1 years ago / 4:50 PM EST

Security level upgraded for upcoming March for Israel in D.C.

WASHINGTON — The March for Israel event scheduled for tomorrow has been upgraded on the city's scale for Special Event Assessment Rating Events, a spokesperson for the Washington government told NBC News.

On Friday, the march was at level 3, and it is now at level 1, the highest designation before it would be a National Special Security Event. The Department of Homeland Security upgraded the level and communicated the upgrade to the city, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson did not say what information led DHS to make the upgrade. Typically, crowd size, expected attendance by members of Congress or other figures who require additional protection, and perceived threat level are all taken into account when such events are designated.

Permits for tomorrow's events say crowds could reach up to 60,000. A list of expected speakers has not yet been released.

1 years ago / 4:35 PM EST

Photo shows IDF capturing Gaza parliament building

Van Barth

The photo shows the IDF's Golani Brigade occupying the Palestinian parliament building in Gaza City. It is unknown who took the photo and released it originally. The image, which has been verified by NBC News, began circulating widely online as Israel's defense minister declared that Hamas has lost control of Gaza.

1 years ago / 4:23 PM EST

Palestine Red Crescent denies IDF allegation that Hamas was inside its hospital

The Palestine Red Crescent Society rebutted accusations from the Israeli military today that a Hamas militant was inside its hospital, Al-Quds, with a rocket-propelled grenade.

The IDF posted a clip on X that it said showed someone, whom it labeled a Hamas militant, with an RPG launcher outside the hospital. The caption said a "Hamas terrorist" was inside Al-Quds hospital with the weapon.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society denied the allegation, which it said was a "blatant attempt to incite further targeting and besieging of the hospital." It also said that there are no armed people in its hospital and that no shots have been fired from within it.

"PRCS rejects these baseless allegations, as the published video clearly shows that the armed individuals approached from the street while the occupation tanks were stationed in front of and shielded by the hospital, endangering the lives of medical teams and patients," the organization said in a post.

1 years ago / 4:07 PM EST

Israeli defense minister: Hamas has 'lost control of Gaza'

Van Barth

In a taped statement broadcast across Israel today, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant declared that after 16 years in power, "the Hamas organization has lost control of Gaza."

"Citizens are going and looting Hamas bases," Gallant said. "They have no faith in the regime anymore. ... Every day we eliminate more Hamas commanders."

He said that the mission is going "according to plan" and that IDF troops are reaching the center of Gaza City.

1 years ago / 3:49 PM EST

Hundreds of protesters in Chicago flood train station and Israeli Consulate demanding cease-fire

Maggie Vespa

CHICAGO — Hundreds of Jewish Americans and allies from across the Midwest flooded a building this morning in downtown Chicago, where both a commuter rail station and the Israeli Consulate are located. The goal, organizers said, was to “disrupt business as usual” and demand an immediate cease-fire in Gaza.

Around 9 a.m., hundreds of people flooded the second floor of Chicago’s Accenture Tower on West Madison Street. Dozens sat on escalators, blocking commuters as they got off trains.

"Midwest Jews For Palestine" activists unveil signs calling for a ceasefire in Gaza on the escalators of the Oglivie Transportation Center in Chicago on Monday. J. Daniel Hud / ZUMAPRESS.com

Chanting “Cease-fire now!” and carrying signs with sayings like “My grief is not your weapon” and “We stand with Palestine,” the crowd remained for close to an hour. Private security eventually stopped anyone without a train ticket from entering the building as Chicago police stationed dozens of officers outside.

1 years ago / 3:08 PM EST

'It was very heartwarming': 20-year-old Palestinian reunited with friends in southern Gaza

Nowar Diab, a 20-year-old Palestinian university student sheltering in Khan Younis, described conditions in the south getting "worse and worse" because of the recent wave of new evacuees from northern Gaza — but she said her family is "trying to cope."

"There's bombing in the area," she said in an audio message. "We're getting used to it at this point."

More than 100,000 Gazans have fled south in "tactical military pauses" according to estimates from the United Nations and the IDF.

Amid the dire humanitarian conditions, there was a silver lining for Diab — reuniting with a familiar face.

1 years ago / 2:56 PM EST

Biden on Al-Shifa and other hospital strikes: 'Hospitals must be protected'

After an Oval Office event at the White House today, NBC News’ Kelly O’Donnell asked Biden about Israeli strikes on hospitals in Gaza.

"Well, as we know, I have not been reluctant expressing my concerns with what’s going on," Biden said. "My hope and expectation is that there will be less intrusive action relative to hospitals, and we remain in contact with the Israelis."

"Also there is an effort to get this pause to deal with the release of prisoners, and that’s being negotiated. ... So I remain somewhat hopeful, but hospitals must be protected." 

1 years ago / 2:49 PM EST

Israel-Hamas war stokes tensions in Europe

Marchers in support of Palestinians in Berlin on Saturday.Carsten Koall / Getty Images

LONDON — The turmoil of the Israel-Hamas war is causing reverberations far beyond the Middle East as close U.S. allies grapple with the limits of free speech while political and public tensions rise.

On Monday, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak fired the interior minister, Suella Braverman, days after she accused police of being too lenient with pro-Palestinian demonstrators whom she labeled “hate marchers” supporting terrorism.

Braverman’s departure led to a government reshuffle that led to the unexpected return of former Prime Minister David Cameron as foreign secretary. Cameron will be responsible for leading Britain’s response to the war, which has helped fuel polarization in politics and in the population at large.

The moves offered a dramatic signal of how ripples from the crisis in the Middle East are being felt from London to Paris and Berlin, where Europe is struggling with how to balance fears of rising antisemitism and the rights of protesters who for weeks have marched in the streets of the continent’s biggest cities.

Click here to read the full story.

1 years ago / 2:40 PM EST

Al-Shifa hospital 'should have taken' Israel's fuel offer, U.S. State Department says

Staff at Al-Shifa hospital "should have taken the offer" from Israel's government regarding a few hundred liters of fuel, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said during his briefing today.

Israel’s government officials and military said yesterday it offered the hospital 300 liters of fuel which were dropped off somewhere outside the hospital. The IDF said that Hamas prevented staff from getting the fuel and Netanyahu told MSNBC that it was “refused” by the hospital.

Reporters pushed Miller on how Al-Shifa staff could have gone outside to collect the fuel when the staff have reported that they've been targeted by Israeli forces when they exit.

“You mentioned reports that the Israelis were firing on people near the hospital or relief workers," Miller said. "There are reports that Hamas fighters are firing on Israeli soldiers from inside the hospital ... I would say in general, if it is so important for this hospital to have fuel — which it obviously is — I would think that they, I would hope that they would take the government of Israel up on its offer to provide fuel."

Miller also blamed Hamas for not providing fuel from its reserves to the hospital. "If Hamas truly cared for the people in Al-Shifa, and in other hospitals in the north, it could take the fuel that’s using to protect its fighters, and to send it to the hospitals so the hospitals could protect patients," Miller said. "They are not doing that."


1 years ago / 2:06 PM EST

Journalists describe 'horrifying moment' missiles exploded near press convoy in Lebanon

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Ziad Jaber
Charlene Gubash
Van Barth
Ziad Jaber, Charlene Gubash and Van Barth

MTV Lebanon correspondent Nakhle Odamie was broadcasting live in Yaroun, Lebanon, today when missiles struck the press convoy "about 10 meters away from us." Moments later, while running away, he said a second missile fell. "It went 'bzzzzzzz' in front of us, and then 'boom' in front of us," Odamie said.

Al Jadeed anchor Rif Akil said that if they had not been behind cars, "I’m sure all of us would be maybe wounded or maybe killed."

One cameraman from Al Jazeera was injured and released from the hospital, while broadcast vehicles were damaged.

“We were lucky," Odamie said. "We have a new life. What can I tell you?”

Both journalists said the group was on a trip coordinated by the Lebanese army and U.N. peacekeeping troops to see houses previously destroyed in missile strikes.

According to Akil, everyone in the convoy was wearing bulletproof vests and helmets with "PRESS" written on them. "I don't know what was the message. You are not allowed to cover in this area?"