Israel orders siege of Gaza; Netanyahu says ‘we are going to change the Middle East': Live updates

This is a live blog by CNBC providing updates on the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Here are the latest developments:

• Israel has launched airstrikes on the Gaza Strip in response to a surprise offensive by Hamas that began on Saturday.
• Israeli ministers have ordered a complete siege of Gaza, cutting off supplies of food, water, and electricity to its two million residents.
• The Hamas attack is the deadliest offensive Israel has faced in 50 years. Air raid sirens continue to sound in Israeli cities, and rocket strikes have been reported in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
• Over 700 Israelis have been killed in the conflict, while at least 490 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli retaliatory strikes.
• The total death toll, including foreign nationals, has surpassed 1,200.
• Hamas has taken an unknown number of Israelis hostage, prompting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare that the country is at war.
• Israel is working to rescue the hostages and has regained control of areas outside Gaza after 48 hours of fighting.
• The Israel Defense Forces have struck over 1,000 enemy targets in Gaza.
• Hamas is a designated terrorist group backed by Iran and has governed the Gaza Strip since 2007.
• Gaza, a small strip of land with over 2 million Palestinians, has been under an Israeli blockade since 2007.
• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that Israel will "change the Middle East" with its response to the conflict.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Monday that Israel is determined to "change the Middle East" in response to the recent hostilities initiated by Hamas, a Palestinian militant group. Netanyahu expressed his support for the people affected by the conflict and assured them that the state would provide assistance. The latest figures show that the conflict has resulted in the deaths of at least 1,260 people, including 700 Israelis and 560 Palestinians. As part of their retaliatory measures, Israeli ministers have imposed a "complete siege" on the Gaza Strip, disrupting the supply of essential resources to its 2 million residents. The geopolitical implications of the clash between Israel and Hamas are being discussed by William Wechsler, a senior director at the Atlantic Council. Additionally, Israel has ordered an immediate interruption of water supplies to Gaza, leading to concerns about the quality of water available to Palestinians in the region.

The minister of energy and infrastructure in Israel has issued a directive to immediately stop the supply of water from Israel to the Gaza Strip. Israel Katz, in a statement on social media platform X, stated that there would be a change in the current situation. He mentioned that the disruption of electricity and fuel deliveries from Israel to Gaza on Sunday was a result of an unexpected attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas on Saturday. Additionally, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has ordered a "complete siege" of the Gaza Strip, which includes the interruption of supplies such as electricity, food, and fuel from Israel to the region. In related news, air raid sirens have been heard in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and other areas, following a rocket attack on a building in central Tel Aviv.

On Monday afternoon, air raid alerts were triggered in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and other parts of Israel following an announcement by Hamas on social media claiming that they had launched rockets at both cities. Residents in Jerusalem reported hearing air defense interceptions in the city. The Magen David Adom ambulance service in Israel stated that they are currently assessing the areas where impacts were reported for any casualties, but none have been found thus far.

In another development, the Israeli defense minister has ordered a complete siege of Gaza, with the intention of cutting off electricity, food, and fuel supplies to the region. This decision comes in the wake of ongoing tensions and conflicts between Israel and Gaza. The image accompanying the article shows people inspecting a building that was destroyed in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City on October 8, 2023.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has issued a directive for a comprehensive blockade of the Gaza Strip. This decision comes in response to a devastating attack by Hamas, a Palestinian militant group, which resulted in the loss of over 700 lives in Israel. Gallant has emphasized that this siege will involve a complete cutoff of essential resources such as electricity, food, and fuel, effectively isolating the already blockaded territory of approximately 2 million people. He has described the actions of Hamas as inhumane, and Israel's response is aimed at dealing with them accordingly. The aftermath of Israeli air strikes in Gaza City on October 7, 2023, has left the region severely damaged, as evident from the assessment by local residents.

Hamas governs the Gaza Strip, a densely populated territory that has been subjected to an Israeli land, air, and sea blockade since 2007. This blockade has resulted in limited access to the outside world, making Gaza akin to the world's largest open-air prison. Residents are unable to leave, frequently experience power and internet cuts, and face numerous challenges in their daily lives. The destruction caused by Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City's Shati refugee camp on October 9, 2023, is evident as Palestinians inspect the heavily damaged neighborhood.

Israel maintains that the blockade of Gaza is necessary to protect its citizens from Hamas, which has been in control of the Gaza Strip since 2007. However, the United Nations considers Israel an occupier state over the Palestinian territories, and its occupations and annexations following the 1967 Six-Day War are seen as violations of international law.

In response to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, the European Union's chief diplomat, Josep Borrell, has called for an emergency meeting of EU foreign ministers. The purpose of the meeting is to address the situation in Israel and the region. Borrell expressed solidarity with Israel and condemned the surprise attacks carried out by Hamas, calling for an immediate cessation of violence.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military has announced that it has regained control of areas around Gaza. Troops have been deployed to undisclosed locations on the border with the Gaza Strip.

Israeli Defense Forces have successfully regained control of the areas outside Gaza, putting an end to the fighting between Israeli troops and Hamas fighters inside Israel, according to IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari. This development comes after more than 48 hours of intense conflict that ensued following a surprise attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas. The attack, which involved thousands of rockets and gunmen, is the largest Israel has experienced in half a century and has resulted in over 700 Israeli fatalities.

Israel conducted airstrikes on buildings in Gaza overnight in response to ongoing attacks from Hamas militants. The retaliatory attacks and destruction within the densely-populated and blockaded territory are expected to continue. According to rescue workers, at least 260 people were killed at an Israeli music festival that was attacked by Hamas militants. The festival, called Supernova, was attended by hundreds of people, including foreign visitors, and was meant to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. Witnesses described hearing rockets and sirens during the attack. Israel has reported that over 100 people, including foreign nationals, have been taken hostage by Hamas, and rescue operations are underway. The conflict between Israel and Hamas is seen as a significant danger for the region by Russia, and the Kremlin is closely monitoring the situation. Russian President Vladimir Putin's schedule does not currently include engagements with the leadership of Israel or Palestinian territories, but such outreach can be arranged promptly if needed. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will hold talks with the League of Arab States over Palestine.

Moscow has called for a ceasefire in the recent hostilities between Israel and Hamas, placing blame on Western nations for the conflict. The Russian foreign ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, stated that the escalation of violence is a result of the failure to comply with UN resolutions and the blocking of the Middle East Quartet's work by the West. These comments were made on the Russian foreign ministry's Telegram account. Meanwhile, Iran has called for an emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to address the situation. The Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson, Nasser Kanaani, emphasized that the Palestinian issue remains a priority for the Islamic world. Although Iran has historically supported Hamas, it denies direct involvement in the recent offensive against Israel. The United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has acknowledged the long-standing relationship between Iran and Hamas but stated that there is no evidence of Iran's direct involvement in the attack. The article also raises the question of how Israel and the U.S. missed Hamas' plans for the attack.

The surprise attack launched by Hamas on Israel has exposed a significant intelligence failure on the part of both the Israeli government and U.S. intelligence agencies. The infiltration of Hamas fighters across the southern border and the subsequent rocket attacks caught both parties off guard. It is unclear why the Israeli government did not share information about the imminent attack with Washington. Experts and former intelligence officials have raised questions about the lack of foresight from U.S. intelligence agencies. The counteroffensive by Israel against Hamas is expected to be a long and drawn-out process, potentially lasting for months or even years. There are suspicions that Iran may have been involved in the ambush, which further complicates the situation. The severity of the attack has left Israeli Jews feeling vulnerable, with some comparing it to the atrocities of the Holocaust. The prospect of a regional war in the Middle East looms large following this stealth attack by Hamas.

The weekend attacks occurred just one day after the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War. This timing has led to comparisons being drawn between the recent attacks and the 1973 Arab-Israeli conflict, which was the deadliest and posed a significant threat to the existence of Israel.