Israel-Hamas war: List of key events, day 14

Here is the situation on Friday, October 20, 2023:

Latest developments

• Israeli attacks hit the compound of Saint Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church in Gaza City on Thursday, killing eight people and wounding dozens. Christians and Muslims were taking shelter there.
• United States President Joe Biden held an Oval Office address – usually reserved for matters of extreme importance.
• Biden confirmed that he will be requesting the Congress to send emergency funding to Israel and Ukraine.
• The Israeli bombardment in the central Gaza town of al-Zahra has levelled at least 10 buildings and left thousands of people either trapped in the rubble or awaiting medical care.
• New reports suggest that the Rafah crossing, a passage for much-needed humanitarian aid into Gaza, is unlikely to open on Friday as was earlier suggested by Biden.
• Pointing to parallels with their own past under colonisation and apartheid, Algeria and South Africa carried out mass protests in support of Palestine.

Human impact

• The Israeli bombardment in the 24 hours leading up to Thursday evening has killed 307 in Gaza. The death toll has topped 3,700.
• Israeli raids in Khan Younis have killed 21, wounded 79, and hit six homes.
• Twenty-one journalists and media workers, mostly Palestinians, have been killed since the beginning of the war, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
• A Lebanese civilian was killed by firing between the Israeli and Lebanese border.
• Lebanon’s military has blamed Israeli fire for killing a journalist who was part of a seven-member team at the border.

Fighting

• The threat of an Israeli ground invasion looms as Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told his troops that they will soon see Gaza “from inside”.
• Rockets have been fired at a US military facility near Baghdad airport in Iraq.
• Missiles and drones fired from Yemen “potentially towards Israel” were shot down by a US warship.
• Israeli forces continue to arrest Palestinians across the West Bank. At least 14 have been arrested in the city of Ramallah.

Diplomacy

• British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will travel to Egypt on Friday to discuss the Israel-Gaza war with Egyptian leaders. On Thursday, Sunak visited Israel and Saudi Arabia while extending his support for Israel.
• World leaders are warning that the war may escalate. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said there is a “risk of a regional spillover“.
• In his Oval Office address, Biden stated the US was “pursuing every avenue” to bring back citizens who are being held hostage.
• Biden added that he spoke with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to confirm US commitment to Palestinians’ right to self-determination.
• A Chinese official has indicated that the country is ready to coordinate with Russia to end the crisis in Gaza.