Israel-Gaza live updates: Biden says what's happening in Gaza 'is not genocide'
As the Israel-Hamas war crosses the seven-month mark, renewed negotiations are underway to secure the release of hostages taken by the terrorist organization, as Israeli forces continue to prepare for an apparent invasion of the southern Gazan town of Rafah.
Latest Developments
May 21, 3:30 PM
Israel returns seized Associated Press equipment after taking down Gaza live shot
After widespread condemnation, Israel has reversed course and returned equipment seized from The Associated Press. The equipment was seized and they took down their AP's live shot of northern Gaza from Israel Tuesday, citing a controversial new media law.
Israel had accused the AP of violating the new law by allowing Al Jazeera to access their live feed, according to the AP. Al Jazeera is one of the AP’s thousands of international clients.
"The Communications Ministry acted today to confiscate equipment that, despite repeated warnings, transmitted to Al-Gazira about the positions of our forces in the northern Gaza Strip while putting them at risk in accordance with security opinions and the government's decision," Israeli Minister of Communication Shlomo Karai said in a statement. "Since the Ministry of Defense wishes to examine the matter of the broadcasts from these locations in Sderot regarding the risk to our forces, I have now ordered to cancel the operation and return the equipment to the AP agency, until a different decision is made by the Ministry of Defense."
"The Associated Press decries in the strongest terms the actions of the Israeli government to shut down our longstanding live feed showing a view into Gaza and seize AP equipment," said Lauren Easton, vice president of corporate communications at the AP earlier Tuesday. "The shutdown was not based on the content of the feed but rather an abusive use by the Israeli government of the country’s new foreign broadcaster law. We urge the Israeli authorities to return our equipment and enable us to reinstate our live feed immediately so we can continue to provide this important visual journalism to thousands of media outlets around the world."
The AP refused a verbal order issued earlier to take down the transmission, and said it complies with Israeli military censorship rules.
In 2021, Israel destroyed the AP office inside Gaza, saying Hamas operated from the building, which the AP has denied. The office offered a live position from inside Gaza throughout many of the conflicts there.
-ABC News' Guy Davies
May 21, 12:34 PM
UNRWA suspends food distribution in Rafah
Food distributions in Rafah have been suspended due to lack of supplies and insecurity, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
Only seven of the UNRWA's 24 health centers are operational, with the centers not receiving any medical supplies in the last 10 days due to Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossing closures and disruptions.
Due to Israel's ongoing military operation in eastern Rafah, the UNRWA distribution center and World Food Programme warehouse are inaccessible, according to the UNRWA.
"The current Israeli military operation in Rafah is directly impacting the ability of aid agencies to bring critical humanitarian supplies into Gaza. During this reporting period, the border crossing was only open for two days and only 48 trucks entered the Gaza Strip via Kerem Shalom and Rafah land crossings," according to the UNRWA.
-ABC News' Will Gretsky
May 21, 10:09 AM
Netanyahu calls ICC arrest warrant 'absurd,' 'outrageous'
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued against him "absurd" and "outrageous," saying it is not leaving him concerned about traveling.
Netanyahu also denied allegations of Israel using starvation as a weapon of war. Aid organizations have criticized Israel for months saying it has not allowed enough aid in, leading to a famine in Northern Gaza that is moving its way to the south, according to World Food Programme Executive Director Cindy McCain.
Netanyahu also laid out his plan for Gaza after the war saying his No. 1 goal is to destroy Hamas "otherwise Gazans don't have a future," he said in an interview with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos on "Good Morning America."
"No. 2, demilitarize Gaza. And the one sustained demilitarization, I think, requires that Israel have the overall responsibility to fight resurgent terrorists," he said
"Three, ensure that Gaza will seek a civilian administration by Gazans who are not affiliated with Hamas and also don't seek the destruction of Israel," Netanyahu said.
"The last thing is we rebuild Gaza in a peaceful way, using the support of moderate Arab states and the international community," he added.
May 20, 6:15 PM
Biden: What's happening in Gaza 'is not genocide'
President Joe Biden said Monday that what Israel has carried out in Gaza during the war is "not genocide," while he denounced the application for arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders.
"Let me be clear, we reject the ICC's application and arrest warrants against Israeli leaders, whatever these warrants may imply, there is no equivalence between Israel and Hamas," Biden said, in part. "But let me be clear, contrary to allegations against Israel made by the International Court of Justice, what's happening is not genocide. We reject that."
Biden made the comments during an event in the Rose Garden celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month where he fiercely defended Israel in the war against Hamas.
"We'll always stand with Israel and the threats against its security," he said.
The president also highlighted efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in Gaza "who are suffering greatly because of the war" and working toward a two-state solution.
-ABC News' Justin Ryan Gomez
May 20, 5:32 PM
Bodies of 4 hostages recovered last week found in tunnel in Jabaliya: IDF
The bodies of four Israeli hostages recovered last week were found in a tunnel in Jabaliya in northern Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces said Monday.
The bodies of Shani Louk, Amit Buskila, Ron Benjamin and Yitzchak Gelernter -- who were killed during the Oct. 7 Hamas attack and taken into Gaza -- were recovered following a monthslong operation, the IDF said.
Israeli forces also "located intelligence materials and large quantities of weapons" during the night operation, the IDF said.
May 20, 3:01 PM
Rafah exodus surpasses 810,000: UNRWA
More than 810,000 people have fled Rafah in the past two weeks amid Israel's ongoing military operation in the southern Gaza city, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
"Every time families are displaced their lives are at serious risk. People are forced to leave everything behind looking for safety. But, there's no safe zone," UNRWA said on X Monday.
May 20, 2:39 PM
Congress considering sanctioning ICC: House speaker
Congress is considering sanctioning the International Criminal Court regarding the arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, according to House Speaker Mike Johnson.
“In the absence of leadership from the White House, Congress is reviewing all options, including sanctions, to punish the ICC and ensure its leadership faces consequences if they proceed," Johnson said in a statement. "If the ICC is allowed to threaten Israeli leaders, ours could be next."
The ICC has "no authority" over Israel or the U.S., Johnson noted.
-ABC News' Lauren Peller
May 20, 2:28 PM
Biden calls ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu outrageous
President Joe Biden called the application for arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders "outrageous."
"And let me be clear: whatever this prosecutor might imply, there is no equivalence -- none -- between Israel and Hamas," Biden said.
"We will always stand with Israel against threats to its security," Biden's statement said.
The U.S. and Israel are not parties in the ICC.
May 20, 8:07 AM
ICC to seek arrest warrants for Israeli, Hamas leaders
A prosecutor with the International Criminal Court on Monday said he would file applications for arrest warrants for Hamas and Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for "criminal responsibility" for "war crimes and crimes against humanity" in Gaza.
Prosecutor Karim A.A. Khan said he would seek warrants for Netanyahu and Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant.
Khan laid out a list of allegations against Netanyahu and Gallant, including starvation of civilians, willfully causing great suffering and other "inhumane acts."
"We submit that the crimes against humanity charged were committed as part of a widespread and systematic attack against the Palestinian civilian population pursuant to State policy," Khan said in a statement. "These crimes, in our assessment, continue to this day."
Khan also said he would seek warrants for Hamas leadership, including Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri and Ismail Haniyeh.
The prosecutor alleges those officials are also responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Khan alleges that the Hamas leaders are responsible for crimes including murder, hostage taking, torture and sexual violence, including rape.
-ABC News' Joe Simonetti and Kevin Shalvey
May 19, 5:18 PM
IDF releases footage of young Israeli hostages it says were forced to film Hamas video under duress
Israel Defense Forces released Sunday raw video footage it says its troops recovered in Gaza that shows former Israeli hostages 8-year-old Ela Elyakim and her 15-year-old sister Dafna Elyakim being forced by Hamas terrorists to film repeatedly.
"The video, which is being released today for the first time was intended to be used by Hamas for psychological terror," Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, an IDF spokesperson, said in a statement. "But Ela’s family asked us to share it with the world to expose Hamas's terror, to expose Hamas's cruelty, to expose Hamas's barbarism."
Hagari said the raw footage of the girls recording the video was recovered by IDF troops during Israel's ground operations in Gaza.
The Elyakim sisters were kidnapped on Oct. 7 from their father's house in Nahal Oz, according to the IDF. Their father was killed in the surprise attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists, according to the IDF.
Ela and Dafana Elyakim were held hostage for 51 days before Hamas released them in a previous hostage deal, the IDF said.
Ela Elyakim told IDF officials that Hamas terrorists forced her to read from a script and made her change clothes multiple times as they refilmed the video over and over, according to Hagari.
"We will continue doing everything in our power to bring our hostages back home," said Hagari.
-ABC News' Victoria Beaule
