100 days of war prompts global outcry; Netanyahu vows to keep fighting

Addressing a crowd during a rally marking 100 days of war in Gaza, Israeli President Isaac Herzog vowed to free the remaining hostages being held by Hamas militants.

“We cannot allow the issue of the hostages to fall from the public and global agenda, until the very last one of the hostages is freed," Herzog said. "I commit to continue acting to ensure this, in every way and with every tool at my disposal."

Herzog's speech comes during South Africa's case against Israel in the International Court of Justice, where it argues Israel's ongoing bombardment of Gaza constitutes genocide.

Philadelphia police are investigating after a swastika was painted on a wall near the country's oldest Holocaust monument.

Security video captured a man in a ski mask painting the symbol about 1:30 this morning next to the Horwitz-Wasserman Holocaust Memorial Plaza, said Eszter Kutas, the executive director of the Philadelphia Holocaust Remembrance Foundation, which operates the plaza.

Police said the man also wore a dark, striped jacket.

Opened in 2018, the plaza is home to Nathan Rapoport’s sculpture "Monument to Six Million Jewish Martyrs," installed in 1964 as the first such Holocaust remembrance in the U.S.

"This is a place where people come to commemorate and reflect on the Holocaust, and it's also a place for education," Kutas said. "This is, unfortunately, a devastating incident, a very upsetting incident, but it's no longer a shocking incident."

She continued by connecting the incident to Hamas militants' incursion into Israel on Oct. 7, which sparked war. "Antisemitism has been on a rise for several years in our country. But in particular, since Oct. 7, the antisemitic incidents are really skyrocketing." 

The foundation circulated images from the security video with the hope someone might recognize the man in the mask.

The U.S. said it shot down an anti-ship cruise missile fired toward a Navy destroyer this afternoon in the Red Sea.

U.S. military officials said tonight that the missile was fired toward the USS Laboon from Iranian-backed Houthi militant areas of Yemen.

No injuries or damage were reported.

The news comes days after the U.S. and Britain launched military strikes against the Houthi rebels in Yemen, who for weeks have been targeting shipping vessels.

The Houthis have said their strikes are in support of Hamas and last week vowed retaliation for attacks.

TEL AVIV — The Israel-Hamas war has reached the grim milestone of 100 days of fighting.

It is now the longest war between Israel and Palestinians since Israel’s founding 75 years ago. 

TEL AVIV — On the 100th day of the war, Hamas posted a video appearing to show three hostages held captive in Gaza: Noa Argamani, Yossi Sharabi and and Itay Svirsky. NBC News was not immediately able to independently verify the video.

Argamani's kidnapping Oct. 7 drew international attention after harrowing video showed her being driven away on the back of a motorcycle as her boyfriend, Avinatan Or, was marched behind her. In another video, she was seen sitting on a couch drinking a bottle of water, but she had not been seen or heard from since.

Close friends of Argamani's confirmed they were aware of the video Hamas posted today but did not wish to comment on it.

Sharabi and Virsky's relatives could not immediately be reached. Last month, Sharabi's brother-in-law, Raz Matalon, described his family's desperation to be reunited with both Sharabi and his brother Eli Sharabi, who he said was also taken hostage. “This is a feeling of urgency that I never felt in my life," Matalon said at the time.

Eli Sharabi’s wife, Lianne, and their two children, Yahel, 13, and Noiya, 16, were killed in Hamas' attack. Yossi Sharabi’s wife and daughters survived the attack.

President Joe Biden released marked 100 days of captivity for hostages in Gaza in a statement today.

"Today, we mark a devastating and tragic milestone — 100 days of captivity for the more than 100 innocent people, including as many as 6 Americans, who are still held being hostage by Hamas in Gaza," the statement read. "For 100 days, they have existed in fear for their lives, not knowing what tomorrow will bring. For 100 days, their families have lived in agony, praying for the safe return of their loved ones. And for each of those 100 days, the hostages and their families have been at the forefront of my mind as my national security team and I have worked non-stop to try to secure their freedom."

Biden reaffirmed his commitment to bring Israeli hostages home, saying to them and their families, "we are with you."

Israelis marked the 100th day since Hamas' Oct. 7 terrorist attack with rallies calling for the release of hostages, as demonstrators around the world demanded a cease-fire in Gaza.

AL-RAYYAN, Qatar — A moment of silence was observed and then shouts of “free Palestine” rang out ahead of the Asian Cup game between the Iranian and Palestinian soccer teams today.

As the Israel-Hamas war reached the 100-day mark, both teams lined up in the center of the field at Education City Stadium, and an announcement asked for silence “in memory of the lives tragically lost as a result of the ongoing conflict in Palestine.”

A hush fell across the stadium before the pro-Palestinian chants could be heard coming from members of the crowd.

Earlier, Palestinian players stood in a line with their arms linked across one anothers’ shoulders and sang their national anthem along with fans. The players then gathered in a huddle before and after the moment of silence.

TEL AVIV — The mother of Noa Argamani, whose story captivated the world after video of her kidnapping at the Nova music festival was shared on social media, says she is desperate to be reunited with her daughter.

“I hope I get to see her before my last day,” Liora Argamani, who has terminal brain cancer, said in a speech at the "100 Days of Hell" rally in "Hostages Square."

“I miss her a lot. One hundred days is enough,” she told reporters after walking through a tunnel set up in the plaza to re-create the conditions those held hostage by Hamas are living in. “We suffered a lot.” 

Noa Argamani was seen on video being driven away on a motorcycle during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack at the Supernova music festival as her boyfriend, Avinatan Or, was led away behind her. She was later seen in another video sitting on a sofa and drinking water but has not been seen or heard from since. 

Separately, Liora Argamani told NBC News’ Josh Lederman that she has faith her daughter “will come back soon.”

The U.K.’s foreign secretary, David Cameron, spoke about the strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen. Cameron also said he has taken steps to talk to the Israelis about opening more crossings to allow aid into Gaza.

TEL AVIV — One hundred days ago, Hamas terrorists evaded Israeli security and surveillance to pierce the fence enclosing the Gaza Strip.

Under cover of a barrage of rockets that began before dawn, they stormed into Israel in pickup trucks, motorcycles and paragliders carrying out a vicious, hourslong assault in which more than 1,200 people were killed, according to Israeli officials. Another 240 people were taken hostage, more than 100 of whom are still in Hamas’ captivity.

Israel responded with a military onslaught on Gaza in what has become one of the most destructive wars in recent history, killing Palestinians at an average of about 250 a day — a rate unseen in previous conflicts. So far, about 24,000 people have been confirmed killed, with thousands more buried under the rubble and presumed dead.

The violence has displaced the vast majority of Gaza’s 2.2 million people, and it is driving widespread hunger and devastation. The assault is inflaming tensions, threatening to pitch the region into a wider war and polarizing global politics and populations.

Protests erupted around the world this weekend — including in Washington, D.C.; London; Bangkok; Jakarta, Indonesia; Sydney; and Johannesburg — calling for an end to the war as the conflict reached the bitter milestone of 100 days.

Read the full story here.

The U.K.'s Maritime Trade Operations, or UKMTO, received a report of an approach involving two small boats 23 nautical miles off Eritrea, it said in a statement today.

“The two small boats approached and hailed a merchant vessel attempting to get them to change course,” it said in an advisory. “Merchant vessel maintained course, post reassurance from authorities. The two small boats have now left vicinity. Vessel and crew are safe,” it added.

The UKMTO is a Royal Navy capability that facilitates communication between the British navy and commercial ships.

Eritrea is across the narrow Bab al-Mandab strait from Yemen, the home of Houthi rebels who have been targeting commercial ships marked for Israel for several months in a declaration of solidarity with Gaza.

Egypt and China are closely following developments in the Red Sea, focusing on the priority of ensuring the safety and security of navigation, they said in a joint statement today.

The two countries expressed concern over the expansion of the conflict in the region, emphasizing the importance of uniting efforts to stop attacks on Gaza, the statement added.

TEL AVIV — Dozens of companies and universities across Israel halted operations today for 100 minutes in support of the families of those taken hostage by Hamas.

The move came after the Histadrut labor union agreed to hold the strike in support of the families of hostages who remain in Hamas captivity. The union shared video of members releasing 100 balloons of hope at its national headquarters in a show of support for the families.

Daniel Liezrowice, a software engineer, said his company was among those to participate in the shutdown. Speaking with NBC News at the 24-hour rally in central Tel Aviv, he said he felt it was the “duty of everyone who lives in Israel” to show support for the hostage families. “It shows them we didn’t forget,” he said.

More than 150 Israeli companies participated in the strike, according to The Times of Israel. NBC News was not immediately able to independently confirm that number and the Histadrut did not immediately respond to a request for comment from NBC News.

The Hebrew University in Jerusalem was among the schools to take part in the strike. “Over the past 100 days, our hearts ached along with our families and friends, mourning those who won’t return and holding onto hope for our loved ones held hostage in Gaza,” professor Asher Cohen, president of the university, said in a statement. “This challenging period confronts Israel not only with the atrocities of October 7th but also with the ongoing pain of Israeli men, women, and children held hostage.”

Ahmad Tibi, a member of Israel's Knesset, has confirmed the deaths of three of his family members in bombings of Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza.

Confirming the deaths reported first by Channel 12 journalists yesterday, Tibi said on X, "We love life if we can find a way to it."

The family members were Dr. Sahar Tibi, an education lecturer, Faisal Tibi, a computer science student, and Ahmed Tibi, a 10-year-old boy, according to Israeli media.

Ahmad Tibi is a Palestinian citizen of Israel and the leader of the Ta'al (Arab Movement for Renewal) party. He has served in the Knesset, Israel's parliament, since the 1990s.

“The massive death, destruction, displacement, hunger, loss, and grief of the last 100 days are staining our shared humanity,” the UNRWA, the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, said in statement yesterday, referring to the catastrophic conditions in Gaza, as well as the “100 days of ordeal and anxiety for hostages and their families.”

Describing the crisis as a “man-made disaster compounded by dehumanizing language and the use of food, water and fuel as instruments of war,” the agency said that aid operations had been hindered by “cumbersome” entry procedures and the ongoing hostilities.

“Humanitarian aid alone will not be sufficient to reverse a looming famine,” it added, calling for a re-establishment of commercial services.

The number of people killed in Gaza has reached 23,968, the Health Ministry said today, with an estimated 125 people killed in the last day.

An additional estimated 7,780 people are missing and are presumed dead under rubble, with over 60,500 people injured.

Death tolls are estimates, given limited and depleting demographic, power and health resources in Gaza.

TEL AVIV — Thousands of people continued to gather in central Tel Aviv today for a 24-hour rally that began last night marking 100 days since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack.

Relatives of some of the more than 100 people who remain in Hamas' captivity after they were kidnapped during the attack camped out overnight in "Hostages Square" — a plaza where they often gather with supporters — braving the rain and cold. Supporters have funneled in and out of the site, with thousands gathered in and around the square this morning.

Around 6 a.m. local time, rallygoers danced in the rain to music played by a DJ in honor of the victims of Hamas' attack on the Supernova music festival near Kibbutz Re'im, where some 260 people were killed, while others were taken hostage.

Shila Cohen, 27, said she wanted to attend the rally to "support the families and my friends, to bring back their loved ones." She said she was "not surprised" that Israel's war in Gaza has continued for 100 days "because the hostages didn't come back yet," but she said she hoped for peace in the region.

The mounting death toll in Gaza, which has reached more than 24,900 people killed, according to Palestinian officials, is "terrible," she said. Cohen said she believes "the only solution is to do two states. ... But it's going to take more time after Oct. 7."

Two employees of Gaza's telecommunications provider, PalTel, were killed by IDF forces while working to repair communication lines in Gaza, according to a press statement from Hamas, the militant organization that rules the strip.

The statement said that the employees were killed despite coordinating with Israel about the repair work.

Gaza was plunged into its ninth near-total communications blackout on Friday, with services yet to be restored.

The U.K.'s foreign secretary, David Cameron, said, "It is hard to think of a time when there has been so much danger and insecurity and instability in the world," during an interview this morning with Sky News, the British broadcaster that shares a parent company with NBC News.

He went on to justify the coordinated U.S.-U.K. strikes on Yemen in response to continued Houthi rebel attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.

"If you don't act against the Houthis is the Red Sea, you are going to see more attacks. They are effectively terroristic attacks, you will see more of that," Cameron said.

Many women are "unable to reach hospitals due to being in besieged areas" of Gaza, the Palestine Red Crescent Society said yesterday, accusing Israeli forces of "preventing ambulances from reaching them," and describing the conditions as "dangerous and inhumane."

The World Health Organization has previously warned that women and newborns are bearing the brunt of the war in Gaza, where collapsing water, electricity, food and fuel supplies and massive levels of displacement are severely disrupting maternal, newborn and child health services.

Women are often forced into unsafe home, shelter or street births without access to sanitation or emergency obstetric care.

Thousands of people converged near the White House yesterday as part of a global day of action to decry the war between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza.

The protest was mostly peaceful, but anti-scale fencing erected for the protest sustained temporary damage, and some reporters and others were relocated to facilitate its repair, U.S. Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement.

There was no damage to the White House, and the Secret Service did not make any arrests, he said.

Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela A. Smith said in a statement, “There were instances of illegal and destructive behavior in Lafayette Park, including items being thrown at our officers.”

She said D.C. police and the U.S. Park Police were investigating and will hold lawbreakers accountable.

At the march, Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein spoke and urged Israel and Hamas to institute another cease-fire. She said the crowd had the power to affect the war.

“I see power, I see justice, I see democracy as far as the eye can see,” she said. “We are unstoppable.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in remarks today that the case brought by South Africa against Israel at the International Court of Justice will not stop the nation from continuing to fight in Gaza.

“We are continuing the war to its conclusion — to total victory, until we have achieved all of our objectives: the elimination of Hamas, the return of all our hostages and the guarantee that Gaza will never again pose a threat to Israel,” Netanyahu said. “We will restore security, both in the south and in the north. No one will stop us — not The Hague, not the Axis of Evil, nor anyone else.”

South Africa brought the case accusing Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. It could see the ICJ order Israel to stop the fighting.

In a later statement from Netanyahu’s office, the prime minister accused Hamas of executing “attacks against targets in the Middle East, Africa and Europe,” adding “considerable information has been uncovered that proves how the Hamas terrorist organization has acted to expand its violent activity abroad in order to attack innocents around the world.”

The statement said an “in-depth picture of Hamas’s terrorist activities has been revealed” and added that Hamas “draws inspiration from the terrorist activity of the Iranian regime, and like it, aspires to attack Israeli, Jewish and Western targets at any price.”

Israeli security, defense and intelligence forces will continue efforts to prevent Hamas’ attacks worldwide, the statement said.

Family members blast words of support for hostages over the Israel-Gaza border

Journalism groups and family reject Israeli accusation that Gazan reporters killed were ‘terrorists’

U.S. and Britain launch strikes against Houthi rebel targets in Yemen

Who are the rebels costing billions in trade and threatening to escalate conflict across the Middle East?