🔴 Live: Death toll tops 800 in Israel, nears 700 in Gaza

A man inspects the damage in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon after a rocket attack from Gaza on October 9, 2023. © AFP

The death toll from the conflict between Israel and Hamas rose to more than 1,400 on Monday, including more than 800 people killed in Israel and 687 in Gaza. Follow our liveblog for all the latest developments. All times are Paris time (GMT+2).

03:30am: Trudeau condemns 'glorification of violence' in protests after Hamas attacked Israel

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other Canadian authorities on Monday condemned demonstrations across Canada by those they said were glorifying violence by supporting Palestinian Islamist group Hamas' attack on Israel.

"The glorification of violence is never acceptable in Canada," he said.

03:24am: Hamas official says Iran and Hezbollah had no role in Israel incursion

A senior Hamas official on Monday said only a small number of top commanders inside Gaza knew about the wide-ranging incursion launched into Israel, but that allies like Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah “will join the battle if Gaza is subjected to a war of annihilation.

03:20am: Pro-Palestinian letter from Harvard students provokes alumni outrage

Prominent Harvard University alumni on Monday denounced a pro-Palestinian statement from students that blamed Israel for violence engulfing the region and urged the university to take action against the signatories.

A coalition of 34 Harvard students organisations said they "hold the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all unfolding violence" following decades of occupation, adding that "the apartheid regime is the only one to blame."

The organisations signing the letter included Muslim and Palestinian support groups plus others named for a variety of backgrounds including the Harvard Jews for Liberation and the African American Resistance Organisation.

02:50am: Politicians condemn pro-Palestinian rally at Sydney Opera House

Australian political leaders on Tuesday condemned pro-Palestinian protesters who rallied at Sydney's Opera House, some throwing flares and chanting anti-Israel insults.

Protesters lit red flares outside the Opera House, shouted antisemitic slogans and carried banners with messages such as "Where there is apartheid resistance is justified."

"There is nothing to celebrate from the loss of innocent lives," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told a radio interviewer the following morning.

02:16am: Military leaders from US, Israel discuss Hamas attack, Pentagon says

US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Charles Brown Jr spoke on Monday with the Chief of the Israeli General Staff Herzi Halevi, the Pentagon said, adding they discussed Hamas' attack and steps to strengthen US military posture in the region.

02:07am: Hundreds in Argentina march for Israel

Hundreds of people took part in a march in support of Israel Monday in the capital of Argentina, which lost at least seven citizens in attacks by militant group Hamas that left hundreds dead.

The march took place at the corner of two streets in Buenos Aires respectively named State of Israel and State of Palestine.

"The only solution is to vacate the Gaza Strip, which originally belongs to the Jewish people," Rafael Yablonosky, a 60-year-old doctor, told AFP at the march.

Argentina is home to Latin America's largest Jewish community, with some 300,000 individuals in a population of about 45 million.

01:01am: In New York, pro-Palestinian demonstrators denounce Israeli government

Hundreds of pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered Monday in the heart of Manhattan, denouncing the Israeli government and demanding that the United States stop supporting its ally in the Middle East, after a massive weekend raid by Palestinian militants into Israel.

With signs reading "Israel go to hell!" and "NYC stands with Gaza," people of all ages stood in front of the Israeli consulate general waving Palestinian flags.

Across the heavily policed street, a pro-Israel group stood behind security barriers hurling insults at the other gathering.

It was the second day in a row that the city had been the scene of tense counter-protests between pro-Palestinian residents and others defending Israel.

12:35am: Palestinian President Abbas expected in Moscow, says Russian media

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to visit Moscow, Russian news media quoted the Palestinian envoy to Moscow as saying late on Monday.

"We are awaiting an official statement from the Kremlin, from the Russian side, about when the visit will take place," Russia's RBC news outlet said, citing Ambassador Abdel Hafiz Nofal as saying.

"An agreement has been reached that Mr. Abbas will come here to Moscow."

12:30am: Saudi prince says working to contain Israel-Gaza fighting

Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler told Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas he was working to prevent "an expansion" of conflict after the surprise Hamas attack on Israel, Saudi state media said early Tuesday.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also told Abbas the Gulf kingdom continued "to stand by the Palestinian people to achieve their legitimate rights to a decent life, achieve their hopes and aspirations, and achieve just and lasting peace," the official Saudi Press Agency reported.

12:18am: 'No intention to put US boots on ground' in Israel-Hamas conflict, says White House 

The United States has no plan to become militarily involved in the conflict between Israel and Hamas after the Palestinian militant group's surprise attack, the White House said Monday.

"There's no intention to put US boots on the ground," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters, adding however that President Joe Biden "will always make sure that we are protecting and defending our national security interest."

Kirby told reporters the White House expects additional security requests from Israel and will try to fulfill those needs as quickly as possible.

23:55pm: Leaders of US, UK, Germany, Italy and France express support for Israel

The leaders of the US, Germany, Britain, France and Italy issued a joint statement on Monday condemning the attacks on Israel by Islamist militant group Hamas and expressed their "steadfast and united support" for Israel.

"Over the coming days, we will remain united and coordinated, together as allies, and as common friends of Israel, to ensure Israel is able to defend itself, and to ultimately set the conditions for a peaceful and integrated Middle East region," said the statement by US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

10:46pm: FRANCE 24 talks to sister of missing Israeli girl

Scores of people are still unaccounted for following the Hamas attack that has left Israel stunned.

We speak to Meitav, who was last in contact her sister on the phone from a party in the south and hasn't been heard from since. Meitav says they have had no contact from Israeli authorities following her sister's disappearance.

10:20pm: At least 11 American citizens killed in Israel, Biden says

US President Joe Biden said on Monday that at least 11 American citizens were among those killed in Israel following this weekend's attacks by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.

10:19pm: US warns Hezbollah not to open new front against Israel

Lebanese militant group Hezbollah should not make the "wrong decision" of opening a second front against Israel as it battles attacks by Hamas, a senior US defense official warned Monday.

"We are deeply concerned about Hezbollah making the wrong decision and choosing to open a second front to this conflict," the official told journalists.

9:59pm: Macron says Germany and France should stand 'shoulder to shoulder' with Israel 

French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted on Monday that Germany and France should stand "shoulder to shoulder" with Israel, calling the "fight against terrorism" a "common cause" between the two countries. 

9:43pm: Hamas will not negotiate over Israeli captives under fire, says spokesman

The spokesman of Hamas' armed wing said on Monday that the group will not negotiate over Israeli captives while "under fire".

The spokesman, Abu Ubaida, also said in a video speech aired on the group's TV channel that Israel should be ready to "pay the price" for the captives' freedom.

9:42pm: Saudi Arabia voices continued support for Palestinians

Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman stressed to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that the kingdom will continue to stand by the Palestinians, and will spare no effort to restore calm and stability to the Palestinian territories.

Read moreCould Hamas’s attack on Israel pose a threat for the region and Saudi-Israeli normalisation?

9:34pm: UK government says it is reviewing financial aid to Palestinians

Britain is reviewing development aid it provides to the Palestinians in the aftermath of the Hamas militant group's weekend attack on Israel, deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden said on Monday.

"We are currently reviewing our aid. It is already the case, though, that we go through a very rigorous process for the sort of aid we provide," Dowden told ITV News.

"It's also very important to appreciate that we shouldn't clump together the Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip who have carried out these attacks and the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian people."

"It's just important to keep those two things separate. But of course, we will look at that aid."

9:28pm: Erdogan says Turkey ready to mediate between Israel, Palestinians

Turkey is ready to act as a mediator to end the conflict between Israel and Palestine if the two parties make such a proposition, including hostage swaps, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday in a press conference following a cabinet meeting in Ankara.

"We believe that there will be no peace in the region without an independent, sovereign Palestine," he said.

Turkey is making necessary preparations to send humanitarian aid to Gaza, he added.

9:17pm: Egypt's Sisi, Saudi crown prince agree 'voice of reason' should prevail in Hamas-Israel conflict

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman agreed that the "voice of reason" should prevail in the ongoing Hamas-Israel war, the Egyptian presidency said on Monday.

Sisi and the crown prince, who discussed the conflicts' developments in a phone call, said the ongoing escalation threatens the region's stability, an Egyptian presidency spokesman said in a statement.

9:06pm: Israel's Netanyahu calls for 'national unity government'

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday called on Israel's opposition to form a government of national unity as the country reeled under a deadly assault by Palestinian militant group Hamas.

"I call on opposition leaders to immediately form an emergency government of national unity without any preconditions," Netanyahu said in a televised speech.

8:48pm: Palestinian president calls on UN to immediately intervene to stop 'ongoing Israeli aggression'

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called on the UN to immediately intervene to prevent the occurrence of a humanitarian catastrophe due to the "ongoing Israeli aggression, especially in Gaza," the official news agency WAFA reported.

8:35pm: Hezbollah fires on north Israel in response to four of its members being killed, two security sources say

Lebanese armed group Hezbollah fired a salvo of rockets into northern Israel in response to at least four of its members being killed in Israeli shelling on Lebanon, two security sources told Reuters.

8:34pm: Death toll rises to more than 800, says Israeli government

The death toll in Israel has surged to more than 800 after a surprise attack by Hamas, while about 150 "prisoners" were being held by the militant group, the Israel government said Monday.

More than 2,600 people were also injured in the assault, according to the latest figures posted by the Israeli government press office on its Facebook page.

8:29pm: Palestinian death toll from Israeli attacks rises to 687, says health ministry

The Palestinian death toll from Israeli attacks on Gaza rose to 687, a spokesman for the health ministry said on Monday.

The spokesman also said in a press conference that 3,726 Palestinians had been wounded. The deaths included 140 children and 105 women, he added.

8:24pm: EU humanitarian aid to Palestinians to continue, says commissioner

A European Commissioner on Monday said EU humanitarian aid to Palestinians will continue, after another commissioner said another type of aid was being reviewed and suspended as a result of Hamas' attack on Israel.

Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarcic said he "most strongly" condemned the attack but "it is imperative to protect civilians."

"EU humanitarian aid to #Palestinians in need will continue as long as needed," he said on social media.

His announcement came after Oliver Varhelyi, the European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, said the Commission was putting its entire portfolio of development aid for Palestinians under review and suspending payments.

8:23pm: Hezbollah says three members killed in Israeli shelling in south Lebanon

Three members of the Iran-backed group Hezbollah were killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon Monday, the group said, as tensions surged after Palestinian militants tried to infiltrate into Israel from Lebanon.

Hezbollah issued three separate statements confirming the death of its members, all of them "martyred as a result of the Zionist aggression on south Lebanon Monday afternoon", the group said.

8:22pm: Child among 14 French missing in Israel after Hamas raids, says foreign ministry

Paris said on Monday that a 12-year-old was among 14 of its nationals missing after Hamas launched deadly raids into Israel, the French foreign ministry said calling the situation "worrying".

"Based on the information we have, we consider it highly likely that some of them have been abducted," the ministry said in a statement, adding that "this number is still subject to change".

8:14pm: Hamas official says group is open to discussions over truce with Israel

A senior Hamas official said the group is open to discussions over a possible truce with Israel, having "achieved its targets."

Moussa Abu Marzouk told Al Jazeera in a phone interview that Hamas was open to "something of that sort" and "all political dialogues" when asked whether the Islamist group is willing to discuss a possible ceasefire.

7:50pm: Ukraine's Zelensky says 'it is in Russia's interests to inflame war in Middle East'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday that it was in Russia's interests to inflame war in the Middle East to weaken global unity.

"Based on available information – very clear information – it is in Russia's interests to inflame war in the Middle East to create a new source of pain and suffering that would weaken global unity, create divisions and help Russia in undermining freedom in Europe," Zelensky said in his nightly video address.

7:35pm: Ireland requests EU to clarify legal basis for suspending aid to Palestine

Ireland on Monday requested the European Commission to clarify the legal basis for the earlier announced suspension of Palestinian aid, following Hamas' attack on Israel.

"Our understanding is that there is no legal basis for a unilateral decision of this kind by an individual Commissioner and we do not support a suspension of aid," a spokesperson for the Irish Foreign Ministry said.

7:34pm: Crossing between Gaza and Sinai disrupted after strike, say sources, witness

Operations at the Rafah crossing on the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula were disrupted on Monday following a strike nearby on the Gaza side, three Egyptian security sources and a witness said.

The border crossing was partially closed following the strike before, two of the security sources said.

7:24pm: Biden to speak to allies about Israel, urges US coordination with regional partners

US President Joe Biden will discuss the situation in Israel with key American allies on Monday, the White House said, adding he directed his team to coordinate with regional partners to warn anyone seeking to take advantage of the situation.

7:14pm: One Russian killed, four missing in Hamas attack on Israel

At least one Russian was killed in the offensive launched by Palestinian Hamas fighters against Israel on Saturday, and four others remain missing, Moscow's embassy in Tel Aviv said Monday.

"According to information received from the Israeli side, a citizen of the Russian Federation is considered dead," the embassy was quoted as saying by Russian press agencies.

7:09pm: March for Israel begins in Paris

A march organised by the CRIF, an umbrella organisation for Jewish groups in France, kicked off in central Paris on Sunday, following attacks by Hamas in recent days. 

FRANCE 24 correspondent Claire Paccalin tweeted live from the ground:

7:08pm: Hamas threatens to kill captives if Israel continues attacks without warning

Hamas's armed wing said on Monday it will begin executing an Israeli civilian captive in return for any new Israeli bombing of civilian houses without prior warning.

Hamas armed wing spokesman Abu Ubaida said they have been acting in accordance with Islamic instructions by keeping the Israeli captives safe and sound, blaming the intended move on Israel's stepped-up bombing and killing of civilians inside their homes in air strikes without warning them.

"Every targeting of our people without warning will be met with the execution of one of the civilian hostages," the Ezzedine al-Qassem Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, said in a statement.

6:43pm: UN chief says 'deeply distressed' by Israeli siege of Gaza

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Monday he was "deeply distressed" by Israel's imposition of a total siege on the Gaza Strip following Hamas' assault on the country.

"The humanitarian situation in Gaza was extremely dire before these hostilities," Guterres told reporters. "Now it will only deteriorate exponentially."

6:38pm: Erdogan urges Israel against 'indiscriminately' attacking Gaza

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday urged Israel against "indiscriminately" attacking civilians in its war with Hamas militants in Gaza.

Erdogan told Israeli President Isaac Herzog by phone that "harming the people of Gaza collectively and indiscriminately would further increase the suffering and the spiral of violence in the region", the Turkish leader's office said in a statement.

6:19pm: Global demonstration of support for victims of Israel-Hamas war

From Nepal to France, people from across the globe have taken to the streets in a show of solidarity for victims of the Israel-Hamas war.

Click on the arrow to the right of the photo to see our slideshow:

6:04pm: Israeli strike on Lebanon kills Hezbollah member, officials say

An Israeli strike on a Lebanese watchtower killed a member of Hezbollah on Monday, two Hezbollah officials said, as bombardment intensified after Palestinian militants tried to infiltrate Israel from Lebanon.

"A member of Hezbollah was martyred in an Israeli strike on a watchtower in south Lebanon in Aita al-Shaab," one of the officials told AFP, with a spokesperson for the group confirming the death.

5:59pm: Turkey's Erdogan discusses Israeli-Palestinian conflict with Abbas, says presidency

Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan spoke to Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas by phone on Monday, the Turkish presidency said.

Erdogan and Abbas discussed the latest developments with Israel and the Palestinians as well as tensions in the region, it said in a post on X.

5:57pm: German, French, US, British leaders to hold talks tonight on Israel, says Chancellor Olaf Scholz

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he is due to hold talks later Monday with the leaders of France, the United States and Britain on the crisis triggered by Hamas's surprise attack on Israel.

"The United States, Britain, France and Germany are united," he said alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, who was visiting the German city of Hamburg for talks.

This "must not be allowed to become a conflagration in the region," he added.

5:41pm: ‘Major escalations’ taking place at Lebanon-Israel border

Israel said on Monday its troops backed by helicopters had killed armed infiltrators entering the country from Lebanon, raising fears war could spread to a second front two days after Hamas gunmen burst in from Gaza on a deadly rampage.

“We have major escalations going on as we speak,” says FRANCE 24 correspondent Rawad Taha, who is based in Beirut. “It’s a very intense situation, many people have already started moved out of the border areas”, he said, “but there is no wide-scale evacuation just yet”.

5:18pm: Norwegian Air cancels its flights to and from Tel Aviv this week

Norwegian Air is cancelling its flights from Copenhagen and Stockholm to Tel Aviv this week and return flights, a spokesman for the company said on Monday.

5:10pm: Swiss flight to repatriate citizens from Israel

Swiss International Air Lines will send a special flight from Zurich to Tel Aviv on Tuesday to repatriate Swiss nationals after the shock Hamas assault on Israel.

An Airbus A321 with 219 seats will leave Tel Aviv at 6:15pm (15:15 GMT) Tuesday, it said in a statement.

"Swiss nationals will thus have the opportunity to return home as soon as possible," the airline said on Monday.

"The flight can only be booked via a special hotline communicated by the foreign ministry to Swiss nationals and travellers in Israel."

5:09pm: Palestinian Al Quds Brigades claim responsibility for attack at Lebanon-Israel border

The Al Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, claimed responsibility for an attack at the Lebanon-Israel border earlier on Monday, saying it was part of  the wider Al-Aqsa Storm operation.

It said seven "zionist soldiers" had been injured in the operation.

4:54pm: UK foreign minister says nobody wants Israeli-Palestinian conflict to spread

British foreign minister James Cleverly said on Monday that regional governments did not want the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to spill out into other parts of the region after the Islamist group Hamas assaulted Israel from Gaza on Saturday.

"I have spoken with representatives of governments around the region, and we all agreed that nobody wants this to spill out into other parts of the region," Cleverly told reporters.

"Israel are very focussed on dealing with a specific terrorist threat from Hamas emanating from Gaza."

4:39pm: Scottish first minister says in-laws 'trapped' in Gaza

Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf on Monday said his wife's parents have been caught up in the aftermath of Hamas's weekend attack on Israel.

Yousaf's wife Nadia El-Nakla is Palestinian and her parents, who live in Dundee, northeast Scotland, were visiting family in Gaza.

"They've been in Gaza and are currently trapped in Gaza, I'm afraid," he told reporters.

"I'm in a situation where, frankly, night by night, day by day, we don't know whether or not my mother-in-law and father-in-law, who have nothing to do, as most Gazans don't, with Hamas or with any terror attack... will make it through the night or not," he said.

He added: "We cannot sleep. We are constantly watching our phones."

4:33pm: Israeli official denies negotiations on prisoner swap

An Israeli official dismissed on Monday reports of a possible prisoner swap between Israel and the Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip.

"There are no negotiations under way," the Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters.

4:22pm: Rocket sirens heard in Jerusalem, says Reuters witness

Rocket sirens were heard in Jerusalem on Monday amid the ongoing fighting between Palestinian factions in Gaza and the Israeli army, a Reuters witness said.

4:20pm: How did Hamas manage to breach Israeli security and what will be the consequences?

Hamas fighters who launched an unprecedented incursion into Israel on Saturday did so at multiple points along the border by ground and by air, "knowing exactly where to go and how to hit" Israeli defences, says FRANCE 24's expert on jihadist movements Wassim Nasr.

FRANCE 24's expert on jihadist movements Wassim Nasr talks about the coordination and planning of Hamas's attack on Israel on Saturday, October 7, 2023. © FRANCE 24

4:06pm: Arab foreign ministers to meet Wednesday on Gaza, says Arab League bloc

Arab League foreign ministers will meet Wednesday to discuss "Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip" following a surprise assault by Hamas on Israel, the regional bloc announced.

The "extraordinary meeting" in Cairo will seek to find "avenues of political action at the Arab and international level", as Israel keeps pounding targets in Gaza following Saturday's attack, Arab League deputy chief Hossam Zaki said in a statement.

3:52pm: How did Israeli intelligence fail to foresee Hamas attack?

Israel’s intelligence services are considered one of the best in the business and masters of electronic surveillance.

But with Hamas’s attack on the country on Saturday requiring massive planning and coordination comprising ground, naval and air operations, the lack of forewarning will be seen as a serious intelligence failure.

3:46pm: 'Currently no chance' of prisoner swap with Israel, says Hamas official

Palestinian Islamist group Hamas is not open to negotiating a prisoner exchange with Israel during hostilities, a member of the militants' political office in Doha said Monday.

"The military operation is still continuing... therefore there is currently no chance for negotiation on the issue of prisoners or anything else," Hossam Badran, a Hamas official, told reporters from Doha.

3:45pm: Eight French nationals killed, missing or hostages in Hamas attack, says MP

At least eight French nationals were missing, dead or taken hostage after Hamas's weekend attack on Israel, a lawmaker said Monday.

But the foreign ministry confirmed the deaths of only two citizens in a statement.

"France regrets the tragic death of a second French national, who fell victim to Hamas's terrorist attacks against Israel," the ministry said.

"We are continuing our efforts to clarify the situations of those of our nationals who remain unaccounted for," it added.

Earlier, conservative MP Meyer Habib, who represents French people living abroad in a swath of Mediterranean countries including Israel, wrote that "at least eight French people are believed to be missing, dead or taken hostage by Hamas" in a post to X (formerly Twitter).

3:44pm: Israeli minister says seeking national unity government 'in coming hours'

A cabinet member from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's conservative Likud party said on Monday that it was working to set up a broad coalition government with opposition leaders "in the coming hours".

The remarks by Culture Minister Miki Zohar to Israel's Army Radio followed offers by the centre-left opposition to join Netanyahu in government as part of the country's closing of ranks as it battles Palestinian Hamas militants in Gaza.

3:37pm: Egypt boosts diplomacy to stop 'escalation' in Gaza, Israel

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, whose country has historically been a key mediator between Israel and the Palestinians, spoke with UAE Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, agreeing to "intensify discussions and diplomatic efforts to stop military escalation", Sisi's spokesman said. 

Abu Dhabi normalised relations with Israel in 2020 under the US-backed Abraham Accords, over four decades after Cairo became the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel in 1979.

On Sunday, Sisi spoke with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, warning of the dangerous "absence of political prospects".

Abbas' government administers the occupied West Bank, while Hamas governs the Gaza Strip.

3:08pm: Israel's El Al lays on more flights to take reservists back to fight

Israel's El Al will run more flights to take reservists back to Israel to help in the largest mobilisation in the country's history following an attack by Hamas militants over the weekend, a spokesperson for the airline said on Monday

Israel said it had called up an unprecedented 300,000 reservists and warned residents of the Gaza Strip to evacuate in a sign it could be planning a ground assault in response.

The El Al spokesperson added that no flights had been cancelled and that many of the airline's planes to and from Israel were full.

2:47pm: EU freezes aid payments to Palestinians 

The European Commission said on Monday it was putting its full portfolio of development aid to Palestinians, worth 691 million euros ($728.66 million), under review and immediately suspending all payments.

"The scale of terror and brutality against Israel and its people is a turning point," Oliver Varhelyi, the European Commissioner for the EU's neighbourhood, said in a post on social media platform X. "There can be no business as usual."

Hamas militants killed 700 Israelis and abducted dozens in the deadliest such incursion since the Yom Kippur war 50 years ago, prompting Israel to retaliate with its heaviest ever bombardment of Gaza, killing more than 400 people.

2:56pm: Israel kills 'a number of armed suspects' who infiltrated from Lebanon, says army

Israeli soldiers backed by helicopters killed at least two gunmen who crossed the border from Lebanon on Monday, the military said, in a sign of a possible new front opening as Israel's forces battled Palestinian Hamas militants in Gaza.

Artillery shelling and gunfire were heard at Lebanon's southern border with Israel, a correspondent for Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV said in a post on social media.

A Hezbollah official said the group had not mounted any operation into Israel.

In a statement, the Israeli military said its soldiers "killed a number of armed suspects that infiltrated into Israeli territory from Lebanese territory". It did not elaborate on the number.

Military helicopters "are currently striking in the area," the statement added.

Israel's Army Radio gave the location as being near Adamit, across from the Lebanese border towns of Aalma El Chaeb and Zahajra.

2:45pm: Nine US citizens confirmed dead in Israel-Gaza violence

The United States confirmed Monday the deaths of nine US citizens in the war between Israel and Hamas with more unaccounted for, amid fears they were taken captive.

"At this time, we can confirm the deaths of nine US citizens," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said.

"We can confirm that there are unaccounted for US citizens, and we are working with our Israeli partners to determine their whereabouts."

2:47pm: Italy fears 'incalculable' regional consequences after attack on Israel

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is calling for a rapid de-escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as its widening would have “incalculable consequences”, her office said on Monday.

Meloni expressed her concerns in a call with Lebanese counterpart Najib Mikati, in which she confirmed Italy’s support for Lebanon’s security and stability “at this delicate juncture”.

Italy is the second-largest contributor to the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (Unifil), with around 1,100 troops out of a total of just under 10,000, according to the mission’s website.

2:36pm: More than 10 Britons feared dead or missing in Israel, says BBC

More than 10 Britons are feared dead or missing in Israel, the BBC reported on Monday, citing an official source.

2:28pm: Netanyahu says Israel's response to Gaza attack will 'change the Middle East'

Israel's response to the unprecedented multi-pronged attack by Palestinian gunmen from the Gaza Strip will "change the Middle East," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday.

He was speaking to mayors of southern border towns hit by the surprise assault that began on Saturday, a statement from his office said. It did not elaborate on his prediction.

2:25pm: 'You can see the destruction': Gaza reels from Israeli air strikes

Gaza residents cleared debris Monday as they counted the cost of a night of unrelenting Israeli strikes on the enclave in retaliation for the surprise attack by Hamas fighters on Israel on Saturday.

The IDF says its forces have so far hit more than 800 targets in Gaza. FRANCE 24 reports.

2:23pm: Major airlines suspend flights to Israel after massive attack by Hamas ignites heavy fighting

Major airlines have suspended flights to Israel after the nation declared war following a massive attack by Hamas. 

American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines suspended service as the US State Department issued travel advisories for the region citing potential for terrorism and civil unrest. 

American suspended service to Tel Aviv through Friday. The airline said that it has issued a travel alert providing additional flexibility for customers whose travel plans are impacted. 

“We continue to monitor the situation with safety and security top of mind and will adjust our operation as needed,” American said.

United said it allowed two scheduled flights out of Tel Aviv late Saturday and early Sunday and accommodated its customers, crews and employee travelers who were at the airport. The airline said that its Tel Aviv flights will remain suspended until conditions improve. 

Delta said its Tel Aviv flights have been canceled into this week. The airline said it's monitoring the situation and making schedule adjustments accordingly. The company said customers with canceled flights or who want to change their Tel Aviv ticket should check the Delta app, website or call Delta reservations to make adjustments. 

2:20pm: Soldiers deployed against possible infiltration from Lebanon, says Israeli military

Israel's military said it deployed troops against a suspected infiltration from Lebanon on Monday.

"A report was received regarding the infiltration of a number of suspects into Israeli territory from Lebanese territory. IDF soldiers are deployed in the area," the military said in a statement.

2:18pm: Death toll in Gaza rises to 560, says health ministry

At least 560 Palestinians have been killed and 2,900 wounded in Israeli air strikes on the blockaded enclave since Saturday, said Gaza's health ministry.

2:00pm: 'They don't care who dies': Israeli and Palestinian supporters rally in New York

Supporters of Israel and backers of the Palestinian cause held competing rallies in several US cities Sunday over the conflict that has killed hundreds and wounded thousands in the Middle East, with some of the largest rallies taking place in New York.

1:58pm: Israeli strikes on Gaza kill four 'prisoners', Hamas says

Israeli air strikes on Gaza have killed four "prisoners" held by Hamas, the Palestinian militant group said on Monday.

"The occupation's bombing last night and today on the Gaza Strip led to the killing of four of the enemy's prisoners," the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, said on its website.

Dozens of people are being held hostage by the militants after their fighters carried out a surprise attack in southern Israel on Saturday morning.

1:42pm: EU to hold emergency talks on Israel

EU foreign ministers will on Tuesday hold urgent talks on the situation in Israel and Gaza after Hamas militants' surprise assault, the bloc's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said.

"I am convening tomorrow an emergency meeting of EU Foreign Ministers to address the situation in Israel and in the region," Borrell wrote in a social media post Monday. 

The EU has strongly condemned the unprecedented attack by the Islamist militants that has sparked a barrage of strikes by Israel on Gaza. 

Peter Stano, a spokesman for Borrell in Brussels, said the EU's executive arm was "reviewing" how the attack by Hamas could potentially impact the EU's current and future financial assistance to the Palestinians.

"Whatever adjustment of the EU position and reaction to what is still going on on the ground will come from that meeting (Tuesday) in form of an agreed EU position," Stano said.  

The bloc, one of the major financial supporters of the Palestinian people, has envisioned spending some €1.2 billion ($1.26 billion) between 2021 and 2024 on schools, hospitals and salaries among other things. 

The European Commission insists that none of the support has gone to fund Hamas or any other militant group.  

1:35pm: Russia says Palestinian state 'most reliable' solution

Russia said Monday that creating a Palestinian state is the "most reliable" solution for peace and that fighting terrorism alone would not ensure security. 

Creating a "Palestinian state that would live side by side with Israel ... is the most reliable path to solve (the conflict)," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. "We cannot agree with those who say that security can only be ensured through a fight with terrorism." 

Lavrov was speaking at a news conference in Moscow alongside Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit.

12:55pm: Clashes between Hamas and the Israeli army

Clashes between Hamas and the Israeli army, October 9, 2023. © Graphics Studio, France Médias Monde

11:35am: No electricity, food, water or gas: Israel orders 'complete' Gaza siege

Israel's Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has ordered a “complete siege” on the Gaza Strip, saying Israeli authorities would cut electricity and block the entry of food, water and fuel.

"We are putting a complete siege on Gaza ... No electricity, no food, no water, no gas – it's all closed," Gallant said in a video statement, referring to the crowded enclave that is home to 2.3 million people.

Gallant said: “We are fighting human animals and we are acting accordingly”, the Times of Israel reported.

11:18am: UAE 'appalled' at Israeli civilian hostages

The United Arab Emirates is "appalled" that Israeli civilians were taken hostage in the Hamas assault near the Gaza Strip, said a foreign ministry statement on Monday. 

The Arab Muslim country, which established relations with Israel in 2020, condemned the attacks and urged "all diplomatic efforts to prevent a wider regional confrontation".

"The ministry stressed that attacks by Hamas against Israeli towns and villages near the Gaza Strip, including the firing of thousands of rockets at population centres, are a serious and grave escalation," said the statement late on Sunday.

"The ministry is appalled by reports that Israeli civilians have been abducted as hostages from their homes."

The statement is notably less neutral than the initial UAE reaction on Saturday, which simply "expressed great concern regarding the escalation of violence between Israelis and Palestinians".

11:15am: Anti-rocket sirens sound in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv

Anti-rocket sirens followed by the sound of blasts were heard Monday in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, according to news reports.

Jerusalem residents report hearing at least one interception over the city, the Times of Israel reported.

10:51am: Israeli forces have re-established control of communities near Gaza

Israeli forces have re-established control of communities near the Gaza Strip that had been overrun in attacks launched by Hamas fighters, but isolated clashes continue as some gunmen remain active, the military spokesperson said on Monday.

10:35am: Hungary to evacuate 110 more people, says foreign minister

Hungary is currently evacuating 110 more people from Israel, bringing the total number of people it has brought out of the country to 325 including 46 children, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said in a Facebook post on Monday.

He said that 15 of the 325 evacuees were foreign citizens, among them Israeli, Swedish, Austrian, German, British and Portuguese nationals. Szijjarto said the latest flight, the third Hungary has organised, was currently en route to Budapest.

10:28am: Iran denies it had role in Hamas attack on Israel

Iran on Monday rejected as unfounded allegations it had a role in the massive assault on Israel by Hamas.

"The accusations linked to an Iranian role ... are based on political reasons," foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani told reporters, adding that Palestinians had "the necessary capacity and will to defend their nation and recover their rights" without any help from Tehran.

10:15am: UN rights council holds silence for victims in Israel, Gaza

The UN Human Rights Council stood in silence on Monday to remember the "innocent lives lost" in Israel and in Gaza, at the request of the United States.

"I respectfully request a moment of silence from this esteemed council, and all present here today to honour and remember the victims of these appalling terrorist attacks ... innocent lives lost across Israel and Gaza resulting from the attacks by Hamas," US ambassador Michele Taylor said in the top UN rights body, before delegates stood.

9:58am: More than 490 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza, says health ministry 

At least 493 Palestinians have been killed and 2,751 wounded in Israeli air strikes on the blockaded enclave since Saturday, said Gaza's health ministry on Monday.

9:52am: Military planes evacuating Poles from Israel land in Warsaw

Three military planes evacuating Poles from Israel landed in Warsaw on Monday morning, the Polish authorities said.

"The first people evacuated from Israel are already in Poland," Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said on X, formerly Twitter.

The first plane brought in 120 people who had been stuck at Tel Aviv airport. Two other aircraft followed, bringing to Poland a total of 120 people, he said.

"A military Boeing is leaving for Israel to evacuate other people," he continued.

Airlines flying between Poland and Israel suspended flights on Saturday, following the start of the latest war between Israel and Hamas.

9:28am: Nepal says 10 nationals killed in Israel from Hamas attack

At least 10 Nepali nationals were killed in Israel as a result of the attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas, said Nepal's government, as the cabinet is set to hold an emergency meeting to discuss how to evacuate thousands of others working and studying there.

The foreign ministry said four Nepalis were also wounded in Saturday's attack, and media reports said many others were hiding in bunkers.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has convened a special cabinet meeting to discuss ways to get citizens back home, his office said on Monday.

"Arrangements are being made to evacuate Nepali nationals who want to return home from Israel," the foreign ministry said late on Sunday.

Officials say about 4,500 Nepalis work in Israel, mostly as caregivers, and more than 100 are studying there under an "earn and learn" programme.

9:10am: More than 123,000 people internally displaced in Gaza, says UN

More than 123,000 people have been displaced in the Gaza Strip since the outbreak of the conflict between Palestinian militants and Israel, the UN said Monday.

"Over 123,538 people, have been internally displaced in Gaza, mostly due to fear, protection concerns and the destruction of their homes," said the UN's humanitarian agency, OCHA, with more than 73,000 sheltering in schools.

8:48am: Lebanese political parties ask Hezbollah not to get involved

Israel conducted artillery strikes across its UN-patrolled border with Lebanon after Hezbollah on Sunday launched guided missiles and artillery shells at the contested Shebaa Farms border area.

Shebaa Farms is a disputed territory between Israel, Lebanon and Syria. Israel occupied the area during the 1967 war.

Reporting from Beirut, FRANCE 24’s Rawad Taha explained that in Lebanon, Hezbollah’s decision to strike Shebaa Farms has been “read here as Hezbollah trying to say, we are here, we are watching, but at the same time, is clarifying that there are no changes of the rules of engagement that they have with Israel”.

Lebanese political players are carefully monitoring the situation, Taha added. “Different Lebanese parties have all made clear stances asking Hezbollah not to get involved in this war, especially since this country is in a dire economic crisis,” he explained.

8:08am: Unfolding situation in Israel an ‘ongoing story this morning’

Israeli media on Monday is reporting a second infiltration, with around 70 Palestinian militants entering the south of Israel, says FRANCE 24’s Irris Makler, reporting from Jerusalem. “It’s an unfolding situation and an ongoing story this morning,” said Makler.

This comes as the Israeli army said fighting was ongoing in “seven to eight” locations around Gaza in Israeli territory.

“Many people this morning don’t known if their loved ones are dead, missing or have been taken hostage in Gaza,” said Makler.

8:04am: Fighting with Palestinian militants ongoing in 'seven to eight' locations around Gaza

Fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas militants was ongoing Monday in seven to eight locations inside Israel around the Gaza Strip, the army said.

"We're still fighting. There are between seven to eight open places around Gaza (where) we have still warriors fighting terrorists," military spokesman Richard Hecht told reporters, two days after the Palestinian Islamist group launched a surprise attack on Israel.

"We thought by yesterday we would have full control. I hope we will by the end of the day."

7:09am: Battle with Hamas gunmen taking 'more time' than expected, says IDF

Israeli forces are fighting Hamas gunmen at seven to eight points outside Gaza, an Israeli military spokesperson said on Monday, 48 hours after the biggest attack on the country in decades.

"It's taking more time than we expected to get things back into a defensive, security posture," Lt. Col. Richard Hecht told a briefing with journalists.

7:01am: Dozen Thai nationals killed in conflict, says Thai foreign ministry

Twelve Thais have been killed in the conflict between Israel and Hamas militants, the kingdom's government said Monday as it prepared a plan to evacuate its citizens.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Kanchana Patarachoke said the Thai embassy in Israel learned of the deaths from the victims' employers.

She said a further eight Thais had been wounded and 11 taken captive since the war erupted when Hamas launched a large-scale attack on Saturday.

There are around 30,000 Thai workers in Israel, according to Bangkok's labour ministry, many of them working in agriculture.

Thai air force planes were on standby to fly citizens home, though the date and other details of any evacuation were still being worked on, said Kanchana.

6:54am: Israel strikes more than 500 targets overnight in Gaza, says IDF

Israeli air strikes and artillery shelling struck more than 500 targets belonging to the Hamas and Islamic Jihad militant groups in the Gaza Strip overnight, the Israeli military said Monday.

"Overnight IDF (Israeli army) fighter jets, helicopters, aircraft and artillery struck over 500 Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip," the military said in a statement.

The Israeli strikes hit numerous multi-storey buildings, including the home of Rawhi Mushtaha, a member of the Hamas political bureau, the army said.

The residence contained a "Hamas terror command centre from which he helped to direct the infiltration into Israel", it said.

Two Hamas "operational assets" were also struck, including one located in a mosque, the army said, adding a target belonging to Islamic Jihad was also hit. 

4:53am: Cathay Pacific cancels Tel Aviv flights on Tuesday citing situation in Israel

Cathay Pacific Airways said on Monday that it was cancelling flights CX675 from Hong Kong to Tel Aviv and CX676 from Tel Aviv to Hong Kong on Tuesday.

Cathay said it would provide further updates ahead of its next scheduled service on October 12.

3:50am: Iran's UN mission says Tehran not involved in Hamas attacks

Iran's mission to the United Nations said on Sunday that Tehran was not involved in Islamist group Hamas' killing of some 700 Israelis and abduction of dozens more, one of the bloodiest attacks in Israel's history.

"The resolute measures taken by Palestine constitute a wholly legitimate defence against seven decades of oppressive occupation and heinous crimes committed by the illegitimate Zionist regime," Iran's UN mission said in statement.

Iran has made no secret of its backing for Hamas, funding and arming the group as well as the Palestinian militant organisation Islamic Jihad.

3:45am: Oil prices jump more than $4 as Middle East violence rattles markets

Oil prices jumped more than $4 a barrel in early Asian trade on Monday, as dramatic military clashes between Israeli and Hamas forces over the weekend deepened political uncertainty across the Middle East.

The surge in oil prices reversed last week's downward trend – the largest weekly decline since March - in which Brent fell about 11 percent and WTI retreated more than 8 percent amid concerns about high interest rates and their impact on global demand.

"Increasing geopolitical risk in the Middle East should support oil prices ... higher volatility can be expected", analysts from ANZ Bank said in a client note.

The eruption of violence threatens to derail US efforts to broker a rapprochment between Saudi Arabia and Israel, in which the kingdom would normalise ties with Israel in return for a defence deal between Washington and Riyadh.

1:58am: US deploying ships closer to Israel

US President Joe Biden ordered US ships and warplanes to move closer to Israel in a show of support.

The Pentagon said it was sending the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and its accompanying warships to the eastern Mediterranean, while boosting fighter aircraft squadrons in the region.

US Central Command confirmed Sunday afternoon that ships and planes had begun moving to their new posts. 

1:15am: 'Several' US citizens have died following attacks in Israel, NSC says 

Several US nationals have died since the start of Hamas' surprise attack on Israel on Saturday, a National Security Council spokesman said Sunday, adding that US officials remained in touch with their Israeli counterparts.

Official word of Americans killed in the conflict came as Israel retaliated for the incursion, launching attacks on the Palestinian enclave of Gaza.

12:35am: US demands condemnation of Hamas at UN meeting, but Security Council takes no immediate action

The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting behind closed doors Sunday, with the United States demanding all 15 members strongly condemn “these heinous terrorist attacks committed by Hamas”, but they took no immediate action.

US deputy ambassador Robert Wood said afterward that “a good number of countries” did condemn the Hamas attack but not all council members. He told reporters they could probably figure out one of them.

Russia’s UN ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, told The Associated Press the Americans tried to say during the meeting that Russia isn’t condemning the attacks, but “that’s untrue”.

“It was in my comments,” he said. “We condemn all the attacks on civilians.”

Nebenzia said Russia’s message is: “It’s important to stop the fighting immediately, to go to a cease-fire and to meaningful negotiations, which were stalled for decades.”

Chinese Ambassador Zhang Jun voiced a similar position earlier, as he headed into the meeting. He said Beijing condemns all attacks on civilians, though he did not mention Hamas.

“What’s really important is to prevent the further escalation of the situation and further casualties of civilians,” Zhang said. “What’s also important is really to come back to the two-state solution.”

12:05am: Israeli UN envoy decries 'war crimes', UN Security Council meets

Israel's ambassador to the United Nations on Sunday accused Palestinian Islamist group Hamas of war crimes, vowing that it was time to "obliterate Hamas terror infrastructure", as the UN Security Council met to discuss the conflict.

In a dramatic assault launched from the Palestinian enclave of Gaza on Saturday, Hamas militants stormed into Israeli towns, killing more than 600 people and escaping with dozens of hostages, in the deadliest day for Israel since the 1973 war.

"These are war crimes, blatant documented war crimes," said Israeli UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan ahead of the closed-door meeting of the 15-member Security Council.

"The era of reasoning with these savages is over," he told reporters. "Now is the time to obliterate Hamas terror infrastructure, to completely erase it, so that such horrors are never committed again."

10:22pm, October 8: Senior Hamas official says militant group is holding more than 100 people captive after assault on Israel

A senior Hamas official says the militant group is holding more than 100 people captive after its unprecedented assault on Israel.

Mousa Abu Marzouk made the remarks Sunday to the Arabic-language news outlet al-Ghad. The figure is in addition to more than 30 people said to be held by the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad.

Read yesterday’s liveblog to see how the day’s events unfolded.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and REUTERS)