Luis Diaz Devesa/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Thousands of people have died and thousands more were injured after the militant group Hamas launched an unprecedented surprise attack on Israel on Oct. 7 and Israel retaliated with a bombing campaign and total siege of the neighboring Gaza Strip, leaving the region on the verge of all-out war.
At least 1,400 people have died and 4,629 others have been injured in Israel, according to Israeli authorities. Another 4,651 people have died -- including 1,756 children and 967 women -- and 14,245 have been wounded in Hamas-ruled Gaza, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza.
Aid workers and officials fear that Israel's call for an evacuation of the northern part of Gaza is precipitating a humanitarian disaster as electricity and other supplies have been cut off in preparation for what appears to be an imminent ground offensive.
Humanitarian groups have urged Israel to call off the evacuation and agree to a cease-fire, even as the country has asserted a right to defend itself -- a right the United States endorses.
Here's how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Oct 23, 9:16 AM EDT Gaza death toll tops 5,000
In the last 24 hours, at least 436 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the Palestinian Health Authority.
The Gaza death toll has now climbed to 5,087 since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel, according to the Palestinian Health Authority.
Oct 23, 8:44 AM EDT Cousins of freed American hostages speak out
Ayelet and Or Sella recalled to ABC News the moment they were finally able to embrace their cousins Judith and Natalie Raanan at home in Israel one day after the mother and teenage daughter were released by Hamas kidnappers.
"I realized I hadn't breathed for two weeks," Ayelet said.
"I've never felt a hug this intense in my life," Or added.
But eight of their family members are still being held hostage.
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Oct 23, 7:00 AM EDT Hundreds of Gaza targets struck overnight, Israel says
The Israeli military struck more than 320 targets in Gaza overnight, the Israel Defense Forces said Monday.
At least 40 people were killed and dozens more were injured in two Israeli airstrikes in northern Gaza, the Palestinian Interior Ministry said.
The Jabalia refugee camp, where most of those killed were women and children, was among the targets, Palestinian officials said.
-ABC News' Joe Simonetti
Oct 23, 4:49 AM EDT Hamas hostages total 222, Israel says
At least 222 hostages have been taken by Hamas since their attack on Israel on Oct. 7, the Israeli military said Monday.
The increase from the previously stated total of 212 includes foreign nationals, whose status took longer to verify, an Israel Defense Forces spokesperson said.
-ABC News’ Joe Simonetti and Jordana Miller
Oct 22, 8:15 PM EDT Biden speaks with Western leaders over Israel
President Joe Biden convened a call Sunday afternoon with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, President Emmanuel Macron of France, Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy, and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of the United Kingdom regarding the ongoing conflict between Israel and the terrorist organization Hamas, according to the White House.
The Western leaders "reiterated their support" for Israel and its “right to defend itself” and "called for adherence to international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians,” according to a readout from the White House.
"The leaders committed to continue close diplomatic coordination, including with key partners in the region, to prevent the conflict from spreading, preserve stability in the Middle East, and work toward a political solution and durable peace," the readout also said.
-ABC News' Cheyenne Haslett
Oct 22, 6:31 PM EDT 15 trucks carrying aid arrive in Gaza from Egypt
Fifteen trucks carrying humanitarian aid have arrived into Gaza from Egypt, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society.
The trucks include food, water and medical supplies, the Palestinian Red Crescent said in a statement Sunday evening.
Earlier on Sunday, 17 trucks crossed the Egyptian-Gaza border, according to a source in Egypt’s security forces.
Under the agreement between Egypt and Israel, Egypt can send humanitarian aid into Gaza. Israel has demanded it inspect those shipments at a nearby Israeli checkpoint before they pass into Gaza.
-ABC News' Desiree Adib
Oct 21, 3:23 PM EDT Israel is about to step up attacks on Gaza, IDF says
Israel plans to step up its attacks on the Gaza Strip starting Saturday as preparation for the next stage of its war on Hamas, Israel's military spokesman, Daniel Hagari, said Saturday.
Asked about a possible ground invasion into Gaza, Hagari told reporters that the military was trying to create optimal conditions beforehand.
"We will deepen our attacks to minimize the dangers to our forces in the next stages of the war. We are going to increase the attacks, from today," Hagari said.
Hagari also said the IDF will conduct the invasion when it serves the IDF best. He repeated his call for residents of Gaza City to head south for their safety.
Oct 21, 2:00 PM EDT Hamas claims all of Israel's targets in Gaza are civilian
In a statement Saturday, Hamas claimed all of Israel's targets in Gaza were civilian in addition to its blockage of electricity, water, fuel and medicine.
"The Israeli targets across Gaza were all civilian including children, women, civil defense rescue teams, hospitals, ambulances, media and press offices, bakeries, mosques, churches and the public infrastructure," Hamas said in a statement.
Hamas said that four hospitals are now out of service and 25 others have been damaged due to Israeli bombing. It also claimed that Israel has told the Red Crescent Society to evacuate Al-Quds Hospital which Hamas claims is currently hosting about 12,000 displaced people.
Hamas also said the aid convoy delivered through the Rafah crossing will not meet the needs of the people in Gaza, calling for more aid to be sent and for safe passage of injured civilians to be allowed.
"We call for the urgent entry of fuel for the hospitals and health centers as they are almost running out of fuel for their generators, and to avoid turning these hospitals into mass graves," Hamas said.
Oct 21, 1:15 PM EDT King of Jordan calls 'relentless bombing' of Gaza a 'war crime'
World leaders gathered in Egypt for the Cairo Summit for Peace, as part of efforts to end the war in Gaza. Jordan's King Abdullah II condemned Israel's "bombing campaign" of Gaza, calling it a war crime.
"The relentless bombing campaign underway in Gaza as we speak, is cruel and unconscionable on every level. It is collective punishment of a besieged and helpless people. It is a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law. It is a war crime," King Abdullah II said.
King Abdullah called for an end to the war and the protection of civilians lives. He also called for an end to the displacement of Palestinians and for the continuous passage of humanitarian aid.
"Anywhere else, attacking civilian infrastructure and deliberately starving an entire population of food, water, electricity, and basic necessities would be condemned," he said.
Oct 21, 11:07 AM EDT Death toll in Gaza rises to 4,385: Palestinian officials
As the Hamas-Israel war continues, the Palestinian death toll has risen to 4,385 deaths -- including 1,756 children and 967 women -- in addition to 13,561 injuries since the start of escalation on Oct. 7, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
The Palestinian Health Ministry said fuel being left out of the aid that went into Gaza has dangerous repercussions on the health services. According to the ministry, the convoy that delivered aid to Gaza on Saturday only has 3% of the daily needs.
According to the ministry, seven hospitals and 25 health-care centers are now out of service due to running out of fuel. Bed occupancy in the hospitals have reached more than 150%, which led to tents to absorb the huge number of i