Israel-Hamas War highlights: US, UN seek safe zones for Gaza civilians after 1 million evacuation order

Israel Hamas War News highlights: The Israeli military bombarded the Gaza Strip with more airstrikes as it continued blocking electricity, fuel, water and food on Thursday ahead of a possible ground operation if the government allows, in the strip which hosts around 2.2 million Palestinians. Over 2,800 people have died on both sides since the October 7 war began....Read More
Israel's energy minister Israel Katz said on Thursday the country will not allow basic resources — including electricity, water and fuel — or humanitarian aid inside the Gaza Strip until Hamas released around 150 Israeli hostages. Katz said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, “Humanitarian aid to Gaza? No electrical switch will be turned on, no water hydrant will be opened and no fuel truck will enter until the Israeli abductees are returned home.”
Several international aid groups said on Thursday that the humanitarian crisis was worsening as Israel continued blocking the entry of supplies through Egypt.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Tel Aviv on Thursday and assured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of continued support from the US. Blinken said, “You may be strong enough on your own to defend yourselves, but as long as America exists you will never have to. ... We will always be there by your side.”
People perform Ganga Aarti in Varanasi in support of Israel in its fight against Hamas
People on Friday performed Ganga Aarti in Varanasi in support of Israel in its ongoing conflict with the terrorist organisation Hamas based in Gaza. A large number of people participated in it.
People also raised slogans for Israel. The participants said that they were with Israel in its fight against Hamas and prayed for its victory.
"We want a world where there are no terrorists. The goals of the terrorists will never be successful. We are with Israel and we would like to see its victory. We did Aarti today for the realisation of this," said Rajesh Shukla who organised the Aarti.
Gaza ground operation would lead to 'unacceptable' civilian toll: Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that an expected Israel ground offensive in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip would lead to "unacceptable" civilian casualties.
"The use of heavy machinery in residential areas is a complex matter fraught with grave consequences," Putin said in televised remarks, "most importantly, the civilian casualties will be absolutely unacceptable."
Russia has been carrying out what Moscow calls a military operation in Ukraine since February 2022, during which thousands of civilians are estimated to have died after strikes hit numerous residential areas across the country.
"The most important thing now is to stop the bloodshed," Putin said, adding his country was "ready to coordinate with all constructive partners."
Israel army drops flyers warning Gazans to flee 'immediately'
The Israeli military on Friday dropped flyers on Gaza warning residents to flee "immediately" to the south, AFP correspondents in the Palestinian territory said.
"Evacuate your homes immediately and go south of Wadi Gaza," read flyers dropped by drones and seen by AFP.
A map featured on the flyers showed an arrow pointing south across a line in the central Gaza Strip.
The message signed by the Israeli military ordered residents to "evacuate public shelters in Gaza City".
Iran's foreign minister warns war could spread if Israeli bombardment of Gaza continues
Iran's foreign minister warned Friday that if Israel's attacks on the Gaza Strip don't stop immediately, the violence could spread to other parts of the Middle East.
Hossein Amirabdollahian is on a tour that took him to Baghdad before Beirut, and later in the day he is scheduled to travel to the Syrian capital, Damascus.
Iran heads the so-called “axis of resistance” that includes powerful militant groups in the region, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Popular Mobilisation Forces in Iraq.
Amirabdollahian spoke to reporters in Beirut after a meeting with his Lebanese counterpart, during which the two officials called for an end to Israel's attacks on Gaza.
Hamas tells Gaza residents to stay home as Israel ground offensive looms
Mosques called on residents of the Gaza Strip not to leave their homes on Friday after Israel's military told all civilians, more than 1 million people, to relocate south ahead of an expected ground invasion that risks high casualties.
Any incursion could be pivotal in fighting between the Israeli military and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which on Saturday launched the bloodiest attack on the country since the 1973 Arab-Israeli war.
Israel has already launched the heaviest air strikes on Gaza ever, and has mobilised 300,000 reservists and amassed tanks near the border.
Iran's foreign minister meets Hezbollah leader in Lebanon on Israel-Hamas war
Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian on Friday discussed Israel's war against Hamas with the head of the powerful Tehran-backed Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, which has launched its own cross-border attacks on Israel.
Amirabdollahian, who arrived in Beirut late on Thursday, said he had met Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah as well as Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bouhabib.
Local media outlet Al-Mayadeen said the Iranian minister and Nasrallah had discussed Hamas' attack on Israel. Iran also supports Hamas, and has lauded the group's attack on Israel but has denied any involvement.
From carpark to 'world's largest underground hospital' in 30 hours
The level three basement carpark in northern Israel's Rambam hospital is usually what it is called -- a place for people to leave their vehicles.
But in 30 hours this week, staff transformed the cavernous space into a huge underground hospital, equipping it with 1,300 beds, complete with fittings for oxygen, medical and sanitary supplies.
Israel is in the midst of a war to "crush" Hamas, after the Palestinian Islamists stormed its southern border at the weekend, shooting dead more than 1,200 people in the streets and in their homes.
Israel has since been pounding Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip, where 1,537 people have been killed.
Located in Haifa, about 50 kilometres (31 miles) from the border with Lebanon, Rambam hospital readied the underground facility as Israel has also traded cross-border fire with Hezbollah and allied Palestinian factions in Lebanon since Sunday.
Jewish schools in London shut down amid security fears
A number of Jewish schools in London have informed parents that they will remain closed on Friday due to security fears amid the conflict in Israel after British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak unveiled additional funding support targeted at enhanced protection for the country’s Jewish communities against antisemitic attacks.
Menorah High School, Torah Vodaas Primary School and Ateres Beis Yaakov, all in the Barnet area of north London, sent letters to parents on Thursday and a fourth school is also believed to remain closed as they fear anti-Israel protests around the premises.
The letter from Rabbi Feldman of Torah Vodaas said that while there was "no specific threat to our school" it was "not a decision that has been taken lightly".
Israel used white phosphorus in Gaza, Lebanon: Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch on Friday accused Israel of using white phosphorus during its military operations in Gaza and Lebanon and said that it puts civilians at risk of serious and long-term injuries. Read more
Iran urges US to 'control' Israel to avert regional war
The United States must rein in Israel to avert a regional spillover of the war with Hamas, Iran's top diplomat said Friday in Beirut, adding Tehran was seeking to safeguard Lebanon's security.
Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian spoke as Hamas and Israel traded heavy fire for a seventh day, after hundreds of Hamas gunmen stormed across the border from Gaza into Israel on Saturday and killed 1,200 people.
Israel has retaliated by raining air and artillery strikes on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip, leaving more than 1,350 people dead.
"America wants to give Israel a chance to destroy Gaza, and this is... a grave mistake," Amir-Abdollahian said, adding, "if the Americans want to prevent the war in the region from developing, they must control Israel."
Israel calls for civilians to leave Gaza City as military amasses tanks
Israel's military on Friday called for all civilians of Gaza City, more than 1 million people, to relocate south within 24 hours, as it amassed tanks ahead of an expected ground invasion after a devastating attack by the militant group Hamas.
"Now is a time for war," Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said on Thursday as Israeli warplanes continued pounding Gaza in retaliation for the weekend attacks by Hamas militants that killed more than 1,300 Israelis, mostly civilians.
The Israeli military said it would operate "significantly" in Gaza City in coming days and civilians should only return when advised. More than 1,500 Palestinians have already been killed in retaliatory attacks.
"Civilians of Gaza City, evacuate south for your own safety and the safety of your families and distance yourself from Hamas terrorists who are using you as human shields," the military said.
Moving severely ill people in Gaza amounts to ‘death sentence’: WHO
The World Health Organization said on Friday local health authorities in Gaza had informed it that it was impossible to evacuate vulnerable hospital patients from northern Gaza after Israel's military called for civilians to relocate south within 24 hours. "There are severely ill people whose injuries mean their only chances of survival is being on life support, such as mechanical ventilators," said WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic.
Palestinian envoy pleas for Japan to maintain aid and neutrality
Palestine's mission to Japan called on Tokyo to maintain humanitarian aid to Palestinians on Friday and play a neutral role in the conflict between the Hamas militant group and Israel.
The plea came as Israel amassed tanks near the Palestinian enclave of Gaza ahead of an expected ground invasion after Saturday's devastating attack on Israel by Hamas.
Tel Aviv on Thursday said Japan should be vigilant in providing aid and look more closely at what Hamas was doing with the aid Japan provided to Palestinians.
Norway condemns 'unacceptable' siege of Gaza
Norway on Friday condemned Israel's "unacceptable" siege of Gaza after the Hamas militant group's bloody attack on Israel.
"Israel is entitled to defend itself ... but it cannot use all possible means," Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt told public radio NRK.
"I condemn this siege because you have to, when they ask so many people to leave, when they don't have access to food and medicine," she added.
Thousands of Iraqis rally in support of Palestinians: state TV
Thousands of Iraqis poured onto the streets of Baghdad Friday in support of Palestinians amid Israeli air strikes on Gaza in reprisal for a deadly Hamas attack, state television said.
"No to the occupation! No to America!" chanted the demonstrators, who had gathered in Tahrir Square after Shiite leader Moqtada Sadr called for a demonstration "in support of Gaza" and against Israel, an AFP journalist reported.
AFP
Israel embassy staff assaulted in Beijing: Foreign Ministry
An employee of the Israeli embassy in Beijing has been admitted to the hospital following an assault, as reported by Israel's Foreign Ministry.
The diplomat is currently in a stable condition. Authorities are investigating the motive behind the attack, which, notably, did not take place at the embassy, according to the ministry's statement, Times of Israel reported.
13 hostages 'including foreigners' killed in Israel strikes on Gaza: Hamas
13 hostages 'including foreigners' killed in Israel strikes on Gaza:, says Palestine's Hamas, AFP reported.
US defense secretary in Israel to oversee America's security assistance
On Friday, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin landed in Tel Aviv, Israel, to engage with senior government officials and personally witness some of the US military equipment and security support that Washington promptly supplied to Israel during the initial week of its conflict with the militant Hamas group.
Austin marks the second high-ranking US official to visit Israel within a two-day span. His swift journey from Brussels, where he had been participating in a NATO defense ministers meeting, follows Secretary of State Antony Blinken's arrival in the region on Thursday. Blinken continues his intensive diplomacy efforts in the Middle East, aimed at preventing an escalation of regional tensions.
During his visit, Austin is expected to hold meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant, and the Israeli War Cabinet.
Israel 'deeply disappointed' over China's lack of condemnation of Hamas attack
On Friday, Israel's foreign ministry conveyed its "profound disappointment" during a conversation with the Chinese envoy to the Middle East regarding China's failure to denounce Hamas's weekend assault, Reuters reported.
The statement said, “The ambassador expressed Israel's deep disappointment with Chinese announcements and statements about the recent events in the south, where there was no clear and unequivocal condemnation of the terrible massacre committed by the terrorist organization Hamas against innocent civilians and the abduction of dozens of them to Gaza.”
UK travel guidance asks citizens to follow Israel's advice on Gaza relocation
Britain's foreign office on Friday modified its travel guidance for its citizens in Gaza, instructing them to "follow Israeli advice and relocate to southern Gaza within the next 24 hours", reported Reuters.
According to the update posted on the government website, "The Israeli military announced on the morning of 13 October that the entire population of Gaza north of Wadi Gaza should relocate to southern Gaza within the next 24 hours."
The government statement also emphasized, "We advise following this advice issued by the Israeli authorities. We recognize this is a fast-moving situation that poses significant risks."
Hungary to ban rallies supporting 'terrorist organisations' -PM Orban
Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban has declared that Hungary will not permit any demonstrations in support of "terrorist organizations." He emphasized that all Hungarian citizens should experience safety, irrespective of their religion or heritage, Reuters reported.
Israel has pledged to obliterate the Hamas movement, which governs the Gaza Strip, in response to the most deadly assault on Jewish civilians since the Holocaust. This attack occurred when hundreds of Hamas gunmen breached the barrier fence and wreaked havoc in Israeli towns last Saturday.
Hamas is officially designated as a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States, the European Union, Canada, Egypt, and Japan.
Orban expressed his dismay at the sympathy rallies for terrorists taking place across Europe, alluding to the European reaction to the Hamas attack on Israel.
Palestinian envoy to Japan slams West for Gaza bombing
Palestinian Ambassador to Japan, Waleed Siam, decries the irony of Western leaders urging Israel to intensify its attacks on Gaza, labelling it as "pathetic", Reuters reported.
‘UN facilities must never come under attack’: UNRWA as it begins moving operations to south Gaza
The UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees, UNRWA, has relocated its primary operations centre and non-local personnel in Gaza to the southern region.
This move comes as Israel issues warnings to civilians to evacuate in that direction, Times of Israel reports.
UNRWA has emphasized to Israel the critical need to safeguard civilians within UN schools and shelters. It underlines that these UN facilities must be protected at all times and must not be subjected to attacks, in compliance with international humanitarian law.
As per the UN, more than 200,000 individuals are seeking refuge in 92 UNRWA schools.
Israel-Hamas War: IDF releases statement on Gaza evacuation
IDF released a statement on Gaza evacuation saying, “The Hamas terrorist organization waged a war against the State of Israel and Gaza City is an area where military operations take place. This evacuation is for your own safety. You will be able to return to Gaza City only when another announcement permitting it is made. Do not approach the area of the security fence with the State of Israel.”
Israel-Hamas War | ‘Civilians not our enemies’: IDF spokesperson on Gaza evacuation
Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Jonathan Conricus said on Friday that the evacuation of Israel was a part of the humanitarian measures.
In a video posted by the IDF on X, formerly Twitter, Conricus is heard saying that the aim was to save lives. “Civilians are not our enemies,” he added.
He also said that the military wanted to minimise civilian casualties as the Israeli forces struck the Gaza Strip. He also said that they remained fully committed to adhering to the laws of international armed conflict.
“We understand it will take time. It's not an easy process.”
UN calls Israel's evacuation order in Gaza ‘impossible’
The United Nations has described Israel's order for the evacuation of 1.1 million people living in northern Gaza within the next 24 hours as “impossible”.
It also appealed for a reversal ahead of what increasingly looks like an imminent ground invasion, reported Bloomberg.
Israel-Hamas War: On Israel's evacuation demand, US Congresswoman AOC says ‘Unacceptable’
US Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that ordering over 1 million people to evacuate was unacceptable.
She said, “Any person can see that ordering 1+ million people to move in under 24 hours is not possible. It is unacceptable. The UN has already deemed the order “impossible” without “devastating humanitarian consequences.” Humanity is at stake. Nearly half are children. We must halt this”
Israel-Hamas War: Morgue at Gaza's biggest hospital overflows amid continuous Israeli attacks
On the sixth day of Israel's intense aerial bombardment of Gaza, the morgue at the largest hospital in the territory became overwhelmed. The influx of bodies surpassed the capacity to process them, leading to a grim situation in the densely populated area with a population of 2.3 million, AP reported.
With numerous Palestinians losing their lives daily due to the Israeli offensive, healthcare workers in Gaza reported a lack of space to store the deceased, whether recovered from recent airstrikes or retrieved from the rubble of destroyed structures.
The morgue at Gaza City's Shifa hospital, designed for around 30 bodies, saw corpses stacked three high outside its walk-in cooler and numerous others placed in makeshift locations, including tents and parking lots. This crisis has left healthcare workers emotionally and physically drained as the tragedy continues to unfold.
Israel-Hamas War | ‘Evacuation for your own safety’: Israeli military tells Palestinians ahead of ground invasion
Israeli Military asks for Palestinian residents living in the Gaza Strip to move southwards. The military says, “This evacuation is for your own safety.”
The military also said that the residents will be allowed to return only when another announcement permitting their entry is made, Reuters reported.
It added that it will be operating significantly in Gaza over the next few days.
Israel-Hamas War | WHO warns health system in Gaza at a ‘breaking point’
Issuing a statement on Thursday, WHO said, “WHO warns that the health system in the Gaza Strip is at a breaking point. Time is running out to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe if fuel and life-saving health and humanitarian supplies cannot be urgently delivered to the Gaza Strip amidst the complete blockade. Hospitals have only a few hours of electricity each day as they are forced to ration depleting fuel reserves and rely on generators to sustain the most critical functions. Even these functions will have to cease in a few days, when fuel stocks are due to run out. The impact would be devastating for the most vulnerable patients, including the injured who need lifesaving surgery, patients in intensive care units, and newborns depending on care in incubators.”
The World Health Organisation further added, “As injuries and fatalities continue to rise due to the ongoing air strikes on the Gaza Strip, acute shortages of medical supplies are compounding the crisis, limiting the response capacity of already overstretched hospitals to treat the sick and injured. The situation has also gravely disrupted the delivery of essential health services, including obstetric care, management of noncommunicable diseases such as cancer and heart diseases, and treatment of common infections, as all health facilities are forced to prioritize lifesaving emergency care.”
Israel-Hamas War: Israel ambassador to UN Gilad Erdan hits back over latter's response to evacuation request
Israel ambassador to UN Gilad Erdan hit back over latter's response to evacuation request.
Erdan said, “The UN’s response to Israel’s early warning to the residents of Gaza is a disgrace! For many years, the UN turned a blind eye to the arming of Hamas and its use of civilian populations and infrastructure in the Gaza Strip for murder and for stockpiling its weapons.”
He added, “Now, instead of standing with Israel whose citizens were slaughtered by Hamas terrorists and which still tries to minimize harm to non-combatants, it preaches specifically to Israel…It would be better for the UN to focus now on returning the captives, condemning Hamas and supporting Israel’s right to defend itself.”
How US is helping Israel in its war against Hamas?
• The U.S. is providing some personnel and much-needed munitions to Israel.
• One of the most visible examples of the U.S. response was the announcement Sunday by the Pentagon to redirect the Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group to sail toward Israel.
• The Pentagon has also ordered additional warplanes to bolster A-10, F-15 and F-16 squadrons at bases throughout the Middle East. More are to be added if needed.
Israel Hamas War News LIVE: Oil set for small weekly advance
Crude has had a volatile week, with traders seeking to price in the potential for the conflict to draw in Iran, a supplier of arms and money to Hamas, which the US and European Union have designated a terrorist group. The Biden administration is probing Tehran’s potential involvement in last week’s strikes and has reached an informal understanding with Qatar to hold off distributing $6 billion in oil revenue that Iran was allowed to access. The Islamic Republic has repeatedly denied any involvement in the attacks.
“The key threat to oil will only come if Iran’s involvement is proven,” said Charu Chanana, market strategist for Saxo Capital Markets Pte in Singapore. “The oil demand outlook also remains muddled.”
UN says Israeli military warns 1.1 mln Gazans to relocate south
The United Nations said early on Friday it has been told by the Israeli military that some 1.1 million Palestinians in Gaza should relocate to the enclave's south within the next 24 hours.
"The United Nations considers it impossible for such a movement to take place without devastating humanitarian consequences," U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.
"The United Nations strongly appeals for any such order, if confirmed, to be rescinded avoiding what could transform what is already a tragedy into a calamitous situation," he said.
Reuters
Human Rights Watch says Israel used white phosphorus in Gaza, Lebanon
Human Rights Watch on Thursday accused Israel of using white phosphorus munitions in its military operations in Gaza and Lebanon, saying the use of such weapons puts civilians at risk of serious and long-term injury.
Asked for comment on the allegations, Israel's military said it was "currently not aware of the use of weapons containing white phosphorus in Gaza." It did not provide comment on the rights watchdog's allegations of their use in Lebanon.
Reuters
France has banned pro-Palestinian protests and vowed to protect Jews from resurgent antisemitism
France's interior minister on Thursday ordered local authorities to ban all pro-Palestinian demonstrations amid a rise in antisemitic acts since Hamas attacked Israel over the weekend. President Emmanuel Macron urged French people not to allow the war in the Mideast erupt into tensions at home.
Soon before Macron spoke in a televised address to the nation about the Mideast conflict, Paris police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters who had defied a ban and demonstrated Thursday against the Israeli government.
"Let us not bring ideological adventures here (to France) by imitation or by projection. Let us not add national fractures ... to international fractures,?" Macron pleaded. “Let us stay united.”
AP
Hamas practised in plain sight, posting video of mock attack weeks before border breach
Less than a month before Hamas fighters blew through Israel's high-tech “Iron Wall” and launched an attack that would leave more than 1,200 Israelis dead, they practised in a very public dress rehearsal.
A slickly produced two-minute propaganda video posted to social media by Hamas on September 12 shows fighters using explosives to blast through a replica of the border gate, sweep in on pickup trucks and then move building by building through a full-scale reconstruction of an Israeli town, firing automatic weapons at human-silhouetted paper targets.
The Islamic militant group's live-fire exercise dubbed operation “Strong Pillar” also shows militants wearing body armour and combat fatigues swiftly carrying out operations that included the destruction of mock-ups of the wall's concrete towers and a communications antenna, just as they would do for real in the deadly attack last Saturday.
AP
If Israel continues bombardment of Gaza, war may open on other fronts: Iran
Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Hossein Amirabdollahian said Thursday that if Israel's bombardment of Gaza continues, the war may open on “other fronts,” an apparent reference to the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
Israel is nervously watching Hezbollah on Israel's northern border and has sent troop reinforcements to the area.
Qassim Qassir, a Lebanese analyst close to Hezbollah, said the group “will not allow Hamas' destruction and won't leave Gaza alone to face a ground incursion.”
“When the situation requires further escalation, then Hezbollah will do so,” he told The Associated Press.
An official with a Lebanese group familiar with the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, said Hezbollah fighters have been placed on full alert.
AP
Internet connectivity in Gaza less than 20%: Report
According to data from network monitoring firm Kentik Inc. and analyst Doug Madory, Gaza City has experienced internet connectivity levels of less than 20% since last Tuesday. Their data indicates that these disruptions commenced on Saturday morning, with an internet service provider in Gaza attributing the cause to damage to fiber optic cables resulting from Israeli air strikes.
AP
Japan condemns Hamas' 'terror attacks,' supports Israel's right to defend itself
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa told her Israeli counterpart on Thursday the "terror attacks" by Hamas cannot be justified for any reason, and that Tokyo resolutely condemns the conduct, a statement by the Japanese Foreign Ministry said.
Kamikawa told Eli Cohen in their phone call that Israel has the right to defend itself and its people under international law, the statement said.
The Japanese government arranged a charter flight departing from Tel Aviv on Saturday for its citizens wishing to leave Israel, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters on Friday.
Reuters
IAF has dropped 6,000 bombs on Gaza since war began
Israeli Air Force (IAF) says it dropped 6,000 bombs on Hamas targets in Gaza over the past six days.
The IAF added that it has hit over 3,600 targets.
US law enforcement steps up security ahead of expected Mideast protests
US law enforcement agencies have escalated security measures to safeguard Jewish and Muslim communities ahead of global pro-Palestinian protests expected on Friday but urged members of the public to go about their daily routines.
Police in the two most populous US cities - New York and Los Angeles - said they would step up patrols, especially around synagogues and Jewish community centers, though authorities insisted they were unaware of any specific, or credible threats.
"There's no reason to feel afraid. No one should feel they have to alter their normal lives," New York Governor Kathy Hochul said at a news briefing on Thursday.
Reuters
United States stands with Israel: Joe Biden
Joe Biden took to X and said, “The United States stands with Israel in the aftermath of the acts of sheer evil perpetrated by Hamas.”
EU investigates Musk’s X over violent content, disinformation about Hamas attack
Elon Musk’s X faces further intense scrutiny in the European Union after regulators demanded answers over concerns about “illegal” and even “terrorist” content on the social media platform.
The European Commission late Thursday said it sent X a formal request for information under its strict new digital content management rules following indications about the potential terrorist and violent content.
North Korea denies its weapons used by Hamas against Israel
North Korea denied on Friday its weapons were used by Hamas in the attack against Israel, saying the claim made in some media reports was a bid by Washington to divert the blame for the conflict from itself to a third country.
Radio Free Asia reported this week citing military experts that Hamas militants may be using North Korean weapons and said footage of Palestinian fighters showed what appeared to be a rocket launcher suspected to be from the North.
US government-owned Voice of America also cited an intelligence expert as saying some of the weapons used by Hamas likely originated from North Korea.
Reuters
Israel-Hamas war: United Nations issues an appeal for $294 million
The United Nations issued an appeal for $294 million to address “the most urgent needs” in Gaza and West Bank.
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said the funds would help more than 1.2 million people adding that aid groups did not have “the resources required to adequately respond to the full range of needs of vulnerable Palestinians.”
ICYMI: Israel 'emergency government' sworn in
Israeli lawmakers on Thursday endorsed an expanded "emergency government", parliament said, a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a war-time partnership with a rival.
Benny Gantz and four members of his party were sworn in as ministers without portfolio, in parliament shortly after the 66-4 vote.
Netanyahu, dressed in black, told parliament ahead of the vote that "the unity we are establishing sends a message of great force", vowing to "destroy Hamas".
Opposition leader Yair Lapid, a former Gantz ally, said earlier on Thursday he would not join the government.
AFP
More than 423,000 people displaced in Gaza: UN
More than 423,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in the Gaza Strip, the United Nations said, following heavy Israeli bombardments in retaliation for Hamas's attacks.
As of late Thursday, the number of displaced in Gaza rose by 84,444 people to reach 423,378, the UN humanitarian agency OCHA said in a statement sent on Friday. The announcement came as Israel pounded the Gaza Strip in response to Saturday's surprise attack, the deadliest since the country's creation in 1948.
Hamas gunmen swept into small towns, kibbutzim and a music festival in the desert, indiscriminately killing more than 1,200 people and taking about 150 hostages into Gaza.
AFP
First flight carrying 212 Indian nationals from Israel lands in Delhi
First flight carrying 212 Indian nationals from Israel, lands at Delhi airport; received by Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar.