Israel-Hamas War Rages As Gaza Waits For Aid Amid Worsening Conditions
Jerusalem Old City empty as few worshippers go to Friday prayers at al-Aqsa mosque
The streets in Jerusalem's Old City were quiet on Friday as only a few worshippers made their way to al-Aqsa mosque for prayers.
A CNN producer reported seeing an increased Israeli police presence and some worshippers were stopped from entering, despite the fact that there are no official restrictions.
The occupied West Bank has been closed since October 7 and people from there wishing to worship at the mosque cannot do so.
Shops are mostly closed as shopkeepers are on strike following the situation in Gaza and the West Bank.
Some context: The al-Aqsa compound is one of the most revered places in Islam and Judaism. The sacred grounds, known to Muslims as Al Haram Al Sharif (Noble Sanctuary) and to Jews as Temple Mount have been a flashpoint of tensions between Israel and the Palestinians for decades.
Only Muslims are allowed to pray in the compound under a status quo arrangement originally reached more than a century ago. Non-Muslim visitors are allowed visits at certain times and only to certain areas of the complex.
But many in the Muslim world fear that the right to be the sole worshipers there has been eroded and that the sites themselves are being threatened by a growing far-right Jewish movement and Israel’s far-right government.
Clashes have frequently broken out at the site between Palestinian worshipers and Israeli forces. Police raided the compound several times over the last year.
Israel's military says majority of hostages in Gaza are alive
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) has published new information on the status of hostages and missing persons taken by Hamas following their brutal and brazen surprise attack on October 7.
The IDF says the majority of hostages are alive.
Over 20 of the hostages are under the age of 18, while 10-20 of them are over the age of 60.
It's unclear how many hostages overall are being held in Gaza.
The IDF said the number of missing is between 100 and 200 people while a spokesperson for Hamas’ military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, said in a video statement on Monday the number was at least between 200-250.
The spokesperson, Abu Obaida, said the Al-Qassam Brigades held about 200 hostages, while the rest were held by other “militant formations” in Gaza, adding that it cannot determine the exact number of hostages due to constant Israeli bombardment.
- Protests against Israel’s siege of Gaza are expected across much of the Middle East on Friday as aid agencies warn hospitals are running out of fuel amid fears life-saving aid will be still stuck in Egypt for another day.
- Gaza's main hospital only has fuel for another 24 hours, a top relief agency warned Thursday. "Without electricity, many patients will die," an official said. The first convoy carrying humanitarian aid from Egypt won't cross until Saturday at the earliest, US sources told CNN.
- US President Joe Biden directly appealed to Americans for support in the wars in Israel and Ukraine and announced he would send an aid package to Congress.
- Israeli leaders are rallying troops on the Gaza border, with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant saying they will "soon see" the enclave "from the inside," according to a statement from his office.
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