Israel struck targets in Lebanon and stepped up its ground operations in Gaza as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ruled out a cease fire to halt fighting in response to a deadly attack on his country by Hamas on Oct. 7.
Concerns mounted over a humanitarian crisis in Gaza as trucks carrying aid trickle in. A top Israeli official said flows to Gaza are poised to increase with the US looking to help in ways that prevent assistance from falling into the hands of Hamas, which has been designated a terrorist group by Washington and European Union.
Authorities in Hamas-run Gaza said the death toll since the war erupted has surpassed 8,300 and United Nations officials said more than 1.4 million people were internally displaced. Netanyahu said he plans to stay in his post as critics questioned his ability to lead Israel as it wages a punishing war.
(All time stamps are Israeli time)
Israeli Warplanes Attack Sites in Lebanon (2:10 a.m.)
Israeli fighter jets struck infrastructure including “weapons, posts and sites” in Lebanon that were being used by Hezbollah, the Israeli military said in a post on X.
Earlier Monday, Hezbollah said it had fired guided missiles at an Israeli site near the Lebanese border, the Iran-backed militant group’s Al Manar TV reported.
US Treasury Official Discussed Gaza (2:09 a.m.)
Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo met officials from international non-governmental organizations in Brussels to discuss humanitarian aid to Gaza, according to an emailed readout from his office. Adeyemo reiterated a commitment to ensure that US sanctions do not stand in the way of legitimate humanitarian activities in Gaza.
House GOP Breaks With Biden on $14 Billion Israel Plan (11:00 p.m.)
House Republicans led by Speaker Mike Johnson unveiled a $14.3 billion Israel aid plan that breaks with the Biden administration on how to handle assistance for the conflict, complicating prospects for passage.
The package separates the Israel aid from a broader Biden emergency funding request that includes assistance for Ukraine and Taiwan. It also leaves out humanitarian assistance for civilians in Gaza and Israel that the White House requested.
Read: House GOP Breaks With Biden on $14 Billion Israeli Aid Plan
Netanyahu Says He Won’t Quit, Rules Out Cease-Fire (7:45 p.m.)
Netanyahu dismissed calls for his resignation over his handling of the Hamas attacks and ruled out a cease-fire in the three-week-old conflict.
“The only thing I intend to have resign is Hamas,” Netanyahu said in a briefing for international media. The premier, who’s faced criticism over his unwillingness to accept responsibility for security lapses before and during the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, also said that “calls for a cease-fire are calls for Israel to surrender to Hamas.”
Israel Promises More Aid as It Steps Up Attacks (5:30 p.m.)
Aid shipments to Gaza are set to pick up somewhat as Israel steps up its offensive, a senior Israeli official said. “We are expecting 100 trucks a day of aid starting tomorrow or Wednesday,” Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer said in a telephone interview. That’s about one-fifth of the prewar level.
Dermer said the next several days “should see the lowest number of civilian casualties of the war,” though he acknowledged that unanticipated events may affect the outlook. He added Israel will continue to block supplies of fuel to Gaza out of concern it will fall into the hands of Hamas.