By Kathleen Magramo, Jessie Yeung, Adam Renton, Ed Upright, Joshua Berlinger, Aditi Sangal, Dakin Andone, Steve Almasy, Tori B. Powell and Elise Hammond, CNN
From CNN’s Joshua Berlinger and Joseph Ataman in Paris
Four French citizens were among those killed in the Hamas attacks in Israel, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement Tuesday.
Thirteen more are also missing, and the ministry has no information on their whereabouts. The statement said the situation is "very worrying" as some of those unaccounted for have “very probably been kidnapped.”
From CNN's Nic Robertson in Ashdod, Israel
The bullet holes and empty shell casings littered inside a bomb shelter near the music festival attacked on Saturday indicate that Hamas militants threw a grenade and opened fire at civilians sheltering inside, according to a weapons expert.
CNN visited the bomb shelter on Monday and saw a number of empty shell casings on the floor, in addition to bullet holes high up on the walls. The military expert who accompanied CNN in the shelter concluded that the location of the holes, in addition to their height, pattern and size, were caused by gunfire.
CNN is not naming the weapons expert because the individual is in a conflict zone in Israel.
From CNN’s Mostafa Salem in Abu Dhabi
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday that Tehran was not involved in the Hamas attack on Israel, but he praised the assault that left more than 900 people dead.
“Supporters of the Zionist regime and some from that usurping regime have said some nonsense these past days that the Islamic Republic of Iran was behind this act. They are mistaken,” he said.
“Those who say the acts of the Palestinians come from non-Palestinians don't have a true understanding of the Palestinian people and make wrong calculations,” he added.
Some context: The scale and sophistication of the Hamas incursion into Israel Saturday prompted questions about whether the militant group could have done it alone.
United States deputy national security adviser Jon Finer said there is no “direct information” linking these attacks to Iran at this time, but that the US believes Iran is “broadly complicit” in Hamas attacks in Israel.
Read more about Hamas and Iran's relationship here:
From CNN's Mostafa Salem in Abu Dhabi
Hamas has fired rockets targeting two kibbutzim in southern Israel, Zikim and Ra’im, the group said on social media.
What's a kibbutz?: A kibbutz is a type of self-sustaining community in Israel. Traditionally agrarian, the kibbutzim (plural for kibbutz) were popular in the country's early years, but today about 125,000 people live on them, according to the Jewish Agency for Israel. There are approximately 250 kibbutzim across the country.
From journalist Lauren Izso in Ashdod, Israel
At least 123 Israeli soldiers were killed in the attacks by Hamas that began early Saturday, Israel Defense Forces spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said.
Those 123 dead are included in the death toll of more than 900 people previously reported by the Israeli army.
Hagari added that the families of 50 Israeli hostages have been contacted by security forces. Hamas has claimed it is holding more than 100 captives, including Israeli army officers.
From journalist Lauren Izso in Ashdod, Israel
The Israel Defense Forces are conducting searches following a report of a suspected aerial infiltration in the northern areas of the Golan Heights and Upper Galilee, near Syria and Lebanon, it said in a statement.
Israel has warned hostile neighbors against trying to take advantage of Saturday's attack with the military squarely focused on Gaza in the south.
The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah appeared to try to do just that over the weekend, targeting an area known as Shebaa Farms using missiles and artillery.
Some context: Lebanon and Israel are considered enemy states, but a truce between the two has largely held since a conflict between them in 2006. There have been several small-scale rocket attacks from Lebanon in recent years that have prompted retaliatory strikes from Israel.
From CNN’s Martin Goillandeau in London
France is “not in favor of suspending aid that directly benefits the Palestinian people,” the French foreign ministry said Tuesday.
France provided 95 million euros ($100m) worth of support to Palestinians in 2022, focusing on "water, health, food security and education."
The statement said the ministry made its position clear to the European Commission following comments from a commission official that the European Union aid payments to Palestinians would be suspended following Hamas' attack.
The EU later backtracked and said payments would not be halted, but was launching an "urgent review of the EU’s assistance for Palestine." The review will not affect assistance provided by the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations.
CNN's James Frater and Radina Gigova contributed to this post
From CNN's Ivana Kottasová and Lauren Izso in Ashdod, Israel
The rolling thunder of explosions reverberated throughout the area around Gaza on Tuesday morning as the Israel Defense Forces carried out heavy bombardment against the enclave.
The strikes continued throughout the night and into the morning, with multiple fighter jets heard flying over the area.
The IDF said in a statement that its planes struck over 200 targets in Rimal and Khan Yunis in Gaza, claiming the areas "are used as terror hubs" by Hamas and that "a large number of terror attacks against Israel are directed there."
The IDF said it was committed to "making sure Hamas doesn’t have any military capabilities at the end of the war."
While the IDF said it was focusing on strikes against Hamas targets, the nature of Gaza — a narrow, densely populated strip of land completely sealed off from the outside world — means civilians, including children, are often caught up in the strikes.
IDF spokesman Lt. Col. Richard Hecht said Tuesday that the distinction between military and civilian targets was not so simple. “In buildings where people are living there could be a weapons store... there could be a Hamas kingpin living there,” he said.
Death toll rises: At least 900 people have died in Israel and more than 680 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict erupted on Saturday when Hamas launched a devastating surprise attack on Israel.
On Tuesday, the Hamas-controlled Government Media Office added that two local journalists were killed and another injured in an Israeli airstrike on a residential building in western Gaza.
The IDF strikes are even more complicated given that a number of hostages are being held by Hamas.
Israeli authorities believe women and children are among up to 150 hostages in Gaza, the country's UN ambassador said. Hamas has claimed it is holding more than 100 captives, including Israeli army officers.
From CNN's Andrea Cambron
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen on Monday to discuss support for Israel as it “defends itself against Hamas’ terrorist attack,” according to a readout of the call.
Blinken extended condolences to the foreign minister and reaffirmed US efforts to secure the release of hostages captured by Hamas militants.
The hostages include Israelis and foreign citizens including Brazilian and Mexicans. On Monday, President Joe Biden said in a statement it was "likely” that American citizens may be among those being held captive.
Blinken also spoke to French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, according to a separate readout, and welcomed French and European efforts "toward our shared goal of ending Hamas’ violence.”
