What we know
- The Israeli military said that a probe found serious errors and violations of protocol led its forces to repeatedly hit a World Central Kitchen convoy and kill seven aid workers that it says were believed to be Hamas gunmen. Leading calls for an independent probe into the incident, the WCK charity said that "the IDF cannot credibly investigate its own failure in Gaza."
- The IDF said two senior officers had been dismissed as a result of the WCK probe, but refused to comment further when asked if the officers were fired or still retained positions in the military.
- The U.S. has cautiously welcomed Israel's commitment to open additional aid routes into Gaza, including via its border with the north of the Palestinian enclave where hundreds of thousands of people are thought to be on the brink of starvation. The news followed a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in which President Joe Biden warned of a potential shift in U.S. policy.
- Tehran has held funerals for the military commanders killed in an airstrike on its consulate in Syria. Israel has been bracing for a retaliatory attack, halting leave for combat units and boosting aerial defenses.
- The death toll in Gaza has surpassed 33,000, according to the enclave's Health Ministry. Another 75,600 people have been reported injured. The Israeli military said at least 256 soldiers have been killed since the ground invasion of Gaza began.
140 journalists killed in Gaza since Oct. 7, Government Media Office says
At least 140 journalists have been killed in Gaza since Oct. 7, according to the enclave's Government Media Office.
Reporters Without Borders said that more than 105 journalists have been killed in the enclave by Israeli bombardment since Oct. 7, including at least 22 who were killed "in the course of their work."
"This massacre must stop," said Jonathan Dagher, head of the organization's Middle East desk. "Gaza’s reporters must be protected, those who wish must be evacuated, and Gaza’s gates must be opened to international media. The few reporters who have been able to leave bear witness to the same terrifying reality of journalists being attacked, injured and killed. The Israel Defense Forces are silencing those who are driven by a duty to report the facts."
The organization called on the international community to ramp up pressure on Israeli authorities to end the violence.
"Palestinian journalism must be protected as a matter of urgency," Dagher said.
McDonald’s to buy back all its Israeli restaurants
McDonald's is planning to buy back all of its Israeli restaurants from owner Alyonal Limited after more than 30 years, according to a news release.
The deal between the fast food giant and Alyonal was signed yesterday, McDonald's said. In the more than 30 years since Alyonal started McDonald's venture in Israel, it "has grown the business to 225 restaurants and more than 5,000 employees," according to McDonald's.
NBC News has reached out to McDonald's to ask why it intends to buy its franchise in Israel.
Once the process is complete, the McDonald's Corporation will own all the restaurants and operations, and retain employees "on equivalent terms."
"McDonald’s remains committed to the Israeli market and to ensuring a positive employee and customer experience in the market going forward," said Jo Sempels, McDonald’s president of international developmental licensed markets.
WHO delivers aid to Gaza hospitals in 'highly complex mission'
The World Health Organization delivered aid to Gaza Hospitals during a "highly complex mission," Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X.
The aid included medical supplies for about 1,000 patients and a pallet of canned food to Al-Sahaba Hospital and medical supplies for about 1,000 patients to Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City.
The organization also helped facilitate the referral of a patient with lower limb injuries to a field hospital in Rafah. Tedros says that on the way to the north, starving and desperate people "self-distributed" some of the supplies and food.
"With shrinking health access, hospitals in the north are overwhelmed, and more medical supplies and food to serve the hundreds of patients are needed," Ghebreyesus wrote. "We again call for sustained and safe passage for humanitarian aid. We again appeal for an immediate ceasefire."
Biden wrote letters to Egypt and Qatar urging them to get Hamas to agree to hostage release deal, official says
U.S. President Joe Biden wrote letters to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani urging them to secure commitments from Hamas to agree to and abide by a hostage release deal ahead of the next round of talks this upcoming week in Cairo, according to a senior administration official.
The official said there would be a cease-fire in Gaza today had Hamas agreed to release vulnerable hostages, including the sick, wounded, elderly and young women.
U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan will meet with the families of hostages at the White House on Monday. Nobody on Biden’s team will rest until the hostages are returned to their families, according to the official.
Biden also spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday, where he made clear that everything must be done to secure the release of the hostages, including American citizens.
Families of Americans abducted by Hamas say hostages’ stories are critical to bringing remaining captives home
Lester Holt moderated a panel with the families of Americans abducted by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023. They say while it is painful to hear the testimonials of their loved ones about the horrors they experienced while in Hamas captivity, the awareness is crucial to the effort to bring the remaining hostages home.
IDF takes full responsibility for killing of World Central Kitchen aid workers
The IDF has taken full responsibility for the killing of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers, saying it was the result of soldiers mistaking them for Hamas gunmen.
"The findings of the investigation show that there were in fact a number of armed gunmen who boarded and left some of the vehicles that were identified during the course of the event," spokesperson Daniel Hagari said during remarks. "After some of the vehicles split from the others, the forces that were tracking the vehicles that went south, did so thinking that these were Hamas vehicles, that Hamas gunmen had entered."
NBC News has not independently verified the IDF's claims.
Hagari said the soldiers conducted the strike "without any awareness that these were in fact WCK vehicles," adding that cameras tracking the WCK vehicles were unable to identify the WCK logos on the roof of the vehicles, which were not visible at night.
"The strike on the aid vehicles is a grave mistake stemming from the serious operational failures: mistaken classification and identification, errors in decision-making and strikes that were conducted in violation of stunted operation procedures," Hagari said.
Several disciplinary actions were taken as a result of the airstrike, including the dismissal of two officers and the formal reprimanding of three commanders. When asked if the officers' dismissal constituted a full firing from the IDF, a spokesperson declined to comment further.
"This is a tragedy," IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari said. "It was a terrible chain of errors and it should never have happened. The IDF takes full responsibility for this regrettable loss of life."
The investigation was conducted as part of the Fact Finding and Assessment Mechanism, an “independent body that is outside the chain of command,” Hagari said.
Biden on if he threatened to stop Israel military aid: 'I asked them to do what they're doing'
President Biden was asked today if he had threatened to stop military aid to Israel.
"I asked them to do what they’re doing," he responded before boarding Marine One to Baltimore. Israel has opened more aid routes into Gaza following Biden's recent call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, although it's unclear if this is what Biden was referring to.
When asked if he was "abandoning Israel," Biden responded, "Is that a serious question?" He then turned around and walked away.
Israeli police detain 8 Palestinian worshippers at Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem
JERUSALEM — Israel police said they detained eight Palestinian worshippers for allegedly chanting inflammatory slogans at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa compound as thousands gathered at Islam’s third holiest site for dawn prayers marking the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
The incident was the first flare-up between Israeli forces and worshippers at the compound during this Ramadan, and comes as the Islamic militant group Hamas issued a call to Muslims around the world to participate in a “Friday of Rage for Palestine.”
Police said the eight had chanted in support of what it called “terrorist organizations,” an apparent reference to Hamas. The eight were taken away for questioning.
Israeli broadcaster Channel 13 TV said some of the worshippers were chanting in support of the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the Hamas military wing. Both Channel 13 TV and the Qatari network Al-Jazeera said Israeli forces also fired tear gas at worshippers.
The Al Aqsa Mosque compound has long been a deeply contested religious space. It’s on the Temple Mount, the most sacred site in Judaism where biblical Jewish temples once stood.
Families of Americans abducted by Hamas say Netanyahu needs to be ‘brave leader’ to bring them home
Lester Holt moderated a panel with the families of Americans abducted by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023. Liz Hirsh-Naftali, great aunt of former hostage 4-year-old Abigail Mor Idan, said it will take strong leadership to finalize a deal to return the remaining hostages to their families, and put pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to complete the task.
U.N. secretary general expresses concern that Israel is using AI to determine targets in Gaza
U.N. Secretary General António Guterres expressed concern that Israel may be using artificial intelligence to determine targets in Gaza.
"I express concern about reports that Israel is using artificial intelligence to determine the targets it is bombing in Gaza," Guterres said during remarks today. NBC News has reached out to the IDF for comment.
This comes after an Israeli airstrike killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers earlier this week. Guterres called for "a transparent investigation" of the killings and for changes to be made on the ground "in order to avoid a repeat."
"We want to know why 196 aid workers have been killed so far in Gaza," he said. Guterres reiterated his calls for a cease-fire in Gaza.
28 children have died of malnutrition in Gaza, Ministry of Health says
A total of 28 children have died of malnutrition in Gaza, according to the enclave's Ministry of Health.
Famine is imminent in northern Gaza, where people have been forced to survive on less than 250 calories a day, according to Oxfam, an organization focused on alleviating global poverty.
That's less than a can of fava beans, which "represents less than 12 per cent of the recommended daily 2,100 calorie intake needed per person, calculated using demographic data considering variations by age and gender," according to the organization.
"Israel is making deliberate choices to starve civilians," said Amitabh Behar, Oxfam's international executive director. "Imagine what it is like, not only to be trying to survive on 245 calories day in, day out, but also having to watch your children or elderly relatives do the same. All whilst displaced, with little to no access to clean water or a toilet, knowing most medical support has gone and under the constant threat of drones and bombs."
The Global Nutrition Cluster also estimates one in six children in northern Gaza are acutely malnourished, "with an estimated 3% facing the most severe form of wasting and requiring immediate treatment."
U.N. Secretary General António Guterres warned today that people in Gaza are "facing a catastrophic famine."
"The Palestinians in Gaza are facing a catastrophic famine and children are dying due to lack of water and food," he said. "There is no justification for collective punishment against the Palestinians."
More than 2% of children in Gaza were killed or injured by Israel in last six months, group says
More than 2% of children in Gaza, almost 26,000, have been killed or injured by Israel in the last six months, according to Save the Children.
"Children in Gaza have been killed and maimed by Israeli forces at an unprecedented rate," the nongovernmental organization said in a news release. This includes more than 13,800 killed in Gaza and 114 killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
"Israeli forces have also hit ambulances, medical aid convoys and access roads, decimating Gaza’s health system and undermining access to healthcare at the time when the 1.1 million children in Gaza need it most," the organization said.
The education system is also under attack in Gaza, where there are over 620,000 registered students, but none have had formal education since Oct. 7, according to Save the Children. Israeli bombardment has left nearly 90% of all school buildings damaged or destroyed.
"The destruction of schools, a grave violation against children in conflict, will have a lasting impact on a generation whose learning will remain in jeopardy even after hostilities cease," the group said.
The group also warns that the destruction of homes and schools will likely lead to a long-lasting psychosocial impact on children.
"Those who have survived so far have dwindling chances of continuing to do so," said Xavier Joubert, the group's country director in the occupied Palestinian territory. "This war is not only destroying Gaza, but also the fundamental tenets of childhood. Relentless bombs and hostilities are causing potential ‘domicide’ of homes and infrastructure, with a reported 70% of homes damaged or destroyed. We’ve seen it in other conflicts, but this may be the highest share of homes destroyed in such a short time."
Joubert urged the world to "act now to ensure an immediate and definitive cease-fire," as well as humanitarian access to Gaza.
"As with all children, we owe children in Gaza a dignified future — but at this rate, they are at risk of having no future at all," Joubert said.
Over 200 Palestinian children in Israeli prisons, NGO says
There are more than 200 Palestinian children in Israel prisons, including 23 from Gaza, according to the Palestinian Prisoner Club, a nongovernmental organization established to support prisoners in Israeli custody.
The number of detained children may be an undercount, the group says
More than 500 children have been arrested in the West Bank since Oct. 7. Israeli forces target children in “direct ways and means, without any regard to any agreements guaranteeing children their rights,” the group says.
Today is Palestinian Children's Day, the group said, adding that more than 14,000 children have been killed in Gaza by Israel in the last six months. Around 117 children have been killed by Israel in the West Bank and Jerusalem, the group said.
Iran's reaction to Israel 'is certain' following attack on Damascus, Hezbollah says
Iran's reaction to Israel's attack on the Iranian embassy compound in Damascus that killed two of the country’s top commanders "is certain," according to Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah.
"Iranians don't act in a rush and out of excitement," Nasrallah said during remarks.
Israel has not commented on the attack this week, but it has acknowledged targeting Iranian forces in Syria, where they are deployed to support President Bashar al-Assad in an ongoing conflict against a patchwork of rebel groups.
Israel has been bracing for a retaliatory attack, halting leave for combat units and boosting aerial defenses.
"The stupidity of Netanyahu’s attack on the Iranian consulate will, God willing, lead to the end of Zionist attacks and hostilities," Nasrallah said.
U.K. Foreign Secretary David Cameron calls for independent review of World Central Kitchen aid worker killings
U.K. Foreign Secretary David Cameron called for an independent review of the killings of the World Central Kitchen aid workers.
The seven aid workers included team members from Britain. World Central Kitchen did not release their identities.
"We are carefully reviewing the initial findings of Israel’s investigations into the killing of WCK aid workers and welcome the suspension of two officers as a first step," Cameron said in a post on X.
Cameron said Israel's findings "must be published in full and followed up with a wholly independent review to ensure the utmost transparency and accountability."
Ashdod port temporarily allows aid into Gaza
A view of Ashdod port in southern Israel today, after the Israeli Cabinet approved the temporary use of the port for aid deliveries into Gaza.
The three new steps Israel says it will take to let more aid into Gaza
Israel has approved three new steps to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza after the Biden-Netanyahu call.
The temporary reopening of the Erez Crossing, a land route into northern Gaza from Israel that has been closed since the war began, could allow crucial supplies to make it to the hard-hit area where the population is thought to be on the brink of starvation.
Israel has also said it will allow aid shipments heading to Gaza by sea to be processed at its port in Ashdod, and promised to increase aid shipments from regional power Jordan through another land crossing.
“This increased aid will prevent a humanitarian crisis and is necessary to ensure the continuation of the fighting and to achieve the goals of the war,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement hours after he came under new pressure from the U.S.
U.N. Security Council to meet about attacks on Gaza aid workers
The U.N. Security Council will hold an emergency meeting about attacks on humanitarian workers in Gaza and the risk of famine in the territory.
The meeting today was requested by Algeria, the Arab representative on the council, joined by Guyana, Slovenia and Switzerland. Israeli airstrikes earlier this week killed seven aid workers from the charity World Central Kitchen, which has demanded an independent investigation.
A U.N. aid convoy was scheduled to head out last night after the U.N. paused night operations for 48 hours, said U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric. He told reporters the convoy “will hopefully make it to the north.”
“Because of what happened to World Central Kitchen, we had to pause … and regroup and reassess all sorts of factors,” he said.
U.S. 'carefully' reviewing Israeli investigation into killing of World Central Kitchen aid workers, Blinken says
The U.S. is "very carefully" reviewing the Israeli investigation into the killing of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a briefing in Belgium today.
"We received Israel’s report on the terrible killing of the World Central Kitchen team in Gaza a few days ago," Blinken said. "We’re reviewing it very carefully. We’ll be discussing his conclusions with Israeli officials and with humanitarian organizations in the days to come."
It's "very important that Israel is taking full responsibility for this incident," Blinken said.
"And we’ll be, as I said, assessing fully the report on the World Central Kitchen incident and looking to see not just what what steps are being taken, but the results that follow from them," he said.
Iran vows to punish Israel after funeral for commanders killed in consulate strike
Iran has reiterated its vow to punish Israel for the attack on its consulate in Syria earlier this week that killed a number of senior military commanders.
“No act of the enemy against the sacred Islamic Republic will go unanswered,” Maj. Gen. Hossein Salami, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander-in-chief, told the large crowd gathered in Tehran today for the funeral of those killed. “Our brave men will punish the Zionist regime.”
Former Guard commander Mohsen Rezaei, commenting on the possibility of retaliation against Israel, said: “The decision has been made. It will definitely be implemented,” according to the semiofficial Tasnim news site.The funeral coincided with the annual Quds (Jerusalem) Day, during which Iran stages large state-sponsored pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel rallies nationwide.
The leader of the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad, Ziad al-Nakhala, took part in the Tehran rally, Iranian media reported.
Israel has 'no more excuses' on Gaza aid, Germany says
MAINZ, Germany — Israel has "no more excuses" and must quickly implement its announcements on increasing the flow of aid into Gaza, Germany has said today.
In a post on X, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said: "The people of #Gaza need every aid package now. That is why we have worked hard to open the #Erez border crossing & the port of #Ashdod for aid deliveries. We expect the Israeli government to implement its announcements quickly. No more excuses."
Blinken welcomes new aid routes but says 'real test is results'
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that the U.S. welcomes Israel's decision to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza, but cautioned that true success would be an improvement in the situation on the ground.
“These are positive developments but the real test is results. And that’s what we’re looking to see in the coming days. And in the coming weeks,” he said, speaking alongside European Union leaders in Belgium.
"Is the aid effectively reaching people who needed throughout Gaza? Are the bottlenecks and other delays at crossings being resolved? Do we have a much better system for deconfliction and coordination so that the humanitarian workers, the folks who are delivering the aid can do it safely and securely?" Blinken said.
He added that these aims would be measured by clear metrics “like the number of trucks that are actually getting in on a sustained basis,” and the quantity of aid making to those in need in Gaza, “including critically northern Gaza" where he said "almost 100% of the population is acutely food insecure" and there are "10 indicators of potential famine."
Blinken was speaking prior to the release of the findings in the IDF's probe into this week's deadly aid convoy strikes.
U.N. human rights body calls for halt to weapons shipments to Israel
The U.N.’s top human rights body has called on countries to stop selling or shipping weapons to Israel in a resolution that aims to help prevent rights violations against Palestinians amid Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
The Human Rights Council, which has 47 member countries, voted 28-6 in favor of the resolution, with 13 abstentions.
Western countries were divided. The U.S. and Germany opposed the resolution, France and Japan abstained, while Belgium, Finland and Luxembourg voted in favor.
Kirby: U.S. 'will have to make meaningful changes' in Gaza policy if Israel doesn't
Israel has "got to be more precise" and "more careful" in its operations in Gaza to retain U.S. backing, White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said this morning.
The way U.S. weapons are being used by its ally "absolutely matters," he told “TODAY” after what he said was a "frank" phone call between Biden and Netanyahu.
“If we don’t see meaningful changes in their policy, we will have to make meaningful changes in our policy,” Kirby said, adding that Washington would continue to support Israel generally, especially in light of the threat from Iran.
He said that the administration would have to “reserve judgment” until it can take a look at the findings from the IDF probe into the aid convoy strikes and weigh whether an independent investigation might be warranted.
Kirby said that hostage negotiations will be restarting this weekend in Cairo and that Biden had urged Netanyahu to send a delegation to join those talks in the Egyptian capital.
World Central Kitchen demands independent commission, says IDF 'cannot credibly investigate its own failure in Gaza'
World Central Kitchen has responded to the findings of the IDF probe into the killing of seven of its aid workers, saying that Israel's military had taken "important steps forward" but that its apologies will be "cold comfort" for the victims' families.
The charity said that it is demanding "the creation of an independent commission to investigate the killings of our WCK colleagues," adding that "The IDF cannot credibly investigate its own failure in Gaza."
The disaster relief group's founder, José Andrés, said: “It’s not enough to simply try to avoid further humanitarian deaths, which have now approached close to 200." He added: “All civilians need to be protected, and all innocent people in Gaza need to be fed and safe. And all hostages must be released.”
“Their apologies for the outrageous killing of our colleagues represent cold comfort,” the charity's CEO Erin Gore said. “It’s cold comfort for the victims’ families and WCK’s global family.”
World Central Kitchen also said in its statement this morning that:
"The IDF has acknowledged its responsibility and its fatal errors in the deadly attack on our convoy in Gaza. It is also taking disciplinary action against those in command and committed to other reforms. These are important steps forward."
"However it is also clear from their preliminary investigation that the IDF has deployed deadly force without regard to its own protocols, chain of command and rules of engagement. The IDF has acknowledged that our teams followed all proper communications procedures. The IDF’s own video fails to show any cause to fire on our personnel convoy, which carried no weapons and posed no threat."
"Without systemic change, there will be more military failures, more apologies and more grieving families."
"The root cause of the unjustified rocket fire on our convoy is the severe lack of food in Gaza. Israel needs to dramatically increase the volume of food and medicine traveling by land if it is serious about supporting humanitarian aid."
"Food is a universal human right. WCK is proud to have fed families across Israel after October 7, and we continue to demand the release of all hostages.. At the same time, we believe Palestinian families have the same universal right to food, water and medicine. We know Israelis, deep down, share the same values."
"Israel needs to take concrete steps to assure the safety of humanitarian aid workers. Our operations remain suspended."
Israeli military releases findings from probe into aid convoy strikes
The Israel Defense Forces has released the findings from its own investigation into the strikes that killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers in Gaza earlier this week.
The findings were presented yesterday to the IDF chief of general staff, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi. The IDF has dismissed two officers from their positions, reprimanded two commanders and reprimanded the senior commander responsible, it said in a statement this morning. When asked to clarify if the officers' dismissal meant they were fired from the IDF, a spokesperson declined to comment further.
"The investigation’s findings indicate that the incident should not have occurred. Those who approved the strike were convinced that they were targeting armed Hamas operatives and not WCK employees. The strike on the aid vehicles is a grave mistake stemming from a serious failure due to a mistaken identification, errors in decision-making, and an attack contrary to the Standard Operating Procedures," it said.
The incident has fueled calls for an independent probe and demands from the U.S. that Israel do more to allow aid into Gaza and protect humanitarian workers.
The IDF said that the investigation "found that the forces identified a gunman on one of the aid trucks, following which they identified an additional gunman. After the vehicles left the warehouse where the aid had been unloaded, one of the commanders mistakenly assumed that the gunmen were located inside the accompanying vehicles and that these were Hamas terrorists."
The statement added: "The forces did not identify the vehicles in question as being associated with WCK. Following a misidentification by the forces, the forces targeted the three WCK vehicles based on the misclassification of the event and misidentification of the vehicles as having Hamas operatives inside them."
Iran mourns Revolutionary Guard members killed in Syria strike
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei prays over the coffins of seven Revolutionary Guard Corps members in Tehran yesterday, after they were killed in a strike on the country’s consular annex in Damascus, Syria. He joined mourners to share his grief over the deaths, which Iran has blamed on Israel, ahead of funerals taking place in Tehran today.
Israel to open more aid routes to Gaza and increase deliveries after pressure from Biden
WASHINGTON — Israel has committed to opening additional aid routes to allow for increased assistance to flow into Gaza after a call with Biden warning of a potential shift in U.S. policy after strikes this week killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers.
White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said after the call that Israel had committed to opening the Ashdod port to allow assistance to be directly delivered into Gaza, opening the Erez crossing to let aid flow into north Gaza and significantly boosting deliveries from Jordan.
“As the President said today on the call, U.S. policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these and other steps, including steps to protect innocent civilians and the safety of aid workers,” Watson said in a statement.