Israel-Hamas conflict as it happened:Netanyahu foreshadows indefinite control of Gaza as war enters one month

And that brings Wednesday’s live coverage of the Israel-Hamas war to a close. You can stay up to date with all our ongoing news and analysishere.

Recapping today’s developments:

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Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Israel says troops pushing deep into Gaza City as it seeks ‘indefinite period’ of control

At home:

I’mLucy Cormack. Thank you for joining us. Good night.

Around 500 Pro-Palestinian protesters have blocked the road entrance to Melbourne’s port to protest an Israeli shipping company they say has been a “major transporter of weapons of mass destruction” for Israel’s government.

Trade Unionists for Palestine organised Wednesday’s protest at Webb Dock from 5.30pm when they say a ship linked to Israeli company ZIM was due to arrive. Videos show protesters blocking trucks from entering the container terminal while some wave Palestinian flags.

“The role of ZIM,the Israeli shipping line,in the development of the Israeli war machine has been relentless,” the group says in a social media post promoting the event.

“We demand an immediate ceasefire,the end of occupation,and justice for Palestine!”

The group says it plans another rally to “block the boat” at Port Botany in Sydney on Saturday. It says the protest is an extension to the Boycott,Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel.

Victoria Police said around 500 people attended the planned protest and there were no arrests or injuries.

In Melbourne’s inner north,around 100 protesters gathered outside the Merri-bek council’s headquarters this evening ahead of a meeting where a vote on a controversial motion was scheduled.

The motion called on the federal government to advocate for a ceasefire in Gaza,for the Palestinian flag to be flown at council chambers and for a council boycott of any companies linked to Israel.

The demonstrations came a day afterpolice arrested at least four people at a pro-Palestine rally outside Flemington Racecourse before the running of the Melbourne Cup.

Updated: The Merri-bek council motion calling on the federal government to support a Gaza ceasefire passed 6-4 at about 8.30pm.

Americans are more likely to describe Israel as an ally that shares US interests and values since the war with Hamas began,but they’re divided over whether Israel has gone too far in its response,a new poll suggests.

The survey,conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Centre for Public Affairs Research,also revealsscepticism among Democrats toward Israel.

The result is a rather muddled picture that presents few easy options for the White House as it keeps one eye on public opinion with an election year on the horizon.

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‘You need a new military strategy’:US uneasy over Israel’s Gaza bombardment

During an August poll,only 32 per cent of Americans described Israel as an ally that shares US interests and values. But that figure increased to 44 per cent in the latest survey,which was conducted after the October 7 attacks by Hamas that killed 1400 Israelis.

Only 36 per cent said it’s extremely or very important to provide aid to Israel’s military to fight Hamas,while 40 per cent said Israel’s military response in the Gaza Strip has gone too far.

Overall,38 per cent of Americans said Israel’s response has been about right,and 18 per cent said it has not gone far enough.

AP

The Israeli military claims it has killed a senior Hamas weapons developer by aircraft strike,as troops continue ground operations in the Gaza Strip.

A statement from the Israel Defence Forces and Israeli Securities Authority said an Israeli fighter jet killed Mohsen Abu Zina,Hamas’ head of weapons and industries in its manufacturing department.

“As part of his role,Mohsen Abu Zina served as one of Hamas’ leading weapons developers and was an expert in developing strategic weapons and rockets used by Hamas terrorists,” the statement said.

“Overnight,IDF troops also identified a terrorist cell that planned to fire anti-tank missiles at the forces. The troops directed an aircraft that struck the cell and killed several terrorists.

“Furthermore,IDF troops directed an aircraft to a strike on a terrorist cell responsible for launching rockets toward Israel. Several terrorists were killed in the strike.”

The claims have not been independently verified.

More than 200 ABC journalists participated in a mass meeting about the public broadcaster’s coverage of the war in Gaza,with a number of grievances raised leading to a possible shift in how the conflict is reported on,according to several people who attended.

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Israeli-Palestinian conflict

ABC journalists criticise broadcaster’s coverage of Gaza invasion

The meeting on Wednesday afternoon,which ABC staff described as emotional and at times heated,took place in person and online and was initiated by Mark Maley,the ABC’s editorial policy manager.

A key issue raised by staff related to the language used to describe elements of the conflict. Journalists argued that the ABC’s coverage ofIsrael’s ground invasion of Gaza was too heavily reliant on the talking points of the Israel Defence Forces.

They also raised concerns around the ABC’s unwillingness to use language such as “invasion”,“occupation”,“genocide”,“apartheid” and “ethnic cleansing” regarding Israeli government policy andallegations made by human rights groups.

You can read this story from Osman Faruqi and Calum Jaspan here.

A UN agency says overcrowding in its Gaza facilities is worsening by the day. In one humanitarian centre in Khan Younis,there is one toilet for every 600 people.

At least 22,000 displaced people have sought refuge in the Khan Younis training centre,where there is less than 2 metres-squared in available space per person.

“Fifty trucks carrying food,medicine,health supplies,bottled water and hygiene products crossed from Egypt into Gaza,” the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported on Tuesday.

“This brings the number of trucks that have entered Gaza since 21 October to 526. The entry of fuel remains banned by Israeli authorities.”

These figures have been released by OCHA,as the Associated Press reports thousands of Palestinians are fleeing south on foot after running out of food and water in the north.

About 15,000 people fled northern Gaza on Tuesday,which was triple the number that left on Monday. Those civilians have used Gaza’s main north-south highway during a daily four-hour window announced by Israel.

Gaza’s health ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qidra on Monday described Israeli offers of safe passage as “nothing but death corridors”. More than 70 per cent of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million have fled their homes since the fighting began.

with AP

This isCaitlin Fitzsimmonsand I have been your host on the blog this afternoon.Lucy Cormackwill bring you any further updates.

The conflict between Israel and Hamas has been going for a month now.

About 1400 Israelis died,mostly on October 7,when Hamas militants entered southern Israel and murdered civilians,including families and young people attending a music festival. It’s believed Hamas also took about 240 people hostage.

Israel retaliated with air strikes,a siege and a ground invasion is now underway. The Ministry of Health in Gaza,which is run by Hamas,says 10,022 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza so far.

A humanitarian crisis is also unfolding in Gaza because of the bombardment and siege,with aid groups reporting insufficient food,drinking water,fuel and medical supplies.

This is thought to be the position of the Israeli forces as they push into Gaza City.

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For those catching up on the day’s events,here are the main points:

Circling back to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza,the hospitals are full of people who have been injured by bombing. But the situation is also grim for people with complex and chronic illnesses.

The World Health Organisation says that usually about 100 patients a day from Gaza receive care for complex health needs such as treatment for rare cancers and open-heart surgery,at hospitals in Jerusalem,the West Bank,Israel and other countries.

But since the October 7 attack by Hamas,Israel imposed a complete siege on Gaza,bombarding the coastal enclave and launching a ground offensive.

The WHO is pushing for the most vulnerable among the chronically ill to be allowed out for treatment. Other countries have offered to take in patients,including Egypt,Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

Before the war,around 20,000 patients per year sought permits from Israel to leave the Gaza Strip for healthcare,many of them requiring repeat trips across the border. Almost a third are children. Israel approved about 63 per cent of these medical exit applications in 2022,according to the WHO.

Osama Qadoumi,the supervisor at Makassed Hospital in east Jerusalem,said:“In previous wars,the crossing would close for a day or two,but then the patients were able to return.

“This is the first time there is such a comprehensive ban on movement and Gaza patients can’t make it out.

“The longer we wait,the worse some patients will get. Many people will die merely because they have no access to treatment.”

The concern is not just about the most complex cases. United Nations figures show there are 350,000 patients with chronic conditions in Gaza,including cancer and diabetes,and 50,000 pregnant women.

Previously,the majority could get medical care in Gaza,but now the UN says the territory’s fragile health system is close to collapse,battered by airstrikes,a surge in the number of trauma patients,and rapidly diminishing supplies of medicines and fuel. A trickle of aid has been allowed in,while about 80 patients were allowed out.

About 1000 patients in Gaza need kidney dialysis to stay alive,but 80 per cent of the machines are in local hospitals under evacuation orders,the WHO said. Gaza’s only cancer hospital is no longer functioning.

While the fighting rages,some 400 patients and their companions who left Gaza for treatment before the war have been stranded in east Jerusalem and the West Bank,the WHO said. Many struggle to contact their relatives,with scant telephone services and electricity in Gaza.

Reuters

An Australian family of three has left war-torn Gaza through the Rafah crossing as the government continues efforts to help its citizens flee.

In a post on X,formerly known as Twitter,Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the family left overnight and was receiving support in Egypt.

“Australia is working with partners as part of international efforts to allow safe passage of foreign nationals from Gaza,” Wong said.

“We continue to call for humanitarian pauses on hostilities to allow for the urgent delivery of essential assistance.”

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has so far helped 28 people leave the Gaza Strip via Rafah,but says at least 76 remain.

AAP

From Western capitals to Muslim states,protest rallies over the Israel-Hamas war have made headlines. But one place known for its vocal pro-Palestinian stance has been conspicuously quiet:Indian-controlled Kashmir.

Indian authorities have barred any solidarity protest in Muslim-majority Kashmir and asked Muslim preachers not to mention the conflict in their sermons,residents and religious leaders said.

The restrictions are part of India’s efforts to curb any form of protest that could turn into demands for ending New Delhi’s rule in the disputed region.

Analysts say it also reflects a shift in India’s foreign policy under populist Prime Minister Narendra Modi away from its long-held support for the Palestinians.

Anti-India sentiment runs deep in the Himalayan region which is divided between India and Pakistan and claimed by both in its entirety. In 2019,New Delhi removed the region’s semi-autonomy,drastically curbing any form of dissent,civil liberties and media freedoms.

Kashmiris have long shown strong solidarity with the Palestinians and often staged large anti-Israel protests during previous fighting in Gaza. Those protests often turned into street clashes,with demands for an end of India’s rule and dozens of casualties.

Modi,a staunch Hindu nationalist,was one of the first global leaders to swiftly express solidarity with Israel and call the Hamas attack “terrorism.”

On October 12,India’s foreign ministry issued a statement reiterating New Delhi’s position in support of establishing a “sovereign,independent and viable state of Palestine,living within secure and recognised borders,side by side at peace with Israel.”

Two weeks later,India abstained during the United Nations General Assembly vote that called for a humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza,a departure from its usual voting record. New Delhi said the vote did not condemn the October 7 assault by Hamas.

AP