UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will travel to Egypt today and hold talks with counterparts in the region to discuss the Israel and Gaza conflict. In the talks, he will stress "the imperative of avoiding regional escalation and preventing the further unnecessary loss of civilian life", his office said.
Earlier on Thursday, as the Israel-Hamas war escalates, Rishi Sunak visited Tel Aviv to show his solidarity with Britain's close ally in the Middle East.
After meeting with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu, he said that he "grieves" with Israel and stands with them against the "evil that is terrorism".
The war-torn Gaza health ministry said that at least 3,785 Palestinians have been killed and 12,493 injured in Israeli strikes since the October 7 attack by the Hamas group.
Here are the live updates on the Israel-Hamas war:
Two American citizens held hostage by Hamas since October 7 have been released, US President Joe Biden announced Friday, assuring that his government would fully support the duo in their recovery and healing process.
Biden thanked the governments of Qatar and Israel for their partnership in securing the release of the two hostages -- a mother and her teenage daughter.
Soon thereafter, Biden spoke over the phone with the two released hostages and their family.
France's DRM military intelligence agency said Friday that there was no evidence that an Israeli strike had caused the explosion at the Al-Ahli hospital in Gaza that killed hundreds of people.
"The most probable hypothesis is that a Palestinian rocket exploded with a charge of about five kilos," on Tuesday, the Directorate of Military Intelligence said, adding there was "nothing to indicate... an Israeli strike".
France's DRM military intelligence agency said Friday that there was no evidence that an Israeli strike had caused the explosion at the Al-Ahli hospital in Gaza that killed hundreds of people.
"The most probable hypothesis is that a Palestinian rocket exploded with a charge of about five kilos," on Tuesday, the Directorate of Military Intelligence said, adding there was "nothing to indicate... an Israeli strike".
Gaza rulers Hamas on Friday released two American hostages, from around 200 captives abducted in attacks by the militant group in Israel on October 7, Israel and the militant group said.
"In response to Qatari efforts, (Ezzedine) al-Qassam Brigades released two American citizens (a mother and her daughter) for humanitarian reasons," Hamas said in a statement posted on Telegram.
Israel later confirmed two hostages had been released and were in the country.
A private apparel unit in the district that was in news recently for making uniforms for the Israel police on Friday announced a temporary freeze on new orders from the force in light of the recent bombings of hospitals in Palestine.
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced that eligible Israeli citizens and nationals can now travel to the United States for up to 90 days without requiring a visa, CNN reported.
Egypt has removed concrete blocks near the border with Gaza, the news agency AFP reported, citing an Egyptian security source.
In this picture, you can see the volunteers of "Zaka"-Israel's Search and Rescue Organization-holding human ashes.
- Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 20, 2023
Until today, they are still on the ground in southern Israel looking for human remains. pic.twitter.com/LkMg42KNGK
This is the 13th day that Hamas has fired rockets targeting both southern and central Israel-endangering the lives of hundreds of thousands. pic.twitter.com/cFIZ1v6rXe
- Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 19, 2023
In a televised address from the White House's Oval Office, US President Joe Biden launched a scathing attack on the Palestinian group Hamas and Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying both want to "completely annihilate" neighbouring democracies.
Hamas fighters took at least 200 hostages and killed about 1,400 people during an October 7 attack on communities and military bases in southern Israel.
President Joe Biden today said that the Hamas group and Russia are both out to "annihilate" democracies, in an impassioned speech to the nation from the Oval Office where he made the case for assistance to Ukraine and Israel as a vital US interest.
The terror and tyranny of Hamas and Putin represent different threats, but they both want to completely annihilate a neighboring democracy.
- President Biden (@POTUS) October 20, 2023
Let me share with you why this is vital for America's national security: https://t.co/MoClTKCBCw