Live updates: What’s happening on Day 8 of the Israel-Hamas war

Israel’s military ordered hundreds of thousands of civilians living in Gaza City to evacuate ahead of a feared Israel ground offensive. The directive came Friday on the heels of what the United Nations said was a warning it received from Israel to evacuate 1.1 million people living in northern Gaza. Palestinians and some Egyptian officials fear that Israel ultimately hopes to push Gaza’s people out through the southern border with Egypt.

Currently:

1. People are scrambling to evacuate northern Gaza even as Hamas told Palestinians to stay home
2. No decision on a ground offensive has been announced, although Israel has been massing troops along the Gaza border
3. An Israeli shell landed in a gathering of international journalists covering clashes on the border in southern Lebanon on Friday, killing one and wounding six
4. The war has claimed at least 3,200 lives since Hamas launched an incursion on Oct. 7
5. United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has assured Israel: “We have your back”

Here’s what’s happening on Day 8 of the latest Israel-Hamas war:

7:32 p.m. EDT

U.S. to send a second carrier strike group to support Israel

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is sending the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower carrier strike group to the Eastern Mediterranean to support Israel, two defense officials told The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss the move ahead of its announcement.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the additional carrier was being sent “as part of our effort to deter hostile actions against Israel or any efforts toward widening this war following Hamas’s attack on Israel.”

The Eisenhower will join the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group, which is already sailing near Israel, to bolster U.S. presence there with a host of destroyers, fighter aircraft and cruisers.

WATCH: Defense Secretary Austin says U.S. will do ‘everything we can’ to support Israel

The Eisenhower deployed from its homeport of Norfolk, Va., Friday. Having two carriers in the region can provide a host of options.

They can disperse and serve as primary command and control operations centers, to cover a wide swath of area. They can conduct information warfare. They can launch and recover E2-Hawkeye surveillance planes that provide early warnings on missile launches, conduct surveillance and manage the airspace.

Both ships carry F-18 fighter jets that could fly intercepts or strike targets. They also have significant capabilities for humanitarian work, including an onboard hospital with medics, surgeons and doctors, and they sail with helicopters that can be used to airlift critical supplies in or victims out.

— By Tara Copp

Hamas says three killed after crossing border between Lebanon and Israel

BEIRUT — Hamas announced early Sunday that three of its members from Lebanon had been killed after crossing the border from Lebanon into Israel and clashing with Israeli forces.

The group said in a statement that its militants had “inflicted losses” before being targeted by Israeli airstrikes.

Since the outbreak of the latest Hamas-Israel war on Oct. 7, there have been sporadic border clashes between Israeli forces and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, a Hamas ally, and with Palestinian armed groups in Lebanon including Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

Monitor says Israel attacked airport in northern Syria

BEIRUT — A Syrian opposition war monitor and a pro-government media outlet say Israel’s military has attacked the international airport of the northern city of Aleppo, putting it out of service.

Al-Watan daily said the Saturday night strike hit the runway of Aleppo airport — putting it out of service just hours after it was fixed following a similar Israeli strike on Thursday.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported that the strike also hit the runway at Aleppo airport.

The attack on Aleppo airport came shortly after a rocket was reportedly fired from Syria into the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights.

On Thursday, Israeli struck the runways in Aleppo and Damascus International Airport. Aleppo was fixed within a day before it was again targeted Saturday.

There was no immediate comment from Israel’s military, which rarely confirms such strikes.

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4:51 p.m. EDT

World Health Organization sends supplies for Gaza

A planeload of World Health Organization supplies has landed at Egypt’s el-Arish airport and is destined for Gaza when humanitarian access across the border is possible, the U.N. said Saturday.

The cache includes enough basic essentials for 300,000 people and enough trauma medicines and materials for 1,200 wounded, the U.N. said in a release. It called for opening the Rafah border crossing immediately to humanitarian deliveries.

“The critically injured, the sick and the vulnerable cannot wait,” the world body said.

Israel says it is striking military targets in Syria

TEL AVIV, Israel — The Israeli military says it is striking targets in Syria after air raid sirens went off in two villages in northern Israel and the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights.

In a statement, the military did not say what set off the sirens. It said it was firing artillery to strike back.

The incident is the latest in a continued flare-up along Israel’s northern border with Lebanon and Syria after an unprecedented attack by Hamas on Israeli communities set off a war with Israel.

Families of Israeli hostages say some of their loved ones need medicine

TEL AVIV, Israel — The relatives of Israelis taken captive by Hamas are demanding Saturday that the militant group allow in medicine to hostages who require it, saying their loved ones are suffering.

“Every day without her medication is torture. She’s being tortured,” said Yifat Zailer, who said her kidnapped 63-year-old aunt has Parkinson’s disease. She was taken along with several other family members, Zailer said.

In its assault on southern Israeli communities, Hamas militants captured dozens of Israelis and some foreign or dual nationals, including children, women and the elderly, dragging them into the Gaza Strip.

Israeli military spokesman Read Adm. Daniel Hagari said Saturday Israel had so far identified 126 captives. Their fate becomes more complicated as Israel continues its bombardment of Gaza.

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3:09 p.m. EDT

France urges Iran and Hezbollah to stay out of conflict

France is urging Iran and Hezbollah to stay out of the war between Israel and Hamas, warning against an escalation of the conflict.

French officials are in contact with Iranian authorities and Hezbollah representatives as well as other regional players, President Emmanuel Macron’s office said Saturday. Macron also spoke with the Israeli and Egyptian leaders. French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna arrived in Tel Aviv on Saturday.

WATCH: Defense Secretary Austin says U.S. has ‘combat capability to deter’ Hezbollah in Lebanon from attacking Israel

France is also working to free French-Israeli citizens held hostage by Hamas and to evacuate French citizens living in Gaza. Seventeen French people have been killed and 15 are missing, according to diplomatic officials.

In France, a total of 65 people have been arrested for antisemitic acts since Hamas attacked Israel a week ago, and 198 people are under investigation for glorifying terrorism or spreading antisemitism online, the interior minister said.

Italy orders return of training mission

ROME — Italy’s Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said in a statement Saturday he has ordered the immediate return to Italy of about 20 officers of the Italian Carabinieri police who were taking part in an Italian training mission in the Palestinian territories.

Crosetto said his decision followed “the deterioration of the situation on the ground.”

The Carabinieri will return to Italy with a flight later Saturday. They were participating in the MIADIT mission in Jericho, West Bank, launched in 2012 and aimed at training members of the Palestinian Security Forces.

“The government has decided to suspend the mission, but we are ready to start again as soon as there are conditions for it,” Crosetto added.

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2:30 p.m. EDT

Germany to start evacuating citizens from Israel

BERLIN — The German army will start evacuating its citizens from Israel with military airplanes. German news agency dpa reported that two A400M military transports were on their way from Germany to Israel on Saturday evening and further flights were planned, according to the German defense ministry.

In recent days, the German government helped with the evacuation of around 2,800 German citizens and their family members from Israel following Hamas’ attack on the country a week ago.

So far, they were predominantly flown out by civilian airplanes or brought across the border to Jordan by buses. German carrier Lufthansa stopped its scheduled flights from Israel at the beginning of the week, but it deployed a limited number of evacuation flights which ended on Saturday.

More than 100,000 residents of Israel hold dual German and Israeli citizenship.

Hezbollah fighter dies during exchange with Israeli troops

BEIRUT — Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group says one of its fighters was killed during an exchange of fire with Israeli troops on Saturday.

Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV identified the dead fighter as Ali Youssef Alaaeddine. It gave no other details, saying his death happened “during the Zionist aggression on south Lebanon today.”

Alaaeddine is the fourth Hezbollah fighter killed since tensions increased along the Lebanon-Israel border following the deadly attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on southern Israel Oct. 7. The war has since claimed at least 3,200 lives.

Erdogan’s son joins pro-Palestinian march in Istanbul

ISTANBUL — The son of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan participated in a large pro-Palestinian march in Istanbul on Saturday. Bilal Erdogan was accompanied by former Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu and former speaker of Turkish parliament Mustafa Sentop.

“Let us make clear our side, we should at least let our feelings be heard,” Erdogan told The Associated Press.

The crowd of over 1,000 people carried Palestinian and Turkish flags while chanting slogans criticizing Israel and the United States.

Speaking to the AP, Sentop said, “Everyone with a conscience, regardless of race or religion, are displaying their sentiments toward this genocide.”

Japanese charter flight with evacuees leaves Israel

TOKYO — Japan’s Foreign Ministry says a Japanese government-arranged charter flight carrying eight Japanese nationals in Israel departed from Tel Aviv and was expected to arrive in Dubai on Sunday.

Fifty-one other Japanese nationals were separately evacuated by South Korea’s military aircraft, along with 163 South Koreans and six Singaporeans.

About 1,250 Japanese nationals were in Israel as of October 2022, according to government data.

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1:03 p.m. EDT

Lebanese state media says Israeli shelling has killed 2 in Chebaa

BEIRUT — Lebanon’s state news agency says Israeli shelling of a Lebanese border village killed a man and his wife.

The shelling occurred during an exchange of fire along Lebanon’s border with Syria’s Israeli-occupied Golan Heights between Hezbollah fighters and Israeli troops.

National News Agency said Khalil Hachem and his wife, Rabad Akoum, were killed in the shelling of the Lebanese border village of Chebaa.

Hezbollah said its fighters struck several Israeli military positions in the disputed Chebaa Farms and Kfar Chouba hills in the afternoon. It added that hours later, Hezbollah gunmen fired rockets and shells toward an Israeli position in the area inflicting damage.

Israeli military announces it is prepared for ‘coordinated’ offensive

JERUSALEM — The Israeli military says it has prepared a “coordinated” offensive in the Gaza Strip involving air, ground and naval forces.

In a statement on its website Saturday night, the army said it is “preparing to implement a wide range of offensive operative plans.”

Israel has ordered roughly half of Gaza’s population to evacuate their homes ahead of an expected ground offensive in response to a brutal cross-border Hamas attack.

Israel has not said when the offensive will begin.

Hamas official says Palestinians will not migrate to Egypt

BEIRUT — A top official with the militant Hamas group says the people of Gaza will not migrate from the strip to Egypt.

In a televised speech Saturday, Ismail Haniyeh said that “all the massacres” will not break the Palestinian people.

“There will be no migration from Gaza to Egypt,” he said, adding that “our decision is to stay in our land.”

Haniyeh said Israel suffered a “strategic strike” and that last week’s attacks by Hamas that have killed more than 2,200 are an indication the end of Israel’s occupation is near.

Haniyeh said the aim of Hamas is to liberate the land and set Palestinian prisoners free, and that the blockade in Gaza be lifted.

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12:14 p.m. EDT

Head of Gaza’s largest hospital says 35,000 people are sheltering in hospital complex

GAZA CITY, Gaza — Medical officials say an estimated 35,000 have crammed into the grounds of Gaza City’s main hospital, seeking refugee ahead of an expected Israeli ground offensive.

Mohammad Abu Selim, general director of Shifa Hospital, confirmed that massive crowds had thronged the building and the courtyard outside. Shifa is the largest hospital in the entire Gaza Strip.

WATCH: Hospitals overwhelmed as Gaza siege intensifies and Israel vows Hamas will ‘be crushed’

“People think this is the only safe space after their homes were destroyed and they were forced to flee,” said Dr. Medhat Abbas, a Health Ministry official. “Gaza City is a frightening scene of devastation.”

The Israeli military has ordered roughly half of Gaza’s population, including all of Gaza City, to evacuate as it prepares to send in ground forces.

Israel has been bombing Gaza for the past week in response to a bloody cross-border Hamas attack that killed over 1,300 Israelis.

30 Turkish citizens have evacuated from Israel, Turkey says

ISTANBUL — The Turkish government says it has successfully evacuated 30 citizens out of Israel.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, speaking to reporter alongside his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry, said the citizens were among roughly 300 people with dual Turkish-Israeli citizenship in Gaza. He reiterated Turkey’s condemnation of “any attack aimed at innocent civilians.”

The Israeli Embassy in Turkey announced on social media Thursday that one Turkish citizen had been killed in Hamas’ attack and that another citizen could not be reached.

Death toll of Romanians in Israel rises to 4

BUCHAREST, Romania — Romania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Saturday that two more Romanian citizens have been killed in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, bringing the total number of Romanians who have died since Hamas attacked Israel a week ago to four.

All four of the deceased held duel Romanian-Israeli citizenship and resided in Israel. The ministry also said Saturday that another duel citizen is missing and that the Romanian Embassy in Tel Aviv is communication with the Israeli authorities over the matter.

Italy says it’s working to free 3 Italians believed held hostage by Hamas

ROME — Italy’s foreign minister says the country is continuing its efforts to free Italian nationals who are among those believed to be held hostage by Hamas following the militant group’s attack on southern Israel last Saturday.

“We’ve done and we’ll do anything possible to free hostages, three of whom are Italian,” Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Saturday at an event in Rome.

Tajani, who visited Israel on Friday, said he met there with the families of the three people who are believed held hostage — a couple and a boy.

“We hope that Israel’s reaction will be proportioned and only hit the sites where Hamas terrorists are hiding or hiding weapons,” Tajani said, adding he hoped that hostages could be freed through the creation of humanitarian corridors.

Nearly 3,000 Swedes, Finns and other Nordic citizens repatriated from Israel

HELSINKI — The foreign ministries of Nordic neighbors Finland and Sweden have repatriated nearly 300 people with evacuation flights from Israel to Helsinki and Stockholm.

Swedish news agency TT said a charter flight from Tel Aviv with around 120 people — mostly Swedes but also Finns and other Nordic nationalities — landed at Stockholm’s Arlanda airport early Saturday.

“I am happy that everyone arrived safely and that our Nordic cooperation works so well,” Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström said in a statement.

Some 149 Finnish citizens were repatriated with a separate evacuation flight from Israel that arrived at Helsinki Airport on Saturday morning, according to Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen.

No further flights are planned, but the Swedish government said in a release that it still “in close contact with other Nordic countries about exit options.”

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11:05 a.m. EDT

Iran’s foreign minister meets with leaders of militant Palestinian groups

BEIRUT — Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian has met with leaders of militant Palestinian groups in Beirut, Hezbollah’s TV station reported.

Al-Manar TV gave no further details about Saturday’s meeting between Amirabdollahian, top Hamas official in exile Saleh Arouri and the leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group Ziad Nakhaleh.

Hamas officials have repeatedly said that last Saturday’s attacks on southern Israel that have killed hundreds of civilians and troops were the work of the Palestinian group and Iran had nothing to do with it.

Hamas officials did not respond to calls from The Associated Press to confirm and give details about the meeting.

Amirabdollahian left Beirut Saturday afternoon following a tour that took him to Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, where Iran enjoys wide influence.

Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah group are allies of Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

Scholz and Netanyahu discuss need to avoid regional involvement in Israel-Hamas war

BERLIN — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has talked again with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the current situation in Israel following last week’s attack by Hamas.

During their phone conversation on Saturday, both leaders “agreed on the need to avoid a regional conflagration and, in particular, the intervention of Hezbollah in the conflict,” the German government said in a statement, adding that Scholz briefed Netanyahu about his latest diplomatic efforts in this regard.

POLL: Most Americans fear broader conflict may arise from war between Israel and Hamas

The German statement said that Netanyahu told Scholz about Israeli efforts to protect civilians in the Gaza Strip which the Israeli leader said were being hindered by Hamas.

Scholz reiterated “Germany’s full solidarity with the people of Israel in these difficult hours and underscored that Germany stands unwaveringly by Israel’s side.”

Thousands turn out in London in support of Palestinians

LONDON — Thousands of demonstrators marched through central London on Saturday to show their support for Palestinians and demand that Israel stop bombing civilians in the Gaza Strip as the latest Israel-Hamas war heightens tensions around the world.

Protesters waving Palestinian flags and chanting “Free Palestine” and “Stop the bombing” crowded into the streets outside the headquarters of the BBC for a 1 1/2-mile (2.4 kilometer) march that was scheduled to end at about 3 p.m. near the prime minister’s residence at 10 Downing Street.

The Metropolitan Police Service deployed more than 1,000 officers to police the event after an increase in both antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents since Hamas militants attacked Israel last weekend.

Police have restricted marchers to a designated route through central London, warning that anyone who strays from it will be arrested. Similar precautions are in place near the Israeli Embassy.

Iran’s Supreme Leader calls Israel-Hamas war ‘symbol a power of Islam’

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Saturday the recent attack on Israel will lead to victory for the Palestinians, the official IRNA news agency reported.

“Part of the currents is indication of incredible power of Islam in Palestine and God willing, the move that began in Palestine will move forward and will be lead to full victory of Palestinians,” he said.

Speaking in a meeting with visiting leader of Nigeria’s Shia community Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky, Khamenei called the ongoing war in Gaza “one of symbols of power of Islam.”

Khamenei urged world of Islam to help the Palestinians.

Earlier on Tuesday Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters, rejected allegations about his country’s role in Hamas’ attacks against Israel and vowed to continue supporting the Palestinian territories.

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10:26 a.m. EDT

Thai death toll in Hamas attack rises to 24

BANGKOK — Officials in Thailand say the death toll of Thai nationals killed in Hamas’ attack in southern Israel has increased to 24, after the Israeli authorities reported three additional fatalities.

Thai Foreign Ministry spokesperson Kanchana Patarachoke said at a press briefing Saturday that the number of known injured Thais has climbed to 16 with the number of those believed held hostage remaining at 16.

The number of victims from Thailand is relatively high because there are about 30,000 Thai workers in Israel, mostly employed as agricultural laborers. Some 5,000 have been working in the area affected by the violence.

The Thai Foreign Ministry says 7,058 nationals have registered for voluntary repatriation back home while 83 have indicated their intention to remain in Israel.

Blinken has sought China’s help to prevent spread of Israel-Hamas war, State Department says

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has called Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to seek China’s help in preventing the Israel-Hamas war from spreading.

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Blinken called Wang on Saturday from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to ask China to use whatever influence it has in the Middle East to keep other countries and groups from entering the conflict.

READ MORE: Blinken calls for protecting civilians as Israel masses ground troops on Gaza border

Miller would not say which countries and groups the U.S. believes Beijing has influence with but China is known to have close trade and political ties with Iran, which in turn supports Hamas and Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement.

Miller declined to characterize Wang’s response, but said the U.S. believes it and China have a shared interest in Middle East stability.

Russian death toll in Israel rises to 16

LONDON — Russia’s embassy in Israel said Saturday that the number of Russian citizens killed since Hamas launched its attacks against Israel a week ago had risen to 16. Eight Russian citizens are missing, according to embassy press secretary Marina Ryazanova.

“According to the Israeli side, as of 13:00 on October 14, the number of dead citizens of the Russian Federation who also had Israeli citizenship increased to 16 people, Ryazanova said. “The updated lists of missing persons provided by the Israeli side include eight Russian citizens.”

At least one Russian citizen is being held hostage in the Gaza Strip, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported.

UN says the past week was the deadliest in the West Bank since 2005

JERUSALEM — The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance, or OCHA, confirmed to The Associated Press that this week was the deadliest in the West Bank since the U.N. started recording in 2005.

In the week since Hamas launched its attack on Israel last Saturday, 54 Palestinians have died in the West Bank with 16 killed on Friday. The U.N. says attacks by Israeli settlers have surged there since the Hamas assault.

French officials in contact with citizens in Gaza, working to ensure their evacuation

PARIS — France is in contact with dozens of French citizens currently in Gaza, and employees of the French Institute of Gaza, in hopes of ensuring their evacuation, a French diplomatic official said Sunday. The French citizens include people who live there as well as those visiting for humanitarian or family reasons.

The official said diplomatic efforts are underway, via the French consulate in Jerusalem and close contacts with Israeli and Egyptian officials. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the discussions, also said it is important for civilian preservations to be spared, in line with international humanitarian law.

France has been working to help locate or liberate French-Israeli citizens believed held hostage by Hamas.

Hezbollah TV reports exchange of fire with Israeli troops

BEIRUT — Hezbollah’s TV station has reported an intense exchange of fire along Lebanon’s border with Israeli positions in a disputed area along the border with Syria’s Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

Al-Manar TV reported that Hezbollah fighters pounded Israeli positions in the Chebaa Farms and Kfar Chouba hills area on Saturday.

READ MORE: Reuters journalist killed by Israeli shelling on Lebanon border that wounds 6 others

It was the latest exchange of shelling between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters since last Saturday following Hamas’ attack on southern Israel.

Israel’s military said that it was striking Lebanon after coming under fire from Hezbollah.

Chebaa Farms was captured by Israel from Syria during the 1967 Mideast war, but Lebanon considers it and the nearby Kfar Chouba hills as Lebanese territories.

The Golan Heights were annexed by Israel in 1981.

Hamas says 9 hostages have been killed in past 24 hours

BEIRUT — The military wing of Hamas says nine hostages including four foreigners were killed over the past 24 hours as a result of the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip.

The Qassam Brigades said Saturday the hostages were killed when Israel’s military bombarded areas where they were being held.

The announcement came a day after the group said 13 hostages it is holding were killed in bombardment, raising the total hostages killed to 22.

The claim could not be independently verified.

Hamas fighters took more than 100 people hostage during last Saturday’s attack on southern Israel and military posts surrounding Gaza.

UNRWA says its shelters in Gaza are ‘not safe anymore’

BEIRUT — The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees is calling on Israeli authorities to protect all civilians sheltering at the agency’s premises across the Gaza strip including those in northern Gaza and Gaza City.

UNRWA said that despite the order to evacuate more than 1 million people from the northern parts of the Gaza Strip and Gaza City to the south, many people — particularly pregnant women, children, older people and people with disabilities — will not be able to flee the area.

“They have no choice and must be protected at all times,” UNRWA said.

UNRWA said its “shelters in Gaza and northern Gaza are not safe anymore. This is unprecedented.”

U.S. embassy in Bahrain temporarily closed after calls for protest

CAIRO — The U.S. Embassy in Bahrain’s capital of Manama said it will close its offices between 3 and 5 p.m. local time on Saturday, following calls for a protest in the area.

“Out of an abundance of caution, the U.S. Embassy will be closed to all personnel,” the embassy wrote on X platform, formerly known as Twitter.

It advised U.S. citizens to avoid the area around its premises, and areas with large crowd.

Egyptian humanitarian aid for Gaza arrives in Sinai

CAIRO — Egyptian charities on Saturday sent over 100 trucks carrying 1,000 tons of humanitarian aid including food and other supplies to the Palestinian people in Gaza, local media reported. The aid will wait in Sinai until a deal is secured with Israel to allow the delivery of aid into the besieged territory.

Foreign ministers from OIC to meet in Saudi Arabia about Israel-Hamas war

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Saudi Arabia called an urgent meeting of foreign ministers from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, a 57-member bloc of Muslim countries. The OIC said in a statement Saturday that the meeting will “address the escalating military situation in Gaza and its environs as well as the deteriorating conditions that endanger the lives of civilians and the overall security and stability of the region.”

The meeting will take place on Wednesday in Jeddah.

Egyptian, German diplomats meet to discuss deteriorating situation in Gaza

CAIRO — Chief diplomats of Egypt and Germany held talks Saturday on the deteriorating “humanitarian and security” situation in Gaza amid ongoing war between Israel and Palestinian militant groups, an Egyptian official said.

Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry received his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock in Cairo for talks that focused on the conflict.

Both officials understand “the necessity of immediate cessation of escalation,” said Ahmed Abu Zaid, spokesman for the Egyptian foreign ministry.

UNICEF calls for immediate cease-fire and humanitarian access into Gaza

BEIRUT — The U.N. children’s agency is calling for an immediate cease-fire and humanitarian access into the Gaza Strip, saying hundreds of thousands of children and their families have started fleeing northern Gaza.

UNICEF said children and families in Gaza have practically run out of food, water, electricity, medicine and safe access to hospitals, following days of hostilities and cuts to all supply routes.

“The situation is catastrophic, with unrelenting bombing and a massive increase in the displacement of children and families. There are no safe places,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.

UNICEF said its staff have continued to respond to the critical needs of children across the Gaza Strip, but access is becoming increasingly difficult and dangerous.

The agency said UNICEF staff will stay in southern Gaza to continue to provide support for children in need.

Hospital patients spent part of the night on the street in Gaza, medical aid group says

CAIRO — Patients and medical staff of Al Awda Hospital in Gaza spent part of their night on the street “with bombs landing in close proximity,” following Israel’s orders to evacuate the facility, the medical aid group Doctors Without Borders said.

Scott Hamilton, a spokesman for the aid group, which is known as MSF, said some of the medical staff and all patients have been moved to another location.

“But the situation remains extremely complicated and chaotic,” he told The Associated Press. “We call on Israel once again to cease the indiscriminate bloodshed, withdraw their ultimatum.”

Rafah crossing to open to allow foreigners to exit, Egyptian officials say

CAIRO — Egyptian officials said the southern Rafah crossing would open later Saturday to allow foreigners to exit.

UNRWA says drinking water for Gaza is a matter of life and death

BEIRUT — The head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees says hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced over the past 12 hours in the Gaza Strip.

Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, warned that the Gaza Strip is running out of clean water and fuel is urgently needed in order to have safe drinking water.

Lazzarini said in statement that more than 2 million people are at risk as water runs out adding that “it has become a matter of life and death.”

READ MORE: Gaza residents struggle to follow Israeli evacuation order amid critical water shortage

Lazzarini said Gaza’s water plant and public water networks have stopped working and people are now forced to use dirty water from wells, increasing risks of waterborne diseases.

“Nearly 1 million people have been displaced in one week alone,” he said adding that at the U.N. base in the southern Gaza Strip — where UNRWA has moved its operations — drinking water is also running out.

He called for lifting the blockade that Israel imposed on Gaza adding that if drinking water is not available, people will start dying of severe dehydration, among them young children, the elderly and women.

Egyptian and Turkish leaders call for end to violence, delivery of aid

CAIRO — President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi of Egypt on Saturday discussed the war between Israel and Palestinian militant groups in Gaza with Turkey’s chief diplomat.

A statement from the Egyptian presidency said el-Sissi and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan agreed that the ongoing escalation threatens the region’s “stability and security, which requires intensive international efforts to immediately cease violence.”

The statement said el-Sissi and Fidan expressed concerns about Israel’s “collective punishment” of the Palestinians in Gaza and called for the delivery of humanitarian aid to the besieged strip.

Find more of our coverage

• Live updates: Day 7
• Live updates: Day 6
• Live updates: Day 5
• Live updates: Day 4
• Live updates: Day 3
• Live updates: Day 2
• Live updates: Day 1