October 27, 2023 Israel-Hamas war news

The Israel Defense Forces will continue ground raids into Gaza in the coming days to prepare for the next stages of the war against Hamas, spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said Thursday.

He said the IDF continues its strikes against Gaza from air and sea, and is focusing on killing senior Hamas commanders and destroying Hamas infrastructure.

"There will be more," vowed Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant at a news briefing Thursday.

Gallant's comments echoed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address on Wednesday, during which he said Israel is "raining down hellfire on Hamas" and "preparing for a ground incursion."

Here's what else you need to know:

European Union leaders meeting in Brussels on Thursday expressed their concerns about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza and called for "aid to reach those in need through all necessary measures."

Those measures include "humanitarian corridors and pauses for humanitarian needs," the leaders said.

In their communique on the Middle East, which sets out the position of the EU, leaders also called for “continued, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access” to Gaza.

The call for humanitarian "pauses" stops short of calling for a ceasefire, which several European leaders have previously ruled out.

The 27 heads of state and government agreed 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.”

The European leaders also said the EU will ensure “that such assistance is not abused by terrorist organizations.”

The health ministry in Hamas-controlled Gaza on Thursday published a 212-page report listing thousands of names described as “documented deaths since October 7” in the enclave, which it blamed on Israeli military “aggression.”

The list, which does not distinguish between combatants and non-combatants but does list age and gender, followed US President Joe Biden’s comments that he had “no confidence” in the figures of civilian casualties reported by the Gaza Health Ministry.

Israel, along with the US, has expressed doubts about the casualty numbers being reported out of Gaza but has not provided evidence that they are exaggerated.

White House spokesperson John Kirby called the Gaza-based ministry “a front for Hamas,” though when asked he did not dispute that thousands of Palestinians, many innocent civilians, had been killed.

The prime minister of the US-backed Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, Mohammad Shtayyeh, said the PA’s own health authority considers the numbers to be “correct.”

The report stated that between October 7-26, 7,028 Palestinians were killed, including 2,913 children. A total of 3,129 females and 3,899 males were killed. The number of unidentified people killed stands at 218, but they are not included in the final death toll, the report added.

The report also excludes those buried without being brought to hospital, those for whom hospitals were unable to complete registration procedures, and people missing under the rubble, who number around 1,600, with many of them feared dead.

The ministry said the actual death toll is likely to be much higher than the report stated. The list of 6,747 names, released by its Hamas-controlled health ministry, gave the sex, age and identity card number of each of the victims. It said 281 bodies had not yet been identified.

Some context: The Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority is run by a rival faction to Hamas, and operates the umbrella Ministry of Health, which maintains a relationship with the ministry in Gaza. Death tolls for Gaza are released both in Gaza and Ramallah daily.

CNN is not able to independently verify the death toll tabulated in Gaza.

The Israel Defense Forces will continue ground raids into Gaza in the coming days to prepare for the next stages in Israel’s war against Hamas, IDF spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said Thursday in a televised news conference.

The purpose of Israel's ground operations is to kill Hamas militants, lay the foundations for an all-out invasion and neutralize explosive devices and reconnaissance posts, according to Hagari.

Hagari’s comments come after the IDF said it carried out a "targeted raid" overnight in northern Gaza using tanks.

Hagari also said the IDF continues its strikes against Gaza from air and sea, and is focusing on killing senior Hamas commanders and destroying Hamas infrastructure.

When asked about US involvement in the Israeli forces' decision-making related to ground operations, Hagari said, "We’re constantly in touch with the US. The IDF chief of the General Staff speaks almost on a daily basis with the commander of the US Centcom."

On Gaza's dwindling fuel supplies: Hagari also reiterated that Israel would not allow fuel into Gaza for now, saying that Hamas’ arrays are “struggling to function” without fuel and blaming Hamas for stealing fuel from a facility belonging to the main United Nations agency aiding Palestinians, UNRWA.

Israel has also disputed that there are fuel shortages in Gaza. Responding to a post from UNRWA about low supplies, the IDF on Tuesday posted an aerial photo of what it said were fuel tanks in Gaza, claiming they held more than 500,000 liters of fuel. CNN is unable to verify the IDF claim.

"The facility that was posted (on Tuesday) is located in Rafah and belongs to UNRWA. … We supervise it aerially and together with UNRWA. Again, we’re not striking UNRWA. On the contrary, we’re making an effort along with the international community to ensure that south of Wadi Gaza, there will be conditions that allow the civilian population to access water, food and drugs," he said.

UNRWA said Thursday that its operations are being "paralyzed" in Gaza due to the lack of fuel.

CNN cannot independently verify the amount of fuel in Gaza.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said during a news briefing on Thursday that Israel is preparing for the "next stages" in its war against Hamas, adding "there will be more."

“The maneuvering will begin when the conditions are right. These conditions are complex because so is the campaign. The troops are ready," Gallant said in the briefing in Tel Aviv. 

Gallant's comments echoed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address on Wednesday, during which he said Israel is "raining down hellfire on Hamas" and "preparing for a ground incursion."

Gallant reiterated the effectiveness of "lethal" Israeli strikes on Gaza and said that within 24 hours of the deadly Hamas attacks, Israeli forces shifted to the offensive with airstrikes.   

"Whatever happens in Israel’s next 75 years, will highly depend on the achievement that we’ll gain in that fight. That’s why I tell you — we have no other choice, and we’ll win because there’s no other option," he said.

Gallant said Israeli forces and security authorities will "do everything needed" to bring back hostages taken by Hamas. 

In response to a question about whether Qatar is a legitimate mediator in the conflict, Gallant said, "The way I see it, every channel is a possible channel. The goal is the important thing." His comment comes after Israel's foreign minister accused Qatar of financing Hamas. 

The Palestine Red Crescent Society said 12 aid trucks entered Gaza through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt Thursday, carrying water, food, medicine and medical supplies — but no fuel.

The organization said it has received 74 trucks since humanitarian aid transfers into the Gaza Strip resumed several days ago.

United Nations officials emphasized that hundreds of aid trucks entered Gaza daily before the deadly October 7 Hamas attacks, meaning basic supplies are trickling into the enclave at a much slower pace than needed.

Israel continues to block deliveries of fuel altogether, saying that Hamas would only divert it for military use. 

Israeli forces have killed the deputy head of Hamas' intelligence directorate, one of the officials they say is partially responsible for planning the October 7 attacks, according to a joint statement from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israeli Security Agency (ISA), or Shin Bet. 

“Based on precise IDF and ISA intelligence, IDF fighter jets struck the Deputy Head of the Hamas’ Intelligence Directorate, Shadi Barud,” according to the joint statement released Thursday. 

The IDF and ISA also released footage they claim is of the strikes that killed Barud, showing at least two buildings in Gaza hit with strikes and appearing to collapse. 

The Israeli statement said Barud and Yahya Sinwar planned the October 7 attacks that killed more than 1,400 people and saw more than 200 others taken hostage.

According to the statement, Barud went on to hold several positions in Hamas’ military intelligence and was in charge of the militant group's intelligence relations.

Sinwar was a former head of the Al Qassam Brigades, Hamas' militant wing; he’s now the head of Hamas in Gaza. He focused efforts on building relationships with foreign powers — notably Egypt and Iran.

Hamas has not commented on the statement. 

Hamas rocket commander reportedly killed: The Israeli military also said Thursday that intelligence reports suggest airstrikes have killed a Hamas rocket commander, Hassan Al-Abdullah, who the army says commanded rocket units in the Khan Younis area of Gaza.

Shin Bet told CNN it believes it has killed “scores” of senior figures in Hamas’s military structure since it began strikes on Gaza more than two and a half weeks ago. 

CNN's Sam Kiley and Amir Tal contributed reporting to this post.