Israel-Gaza live updates: Netanyahu 'surprised' by Biden's remarks, source says

More than four months since Hamas terrorists invaded Israel on Oct. 7, the Israeli military continues its bombardment of the neighboring Gaza Strip.

The conflict, now the deadliest between the warring sides since Israel’s founding in 1948, shows no signs of letting up soon and the brief cease-fire that allowed for over 100 hostages to be freed from Gaza remains a distant memory.

Click here for updates from previous days.

Latest Developments

Feb 27, 7:15 AM

UNRWA ‘needs to be dissolved,’ Israeli official says

An Israeli official told ABC News on Tuesday that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is “intertwined with terror and needs to be dissolved.”

“Their sole goal was to perpetuate the Palestinian refugee problem,” the official said. “Their compliance with Hamas terrorism and incitement was exposed. Any prospect for peace depends on dissolving UNRWA.”

The Israeli official said humanitarian aid in the war-torn Gaza Strip should be provided by people “who are not associated with Hamas or UNRWA.”

ABC News has reached out to UNRWA for comment.

In a dossier released in late January, the Israeli military alleged that 13 UNRWA employees participated in the Hamas-led Oct. 7 terror attack on Israel.

UNRWA has said it is investigating the allegations and took swift action against those accused of being involved in the attack. However, the United States and other top donors have suspended their funding to the agency, which is the biggest humanitarian aid provider in Gaza.

-ABC News’ Jordana Miller and Morgan Winsor

 Feb 27, 5:54 AM

Netanyahu ‘surprised’ by Biden’s remarks on potential cease-fire deal, source says

A senior Israeli political source told ABC News on Tuesday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was “surprised” by U.S. President Joe Biden’s remarks that he was hopeful a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas could be in place “by next Monday.”

-ABC News’ Zoe Magee, Jordana Miller and Morgan Winsor

 Feb 27, 5:42 AM

Qatar says no breakthrough in talks between Israel, Hamas

A spokesperson for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday that there is no breakthrough to announce concerning a potential deal between Israel and Hamas on a cease-fire and hostage release.

“Many developments have occurred. Nothing to announce today, but we feel optimistic,” the spokesperson told reporters.

The spokesperson said the talks remain “ongoing” and they cannot comment on U.S. President Joe Biden’s remarks that a deal is expected by next Monday.

Qatar, along with Egypt and the United States, has been mediating talks between the warring sides.

-ABC News’ Emma Ogao and Morgan Winsor

 Feb 27, 5:37 AM

Hamas’ demands in negotiations ‘are still delusional,’ Israeli official says

An Israeli official told ABC News on Tuesday that Hamas’ demands in ongoing negotiations “are still delusional.”

“Military pressure and determined negotiation have helped free 112 hostages to date. Israel will get the remaining hostages home,” the official said. “A deal was done in November and another deal can be made once Hamas comes to reality. Hamas demands are still delusional.”

-ABC News’ Jordana Miller and Morgan Winsor

 Feb 26, 6:28 PM

Biden ‘hopes’ for cease-fire in Gaza by next Monday

President Biden said he “hopes” to have a cease-fire in Gaza by March 4.

“I hope by the end of the weekend,” the president told reporters Monday. “My national security advisor tells me that we’re close, it’s not done yet. My hope is by next Monday we’ll have a ceasefire.”

The comments came during a stop at Van Leeuwen’s ice cream shop in New York City as the president visited NBC “Late Night” host Seth Meyers.

 Feb 26, 4:03 PM

State Department says there’s been ‘progress’ in hostage talks

State Department spokesperson Matt Miller said Monday that there’s been “progress” in hostage talks over the last few days, but he said it’s unclear whether Hamas would accept the latest proposal.

“We’ve had progress with the conversations we’ve had between Egypt, Israel, the United States and Qatar,” Miller said.

Demonstrators block traffic as they take part in a rally calling for the release of hostages kidnapped in the deadly October 7 attack on Israel by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas from Gaza, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Feb. 26, 2024.

He was then asked if they might reach a deal before Ramadan, which begins on March 10.

“I can’t make that assessment because it depends on Hamas. We believe a deal is possible and we hope Hamas will agree to one,” he said.

-ABC News’ Shannon Crawford

 Feb 26, 12:16 PM

Aid to Gaza has dropped by half since January, UNRWA says

Humanitarian aid to Gaza dropped by 50% from January to February, according to Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.

Palestinians wait for humanitarian aid on a beachfront in Gaza City, Gaza Strip, Feb. 25, 2024.

“Aid was supposed to increase not decrease to address the huge needs of 2 million Palestinians in desperate living conditions,” Lazzarini said on social media Monday. “Among the obstacles: lack of political will, regular closing of the crossing points & lack of security due to military operations + collapse of civil order.”

Lazzarini stressed the need for a cease-fire.

People find their way through a rubble-covered alley, following overnight Israeli bombardment in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, Feb. 25, 2024, amid continuing battles between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

 Feb 26, 1:14 PM

IDF presents war cabinet with plan to evacuate Gazans from ‘areas of fighting’

The Israel Defense Forces has presented Israel’s war cabinet with a “plan for evacuating the population from the areas of fighting in the Gaza Strip,” a release from the prime minister’s office said early Monday local time.

Palestinians inspect destroyed houses following an Israeli airstrike on the Al-Farouq Mosque in the Rafah refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip, Feb. 22, 2024.

“In addition, the plan for providing humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip in a manner that will prevent the looting that has occurred in the northern Strip and other areas was approved,” the statement added.

Editor’s Note: This post has been updated to reflect that the IDF presented the plan, not the prime minister’s office, as originally reported.

 Feb 24, 4:34 PM

Israel agrees to updated framework in cease-fire, hostage deal

Israel has agreed to an updated framework that would establish a six-week cease-fire in Gaza in exchange for the release of 40 hostages, an Israeli source told ABC News. The development follows talks in Paris, which includes officials from the U.S., Israel, Qatar and Egypt.

While Israel says it’s waiting to hear back from Hamas on whether it will accept the updated language from this weekend’s talks, Israel is pushing forward with plans to enter Rafah. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted on X that operational plans and evacuation plans in Rafah are ready to be approved by his cabinet.

As part of the proposed deal, Israel has agreed to release jailed Palestinians at a higher ratio than the previous deal, which was 3 to 1. Up to 400 Palestinian prisoners could be released in this new deal.

The Israel Defense Forces will redeploy but not withdraw from Gaza.

-ABC News’ Marcus Moore

 Feb 23, 1:23 PM

Blinken calls Israeli settlement expansion ‘inconsistent with international law’

Secretary of State Antony Blinken is signaling a possible shift back to a long-standing U.S. policy rejecting Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank, calling it “inconsistent with international law.”

Asked at a press availability in Argentina for his response to Israel’s purported plans to build thousands of new settlement homes in the area, Blinken responded, “We’ve seen the reports, and I have to say we’re disappointed in the announcement.”

“It’s been long-standing U.S. policy under Republican and Democratic administration alike that new settlements are counterproductive to reaching an enduring peace. They’re also inconsistent with international law,” Blinken said. “Our administration maintains firm opposition to settlement expansion, and in our judgment, this only weakens — doesn’t strengthen — Israel security.”

Israeli army soldiers patrol at an unspecified location in the Gaza Strip amid ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, Feb. 23, 2024.

The Biden administration has condemned Israeli expansion in the West Bank for years, but the State Department had not yet gone so far as to say they ran afoul of international law after Blinken’s predecessor, Mike Pompeo, said in 2019 that the U.S. would no longer view Israeli settlements in the West Bank, Golan Heights and East Jerusalem as violations.

But before delivering his rebuke, Blinken made note of what he called a “horrific terrorist attack” on a Jewish settlement in the West Bank this week and said the U.S. would continue to support Israel’s right to defend itself and its people.

-ABC News’ Shannon Crawford

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