U.S. and Egypt reach agreement to allow aid into Gaza; UK's Sunak to visit Israel

This was CNBC's live blog tracking developments in the Israel-Hamas war. Click here for the latest Israel news and updates on Gaza.

U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday said he received information from the Pentagon that indicated the Israeli Defense Forces were not behind the Gaza hospital blast of Tuesday evening, which killed hundreds of people sheltering inside.

In a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv earlier Wednesday, Biden said that the deadly attack on Gaza's al-Ahli Baptist Hospital appeared to have been caused "by the other team." Horrific scenes of the wounded ignited street protests in capitals across the region.

Biden's diplomatic trip to Israel was part of an effort to show "solidarity" with Israel, following a devastating and coordinated Oct. 7 attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Deal reached to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza

U.S. President Joe Biden and Egypt President Abdel Fatah el-Sissi reached an agreement to allow humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing, according to Egypt's readout of the leaders' phone call.

Biden told reporters aboard Air Force One that the deal will allow 20 trucks across to start.

The White House readout said the two discussed "mechanisms to ensure the aid is distributed for the benefit of the civilian population." They also emphasized the need to preserve regional stability and prevent escalation of the conflict.

— Christine Wang

Hundreds arrested at U.S. Capitol Hill rally in DC, police say

"Upwards of approximately 300" people were arrested at an Israel-Hamas war rally on Capitol Hill, the U.S. Capitol Police said, according to NBC News.

The demonstrators were demanding a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.

— Riya Bhattacharjee

UK PM Sunak to visit Israel on Thursday

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will arrive in Israel on Thursday and meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog, before travelling on to other regional capitals, his office said.

Sunak will share his condolences for the loss of life in Israel and Gaza as a result of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Gaza-based Palestinian Hamas gunmen, his office said, and warn against further escalation of conflict in the region.

"Every civilian death is a tragedy. And too many lives have been lost following Hamas' horrific act of terror," Sunak said in a statement ahead of his visit.

He said a deadly blast at a Gaza hospital on Tuesday which killed hundreds of Palestinians should be "a watershed moment for leaders in the region and across the world to come together to avoid further dangerous escalation of conflict", pledging Britain would be at "the forefront of this effort".

Sunak will also urge the opening up of a route to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza as soon as possible, and to enable British nationals trapped in Gaza to leave.

At least seven British nationals have been killed and at least nine are missing since the attack on Israel, Sunak's spokesperson said earlier on Wednesday.

Alongside Sunak's visit, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, who visited Israel last week, will travel to Egypt, Turkey and Qatar over the next three days to discuss the conflict and seek a peaceful resolution, his office said.

Britain said the three countries were "vital to international efforts to uphold regional stability, free hostages and allow humanitarian access to Gaza".

Cleverly will meet with senior leaders there to discuss efforts to prevent the conflict spreading, the urgent need to open the Rafah crossing with Egypt to let aid reach those who need it and for Hamas to release hostages, Britain said.

— Reuters

U.S. intel assessment: 'Israel was not responsible' for Gaza hospital strike

The U.S. government formally said it believes "Israel was not responsible" for a deadly strike at Al Ahli Hospital that killed hundreds of people in Gaza City Thursday.

"Our assessment is based on available reporting, including intelligence, missile activity, and open source video and images of the incident," National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said in a statement to NBC News.

Following the blast, Hamas militants blamed Israel, which has launched massive air strikes on targets in northern Gaza. The Israeli military vigorously denied that one of its rockets had hit the hospital.

Watson said the United States was still trying to determine who fired the missile. She also offered a rare public description of active intelligence being gathered.

"Intelligence indicates that some Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip believed that the explosion was likely caused by an errant rocket or missile launch carried out by Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ)," said Watson. "The militants were still investigating what had happened," she added.

"We continue to work to corroborate whether the explosion resulted from a failed PIJ rocket."

— Christina Wilkie and Amanda Macias

Rubio: Israeli incursion into Gaza not coming 'in a matter of days'

The top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, Marco Rubio, offered fresh insight into Israel's strategic thinking about its widely expected ground invasion of northern Gaza.

Israeli officials are "fully cognizant that going into Gaza will not be simple," Rubio told NBC News, and as a result, "we're not talking about a matter of days in that regard."

On Oct. 13, Israel ordered more than 1 million civilians living in northern Gaza to evacuate their homes "for your own safety."

At the time, Israel did not give the civilians a specific timeline. But fleeing residents told NBC News they believed it was a matter of hours, not days.

In the week since then, the thousands of Israeli troops amassing on the Gaza border have not swarmed into northern Gaza. Any timeline for an invasion is likely to be a closely guarded military secret.

— Christina Wilkie

Biden to address nation on Israel and Ukraine Thursday 8:00 PM ET

President Joe Biden will address the nation Thursday evening from the White House, where he will discuss America's response to the attack on Israel and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The speech will begin at 8:00 PM ET, and broadcast from the Oval Office.

The announcement came as the White House prepared to request billions of dollars in additional funding from Congress to assist Ukraine, and now Israel, with the wars they are fighting.

Public support for U.S. involvement in Ukraine has waned in recent months.

— Christina Wilkie

Arrests made at demonstration over Israel-Hamas war

As the House recessed after another failed speaker vote, a large group of demonstrators from Jewish advocacy groups gathered at one of the Capitol office buildings to call for a ceasefire in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.

The dozens of demonstrators chanted, "Not in our name!" in reference to Israel's bombardment of Gaza in response to a recent attack by Hamas. Some were arrested for illegally demonstrating in a Capitol office building.

Without a speaker, many members of the House have been frustrated by the chamber's inability to pass legislation, particularly in response to the war.

Police lined up detained protesters outside the Cannon Office Building, where they were being shuttled to a temporary holding area in the Capitol complex. None of the protesters was in the Capitol building itself.

—Associated Press

Nearly 30 healthcare workers have died in Gaza, UN says

Martin Griffiths, the United Nations undersecretary for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief, said that nearly 30 healthcare workers have died in Gaza.

He added in remarks before the United Nations Security Council that at least 23 healthcare workers have been injured since the war began on Oct. 7.

"Gaza's health services are being overwhelmed by the extreme challenge of meeting the healthcare needs of the rising number of wounded patients, all while facing significant shortages of medical supplies, water and fuel," Griffiths said. He noted that the attack on the Al Ahli Arab Hospital added "further pressure on this crumbling healthcare system."

He said that the Al Ahli Arab facility once cared for more than 45,000 patients annually before the conflict erupted.

— Amanda Macias

UN says 6 people killed in strike on Gaza school

At least six people were killed in a strike that hit a United Nations-operated school in the refugee camp of Al-Maghazi in the central Gaza Strip, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees said.

The Oct. 17 bombing left dozens of people, including UNRWA staff, wounded and the school with severe structural damage, the agency said.

-Mohammed Faiq | AFP | Getty Images

—Adam Jeffery

Meta tweaks Facebook commenting in Israel and Gaza

Meta published a blog post on Wednesday outlining some changes it's making to comments made on Facebook posts originating in the region around Israel and Gaza.

Describing the measure as "temporary," Meta moved to "protect people in the region from potentially unwelcome or unwanted comments" by changing the default setting for new Facebook posts made in that region so that only friends or "established followers" can comment, according to a company statement.

It added that all users can opt in or opt out at any time and that it's also making it easier for users to bulk delete comments on posts.

Meta's also removing a Facebook feature that showed the first couple of comments on a post in the Facebook Feed. And it also rolled out a profile locking tool in the region for people who want to completely hedge their Facebook account. In those cases, unless someone is a friend, another user "can't download, enlarge or share their profile photo, nor can they see posts or other photos on someone's profile, regardless of when they may have posted it."

-- Jake Piazza

Biden's pick for U.S. ambassador to Israel will prioritize bringing American hostages home

Former Treasury Secretary Jack Lew told lawmakers that if he were to be confirmed to be the next U.S. ambassador to Israel, he would prioritize getting American hostages home.

"I will do my utmost to end the horrific attacks by Hamas and to ensure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself, and I will spare no effort in working to help American citizens now captive to return home safely," Lew said before the Democratic-led Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Ben Cardin (D-Md.) said the Senate could vote on the nomination as soon as next week. Lew was nominated last month by Biden.

Read the full story here.

— Amanda Macias

At least 350 Americans and 400+ family members want the U.S. to help them leave Gaza, State Department says

The State Department received requests from more than 350 Americans and more than 400 of their family members asking for U.S. assistance to leave Gaza, a U.S. official confirmed to NBC News.

The Biden administration directed U.S. citizens to contact the U.S. embassy in Israel by calling 03-519-7426 or the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon 961-4-543-600 for help or questions.

Additionally, the State Department has created a  crisis intake form to be completed by U.S. citizens in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza who would like U.S. assistance.

— Amanda Macias

Anger and disappointment over Israeli PM Netanyahu erupt at hospital bedsides

One Israeli cabinet minister was barred from a hospital visitors' entrance. Another's bodyguards were drenched with coffee thrown by a bereaved man. A third had "traitor" and "imbecile" shouted at her as she came to comfort families evacuated during the horror.

The shock Oct. 7 massacre by Hamas gunmen has rallied Israelis to one another. But there is little love shown for a government being widely accused of dropping the country's guard and engulfing it in a Gaza war that is rattling the region.

Whatever ensues, a day of judgment looms for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after a record-long career of political comebacks.

Public fury over some 1,300 Israeli fatalities has been further fueled by Netanyahu's signature self-styling as a Churchillian strategist who foresaw national-security threats.

Read the full article here.

-- Reuters

UN estimates 1,300 Israelis and more than 3,000 Palestinians have died since the start of the war

The United Nations estimates that the death toll from the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict has claimed the lives of more than 1,300 Israelis and more than 3,000 Palestinians since the war began Oct. 7.

Farhan Haq, United Nations deputy spokesman for the Secretary-General, said that at least 14 U.N. employees also died in the war.

— Amanda Macias

Watch Biden's Wednesday remarks in Israel

Senators will receive a classified briefing on Israel and Hamas conflict

There will be a classified briefing for all senators to discuss the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, a Senate aide confirmed to NBC News.

The briefing is expected to begin Wednesday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. and last until 5:00 p.m. ET.

The officials that will brief senators include Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, who leads America's intelligence agencies, Acting Deputy Secretary of State and Under Secretary for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. C. Q. Brown.

— Amanda Macias

U.S. ambassador to UN vetoes Russia's resolution on humanitarian assistance in Gaza

Biden's top diplomat at the United Nations vetoed a resolution put forward by Russia on humanitarian assistance in Gaza because it failed to condemn Hamas.

"By failing to condemn Hamas, Russia is giving cover to a terrorist group that brutalizes innocent civilians. It is outrageous, it is hypocritical and it is indefensible," U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said before the United Nations Security Council.

"Every member state should condemn Hamas' terrorism and cruelty and every member state should call on Hamas to cease its endless barrage of rockets against Israel. This is not complicated. It's not controversial," she added.

Thomas-Greenfield also said the U.S. was working to address urgent humanitarian needs in Gaza and called for diplomacy carried out by Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and regional partners to "play out."

— Amanda Macias

Biden reaffirms U.S. support for Israel, announces $100 million in humanitarian aid for victims of war in Gaza and West Bank

President Joe Biden reaffirmed U.S. commitment to Israel and announced $100 million in humanitarian assistance to support those in Gaza and the West Bank.

Biden warned that if Hamas diverts or steals the assistance from civilians he will halt the aid. The U.S. president also said his administration would ask Congress for an "unprecedented support package for Israel's defense" but did not elaborate on the assistance details.

— Amanda Macias

United shares slide on profit warning tied to Israel-Hamas war

United Airlines shares were down more than 8% Wednesday after the carrier gave a profit outlook below expectations due to higher costs and a suspension of flights to Tel Aviv amid the Israel-Hamas war.

The fourth-quarter guidance "is bleak and worse than our estimates," wrote Helane Becker, an airline analyst at TD Cowen. "Given the projections that this will be a long war we are looking at the lower end of the forecast range and assuming no service by year end."

United said it would resume flights when conditions allow. Delta has suspended flights through the end of the month while American has paused service there until at least Dec. 5. Several other carriers have also suspended Tel Aviv service.

United's CEO Scott Kirby said on an earnings call that demand hasn't declined to other international destinations, which have been driving up revenue in recent months.

"We're not seeing that at all," he said.

— Leslie Josephs

President Biden meets with families in Tel Aviv

U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday met with people affected by Palestinian militant group Hamas' attacks on Israel. Thousands of people in both Israel and Gaza have died since Oct. 7, 2023.

— Brendan Smialowski | AFP | Getty Images

Israel to present evidence on Gaza hospital blast to UN Security Council

Israel's Foreign Minister said Tel Aviv will present evidence to the U.N. Security Council later Wednesday that it says will exonerate it from blame over Tuesday's attack on Gaza's al-Ahli Baptist Hospital.

"We are 100% sure that this hospital was hit by a failed rocket launch by the Islamic Jihad," Eli Cohen said in a video posted on social media.

"This evidence will be presented in the U.N. Security Council today for the whole international community to see," he added.

Gazan authorities have claimed the blast at the hospital in central Gaza was caused by an Israeli airstrike, while Israel said the blast was caused by a misfired rocket from a Palestinian militant group.

— Karen Gilchrist

White House calls for quick confirmation of U.S. ambassador to Israel Jack Lew

The White House has called for the swift confirmation of U.S. ambassador to Israel Jack Lew amid the deepening Israel-Hamas conflict.

"Ambassador Lew is incredibly qualified and a dedicated public servant. It is of the utmost urgency that he is confirmed as quickly as possible at this critical time," a White House official told NBC News.

"We thank Chairman Cardin and Ranking Member Risch for scheduling his hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee this week, and we urge the committee to vote him out of committee, and to the full Senate for confirmation as quickly as possible," the official added.

Biden nominated Lew, former President Barack Obama's Treasury Secretary, a month ago.

— Amanda Macias

Biden says the Pentagon has evidence Israel did not carry out attack on Gaza hospital

U.S. President Joe Biden said he received information from the Pentagon that indicated the Israeli Defense Forces were not behind the deadly blast at a Gaza hospital.

"Based on what I've seen, it appears as though it was done by the other team, not you," Biden said alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Biden later told reporters that he was confident of this because of "the data I was shown by my Defense Department."

— Amanda Macias

U.S. officials say Gaza hospital blast likely caused by Palestinian Islamic Jihad group

The U.S. has an independent assessment that it was a Palestinian Islamic Jihad group rocket that misfired and hit the hospital in Gaza, according to two senior U.S. officials.

The assessment would correspond with Israel's account that Hamas and its affiliate group Palestinian Islamic Jihad was responsible for the blast. Palestinian health officials and Hamas have blamed an Israeli airstrike for the explosion, which they said killed almost 500 people.

— Karen Gilchrist

Pro-Palestinian protests erupt in Beirut, Lebanon after a blast at Gaza hospital

Pro-Palestinian protests erupted in Beirut, Lebanon on Wednesday shortly after a deadly blast at Gaza's al-Ahli Baptist Hospital.

— Getty Images

Palestinian Health Ministry says 471 people killed in Gaza hospital blast

Tuesday's lethal attack on a Gaza hospital killed 471 people and wounded 314, the Palestinian Health Ministry said Wednesday.

Gazan authorities have claimed the blast at the al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in central Gaza was caused by an Israeli airstrike, while Israel said the blast was caused by a misfired rocket from a Palestinian militant group.

— Karen Gilchrist

Brazil's president says Gaza hospital attack an 'unjustifiable tragedy'

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Wednesday lambasted Tuesday's attack on a Gaza hospital as an "unjustifiable tragedy."

"The attack on Baptista Al-Ahli Hospital is an unjustifiable tragedy," he wrote in a post on social media, according to a Google translation.

"Hospitals, houses, schools, built with so much sacrifice, destroyed in moments. I repeat this appeal. The innocent cannot pay for the insanity of war."

It is not yet clear who was responsible for the attack, with Israel and Palestine's Hamas militant group blaming one another.

— Karen Gilchrist

U.S. sanctions 10 Hamas operatives and financial facilitators

The U.S. on Wednesday issued terrorism-related sanctions against nine individuals and one entity linked to the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

In a statement posted on its website, the Department of the Treasury's measures target members managing assets in "a secret Hamas investment portfolio, a Qatar-based financial facilitator with close ties to the Iranian regime, a key Hamas commander, and a Gaza-based virtual currency exchange and its operator."

"The United States is taking swift and decisive action to target Hamas's financiers and facilitators following its brutal and unconscionable massacre of Israeli civilians, including children," Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said.

— Karen Gilchrist

Israeli responsibility for Gaza hospital blast 'cannot be excluded,' UK's ex-defense minister says

Britain's former Foreign and Defense Secretary told CNBC on Wednesday it was conceivable that Israel was responsible for a lethal attack on a Gaza hospital which killed almost 500 people.

However, Malcolm Rifkind ruled out the possibility that such an attack by Israeli forces would have been deliberate.

"The Israelis have been doing many airstrikes on Gaza. It cannot be excluded," Rifkind told CNBC's Tania Bryer.

"I don't think it's remotely possible the Israelis would have deliberately intended to hit the hospital, but it might have happened by accident," he added.

Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that governs the Gaza Strip and which was behind the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, has blamed the blast on Israel's Defense Force. Israel, meanwhile, has said the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group was responsible.

Rifkind said that there appeared to be evidence in support of Israel's claims, but that it was up to authorities there to present it to an independent authority for verification.

"I think if they want to carry credibility on that claim, my advice to them would be not only to produce the evidence — and they seem to have some evidence pointing in that direction — but to submit it to a completely independent group of people whom they can trust and the rest of the world can trust," he said.

U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday also told lawmakers that they "should not rush to judgement" before they have all the facts about the attack.

— Karen Gilchrist

Shop owners in Hebron keep their stores closed as part of a day-long strike against the bombing of al-Ahli Baptist Hospital

Shop owners in Hebron, West Bank, keep their stores closed as part of a day-long general strike to protest the Oct. 18, 2023 bombing of al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza.

-Mamoun Wazwaz | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images

Israel unlikely to launch ground attack on Gaza during Biden's visit, expert says

Israel isn't likely to begin its ground invasion as U.S. President Joe Biden visits the country, one international security studies expert told CNBC.

"I don't think that Israel is going to launch its ground offensive as long as Biden is en route, nor when he's actually there," H.A. Hellyer, at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said while speaking on the network's show "Street Signs Europe."

"The further escalation of the offensive has been delayed ... it's down to international pressure, it's down to the presence of international political figures including President Biden," he said.

"So the ground offensive, the escalation of it has been delayed, and I think that's good. I think as long as you have those sorts of windows of opportunity, there is a possibility for brokering some kind of ceasefire where the Israelis cease there bombardment, we get humanitarian aid into the Gaza strip, and we find some way to deescalate."

Hellyer also noted that Biden's visit to Israel will "look really bad" as it comes just after a blast at a Gaza hospital that killed hundreds of people and which Arab leaders have blamed on Israeli strike. Israel denies responsibility, saying the cause was a failed rocket from Hamas-based militant group Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

— Natasha Turak

Aftermath of the al-Ahli Baptist Hospital strike in Gaza

Civilians collect usable belongings amid wreckage of vehicles after the al-Ahli Baptist Hospital was hit in Gaza City, Gaza on Oct. 18, 2023, in a strike that killed hundreds. 

-Ali Jadallah | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images

Hamas reportedly says U.S. 'blindly biased' toward Israel

Hamas said that the U.S. was "blindly biased" toward Israel, Reuters reported Wednesday, citing a statement from the Palestinian militant group.

It comes shortly after U.S. President Joe Biden met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and said that Tuesday evening's Gaza hospital explosion, which killed hundreds of people sheltering inside, appeared to have been caused "by the other team."

"I am deeply saddened and outraged by the explosion at the hospital in Gaza yesterday," Biden said while alongside Netanyahu in Tel Aviv.

"Based on what I've seen, it appears as though it was done by the other team, not you. But there's a lot of people out there who are not sure, so we have to overcome a lot of things," he added.

— Sam Meredith

Russia's Putin says he does not expect Israel-Hamas war to spiral into a wider conflict

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that he does not expect the Israel-Hamas conflict to develop into a "large-scale war" and described the deadly explosion at a Gaza hospital as a "terrible" catastrophe.

"I have the impression that no one wants this to continue, for the conflict to develop and for the situation to worsen further," Putin said in quotess reported by Reuters. His comments came shortly after talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

"In my opinion, the main players — some, by definition do not want to, some are afraid of something — but I have the impression that there are practically no players ready to develop the conflict and turn it into a large-scale war," he added.

— Sam Meredith

China 'shocked' by deadly Gaza hospital blast, chooses not to attribute blame

A spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that the country was "shocked by and strongly condemns" the explosion at the al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in central Gaza City, which killed hundreds of people.

Beijing did not attribute blame for the blast and said that it mourned for the victims and extended sympathies to the injured.

"China calls for an immediate ceasefire and cessation of hostilities and every possible effort to protect civilians and avert an even worse humanitarian disaster," a spokesperson said.

Beijing has repeatedly called for an end to the violence, but fallen short of formally taking a side throughout the conflict so far.

— Sam Meredith

Images show daily life in Gaza as Israel continues its aerial bombardment campaign

Photos published by Getty Images on Wednesday depict buildings in Gaza City destroyed during Israeli raids, Palestinian emergency workers and local citizens searching for victims in the southern Gaza Strip, as well as a cook preparing food for displaced people in Khan Yunis, Gaza.

— Sam Meredith

British Foreign Minister says 'too many jumped to conclusions' over Gaza hospital explosion

U.K. Foreign Minister James Cleverly urged people to "wait for the facts" over the Tuesday evening hospital explosion in the Gaza Strip, saying that "too many jumped to conclusions around the tragic loss of life."

"Getting this wrong would put even more lives at risk. Wait for the facts, report them clearly and accurately. Cool heads must prevail," Cleverly said on the X social media platform, formerly known as Twitter.

His comments come as officials in Gaza and Israel trade blame over a strike at the al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in central Gaza City, which killed hundreds of people.

U.S. President Joe Biden said Wednesday upon meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv that he was "deeply saddened and outraged" by the blast, adding that it appeared as though Israel was not responsible.

— Sam Meredith

Authorities say over 1,400 dead in Israel, with 3,300 deaths in Gaza

The death toll continues to tick higher amid the Israel-Hamas conflict.

As of 5:30 a.m. ET on Wednesday, more than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, with 3,500 injured, according to the government's press office.

The Palestinian Health Ministry, meanwhile, reported over 3,300 people were killed in Gaza and approximately 12,500 were injured.

— Sam Meredith

Biden 'deeply saddened' by deadly explosion at Gaza hospital, suggests Israel isn't responsible for the blast

U.S. President Joe Biden said he was "deeply saddened and outraged" by a deadly explosion at a hospital in Gaza on Tuesday evening, saying alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that it appeared as though Israel wasn't responsible for the blast.

"I am deeply saddened and outraged by the explosion at the hospital in Gaza yesterday. And based on what I've seen, it appears as though it was done by the other team, not you. But there's a lot of people out there who are not sure, so we have to overcome a lot of things," Biden said on his first trip to Israel since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.

"I'm very happy to be back in Israel with you. Thank you for having me and I'm looking forward to having a thorough discussion about where everybody goes from here," he said while addressing Netanyahu.

Biden wrapped up his comments by saying he was proud to be in the country and praised the "truly stunning" courage, commitment and bravery of the people of Israel.

— Sam Meredith

Israel PM Netanyahu thanks U.S. President Biden for 'unequivocal' support

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked U.S. President Joe Biden for his "unequivocal" support, saying it was "deeply, deeply moving" for him to visit the country during a time of war.

Biden arrived in Tel Aviv earlier on Wednesday, making his first visit to Israel since the start of the war. A spate of high-profile U.S. officials have carried out similar trips since the conflict erupted, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken conducting two visits to Tel Aviv over that timeframe.

"You described what Hamas did as sheer evil. It is exactly that," Netanyahu said while sat next to Biden in Tel Aviv, reflecting on the Oct. 7 terrorist attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas.

"Mr. President, for the people of Israel, there is only thing one better than having a true friend like you standing with Israel and that is having you standing in Israel," Netanyahu said. "Thank you for standing with Israel, today, tomorrow and always."

— Sam Meredith

Lawmakers ask U.S. Treasury how they plan to address the 'serious national security threats' posed by crypto's use in terrorism financing

A group of U.S. lawmakers including Sen. Elizabeth Warren wrote a letter asking the Department of the Treasury how it plans to deal with cryptocurrency being used to finance terrorism.

It comes after the Wall Street Journal last week reported that three militant groups — Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and their Lebanese ally Hezbollah — raised money through cryptocurrency donations.

Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an attack on Israel this month sparking a conflict that has cost thousands of lives.

"Congress and this Administration must take strong action to thoroughly address crypto illicit finance risks before it can be used to finance another tragedy," the lawmakers said in the letter dated Oct. 17.

"As Congress considers legislative proposals designed to mitigate crypto money laundering and illicit finance risks, we urge you to swiftly and categorically act to meaningfully curtail illicit crypto activity and protect our national security and that of our allies."

The letter is addressed to Brian Nelson, under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence at the Treasury, and Jake Sullivan, the White House national security adviser.

The lawmakers asked the Treasury Department to "address the serious national security threats posed by the use of cryptocurrency to finance terrorism" no later than Oct. 31 and listed a set of questions that require an answer.

— Arjun Kharpal

Pope Francis denounces 'desperate' situation in Gaza

Pope Francis on Wednesday lamented the "desperate" situation in Gaza, as he urged his weekly audience to take the side "of peace" in the Israel-Hamas war.

"War does not solve any problem, it only sows death and destruction, increases hatred, multiplies revenge. War erases the future," Francis said in St. Peter's Square, Vatican, according to Reuters.

"I urge believers to take only one side in this conflict, that of peace, but not with words but with prayer and total dedication," he added.

The pope did not comment on the deadly Gaza hospital strike, with Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel trading blame for the explosion.

— Sam Meredith

Biden lands in Tel Aviv to meet Netanyahu for 'solidarity' visit

U.S. President Joe Biden touched down in Tel Aviv as he commences a visit to Israel meant to show solidarity with the country after it suffered its largest-ever terrorist attack, carried out by Palestinian militant group Hamas, on Oct. 7.

Biden wrote on X on Tuesday: "On Wednesday, I'll travel to Israel to stand in solidarity in the face of Hamas's brutal terrorist attack."

In the post, he added that he would also visit Jordan and meet with Arab leaders to discuss humanitarian aid and next steps for Palestinians. But the Arab leaders Biden was scheduled to have a trilateral meeting with — Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Jordan's King Abdullah II and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas — canceled the meeting after a blast at a Gaza hospital Tuesday night killed more than 500 people.

Hamas and other Arab leaders blamed Israel for the strike, while Israel says it was caused by a failed rocket fired by Hamas affiliates inside Gaza.

The White House has so far fully supported what it says is "Israel's right to defend itself," and Biden has requested that Congress approve more military funding for Israel.

Israel responded to the Oct. 7 Hamas attack with a ferocious bombing campaign over the Gaza Strip, the Israeli-blockaded territory which Hamas governs. It has been criticized by international aid organizations for its tactics which they say overwhelmingly harm civilians.

More than 1,300 Israelis have died in both the Hamas attack and ensuing conflict, while Israel's bombings and siege over Gaza have killed more than 3,000 Palestinians.

— Natasha Turak

Hamas and Israel trade blame for Gaza hospital blast that killed at least 500

Hamas and Israel are blaming each other for the deadly blast on a Gaza hospital Tuesday night that killed hundreds of people. The World Health Organization called the strike on a hospital in Gaza "unprecedented in scale."

Horrific scenes of the wounded ignited street protests in capitals across the region as Arab protesters and leaders assigned the blame squarely on Israel's Defense Forces.

Palestinian U.N. envoy Riyad Mansour said Israeli forces caused the "massacre" and called for an immediate ceasefire, while the U.N. Ambassador for Israel Gilad Erdan assigned responsibility to the militant group Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

— Natasha Turak

Biden plans to request $100 billion in funding that would include money for Israel, Ukraine

President Joe Biden is planning to submit a request for $100 billion in supplemental funding to Congress in the coming days that would include money for Israel, Taiwan, Ukraine and U.S. border security, two people familiar with the discussions told NBC News.

One source said the details of the package have not been finalized and could still change. The president is expected to send his request to lawmakers by the end of this week after he returns from his Middle East trip.

— NBC News

U.S. State Department advises Americans to not travel to Lebanon

The U.S. State Department advised Americans against traveling to Lebanon, citing an unpredictable security situation due to kidnappings, unrest in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war and "rocket, missile, and artillery exchanges" between Israel and Hezbollah.

The department raised its travel advisory for Lebanon to level 4, the highest on its rating scale, and warned that the embassy in Beirut has limited capacity to support U.S. citizens there.

State currently has a level 4 travel advisory for Gaza, citing terrorism, civil unrest and armed conflict. It has a level 3 advisory for Israel and the West Bank, recommending Americans reconsider traveling due to terrorism and civil unrest.

— Christine Wang

At least 17 journalists killed since war began, Committee to Protect Journalists says

The Committee to Protect Journalists said at least 17 journalists have been killed in the Israel-Hamas conflict. Of the known deaths, the CPJ said 13 were Palestinian, three were Israeli and one was Lebanese.

It said eight journalists have been injured and three have been reported missing or detained.

The nonprofit said it continues to investigate "unconfirmed reports of other journalists being killed, missing, detained, hurt or threatened, and of damage to media offices and journalists' homes."

"CPJ emphasizes that journalists are civilians doing important work during times of crisis and must not be targeted by warring parties," said Sherif Mansour, CPJ's Middle East and North Africa program coordinator. "Journalists across the region are making great sacrifices to cover this heartbreaking conflict. All parties must take steps to ensure their safety."

— Christine Wang

Protests erupt across the world after hundreds killed in Gaza hospital bombing

— Getty Images

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Israel denies targeting Gaza hospital, Palestinian leader Abbas cancels meeting with Biden