Live Blog Update| Israel's genocide in Gaza
This is an entry from: Israel-Palestine war: First week ends with over 2,500 Palestinians, 1,400 Israelis killed

Recap: What you need to know as the third night of fighting ends

9 October 2023 22:56 BST

Good evening Middle East Eye readers.

The third night of fighting between the Israeli army and Palestinian fighters has concluded, with the death toll continuing to rise significantly on both sides.

For hours in the afternoon, the Israeli air force launched an intense onslaught in Gaza, described by residents as an "unimaginable massacre".

Their targets included hospitals, universities, mosques, a UN school sheltering displaced people, banks, telecommunication companies, and residential towers, among other civilian infrastructure.

The bombs rained down as Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant called Palestinians "human animals" that must be dealt with "accordingly".

Gallant also announced a "complete siege" of the already blockaded Palestinian enclave, cutting its access to food, water, electricity, and fuel supply. Human Rights Watch said his "abhorrent" orders were a "call to commit a war crime".

Here's a recap of the latest updates you need to know:

  • At least 900 Israelis and 700 Palestinians have been killed, with over 2,500 wounded on each side. The numbers are likely to rise

  • Fighting is ongoing in several locations inside Israeli territory 60 hours after the start of the assault, despite the Israeli army saying they regained control. More Palestinian fighters continue to cross the boundary into Israel

  • Israel has amassed around 300,000 reserve troops around Gaza with assessments saying they are possibly preparing for the ground invasion of the besieged Strip

  • Hamas said it's preparing for a long battle and threatened to kill captives if Israeli shelling of civilian infrastructure without warning didn't stop

  • The Israel military said it would carry out strikes even if Israeli captives were hurt, and instructed people to stock up on food and water as the "campaign may be long"

  • Meanwhile in Lebanon, at least four Hezbollah members were killed in Israeli shelling after tensions along the Israel-Lebanon boundary flared up

  • Several fighters who did not belong to Hezbollah crossed the boundary from Lebanon earlier on Monday and clashed with troops inside Israeli territory. Rocket and artillery fire have also been exchanged along the boundary, involving Israel, Hezbollah and possibly other Palestinian groups

For more updates, keep an eye on Middle East Eye "Live" throughout the day and follow us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube.