17:37 GMT — Hamas will free foreign hostages 'in the next few days' — official
Hamas's armed wing has said it would release in the coming days some of the foreign hostages in its captivity, as it vowed to turn Gaza into a graveyard for Israel's military.
"We have informed intermediaries that we will release a certain number of foreigners in the next few days," Abu Obeida, a spokesperson for Qassam Brigades, said in a televised address.
18:06 GMT — Egypt to receive wounded Palestinians in Gaza via Rafah crossing: sources
Egypt is preparing to receive wounded Palestinians from the heavily bombarded Gaza through the Rafah border crossing for medical treatment, medical and security sources said.
"Medical teams will be present tomorrow (Wednesday) at the crossing to examine the cases coming (from Gaza) as soon as they arrive... and determine the hospitals they will be sent to," a medical official in Egypt's city of El Arish told AFP.
A security source at the Rafah crossing confirmed the information.
18:04 GMT — Israel army confirms refugee camp bombing to kill Hamas commander
Israel's military has confirmed striking Gaza's Jabaliya refugee camp, saying the operation succeeded in killing a key Hamas commander linked to the October 7 operation in Israel by the Palestinian resistance group.
"His elimination was carried out as part of a wide-scale strike on terrorists and terror infrastructure belonging to the Central Jabaliya Battalion, which had taken control over civilian buildings in Gaza City," the military said, referring to the targeting of Ibrahim Biari, the commander of Hamas' Central Jabaliya Battalion.
18:01 GMT — White House: Dozens more relief aid trucks are expected to get inside Gaza today
The White House said 66 trucks of humanitarian assistance got into Gaza in the last 24 hours and that dozens more truckloads are expected to be cleared for their deliveries.
White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters that President Joe Biden would speak later with Jordan's King Abdullah for discussions about Gaza.
17:55 GMT — US to send 300 additional troops to Middle East: Pentagon
The United States is sending an additional 300 troops to the Middle East with a focus on providing support in areas like explosive ordnance disposal and communications, the Pentagon has said.
Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Patrick Ryder said the troops would be going from the United States, but would not be in Israel.
"They are intended to support regional deterrence efforts and further bolster our force protection capabilities," Ryder said.
He added that this month there have been 27 attacks against the US.
17:35 GMT — Efforts ongoing to release Hamas hostages: Qatar PM
Qatar's prime minister told Thailand's visiting foreign minister that efforts were ongoing to secure the release of hostages, including Thais, held by Palestinian group Hamas, despite their "complexity".
Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani made the remarks as Thailand's Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara began an urgent trip to Qatar and Egypt for talks on the fate of 22 Thais taken hostage by Hamas in its operation in Israel.
16:54 GMT — Four Israelis injured in Palestinian rocket attack on Israeli coastal city of Ashdod
At least four Israelis were reported injured in a Palestinian rocket attack from Gaza on the Israeli coastal city of Ashdod, according to media reports.
The Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper cited a statement by the Israeli Medical Service (MDA) that said one Israeli was in serious condition while three others had slight wounds.
16:37 GMT — UN chief 'deeply alarmed' by escalation of Israel-Palestine conflict
The United Nations chief has said he was "deeply alarmed by the intensification of the conflict between Israel and Hamas" as fierce fighting raged in Gaza.
The escalation includes "ground operations by the Israel Defense Forces accompanied by intense air strikes, and the continued rocket fire towards Israel from Gaza," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement.
"I remain deeply concerned about the risk of a dangerous escalation beyond Gaza," he added.
16:36 GMT — Israel committing crimes against humanity in Gaza — Erdogan
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that Israel, with the support of the US and Europe, was committing crimes against humanity in Gaza for the past 25 days.
Addressing the media after the cabinet meeting in Ankara, Erdogan said that Israel does not recognise any international law and humanitarian values.
"Our discussions are ongoing to ensure that perpetrators of war crimes in Gaza are held accountable," he said.
"Those who are bystanders to deaths of thousands of Gaza children today will have no credibility for anything they might say on any topic tomorrow," Erdogan stressed.
16:37 GMT — UN chief 'deeply alarmed' by escalation of Israel-Hamas conflict
The United Nations chief has said he was "deeply alarmed by the intensification of the conflict between Israel and Hamas" as fierce fighting raged in Gaza.
The escalation includes "ground operations by the Israel Defense Forces accompanied by intense air strikes, and the continued rocket fire towards Israel from Gaza," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement.
"I remain deeply concerned about the risk of a dangerous escalation beyond Gaza," he added.
16:57 GMT — 4 Israelis injured in Palestinian rocket attack on Israeli coastal city of Ashdod
At least four Israelis were reported injured in a Palestinian rocket attack from Gaza on the Israeli coastal city of Ashdod, according to media reports.
The Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper cited a statement on Tuesday by the Israeli Medical Service (MDA) that said one Israeli was in serious condition while three others had slight wounds.
It added that all the injured were transported to a hospital for treatment.
The newspaper said one of the rockets caused large damage to a garage and fire broke out in several cars.
14:13 GMT — At least 100 killed as Israel bombs Jabalia refugee camp in Gaza
The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza has said at least 100 people have been killed in Israeli bombardment on the Jabalia refugee camp in the Palestinian territory.
According to the statement, the six-block residential neighbourhood in the camp has been completely destroyed.
14:04 GMT — Yemen's Houthi rebels vow more attacks on Israel: statement
Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels pledged more attacks against Israel if its war on Hamas in Gaza continues, saying it had already fired drones and ballistic missiles in three separate operations.
"The Yemeni Armed Forces... confirm they will continue to carry out qualitative strikes with missiles and drones until the Israeli aggression stops," said a Houthi military statement aired on the rebels' Al Masirah TV.
It said Houthi rebels "launched a large batch of ballistic missiles... and a large number of armed aircraft" towards Israel on Tuesday, in the third such operation since the Gaza assault began on October 7 after Hamas fighters launched an operation in Israel.
14:04 GMT — Israeli army detains further 60 Palestinians across West Bank
The Israeli army detained 60 Palestinians on Tuesday from different areas across the occupied West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem.
The Palestinian Prisoners Society NGO said the new arrests bring the number of Palestinians detained by the Israeli forces since October 7 to 1,740.
Before October 7, the number of Palestinians detained in Israeli jails was around 5,200, including more than 1,000 held under the notorious administrative detention policy with no charge or trial.
12:30 GMT — Israel army says engaged in 'fierce battles' with Hamas in Gaza
Israeli forces were engaged in "fierce battles" with Hamas fighters inside Gaza, the army has said, as it continued to pummel the Palestinian territory with air and artillery strikes.
Israeli forces are "engaged in fierce battles with Hamas terrorists deep inside the Gaza Strip," the army said in a statement, adding that dozens of militants had been killed in the past few hours.
12:06 GMT — Turkish, Romanian foreign ministers discuss developments in Gaza
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held a phone call with his Romanian counterpart Luminita Odobescu to discuss the Palestinian issue in light of the recent developments in Gaza, Turkish diplomatic sources said.
No further details were shared regarding the conversation.
12:02 GMT — Israel's war on Gaza violates international law: Kuwait
The current Israeli war on Gaza violates international law, said Kuwait’s crown prince.
Speaking to Kuwait’s parliament, Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah said the Israeli bombardment of Gaza “violates all humanitarian laws and international conventions.”
“It’s paramount for the world to look into how to implement an immediate cease-fire and increase relief aid to the Gaza Strip,” said Al Sabah, the heir apparent to Kuwait’s throne.
12:01 GMT — Senior Russian diplomat meets Israeli ambassador, discusses situation in Gaza
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov discussed the latest situation in Gaza with Israeli Ambassador Alexander Ben Zvi.
The Russian side emphasised the importance of resolving humanitarian issues “as soon as possible,” including the release of hostages, ensuring the safe evacuation of Russian citizens from Gaza, as well as ensuring the delivery of humanitarian supplies to the territory of the Palestinian enclave, a Russian Foreign Ministry statement said.
12:01 GMT — Israel criticises Germany for abstention in UN Gaza cease-fire vote
Israel criticised Germany for not rejecting a UN resolution which called for an urgent humanitarian truce in Gaza.
Israel’s ambassador to Berlin, Ron Prosor, said Germany’s decision last week to abstain in the UN General Assembly vote was “more than disappointing” for his country.
“Friday's abstention is morally wrong and history will judge this. Germany’s ‘reason of state’ means actively standing with Israel, especially in difficult times,” he told the daily Rheinische Post.
Prosor said they expect from Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s coalition government to honour its promise of “unwavering support” for Israel after the Oct. 7 operation by taking concrete actions in support of his country.
11:45 GMT — Israel army says intercepted 'missile' from Red Sea region
The Israeli military has said its forces intercepted a missile fired from the Red Sea region, as tensions surged across the Middle East amid Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza.
"A surface-to-surface missile was fired toward Israeli territory from the area of the Red Sea and was successfully intercepted by the 'Arrow' aerial defence system," the military said in a statement.
The Israeli Air Force also scrambled jets following the detection of the missile. "All aerial threats were intercepted outside of Israeli territory. No infiltrations were identified into Israeli territory," the military said.
11:30 GMT — Orthodox church condemns Israel for bombing its Gaza centre
The Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem has blamed Israel for the overnight bombing of its cultural centre in Gaza City and condemned the "direct and unjustified attack".
"This attack represents a stark embodiment of Israel's unwarranted determination to destroy the civil infrastructure and social service centres, as well as shelters for civilians trapped in the besieged enclave," the church said in a statement.
11:26 GMT — Netanyahu again invokes sacred scripture to defend Israeli war on Gaza
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu again invoked Jewish and Christian scripture to justify the ongoing war on Gaza.
"The Bible says that 'there is a time for peace and a time for war.' This is a time for war," Netanyahu told a press conference, quoting Ecclesiastes, a book in both the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) and the Old Testament of the Christian Bible.
10:35 GMT — Targeting hospitals amount violation of intl law: UN
Targeting protected hospitals would "amount to a violation of international humanitarian law," the UN human rights office has said.
10:02 GMT — WHO warns of 'imminent public health of catastrophe' in Gaza
A World Health Organization official has said that a "public health catastrophe" was imminent in Gaza amid overcrowding, mass displacement and damage to water and sanitation infrastructure.
At the same press briefing, a spokesperson from the U.N. children's agency warned of the risk of infant deaths due to dehydration with just 5% of normal water supplies available.
10:47 GMT — Death toll in Palestine's Gaza rises to 8,525
At least 8,525 Palestinians, including 3,542 children, were killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza since Oct.7, the health ministry in Gaza has said.
2,187 women also killed in Israel's bombardments.
130 healthcare staff were killed, and 15 hospitals are now out of service along with 32 healthcare centres, health ministry spokesman, Ashraf Al Qudra said.
10:17 GMT — Israel 'turning deaf ear' to international community, ignoring calls for truce: China
China has accused Israel of turning a deaf ear to the concerns of the international community by paying no heed to calls for a humanitarian truce in Gaza.
“Regrettably and unacceptably,” China’s UN Ambassador Zhang Jun told the UN Security Council on Monday, “Israel, turning a deaf ear to the common concerns of the international community, has chosen to further escalate its military operations in Gaza and formally declared the launch of a ground assault.”
Zhang was referring to a UN General Assembly resolution passed last Friday which called for an immediate and durable humanitarian truce in Gaza leading to the cessation of hostilities.
“China solemnly calls on Israel as the occupying power to fulfil its obligations under international humanitarian law, lift its full siege on Gaza, immediately rescind its emergency evacuation order, and expeditiously restore the supply of basic necessities so as to prevent an even larger humanitarian disaster,” said the Chinese ambassador, according to an official transcript.
09:56 GMT — Gaza becomes 'graveyard of children' — UNICEF
The United Nations Children’s Fund or UNICEF has raised the alarm over the rising number of child deaths in Gaza since Oct. 7, when Israel-Palestine tensions flared into an armed conflict.
"Gaza has become a graveyard of children," UNICEF spokesperson James Elder told a UN press briefing in Geneva.
Elder reiterated UNICEF's call for an immediate cease-fire and humanitarian access to supplies for the enclave, saying children in Gaza are dying not only due to airstrikes but also because of a lack of needed medical care.
09:47 GMT — Yemen's Houthi rebels claim drone attack on Israel
Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels fired drones towards Israel in retaliation for its attacks in Gaza, a senior official from the group told AFP news agency.
"These drones belong to the state of Yemen," Abdelaziz bin Habtour, prime minister of the Houthi government, said when asked about drones launched towards Eilat in southern Israel.
09:05 GMT — It's a matter of life and death in Gaza: UN
The head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees told a UN emergency meeting Monday “an immediate humanitarian cease-fire has become a matter of life and death for millions,” accusing Israel of “collective punishment” of Palestinians and the forced displacement of civilians.
Philippe Lazzarini warned that a further breakdown of civil order after the agency’s warehouses were broken into by Palestinians searching for food and other aid “will make it extremely difficult, aif not impossible, for the largest UN agency in Gaza to continue operating.”
09:56 GMT - Israel attacks Hamas targets in northern Gaza
Israeli ground forces are attacking Hamas militants and infrastructure in northern Gaza as warplanes strike across the sealed-off territory.
Buoyed by the first successful rescue of a captive held by Hamas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected calls for a cease-fire a nd again vowed to crush the militant group’s ability to govern Gaza or threaten Israel.
More than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million Palestinians have fled their homes, with hundreds of thousands sheltering in packed U.N.-run schools-turned-shelters or in hospitals alongside thousands of wounded patients.
The Palestinian death toll in the Israel-Hamas war has reached 8,306, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza. In the occupied West Bank, more than 122 Palestinians have been killed in violence and Israeli raids.
07:16 GMT - 55 more killed as Israeli airstrikes pummel Gaza
At least 55 Palestinians were killed in fresh Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip early Tuesday, according to local media.
An airstrike hit a house in the city of Rafah in southern Gaza, killing nine and injuring several others, Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.
Another strike targeted a dwelling in the town of Zawaida town in central Gaza, leaving 18 people dead, the broadcaster noted.
Seven others perished and scores were injured in an airstrike on a house in the Zeitoun neighborhood of central Gaza, while 18 were killed in another strike on a home in Rafah city, Wafa said.
07:13 GMT — 15 Palestinians killed in Israeli air strike targeting house in central Gaza
At least 15 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli air strike that targeted a residence belonging to the Abu Shamala family in the Zawaida area of the central Gaza, the Palestine News Agency WAFA reported, citing local and media sources.
WAFA said warplanes also bombed a four-story building in the Zaytoun neighbourhood in southeastern Gaza, resulting in dozens of casualties.
The Israeli military has been conducting relentless air strikes and artillery shelling in all regions of Gaza, resulting in deaths and injuries among Palestinians.
06:50 GMT — UNRWA mourns 63 of its staff killed in Gaza since October 7
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) mourned the 63 members of its staff killed in Gaza due to Israeli attacks since October 7.
"No words can describe the grief for 63 of our UNRWA colleagues killed in Gaza since 7 October," UNRWA said in a statement on its X account.
"This unfathomable, continuous suffering that unfolds each day must stop now," it added.
It said that despite serious risks to its staff, UNRWA continues to serve those in need in Gaza.
UNRWA is the largest UN agency operating in Gaza.
06:40 GMT — Qatari, US top diplomats discuss developments in Gaza
Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani held discussions with his US counterpart Antony Blinken on developments in light of Israel’s onslaught against Gaza.
Blinken phoned Al Thani, who also serves as Qatar’s prime minister, during which "they discussed the gravity of escalating the confrontations in Gaza (and) the necessity of an immediate ceasefire," according to a statement by the Qatari Foreign Ministry.
They also touched on the latest developments in the mediation process to release hostages in Gaza.
The Palestinian resistance group Hamas’s military wing, the Al Qassam Brigades, said earlier in a statement that it is holding 200-250 people captive, including Israeli soldiers and civilians.
So far, four captives held in Gaza have been released by Hamas.
06:30 GMT — Hamas’s armed wing announces targeting of 4 Israeli military vehicles in southern Gaza
The Al Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s armed wing, said that they exchanged fire with Israeli forces that penetrated Gaza.
“Our fighters are engaging with the invading enemy forces in southern Gaza. They are actively involved in the clashes, using automatic weapons and targeting four vehicles with anti-tank shells and explosive devices,” they said in a brief statement on Telegram.
“We targeted an Israeli tank and bulldozer with two anti-tank shells," the statement added.
There has been no immediate response from the Israeli side on the announcement.
For our live updates from Monday (October 30), click here.
