergencia celebrada el lunes que "un alto el fuego humanitario inmediato se ha convertido en una cuestión de vida o muerte para millones de personas".

Philippe Lazzarini, Comisionado General del Organismo de Obras Públicas y Socorro de las Naciones Unidas para los Refugiados de Palestina en el Cercano Oriente (OOPS), advirtió contra nuevos combates en Gaza, donde las fuerzas israelíes están lanzando una invasión terrestre para eliminar a Hamás, que gobierna el territorio.

Lazzarini advirtió a Israel contra el "castigo colectivo" a los palestinos y dijo que una nueva ruptura del orden civil tras el saqueo de los almacenes de la agencia por palestinos en busca de alimentos y otras ayudas "hará extremadamente difícil, si no imposible, que la mayor agencia de la ONU en Gaza siga funcionando."

Lazzarini, flanqueado por el director de la agencia de la ONU para la infancia, UNICEF, y por un alto funcionario humanitario de la ONU, ofreció sesiones informativas al Consejo de Seguridad, en las que los funcionarios describieron un panorama desolador de la situación humanitaria en Gaza tras el desplazamiento de más de un millón de personas. La reunión se celebra 23 días después de los ataques sorpresa de Hamás del 7 de octubre en Israel, en los que murieron más de 1.400 personas.

Según el Ministerio de Sanidad de Gaza, dirigido por Hamás, más de 8.300 civiles han muerto y decenas de miles han resultado heridos desde que Israel lanzó acciones militares de represalia destinadas a "destruir" a Hamás.

La directora ejecutiva de UNICEF, Catherine Russell, declaró que entre los muertos hay más de 3.400 niños, y añadió que más de 6.300 han resultado heridos.

"Esto significa que más de 420 niños mueren o resultan heridos en Gaza cada día, una cifra que debería sacudirnos hasta lo más profundo", afirmó.

Las fuerzas estadounidenses en el oeste de Irak fueron blanco de otro ataque con aviones no tripulados la madrugada del martes, según un informe, lo que supone el último de una serie de ataques contra tropas estadounidenses en Oriente Próximo, mientras prosigue la guerra entre Israel y Hamás.

Se utilizaron dos aviones no tripulados armados contra la base aérea iraquí de Ain al-Asad, informó Reuters citando a una fuente de seguridad y a una fuente gubernamental. La base alberga tropas internacionales que ayudan a Irak a derrotar al grupo terrorista denominado Daesh, o Estado Islámico. No se informó de víctimas ni de daños.

El ataque del martes sería el 25º contra fuerzas estadounidenses en Irak y Siria desde el 17 de octubre. Los ataques han incluido una mezcla de aviones teledirigidos y cohetes, con el resultado de la muerte de un contratista estadounidense y 24 soldados heridos, según funcionarios de defensa estadounidenses.

Los ataques han aumentado en las últimas semanas, mientras el presidente Biden y otros altos dirigentes siguen expresando su apoyo a Israel y a su derecho a defenderse después de que uno de los peores atentados terroristas de las últimas décadas dejara más de 1.400 muertos, entre ellos 34 estadounidenses.

Según Reuters, un grupo denominado "Resistencia Islámica en Irak" respaldó el ataque, que tuvo lugar menos de 24 horas después de otro ataque con misiles desde la misma base en Irak.

El lunes, cinco cohetes cayeron a un kilómetro y medio de la base aérea de Al Asad.

No se informó de heridos entre los soldados estadounidenses ni en la base. Las fuerzas de la coalición tampoco resultaron heridas.

Fox NewsLawrence Richard ha contribuido a este informe.

Las fuerzas israelíes dicen haber eliminado a Nassim Abu Ajina, comandante del batallón Beit Lahia de la división norte de Hamás. (Fuerzas de Defensa de Israel)

Las Fuerzas de Defensa Israelíes y la Autoridad Israelí de Valores afirmaron que las tropas mataron a Nasim Abu Ajina, el comandante de Hamás que, según dicen, dirigió parte de la matanza del 7 de octubre en el kibutz de Erez y el moshav Netiv HaAsara.

"Ayer, basándose en información de inteligencia de las FDI y la ASI, aviones de combate de las FDI atacaron al comandante del batallón Beit Lahia de la Brigada Norte de Hamás, Nasim Abu Ajina, que dirigió la matanza del 7 de octubre en el kibutz Erez y el moshav Netiv HaAsara", dijeron las FDI y la ASI en una declaración conjunta. "En el pasado, Abu Ajina dirigió la Brigada Aérea de Hamás y participó en el desarrollo de los vehículos aéreos no tripulados y los parapentes de la organización terrorista".

"Su eliminación perjudica significativamente los esfuerzos de la organización terrorista Hamás por perturbar las actividades terrestres de las FDI", añade el comunicado.

Más de 9.400 personas han muerto en Gaza e Israel desde que Hamás lanzó el 7 de octubre su mayor ataque contra Israel en décadas, lo que provocó la acción de represalia de las fuerzas israelíes. Miles más han resultado heridas, y muchas otras han sido tomadas como rehenes por Hamás y violadas, torturadas y asesinadas.