Follow live updates of the Israel-Hamas war.
Israel says Hamas has freed two American hostages who had been held in Gaza since militants rampaged through southern Israel on the 7th of October. The hostage release Friday came even as Israeli airstrikes continued to hit southern Gaza, an area swelled by civilians who fled there from the north on Israeli instructions.
Israel was also evacuating a sizable town near the Lebanese border in the latest sign of a potential ground invasion of Gaza that could trigger regional turmoil, Kiryat-Shmona has a population of 20,000 people.
Palestinians in Gaza reported heavy airstrikes in the southern city of Khan Younis, where civilians had been told to seek safety amid Israel's bombardment of areas closer to the Israeli border.
Meanwhile, French military intelligence assessed on Friday that the most probable hypothesis for the explosion at Gaza City’s al-Ahli Hospital was that it was caused by a Palestinian rocket that was carrying an explosive charge of about 5 kilograms that possibly misfired.
Several rockets in the arsenal of the Palestinian militant group Hamas carry explosive charges of about that weight, including an Iranian-made rocket and another that is Palestinian-made, said a senior French military intelligence official.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the intelligence assessment, cleared to do so by President Emmanuel Macron in what was described as an attempt to be transparent about the French findings.
The official said none of their intelligence points to an Israeli strike.
The UN Secretary-General António Guterres is at the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza trying to find a way to get badly needed aid into the enclave.
The war, which is in its 15th day, is the deadliest of five Gaza wars for both sides. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry said Friday that 4,137 Palestinians have been killed and more than 13,000 others wounded.
More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, mostly in the initial attack two weeks ago when Hamas militants stormed into Israel. In addition, 203 people were believed captured by Hamas during the incursion and taken into Gaza, the Israeli military has said.
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Summary
- An Israeli invasion of Gaza appears imminent, with the country's defence minister telling troops they will soon see the Palestinian enclave "from inside"
- Some 20 lorries loaded with aid are waiting to cross Egypt's border with Gaza
- More than 3,700 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza since Hamas' surprise attack on 7 October on southern Israel, which killed more than 1,400 people
- US President Joe Biden has compared Hamas to Russia, saying he would ask Congress for billions in dollars of military funding for Israel
That's our live blog coming to a close today.
Read below to see how events unfolded on Friday.
We're back Saturday morning with all the latest overnight developments at 08:00 CET.
Thanks for reading.
Biden asks for billions to support Israel and Ukraine
US President Joe Biden asked Congress for €99 billion ($105 billion) in emergency funds, including $10.6 billion in military support for Israel and $61.4 billion to continue helping Ukraine with both military and financial assistance.
The president asked for €8.5 billion ($9 billion) in humanitarian assistance for Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine.
London police report a 1,353% increase in anti-semitic offences
The Metropolitan Police in London reported a 1,353% climb in anti-semitic offences this month compared to the same time last year, while Islamophobic offences were up 140%.
"Regrettably, despite the increased presence of officers, we have seen a significant increase in hate crime across London", the police said in a statement.
"Between 1 October and 18 October, we saw 218 antisemitic offences compared to 15 in the same period last year. Similarly, we saw an increase in Islamophobic offences from 42 to 101."
The Met Police reported making 21 arrests for hate crime offences in the community.
Photos: Destroyed buildings on the outskirts of Gaza City
More than 4,100 Palestinians killed since the start of the war, say Gaza authorities
At least 4,137 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli bombings since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, according to the latest update by the Ministry of Health in Gaza. Of this, 16 were killed in the Greek Orthodox church of Saint Porphyry in Gaza City.
Another 13,162 are estimated to have been injured, according to the report.
Egypt blames Israel for blocking aid to Gaza, criticises Western media
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry lashed out at "Western media", saying they are unfairly targeting Egypt over the closure of the Rafah crossing and blaming the country for the alleged obstruction of third-country nationals.
"Promoting displacement scenario, holding Egypt responsible for the Crossing closure despite Israeli targeted attacks and refusal of aid entry and recently insinuating Egypt responsibility for obstructing third-country nationals exit", a spokesperson for the ministry wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"Rafah crossing is open and Egypt is not responsible for obstructing third-country nationals exit", the ministry added in another tweet.
Tens of thousands of Egyptians demonstrate for Gaza
Tens of thousands of Egyptians have joined a pro-Palestinian demonstration organised by the government in Cairo, with many wearing kaffiyehs and waving the Palestinian flag.
Egypt should be opening the Rafah border to the passage of trucks carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza today.
Guterres calls for aid trucks to 'urgently' enter Gaza
Speaking from the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip on Friday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for the immediate opening of the crossing to allow trucks carrying humanitarian aid to "proceed urgently and as soon as possible" to the Palestinian enclave.
"We have seen many trucks loaded with supplies on this side of the border. These trucks are not just trucks, they are a lifeline, the difference between life and death for so many people in Gaza.
"Seeing them trapped here makes me very clear: what we need is for them to move, to move to the other side of the wall as quickly as possible and in as many as possible," he told a press conference from the border.
Israeli army believes 'majority of hostages' in Gaza alive
In a statement released on Friday, the Israeli army said that "the majority of the hostages" taken by Hamas during its 7 October attack were "alive".
"Of the approximately 200 hostages currently in Gaza, more than 20 are minors and between 10 and 20 are over 60 years old. The majority of the hostages are alive," the spokesman said, without elaborating.
Israel confirms killing of three Hezbollah members in drone strike
The Israeli army has confirmed killing three members of the Lebanese militia Hezbollah in a drone strike near the border as they tried to infiltrate Israel.
"Israeli army snipers also opened fire on gunmen identified as operating in the border area with Lebanon," a military spokesman said of another incident today on the border, which is experiencing its highest level of tension since 2006, with thirteen consecutive days of exchange of fire.
This morning, Israeli authorities ordered the evacuation of residents of the town of Kiryat Shemona, about 10 kilometres from the Lebanese border, where there have been heavy exchanges of fire with Hezbollah and other Palestinian militias over the past week.
Israel's military "does not plan to control life in Gaza"
Israel's defence minister, Yoav Gallant, said that after crushing Hamas, the military does not plan to "control life in Gaza strip".
Gallant's comments are the first by an Israeli leader on the country's long-term plans.
He said Israel expects its war with Hamas to have three phases. He said it would first attack the group in Gaza with air strikes and ground manoeuvres, then defeat pockets of resistance and finally end its "responsibility for life in Gaza".
Macron meets families of French hostages held by Hamas
The French President, Emmanuel Macron, together with the Minister of European and Foreign Affairs, Catherine Colonna, met by video conference with the families of the French hostages held by Hamas.
Macron promised that France will "do everything possible to ensure their safe return", the Elysée Palace said.
"The head of state assured them of his full commitment and that of all government departments to obtain their release," the presidency said after the video conference with the families.
"Everything will be done to ensure their safe return to France. The President of the Republic reiterated to the families his support and his determination to fight relentlessly against all forms of terrorism," it added.
WHO chief hopes Rafah crossing 'will open today'
In its latest appeal for the opening of the Rafah crossing to Gaza, the World Health Organization's Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that "more delays will result in more suffering and more deaths".
"We continue to ask for access to deliver lifesaving supplies," he said.
Two more UNRWA employees killed in the conflict
UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, reported that two more of their employees were killed in Gaza, bringing the total death toll to 16 since 7 October.
"We are devastated to confirm that two more UNRWA colleagues have been killed in Gaza. The entire Agency is grieving," the agency wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. "UNRWA continues to advocate for adherence to international humanitarian law - UN staff & civilians must be protected at all times."
'Restrictions' at border crossing with Gaza, says Guterres
Speaking at the border crossing near Rafah, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he's trying to solve "restrictions" being imposed on aid deliveries to Gaza which might delay the trucks.
"We are actively engaging with all the parties in order to clarify these restrictions so we can have these trucks moving towards there are needed. We need these trucks moving as soon as possible", he said.
Explosion at greek orthodox church causes deaths, Gaza authorities say
An explosion rocked the historic Greek Orthodox Church of St. Porphyrius housing displaced Palestinians late Thursday, resulting in deaths and dozens wounded.
Mohammed Abu Selmia, director of Shifa Hospital, reported multiple injuries, but the precise death toll remains uncertain as rescue efforts are ongoing.
Palestinian authorities are attributing the explosion to an Israeli airstrike, although this claim is yet to be independently verified. The Greek Orthodox Patriarchy of Jerusalem swiftly condemned the attack, vowing to uphold its religious and humanitarian obligations.
The Greek Orthodox Patriarchy of Jerusalem issued a statement condemning the attack and said it would “not abandon its religious and humanitarian duty” to provide assistance.
A survivor told Qatar’s Al Jazeera Arabic television that there was no warning from the Israeli military beforehand.
In Athens, Greece’s Foreign Ministry expressed "deep sorrow over the loss of lives caused by a strike on a building adjacent to the monastery of Saint Porphyrios in Gaza.” The ministry's statement said civilians must be protected and religious institutions safeguarded by all sides.
The church itself stands as one of the oldest and most cherished religious landmarks in the region. (AP)
Hundreds of EU employees sign letter saying they don't agree with Ursula von der Leyen's stance on Israel-Hamas war
Over 800 EU employees have signed a letter addressed to Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission's President, saying they don't feel represented by her stance on the Israel-Hamas war.
The letter, which was signed via a petition launched on Change.org on October 18, was sent to von der Leyen on Friday, according to the initiative's organisers.
"I was surprised President von der Leyen proclaimed the Commission's support for the Israeli government, regardless of how it chose to respond to the Hamas attacks, despite not having a mandate to do so by Member States", read a comment by one of the letter's signatories.
"As an EU diplomat, I feel embarrassed by the stance taken by the institution in external communications since the start of the crisis", wrote another.
Amnesty condemns France's attempt to ban all protests supporting Palestinians
Amnesty International issued a statement on Friday condemning bans on demonstrations supporting Palestinians in European countries like France, Germany, Switzerland, and the UK as a "disproportionate attack on the right to protest".
"The devastating consequences of Israel's bombing and illegal blockade on Gaza are understandably compelling many people in Europe to protest for the rights of Palestinians", wrote Amnesty's Deputy Director for Research in Europe Esther Major.
"Yet, in many European countries, the authorities are unlawfully restricting the right to protest. Measures range from those targeting certain chants, Palestinian flags and signs, to subjecting protesters to police brutality and arrest. In some cases, protests have been banned altogether."
Amnesty mentioned the case of France's government in particular, which on Tuesday was told by the highest administrative court in the country that it could not impose a blanket ban on all demonstrations in support of Palestinians.
"Under international law, a ban on demonstrations can only be considered as a last resort," said Jean-Claude Samouiller, President of Amnesty International France. "Authorities should always seek to protect and facilitate the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in the first place."
UK PM visits Egypt for crisis talks
Rishi Sunak will travel to Egypt on Friday as part of his tour of the Middle East to prevent the crisis in Israel and Gaza from spilling over into surrounding countries.
The Prime Minister's visit to comes after going to Saudi Arabia where he met with the Prime Minister and the Crown Prince the previous day.
In the talks with Egyptian political figures, Sunak will stress “the imperative of avoiding regional escalation and preventing the further unnecessary loss of civilian life”, his office said.
Five children reportedly killed after clashes in the West Bank
Thirteen people, among them five children, have been killed in clashes with Israeli forces in the Nur Shams refugee camp in the West Bank, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
The Palestinian Red Crescent also said 13 people had been killed.
Six Palestinians were killed in a rare Israeli airstrike on the camp on Thursday, said the ministry.
The Israeli military said the strike killed militants and resulted in 10 Israeli officers being wounded.
More than 74 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since the war started.
Israel evacuates Lebanon border town
The Israeli Defence Ministry has announced the evacuation of residents in the Israeli town Kiryat Shmona, near the border with southern Lebanon.
More than 20,000 people live in Kiryat Shmona, just 2km from the border.
Cross-border fire has increased since Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October, and the order is likely a response to this.
On Monday, the IDF said it was implementing an emergency plan to evacuate all civilians living up to 2km from the Lebanese border and would put them up in state-funded guest houses.
Israel says almost 30 children among hostages taken by Hamas
Nearly 30 of around 200 hostages thought to be held by the Hamas militant group in Gaza are children, the Israeli military said.
More than 10 are over the age of 60, it said in a statement.
Authorities have no information about the location of more than 100 missing Israelis, it added.
(AP)
Photos: Fresh Israeli airstrike on Gaza
World 'losing its humanity' - UN agency chief
The war between Israel and Hamas is pushing the Middle East to the "edge of an abyss", UN agency chief Philippe Lazzarini has warned.
Interviewed by the BBC, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East warned violence could spill into other countries
"The world is now losing its humanity", he told the British broadcaster.
Lazzarini warned about the grim situation facing civilians in Gaza, saying humanitarian aid corridors into the territory needed to be set up.
Speaking in Jerusalem, Lazzarini condemned Hamas's attack on Israel, calling it a "horrific and barbaric massacre".
It had created a "national trauma, a collective trauma in Israel," he added.
"But this event still does not justify that the war is conducted without any restraint," Lazzarini said. "And I do not believe that killing even more civilians is in the interest of the future security and peace here in the region."
Biden likens Hamas to Russia, calls for US aid to Israeli military
The US president has paralleled Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Hamas’s attack on Israel, urging Americans not to walk away from their role as “a beacon to the world”.
In only the second Oval Office address of his presidency, Biden said he would ask Congress to provide military aid for both Ukraine and Israel, as Israeli leaders prepare for an invasion of the Gaza Strip.
Biden drew a direct comparison between conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East in an attempt to rally war-weary voters and hardline Republicans, during his 15-minute speech.
“Hamas and Putin represent different threats, but they share this in common: they both want to completely annihilate a neighbouring democracy,” he said.
Some will be uneasy about the conflation, especially as Israel, with vastly superior military power, pummels schools, hospitals and residential areas across Gaza.
The two crises are a daunting diplomatic test for the US president who, at 80, is older than the state of Israel itself.
US estimates up to 300 dead in hospital strike
US intelligence has said casualties from a strike on Gaza City hospital are between 100 to 300 deaths at the “low end”.
That death toll “still reflects a staggering loss of life,” US officials said in the findings, seen by AP. Officials were still assessing the evidence, and the estimate may change.
The explosion at Gaza’s al-Ahli hospital on Tuesday left body parts strewn on the hospital grounds. Crowds of Palestinians had sheltered here believing they were safe from Israeli airstrikes.
Israel has denied involvement in the deadly blast, though Gaza officials claim it was caused by an Israeli airstrike.
Euronews cannot verify either side's claim.
(AP)