‘Very critical 24 hours’ as fuel runs dry, UN warns
Here are the latest updates on the Hamas-Israel conflict
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterates that Israel is preparing for a ground invasion of Gaza, saying "this is only the beginning" but he won't say when it will happen, as seen in a televised address from Tel Aviv.
Summary
- Twelve aid trucks arrive at Rafah: Palestine Red Crescent Society
- Gaza needs a full ceasefire for aid to get in the Palestinian minister
- WHO says medical supplies are waiting at the border
- Israeli forces destroyed over a quarter of populated areas: Minister
- Gaza doctors using ice-cream trucks 'to preserve huge amount of dead bodies'
- 'It's not a war, it's genocide': Brazil's President Lula da Silva
- 'Grave and extremely dangerous': Putin warns of war's expansion
8:15pm
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Gazan family say boy died because of lack of fuel and medicine
As the UN warns fuel supplies are running low in Gaza, one family in Khan Younis blames the death of their young relative on the Israeli siege. Elias Abu Shamaleh was buried by his uncle and father today. He was wounded in an Israeli air strike two weeks ago, which also killed his mother and siblings, reports BBC.
His uncle, Awad Abu Shamaleh, tells Reuters he died because they didn't have enough fuel to get him to the hospital - and there wasn't enough medicine where they were to treat him. "The child was injured two weeks ago, and because all the crossings are closed, he passed away," the uncle says. "There is no medicine, for efficient treatment, no fuel. The doctors did their best."
8:06pm
'Very critical 24 hours' as fuel runs dry, UN warns
The UN refugee agency for Palestinians says it urgently needs fuel to maintain life-saving humanitarian operations. "If fuel is not received into Gaza, UNRWA will be forced to significantly reduce and in some cases bring its humanitarian operations across the Gaza Strip to a halt. The coming 24 hours are very critical," it said, reports Al Jazeera.
"In the last 24 hours another three UNRWA staff members have been killed, bringing the total to 38 staff killed," it said. Israel has refused to let in fuel with aid shipments saying it could be seized by Hamas.
6:27pm
Israeli army kills Palestinian minor in occupied West Bank
The Israeli army has shot dead a 17-year-old Palestinian while injuring another minor in the occupied West Bank, the health ministry said, reports Al Jazeera.
Usayed Hamdi Hmeidat was shot in the head and chest during an Israeli army raid in the Jalazone refugee camp, north of Ramallah. A 14-year-old boy, whose name was not released by the ministry, was shot in the thigh during the same raid, medical sources said. They were rushed to a hospital in Ramallah where Hmeidat was pronounced dead.
Hmeidat's killing raises the Palestinian death toll in the occupied West Bank to 104 since October 7.
6:11pm
Twelve aid trucks cross into Gaza
The Palestinian arm of the Red Crescent says 12 lorries have crossed into Gaza from Egypt through the Rafah border crossing today, reports BBC.
The lorries brought water, food and medical supplies into Gaza, but not fuel, which Israel stops aid organisations from bringing in. A total of 74 aid trucks have been allowed into the Gaza Strip since 21 October, the Red Crescent says.
6:06pm
Erdogan says attacks on Gaza 'barbaric'
The Israeli attacks on Gaza have long crossed the threshold of self-defence and turned into open "oppression, brutality, a massacre and barbarism", Turkey's President Erdogan says, Al Jazeera.
He added Western countries are not adhering to international law because the blood spilled in Gaza is the "blood of Muslims".
5:59pm
More rockets aimed at central Israel
In the past hour, a barrage of rockets was fired on central Israel from Gaza. Air raid sirens sounded across much of the country, with reports of air defence interceptions, reports BBC.
Footage of what appears to be the aftermath of a rocket - or a fragment of one - hitting a building in Petah Tikva, near Tel Aviv, has been published on social media. Shortly after the alerts were issued, Israel's emergency services said no injuries had been reported so far.
Hamas, which has fired thousands of rockets at Israel since 7 October, said it was behind the latest barrage.
5:48pm
In a Gazan camp, a father outlives his wife and four children
In Jabalia refugee camp, in the north of Gaza, an Israeli air strike killed a mother and her four children, reports BBC. Sitting in the hospital, the children's father holds his baby boy's body. "He is only two months and a half old, what did he do?" the man says to Reuters.
"Did he kill? Did he wound someone? Did he kidnap someone? They were innocent children inside their house." The Israeli military has, for the past two weeks, advised people in the north to head south. "I have said my word, even if they run over me with tanks, I will not leave my house," the man says. "I will put a tent over my [destroyed] house and live inside it."
5:25pm
Egypt sets up hospitals, tents for possible influx of wounded from Gaza: Report
Egypt is setting up three field hospitals and triage tents near its border with the Gaza Strip in preparation for a possible influx of wounded Palestinians, The Wall Street Journal has quoted senior Egyptian officials as saying, reports Al Jazeera.
Egyptian officials have also discussed limiting the number of Palestinians that Egypt would allow in to 100,000, so that authorities could manage them in confined areas.
5:22pm
It will take years to restore security - Israeli minister
Benny Gantz, Israel's war cabinet minister, says restoring security to the south of Israel will take years after the Hamas attack on 7 October, reports BBC.
Benny Gantz says this will involve military and other measures. "We will not be destroyed, but our enemies may face such a fate," he says.
5:17pm
Death toll in Gaza crosses 7,000
The number of Palestinians killed by Israeli air strikes in Gaza has now reached 7,028, reports Al Jazeera. The figure includes 2,913 children, 1,709 women and 397 elderly, the health ministry in the besieged enclave reported. More than 100 Palestinians have also been killed in the occupied West Bank since October 7.
4:16pm
Twelve aid trucks arrive at Rafah
The Palestine Red Crescent Society says it has received 12 trucks at the Rafah border crossing from the Egyptian Red Crescent containing food, medicine, and medical supplies. Overall, 74 trucks have been allowed to enter the Gaza Strip since the war began – but no fuel, reports Al Jazeera.
4:12pm
Gaza needs a full ceasefire for aid to get in: Palestinian minister
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki said Gaza needs a full ceasefire for aid to get in. He was speaking to reporters in The Hague, a day after briefing the International Criminal Court on the Israeli "crimes and destruction" in Gaza, reports Al Jazeera.
"This time the war that Israel is waging is different. This time … it's a war of revenge," he said, adding that Israel needs to agree to a full ceasefire in Gaza in order for urgently needed humanitarian aid to be brought in. Later today, EU leaders are poised to call for pauses in bombardments to enable access to aid.
4:09pm
WHO says medical supplies are waiting at the border
The World Health Organization has just published a list of medical supplies it says are ready and waiting across the border from Gaza in Egypt. They include:
- Surgical equipment for 3,700 trauma patients
- Basic and essential health services for 110,000 people
- Medical equipment for 20,000 patients suffering from chronic diseases
The WHO calls for "immediate and uninterrupted access into and across Gaza" so it can support the territory's "ailing health system", reports BBC. Dozens of aid lorries have been let into Gaza at the Rafah border crossing in recent days - but agencies say at least 100 a day are needed.
4:05pm
Israeli forces destroyed over a quarter of populated areas: Minister
Israeli forces have so far destroyed about 200,000 housing units completely or partially since October 7, accounting for more than 25 per cent of populated areas in Gaza, Minister of Public Works and Housing Mohammad Ziyara has said, reports Al Jazeera.
"The criminality of the occupier in the current aggression is unprecedented," he said in a statement, as reported by the Palestinian Wafa news agency. "The occupation's bombing erased entire families from the civil registry; erased neighborhoods and residential communities with their inhabitants; and also destroyed facilities including hospitals, places of worship, bakeries, water filling stations, markets, schools, and educational and service institutions."
3:35pm
Gaza doctors using ice-cream trucks 'to preserve huge amount of dead bodies'
Opening the door of an ice-cream truck doctor Yasser Ali shows the dead bodies inside, wrapped in white shrouds, with their names written with a blue marker.
"We brought ice-cream trucks from ice-cream factories to preserve the huge amount of dead bodies the hospital receives every day," said Ali, a doctor at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. "Even with these freezers, the number of dead bodies exceeds the capacity. Additionally, 20-30 bodies are put in the tents outside every day."
With so many people killed by Israel's relentless bombardment, morgues across Gaza are overwhelmed and undertakers struggle to identify and bury the deceased, reports Al Jazeera.
"So many dead bodies are piled up inside these trucks. These are unidentified bodies," Ali said, as he opened a door to show what was inside. "They were so mutilated that no one could recognise who they were. They need to be buried properly."
"There is a real humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. Gaza is facing a disaster. If this war continues, we won't be able to bury the dead," Ali said.
3:33pm
'It's not a war, it's genocide'
Brazil's President Lula da Silva says the escalation in Gaza was not a war but "genocide" that has caused the deaths of thousands of children, reports Al Jazeera.
"What is happening right now in the Middle East is very serious," Lula said. "It's not about discussing who has a reason or who is wrong. The problem is that it's not a war, it's a genocide that has killed 2,000 children who have nothing to do with this war but are the victims."
3:30pm
New air attack hits Khan Younis: Al Jazeera
We've received reports of a new Israeli air raid in the city of Khan Younis, reports Al Jazeera.
Footage from the scene shows rescuers and civilians working to remove rubble with their bare hands amid large mounds of concrete flattened by the bombardment.
Initial reports suggest a number of casualties, but we're working to verify them and we'll get back to you.
It's worth remembering that Khan Younis is located in southern Gaza, where the Israeli military has told residents of northern Gaza to relocate to "for their safety and protection".
3:09pm
'Grave and extremely dangerous': Putin warns of war's expansion
Israel's war on Gaza could erupt in the Middle East and "far beyond" with "extremely destructive consequences", Russia's president warned, reports Al Jazeera.
Vladimir Putin said the carnage in Gaza must end and he told other world leaders in phone calls if it doesn't the conflict could expand. "Our task today, our main task, is to stop the bloodshed and violence," said Putin, according to a Kremlin transcript. "Otherwise, further escalation of the crisis is fraught with grave and extremely dangerous and destructive consequences. And not only for the Middle East region. It could spill over far beyond the borders of the Middle East."
2:39pm
Israel says 224 hostages in Gaza
In its latest update, the Israeli army says the number of people confirmed held hostage in the Gaza Strip by Hamas was 224. The army said the number could rise further, reports Al Jazeera.
In recent days, Hamas has released several captives, including US and Israeli citizens.
2:35pm
Celtic fans wave Palestine flags in solidarity with Gaza
Celtic fans were seen waving Palestinian flags before their Champions League match against Spanish side Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, reports Al Jazeera.
Before the match in Glasgow, attended by more than 55,000 fans, the Scottish club had called on its supporters not to display flags, banners, and symbols relating to Israel's war on Gaza. Celtic fans have a history of supporting Palestinians and have raised funds for independent organisations working in the occupied territories.
2:19pm
Army makes brief Gaza raid with troops on standby
Israel said it made limited ground raids against Hamas targets in northern Gaza overnight before withdrawing. It's the latest in a series of small incursions, some of which have also sought to locate and gather intelligence on hostages, reports Bloomberg.
Attaching a video footage Al Jazeera said Israeli forces carried out ground incursion into Gaza, The Israeli army says it conducted an overnight ground raid inside Gaza targeting Hamas positions using tanks.
1:59pm
Al Jazeera journalist leads prayer at funeral of family killed in air raid
Funerals have been held for the family members of Al Jazeera correspondent Wael Dahdouh who were killed in an Israeli air attack in central Gaza on Wednesday night, reports Al Jazeera.
Dahdouh was reporting from Gaza City when he was told that an air raid had targeted a building that destroyed his extended family's house at the Nuseirat refugee camp. His wife; son Mahmoud, who was a senior in high school; and his seven-year-old daughter, Sham, were killed. Hours later, it was confirmed that his grandson Adam had died as well. Other members of his family are still missing.
1:54pm
UN: 'Nowhere is safe in Gaza'
BBC said they have just received a new statement from Lynn Hastings - the UN's humanitarian coordinator for the Palestinians, responding to Israel telling people in Gaza City to leave. "For people who can't evacuate – because they have nowhere to go or are unable to move – advance warnings make no difference," she says.
"When the evacuation routes are bombed, when people north as well as south are caught up in hostilities, when the essentials for survival are lacking, and when there are no assurances for return, people are left with nothing but impossible choices.
"Nowhere is safe in Gaza." She adds the armed conflict should be governed by international law.
1:47pm
Meta says pro-Palestine accounts locked after hacking attempt
Meta says it has locked pro-Palestine accounts with millions of followers after detecting a possible hacking attempt, reports Al Jazeera.
The @Eye.on.palestine account, which has more than six million followers on Instagram and focuses on sharing content from Palestine, went dark on Wednesday. The owner of Facebook, Instagram and Threads said it was trying to reach its owners. A backup account, @Eye.on.palestine2, was also inaccessible on Wednesday, along with related Facebook and Threads accounts.
"These accounts were initially locked for security reasons after signs of compromise, and we're working to make contact with the account owners to ensure they have access," Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said in a statement. "We did not disable these accounts because of any content they were sharing."
1:15pm
Palestinian journalist, child killed in Israeli attack
Palestinian journalist Duaa Sharaf and her child were killed in the early hours of Thursday after Israeli jets bombed her house in Gaza, reports Al Jazeera.
Palestinian WAFA news agency reported that multiple missiles were fired at a residence in the Al-Zawaida area in the central Gaza Strip, resulting in their death. In a Telegram post, Voice of Al-Aqsa Radio confirmed the death of Sharaf, who was a presenter at the station.
At least 22 Palestinian journalists have been killed by Israeli attacks in Gaza since October 7.
12:49pm
Israeli ministry proposes to extend evacuations from north, south until December: Report
Israel's Ministry of Defence has proposed to extend the evacuation of communities living along the Gaza fence and its northern border with Lebanon until the end of December, Israeli public broadcaster reports, reports Al Jazeera.
It has also proposed for the government to pay 6,000 shekels (about $1,470) per month per adult and 3,000 shekels per child for families who choose to evacuate independently or who can't find a state-funded hotel room. Last week, Israeli authorities said about 200,000 people were ordered to evacuate from 105 communities near Gaza and Lebanon borders.
12:40pm
More on the Israeli ground raid inside Gaza …
Al Jazeera has more information on the ground raid carried out by the Israeli army inside Gaza, its latest brief incursion in the enclave. The Israeli army said tanks and infantry entered northern Gaza overnight, killing "many" fighters, and destroying military infrastructure and antitank positions.
The operation, which took place under the control of the Givati Brigade, one of the army's five infantry units, was done in preparation for the "next stages of combat", the army continued, adding that its forces exited Gaza at the end of the raid. It did not mention any casualties among Israeli soldiers.
12:37pm
Israel 'employing terror tactics' to silence journalists: Turkey official
Regarding the Israeli attack which killed family members of Al Jazeera's Gaza bureau chief Wael Al-Dahdouh on Wednesday, Turkey's communications director Fahrettin Altun has said they "find it difficult to believe that this was random as Israel has been trying to stop the truth coming out from Gaza, reports Al Jazeera.
"These kinds of attacks amount to employing terror tactics against journalists to silence them," Altun said on X (Twitter). "The whole world has seen not only the October 7 attack against Israeli cities but also Israel's indiscriminate attacks on civilians in Gaza that killed more than 6,000 civilians so far. Besieging millions of civilians with no humanitarian aid allowed is inhumane and barbaric.
11:30am
IDF disputes UN claim that fuel is about to run out in Gaza: BBC
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has disputed a claim from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) that fuel will imminently run out in the Gaza strip, reports BBC.
"As far as I know, there's still electricity in the Gaza Strip. And this report is a bit questionable," IDF spokesman Lt Col Jonathan Conricus said in a live briefing, referencing a UNRWA report from 16 October.
"We responded to the claim by UNRWA referring them to where Hamas - which governs the Gaza Strip - source fuel, both diesel fuel and other types. It's all inside the Gaza Strip.
"There's enough for many days for hospitals and water pumps to run. Only the priorities are different. Hamas prefers to have all of the fuel for its warfighting capabilities, leaving civilians without it," he added.
Hospitals in Gaza are taking on emergency cases only amid fears fuel supplies could run out in the coming hours, according to the UN.
11:00am
Israeli ground forces conducted 'relatively large' Gaza incursion
Israeli ground forces carried out a relatively large incursion into the Gaza Strip overnight to attack Hamas positions, according to Reuters news agency quoting Israel's Army Radio.
It described the raid as larger than previously carried out during the Gaza war, now in its 20th day.
10:40am
EU leaders eye call for 'humanitarian pause' in Gaza
EU leaders are expected to back a pause in the current conflict between Israel and Hamas to facilitate the passage of crucial humanitarian aid into Gaza.
European Council President Charles Michel says the deteriorating conditions on the ground in Gaza are of grave concern, and the leaders are keen to facilitate access to food, water, medical care, fuel, and shelter.
The decision will be made at a meeting in Brussels on Thursday.
For weeks, the European Union's stance on the war has been clouded with mixed messages, diplomatic gaffes, and conflicting national views.
10:25am
Short on fuel, Gaza hospitals treat emergency cases only
Across the territory, hospitals have shut down all departments except for their emergency rooms, says the BBC's Rushdi Abu Alouf, who is in Gaza's southern city of Khan Younis.
Hospitals need to conserve the little fuel that they have to power life-saving equipment such as ventilators, neonatal incubators and kidney dialysis machines, he says.
Gaza's hospitals are now "in a state of complete collapse", says Mohammed Abu Selmeya, the head of the territory's biggest hospital, Al-Shifa.
Israel is blocking new fuel deliveries to Gaza, saying they could be stolen and exploited by Hamas for military purposes. It also accuses Hamas of stockpiling hundreds of thousands of litres of diesel and refusing to share it.
10:00am
Hamas attack and Israeli blockade 'crimes against humanity' - ex-ICC chief
The 7 October attack by Hamas that killed over 1,400 people and resulted in more than 220 hostages was "clearly a crime against humanity", Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the former chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has said.
"Hamas's attack on October 7 is clearly a crime against humanity… Because killings with the intention to strike a group is a genocide, and Hamas's official intention is to strike Israelis," he told the BBC's Newsday programme.
But Mr Moreno-Ocampo also referred to Israel's subsequent blockade of Gaza as a "crime against humanity and a genocide".
"One of the forms to commit a genocide is to inflict on the people [sic] conditions to destroy them. And that's exactly what the blockade is.
"The blockade is blocking water, food, hospitals cannot work, [there is] no electricity for people who can go nowhere. Israel has the right to defend itself, but cannot block 2 million people and in doing so make it into a concentration camp," he said.
Israeli forces arrest young Palestinian in occupied East Jerusalem
A video posted by Al Jazeera Arabic on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, showed Israeli forces arresting a young Palestinian, Mufid al-Abbasi, after storming and searching his house in the Ras al-Amud neighbourhood in the town of Silwan in the occupied East Jerusalem.
9:50am
Pro-Israel resolution is new US House leader's first act
Speaker Mike Johnson called up a resolution supporting Israel in his first action as leader of the US House of Representatives on Wednesday, after a three-week leadership vacuum that left the Republican-led chamber unable to respond to the Middle East crisis.
"The first bill I'm going to bring to this floor in a little while will be in support of our dear friend Israel and we are overdue in getting that done," Johnson said as he accepted the speakership.
The House backed the resolution by 412 to 10, with six members voting "present," reflecting traditional strong support in Congress for the Jewish state. The non-binding measure reaffirms U.S. commitment to Israel and calls on Hamas to immediately cease attacks and release every hostage.
Nine of the no votes were from Democrats, some of whom said they opposed the resolution since it did not address the loss of Palestinian lives, and one from a Republican. All six of the "present" votes came from Democrats.
9:00am
Biden says he has 'no confidence' in Gaza death toll
US President Joe Biden said he had "no confidence in the number that the Palestinians are using" when asked whether Israel was doing enough to "minimise civilian casualties" in a press conference earlier.
"I have no notion that the Palestinians are telling the truth about how many people are killed. I'm sure innocents have been killed, and it's the price of waging a war," Biden told reporters on Wednesday.
"The Israelis should be incredibly careful to be sure that they're focusing on going after the folks that are propagating this war. And it's against their interest when that doesn't happen. But I have no confidence in the number that the Palestinians are using," he added.
Read the Latest On Hamas-Israel War
8:30am
Biden discusses 'pathway' to 'permanent peace' with Netanyahu
US President Biden has discussed a "pathway for a permanent peace" after the "current crisis" in a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reports Al Jazeera.
The White House released a short summary of the latest of the regular telephone calls between the two leaders.
Biden and Netanyahu also discussed "ongoing efforts to locate and secure" captives held by Hamas and provide "safe passage for foreign nationals wishing to depart Gaza as soon as possible", according to the White House.
8:20am
Russia, China veto US push for UN action on Israel, Gaza
Russia and China on Wednesday (25 October) vetoed a US push for the United Nations Security Council to act on the Israel-Hamas conflict by calling for pauses in fighting to allow humanitarian aid access, the protection of civilians, and a stop to arming Hamas and other fighter groups in the Gaza Strip.
The United States put forward a draft resolution on Saturday as global outcry grew over a worsening humanitarian crisis and mounting civilian death toll in Gaza. It made the move just days after it vetoed a humanitarian-focused draft from Brazil, arguing more time was needed for U.S.-led diplomacy.
The initial US text shocked many diplomats with its bluntness in stating Israel has a right to defend itself and demanding Iran stop exporting arms to fighter groups. It did not include a call for humanitarian pauses for aid access. But it largely toned down the final text that was put to the vote.
8:10am
US House backs pro-Israel resolution 412 votes to 10
The US House of Representatives has overwhelmingly voted in support of a resolution reaffirming US commitment to Israel, put forward by new Speaker Mike Johnson.
Johnson said the house had become "overdue" in showing support for its "dear friend" Israel, after taking up the position of leader which had been vacant for three weeks.
The House backed the resolution by 412 votes to 10, with six members voting "present," reflecting traditional strong support in Congress for the Jewish state.
The representatives who voted against the measure including Democrats Rashida Tlaib, Cori Bush, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilham Omar as well as Republican Thomas Massie of Kentucky.
8:00 am
Under pressure to back calls for Gaza ceasefire, Bernie Sanders urges 'humanitarian pause'
US Senator Bernie Sanders says he supports a "humanitarian pause" in Gaza – not a ceasefire – a day after hundreds of his former staffers called on the progressive US politician to add his voice to the ceasefire push.
The former staff members released an open letter to Sanders yesterday, asking him to introduce a Senate resolution calling for a ceasefire and support an end to the Israeli blockade of Gaza.
"Your voice is needed now more than ever because cooler heads must prevail and prevent further suffering and bloodshed," they wrote.
7:30 am
Frustrated Security Council members drafting new resolution
We're now at the fourth UN Security Council resolution. Two today. Two previously. All four have failed, reports Al Jazeera.
It's not over. Malta is on the Security Council, and many of the non-permanent countries on the Security Council, there are 10 of them, are frustrated.
They're frustrated with Russia and they're frustrated with the US, quite frankly. That's why [we] saw so many abstentions in the Russia resolution.
[These non-permanent members of the Security Council] are going to come up with another resolution, the Brazilian foreign minister just mentioned a couple of hours ago.
They don't want it to be sponsored by Russia. They don't want it to be sponsored by the US. They think that's too political. They're going to come up with their own resolution trying to get some sort of uniformity here because they say it is critical because people are dying.
They say that their resolution will be focused on humanitarian issues, and they hope to have it available, at least for a vote, perhaps by early next week.
They're working on it pretty much around the clock now to get that first draft together.
25 October
10:35pm
Israeli air raid near hospital in Gaza
A large explosion has occurred in the besieged coastal enclave, near al-Wafa Hospital, reports Al Jazeera.
The hospital is located in the Shajaiya area in eastern Gaza City.
10:12pm
UNRWA says school in Rafah sustained severe collateral damage from strike
A UN school in Rafah, sheltering 4,600 people, sustained severe collateral damage from a "close proximity strike", the United Nations Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) in Gaza said, without providing further details, reports Al Jazeera.
The agency added that 38 of its employees have been confirmed killed in Gaza since October 7, with half of them employed as UNRWA teachers.
9:38pm
Israel agrees to US request to delay ground invasion: Report
Israel has agreed to delay the invasion of Gaza for now, in order for the US to rush missile defences to the region, US media outlet Wall Street Journal has reported.
Citing US and Israeli officials, the Pentagon is working to deploy around 11 air defense systems in the region, WSJ said, including for US troops stationed in Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Israeli officials, according to WSJ, have agreed to American requests to wait until these systems are in place, potentially within this week. On Sunday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned that Washington would retaliate if US troops are targeted in the course of the Israel-Gaza war.
9:33pm
Macron says France not guilty of 'double standards'
Speaking in Cairo, French President Emmanuel Macron says his country does not "practice double standards", pushing back against criticism of his government's response to the war in Gaza, reports Al Jazeera.
"International law applies to everyone and France carries the universal values of humanism," he said during a joint news conference with el-Sisi.
"All lives are equal, all victims deserve our compassion and our lasting commitment to a just and sustainable peace in the Middle East," the French president said.
8:55pm
UN chief says it's false to say he 'justified' Hamas attacks
Antonio Guterres says he was left "shocked" by Israel's "misrepresentations" of remarks he made at a meeting of the UN Security Council. "I have condemned unequivocally the horrifying and unprecedented October 7 acts of terror by Hamas in Israel," the UN secretary-general said, reports Al Jazeera.
"Nothing can justify the deliberate killing and kidnapping of civilians, or the launching of rockets against civilian targets." During a speech at the 15-member body on Tuesday, Guterres said the Hamas attack "did not happen in a vacuum" as the Palestinians have been "subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation".
In response, Israeli officials called for his resignation
8:52pm
Doctor describes horrific situation at Gaza hospital: Al Jazeera
The situation at Naser Hospital in Khan Younis is dire, says Dr. Mohammed Qandeel. "Words cannot describe how bad the situation is. Since last night, we have received 300 wounded patients. We received 150 killed. We did cesarean sections to two severely wounded pregnant women," he said. Qandeel told Al Jazeera that a woman came in with an abdominal injury that they couldn't treat, so the doctors comforted her as she died.
Colleagues are losing entire families, he said, and yet they continue to work.
8:06pm
Gaza bakery targeted again after UN flour arrives: Al Jazeera
Residents picking through the remains of a destroyed bakery in the Moghrabi refugee camp in Deir al-Balah were hit by another deadly blast. Men ran through rubble-strewn streets carrying wounded people with at least one person killed, according to an Associated Press reporter at the scene.
The initial Israeli air strike on the bakery and neighbouring houses killed at least 10 people, Gaza's media office said. It was the only bakery in the area and just received flour from the UN agency for Palestinian refugees. Resident Asad al-Bairoti described the attack on the bakery by Israeli warplanes when he looked to the sky and then ducked as a projectile whistled overhead, followed by two bangs.
7:01pm
Water has 'virtually run out' in Gaza
UK-based charity Oxfam says drinking water in the besieged enclave is nearly gone, reports Al Jazeera.
"It's estimated that only three litres of clean water are now available per person. The UN said a minimum of 15 litres a day is essential for people in the most acute humanitarian emergencies as a bare minimum." Supplies of bottled water were dwindling and its price has skyrocketed to a level where it is unaffordable for the average family in Gaza.
6:56pm
We don't agree with UN chief's 'vacuum' comment - UK PM
UK PM Rishi Sunak rejects the comments made by UN chief Antonio Guterres, in which, as we've been reporting, he said the events of 7 October did not occur in a "vacuum", reports BBC.
"Obviously we don't agree with that characterisation put forward," a spokesperson for Sunak said. "We are clear that there is and can be no justification for Hamas's barbaric terrorist attack which was driven by hatred and ideology." Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the German government says it does have confidence in Guterres in light of his comments.
6:40pm
'Starvation as a weapon' against civilians in Gaza
Oxfam has described the situation in Gaza as "horrific" with millions being "collectively punished in full view of the world".
"There can be no justification for using starvation as a weapon of war. World leaders cannot continue to sit back and watch, they have an obligation to act," the UK-based charity said in a statement.
5:46pm
Death toll in Gaza reaches 6,546
The Palestinian health ministry in Gaza says at least 6,546 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since October 7, including 756 in the last 24 hours, reports Al Jazeera.
At least 2,704 children have been killed while 17,439 people have been wounded since the fighting erupted.
5:42pm
Deadly Israeli air strikes on Gaza continue
From Gaza's Shuhada Al Aqsa Hospital Hisham Zqou of Al Jazeera reports that the Israeli air strikes have continued to target civilians and destroyed their houses in different areas across Gaza.
The air strikes also targeted the al-Shati Camp, which is heavily populated, killing and wounding dozens. Dozens of children were killed in an Israeli air strike on Al Maghazi Camp, while six people were killed when an air strike hit a farm in Khan Younis.
4:47pm
IDF says it killed Hamas divers attempting to infiltrate Israel by sea
The Israeli military has published video which it says is of an attempted infiltration by Hamas divers yesterday. The Israel Defense Forces say at least two Hamas fighters attempted to access Israel via the sea at Zikim - just north of the Gaza Strip - after entering a nearby beach in Gaza via a tunnel, reports BBC.
They were killed after being attacked by fighter jets and soldiers from Israel's navy, who also destroyed a weapons storage facility being "used by the terrorists". The IDF did not specify how this attempted sea infiltration took place, although the video it published shows strikes on the sea surface. Shortly after the IDF issued the update, Hamas's military wing posted a picture on Telegram of two men in specialist scuba diving gear carrying assault rifles.
4:33pm
Al Jazeera renews call for ICC probe after UN inquiry on Abu Akleh
Al Jazeera Media Network has welcomed the findings of a UN commission that found journalist Shireen Abu Akleh died from "lethal force without justification". "Based on these findings, the Network is calling to take swift action to ensure justice for her and hold her killers accountable," Al Jazeera said in a statement.
It called on Karim Khan, prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, to initiate an investigation into her killing immediately. Abu Akleh was shot in the head while on assignment in Jenin in the occupied West Bank. She was wearing a press vest and standing with other journalists when killed. Israel has said "sorry" for Abu Akleh's death – without acknowledging its forces killed her and ensuring accountability.
3:30pm
More children killed in Gaza than Ukraine: Qatar foreign minister
Speaking to reporters in Doha, al-Thani has pointed out despite the number of children being killed in Gaza is exceeding the number of children killed in Ukraine, "we have not seen a similar reaction".On Tuesday, Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani said "we refuse to act as if the lives of Palestinian children do not count, as if they are faceless or nameless".
3:15pm
Child casualties in Gaza a 'stain on our conscience'
UNICEF has expressed deep concern over the alarming toll on children in Gaza where at least 2,360 kids have been killed in Israeli air raids since October 7.
"The situation in the Gaza Strip is a growing stain on our collective conscience. The rate of death and injuries of children is simply staggering," Adele Khodr, regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, said.
"Even more frightening is the fact that unless tensions are eased, and unless humanitarian aid is allowed, the daily death toll will continue to rise."
3:00pm
FM: Israel's total blockade of Gaza violates international law
Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan says Israel's devastating siege of Gaza will only worsen the conflict.
"Cutting of electricity, water and the denial of the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza will exacerbate the crisis and is also violation of the international law," Fidan said during a press conference with his Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, in Doha.
2:45pm
Israeli army: Iran directly supports Hamas 'even now'
Israel has again accused Iran of supplying Hamas with arms, cash and other assistance.
"Iran directly aided Hamas before the [latest Gaza] war with training, supplying weapons, money, and technological know-how," Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said during a news briefing.
"Even now, Iranian aid to Hamas in the form of intelligence and online incitement against the State of Israel continues."
2:30pm
Nearly 600,000 displaced Palestinians sheltering in UN facilities
Nearly 600,000 internally displaced people are sheltering in 150 facilities of the United Nations Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) in Gaza, while at least 40 UNRWA installations have been affected, the UN agency said.
"Our shelters are four times over their capacities. Many people are sleeping on the streets as current facilities are overwhelmed," the agency said in a post shared on X.
2:20pm
Syria says eight soldiers killed by Israeli strike
Eight Syrian soldiers were killed and seven wounded by Israeli strikes on military positions in the southern province of Daraa, state media reports.
Syria's state news agency SANA says the attack happened around 01:45 local time on Wednesday.
Israel's military confirmed it attacked Syrian targets - saying its fighter jets carried out a strike on military infrastructure and mortar launchers after rockets were fired across the border.
2:05pm
Hospitals use fuel for life-saving operations only - WHO
The UN in Gaza - the biggest aid provider - says its fuel will run out tonight, unless it gets fresh supplies. Meanwhile, BBC correspondent there says hospitals are already limiting services to critical cases only.
Dr Richard Peeperkorn, from the World Health Organization, tells BBC Radio 4's Today programme from Jerusalem: "We have teams on the ground in Gaza and we know from the ground that fuel is absolutely limited.
"The hospitals we work with, they all run the generator at minimum levels, only for life-saving operations."
1:55pm
Updates from the health ministry in Gaza
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Health in Gaza has given Al Jazeera these updates:
- There are 7,000 sick and wounded Palestinians in hospitals facing the risk of death.
- Gaza hospitals have turned into shelters for the displaced.
- Medics and officials are demanding the immediate and urgent entry of medical aid and fuel.
- Hospitals in Gaza are open but are unable to provide any health services as their capacities and resources have been depleted.
1:25pm
Israel says latest air strikes hit Hamas tunnels and headquarters
Israel's military has confirmed it launched extensive attacks on the strip, targeting "Hamas operatives and terrorist infrastructure".
The IDF says tunnel shafts, military headquarters and munition warehouses were destroyed.
On Tuesday, the IDF said it hit at least 400 sites, and the day before, 320. It has not yet put a number on the number of strikes on Wednesday.
1:05pm
US Treasury seeking coalition against Hamas financing: Official
Days after the US announced new sanctions on Hamas members, operatives and financial facilitators, Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo says the country aims to build an international coalition to target the group's financing.
"Our goal is to build a coalition with countries both in the region but also around the world to go after their financing," Adeyemo told AFP on the sidelines of an event in Washington.
Adeyemo said that during a trip to Europe later this week, he plans to meet "allies and partners and talk about what we can do in a coordinated way to go after Hamas's financial network".
12:35pm
Gaza ceasefire 'only benefits Hamas': White House
A full ceasefire in Gaza would only help Hamas as Israel wages an air campaign against the militant group, but humanitarian "pauses" should be considered to let vital aid in, the White House said Tuesday.
"A ceasefire right now really only benefits Hamas," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told journalists.
Kirby said that while Washington opposed a full ceasefire, stoppages in the fighting to facilitate the delivery of aid was "something that ought to be considered."
12:00pm
'Israel will refuse visas to UN officials as the spat grows'
Israel will refuse visas to UN officials, the country's ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, was quoted as saying by Israeli media.
The fallout comes after the UN chief indirectly criticised Israel for ordering the evacuation of civilians from the north to the south of the Gaza Strip and said Hamas's attack on October 7 did not happen "in a vacuum".
"Due to his [Guterres's] remarks, we will refuse to issue visas to UN representatives," Erdan told Army Radio. "We have already refused a visa for Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths. The time has come to teach them a lesson."
11:45am
Gaza health situation worsens
Hospitals in Gaza continue to run out of essential medical supplies. Each bombardment adds additional pressure to these already overstretched hospitals, reports Al Jazeera.
Every available space is occupied by the wounded. Since the start of Israel's war on Gaza on October 7, more than 18,000 people have been brought to medical centres in the Strip. That is more than what the healthcare system here can cope with.
More than 10 hospitals are out of service. The remaining hospitals and medical centres are on the brink. They are suffering from an extreme shortage of essential supplies. Power generators are running out of fuel.
11:35am
Saudi crown prince, Biden discuss ways to stop Israeli military operations in Gaza
Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called on the US to work immediately to discuss ways to stop Israeli military operations that claimed the lives of innocent people, reports Arab News.
Speaking during a call he received from US President Joe Biden on Tuesday, the crown prince discussed the military escalation taking place in Gaza and the efforts being made to end the war.
They agreed on pursuing broader diplomatic efforts "to maintain stability across the region and prevent the conflict from expanding," the White House said, adding the two leaders will remain in close coordination directly and through their teams over the coming period.
11:25am
Pope urges release of hostages and humanitarian aid access in Gaza
Pope Francis on Wednesday renewed his calls for the release of hostages held by Palestinian militants and for humanitarian aid to be allowed into the Gaza Strip.
"I am always thinking about the grave situation in Palestine and Israel. I encourage the release of hostages and the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza," he said during his weekly audience.
Francis recalled that he will lead on Friday special prayers for peace in St. Peter's Basilica, in what he said last week would be a "a day of fasting, prayers, penance".
11:15am
Fuel will run out by tonight - UN aid agency
As several countries around the world call for "humanitarian pauses" in the fighting to deliver much-needed aid to Gaza, UN relief workers in the territory have warned they will run out of fuel by Wednesday night.
But the Israeli military has accused Hamas of stockpiling fuel, posting a satellite photo of a dozen fuel tanks inside the Gaza Strip it says contain 500,000 litres of fuel.
"Ask Hamas if you can have some," it said in response to the UNRWA.
11:00am
Fuel underpins aid operations: UNRWA
The UN's aid agency in Gaza has been stressing just how catastrophic running out of fuel would be.
"Fuel deliveries must be let in to ensure people have clean drinking water, hospitals can remain open and life-saving aid operations can continue," The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said on X.
10:45am
Death toll from Israel raids in occupied West Bank tops 100 since 7 Oct
The death toll from the series of retaliatory Israeli raids across the occupied West Bank has topped 100 since the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel, according to the Palestinian news agency, WAFA.
Among the latest casualties was a 19-year-old named Hamza Sayel Taha, who was shot dead by Israeli forces on Wednesday morning following a raid in the northwestern city of Qalqilya.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Israeli forces carried out a similar raid in the northern city of Jenin, killing at least three young Palestinians.
10:30am
Watch: What do fuel shortages mean for Gaza?
Israel's total blockade on fuel entering Gaza is making it harder for people to access life-saving needs including healthcare and drinking water.
UNRWA, the UN's agency in Palestine, has said unless fuel is allowed to enter Gaza immediately it will be forced to "halt all operations" by Wednesday night local time.
10:00am
To cease fire or pause?
The United States and Russia have put forward rival plans at the United Nations to help Palestinian civilians caught in the Israel-Hamas conflict in the Gaza Strip: a humanitarian pause or a ceasefire.
Both countries seek UN Security Council resolutions to address shortages of food, water, medical supplies and electricity in Gaza. But the US has called for pauses to allow aid to enter Gaza, while Russia wants a humanitarian ceasefire.
A pause is generally considered less formal and shorter than a ceasefire. While the differences may seem semantic, the US proposal for pauses has grown out of an initial draft given to the 15-member council on Saturday that was staunchly pro-Israel, Washington's longtime ally.
9:45am
'US doesn't want war with Iran but will defend itself'
The United States told the United Nations on Tuesday it does not seek conflict with Iran, but Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned that Washington would act swiftly and decisively if Iran or its proxies attacks US personnel anywhere.
Blinken spoke to the 15-member UN Security Council amid international fears the conflict between Israel Hamas in the Gaza Strip could spill over into a wider war, drawing in Lebanon's heavily armed Hezbollah that is also supported by Tehran.
"The United States does not seek conflict with Iran. We do not want this war to widen. But if Iran or its proxies attack US.personnel anywhere, make no mistake: we will defend our people, we will defend our security - swiftly and decisively."
9:30am
16 killed in Israeli air strikes across Gaza: Interior Ministry
At least 16 people were killed and several others injured following the latest Israeli air strikes across Gaza early on Wednesday.
According to the Ministry of Interior in Gaza, the Israeli raids hit residential areas in Jabalia and Tal al-Hawa in the north, al-Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza and Khan Younis in the south.
9:15am
Australia calls for 'humanitarian pauses'
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong has called for "humanitarian pauses on hostilities" in Gaza to allow for the delivery of aid and the evacuation of civilians.
"The way Israel exercises its right to defend itself matters," she said in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"It matters to civilians throughout the region, and it matters to Israel's ongoing security."
The latest statement comes as the Australian PM visits Washington for a state dinner at the White House.
9:00am
Israel calls for top UN chief to resign
A spokesman for the Israeli foreign ministry has told BBC News that UN Secretary General Antonio Gutteres must resign for "outrageous" comments he made in a speech earlier on Tuesday.
In his speech alleging violations of international humanitarian law, Gutteres said: "It is important to also recognise the attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum. The Palestinian people have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation."
"But the grievances of the Palestinian people cannot justify the appalling attacks by Hamas. And those appalling attacks cannot justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people," he said.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's The World Tonight, Israeli spokesman Lior Haiat said the UN chief's speech contained just "one minute in empty words about the atrocities by Hamas terrorists" and gave "justification for terrorism".
"Instead of standing with the victims, he blames the victims for an atrocity that we haven't seen the like of since the Holocaust," he continued.
8:50am
US will work with China to stop conflict from spreading: Blinken
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has told the UN security council that he will work with China's foreign minister Wang Yi to ensure the Israel-Gaza war doesn't escalate into a wider conflict.
"Members of this council, and permanent members in particular, have a special responsibility to prevent this conflict from spreading," Blinken said, adding that he was looking forward "to continuing to work with my counterpart from the People's Republic of China to do precisely that".
Wang is scheduled to visit the US on Thursday. Although the purpose of his visit is to set the stage for an official trip by China's leader Xi Jinping next month, the crisis in the Middle East is widely expected to be on the agenda.
8:35am
Canada, US rebuff calls for ceasefire
While countries like the US, Australia and Canada have called for "humanitarian pauses", they've stopped short of publicly advocating for a ceasefire.
"I have no expectation that a terrorist organisation would respect international law or any call for a ceasefire," Canadian Defence Minister Bill Blair told reporters on Tuesday.
"Quite frankly, Hamas has to be eliminated as a threat, not just to Israel, but to the world."
Earlier top White House and US State Department officials also said now is not the right time for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
8:20am
US has 'high confidence' Palestinian rocket caused Gaza hospital blast: Official
US intelligence officials have "high confidence" that an explosion at a Gaza hospital last week was caused by a Palestinian rocket that broke up mid-flight, and not by Israel, a US official said on Tuesday.
The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry said 471 people were killed in the blast at Al-Ahli al-Arabi Hospital on 17 October. Palestinians and Arab states said an Israeli air strike hit the hospital, reports Reuters.
Israel said the blast was caused by a failed rocket launch by Hamas fighters, which has denied responsibility.
US President Biden said a day after the incident, while visiting Tel Aviv, that the explosion appeared to be the result of an errant rocket fired by a "terrorist group", echoing Israel's view.
8:05am
Israel using 'new deadly weapons' in war against Palestinians, Gaza hospital director says
Mohammad Abu Salmiya, the director general of Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, said that he has never seen in previous Israeli wars on the Palestinian territory, similar type of wounds and injuries that they sustained in this war.
In an interview with Al Jazeera Arabic, Salmiya, said that the new types of injuries were likely a result of Israel using "new deadly weapons" against the people living in Gaza.
The death toll from the Israeli strikes in Gaza has already surpassed 5,700 in less than two weeks, according to the latest estimates, with many more believed to be still trapped in the collapsed buildings struck by Israeli air raids.
7:55am
UN chief condemns Hamas attack and Israel's 'collective punishment of Palestinians'
The UN secretary-general has tweeted an extract from his speech in an apparent move to show he has criticised both Hamas and Israel for the situation in Gaza right now.
"The grievances of the Palestinian people cannot justify the horrific attacks by Hamas. Those horrendous attacks cannot justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people," Guterres said on X.
His comments came after he condemned Hamas's "horrifying and unprecedented" attack on Israel, while also acknowledging that it did not happen "in a vacuum" – citing the decades-long Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories.
He also indirectly criticised Israel for ordering the evacuation of civilians from the north to the south of the Gaza Strip.
7:40am
Hundreds face 'backlash' for supporting Palestine: US legal group
A US legal organisation has said that it is responding to a "wave" of "backlash" against people "advocating for Palestinian rights".
Palestine Legal has responded to more than 260 requests for help in the last two weeks, ranging from job losses to the cancellation of classes, the Chicago-based organisation said in a post on X.
The group cited several examples including 92NY in New York cancelling an event with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen.
7:30am
UN Security Council debate ends with Israel 'furious': Correspondent
It's nearly 9:30pm (01:30GMT) in New York and the UN Security Council debate has just ended after hearing from 87 speakers, including many foreign ministers.
One of those speakers was the UN secretary-general, who delivered a speech condemning Hamas's October 7 attacks on Israel but also acknowledged that they did not happen "in a vacuum" – citing the ongoing Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory.
Many countries welcomed Guterres's speech as "a very balanced approach", says Al Jazeera's Gabriel Elizondo in New York, but Israel was "furious" and called for the UN chief to resign.
Israel's foreign minister, who was at the debate, "was so upset", said Elizondo, "that he cancelled a meeting with the secretary-general that was supposed to happen Tuesday afternoon"."This is really unusual to see this sort of reaction against the secretary-general," Elizondo added.
7:20am
Death toll, injuries rise after latest Israeli night raid in West Bank
Three Palestinians were killed after fights with Israeli forces following another night raid in Jenin, according to a medical source.
The source told Al Jazeera that several people, possibly up to 20, have also been injured following the incident in the northern occupied West Bank in which the Israeli military said that it had conducted a drone strike.
Israeli forces have now left Jenin, according to Al Jazeera's Charles Stratford, although similar raids are also taking place in other parts of the occupied territory.
7:00am
Jordan circulates UN General Assembly resolution
Jordan has circulated a draft resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire ahead of a UN General Assembly meeting scheduled for Thursday.
Jordan and Mauritania, acting on behalf of several countries, called for the special emergency session of the 193-member General Assembly after the US vetoed a resolution in the UN Security Council, which has 15 members, reports Al Jazeera.
"When the Security Council is unable to act, the General Assembly must step up," Dennis Francis, the president of the General Assembly, said when he announced the meeting scheduled for 10am New York time (14:00 GMT) on Thursday.
6:45am
Israel confirms drone strike in Jenin
The Israeli air attack in Jenin was confirmed by the Israeli military as a drone strike. One person was killed and four others injured in the strike, reports Al Jazeera.
The military said that it carried out the attack during clashes with "armed Palestinians".
Israel is increasingly using air attacks in the occupied West Bank, a development that indicates escalating violence in the territory amid the fighting in Gaza.
6:30am
Lebanon wants to 'disassociate' from 'bloody conflict': Ambassador
Lebanon's ambassador has told the UN Security Council debate that his country "is exerting every effort to disassociate" from this "bloody conflict".
"Lebanon was never an aggressor," said Hadi Hachem. "It has always been a victim of aggression by Israel since the [1960s]."
Referring to the people of Gaza, Hachem added: "There is no law or doctrine that justifies the systemic killing of a population that lives in an open-air prison for more than a half a century."Hachem also described Israel's killing of 13 journalists in Gaza as well as the Lebanese journalist Issam Abdallah in southern Lebanon as "proof" of Israel's "policy to suppress freedoms".
6:15am
Families 'crushed in rubble' after Israel bombed Gaza
The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza has said that at least 704 people have been killed in Israeli air attacks over the past day, with the majority of the dead being women and children.
The Associated Press, reporting from Gaza, said families had been crushed "in the rubble of residential buildings" and the bodies of children had been unearthed from multiple ruined buildings.
The news agency described a father kneeling next to the bodies of his three dead children in Deir al-Balah's Al-Aqsa Hospital and that workers at a nearby morgue prayed over the bodies of 24 dead people wrapped in body bags, "several of them the size of small children".
6:00am
Several killed in pre-dawn Israeli attack in Gaza's al-Nuseirat refugee camp: Report
A pre-dawn air attack carried out by Israeli forces in central Gaza killed and injured several people, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa.
But the exact numbers could not be immediately determined.
According to the Wafa report, the air attack hit the vicinity of Al-Faraj Mosque in the al-Nuseirat refugee camp.
A house in the Al-Shati refugee camp was also hit in a separate air attack, resulting in deaths, the report said.
Wafa reported that Bani Suhaila, east of Khan Younis's Al-Zaytoun neighbourhood, and a house near the Italian Tower in Gaza City, were also hit.
5:30am
Israeli jets hit Syrian army infrastructure
The Israeli military said early on Wednesday that its fighter jets have struck Syrian army infrastructure and mortar launches.
The military said it was in response to firing from Syria towards Israel on Tuesday, but did not provide any further details, reports Al Jazeera.
The Syrian government has yet to comment.
The attack would be the latest Israeli air attacks on Syria, with previous incidents often targeting sites linked to pro-Iranian groups and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.
5:15am
Israeli night raid: Power outage reported in areas of West Bank
Another night raid has been carried out by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank, Al Jazeera Arabic reported, adding that the latest operation coincided with a power outage in at least three areas of the Palestinian territory.
In a post on X, Al Jazeera Arabic said that power had been shut off as Israeli operations began in an area of the Jenin refugee camp as well as in al-Hadaf and Wadi Burqin.
Since the 7 October Hamas attack in Gaza, Israeli forces have been carrying out nightly raids in the West Bank, arresting dozens of people. An estimated 97 people have been killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank since then.
5am
Israel's military tells UN in Gaza: Ask Hamas for fuel
Israel's military has urged the UN to ask Hamas for fuel supplies after the UN agency providing aid to Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip warned it would have to halt operations on Wednesday night if no fuel was delivered.
In a reply, the Israeli military claimed that Hamas fighters have more than 500,000 litres (about 110,000 gallons) of fuel in tanks inside besieged Gaza, without providing any evidence aside from a photo of what it said were fuel tanks in the territory.
"Ask Hamas if you can have some," the military wrote on social media.
The UN previously said that more than 120 premature babies in incubators may not survive if electricity supplies are cut as a result of a lack of fuel.
Disclaimer: The information and infographics provided in this thread have been gathered from sources, including BBC, Reuters, Al Jazeera, and other news networks.
