Death toll from Israeli attacks on Gaza rises to 830, death toll from Hamas surprise attack hits 1,008 in Israel

GAZA/JERUSALEM/WASHINGTON/TEHRAN/GABORONE, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- The following are the latest developments related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict:

The death toll and injuries from Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip rose to 830 and 4,250, respectively, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, at least 1,008 individuals have been killed in Israel since Hamas launched a surprise attack on the country on Saturday, Israel's state-owned Kan TV news reported on Tuesday.

The intense conflict, as it entered the fourth day, has left heavy casualties on both sides.

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The first American aircraft carrying ammunition arrived in Israel on Tuesday night to help the country in its ongoing conflict with Gaza's ruling faction, Hamas, and militants in Lebanon, Israel's military said.

The plane landed at the Nevatim Airbase in Israel's southern Negev Desert, carrying "advanced ammunition," Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Spokesperson Daniel Hagari said in a statement.

Also on Tuesday, the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group arrived in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea "in order to deter any actor seeking to escalate the situation or widen this war," the U.S. Central Command said in a statement.

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The number of U.S. citizens killed amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine has risen to 14, according to U.S. President Joe Biden, who in a speech Tuesday also said Americans were believed to be among those held hostage by Hamas militants.

Speaking from the White House State Dining Room, Biden urged Congress to "take urgent action to fund the national security requirements of our critical partners," saying the funding "is not about party or politics. It's about the security of our world, the security of the United States of America."

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TEHRAN -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei dismissed on Tuesday allegations of his country's involvement in the attacks conducted by Palestinian resistance groups against Israel.

When addressing cadets of the Iranian armed forces at a graduation ceremony in Tehran, the Iranian leader criticized the accusations from "the supporters of Israel and some Israeli individuals" as "nonsensical."

Khamenei asserted that anyone who believes the Palestinians are incapable of carrying out attacks on their own is underestimating them.

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Botswana has joined the international community in expressing its deep concern over the unfortunate developments in Israel and Gaza, the southern African country said in a statement on Tuesday.

According to the statement, the developments emanating from the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict have led to the loss of innocent civilian lives including hundreds injured and displaced, as well as massive destruction to property.

Condemning the continuing attacks and violence on civilian populations by both sides, Botswana called on the belligerent parties to immediately cease hostilities and seek a negotiated settlement through peaceful means.