Live blog: Hamas chief says ready for 'immediate' prisoner swap with Israel

1859 GMT — Hamas's leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, has said that the Palestinian resistance group was ready for an "immediate" prisoner swap with Israel.

"We are ready to conduct an immediate prisoner exchange deal that includes the release of all Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails in exchange for all prisoners held by the Palestinian resistance," Sinwar said in a statement.

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1931 GMT — Qatar-mediated negotiations between Israel and Hamas continued Saturday: source

Qatar-mediated negotiations between Israel and Hamas aimed at de-escalating fighting in Gaza continued on Saturday despite Israel's escalation of attacks on the enclave, a source briefed on the negotiations told Reuters.

Talks have not broken down, but are taking place at a "much slower pace" than before the escalation, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of talks.

1913 GMT — Israeli military chief declines to comment on Gaza blackout

Israel's chief military spokesperson declined to say whether Israel was behind the telecommunications blackout that hit Gaza on Friday and which has left the besieged enclave largely cut off but said it would do what it needed to protect its forces.

Asked whether Israel had knocked out cellular services at the start of the ground offensive that began on Friday night, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said:

"We do what we have to do to secure our forces for as long as we must, temporary or permanent, as much as we need to and we will not say anything further about that."

1851 GMT — Iran funds 90% of Hamas's military budget: Netanyahu

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that defeating Hamas was an "existential test" for Israel, charging that 90 percent of the group's military budget came from Iran.

"We must defeat Hamas because the test is an existential test for us," Netanyahu told a news conference.

"Iran supports Hamas. I think that 90 percent of Hamas's military budget comes from Iran. It funds, it organises, it directs it."

Netanyahu also said that fighting inside Gaza would be "long and difficult", as Israeli ground forces operate in the Palestinian territory for more than 24 hours. He also that Israel would explore "every option" to secure the release of more than 220 hostages taken by Hamas.

1832 GMT — 'Gaza stands alone to defend Islamic, Christian holy sites'

The head of the government media office in Gaza, Salama Marouf, said that Gaza stands alone today in defence of Al Aqsa Mosque and the Islamic and Christian holy sites.

Addressing a press conference in front of Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza, Marouf stated: "Today, Gaza stands alone in the face of the occupation in defence of Al Aqsa Mosque and all our Islamic and Christian holy sites, even after 22 days of this holocaust."

He said Gaza is witnessing a pivotal moment in history as "our people march towards liberation and Al Aqsa Mosque."

1819 GMT — UAE condemns Israeli ground invasion in Gaza: state news agency

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) condemned the Israeli ground invasion in Palestine's Gaza, the state news agency WAM reported, citing the country's foreign ministry.

UAE, which became the first Gulf country to normalise relations with Israel in 2020, also "expressed its deep concern over the Israeli military escalation and exacerbation of the humanitarian crisis that threatens more loss of civilian lives."

The country also asked the United Nations Security Council to meet "as soon as possible" following Israel's expanded ground operations in Gaza and the disconnection of telecommunications networks, diplomats said.

1656 GMT — Israel ground forces still 'operating in northern Gaza' Saturday: army

Israeli ground forces continued operating in northern Gaza, the army said, more than 24 hours after entering the Palestinian territory as the military expanded its war on Hamas.

"Since early Friday evening, combined combat forces of armour, combat engineers and infantry have been operating on the ground in the northern Gaza Strip," the army said in a statement.

1621 GMT — Hamas demands Israel free all Palestinian prisoners in exchange for hostages

Hamas's armed wing said it was ready to release the hostages it abducted during its operation on October 7 if Israel freed all Palestinians held in its prisons.

"The price to pay for the large number of enemy hostages in our hands is to empty the (Israeli) prisons of all Palestinian prisoners," Al Qassam Brigades spokesman Abu Ubaida said in a statement broadcast by the Hamas-run Al Aqsa television channel.

"If the enemy wants to close this file of detainees in one go, we are ready for it. If it wants to do it step-by-step, we are ready for that too."

1524 GMT — UN chief criticises Gaza bombardments, demands 'immediate' ceasefire

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres sharply criticised the "unprecedented escalation" of bombardments on Gaza and urged an "immediate" ceasefire.

"Instead of the pause" he had expected, there has been "an unprecedented escalation of the bombardments and their devastating impacts, undermining the referred humanitarian objectives," Guterres said on a visit to Doha.

1518 GMT — Starlink internet for 'recognised' organisations in Gaza: Musk

Elon Musk has said that his Starlink satellite service would support internet access for "internationally recognised aid organisations in Gaza," which have faced a telecommunications blackout since Friday.

Musk, who owns Starlink operator SpaceX, was responding to a post by US Democrat congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in which she called the communications blackout in Gaza "unacceptable".

"Starlink will support connectivity to internationally recognised aid organisations in Gaza," Musk wrote on X, formerly Twitter, which he also owns.

1511 GMT — Israel army warns civilians Gaza City region now a 'battlefield'

The Israeli army warned residents of Gaza City that the area was now a "battlefield," as it stepped up its air campaign against Hamas in the Palestinian territory.

"To the residents of Gaza: The Gaza governorate (Gaza City) has become a battlefield. Shelters in northern Gaza and Gaza governorate are not safe," the army said in leaflets dropped by fighter jets, as it urged residents to "evacuate immediately" to the south.

1503 GMT — 'Do not make us complicit in genocide,' Spanish minister tells EU

Spain's acting Social Rights Minister Ione Belarra issued a passionate appeal to the EU countries, calling on them to respond to the recent escalation of attacks by Israel in the northern region of Gaza and other areas.

"After this hellish night in Gaza, I have a very simple but very important message for European leaders: Do not make us complicit in genocide. Act. Not in our name," she said in a video message on X.

1501 GMT — Egypt says 'Israeli obstacles' impeding aid delivery to Gaza

Egypt said that "Israeli obstacles" are impeding the delivery of aid to Palestinian Gaza.

"It is unfortunate that the process of transporting aid to Gaza faces major logistical problems imposed by the Israeli side," an Egyptian foreign ministry spokesman said in a statement.

1455 GMT — Shell hits UN peacekeeping HQ in south Lebanon: spokesman

A shell hit the headquarters of the UN peacekeeping mission in south Lebanon, its spokesman said, the second such incident since the conflict erupted between Israel and Palestine in Gaza.

"A shell hit inside the base" in Naqura, said Andrea Tenenti, spokesperson for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. He reported "no injuries but some damage", adding that UNIFIL was seeking to verify who fired the shell.

A Lebanese military source, on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to the media, said that "an Israeli shell penetrated the cement wall" around the UNIFIL headquarters.

1454 GMT — Western powers 'main culprit' behind Israel's 'massacre' of Palestinians: Erdogan

Türkiye will introduce Israel to the world as a war criminal, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said.

Speaking at "Great Palestine Rally," a pro-Palestine rally in Istanbul, Erdogan said: "Israel, we will also declare you as a war criminal to the world, we are preparing for it, and we will introduce Israel to the world as a war criminal."

Erdogan stressed that the Western world mobilised its politicians, and media to legitimise the massacre of the innocent people in Gaza, adding: "Israel is committing war crimes."

He said Israel is an "occupier," adding: "West owes you, but Türkiye does not owe you."

He also called Western powers "the main culprit" behind the Israeli army's "massacre" of Palestinians in Gaza.

1449 GMT — EU top diplomat calls for 'pause of hostilities' in Gaza war

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell demanded a "pause of hostilities" to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza after the intense overnight bombing of the coastal territory.

"Gaza is in complete blackout and isolation while heavy shelling continues. UNRWA warns about the desperate situation of Gaza people without electricity, food, water," he said on social media.

"Far too many civilians, including children, have been killed. This is against International Humanitarian Law," he said.

"A pause of hostilities is urgently needed to enable humanitarian access," Borrell added.

1447 GMT — Thousands join banned Paris pro-Palestinian march

Thousands of demonstrators protested in Paris in a banned march in "support of the Palestinian people".

A large contingent of police blocked marchers in a central part of the capital. Among the protesters were elected officials wearing tricolour scarves, including a green MP and a far-left lawmaker.

"(The need for) a ceasefire is urgent, to stop killing women, children and men," said the deputy mayor of the central town of Corbeil-Essonnes, Elsa Toure.

1431 GMT — Hamas calls for immediate implementation of UN Gaza aid decision

Hamas official Ghazi Hamad has called for immediate implementation of the United Nations' General Assembly decision to allow humanitarian relief into Gaza, warning of a disaster as Israel widened its air and ground attacks overnight.

"We consider the decision a victory for our Palestinian people, and we demand that this aid piled up on the Egyptian side be quickly sent and distributed to all areas and hospitals in Gaza," Hamad said in a news conference in Beirut.

1428 GMT — Another massive pro-Palestine rally in London slams Israeli bombing of Gaza

Tens of thousands of people once again held a massive pro-Palestine rally in the British capital amid intensifying attacks on Gaza.

Chanting pro-Palestinian slogans, people gathered in Embankment and later held a march towards Parliament Square with Palestinian flags.

As the Israeli attacks on Gaza intensified, the protesters called for an immediate ceasefire, criticising the British government for its support to Israel.

1317 GMT — 'Great Palestine Rally': Thousands attend solidarity rally in Istanbul

Thousands of people in Istanbul joined the "Great Palestine Rally," a pro-Palestine meeting in Istanbul.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who addressed the gathering, invited the nation to attend the rally to show "brotherhood between Turks and Palestinians to the world."

People from different walks of life, carrying Turkish and Palestinian flags, have gathered at the Ataturk Airport.

1311 GMT — Saudi Arabia warns Israel on the danger of continued ground invasions in Gaza: statement

Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry released a statement condemning any ground invasions by Israeli forces that may threaten the lives of Palestinian civilians.

"The Kingdom condemns and denounces the ground operations carried out by the Israeli army in Gaza, and warns of the danger of continuing to carry out these blatant and unjustified violations of international law against our brotherly Palestinians," the statement said.

1258 GMT — UN warns of 'potential for thousands more to die' in Gaza

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk warned that there was the potential for thousands more civilians to die as Israel presses a ground operation in Gaza.

"Given the manner in which military operations have been conducted until now, in the context of the 56-year-old occupation, I am raising alarm about the possibly catastrophic consequences of large-scale ground operations in Gaza and the potential for thousands more civilians to die," he said.

1258 GMT — 'We are still out of touch with our staff' in Gaza: WHO chief

The World Health Organization (WHO) chief said the UN health agency had not been able to establish communication with its staff in Gaza, where Israel's intense attacks have led to the breakdown of communication networks.

"Reports of intense bombardment in Gaza are extremely distressing. Evacuation of patients is not possible under such circumstances, nor to find safe shelter," he said on X.

"The blackout is also making it impossible for ambulances to reach the injured. We are still out of touch with our staff and health facilities. I’m worried about their safety," he added.

1257 GMT — Expanded ground invasion in Gaza to continue until new order – Gallant

Israeli forces will continue "operations" begun overnight in Gaza until a new order is received, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has said.

"We attacked above the ground and underground," he said in a video statement. "The instructions for the forces are clear: the operation will continue until a new order."

He also said that Israel's war with Palestinian group Hamas "entered a new phase".

1254 GMT — Israel urges Palestinians to evacuate northern Gaza ahead of impending invasion

Israel's military reissued a call for Palestinians to evacuate northern Gaza ahead of an impending Israeli ground invasion.

Israel, which says Hamas has placed its weapons and forces among civilians, has been telling Gaza's residents to move south of the enclave. "This is an urgent military advisory," said spokesman Daniel Hagari on social media platform X.

"For your immediate safety, we urge all residents of northern Gaza and Gaza City to temporarily relocate south. The impending army operation is set to neutralise the threat of Hamas with precision and intensity," he said.

1231 GMT — Israeli settler kills Palestinian in occupied West Bank: ministry

One Palestinian was killed by an Israeli settler near the northern city of Nablus in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said.

Bilal Abu Salah, 40, was "shot in the chest by a settler" in the village of Sawiya near Nablus, a ministry statement said.

Sawiya mayor Mahmud Hassan told AFP that Abu Salah was killed while he was harvesting olives with other members of his family in their fields located not far from the security fence around Rechelim settlement.

"They were attacked by four settlers, and one of them who was armed with an M16 rifle opened fire at them without warning," Hassan said. "Abu Salah was hit in the chest and was martyred in front of his family and children."

1228 GMT — Türkiye welcomes UN General Assembly resolution on humanitarian truce in Gaza

Türkiye has welcomed Friday's UN General Assembly resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, which is under heavy Israeli bombardment for three weeks.

"We appreciate the inclusion of calls for an urgent, permanent, and sustainable humanitarian ceasefire in this resolution, as well as ensuring full, safe and uninterrupted humanitarian access to basic food and services," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Türkiye lamented the UN Security Council's "silence and ineffectiveness in addressing the brutal attacks on the Palestinian people in Gaza," but hoped the General Assembly resolution's calls will be swiftly put into action. "We call on Israel to heed to collective international voice, cease its attacks, and give peace a chance," the ministry said.

1150 GMT — Israel stops missile from Lebanon as Beirut takes airport precautions

Israel's military said it had stopped a surface-to-air missile fired from Lebanon at one of its drones and the Lebanese authorities issued precautionary guidance in case it has to evacuate Beirut airport, as border tensions rise.

The Israeli army and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group in Lebanon have exchanged fire on a daily basis since the start of the Gaza conflict three weeks ago.

1139 GMT — Israel's Gaza bombardment is against international law: Russia

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that Israel's bombardment of Gaza runs counter to international law and risks creating a catastrophe that could last decades.

"While we condemn terrorism, we categorically disagree that you can respond to terrorism by violating the norms of international humanitarian law, including indiscriminately using force against targets where civilians are known to be present, including hostages that have been taken," said Lavrov.

It was impossible, he added, to destroy Hamas - as Israel has vowed to do - without destroying Gaza along with most of its civilian population. "If Gaza is destroyed and 2 million inhabitants are expelled, as some politicians in Israel and abroad propose, this will create a catastrophe for many decades, if not centuries," warned Lavrov.

1133 GMT — Egypt holds Israel responsible for 'violating' UN resolution

Egypt warned of the humanitarian and security repercussions of the Israeli ground invasion in Gaza and held Tel Aviv responsible for violating the UN resolution which called for a humanitarian ceasefire.

In a statement, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said the ground invasion would increase the number of casualties, and renewed its call on the Israeli side to facilitate procedures for safe, complete and sustainable access to humanitarian and relief aid to Gaza.

It warned that failure to immediately address the demands for a humanitarian truce and facilitating the access of aid to Gaza will lead to an inevitable humanitarian catastrophe, and destabilise regional security and stability of the region.

1112 GMT — Hamas says it attacked Israel's Zikim military base

Al Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Palestinian resistance group Hamas, said that it had targeted the Israeli Zikim military base with a missile.

A statement said the action was in response to "Zionist massacres against civilians."

1050 GMT — Hamas says trying to find eight Russian-Israeli hostages to free them: Russian news agencies

Hamas is trying to locate eight Russian-Israeli dual citizens that were taken hostage during the Palestinian group's attack on Israel in order to free them on Moscow's request, Russian news agencies reported.

"From the Russian side, via the foreign ministry, we received a list of citizens that have dual citizenship," senior Hamas representative Moussa Abu Marzook was cited as saying by the RIA Novosti news agency.

"We are looking for those people... It is hard but we are looking. And when we find them, we will let them go."

"We are very attentive to this list and will process it carefully because we consider Russia to be a closest friend," he said.

1040 GMT — Qatari emir, Iranian president discuss latest developments in Palestine

Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi spoke over the phone to discuss the latest developments in Palestinian territories, Qatar News Agency reported.

The two leaders also talked about bilateral relations and regional and international developments of common concern.

The conversation comes as the Israeli army said it is "expanding" operations in Gaza, which has been under relentless bombardment since the surprise offensive by Hamas three weeks ago.

1004 GMT — Hundreds killed, massive destruction by Israeli strikes on Gaza

Israel's army relentlessly hammered Gaza after a night of fierce bombardment that rescuers said destroyed hundreds of buildings three weeks into a war following a surprise attack by Hamas.

The latest Israeli raids were one of the most intense nights of attacks since the war began and coincided with ground invasion.

"Hundreds of buildings and houses were completely destroyed and thousands of other homes were damaged," said Gaza Civil Defence spokesperson Mahmud Bassal.

The intense bombardment had "changed the landscape" of northern Gaza, he told AFP.

0900 GMT — 'Violent ground engagements' as Israeli attacks in Gaza intensify

The Israeli military has said it had entered northern Gaza overnight and expanded ground invasion with infantry and armoured corps in the besieged Palestinian enclave.

Military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said Israeli forces were still "in the field", without elaborating.

Hamas’s military wing said it was confronting Israeli forces in the areas of Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza and Burej in the centre of the territory – both entry points that have been used by Israeli forces in previous conflicts. “Violent engagements” are taking place on the ground, Qassam Brigades said.

0812 GMT — Nearly 29,000 displaced in Lebanon amid skirmishes on Israel border: UN

Nearly 29,000 people have been displaced in Lebanon amid deadly exchanges between Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters and the Israeli army, a United Nations agency said.

A total of 28,965 people have been displaced, mainly in the country's south, the International Organization for Migration said in an update, adding that the figure had risen by 37 percent since October 23.

Some have found refuge with family members elsewhere in the country, while those who can afford it have been able to rent apartments on a short-term basis.

0803 GMT — Israeli hostage families demand government explanation of Gaza strikes

Families of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza demanded an immediate government explanation about the fate of the captives after the army intensified strikes on the Palestinian territory.

The main group representing some 229 people believed abducted in the October 7 attacks by Hamas sought an immediate meeting with ministers.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement that relatives were angry over the "absolute uncertainty regarding the fate of the hostages held (in Gaza), who were also subject to the heavy bombings".

0744 GMT — Erdogan calls on Israel to halt attacks on Gaza, end its 'state of madness'

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on Israel to stop its ongoing attacks on Gaza and get out of its “state of madness,” as it intensified its operations overnight.

“The continuously increasing and intensified Israeli bombardments directed towards Gaza have once again targeted women, children, and innocent civilians, deepening the ongoing humanitarian crisis,” Erdogan said on X.

The president asked the Turkish nation to join the "Great Palestine Meeting,” a rally at the Ataturk Airport in Istanbul scheduled for Saturday afternoon to show support for Palestinians. He is expected to address the gathering.

0720 GMT — Israel fired flares, incendiary shells on villages in southern Lebanon

Israeli forces shelled villages in southern Lebanon, Lebanese state media said, as tensions along its border with Israel remain high.

Israel fired flares and incendiary shells, the national news agency said, adding that the shelling aimed at setting fire to forests adjacent to the Blue Line border.

Lebanese group Hezbollah and the Israeli army have intermittently exchanged fire since the latest conflict broke out in Gaza on October 7, prompting fears of escalation into a bigger confrontation.

0601 GMT — Israeli warplanes hit 150 'underground targets' in Gaza: army

Israeli fighter jets struck 150 "underground targets" in northern Gaza during an intense night of raids, the army said.

A military statement said the sites hit included "terror tunnels, underground combat spaces and additional underground infrastructure. Furthermore, several Hamas terrorists were killed".

Correspondents in Gaza and southern Israel said shelling and air strikes continued, although they were less intense than during the night.

In a separate statement, the Israeli military said one raid had killed Hamas air attacks chief Asem Abu Rakaba, who it said played a key role in the October 7 attacks.

0500 GMT — Gaza communication blackout continues as Israel unleashes 'hell on earth'

Israeli air and ground attacks continued early morning on Saturday, including a complete communication blackout.

The United Nations warned of a looming "unprecedented avalanche of human suffering" inside Gaza, following weeks of relentless bombing by Israel, while the General Assembly pushed for an "immediate humanitarian truce".

"We are confronting an Israeli ground incursion in Beit Hanoun (in northern Gaza) and east Bureij (in the centre) and violent engagements are taking place on the ground," Hamas's armed wing the Ezzedine al Qassam Brigades said in a statement.

Israeli military spokesman Major Nir Dinar told AFP: "Our troops are operating inside Gaza as they did yesterday."

Describing the situation in Gaza as a human tragedy, Philippe Lazzarini , the commissioner-general of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said Gaza is becoming a "graveyard of a population trapped between war, siege and deprivation".

0403 GMT — Israel arrests 7 Palestinians; razes home in West Bank raid

Seven Palestinians, including one minor, were detained in an Israeli military raid early Saturday in the Jalazone refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, according to sources.

Israeli forces also demolished a two-story house in the camp, north of Ramallah, allegedly for lacking a building permit, said Palestinian news agency, WAFA, citing local sources.

Tension has been running high across the West Bank amid a massive Israeli bombardment campaign in the blockaded Gaza. At least 110 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 1,530 detained by the Israeli army since October 7 in the West Bank, according to Palestinian figures.

0337 — New York police arrest hundreds at Jewish protest urging Gaza ceasefire

Hundreds of people were arrested when police broke up a large demonstration of mostly Jewish New Yorkers who had taken over the main hall of Grand Central station in protest of Israel's bombardment of Gaza, police and organisers said.

The New York Police Department said at least 200 people had been arrested, while protest organisers put the number at more than 300.

Photos from the scene showed long lines of young people standing in handcuffs and wearing black sweatshirts with the words "Not In Our Name" and "Cease Fire Now" printed in white.

0226 GMT — Gaza info blackout 'risks providing cover for mass atrocities' — HRW

The near-total telecommunications blackout in blockaded Gaza risks providing cover for "mass atrocities", the non-governmental organisation Human Rights Watch has said, as Israel relentlessly bombards the Palestinian territory.

"This information blackout risks providing cover for mass atrocities and contributing to impunity for human rights violations," the group's senior technology and human rights researcher, Deborah Brown, said in a statement.

Israel knocked out internet and communications in Gaza in stepped-up bombardment, largely cutting off its 2.3 million people from contact with each other and the outside world and creating a near-blackout of information, as the military said it was "expanding" ground invasion in the besieged territory.

0223 GMT — Palestinian press union warns of Israeli 'massacres' against journalists

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate has warned of Israeli "massacres" against reporters in Gaza amid internet and communication blackouts.

"More than 24 journalists and dozens of their families were already killed and dozens of journalists’ homes and media institutions destroyed," it said in a statement.

These attacks "are part of a systematic policy and an official decision to intimidate journalists to prevent (Israeli) crimes from being transmitted to the world," it added.

Gaza lost all connection to the internet on Friday amid unprecedented Israeli bombardment, making it even harder for residents of the Palestinian territory to communicate with the outside world.

2045 GMT — Hamas says fighting Israeli 'ground incursion' inside Gaza

Hamas' armed wing has said it was fighting Israeli forces in two areas inside besieged Gaza, after Israel said it had extended "ground operations" in the Palestinian territory.

"We are confronting an Israeli ground incursion in Beit Hanoun [in the northern Gaza] and in east Bureij [in the centre] and violent engagements are taking place on the ground," the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades said in a statement.

Israel is starting it is payback, Mark Regev, an adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told MSNBC in an interview ahead of the Israeli incursions.

Hamas said that Israel had "doubled" the number of air strikes on Friday night as it made a new appeal for international efforts to halt the attacks.

But the Palestinian movement declared itself "ready" for any invasion ordered by Netanyahu's far-right government.

"The remains of his soldiers will be swallowed up by the land of Gaza," senior Hamas political bureau member Ezzat al-Rishaq said on Telegram.

1230 GMT — Protesters shut New York's Grand Central, seeking Gaza ceasefire

Hundreds of protesters demanding a ceasefire in Gaza have forced officials to close Grand Central Terminal, one of New York City's major transit hubs, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said.

"Grand Central Terminal is closed until further notice due to a protest," the MTA said on its website, urging commuters to use alternate stations and plan for extra travel time.

Images on social media showed protesters pouring out of the train station and onto 42nd Street in Midtown Manhattan.

"Mourn the dead, and fight like hell for the living," read one banner raised inside the building.

The demonstration was organised by Jewish Voice for Peace, an anti-Zionism group.

2022 GMT — Israel says it can't guarantee journalists' safety in Gaza

Israel's military has told international news organisations Reuters and Agence France Presse or AFP that it cannot guarantee the safety of their journalists operating in Gaza, under Israeli bombardment and siege for almost three weeks.

The Israel Defense Forces wrote to Reuters and AFP this week after they had sought assurances that their journalists in Gaza would not be targeted by Israeli strikes.

"The IDF is targeting all Hamas military activity throughout Gaza," the IDF letter said, adding that Hamas deliberately put military operations "in the vicinity of journalists and civilians".

The IDF also noted that its high-intensity strikes on Hamas targets could cause damage to surrounding buildings and that Hamas rockets could also misfire and kill people inside Gaza.

"Under these circumstances, we cannot guarantee your employees' safety, and strongly urge you to take all necessary measures for their safety," the IDF letter concluded.

2126 GMT — Doctors Without Borders loses contact with colleagues in Gaza

Doctors Without Borders (or MSF) has expressed "deep concern" about the situation in Gaza and said the group lost contact with some Palestinian colleagues on the ground amid intensified Israeli bombardment.

"We are particularly worried for the patients, medical staff and thousands of families taking shelter at Al Shifa hospital and other health facilities," MSF wrote on X.

"We call for the unequivocal protection of all medical facilities, staff and civilians across Gaza," it added.

Communications and internet services in Gaza were completely cut off amid heavy Israeli bombing of feeder lines, towers and networks, said the Palestine Telecommunications Company.

Ooredoo Palestine, a mobile network operator in the West Bank, said its cellphone services were completely cut off from the Gaza late on Friday.

For our live updates from Friday (October 27), click here.