Israel-Hamas war: Nearly 200 hostages in Gaza, IDF says

The Israeli military said Monday that 199 hostages are being held in Gaza by Hamas, which is higher than previously estimated. 

Israel had said Sunday that 126 hostages were being held captive.   

Daniel Hagari, an Israeli military spokesman, said Monday that the families of hostages have been notified. The hostages were taken after Hamas carried out terror attacks on Israel on October 7.

"The efforts on the hostages are a top national priority," Hagari said. "The army and Israel are working around the clock to bring them back."

Israel, Hamas deny reports of southern Gaza cease-fire

Israel and Hamas have both denied a report Monday morning of a cease-fire in southern Gaza. 

Reuters news agency reported a cease-fire would have lasted several hours from 9 a.m. local time (0600) GMT. The report was based on unnamed Egyptian security sources. 

"There is currently no truce and humanitarian aid in Gaza in exchange for getting foreigners out," a statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said.  

Hamas member Izzat al-Reshiq later spoke to Reuters and denied the cease-fire report. 

The cease-fire was said to have been in coordination with the potential opening of the Rafah crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt.  

Israel evacuates residents near Lebanon border

The Israeli military said Monday that it was evacuating communities in northern Israel near the border with Lebanon. 

Residents in 28 villages within 2 kilometers (1 mile) of the border are being evacuated after Israel traded fire with Hezbollah in Lebanon on Sunday. 

An Israeli village, Shtula, was attacked in northern Israel on Sunday, with Hezbollah claiming responsibility. Israel said one person was killed in the attack, with several others wounded. 

Hezbollah is a Shiite political organization and paramilitary group in Lebanon. 

Hezbollah is designated as a terrorist organization by the US, UK, Germany, Israel and Japan, among others, while the EU lists its armed wing as a terrorist group.

Egypt's Rafah crossing set to open

The US State Department said Monday that Egypt's Rafah crossing with Gaza is set to open, which would allow humanitarian aid amassed on the Egyptian side to be brought in.

The crossing was closed because of airstrikes.

"According to media reports, the Rafah crossing will open at 9 a.m. local time on October 16," the department posted on social media. "We anticipate that the situation at the Rafah crossing will remain fluid and unpredictable and it is unclear whether, or for how long, travelers will be permitted to transit the crossing."

Hamas must release hostages, Israel needs to let aid be distributed, says UN's Guterres

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said the Middle East is on the "verge of the abyss" as he called on the Islamist-militant group Hamas to immediately release hostages. The UN chief also said humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip was urgently required. 

"To Hamas, the hostages must be immediately released without conditions. To Israel, rapid and unimpeded access for humanitarian aid must be granted for the sake of the civilians in Gaza," Guterres said in a statement.

"Each one of these two objectives are valid in themselves. They should not become bargaining chips and they must be implemented because it is the right thing to do."

"Gaza is running out of water, electricity and other essential supplies," he added.

Guterres said the UN has food, water, non-food items, medical supplies and fuel readily available in Egypt, Jordan, Israel and the West Bank which could be distributed to Gaza "within hours" if staff could transport the goods safely and without impediment.

Meanwhile, reserves of fuel at all hospitals across the Gaza Strip are on the verge of running out, with the clock ticking on 24 hours worth left. This means thousands of patients are at risk, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Monday.

The coastal enclave of Gaza is one of the most densely populated areas in the world, with around 2.2 million people living on around 45 square kilometers of land.

Israel has been bombarding the area since the terror attacks on Israeli civilians carried out by Hamas on October 7. Hamas abducted some 130 Israeli and other foreign nationals during the terror attacks and is holding them in Gaza. 

Biden says Israeli occupation of Gaza would be 'big mistake'

US President Joe Biden said an Israeli occupation of Gaza would be "a big mistake," but added "taking out the extremists" was needed.

In an interview with the US television network CBS, Biden said he was "confident" Israel would act under the rules of war as it continues to react to last weekend's terror attack by the Islamist-militant group Hamas. 

Speaking on news program "60 Minutes," Biden said that while Hamas must be eliminated, there should also be a path laid out towards a Palestinian state.

According to a senior administration official, Biden is also considering a trip to Israel, though no plans have been finalized.