自10月7日激进组织哈马斯对以色列发动前所未有的突然袭击以来，已有数千人死亡，数千人受伤，以色列以轰炸和全面封锁邻近的加沙地带进行报复，使该地区处于全面战争的边缘。
我们对这场冲突的了解
这场战争，现已进入第二阶段根据以色列的说法，这是第26天。
据以色列当局称，自10月7日以来，以色列已有至少1400人死亡，4629人受伤。根据巴勒斯坦卫生部的数据，在邻近的加沙地带，至少有8796人死亡，另有22219人受伤。
救援人员和官员担心，以色列呼吁从加沙北部撤离正在引发一场人道主义灾难，因为电力和其他供应已经被切断，为似乎迫在眉睫的地面进攻做准备。
人道主义组织敦促以色列取消撤离并同意停火，尽管该国坚持有权自卫，这是美国认可的权利。
以色列国防军声称他们已经突破了哈马斯的前线
以色列国防军发表声明称，他们突破了“加沙地带北部的前沿哈马斯防线”
以色列国防军称在一次空袭中击毙了哈马斯反坦克阵列的负责人。
以色列国防军在一份声明中说:“该阵列是一种致命和强大的反坦克力量，消除它将影响哈马斯未来的战斗能力。”
少数美国人预计周三离开加沙:白宫
国家安全委员会发言人约翰·柯比(John Kirby)表示，“一小部分美国人”预计将于周三离开加沙，通过拉法边境口岸进入埃及。
根据巴勒斯坦儿童救济基金会的消息，五名美国救援人员周三从加沙进入埃及。
柯比称美国人的退出是“一个重大突破”。
据美国国务院称，大约400名美国人及其600名家人被困在加沙。
“我们已经度过了一个瓶颈，”柯比说，但疏散将“需要一些时间。”
他警告说，“情况仍然很不稳定”，并解释了识别美国人并确保他们有适当的文件并能获得安全有效地离开的可用路线的“复杂过程”。
美国总统乔·拜登周三下午晚些时候表示，“美国公民今天能够作为第一批可能超过1000人的一部分离开。在接下来的几天里，我们将会看到更多这样的过程。我们正在不停地工作，让美国人尽快、尽可能安全地离开加沙，”
布林肯将前往以色列和约旦
美国国务院发言人马特·米勒宣布，国务卿安东尼·布林肯将于周五前往以色列和约旦。
布林肯将会见以色列总理内塔尼亚胡和其他以色列领导人，了解他们军事计划的最新情况。
米勒说，在会见以色列人时，布林肯“将重申美国支持以色列根据国际人道主义法进行自卫的权利，并讨论采取一切预防措施以尽量减少平民伤亡的必要性，以及我们提供人道主义援助的工作”。
米勒说，在约旦，布林肯将“强调保护平民生命的重要性，以及我们共同致力于促进向加沙平民持续提供拯救生命的人道主义援助，恢复基本服务，并确保巴勒斯坦人不会被迫离开加沙”。
米勒继续说:“他还将重申，美国承诺与合作伙伴一道，为中东持久和可持续的和平创造条件，包括建立一个反映加沙和约旦河西岸巴勒斯坦人民愿望的巴勒斯坦国。”。"当然，他将讨论正在进行的确保所有人质获释的工作."
22名无国界医生组织的工作人员从加沙进入埃及
无国界医生组织说，他们的22名工作人员都是外国人，星期三从加沙通过拉法口岸进入埃及。
无国界医生组织称，一个新的工作小组“准备在形势允许时尽快进入加沙”。“与此同时，我们的许多巴勒斯坦同事继续在医院和整个加沙地带工作并提供救生护理，而医院和医务人员最基本的保护却没有得到保障。”
“我们再次呼吁立即停火，”该组织表示。“迫切需要的人道主义物资和工作人员必须被允许进入加沙，那里的医院不堪重负，医疗保健系统面临全面崩溃。”
5 American aid workers cross from Gaza into Egypt
Thousands of people have died and thousands more have been injured since 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.
What we know about the conflict
The war,which has now moved into its second stage, according to Israel, is in its 26th day.
At least 1,400 people have died and 4,629 others have been injured in Israel since Oct. 7, according to Israeli authorities. In the neighboring Gaza Strip, at least 8,796 have been killed and another 22,219 have been injured, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
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.
IDF claims they have broken through Hamas' front line
The Israel Defense Forces released a statement claiming they broke through "the forward Hamas perimeter [in] the northern Gaza Strip."
The IDF said it killed the head of Hamas' anti-tank array in an air strike.
"The array is a deadly and capable anti-tank force and eliminating it will impact Hamas' future fighting capabilities," the IDF said in a statement.
'Handful of Americans' expected to leave Gaza Wednesday: White House
A "handful of Americans" are expected to leave Gaza on Wednesday and enter Egypt through the Rafah border crossing, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said.
According to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund, five American aid workers crossed from Gaza into Egypt on Wednesday.
Kirby called the exit of Americans "a significant breakthrough."
Approximately 400 Americans, as well as 600 of their family members, have been trapped in Gaza, according to the State Department.
"We've gotten through a bottleneck," Kirby said, but the evacuations will "take some time."
He cautioned that "the situation remains very fluid" and explained the "complicated process" to identify Americans and make sure they have proper documentation and can access an available route to exit safely and efficiently.
President Joe Biden said later Wednesday afternoon, "American citizens were able to exit today as part of the first group of probably over 1,000. We’ll see more of this process going on in the coming days. We're working nonstop to get Americans out of Gaza, as soon and as safely as possible."
Blinken to travel to Israel, Jordan
Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Israel and Jordan on Friday, State Department spokesperson Matt Miller announced.
Blinken will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders to get an update on their military plans.
While meeting with the Israelis, Blinken "will reiterate U.S. support for Israel's right to defend itself in accordance with international humanitarian law and discuss the need to take all precautions to minimize civilian casualties, as well as our work to deliver humanitarian assistance," Miller said.
In Jordan, Blinken will "underscore the importance of protecting civilian lives and our shared commitment to facilitating the sustained delivery of life saving humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza, the resumption of essential services, and ensuring that Palestinians are not forcibly displaced outside of Gaza," Miller said.
"He will also reaffirm the U.S. commitment to working with partners to set the conditions for a durable and sustainable peace in the Middle East to include the establishment of a Palestinian state that reflects the aspirations of the Palestinian people in Gaza and in the West Bank," Miller continued. "And of course, he will discuss the ongoing work to secure the release of all hostages.”
22 Doctors Without Borders staff cross from Gaza into Egypt
Doctors Without Borders said 22 of its staff members -- all foreign nationals -- crossed into Egypt from Gaza via the Rafah crossing on Wednesday.
A new team of workers "is ready to enter Gaza as soon as the situation allows," Doctors Without Borders said. "Meanwhile, many of our Palestinian colleagues continue to work and provide lifesaving care in hospitals and across the Gaza Strip, while the most basic protections for hospitals and medical personnel are not guaranteed."
"We reiterate our call for an immediate cease-fire," the organization said. "Critically needed humanitarian supplies and staff must be allowed into Gaza where hospitals are overwhelmed and the healthcare system is facing total collapse."
