Israel launched massive strikes across northern Gaza tonight, which reports said were the most intense since the start of the war. Hamas said internet has been snapped in the Gaza Strip. Reports said contact with Gaza is lost.
Since the October 7 Hamas attack, Gaza's health ministry has said that Israel's retaliatory bombardments have killed more than 7,000 Palestinians.
The United Nations has warned that "nowhere is safe" in Gaza as Israel stepped up its bombardments in preparation for a widely expected ground offensive.
Since the Hamas attack, Israel has cut off Gaza's normal supply corridors for water, food, and other necessities.
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said that WHO has lost touch with its staff, health facilities, health workers, and the rest of its humanitarian partners on the ground in Gaza. He called for immediate protection of all civilians and full humanitarian access.
Taking to X, Ghebreyesus stated, "We have lost touch with our staff in Gaza, with health facilities, health workers and the rest of our humanitarian partners on the ground. This siege makes me gravely concerned for their safety and the immediate health risks to vulnerable patients. We urge immediate protection of all civilians and full humanitarian access."
Israel's military has told international news organisations Reuters and Agence France Presse that it cannot guarantee the safety of their journalists operating in the Gaza Strip, under Israeli bombardment and siege for almost three weeks.
"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."
Hamas and the Palestinian Authority welcomed a UN General Assembly resolution Friday calling for a humanitarian truce in Gaza, as Israel increased strikes on the territory over the October 7 attacks.
"We demand its immediate application to allow the entry of fuel and humanitarian aid for civilians," said a Hamas statement. The rival Palestinian Authority's foreign ministry said that as Israel's campaign "reaches a new peak of brutality", there was "a solid international position rejecting Israel's unhinged aggression".
The UN General Assembly on Friday called by a large majority for an "immediate humanitarian truce" in Gaza, as the Israel-Hamas conflict raged for a 21st day.
The nonbinding resolution, criticized by Israel and the United States for failing to mention Hamas, received 120 votes in favor, 14 against and 45 abstentions.
Hamas said on Friday it was "ready" for an invasion of Gaza as Israel said it was "extending" its ground operation after air strikes cut communications across the shattered Palestinian territory.
Israel has alleged Hamas has been using Gaza Strip's biggest hospital as its headquarters to ensure Israeli strikes harm civilians, who are allegedly being used as human shield.
Militant group Hamas called on the world to "act immediately" Friday to stop Israel's bombardment of Gaza, as intense strikes pounded the Palestinian territory.
"We call on the Arab and Muslim countries and the international community to take responsibility and act immediately to stop the crimes and series of massacres against our people," Hamas said in a statement.
Israel launched massive strikes across northern Gaza tonight, which reports said were the most intense since the start of the war on October 7. Hamas said internet has been snapped in the Gaza Strip. Reports said contact with Gaza is lost.
The Israeli military told AFP it is "continuously striking in the Gaza Strip" against the terrorist group Hamas that rules the Palestinian territory. Read more
Hamas officials visiting Moscow were quoted by Russian media on Friday as saying the terrorist group viewed all its hostages as Israelis, whatever additional passports they held, and could not release any of them until Israel agreed to a ceasefire. Read here
US President Joe Biden has cast doubt on casualty figures provided by Palestinian officials in Gaza, but international humanitarian agencies consider them broadly accurate and historically reliable.
A Hamas official tied the release of hostages held in Gaza to a ceasefire in Israel's punishing air war in the enclave, launched after a deadly rampage by Hamas militants into southern Israel nearly three weeks ago.
The United Nations said Friday it was concerned that war crimes were being committed on both sides in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The UN human rights office cited forcible transfer, collective punishment and the taking of hostages as the war continued into its 21st day.
Israel's security services are pulling in spyware companies, including the maker of the controversial Pegasus software, to help track hostages in the Gaza Strip, people familiar with the matter said.
What lies in wait for Israeli ground troops in Gaza, security sources say, is a Hamas tunnel network hundreds of kilometres long and up to 80 metres deep, described by one freed hostage as "a spider's web".
Asked if the military should immediately escalate to a large-scale ground offensive, 29% of Israelis agreed while 49% said "it would be better to wait" and 22% were undecided, the poll published in the Maariv newspaper said.
The White House on Thursday played down media reports speculating the Hamas' October 7 terror strike on Israel was linked to plans announced last month for an India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor.
Jazeera journalist Wael Al Dahdouh - who 24 hours ago mourned the death of his wife, son, daughter and nine other family members in an Israeli strike - has vowed to continue reporting on Tel Aviv's war on Gaza.
Israel's permanent ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, said his country was not waging a war "with Palestinians" but with Hamas, adding that the terrorist organisation does not care about Palestinian people, peace or dialogue.
War between Israel and Palestinian forces since Hamas group' October 7 assault have created a huge and rising death count - and accusations of war crimes - on both sides.
US President Joe Biden has hinted that one of the reasons behind Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel was the recent announcement of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor that integrates the entire region with a network of rail, road and ports.