Israel Financial News

Hamas said on Saturday its militants in Gaza were ready to confront Israeli attacks with «full force» after Israel's military widened its air and ground attacks on the Palestinian enclave. The Palestinian militant group that rules Gaza said earlier its fighters were clashing with Israeli troops in areas near the border with Israel after Israel reported intensified attacks in Gaza. «In addition to the attacks carried out in the last few days, ground forces are expanding their operations tonight,» Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said in a televised news briefing on Friday evening, raising the question of whether a long-anticipated ground invasion of Gaza may be beginning. He said Israel's air force was conducting extensive strikes on tunnels dug by Hamas and other infrastructure. The armed wing of Hamas said late on Friday its fighters were clashing with Israeli troops in Gaza's northeastern town of Beit Hanoun and in the central area of Al-Bureij. «The Al-Qassam brigades and all the Palestinian resistance forces are completely ready to confront (Israel's) aggression with full force and frustrate its incursions,» Hamas said in a statement early on Saturday. «Netanyahu and his defeated army will not be able to achieve any military victory,» referring to the Israeli prime minister. Israeli ground forces had massed outside Gaza, where Israel has been conducting an intense campaign of aerial bombardment since a deadly Oct.

Israel-Gaza War LIVE: Israel intensified its attacks in the Gaza Strip, resulting in a significant disruption of internet and communication services, as reported by The Associated Press (AP).Meanwhile, Hamas announced on Saturday that its fighters in Gaza are prepared to respond with full force to Israeli attacks, as Israel expanded its air and ground operations in the Palestinian enclave.Reuters reported, that the Gaza-based Palestinian militant group, which governs the region, previously stated that its fighters were engaging in clashes with Israeli troops in areas close to the border with Israel. This came in response to Israel's reports of escalated attacks in Gaza."In addition to the attacks carried out in the last few days, ground forces are expanding their operations tonight," Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said in a televised news briefing on Friday evening.Check all the Israel-Gaza War LIVE Updates here“Deeply concerned" over the deteriorating security situation and the astounding loss of civilian lives in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, India at the UN urged both parties to “de-escalate, eschew violence."India's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Yojna Patel on Friday (local time) in her remarks at the United Nations General Assembly Emergency Special Session on the Israel-Hamas war said, “India is deeply concerned at the deteriorating security situation and the astounding loss of civilian lives in the ongoing conflict.

Israel and Hamas terrorists in Gaza. However, India abstains from a call for the protection of civilians and upholds legal and humanitarian obligations. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the UN News Centre wrote, "BREAKING: UN General Assembly ADOPTS resolution on "protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations" on the ongoing Gaza crisis FOR: 120 AGAINST: 14 ABSTAIN: 45." The draft resolution has been adopted by the General Assembly with 120 votes in favor, 12 against, and 45 abstentions.

The US government is increasing its efforts to combat cryptocurrency criminal funding, especially in response to terrorist attacks in Israel.

Welcome to the weekend. To start off your day, we’ve curated 10 great reads to enjoy.

Investing.com — Gold bulls recaptured the $2,000 an ounce territory that had eluded them the past two months as investors sought shelter in safe havens amid increasing worry that Israel would indeed push through with a full ground invasion of Gaza to flush out Hamas militants from the Palestinian land.

Gaza to a ceasefire in Israel's bombardment of the Palestinian enclave, launched after a deadly rampage into southern Israel nearly three weeks ago. Israel says it is preparing a ground invasion, but has been urged by the U.S. and Arab countries to delay an operation that would multiply the number of civilian casualties in the densely populated coastal strip and might ignite a wider conflict. Two U.S.

Investing.com — Oil ended one of its most volatile weeks for the year with a 3% loss as traders raced from one headline to another on the Middle East conflict that brought warring parties Israel and Hamas no closer to a solution despite intense mediation by the United States and other global powers.

European Union leaders believe it's time to lay the foundations for a future relationship between Israel and the Palestinians where the militant group Hamas does not control Gaza

The United States on Friday expanded its effort to cut off funding for Hamas, announcing a second round of sanctions against people and organizations linked to the group since it launched an attack on Israel that killed more than 1,400 people

JPMorgan Chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon and his family are planning to sell 1 million shares of the bank starting next year, according to a regulatory filing

The European Union summit showed that Ukraine will be facing tougher times to get all the attention and political, economic and military aid that it wants

Hamas to get aid into Gaza, after hours of negotiations at a summit of the bloc in Brussels. The European Union has struggled for both unity and influence in the face of the crisis that has engulfed the Middle East since Hamas launched its bloody attack on Israel on October 7. The surge in bloodshed has divided Europe's attention at a time of rising doubts about the West's ability to keep supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia. After five hours of talks, the leaders called for «continued, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access and aid to reach those in need through all necessary measures including humanitarian corridors and pauses for humanitarian needs». They said the EU «will work closely with partners in the region to protect civilians, provide assistance and facilitate access to food, water, medical care, fuel and shelter». European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen insisted early on Friday there was «no contradiction between showing solidarity to Israel and, of course, acting on the need of humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza» after the leaders' talks ended. The 27-nation bloc has long been split between more pro-Palestinian members such as Ireland and Spain, and staunch backers of Israel including Germany and Austria. There has been strong condemnation of the Hamas attack, which Israel says killed at least 1,400 people and resulted in more than 220 people being taken hostage. But there was less consensus on urging any halt to Israel's retaliatory bombardment of Gaza, which the Hamas-run health ministry says has killed more than 7,000 people. The EU's call fell short of the demands from the United Nations for a «ceasefire», despite a last-ditch push from Spain to toughen the

Associated Press as saying that mobile phone service and internet in Gaza Strip has been cut off by Israeli bombardment. NetBlocks, a non-profit organisation that monitors internet censorship, also confirmed in a post on X that there is a "collapse in connectivity" in Gaza. It also reported a decline in connectivity amid heavy Israeli bombardment of the enclave.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) — Israeli air and ground forces are stepping up operations, Israel's chief military spokesperson said on Friday, amid reports of heavy bombing of the besieged Gaza Strip, where internet and mobile phone services were cut off.

United Nations warned Friday that «many more will die» as a result of Israel's ongoing siege of Gaza, which has also caused sewage to flow into the Palestinian territory's streets. Israel laid a total siege on Gaza following the October 7 attacks by Hamas, cutting off food, fuel, water and power supplies to the enclave. "People in Gaza are dying; they are not only dying from bombs and strikes: soon many more will die from the consequences of (the) siege imposed on the Gaza Strip," said Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner general for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA). «Basic services are crumbling, medicine is running out, food and water are running out, the streets of Gaza have started overflowing with sewage.» Alongside the siege, Israel has bombarded Gaza with air and artillery strikes since October 7. The health ministry in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip says the strikes have killed more than 7,300 people, mainly civilians and many of them children. The strikes are in response to attacks by Hamas gunmen, who poured into Israel and killed around 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapped 229 more, according to Israeli officials. During a press conference in Jerusalem, Lazzarini — who said 57 UNRWA staff had been killed in Gaza during the war — called for more aid to be allowed into the territory immediately. «The current system in place is geared to fail. What is needed is meaningful and uninterrupted aid flow.

Middle East which could disrupt oil supplies, after reports that the U.S military had struck Iranian targets in Syria. Brent crude futures for December rose 93 cents or roughly 1.1%, to $88.86 a barrel by 1254 GMT.

Blockchain analytics company Elliptic refuted claims on Wednesday that Hamas received millions in crypto donations in the months leading up to its attack on Israel earlier this month.

By Naomi Rovnick and Stella Qiu

Tether, which issues the world’s largest stablecoin of the same name, says it has frozen 32 crypto wallets, containing $873,118.34 (€828,632.96), that were found to be linked to illicit activity in Israel and Ukraine. 

The escalation and de-escalation of the Israel-Hamas war has led to on-again, off-again risk premium for oil