Israel-Gaza live updates: Israeli hostage declared dead in Gaza
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 7, 3:51 PM
White House expects Kerem Shalom crossing to open, fuel to be delivered through Rafah Wednesday
The White House expects the Kerem Shalom crossing to reopen on Wednesday, but are working to move up that timeline to get vital humanitarian assistance into northern Gaza even sooner.
“Israel has committed to reopening the Kerem Shalom,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told ABC News. “We've been told that that's going to happen tomorrow. We are working to move that up.”
“Fuel deliveries through Rafah should also commence tomorrow. That's what we've been told. And we believe Rafah border crossing should also be quickly reopened for the movement of humanitarian assistance. We are insisting that there should be no disruptions of humanitarian assistance flows," Jean-Pierre said.
Jean-Pierre would not say if the U.S. still expects the Israelis to alert them when they do plan to go ahead with a full-scale operation in Rafah, but reiterated that they do not support the IDF carrying that out.
"We do not want to see a major operation happening in Rafah. We want to see a plan, a comprehensive plan, on how Israel plans to protect the 1.5, more than 1 million civilians that are currently seeking refuge in Rafah," Jean-Pierre said.
-ABC News' Mary Bruce and Justin Gomez
May 7, 4:07 PM
Israeli hostage declared dead
Lior Rudaeff, 61, an Israeli hostage taken by Hamas, has been declared dead, after being killed in the Oct. 7 attack, the Hostage Release Center said.
Rudaeff volunteered as an ambulance driver. He was married to his wife, Yaffa, for 38 years and had four children: Noam, Nadav, Bar and Ben.
"The Israeli government has a profound moral duty to pursue every avenue in the current negotiations to bring Lior home. He deserves a dignified burial in his homeland, alongside the 38 other hostages brutally murdered. The government must also secure the swift return of all living hostages, so they can begin the long road to healing and recovery," a spokesperson for the Hostage Release Center said in a statement Tuesday.
The bodies of 35 hostages who have been declared dead continue to be held by Hamas.
-ABC News' Will Gretsky
May 7, 2:37 PM
Situation in Rafah is not yet a major ground invasion, US says
The White House is watching the situation that is playing out in Rafah "very, very closely," but arguing that based on what Isarel has told them, this is not equivalent to the full-scale invasion the U.S. has been warning Israel against undertaking, U.S. National Security Council Coordinator John Kirby told reporters Tuesday.
"We've been told by our Israeli counterparts this operation last night was limited and designed to cut off from Hamas' ability to smuggle weapons and funds into Gaza. Our views on Rafah remain the same. We've repeatedly and consistently expressed those views about a major operation in Rafah in densely populated areas that would give higher risk to civilians and civilian casualties," Kirby said.
"President Biden made that very clear yesterday when he spoke to Prime Minister Netanyahu as I said yesterday, and we're going to be monitoring this situation very closely to see how it unfolds," Kirby said.
Kirby was also asked if he believes that Isarel was abiding by international law, given the two main arteries to get aid into Gaza have been choked off. Kirby sidestepped the questions, underscoring the U.S. desire to get more aid into Gaza and Biden's explicit ask of Netanyahu to make sure that happens during their call Monday.
-ABC News' Molly Nagle
May 7, 2:32 PM
Hamas delegation back in Cairo for negotiations
Hamas' delegation has arrived in Cairo as cease-fire negotiations continue with mediators in Egypt and Qatar.
Hamas said Monday it had agreed to a cease-fire deal, but Israel said the agreement included "significant gaps" that needed to be worked out in negotiations.
-ABC News' Will Gretsky
May 7, 2:27 PM
Biden administration delaying ammunition deliveries to Israel: Sources
The Biden administration is delaying shipments of ammunition that were expected to be sent to Israel, according to three U.S. officials.
The Biden administration has been trying to pressure Israel to hold off on a full-scale invasion of Rafah until it has a plan to protect the million civilians now living there.
The Air Force has been told by the White House’s National Security Council to pause shipments of ammunition deliveries specifically from Dover Air Force Base, according to a U.S. official. The NSC was behind the decision to pause the munitions, a second U.S. official confirmed.
The National Security Council did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
-ABC News' Martha Raddatz, Anne Flaherty, Matt Seyler and Ben Siegel
May 7, 12:41 PM
Republican leaders blast Biden over reports US is withholding aid to Israel
House Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise have publicly accused the Biden administration of withholding aid to Israel following reports that some aid shipments have been halted. Johnson said that the Biden administration as recently as Friday had assured his staff that there would be "no delay" in assistance to Israel.
Johnson said he received a report this morning from on the ground in Israel that said "a shipload of munitions and precision weapons, which are to be used to help protect civilians and Rafah, is being withheld."
In a letter to President Joe Biden, Senate Republicans Jodi Ernst and Ted Budd said they are "shocked" and "deeply concerned" that the Biden administration failed to notify Congress before withholding ammunition to Israel.
"If these reports are true, then you have once again broken your promise to an American ally," they said.
-ABC News' Lauren Peller and Shannon Crawford
May 7, 12:07 PM
Netanyahu says Hamas' proposal intended to 'torpedo' Rafah operation
In his first comments since Israel's offensive into Rafah began, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Hamas' cease-fire proposal on Monday was "intended to torpedo the entry of our forces into Rafah."
"It did not happen. As the War Cabinet unanimously determined, the Hamas proposal is very far from Israel's necessary requirements," Netanyahu said.
"I instructed the working-level delegation that went to Cairo: continue to stand firm on the conditions necessary for the release of our abductees, continue to stand firm on the essential requirements for guaranteeing Israel's security," Netanyahu said.
-ABC News' Will Gretsky
May 7, 5:26 AM
Israeli tanks control Rafah border crossing, IDF says
Israeli tanks controlled Gaza's Rafah border crossing early Tuesday, as military officials accused Hamas of using the crossing for "terrorist purposes."
"Following intelligence that indicated that the Rafah Crossing in eastern Rafah was being used for terrorist purposes, IDF troops managed to establish operational control of the Gazan side of the crossing," Israel Defense Forces officials said in a statement.
Mortars had on Sunday been fired "from the area," killing four IDF soldiers, the Israeli military said.
A video and photos taken by the Israeli military and released Tuesday appeared to show several Israeli tanks operating on the Gazan side of the border.
-ABC News' Kevin Shalvey
May 7, 2:59 AM
Israeli troops enter Rafah in 'precise' operation, taking control of border crossing
The Israeli military moved into eastern Rafah late Monday to begin a "precise counterterrorism operation" targeting Hamas, the Israel Defense Forces said Tuesday.
IDF troops also took "operational control" of the Gazan side of the border crossing between Gaza and Egypt, officials said in a statement.
The operation in Rafah overnight included air strikes and on-the-ground troops, the military said. About 20 "terrorists" were killed and three tunnels were located, IDF officials said.
"IDF ground troops are continuing to operate against Hamas terrorist operatives and infrastructure in the area of the Rafah Crossing in eastern Rafah," the statement said.
-ABC News' Jordana Miller, Jessica Gorman and Kevin Shalvey
May 6, 6:36 PM
Qatar to send mediators to Cairo
Qatar will send a delegation of mediators to Cairo on Tuesday to work on negotiations for a cease-fire deal, according to a spokesperson for the Qatari Foreign Ministry.
In a statement, the Qatari Foreign Ministry said they hope "talks will culminate in reaching an agreement for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the exchange of prisoners and detainees, and the sustainable flow of humanitarian aid into all areas of the Strip."
