Israel-Hamas War: Emmanuel Macron's Visit, IDF's Strikes & More While The Gaza Death Toll Crosses 5,791

Eighty-five-year-old Yocheved Lifshitz, one of the Israeli hostages released by Hamas on Monday, 23rd October, has opened up about her ordeal during the 7th October multi-pronged terror attacks conducted by the Palestinian group.

In a press briefing on Tuesday, 24th October, Yocheved Lifshitz revealed, "I went through hell," as she described her harrowing experience of being taken hostage. She also noted that her treatment had improved during her captivity.

Hamas released the two elderly hostages late Monday, 23rd October, bringing the total number of released hostages to four.

On another front, French President Emmanuel Macron has put forward a proposal to expand an existing coalition that combats the Islamic State (IS) to include efforts against the Palestinian militant group, Hamas.

Simultaneously, Israeli President Isaac Herzog emphasized that Israel does not seek a war with the militant group Hezbollah. However, he warned that Lebanon would "pay the price" if the two countries were drawn into such a conflict.

Here is a list of top developments in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war:

1. What IDF says: Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari has declared the armed forces' preparedness as "ready and determined" for the next phase of the conflict, awaiting political directives. In a social media update, the Israel Defence Forces proudly announced having targeted over 400 objectives in the last 24 hours, characterizing it as a "broad-scale operation to dismantle Hamas' terrorist capabilities."

2. The death toll: The toll of this extended conflict is tragically high, with the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry reporting at least 5,791 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes since 7th October. This number includes a heartbreaking 2,360 children, and the ministry further noted that 704 Palestinians lost their lives in the past day alone. Ashraf al-Qidra, a spokesperson for the ministry, disclosed receiving 1,550 reports of missing individuals, among them 870 children, suggesting that these missing persons might still be trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings. It's important to note that these claims have not been independently verified.

3. Hostages Released, recount dreadful experience in captivity: In a somewhat contrasting development, Hamas recently released two more hostages from Gaza on humanitarian and health grounds. Nurit Cooper, also known as Nurit Yitzhak, aged 79, and Yocheved Lifshitz, aged 85, were abducted alongside their husbands from the Nir Oz kibbutz near the Gaza border on 7th October.

Lifshitz shared her ordeal during a press conference at a Tel Aviv hospital, describing the harrowing experience of being captured by Hamas fighters on motorcycles, beaten with sticks, and coerced to walk. She recounted the conditions within the tunnels where they were held, emphasizing that their captors treated them with care, providing food and mattresses. Lifshitz even mentioned the presence of doctors and paramedics to tend to wounds. She expressed criticism of Israel's military for not taking the Hamas threat seriously enough before the attack.

4. Hostage situation as per Israel: On Monday, Israel reported that 222 hostages were being held in Gaza by Hamas. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated on Tuesday that they were making efforts to contact Gaza residents to offer information about the abducted individuals in their areas, with the aim of providing "a better future for you and your child."

5. French PM Emanuel Macron's Israel visit: During a joint media appearance with the French President, Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, issued a warning of "horrible consequences" for Hezbollah in Lebanon if they were to significantly engage in the ongoing conflict. President Emmanuel Macron emphasized the importance of releasing hostages and called for a fight against terrorism with both resolve and adherence to rules.

6. What Israel PM said: Netanyahu reiterated his determination to see Hamas defeated and indicated that the war might continue for some time. He asserted that, following the conflict's conclusion, no one would be living "under Hamas tyranny."

7. Israel's President's stand: Israel's President, Isaac Herzog, has described the 7th October Hamas attack as "one of the worst atrocities of modern times." He also accused Hezbollah in Lebanon of "playing with fire" in northern Israel and pointed to Iran as a source of tension between Hezbollah and Israel.

8. Humanitarian situation in Gaza: The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire, with approximately 1.4 million out of the 2.3 million population displaced, according to the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The shortage of clean drinking water and overcrowding have emerged as major concerns, with patients arriving at hospitals showing signs of diseases related to these conditions.

United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)'s Tamara Alrifai characterized the aid reaching the Gaza Strip as insufficient, with just 54 trucks carrying relief supplies reported to have crossed into Gaza since Saturday. Alrifai highlighted the urgent need for fuel and noted that some of the aid sent, like rice and lentils, couldn't be used because people lacked clean water and fuel to cook with.

Overnight, UNRWA confirmed that another six of its staff had been killed in Gaza, bringing the total to 35 since October 7. It was reported that 40 UNRWA installations had been damaged by Israeli airstrikes.

9. Israel's attack in Lebanon: Israel's air force reported killing an individual in Lebanon who was attempting to launch a rocket into northern Israel.

10. 12 British individuals die, 5 unaccounted for: In an international context, the UK revealed that 12 British individuals lost their lives on 7th October in Israel, with five others still unaccounted for. British-Israeli families of the hostages held a press briefing at the Israeli embassy in London, while people in central London participated in a vigil for the children who lost their lives in Gaza.

(With inputs from international media reports)