LIVE UPDATES: Israel begins ‘preparations’ for new Gaza offensive as 115 killed

• Israeli air strikes have killed at least 115 Palestinians across Gaza since dawn today, with the military saying the attacks are the initial stages of its new expanded offensive.
• Health authorities say at least one person was killed and nine others were injured in Israeli strikes on the ports of Hodeidah and as-Salif in Houthi-controlled territory.
• Hamas has called on the international community to hold Israel to account for what it described as a “barbaric escalation”.
• Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 53,119 Palestinians and wounded 119,919, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health.
• The Government Media Office updated the death toll to more than 61,700, saying thousands of people missing under the rubble are presumed dead. An estimated 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, and more than 200 were taken captive.

Palestinians flee amid heavy Israeli strikes on Jabalia

As we’ve been reporting, Palestinians in Gaza are experiencing a surge in Israeli attacks.

The Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza has been particularly hard-hit in recent days. You can see the aftermath of some of the recent strikes in our video below.

More than 19,000 Palestinians displaced in Gaza in one day: IOM

More than 19,000 Palestinians have been displaced in Gaza since Thursday afternoon, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

“Many with nothing but the clothes on their backs,” the organisation said in a post on X. “Nowhere is safe in Gaza.”

Nearly all of Gaza’s population has been displaced at some point during the war, with several forced to flee many times over.

Israel has increasingly issued forced displacement orders as it escalates its attacks in the enclave.

Israel’s UN ambassador criticises ICC prosecutor amid misconduct allegations

Danny Danon has taken aim at ICC prosecutor Karim Khan, hours after Khan’s office announced he will take a leave of absence pending the conclusion of a UN-led investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct.

Khan had announced ICC arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as several since-assassinated Hamas leaders, in November of last year.

Danon, in a post on X, claimed the warrants were meant to distract from “baseless accusations” lodged by the court. The ICC warrants accuse Netanyahu of war crimes and crimes against humanity for the war in Gaza.

Khan has denied any wrongdoing and remains the prosecutor in the case.

Read more about the situation here.

Breaking down a deadly week in Gaza as Israel kills hundreds

At least 370 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since Sunday, according to figures compiled by Al Jazeera.

The violence has been particularly deadly in the second half of the week, with medical sources reporting the killing of at least 100 Palestinians on Friday, and 143 on Thursday. Many of those killed have been women and children.

The uptick in attacks came as US President Trump visited the region, but declined to visit Israel.

Read our examination of the deadly week, and its context, here.

Jerusalem Governorate says Palestinians attacked after Old City stabbing: Wafa

The governorate said Mohammad Nidal Abu Libdeh had been shot and left bleeding by Israeli forces following the stabbing attack earlier today at the entranceway to the Al Aqsa Mosque compound, according to Wafa news agency.

It said that Israeli forces have since raided Abu Libdeh’s home in Beit Hanina following the incident.

The governorate further said that Israeli forces “brutally attacked” citizens in the vicinity and briefly detained worshippers inside the compound for some time.

Israeli police had earlier said an officer was wounded in a stabbing near the Bab as-Silsila, also known as Chain Gate, entryway.

Seventy-seven years after the Nakba, we are naming our new ruin

When my grandmother, Khadija Ammar, walked out of her home in Beit Daras for the last time in May 1948, she embarked on a lonely journey.

Even though she was accompanied by hundreds of thousands of Palestinians – also forced to leave behind their cherished homes and lands to escape the horror unleashed by Zionist militias – there was no one in the world watching.

They were together, but utterly alone. And there was no word to describe their harrowing experience.

In time, Palestinians came to refer to the events of May 1948 as the Nakba, or the catastrophe. The use of the word “nakba” in this context invokes the memory of another “catastrophe”,  the Holocaust.

The Palestinians were telling the world: Just three years after the catastrophe that befell the Jewish people in Europe, a new catastrophe – very different, but no less painful – is unfolding in our homeland, Palestine.

Read more here.

Company says ‘doubtful’ BBC will release film on Gaza hospital attacks

Basement Films has expressed doubt that its film investigating attacks on hospitals and medics in the Gaza Strip will be released by the BBC despite being “cleared multiple times at all levels”.

“We apologise to the survivors of these attacks, those alleging torture and the families of those killed,” the film production company said in a post on X.

“They all doubted whether @BBCNews would ever tell their stories. We thought they would; they still can. We are desperate for this film to be released.”

The post comes just days after more than 600 figures from the film, media and culture industries accused the BBC of engaging in “the censorship of Palestinian voices” by delaying the film’s release.

Variety reported that “the BBC has received the letter and will respond in due course and is not cancelling the documentary”.

Earlier this year, the BBC pulled another documentary from Gaza after pro-Israel groups denounced it for including a Palestinian boy whose father is a Hamas official.

What is Israel’s ‘Gideon’s Chariots’ plan?

As we reported earlier, the Israeli military has said it has begun the “opening moves” of its expanded assault on Gaza, titled Operation Gideon’s Chariots. Here’s more information about this plan:

• Netanyahu has said that the new offensive is aimed at defeating Hamas and that Israeli forces would not “enter and then exit” Gaza, suggesting they would indefinitely militarily occupy at least most of the enclave.
• Under the plan, Netanyahu has also said Gaza’s population “will be moved, for its own protection”.
• Unnamed Israeli officials have told news agencies that the plans include the “conquest” and full military occupation of the entire Gaza Strip.
• “The plan will include, among other things, the conquest of the Gaza Strip and the holding of the territories, moving the Gaza population south for their protection,” one source told the AFP news agency.
• The Israeli plan also envisions the establishment of a new “humanitarian zone” in southern Gaza that will serve as a base for aid, which would no longer be overseen by independent humanitarian organisations.
• The plan has been widely condemned, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres saying it will “inevitably lead to countless more civilians killed and the further destruction of Gaza”.

Israel says attacks ‘part of preparations to expand’ Gaza operations

The military has released a statement in English confirming its earlier remarks that it was in the early stages of the “expansion” of its assault on Gaza.

It added that it wants to “fulfill the objectives of the war”, namely the release of captives and the “dismantling” of Hamas.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has faced widespread criticism, including from members of the Israeli captives’ families, for refusing to agree to a ceasefire deal that would see their loved ones released from Gaza.

Many observers have also noted that Israel has not been able to dismantle Hamas despite its 19-month offensive.

Trump’s Middle East tour: What next for US-Israel ties?

It is rare for US presidents to travel to the Middle East and not visit Israel, but Trump omitted the US ally from his itinerary as he toured the region this week.

Skipping Israel was seen as a reflection of the deteriorating ties between the Trump administration and the government of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.

This week’s trip also came in the context of several moves perceived as evidence of the US marginalising Israel, including continued US talks with Israel’s rival Iran and a ceasefire between Washington and the Houthis in Yemen.

It remains unclear how Trump’s decisions will affect the “special relationship” between the two allies, but experts say it is becoming increasingly apparent that the US no longer views the Middle East solely through the lens of Israel.

“Is it a tactical problem for Netanyahu and the entire pro-Israel lobby? I think it is,” Khaled Elgindy, a visiting scholar at Georgetown University, said of Trump’s shift.

Read more of the key takeaways from Trump’s Middle East trip in our story here.

Israel’s surge in attacks amount to ‘ethnic cleansing’: UN rights chief

The UN’s rights chief, Volker Turk, has denounced Israel’s escalation of attacks in Gaza – and its apparent push to permanently displace the population – as amounting to “ethnic cleansing”.

“This latest barrage of bombs … and the denial of humanitarian assistance underline that there appears to be a push for a permanent demographic shift in Gaza that is in defiance of international law and is tantamount to ethnic cleansing,” Turk said in a statement.

He warned that a clear intensification in attacks this week raised fears that a wider Israeli offensive had begun.

“We must stop the clock on this madness,” Turk pressed.

Israeli army says intensified attacks mark start of Gaza assault ‘expansion’

The army says its “extensive attacks” on Palestinians over the past 24 hours are part of the “expansion” of the country’s assault on Gaza.

In a statement shared on Telegram, the Israeli military said the attacks are “part of the opening moves” of what Israel has dubbed Operation Gideon’s Chariots.

As we’ve been reporting, at least 115 Palestinians have been killed since dawn on Friday in Israel’s intensified bombardment of the enclave. More than 100 others were killed on Thursday in Israeli attacks.

Omar El Akkad on Gaza genocide, failure of US liberalism

How will history judge the West’s complicity in the Gaza genocide?

With Israel’s assault nearing its second year, the divide between those condemning the violence and those remaining silent continues to widen.

On Al Jazeera’s UpFront, Marc Lamont Hill speaks with author and journalist Omar Al Akkad on his book One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This, exploring the failures of Western liberalism and the moral cost of looking away from war.

Trump working on plan to permanently displace Palestinians to Libya: Report

NBC News reports the potential plan would see up to one million Palestinians displaced from Gaza to the North African country.

The news organisation cited five people with knowledge of the effort. Two of the sources said the plan was under “serious enough consideration” that the administration had already brought it up to Libyan leaders.

In exchange for accepting the displaced Palestinians, the US would release billions in funds it had previously frozen.

Libya has been racked by violence throughout a nearly 14-year civil war. There are currently two governments in the country, the UN and US recognised Government of National Unity (GNU) based in Tripoli and led by Abdul Hamid Dbeibah and the Government of National Stability (GNS) based in Benghazi and led by Khalifa Haftar.

Since taking office in January, Trump has supported proposals for mass displacement of Palestinians that rights groups warn would amount to ethnic cleansing. Several neighbouring Arab countries have rejected the prospect of a mass population transfer.

Settler violence affecting infrastructure, water access in occupied West Bank: UN

Settler vandalism is continuing in the occupied West Bank, damaging critical infrastructure and disrupting the livelihoods of affected communities, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The agency reported that in one herding community in the Jericho governorate, there were at least three incidents involving settlers damaging water pipes serving the community.

That disrupted access to water for several households, undermining domestic and livestock needs.

Gaza death toll rises

The Health Ministry in Gaza is now reporting that at least 115 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza since dawn today.

US Muslim rights group tells Congress it’s ‘now or never’

In a letter to Congress, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) called on US lawmakers to speak out against Israel’s plan to “flatten” and forcibly displace Palestinians in Gaza.

“This is it. Now or never. We implore you to condemn Netanyahu’s plan, demand a permanent end to this genocidal war, and pledge to oppose further weapons sales to the Israeli government unless its human rights abuses stop,” Robert McCaw, the director of the group’s government affairs department, wrote in the letter.

He pointed to a resolution introduced this week by Democratic senators that calls for the end of Israel’s two-month aid blockade of the enclave.

Such resolutions are “extremely helpful but not enough”, he said. He called on lawmakers to leverage US military aid and diplomatic support to stop Israel.

France’s Macron says humanitarian crisis in Gaza ‘intolerable’

Speaking at the European Political Community Summit in Albania, French President Emmanuel Macron has said “we’re reaching an unprecedented point in humanitarian terms” since the Gaza war began in 2023.

Macron was asked by a reporter whether he would consider imposing sanctions against Israel similar to the those imposed on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine – and if not, whether that would constitute a double standard.

“The question you ask is completely valid, and it will be raised in the coming weeks,” the French president said.

Macron added that, in the coming days, France is working to broker a ceasefire and get humanitarian supplies into Gaza.

“I’ll have the chance to speak to Prime Minister Netanyahu in the coming days,” he said, adding that he also raised the issue in talks with US President Trump.

Macron drew the ire of Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders earlier this week for condemning the Israeli blockade of Gaza. “What Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is doing today is unacceptable,” Macron had said in an interview.

WFP shares video of Gaza kitchen that now sits empty

The kitchen in Deir el-Balah in central Gaza previously served 5,000 people a day, the UN’s World Food Programme says.

“There isn’t any food here, and no one can come to collect a ration from here anymore,” Kate Newton, WFP’s deputy country director in Palestine, said in a video shared on social media.

“We’re sure that people are now going to bed hungry every day and that there’s a real risk of people starting to starve.”

European leaders condemn ‘man-made catastrophe’ in Gaza

The leaders of Ireland, Spain, Iceland, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway and Slovenia have called on Israel to halt its attacks on Gaza and allow humanitarian aid into the enclave.

In a joint statement, they said many Palestinians “could starve to death in the coming days and weeks unless immediate action is taken”.

“We will not be silent in front of the man-made humanitarian catastrophe that is taking place before our eyes in Gaza,” they said.

They also condemned increased Israeli settler violence and military operations in the occupied West Bank. “Forced displacement or the expulsion of the Palestinian people, by any means, is unacceptable and would constitute a breach of international law.”

Israelis to remain in Doha for ceasefire talks despite slim odds: Report

The Israeli negotiating team is expected to remain in Doha until at least Saturday night, Axios journalist Barak Ravid has reported.

He cited an Israeli official who said there had been no progress in the recent rounds of talks, but the delegation did not believe chances of a breakthrough were “zero”.

Meanwhile, Ravid reported, citing a source familiar with the details, that Qatari mediators have grown increasingly frustrated with the Israel’s approach.

“So far this is the worst round of negotiations. Nothing has been achieved. The impression given is that the Israelis came to Doha to derail the talks and find justification for renewing the war in Gaza,” the source said.

Large police presence after stabbing in Jerusalem’s Old City

Israeli public broadcaster Kan has reported that the stabbing took place near the Bab al-Silsila, also known as Chain Gate, an entry way to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem.

A police officer was wounded in the attack, according to Israeli police.

The suspect was “shot and neutralised by officers at the scene”, it said in a post on X.

If you’re just joining us

Let’s bring you up to speed on the latest developments:

• Israel has carried out air strikes on the Yemeni ports of as-Salif and Hodeidah, warning the Houthis that the attacks are “just the beginning” unless the group stops firing missiles at Israeli territory.
• Palestinians in Gaza are facing an intensified Israeli bombardment that has killed more than 100 people since dawn today, medical sources tell Al Jazeera.
• Thousands of people have fled the north of the enclave amid Israeli forced evacuation orders, but they say nowhere is safe.
• The UN says it is ready to deliver enough aid to feed all Palestinians in Gaza for at least four months as soon as Israel lifts its blockade and allows supplies to enter the Strip.

Gaza hospitals struggling to cope with influx of injured people

We have more from Afeef Nessouli, the volunteer in Gaza with medical group Glia International.

Nessouli told Al Jazeera that hospitals are struggling to cope with an influx of patients amid a “shocking” increase in Israeli attacks on northern Gaza over the past few days.

“They don’t have soap, they don’t have morphine to give people when they’re the victims of explosive injuries [and need] amputations,” he said from Deir el-Balah. “The scene is extremely hard to witness here in Gaza.”

Nessouli said medical volunteers have been blocked from entering the territory to provide assistance. “That means all sorts of help is not on its way,” he added.

Health Ministry says 1 civilian killed, 9 injured in Israeli attacks on Yemen

The Houthi-run ministry has released a preliminary toll from Israel’s air strikes on ports in Hodeidah governorate earlier today.

It said one civilian was killed and three others injured in the attacks on as-Salif port, while six others were injured in the attack on Hodeidah.

“The Ministry condemned in the strongest terms the blatant Israeli aggression on Yemen and the targeting of vital facilities, civilian facilities and infrastructure,” it said.

Israel says 15 fighter jets involved in Yemen strikes

In a statement, the military has said 30 munitions were dropped on as-Salif and Hodeidah ports in Yemen.

As we’ve been reporting, the strikes are the latest in a series of exchanges between Israel and Yemen’s Houthis.

The Houthis have not yet responded to the attacks, which Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu described as “just the beginning”.

Jordan condemns Israeli attack on European Hospital in Khan Younis

The condemnation from Jordan’s Foreign Ministry comes after Israel hit the hospital on Tuesday, killing at least 28 people.

WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said yesterday the hospital was no longer functional following the attack.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Sufian al-Quda said Jordan condemned the “continued systematic targeting of civilians and civilian objects in the Strip, the destruction of vital facilities that provide essential services to Gazans, and Israel’s continued use of hunger and blockade as weapons to push Palestinians toward forced displacement”.

He called on the international community to assume its “legal and moral responsibilities”.

Read more about Tuesday’s attack here.