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

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.

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."

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 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.

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 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.

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.

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".

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

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'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.

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.

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 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 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

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:, says Palestine's Hamas, AFP reported.

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.

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.”

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'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 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.

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.

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.”

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.”