Gaza death toll rises: Health Ministry

At least 18 Palestinians have been killed, including one person whose body was recovered, in Israeli attacks across Gaza in the past 24 hours, according to the enclave’s Health Ministry.

At least 77 people were also wounded in that period, the ministry said.

The death toll in Gaza rose to 52,418 killed, with 118,091 wounded, since October 7, 2023, it added.

Israel has killed at least 2,326 Palestinians and wounded 6,050 since it broke the ceasefire on March 18, according to the ministry.

Gaza’s sick and wounded must be evacuated, says British Foreign Office

The British Foreign Office has released a statement urging for aid to be let into Gaza, whose health system is “near collapse”.

“Aid supplies must be allowed in, medical workers protected, and the sick and wounded allowed to temporarily leave Gaza for treatment,” said the foreign office, adding that the UK is ramping up medical aid to Palestinians.

The appeal comes after two Palestinian girls left Gaza for specialised medical treatment in the UK – the first such evacuation to the country during the war, according to Sky News.

Unemployment in Gaza soars past 50 percent: Media office

The Gaza Strip is enduring dire economic and humanitarian conditions due to Israel’s near two-month-long blockade, the enclave’s Government Media Office has said on the occasion of Labour Day.

“The region’s unemployment rate has surpassed 50 percent, ranking among the highest globally,” it said.

“With the destruction of industrial facilities, factories, and public service facilities by the occupation during wars, Palestinian workers in the Gaza Strip are completely unable to secure a steady source of income, facing a humanitarian crisis that is worsening by the day.”

Animated maps show US-led attacks on Yemen

On March 15, nearly two months into his second term, US President Donald Trump launched Operation Rough Rider, a campaign of air strikes ostensibly targeting Houthi positions in Yemen, which has since killed nearly 300 people.

The US military said its forces “have hit over 1,000 targets” in Yemen since mid-March, “killing Houthi fighters and leaders, including senior Houthi missile and UAV [unmanned aerial vehicle] officials, and degrading their capabilities” with no mention of civilian deaths.

On April 18, a US strike on Yemen’s Ras Isa fuel port killed at least 80 people and wounded 150 in one of the deadliest attacks on the country by US forces.

Ten days later, US forces struck a migrant detention centre in Saada, reportedly killing at least 68 people. The centre had been housing about 115 people, mainly from African nations, who had been detained trying to cross into Saudi Arabia to find work.

Netanyahu expected to approve expanded Gaza war plans tomorrow: Report

Israeli PM Netanyahu will meet with senior defence officials tomorrow at noon for a situational assessment on the Gaza war, reports Israel’s Army Radio.

During the meeting, Netanyahu is expected to greenlight plans – already approved by the defence minister and military chief of staff – to expand combat operations in the enclave, according to the report.

Netanyahu says 18 arrested on suspicion of arson: Report

Israel’s Arutz Sheva media outlet has quoted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as stating that 18 people are detained on suspicion of starting fires that have swept parts of Israel.

We will continue to provide updates as more information comes in.

Israeli drone attack in southern Lebanon kills three: Ministry

Three people were killed in an Israeli drone attack on a vehicle in southern Lebanon, the country’s Health Ministry has said.

The ministry in a statement said an “Israeli enemy” drone attack on a vehicle in the southern town of Meiss el-Jabal killed “a Lebanese and two Syrians”.

Despite a ceasefire agreed in late November between Hezbollah and Israel, the Lebanese government said earlier this month that 190 people have been killed and 485 injured in Lebanon by Israeli attacks since the ceasefire took effect.

‘I wish I could go back to how I was’

A 12-year-old girl from Gaza City’s Shujayea neighbourhood has issued a plea to be taken abroad for medical treatment.

In a video verified by Al Jazeera’s Sanad fact-checking agency, the girl – identified as Rashaf – appears visibly emaciated as she describes her struggle with malnutrition.

“I wish I could go back to how I was, I wish my hair would grow long so I could brush it, and I wish I could pray standing up, but now I pray while sitting,” she says, breaking down in tears.

Israel wildfires flare near Jerusalem for a second day

Israeli firefighting teams have been tackling wildfires near Jerusalem for a second day, with police reporting the reopening of several major roads that had been closed.

The fires broke out on Wednesday along the main Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway, prompting police to shut the roads and evacuate thousands of residents from nearby areas.

Israel’s firefighting service said 163 ground crews and 12 aircraft were working to contain the flames.

Rescue agency Magen David Adom said it treated 23 people on Wednesday, mostly for smoke inhalation and burns.

Columbia University pro-Palestinian activist Mahdawi released

“President Trump … I am not afraid of you.” Columbia University student activist Mohsen Mahdawi was freed on bail on Wednesday from custody in Vermont. Mahdawi was arrested in April by US immigration officials over his role in pro-Palestinian protests on campus.

More casualties amid another Israeli attack in northern Gaza

Our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic are reporting that a Palestinian was wounded by Israeli drone fire near the Dawla junction in the Zeitoun neighborhood, south of Gaza City.

At least 14 people have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza today, our team on the ground reports.

Israeli army says one solider injured by ‘explosive’ in Beita

The Israeli army says one soldier was injured by an “explosive” in the Beita area near Nablus in the occupied West Bank.

The army said the soldier was taken to hospital and soldiers were operating in Beita to locate the suspects.

As we reported earlier, fighting was reported during a morning Israeli army raid on the town where it fired live and rubber-coated metal bullets.

Today’s death toll from Israeli attacks rises again

Our team on the ground reports that at least 14 Palestinians have been killed by Israel in the Gaza Strip since the early hours of this morning.

‘On the verge of absolute famine

The aid shortage is being exacerbated by the ongoing attacks. People cannot reach whatever aid is left in warehouses in areas where the Israeli military is operating aggressively, and the food is going to waste.

The United Nations issued a statement on the 3,000 trucks filled with much-needed aid and survival items stuck on the other side of the border. There are 1 million children relying on this aid – without it, we’re on the verge of absolute famine.

Life in Masafer Yatta under Israeli occupation

Mohammad Hureini lives in Masafer Yatta in the occupied West Bank. His video for Al Jazeera shows the daily realities of Palestinians living under Israeli occupation.

From the intimidation tactics by Israeli settlers to Palestinian houses being demolished, Hureini shares the day-to-day difficulties of living under the threat of violence and annexation.

Survivor describes US attack on Yemen migrant facility

“The planes struck close by twice. The third time they hit us.”

That’s how Abed Ibrahim Saleh, a 34-year-old from Ethiopia, described Monday’s deadly US strike on a migrant detention centre in Yemen’s Saada governorate.

“Bodies ripped apart. I can’t describe what I saw,” Saleh was quoted as saying by AFP news agency from a nearby hospital, where he and other survivors were recovering.

“A hand here, a leg there,” Saleh said. “I don’t want to remember.”

Israel ‘cynically’ exploiting tensions in Syria

Israel’s  intentions in Syria are an open question, says Rob Geist Pinfold, a lecturer in international security at King’s College London.

“We know that Netanyahu has previously said that Israel will act to defend ‘Druze brothers’ in Syria and any action against them is a red line,” Pinfold told Al Jazeera.

“And I don’t buy this, because hundreds of Druze were killed in the Syrian civil war for over a decade, and Israel did nothing to intervene there. So why is Israel suddenly showing the desire to protect the Druze?” Pinfold said, pointing at Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s statement this week that Israel won’t stop fighting until Syria is fragmented.

“So I think Israel is quite ruthlessly, and, quite frankly, cynically, exploiting the situation here, claiming it is a protector of the Druze when it has no record to show that it has done anything, not even lifted a finger to protect Syrian Druze.”

Netanyahu’s comments on victory are attempt to cover up army’s ‘failures’: Hamas

Hamas  says Netanyahu’s comments on a “decisive victory” and dismantling Rafah were a “desperate attempt to cover up his army’s failure in Gaza and convince his audience of an illusion”.

“We affirm that our people’s resistance will continue until the occupation is defeated, and that Rafah will remain a symbol of steadfastness and a nightmare that haunts the invaders,” Hamas said.

Almost 600 children killed by Israeli attacks since March 18: Health Ministry

Gaza’s  Health Ministry said Israeli attacks have killed 2,308 people and 5,973 wounded since Israel broke a ceasefire on March 18.

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights said among those killed were 595 children and 308 women.

US Muslim group hails Palestinian student’s release as ‘victory’

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) says the release of Mohsen Mahdawi is “an important victory in the struggle for not only his freedom, but also in the broader struggle to protect the First Amendment”.

“Every person in America, including immigrants, has a constitutional right to free speech. The Trump administration must stop abducting and disappearing college students because they dared to criticize US support for the Israeli government’s war crimes in Gaza,” CAIR said.

A US judge ordered Mahdawi to be released from detention earlier today. The Columbia University student, who led Gaza protests there last year, was detained earlier this month during a citizenship interview.

You can read more about Mahdawi’s release – and what comes next in his case – in our story here.

Netanyahu thanks Hungary for withdrawing from the ICC

Netanyahu  thanks Hungary for withdrawing from the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Currently, the ICC has an arrest warrant out for Netanyahu and his defence minister at the time, Yoav Gallant, over their actions during Israel’s war on Gaza, which has killed at least 51,000 people since October 2023.

During Netanyahu’s visit to Hungary at the beginning of April, Budapest, a signatory to the ICC and bound by the judicial body’s arrest warrants, announced it was withdrawing because it had become “political”.

Houthis says they targeted ‘vital and military’ sites in Tel Aviv

Houthis said in addition to “vital and military” sites in Tel Aviv, the group also carried out a military operation targeting a US aircraft carrier called Vinson in the Arabian Sea.

The operation was conducted with “a number of drones”, the group said.

There has been no immediate comment from Israel on the purported firings.

The Houthis have been carrying out attacks in what they say is a show of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, promising to keep up their strikes until Israel ends its war.

The US, Israel’s top ally, has responded with a campaign of aerial bombings against Yemen that have killed many people across the country. A recent strike hit a migrant detention centre in the Saada governorate, killing dozens.

Trump administration reiterates opposition to ICJ hearings

A State Department spokesperson says the Trump administration rejects the decision to take the issue of Israel’s obligations under international law to the ICJ.

Tammy Bruce said in a statement that the referral from the UN General Assembly “is inappropriate because it unduly singles out Israel”.

She added that it “does not advance efforts to achieve progress towards a ceasefire and release of all the hostages” held in Gaza.

The administrations of both Trump and his predecessor Biden have faced widespread criticism for providing Israel with staunch military and diplomatic support as it wages war on Gaza.

The US provides Israel with at least $3.8bn in military assistance annually and Biden authorised billions more in additional support.

Swiss law banning Hamas to come into effect on May 15

Switzerland  will enforce a new law banning Hamas and related organisations on May 15.

The government says the is aimed at preventing the use of the country as a financial hub, adding that it was initially approved in December.

The law, it added, would give Swiss authorities “the necessary tools to take action against Hamas activities or support for the organisation in Switzerland”. It will also permit preventive police measures, including entry bans or expulsions.

Israel says three Syrian-Druze taken for treatment

The Israeli army said three Syrian-Druze were taken from Syria for medical treatment in Israel.

Israel carried out a strike in Syria claiming it targeted those who attacked members of the Druze community.

Syria’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement, without mentioning Israel, that it “categorically” rejected all forms of foreign intervention in its internal affairs.

Daily life in Gaza marked by ‘continuous fear’

Rawan  Eleyan, a UNICEF communications associate, says a “state of insecurity” hangs over Gaza.

Daily life is marked by a “lack of supplies, continuous fear and the horrifying sounds of bombardments”, Eleyan said in a video shared on social media. “We need a long-lasting ceasefire to be able as humanitarians to deliver, and work and reach every child in the Gaza Strip,” she said.

If you’re just joining us

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

• The death toll since early this morning in Gaza has increased to 29, medical sources tell Al Jazeera, as Israeli attacks on the enclave continue.
• Hamas’s armed wing has said it engaged in clashes with Israeli forces in the Beit Hanoon area of northern Gaza.
• Palestinian prisoner support groups have appealed to the WHO to draw attention to poor conditions in Israeli prisons, which they say has led to an “unprecedented rate of deaths in custody”.
• Israeli forces have been deployed to the town of Beita, south of Nablus in the occupied West Bank, after reports that two soldiers were injured by an explosion during a raid.
• A Palestinian student activist at Columbia University in the US, Mohsen Mahdawi, has been released from detention. Mahdawi is challenging the Trump administration’s effort to deport him as part of its crackdown on pro-Palestine advocacy.

Gaza siege reaches 60th day

Israel’s total blockade of Gaza has reached its 60th day, as the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague held the third day of hearings on Israel’s humanitarian obligations to Palestinians.

No food, water or medical supplies have been allowed into the war-torn Gaza Strip since March 2, days before Israel broke the ceasefire on March 18 to restart the bombardments and ground assaults that have killed more than 52,000 Palestinians in the enclave since October 7, 2023.

The UN has warned of “full-scale famine conditions” across the Strip and called for “concerted” action to stop the “humanitarian catastrophe” there.

Aircraft from Italy, Croatia to help with Israel wildfires

The Israeli prime minister’s office said three aircraft from Italy and Croatia will arrive to help fight fires near Jerusalem that have been rapidly spreading.

“It has so far been agreed that three ‘Canadair’ aircraft from Italy and Croatia will arrive in Israel as soon as possible,” a statement from Netanyahu’s office said, following a situational assessment to advance international assistance.

Due to the wildfires, at least 30 people have been injured, including 12 who were hospitalised.

A national emergency has also been declared, and all major Independence Day events are cancelled.

Israel’s total blockade on Gaza: What does international law stipulate?

The Fourth Geneva Conventions of 1949 form the basis of what’s known as international humanitarian law (IHL), or the laws of war. Among other things, they include obligations that occupying powers hold towards civilians living in occupied territory.

In the case of Gaza, the Palestinian territory is considered to be occupied and Israel is the occupying power.

Article 55 of the Fourth Geneva Conventions states that “to the fullest extent of the means available to it, the Occupying Power has the duty of ensuring the food and medical supplies of the population; it should, in particular, bring in the necessary foodstuffs, medical stores and other articles if the resources of the occupied territory are inadequate”.

Article 59 stipulates that if the population of an occupied territory does not have adequate supplies, the occupying power “shall agree to relief schemes on behalf of the said population, and shall facilitate them by all the means at its disposal”.

It adds that those schemes can be organised by states or humanitarian groups and “shall consist, in particular, of the provision of consignments of foodstuffs, medical supplies and clothing”.

“All Contracting Parties shall permit the free passage of these consignments and shall guarantee their protection,” it says.

‘An affront to our humanity’: UN Security Council discussing Gaza

Country representatives have been commenting on the situation in the Middle East during a special Security Council session at UN headquarters in New York. Here’s some of what they said:

• Ireland: “What we are witnessing on the ground in Gaza and the West Bank is indicative of a complete disregard for international law, the UN Security Council, and the integrity of the United Nations as an institution. More fundamentally, it is an affront to our humanity and it must end.”
• Iran: “The Security Council must not stay silent. The main threat to peace and stability in the region comes from the terrorist and destabilising actions of the Israeli regime and its main sponsor, the United States.”
• South Africa: “There must be accountability for all of the atrocities, the ongoing genocide, violation of human rights and war crimes committed against the Palestinian people.”
• United States: “Since Hamas’s egregious terrorist attack on October 7, 2023, this Council has been subjected to constant lies and slanders targeting Israel.”

Remaining charity kitchens in Gaza could shut down within days

The Reuters news agency is reporting that dozens of local community kitchens in Gaza risk closing down, potentially within days, unless aid is allowed into the Strip.

At the Al-Salam Oriental Food community kitchen in Gaza City, Salah Abu Haseera said he is offering what he fears could be one of the last meals for the 20,000 people he and his colleagues serve daily.

“We face huge challenges in keeping going. We may go out of operation within a week, or maybe less,” Abu Haseera told Reuters by phone.

These kitchens vary from one-room businesses to regular restaurants.

“We have 70-80 community kitchens still working in Gaza… In four to five days, these community kitchens will close their doors,” Amjad Shawa, the director of the Palestinian NGOs Network (PNGO) in Gaza, told Reuters.

Shawa put the number of operational community kitchens in Gaza before the crossings closed at about 170.

He said an additional 15 kitchens closed down on Monday.

Israel, which has abandoned the ceasefire deal agreed with Hamas in January, imposed its total blockade on Gaza on March 2, in a bid to pressure the Palestinian group into agreeing to new terms.

The ongoing blockade is the longest such closure the Gaza Strip has ever faced.

US, UK forces conduct joint military operation in Yemen

The UK’s Ministry of Defence says British forces participated in a joint operation with the US military against a Houthi target in Yemen on Tuesday.

The ministry said the Royal Air Force’s Typhoon FGR4s, with air refuelling support from Voyager tankers, bombed a cluster of buildings used by the Houthis to manufacture drones near the capital, Sanaa.

There was no immediate comment from the US military.

Earlier, the Houthi-affiliated Al Masirah TV reported a series of air raids in the province of Sanaa, in the districts of Bani Matar, Bani Hashish, Al Husn and Hamdan.

It said a number of houses were damaged in the Al Dalia neighbourhood of Bani Hashish district.

The US has been bombarding Yemen on a near-daily basis since last month, when the Houthis, who control most of the country, threatened to resume attacks on Israel-linked ships passing through the Red Sea.

Three Palestinians, including child, killed in Israeli attack on central Gaza

Our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic are reporting that Israeli forces have bombed the Nuseirat refugee camp, killing at least three people.

The victims included a child.

The attacks follow a day of relentless bombardment that has killed at least 38 people.

UN chief warns two-state solution is ‘near a point of no return’

Antonio Guterres, the UN’s secretary-general, says the two-state solution is “at risk of dwindling to the point of disappearance” as Israel’s war and total blockade of Gaza continues.

A recap of recent developments

• Israeli forces continue bombarding Gaza after killing at least 38 Palestinians across the Strip on Tuesday.
• The United Nations rights chief, Volker Turk, has called for “concerted” action to stop the “humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza from “reaching a new, unseen level” as Israel’s total blockade of the Strip entered its 60th day.
• Israel released 10 Palestinian detainees from Gaza, including Asaad Al-Nasasra, a paramedic who survived the Israeli attack that killed 15 emergency workers near Rafah in March.
• Israeli forces have arrested 22 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including journalist Ali Al-Samoudi, following a raid on his home in Jenin.
• The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has held its second day of hearings to assess Israel’s humanitarian responsibilities as an occupying power in Palestinian territories.
• Qatar and the United Kingdom called for an immediate return to the truce in Gaza, while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for “irreversible action towards implementing a two-state solution” in the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Welcome to our live coverage

Hello, and thank you for joining our live coverage of Israel’s war on Gaza as well as its attacks on the occupied West Bank and the wider region.

Follow this page for round-the-clock updates on the latest developments.

Israel carrying out ‘live-streamed genocide’ in Gaza, Amnesty says

Israel  is perpetrating a “live-streamed genocide” in Gaza, committing illegal acts with the “specific intent” of wiping out Palestinians, Amnesty International has said.

In its annual report, the human rights organisation said Israeli forces in Gaza have violated the UN Genocide Convention with acts that include “causing serious bodily or mental harm to civilians” and “deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about their physical destruction”.

Israeli forces storm Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron

The Wafa news agency is reporting that “large numbers” of Israeli troops have stormed the revered mosque in the city of Hebron in the occupied West Bank.

It cited an activist as saying that Israeli forces have also set up checkpoints near the mosque and the Old City of Hebron ahead of visits to the area by Jewish settlers.

The Ibrahimi Mosque – known to Jews as the Cave of the Patriarchs – is revered by Jews, Muslims and Christians alike, as it is the site where Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and their wives, are believed to be buried.

The site, located in the centre of Hebron, has long been a source of tension between Jews and Muslims.

Three arrested during riot at Israeli synagogue

We’ve been covering a riot by far-right Israeli protesters at a synagogue in the central city of Ra’anana, where peace activists were holding a screening of a memorial for Israelis and Palestinians killed in the conflict.

The Times of Israel is reporting that four police officers sustained minor injuries during the violence and that three people have been arrested on charges of assault.

The riot took place at the Beit Samueli synagogue.

Peace activists were holding a screening of the joint Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Day ceremony that was being held in Jaffa.

That ceremony takes place every year on the eve of Memorial Day for fallen Israeli soldiers. Organisers say they have had to deal with demonstrations and attempts of right-wing politicians and people to quash the event in recent years.

Fast facts: Gaza on the verge of famine

• No food, water or medical supplies have entered the Gaza Strip since March 2, when Israel imposed a total blockade on the Strip in a bid to force Hamas to release the remaining captives held in the territory.
• The blockade is now in its 60th day, and the UN and other aid agencies have warned of “full-scale famine conditions” across the Gaza Strip.
• The World Food Programme (WFP) says all of its bakeries have shut down and all of its stocks inside Gaza have now been fully depleted.
• The remaining charity kitchens in Gaza say they may have to shut down within days unless aid is allowed in.
• The Gaza Government Media Office said on Friday that famine is no longer a looming threat and is becoming a reality. It said 52 people have died due to hunger and malnutrition, including 50 children.
• It also says more than 65,000 children have sought treatment for severe malnutrition.

Remaining charity kitchens in Gaza could shut down within days

The Reuters news agency is reporting that dozens of local community kitchens in Gaza risk closing down, potentially within days, unless aid is allowed into the Strip.

At the Al-Salam Oriental Food community kitchen in Gaza City, Salah Abu Haseera said he is offering what he fears could be one of the last meals for the 20,000 people he and his colleagues serve daily.

“We face huge challenges in keeping going. We may go out of operation within a week, or maybe less,” Abu Haseera told Reuters by phone.

These kitchens vary from one-room businesses to regular restaurants.

“We have 70-80 community kitchens still working in Gaza… In four to five days, these community kitchens will close their doors,” Amjad Shawa, the director of the Palestinian NGOs Network (PNGO) in Gaza, told Reuters.

Shawa put the number of operational community kitchens in Gaza before the crossings closed at about 170.

He said an additional 15 kitchens closed down on Monday.

Israel, which has abandoned the ceasefire deal agreed with Hamas in January, imposed its total blockade on Gaza on March 2, in a bid to pressure the Palestinian group into agreeing to new terms.

The ongoing blockade is the longest such closure the Gaza Strip has ever faced.

US, UK forces conduct joint military operation in Yemen

The UK’s Ministry of Defence says British forces participated in a joint operation with the US military against a Houthi target in Yemen on Tuesday.

The ministry said the Royal Air Force’s Typhoon FGR4s, with air refuelling support from Voyager tankers, bombed a cluster of buildings used by the Houthis to manufacture drones near the capital, Sanaa.

There was no immediate comment from the US military.

Earlier, the Houthi-affiliated Al Masirah TV reported a series of air raids in the province of Sanaa, in the districts of Bani Matar, Bani Hashish, Al Husn and Hamdan.

It said a number of houses were damaged in the Al Dalia neighbourhood of Bani Hashish district.

The US has been bombarding Yemen on a near-daily basis since last month, when the Houthis, who control most of the country, threatened to resume attacks on Israel-linked ships passing through the Red Sea.

Three Palestinians, including child, killed in Israeli attack on central Gaza

Our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic are reporting that Israeli forces have bombed the Nuseirat refugee camp, killing at least three people.

The victims included a child.

The attacks follow a day of relentless bombardment that has killed at least 38 people.

UN chief warns two-state solution is ‘near a point of no return’

Antonio Guterres, the UN’s secretary-general, says the two-state solution is “at risk of dwindling to the point of disappearance” as Israel’s war and total blockade of Gaza continues.

A recap of recent developments

• Israeli forces continue bombarding Gaza after killing at least 38 Palestinians across the Strip on Tuesday.
• The United Nations rights chief, Volker Turk, has called for “concerted” action to stop the “humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza from “reaching a new, unseen level” as Israel’s total blockade of the Strip entered its 60th day.
• Israel released 10 Palestinian detainees from Gaza, including Asaad Al-Nasasra, a paramedic who survived the Israeli attack that killed 15 emergency workers near Rafah in March.
• Israeli forces have arrested 22 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including journalist Ali Al-Samoudi, following a raid on his home in Jenin.
• The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has held its second day of hearings to assess Israel’s humanitarian responsibilities as an occupying power in Palestinian territories.
• Qatar and the United Kingdom called for an immediate return to the truce in Gaza, while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for “irreversible action towards implementing a two-state solution” in the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Welcome to our live coverage

Hello, and thank you for joining our live coverage of Israel’s war on Gaza as well as its attacks on the occupied West Bank and the wider region.

Follow this page for round-the-clock updates on the latest developments.

Four killed in northern Gaza

Al Jazeera Arabic is reporting that four Palestinians have been killed in an Israeli strike on the al-Atatra neighbourhood of Beit Lahiya, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.

We will bring you more information as we get it.

Israel still eyeing a limited attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities: Report

Israel’s  government has not ruled out an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, despite reports that the Trump administration opposes the move, the Reuters news agency reports, citing an Israeli official and two people familiar with the matter.

We previously reported that President Trump reportedly blocked a planned Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear sites in favour of negotiating a nuclear deal with Tehran, according to The New York Times.

US assistance would have been required to ensure Israel’s proposed attack was successful and defend it against retaliation, according to the NYT report.

But Israeli officials now believe they could launch a more limited strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities that would require less US support, according to Reuters. Such an attack would be significantly smaller than those Israel initially proposed, Reuters added, without providing more details.

Israeli drone strike on refugee camp kills one

Al Jazeera Arabic said the attack was on the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza.

The Palestinian Information Center reported that a young man, identified as Akram al-Hawajri, was killed by the drone near the al-Fazb market, located to the north of the entrance to Bureij camp.

Israeli artillery is reported to be shelling the nearby Maghazi refugee camp, located south of Bureij camp in central Gaza.

We will bring you more on these attacks as information emerges.

The meaning of Easter in Palestine

Easter holds special meaning for Christian Palestinians.

For Good Friday, we spoke to a Palestinian pastor raised in Bethlehem who underlined the parallels between the Israeli oppression of his people and the crucifixion of Jesus at the centre of his faith.

Every Saturday, we revisit a story from The Take’s archives. This originally aired on March 29, 2024. None of the dates, titles or other references from that time have been changed.

A recap of recent developments

• At least 64 people have been killed by Israeli attacks across Gaza since dawn on Friday, including a strike on a makeshift barbershop in Khan Younis that killed at least six people.
• The US military’s assault on Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen has intensified, with the death toll for its overnight attacks on Ras Isa port in the Hodeidah governorate standing at 80.
• Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem has said he “will not let anyone disarm” the movement, as the US presses Lebanon’s government to compel the group to hand over its weapons.
• The Israeli military has killed two Hezbollah members in separate drone attacks in southern Lebanon, including bombing a vehicle on a highway near the city of Sidon.
• The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has said an estimated 420,000 Palestinians have been displaced since Israel resumed its attacks on Gaza on March 18.

Welcome to our live coverage

Hello, and thank you for joining our live coverage of Israel’s war on Gaza as well as Israeli attacks on the occupied West Bank and the wider region.

Follow this page for around-the-clock updates on the latest developments.

UNRWA warns critical supplies in Gaza depleting

UNRWA  says approximately 69 percent of Gaza is “within ‘no-go’ areas, under active displacement orders, or both”, as Israel’s blockading of aid since March 2 was hampering relief efforts.

“This is three times longer than the siege the Israeli Authorities imposed in October 2023 when the war started,” UNRWA said in their latest situation report on the war-ravaged coastal enclave.

“As a result, critical humanitarian supplies, including food, fuel, medical aid and vaccines for children, are rapidly depleting.”

Members of leading UK Jewish group condemn Israel’s resumption of Gaza war

Thirty -six members of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, one of the largest organisations representing Jewish people in the UK, have voiced their opposition to the Israeli government’s renewed military campaign in Gaza.The signatories criticised the Israeli government’s decision to resume war in Gaza, adding that since then “no hostages have returned” while “hundreds and hundreds more Palestinians have been killed”.“Our Jewish values compel us to stand up and to speak out,” the letter, published in the Financial Times, read. “We are back in a brutal war where the killing of 15 paramedics and their burial in a mass grave is again possible and risks being normal.”

Palestinian foreign ministry says Ben-Gvir’s statements point to Israeli plans for Jerusalem

The  Palestinian Foreign Ministry said that Israel’s recently reappointed National Security Minister Ben-Gvir’s continuous calls for settlers to intensify their raids on Al-Aqsa Mosque constitute further evidence of a plan to “change the legal and historical status quo in Jerusalem”.

The ministry warned this included “attempts to separate it from its Palestinian surroundings and impose a new reality”, including building a synagogue in place of the mosque, which is Islam’s third-holiest site.

“This requires a firm and urgent international response,” it added, stressing that the escalating tensions should be dealt “with utmost seriousness”.

The statement comes hours after hundreds of settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque. Some performed a religious ritual called an “epic prostration”, drawing praise from Ben-Gvir.

Five killed in Israeli air strikes on Rafah, Deir el-Balah

Five Palestinians, including a young girl, have been killed this afternoon in Israeli air strikes on Deir el-Balah, in central Gaza, and Rafah in the south, Wafa news agency reported.

Several people were also wounded in a separate drone strike that hit a motorcycle east of Deir el-Balah.

At least 29 people have been killed by Israeli attacks across Gaza since dawn today.

Israel’s FM ‘cut short’ UK visit due to arrest warrant

Global Legal Action Network (GLAN) says Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar had cut short his visit to the UK, a day after rights groups formally submitted a request to apply for his arrest warrant.

“He is a suspect in a live investigation of serious crimes. If seen contact the London Met Police immediately,” the group said on X.

The UK-based GLAN as well as the Hind Rajab Foundation had reportedly submitted a request for an arrest warrant for Saar.

Humanitarian groups ration aid as supplies dwindle

Aid  groups are trying to stretch whatever aid is available in their warehouses to make it last as long as possible.

The rationing is a reality for the majority of people in Gaza, who are living on one meal a day only. In the last two weeks, the Israeli army also cut off the only water pipeline to the Gaza Strip, cutting off 1.2 million people from drinking water.

Humanitarian operations are being stifled by the ongoing military operations, and people are being forced into overcrowded displacement areas where resources are not enough.

On top of that, there are deliberate attacks on aid facilities and workers that have made it very difficult to distribute much-needed aid.

More than 3,500 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons with charge or trial

Palestinians are commemorating Prisoners’ Day, a day dedicated to the thousands of detainees held in Israeli jails.

Many former detainees say they have been subjected to systematic torture, abuse and starvation by Israeli prison authorities.

Prisoners’ rights organisation Addameer says roughly two in five Palestinian men have been arrested and nearly 10,000 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons. Out of those, around 400 are children and 27 are women.

Additionally, 3,500 are under administrative detention and held without charge or trial.

Since October 2023, Israel has banned humanitarian visits, making it harder to assess conditions and exact prisoner numbers.

Gaza death toll rises to 29

Medical sources in Gaza tell Al Jazeera that at least 29 people have now been reported killed since dawn.

Of those, 21 Palestinians have been killed in northern Gaza.

Time for a recap

If you’re just joining us, let’s get you up to speed:

• Medical sources in Gaza told Al Jazeera that at least 27 people were killed across Gaza today, including 21 in strikes on Gaza City.
• Israeli army issued a statement saying it attacked “a terrorist” who was in a Hamas command and control compound to plan and execute acts against Israel.
• A hardline member of the Israeli parliament is reported to have joined the storming of al-Aqsa Mosque compound by Israeli settlers.
• Qatar’s Emir said Israel had failed to respect a ceasefire agreement in Gaza.
• Two Hamas officials told AFP that the group’s discussions on an Israeli ceasefire proposal were nearly complete, with a response expected soon.
• The portrait of a Palestinian boy shot by Samar Abu Elouf for the New York Times has won the World Press Photo of the year.
• Wafa news agency reported that Israeli forces have stormed the town of Yatta, south of Hebron, to secure access for Israeli settlers to the ancient reservoir.

Netanyahu’s office: Israel will not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons

Netanyahu’s  office released a statement today, saying the prime minister “led countless overt and covert actions against Iran’s nuclear program, thanks to which Iran does not possess a nuclear arsenal today”.

“Netanyahu has been leading the global campaign against Iran’s nuclear program for over a decade, even when some have downplayed the threat and called it ‘political spin’ and the prime minister ‘paranoid’,” the statement said.

“Israel will not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons.”

China to seek to rally condemnation of US tariffs at UN

China  is set to convene an informal meeting of the United Nations Security Council next week, where it will accuse the US of “casting a shadow over the global efforts for peace and development” by weaponising its tariff policy.

“All countries, particularly developing nations, are victims of unilateralism and bullying practices,” a concept note for the meeting said, according to the Reuters news agency.

The note invites all 193 member states of the UN to attend the meeting.

“By weaponising tariffs as a tool of extreme pressure, the US has gravely violated international trade rules, and triggered severe shocks and turbulence in the world economy and multilateral trading system, casting a shadow over the global efforts for peace and development,” the note said.

World Bank Group president encourages negotiations amid tariff uncertainty

World Bank Group President Ajay Banga has called on lower-income countries to reduce their tariffs to limit the impact of Trump’s so-called reciprocal tariffs. He also encouraged greater negotiations between countries over trade.

“Countries need to care about negotiating and dialogue. It’s going to be really important in this phase, and the quicker we do it, the better that will be,” he said.

Banga predicted that global economic growth is likely to slow as a result of the uncertainty created by Trump’s tariffs, and investments are slowing. But he said it was unclear how long any slump would last.

“I don’t know how to predict how to get out, because most of this is caused by the current discussion on trade. If you get to good resolutions through that negotiation that I’m encouraging … then I think you could get through this relatively quickly.”

Rubio says ‘championing free speech’ at State Dept as he seeks to deport protesters

US  Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called freedom of speech and expression a “cornerstone of what it means to be an American citizen”, while decrying what he described as a decades-long trend of individuals being “slandered, fired, charged, and even jailed for simply voicing their opinions”.

His remarks accompanied an announcement about the closure of the Counter Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (R/FIMI) office, which seeks to counter sophisticated misinformation campaigns by foreign adversaries.

Critics, including billionaire Elon Musk, have long accused the office of censoring conservative voices.

Rubio’s pledge to protect free speech comes as he uses an obscure law to deport US permanent residents and student visa holders for their participation in pro-Palestine protests.

The law appears to allow Rubio to personally approve an individual’s deportations based on “past, current, or expected beliefs, statements, or associations that are otherwise lawful”.

The Trump administration has broadly claimed that the Constitution’s freedom of speech protections apply only to US citizens — and not individuals legally in the country on various visas.

Marjorie Taylor Greene holds a Georgia town hall

The US Congress in the first week of a two-week recess. Often, that means representatives have the chance to return to their home states and hold community meetings.

But this year, US media has reported that some Republican leaders advised their party colleagues to avoid holding town halls, given the contentious political climate.

Still, some have forged ahead, including Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia.

At a Tuesday night town hall, protesters disrupted her remarks and pressed her with concerns, ranging from fears of prices leaping under Trump’s tariff policies to questions about potential cuts to Medicaid.

“Don’t be a ‘panican.’ That’s a new word President Trump came up with,” Greene said, brushing aside the concerns. She also reaffirmed she would do her utmost to advance Trump’s agenda: “I am going to stand by my president.”

One protester was Tasered during the event.

Columbia philosophy department condemns ICE arrest of Mohsen Mahdawi

Columbia University philosophy professor Joseph Howley posted a statement on social media on behalf of his department, expressing “horror and dismay” over the arrest of student Mohsen Mahdawi.

A leader in the pro-Palestine protests at Columbia, Mahdawi was arrested on Monday as he attended a naturalisation interview. Mahdawi is a US permanent resident originally from the occupied West Bank.

His arrest comes as the Trump administration targets university students involved in pro-Palestine advocacy, broadly framing them as “anti-Semitic” despite providing scant evidence to back the claims.

Last week, a federal judge ruled Mahmoud Khalil, also a Columbia student, could be deported based on the State Department’s claim that his presence in the US could adversely affect the country’s foreign policy.

“We call upon the Provost and Acting President of Columbia University to assist by all means, including through the provision of material and legal resources, any Columbia student targeted or detained — and seemingly only for having exercised their right to the free and peaceful expression of political opinion,” the philosophy department’s statement said.

US Attorney General sues state of Maine for transgender inclusion in school sports

The  Trump White House has escalated its fight with the northeastern state of Maine, announcing a lawsuit against its policies allowing transgender athletes to participate in school sports based on their gender identity.

“Today, the Department of Justice is announcing a civil lawsuit against the Maine Department of Education,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a news conference.

“The state of Maine is discriminating against women by failing to protect women in women’s sports — pretty basic stuff.”

Bondi argued that Maine’s policy ran afoul of Title IX, a civil rights law that prevents sex discrimination in schools that receive federal funding.

“We have exhausted every other remedy. We tried to get Maine to comply,” Bondi said. She warned Minnesota and California could be next.

Critics have accused the Trump administration of pursuing a spate of policies aimed at ostracising transgender people and denying their rights. The president, for instance, has tried to block transgender people from joining the military: A court has blocked that push, however.

Upon taking office, he also announced that his government would only “recognize two sexes, male and female”.

But his February 5 executive order, called “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports”, led to a public clash with Maine. At a meeting with governors at the White House later that month, Trump singled out Maine Governor Janet Mills from the podium over her opposition to the order, to which she replied: “See you in court.”

• The UK Supreme Court rules that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex
• Judges say the “concept of sex is binary” while cautioning that the landmark ruling should not be seen as victory of one side over another
• Transgender people still have legal protection from discrimination, the court adds – read the full 88-page judgement here
• There were tears and hugs in the courtroom as campaigners from For Women Scotland celebrated after their six-year legal battle with the Scottish government
• The Scottish government had argued that transgender people with a gender recognition certificate (GRC) are entitled to sex-based protections, while For Women Scotland argued they only apply to people that are born female

UK’s highest court says legal definition of woman is based on biological sex

The Supreme Court has ruled that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex, in a decision which could have far-reaching implications for who can access single-sex services and spaces.

It came about after the Scottish government included transgender women in quotas to ensure gender balance on public sector boards. Campaign group For Women Scotland argued that sex-based protections should only apply to people born female.

The judges were tasked with deciding on the correct interpretation of “sex” and “woman” in the main piece of legislation setting out sex-based legal protections.

Specifically, they ruled that the definition of sex as used in the Equality Act 2010 is “binary” and decided by biology – a person who was not born as a biological female cannot obtain the legal protections the Act affords to women by changing their gender with a Gender Recognition Certificate.

It’s important to note that the Act still provides transgender people with protections against discrimination, and that the judges said it was not their place to weigh in on those definitions in the wider public debate.

Our social affairs editor Alison Holt writes that the judgment brings clarity on the law, but the jury is still out on what day-to-day differences it will make.

We’re stopping our live coverage now. We appreciate there’s been a lot of information and different arguments to digest. If you want to read more, we’ve recapped the arguments made in the case, its journey to the Supreme Court, and the judges’ verdict and reactions to it.

Scottish government says it acted in good faith

The Scottish government has just released a statement in which it says it accepts the Supreme Court judgment, which ruled in favour of For Women Scotland’s challenge against it.

A spokesperson says: “The Supreme Court rightly counselled against reading this judgment as a triumph of one or more groups in our society at the expense of another. It is not.

“The ruling gives clarity between two pieces of relevant legislation passed at Westminster. We will now engage on the implications of the ruling. Protecting the rights of all will underpin our actions.”

The statement continues: “The Scottish government acted in good faith in our interpretation of both the Gender Recognition Act 2004 and the Equality Act 2010; and our approach was guided by the published guidance of the EHRC.

“The Supreme Court judgment explicitly references that this stance was consistent with the advice given by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).

“We will be engaging with the UK government to understand the full implication of this ruling, particularly in relation to Equalities law, which remains largely reserved.

“And we will engage with the EHRC as a matter of urgency on the need to review its guidance considering this judgment.

“Finally, we want to reassure everyone that the Scottish government is fully committed to protecting everyone’s rights, to ensure that Scotland remains an inclusive country.”

Amnesty concerned misinformation could lead to discrimination against trans people

In November, Amnesty International UK intervened, external in the Supreme Court case to call for legal protections for trans people.

The human rights group’s chief executive Sacha Deshmukh says it has been a “very febrile public debate” which has seen “misinformation communicated”.

He’s calling on the government and public policy makers to be clear how anti-discrimination provisions will be “strongly enforced” to protect for the trans community “from any discrimination or prejudice by anyone who tries to use this judgement as a justification for doing so”.

‘I think it gives a lot of clarity’ – campaigner

Dr Annie Donaldson, who researches domestic abuse and violence against women and is a supporter of For Women Scotland, tells the BBC she is “delighted” by today’s ruling.

She says: “I think it gives extreme legal clarity to the issue it was all about, ‘what exactly is a women?’.

“The fact that ‘woman’ is now clearly defined in law is really, really important because there are occasions and situations and settings where it wasn’t terribly clear.”

Dr Donaldson adds: “I think it gives a lot of clarity, huge clarity to that particular definition.”

She stresses she would not support discrimination against anyone, particularly not trans people.

“That’s not acceptable under any circumstances in any situation,” she says.

UK government says ruling brings clarity

Reacting to the Supreme Court ruling, a UK government spokesperson said: “We have always supported the protection of single-sex spaces based on biological sex.

“This ruling brings clarity and confidence, for women and service providers such as hospitals, refuges, and sports clubs.

“Single-sex spaces are protected in law and will always be protected by this Government.”

‘You cannot change biological sex’ – Badenoch

UK Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has congratulated For Women Scotland and says the ruling is a “victory”.

She says: “Saying ‘trans women are women’ was never true in fact, and now isn’t true in law either.

“This is a victory for all of the women who faced personal abuse or lost their jobs for stating the obvious.

“Women are women and men are men: you cannot change your biological sex.”

Greens say Supreme Court ruling is ‘deeply concerning for human rights’

Scottish Greens MSP Maggie Chapman has given her reaction to the ruling.

She says: “This is a deeply concerning ruling for human rights and a huge blow to some of the most marginalised people in our society.

“It could remove important protections and will leave many trans people and their loved ones deeply anxious and worried about how their lives will be affected and about what will come next.

“Trans people just want to be able to live their lives like any of us, without the fear of prejudice or violence, but today they have been badly let down.”

Chapman adds: “We will always stand up for human rights, dignity and respect for all people. We will stand with the trans community today, tomorrow and always.”

EHRC welcomes protection of single-sex spaces

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) says it is happy with the court’s decision, but needs more time to consider the implications in full.

Chairwoman Baroness Kishwer Falkner says: “We are pleased that this judgment addresses several of the difficulties we highlighted in our submission to the court, including the challenges faced by those seeking to maintain single-sex spaces, and the rights of same-sex attracted persons to form associations.”

She adds that the EHRC did not receive the judgement in advance and says it will make a more detailed statement later.

Harman: ‘Ruling protects rights of women and trans women’

Former Labour MP Harriet Harman has praised the Supreme Court for “correctly” interpreting the Equality Act in today’s judgement.

“Single sex spaces for women are important & can exclude trans women but only where necessary”, she writes in a social media post.

“The Act, & ruling, protects rights of women while also respecting the rights of trans women.”

Harman, who now chairs a women’s rights group, was involved in drafting the Equality Act, and she says today’s ruling gives “effect to our intention when drafting it”.

Trans women not defined as women in representation on boards

The long-running legal dispute began with a bill passed at Holyrood in 2018 which aimed to ensure gender balance on public sector boards.

Lobby group For Women Scotland complained that ministers had included trans people as part of the quotas in that law.

The court concluded that a person with a Gender Recognition Certificate does not come within the definition of a “woman” in relation to the sex discrimination section of the Equality Act 2010.

However, the panel added that there was nothing in its judgment which had intended to discourage the appointment of trans people to public boards or to minimise the importance of addressing their under-representation on such boards.

The judgement reads: “The issue here is only whether the appointment of a trans woman who has a GRC counts as the appointment of a woman and so counts towards achieving the goal set in the gender representation objective, namely that the board has 50% of non-executive members who are women. In our judgment it does not.”

This ruling goes beyond what For Women Scotland had hoped for

The judges stressed that this ruling should not be read as a triumph for one group in society over another, but For Women Scotland were clearly the ones celebrating their win.

There were tears and hugs in the courtroom, then a bottle of champagne was cracked open outside.

This ruling goes beyond what they had hoped for – it is an unambiguous statement from the court that sex-based rights under the Equality Act are based on biological sex.

It’s important to stress that this does not wipe away protections for trans people; the characteristic of gender reassignment remains in place.

But this is a landmark moment in the gender debate. And it’s one which the campaigners are going to use to press the government over its wider policies and guidance. There will inevitably be questions for Scottish ministers, who have lost in the highest court in the land.

Having completed its six-year journey through the legal arena, this often-contentious debate is heading back into the political one.

Read the 88-page judgement in full

It took Lord Hodge 16 minutes and 46 seconds to deliver just a summary of today’s judgement.

The full document is 88 pages long.

The judgement, which you can read for yourself, external, outlines the reasons behind today’s ruling that the terms “woman” and “sex” in the Equality Act refer to a biological woman and biological sex.

‘There is going to be an ongoing fight’

Outside the Supreme Court, Susan Smith of For Women Scotland says: “What our politicians need to get their heads around is this is the law.

“They need to stop putting faulty guidance into schools and hospitals.”

“There is going to be an ongoing fight,” she says, adding: “Now we have a really concrete basis for going forward.”

Sex discrimination cases interpreted as referring to biological women

Lord Hodge continued his nine points by saying the fourth point is that “as a matter of ordinary language” cases relating to sex discrimination can “only be interpreted” as referring to biological women.

The fifth point stated that the court rejected the suggestion that words like women can be “variable”. If references to pregnancy were “only” for biological women but other references in the legislation were for “certificated sex” then the “coherence” of the legislation would be undermined.

The sixth point states that the Scottish government’s interpretation of the Act would “create two sub-groups” with trans people possessing a gender recognition certificate having more rights than those who did not. There would be “no obvious means” of distinguishing between sub-groups, as details on who had a certificate would be private, he said.

Scottish trans charity urges people ‘not to panic’

Edinburgh-based trans rights charity Scottish Trans says it is urging people “not to panic” after a ruling that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex.

“There will be lots of commentary coming out quickly that is likely to deliberately overstate the impact that this decision is going to have on all trans people’s lives,” the charity writes on social media platform Bluesky.

“We’ll say more as soon as we’re able to. Please look out for yourselves and each other today,” the statement adds.

Trans women still have legal protection, says Supreme Court

The Supreme Court says its interpretation should not remove protection from transgender people, whether or not they have a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC).

It adds: “Trans people are protected from discrimination on the grounds of gender reassignment.”

The ruling also says trans women can claim sex discrimination because they are perceived to be women.

A GRC is not required to give this legal protection.

Israel plans longer-term presence in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria

As  we’ve been reporting, Israeli officials have suggested they plan to maintain a longer-term military presence in areas it has seized in the Gaza Strip, as well as in Lebanon and Syria.

Israel Katz, the country’s defence minister, said in a statement earlier today that “unlike in the past, the [Israeli military] is not evacuating areas that have been cleared and seized”.

He said Israeli forces “will remain in the security zones as a buffer between the enemy and [Israeli] communities in any temporary or permanent situation in Gaza – as in Lebanon and Syria”.

In recent weeks, the Israeli army has taken over large swathes of Gaza, which, under international law, is considered occupied by Israel. Israeli-controlled “security zones” exist between the south and north of the enclave, as well as between the southern cities of Rafah and Khan Younis.

Meanwhile, Israel has refused to withdraw from some areas in Lebanon following a ceasefire with Hezbollah, with Katz saying the country will “remain in a buffer zone in Lebanon at five observation posts”.

It also seized a buffer zone in southern Syria after the December overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad.

Hamas ‘studying’ Israeli ceasefire proposal, demand to disarm a ‘red line’

Hamas says it’s reviewing an Israeli proposal—relayed by Egypt—for a potential ceasefire in Gaza and will respond ‘as soon as possible.’

The new plan reportedly includes a 45-day temporary ceasefire and the entry of food and shelter in exchange for the release of half of the captives remaining in Gaza in the first week.

No humanitarian aid will enter Gaza: Israeli defence minister

“Israel’s  policy is clear and no humanitarian aid will be allowed into Gaza,” Israel Katz said in statement on X.

Preventing humanitarian aid from entering the Strip “is one of the main pressure tools that stops Hamas from using this means against the population,” Katz said.

“In the current reality, no one is going to allow any humanitarian aid into Gaza, and no preparations are being made to allow any aid of this kind,” he said.

Israeli authorities have blocked all aid from entering Gaza for over a month worsening the already catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Earlier today, charity Doctors Without Borders, or MSF, denounced the “full siege” of Gaza which has depleted food, fuel and medical stocks.

Israeli drone strike targets car in southern Lebanon

Israeli drone strike targeted a car in Wadi al-Hujayr, in southern Lebanon.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

The Israeli army earlier acknowledged it launched an attack on southern Lebanon on Tuesday night, claiming the attack was targeting Hezbollah.

These latest attacks come after the office of the UN Human Rights Office said on Tuesday that Israeli forces have killed at least 71 civilians in Lebanon since the beginning of a ceasefire with Hezbollah in November.

Israeli defense minister says troops will remain in Gaza ‘security zones’ indefinitely

“Unlike  in the past, the [Israeli military] is not evacuating areas that have been cleared and seized,” Israel Katz said in a statement.

Israeli forces “will remain in the security zones as a buffer between the enemy and (Israeli) communities in any temporary or permanent situation in Gaza – as in Lebanon and Syria.”

Israeli forces have taken over large areas of Gaza in recent weeks in a renewed campaign to pressure Hamas to release the remaining captives after Israel ended their ceasefire last month.

Israel has also refused to withdraw from some areas in Lebanon following a ceasefire with the Hezbollah last year, and it seized a buffer zone in southern Syria after the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad.

Gaza, a ‘mass grave’ for Palestinians and those helping them: MSF

Palestinian  lives are being systematically destroyed as Israel’s continued bombardment of the Gaza Strip shows a “blatant disregard” for the safety of humanitarian workers, Doctors Without Borders, or MSF, has warned.

“Gaza has been turned into a mass grave of Palestinians and those coming to their assistance. We are witnessing in real time the destruction and forced displacement of the entire population in Gaza,” said Amande Bazerolle, MSF’s emergency coordinator in the enclave.

Medical facilities are not exempt from attacks and evacuation orders by Israeli forces. MSF teams have had to leave many facilities, while others continue operating with staff and patients trapped inside, unable to leave safely for hours at a time, a statement from the charity reads.

Operating inside Gaza has become extremely challenging, and according to the group:

The lack of fuel replenishment across the Strip will lead to the suspension of activities as hospitals rely on generators for electricity to keep critical patients alive and conduct lifesaving operations.

MSF reported strikes from both Hamas and the Israeli army near its field hospital in Deir el-Balah, central Gaza.

Israeli forces also carried out strikes near the compounds of Al-Aqsa and Nasser hospitals.

Since March 18, MSF said it has not been able to return to the Indonesian hospital in northern Gaza where the charity’s teams were set to begin paediatric care.

MSF mobile clinics in north Gaza were suspended, and in the south, teams have been unable to return to the Shaboura clinic in Rafah.

The full siege on Gaza has depleted food, fuel and medical stocks. MSF is especially facing shortages in medications for pain management and chronic illnesses, antibiotics and critical surgical materials.

‘Incredibly unpopular’ Netanyahu poised to prolong Gaza war

The  Israeli prime minister’s calculations remain as they were throughout his war, as the fighting and killing drag on at his behest in Gaza, says Dan Perry, Israeli affairs analyst and former regional editor of The Associated Press news agency in the Middle East.

“Netanyahu has clearly decided that he can’t let his government fall, which it probably would if he ends the war, even in exchange for the hostages,” Perry told Al Jazeera from Tel Aviv.

Top UK barrister: Israel is carrying out ‘destruction of humanity’ in Gaza

Ten British citizens, including dual nationals, who have served in the Israeli army are being accused of war crimes in Gaza.

They are suspected of acts such as “murder, extermination, attacking civilians, and deportation or forcible transfer of population”, according to the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights and the UK-based Public Interest Law Centre, which submitted a 240-page report to the Metropolitan Police’s War Crimes Unit last week.

Michael Mansfield, 83, a leading barrister who has worked on several high-profile cases throughout his career and is dubbed “the king” of human rights work, was among those who handed over the dossier that took a team of lawyers and researchers in the UK and The Hague six months to compile.

Dozens of other lawyers, researchers and human rights practitioners have signed a letter of support, urging the Met’s war crimes team to investigate the complaints.

Death toll in Israeli attack in northern Gaza rises to 10

We reported earlier that an Israeli attack killed at least three people in a residential home in an area east of Gaza City.

We are now getting reports that the death toll has risen to 10. The bodies have been retrieved from under the rubble of the Hassouna family’s home.

At least 13 others were critically injured in the attack.

Israeli soldiers arrest journalist in West Bank raid

Israeli forces have arrested journalist Ibrahim Abu Safiyeh after raiding his home in Beit Sira village near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, Wafa reports.

We’ll bring you more soon.

UNRWA chief thanks EU for ‘standing by’ Palestinian refugees with funding

UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini has expressed thanks to the European Union for its continued funding of the UN agency that supports Palestinian refugees.

Lazzarini, who has fought back against months of attacks on UNRWA by Israel that caused donors to halt funding, thanked the EU for “standing by Palestinian refugees”.

“In these immensely challenging times when millions of people rely on our services, the European Commission support is truly indispensable,” Lazzarini wrote said in a post on social media.

Israel’s unfounded accusations that a handful of UNRWA staff took part in the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel led to almost 20 countries suspending funding to the organisation. Several have since restored their funds following independent reviews, which proved there was no substance to Israel’s claims.

Israeli forces have killed more than 280 UNRWA staff in Gaza since the start of the war, and the Israeli parliament recently passed legislation outlawing the UN agency’s operations in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory.

With amputations soaring, Gaza lab makes prosthetics from recycled materials

Thousands of Palestinians have lost one or more of their limbs in Israeli attacks since October 2023, leading to surging demand for prosthetics.

But Hossny Muhna, from Gaza’s Artificial Laboratory, says the “sharp surge in limb loss” as well as Israel’s blockade have led to “severe shortages of prosthetic devices and essential materials”.

To try to meet demand, technicians at the lab have been turning to recycled materials pulled from the rubble.

Three killed, many wounded in Gaza City in Israeli bombing

Our  correspondents are reporting that three people were killed and many wounded in an Israeli bombardment of a house in al-Sha’af in Gaza City’s Tuffah neighbourhood.

We will bring you more details as we receive them.

Israeli soldiers arrest 6 Palestinians in West Bank raid

Israeli forces raided Azzun in the Qalqilya governorate and arrested six men early on Wednesday morning, Wafa reports.

They also stormed Qalqilya city and searched many homes, with no arrests reported.

Israel claims senior Hamas fighter killed in coordinated attack

The  Israeli military has claimed that a senior Hamas fighter was killed in a joint operation with the Shin Bet intelligence service.

In a post on social media, the military said the assistant to Hamas’s Gaza Brigade commander was killed a number of days ago in an attack in Gaza City.

The military said the victim – identified as Mahmoud Abu Hasira – was involved in an operation in July 2014 when Hamas fighters raided a fortified structure after infiltrating through a tunnel, killing five Israeli soldiers and wounding a sixth.

If you’re just joining us

Here’s what you need to know:

• Israeli attacks killed at least 11 people in Gaza City and three people in Jabalia in northern Gaza overnight.
• WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus decried an attack on the Kuwaiti field hospital in southern Gaza which killed one person and injured nine.
• Israel’s military said it shot down a drone attempting to smuggle weapons from Egypt into Israeli territory.
• Israeli forces shot a Palestinian youth at the Qalandiya checkpoint, located north of occupied East Jerusalem.
• Jordan’s Prime Minister Jafar Hassan met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington, DC, and discussed Gaza and the West Bank.

Israeli helicopters, artillery attack southern Gaza homes, refugee camps

Palestinian  media also report that Israeli attack helicopters are firing on Rafah city in the southern Gaza Strip, and the town of Abasan al-Kabira has also come under heavy Israeli artillery attack in nearby Khan Younis.

Artillery attacks have also been reported in the last hour on the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, as well as the Bureij camp.

We reported earlier that three people were killed in an attack on the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza earlier this morning, and six were killed overnight in an Israeli attack on the Hassouna family in the Tuffah neighbourhood of Gaza City.

We will bring you more on the overnight and early morning attacks on Gaza as more information emerges.

Israel admits another attack on Lebanon as UN reports 71 killed since ceasefire

The Israeli army has acknowledged it launched an attack on southern Lebanon on Tuesday night, claiming the attack was targeting Hezbollah.

In a post on X, the army accused Hezbollah of “cynically exploiting civilian infrastructure” and “using the residents of Lebanon as human shields”.

The latest attack comes after the office of the UN Human Rights Office said on Tuesday that Israeli forces have killed at least 71 civilians in Lebanon since the beginning of a ceasefire with Hezbollah in November.

More deadly Israeli attacks hit Gaza City

The Wafa news agency is reporting that Israeli forces have killed a Palestinian sheltering in a tent near Gaza City, in the north of the Gaza Strip.

Wafa is also reporting that an Israeli attack on an apartment near the as-Saraya intersection in the city centre killed two people.

As we reported earlier, Israeli forces also attacked the Yarmouk Stadium in Gaza City, where thousands of people are sheltering in tents, killing two people.

We’ll bring you more soon.

A recap of recent developments

• Israeli air strikes across Gaza have killed at least 23 Palestinians since early Tuesday as Israel’s total blockade maintained for more than seven weeks is starving the Palestinian enclave.
• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was accompanied by his defence minister and the army chief in a visit to besieged northern Gaza, where he promised that Hamas would receive “blow after blow”.
• The armed wing of Hamas said it has lost contact with the team guarding US-Israeli captive Edan Alexander after an Israeli air strike on their location.
• The UN said at least 71 civilians, including 14 women and nine children, have been killed by Israeli forces in Lebanon since the agreed-upon ceasefire with Hezbollah in November.
• The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reports that armed individuals on fast boats opened fire on a vessel some 100 nautical miles (185km) off the coast of the Yemeni city of Aden, but there were no casualties.
• Hundreds more Israeli settlers, backed by armed soldiers and far-right Knesset members, performed Talmudic rituals and celebrated Passover at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound for a third day.
• The Maldives announced it is banning all Israeli nationals from the luxury tourist archipelago, a decision Hamas welcomed as a “brave step”.

Welcome to our live coverage

Here , and thank you for joining our live coverage of Israel’s war on Gaza as well as Israeli attacks on the occupied West Bank and the wider region.

Follow this page for round-the-clock updates on the latest developments.

You can find all our updates from Tuesday, April 15, here.

Trump bemoans a portrait of him – but gets a new one from Putin

US President Donald Trump has been gifted a new portrait from his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin – while decrying an existing painting of him as “truly the worst”.

The new portrait has not been shown publicly. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described it as a “personal gift”, adding that only Putin himself had the right to disclose further details.

Meanwhile, Trump took to his Truth Social network to criticise an earlier picture of him that hangs in the Colorado State Capitol building.

The US president has paid close attention to cultivating his image, and made headlines in January by unveiling an official portrait that was variously described by critics as serious or ominous.

Ukraine: Russia accused of ‘hollow’ peace talks as fresh strike injures dozens

Russia must stop its attacks instead of “making hollow statements about peace”, Ukraine’s foreign minister has said, after a Russian missile strike injured dozens of people in the city of Sumy.

“Any diplomacy with Moscow must be backed by firepower, sanctions and pressure,” Andrii Sybiha said.

The attack, which Ukraine says targeted civilian infrastructure, took place as US and Russian negotiators met in Riyadh for talks aimed at pausing aspects of the war.

Top of the agenda is reportedly the revival of a 2022 grain deal allowing Kyiv to export across the Black Sea without Russian attacks. In return, Moscow is said to be seeking relief from Western sanctions, enabling it to export fertilisers.

Palestine: Israel kills Hamas official in strike on Gaza hospital

An Israeli air strike on a hospital in Gaza killed a senior Hamas leader and an aide on Sunday evening, a Hamas official told the BBC.

Ismail Barhoum, the group’s finance chief, was hit in Nasser Hospital, in Khan Younis.

Barhoum is one of the most senior Hamas figures killed since Israel resumed military action against the group last Tuesday, ending a two-month ceasefire.

Hamas said Barhoum was being treated in Nasser Hospital for wounds suffered in an air strike four days ago.

But Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Lt Col Nadav Shoshani said that was “completely false”. He said Barhoum was in the hospital “in order to commit acts of terrorism” and had been there for weeks.

Chad condemns Sudan’s airport threat as ‘declaration of war’

Chad has condemned a senior Sudanese general’s threat to target its airports, calling it a “declaration of war.”

Its foreign ministry said it would respond according to international law if a “square metre of Chadian territory is threatened”.

The warning follows comments from Lt-Gen Yasir al-Atta, the deputy commander of Sudan’s army, who said the UAE was using Chad’s airports to deliver weapons to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The Sudanese army has repeatedly accused the UAE of supporting its rival, the RSF, throughout the brutal two-year civil war, which has created the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

USA: Trump looms over Canada’s election as campaign begins

Canada’s newly appointed Prime Minister Mark Carney has called a snap election, sending the country to the polls on 28 April.

The election comes as Canada faces a trade war with the US and calls from President Donald Trump for it to become the 51st American state, issues which are expected to be top of mind for voters.

It also comes nine days after Carney, a Liberal, was sworn in as Canada’s prime minister following Justin Trudeau’s resignation.

Carney must now face Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, whose party had been leading in national polls since mid-2023, though recent polls suggest the race is now neck-and-neck.

South Korea: Court reinstates PM as acting leader

South Korea’s constitutional court has dismissed the impeachment of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, reinstating him as the country’s acting president.

Han took over as acting leader last December when President Yoon Suk Yeol was suspended from duties and impeached by parliament after he attempted to declare martial law.

However, Han only lasted two weeks in power before lawmakers voted to impeach him as well. Since then, South Korea has been led by deputy prime minister Choi Sang-mok.

South Korea has been roiled by political chaos since Yoon’s botched attempt to impose martial law.

Greenland: Politicians condemn planned visits by Usha Vance and Trump adviser

Greenland’s politicians have condemned plans for high-profile US visits, in the wake of President Donald Trump’s threats to take over the island.

Second Lady Usha Vance will make a cultural visit this week, and a separate trip is expected from Trump’s National Security Adviser Mike Waltz.

Outgoing Greenlandic Prime Minister Mute Egede described the plan as aggressive, and said the duo had not been invited for meetings. Meanwhile, the island’s likely next leader accused the US of showing a lack of respect.

Greenland – the world’s biggest island, situated between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans – has been controlled by Denmark, nearly 3,000km (1,860 miles) away, for about 300 years.

USA: Tiger Woods confirms relationship with Trump’s ex daughter-in-law

Golfer Tiger Woods has announced he is dating Vanessa Trump, the former daughter-in-law of US President Donald Trump.

Vanessa, 47, was married to Donald Trump Jr for 13 years. The pair, who have five children, divorced in 2018.

On Sunday, Woods, 49, posted pictures of Vanessa and himself on social media saying: “Love is in the air and life is better with you by my side! We look forward to our journey through life together.”

“At this time we would appreciate privacy for all those close to our hearts.”

It is unclear what prompted the public announcement, but rumours of their relationship had been reported in gossip magazines in recent weeks.

USA: Indian scholar arrested in US over father-in-law’s Hamas link

It was an invitation from a classmate 15 years ago that changed the life of Badar Khan Suri, an Indian scholar now facing deportation from the US over accusations he is linked to a Hamas member.

On that summer evening, Mr Suri had been sitting outside his department at Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia university when a classmate announced that an international aid convoy was set to go to Gaza -the Palestinian territory run by the armed Islamist group Hamas and under blockade by Israel.

To students of conflict studies, the caravan – of more than 150 people from several Asian countries – offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness one of the world’s most contentious disputes up close.

South Korea: NewJeans announce hiatus after setback in court battle

South Korean K-pop group NewJeans have announced they are taking a break from all activities, after a court ruled against them in their ongoing dispute with their record label Ador.

The five-piece, who have attempted to rebrand as NJZ, announced during a show at ComplexCon Hong Kong on Sunday that “this will be our last performance for a little while”, after debuting their new song Pit Stop.

The court ruling on Friday forbade the group from organising their own appearances, making music or signing advertising deals during their dispute with Ador.

NewJeans are seeking to cut ties with Ador after accusing them of mistreatment, and have said they will challenge the court’s ruling.

USA: Former US attorney for Eastern District of Virginia found dead

Jessica Aber, the former US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, was found dead at a residence on Saturday morning.

Police in Alexandria, Virginia, responded to reports of an unresponsive woman at about 09:18 local time (13:00 GMT) , the department said in a statement.

Officers then located a deceased woman, who they later identified as Ms Aber, police said.

Ms Aber, 43, was appointed by former President Joe Biden in 2021. She stepped down in January when Donald Trump took office.

UK: National Grid boss says Heathrow had ‘enough power’

National Grid’s chief executive has said Heathrow had “enough power” from other substations following Friday’s fire that caused the airport to shut down.

John Pettigrew told the Financial Times the fire that knocked out a substation was a “unique event”, but that two other substations remained operational and capable of powering the airport in west London.

Heathrow’s chief executive had already said the shutdown it caused was not due to a lack of power, but was due to the time it took to switch from the damaged substation to the other two.

Sir Keir Starmer said that he was “deeply concerned” about the incident, and that there were “questions that need to be answered” on how it occurred.

UK: Facebook to stop targeting ads at UK woman after legal fight

Facebook has agreed to stop targeting adverts at an individual user using personal data after she filed a lawsuit against its parent company, tech giant Meta.

Tanya O’Carroll, 37, who lives in London and works in the tech policy and human rights sector, said it would open a “gateway” for other people wanting to stop the social media company from serving them adverts based on their demographics and interests.

The Information Commissioner’s Office, the UK’s data watchdog, said online targeted advertising should be considered direct marketing.

In a statement, Meta said it provided “robust settings and tools for users to control their data and advertising preferences”.

Vatican: Pope Francis to be discharged from hospital on Sunday

Pope Francis will be discharged from Rome’s Gemelli hospital on Sunday and will need at least two months of rest at the Vatican, doctors treating him have said.

The 88-year-old was admitted to the hospital on 14 February with a severe respiratory infection that resulted in double pneumonia.

During the past five weeks, he presented “two very critical episodes” where his “life was in danger”, Dr Sergio Alfieri, one of the doctors treating the Pope, said.

Pope Francis was never intubated and always remained alert and oriented, Dr Alfieri said. The Pope is not completely healed, but no longer has pneumonia and is now in a stable condition, according to his doctors.

USA: Trump Admin to import millions of eggs from Turkey and South Korea to ease prices

The Trump administration is planning to import eggs from Turkey and South Korea and is in talks with other countries in hopes of easing all-time high prices for the American consumer, officials confirmed.

“We are talking in the hundreds of millions of eggs for the short term,” Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told reporters at the White House.

It follows the administration’s announcement of a $1bn (£792m) plan to combat a raging bird flu epidemic that has forced US farmers to cull tens of millions of chickens.

Despite President Trump’s campaign promise to reduce prices, the cost of eggs has surged more than 65% over the past year, and it is projected to rise by 41% in 2025.

Middle: Israel strikes Lebanon after first rocket attack since ceasefire

Israel has carried out the most intense air strikes on Lebanon in nearly four months, after several rockets were fired from Lebanon into Israel for the first time since a ceasefire came into effect in November.

The Israeli military said it had hit dozens of rocket launchers and a command centre belonging to Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militia and political group, in southern Lebanon.

Lebanon’s health ministry said two people, including a child, were killed and eight injured in the strikes.

Several armed groups operate in Lebanon, including Hezbollah and Palestinian factions, and no-one has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Turkey: Hundreds arrested in third night of protests

Turkish authorities say 343 people were arrested during a third day of protests across the country on Friday.

The protests began after the arrest of a key opposition figure – Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu – on Wednesday.

He was detained on charges of corruption and aiding terrorist groups, days before he was due to be announced as a candidate for the 2028 presidential election.

In a speech on Friday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the protests and said his government would not “surrender” to “vandalism” or “street terror”. “We will not accept the disruption of public order.”

USA: Heavyweight boxing legend George Foreman dies aged 76

Boxing heavyweight legend George Foreman has died aged 76.

Known as Big George in the ring, the American built one of the most remarkable and enduring careers in the sport, winning Olympic gold in 1968 and claiming the world heavyweight title twice, 21 years apart – the second making him the oldest champion in history aged 45.

He lost his first title to Muhammad Ali in their famous Rumble in the Jungle fight in 1974. But overall, he boasted an astonishing total of 76 wins including 68 knockouts, almost double that of Ali.

Foreman retired in 1997 but not before he agreed to put his name to a best-selling grill – a decision that went on to bring him fortunes that dwarfed his boxing earnings.

Iceland: Minister who had a child with a teenager 30 years ago quits

Iceland’s minister for children has resigned after admitting she had a child with a teenager more than 30 years ago.

Ásthildur Lóa Thórsdóttir said in a media interview she had first started a relationship when the boy was 15 years old, and she was a 22-year-old counsellor at a religious group which he attended.

She then gave birth to his child when he was 16 years old and she was 23.

“It’s been 36 years, a lot of things change in that time and I would definitely have dealt with these issues differently today,” the 58-year-old told Icelandic media.

USA: Trump targets Biden, Harris in US security clearance purge

US President Donald Trump has revoked the security clearance of his predecessor, Joe Biden, in a sweeping move that also targeted former Vice President Kamala Harris and several senior former White House and national security officials.

“I hereby direct every executive department and agency head … to revoke any active security clearances held by the aforementioned individuals,” Trump said in his memorandum on Friday.

Romania: Tates return to Bucharest to ‘prove their innocence’

British-American influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan have returned from the US to Romania, where they face human trafficking and other charges.

Speaking to the press outside their house in Bucharest, the brothers said they were back because “innocent men don’t run from anything.”

“We’ve come here to prove our innocence because we deserve our day in court,” Andrew Tate added.

The BBC understands the brothers will appear at a police station to register on Monday. They strongly deny the allegations against them.

USA: Trump revoking protections for 530,000 Cubans, Haitians and other migrants

US President Donald Trump’s administration has said it will revoke the temporary legal status of more than half a million migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela.

Those migrants have been warned to leave the country before their permits and deportation shield are cancelled on 24 April, according to a notice posted by the federal government.

The 530,000 migrants were brought into the US under a Biden-era sponsorship process known as CHNV that was designed to open legal migration pathways. Trump suspended the programme once he took office.

It is unclear how many of these migrants have been able to secure another status in the interim that would allow them to stay in the US legally.

UK: Heathrow power meltdown ‘as big as it gets’

Several flights have now taken off from London’s Heathrow Airport after it was completely shut down following a power outage due to a nearby fire. It has led to massive disruption at one of the world’s busiest travel hubs, but Heathrow’s CEO said he expects the airport to be fully running by tomorrow morning.

Heathrow’s closure is expected to reverberate around the globe, affecting more than 1,300 flights in the coming days. An airline analytics firm estimated that “upwards of 145,000” passengers could be impacted, while an aviation expert told CNN the airline industry could

Namibia: Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah sworn in as Namibia’s first female president

Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has been sworn in as Namibia’s first woman president, after winning elections last year that extended the governing party’s 35-year grip on power.

Nandi-Ndaitwah, 72, became one of the few women leaders on the African continent, following a ceremony on Friday attended by heads of state from several African countries including Angola, South Africa and Tanzania.

USA: No evidence of coordinated vandalism of Teslas despite Musk and Trump claims

Law enforcement officials and domestic extremism experts say they have found no evidence that a series of attacks on Tesla vehicles and dealerships are coordinated despite such claims from Tesla CEO Elon Musk and President Donald Trump.

At least 10 Tesla dealerships, charging stations and facilities have been hit by vandals, many of whom have lit cars on fire, while a growing collection of videos posted to social media have shown people defacing and damaging Tesla vehicles. One website appeared to encourage people to target Tesla vehicles, publishing a map with the information of dozens of Tesla owners and Tesla facilities. It’s unknown who started the site.

Israel threatens annexation after expanding ground offensive in Gaza

Israel’s military assault on the Gaza Strip has continued for a fourth day as its ground forces expand their operations in northern and southern Gaza and the Israeli defence minister threatens to seize land in the coastal enclave.

Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Friday that Israeli forces would “intensify” the military campaign against Hamas and use “all military and civilian pressure, including evacuation of the Gaza population south and implementing United States President [Donald] Trump’s voluntary migration plan for Gaza residents”.

USA: Trump says Musk wasn’t briefed on China war plan in Pentagon meeting

President Donald Trump pushed back on reports that DOGE head Elon Musk was being briefed on US military plans for a potential war with China while at the Pentagon on Friday, saying he wouldn’t want show such plans “to anybody.”

“I don’t want to show it to anybody. You know you’re talking about a potential war with China,” Trump said in remarks from the Oval Office. “We don’t want to have a potential war with China, but I can tell you, if we did, we’re very well equipped to handle it.”

Trump’s comments came amid speculation over why Musk was at the Pentagon on Friday morning, where he met with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth for over an hour.

The New York Times reported Thursday that Musk was receiving a briefing on the US military’s plan for potential conflict with China. Pentagon officials resoundingly dismissed the reporting on social media on Thursday.

USA:Trump uses emergency powers to boost mineral production

US President Donald Trump has invoked emergency powers to expand domestic production of critical minerals as he tries to reduce US reliance on imports from countries like China.

The executive order, which uses cold war era legislation, instructs government agencies, including the defence department, to prioritise mining projects as well as providing technical and financial support to boost critical mineral production.

It comes as a trade war escalates with China, which has overwhelming control over the supply chain of some critical minerals.

Last year, Beijing banned the sale of some critical minerals to the US, forcing American firms to look for other sources of the vital materials.

USA: Tate brothers say they have left US to return to Romania

British-American influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan said on Friday they have left the US and are flying back to Romania, where they face human trafficking and other charges.

“Spending $185,000 (£143,000) on a private jet across the Atlantic to sign one single piece of paper in Romania,” Andrew Tate posted to his 10.8 million followers on X. “Innocent men don’t run. They clear their name in court.”

The BBC understands the brothers will appear at a police station to register on Monday. They strongly deny the allegations against them.

The brothers, who are dual US-UK citizens, arrived in the US at the end of February after Romanian prosecutors lifted a two-year travel ban.

USA: Elon Musk meets defence officials in Pentagon visit

Tech billionaire and senior Trump adviser Elon Musk has visited the Pentagon for briefings that have sparked debate after US media reported that he would be given an overview of American plans in the event of war with China.

President Donald Trump denied the reports, saying “China will not even be mentioned or discussed”.

Musk himself called for the prosecution of officials he said had leaked “maliciously false information” to the New York Times, which first reported the story.

But the Pentagon visit represented an unusual level of access for the Tesla and SpaceX CEO, whose companies hold billions of dollars in federal defence contracts.

Israel: Supreme Court freezes PM’s order to sack security chief

Israel’s Supreme Court has issued an injunction to prevent the head of the nation’s security service from being fired by Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Israeli cabinet formally approved the early dismissal of Ronen Bar on Thursday night, over the failure to anticipate the 7 October 2023 attack by Hamas.

Netanyahu, the prime minister, said in a video statement last week that he intended to sack Mr Bar, citing an “ongoing distrust” between the two that had “grown over time”.

On Friday, the Supreme Court froze the dismissal until a hearing could be heard on the matter no later than 8 April, according to documents cited in Israeli media.

Turkiye: Thousands join march in Istanbul to protest mayor’s arrest

Thousands of protesters have joined a march in Istanbul in support of the city’s arrested mayor, defying a warning from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that authorities would crack down on “street terror”.

Demonstrators took to the streets in Turkiye’s commercial hub on Friday for the third consecutive day to show their support for Ekrem Imamoglu – Erdogan’s chief political rival – who was arrested on Wednesday, days before he was due to announce his 2028 presidential run.

Opposition leader Ozgur Ozel said more than 300,000 people had joined protests across Istanbul.

“We are 300,000 people,” the CHP leader told the vast crowds in front of City Hall, saying protesters had gathered at several places across the country’s largest city due to the road and bridge closures preventing people from all being in one place.

The mayor was arrested early on Wednesday over alleged corruption and “terror” links. Dozens of other prominent figures, including journalists and businesspeople, were also detained. After the detentions, the government announced a four-day ban on political demonstrations.

South Korea: Court rules against K-pop group NewJeans in record label dispute

A South Korean court has ruled against chart-topping K-pop group NewJeans which had sought to cut ties with its record label Ador.

The court said the band, which had renamed themselves NJZ and began organising their own appearances, must not conduct any independent activities – from making music to signing advertising deals.

Earlier last year, NewJeans said that they were leaving Ador, after accusing them of mistreatment. Ador subsequently sued to have NewJeans’ contracts upheld and, after accusing the group of trying to sign independent deals without its approval, filed an injunction against them in January.

The group has said that they will challenge Friday’s decision.

UK: Uber offers 20 hours of free childcare in bid to lure female drivers

Every Uber driver in the UK will be eligible for 20 hours of free childcare under a new scheme intended to get more women driving taxis.

They will be able to use the allowance through a nannying and babysitting app for the rest of 2025.

“We really, really would like to attract more female drivers onto the Uber platform,” said Uber UK General Manager Andrew Brem.

But the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB), which represents drivers, said “anyone can see through” what it called a “cynical PR stunt”.

USA: Trump signs order to dismantle US education department

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive orderto dismantle the Department of Education, fulfilling a campaign pledge and a long-cherished goal of some conservatives.

Accusing the agency of “breath-taking failures”, the Republican president vowed to return the money it controls to individual states.

“We’re going to shut it down as quickly as possible,” Trump said, although the White House acknowledged that closing the agency outright would require an act of Congress.

The move is already facing legal challenges from those seeking to block the agency’s closure as well as sweeping cuts to its staff announced last week.

Taliban frees US man held in Afghanistan for two years

An American airline mechanic has been freed by the Taliban after being held in Afghanistan for more than two years.

George Glezmann, who was detained in December 2022 while visiting as a tourist, arrived by plane in Qatar on Thursday evening before travelling back to the US.

His release was confirmed after the Taliban government’s foreign minister hosted US hostage envoy Adam Boehler and other US officials in the Afghan capital, Kabul.

The Taliban’s foreign ministry said Mr Glezmann’s release was “on humanitarian grounds” and “a goodwill gesture”, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the deal a “positive and constructive step”.

Sudan: Army retakes presidential palace in Khartoum, strikes blow to RSF

Sudan’s  army and its supporters are celebrating across the country after troops recaptured the presidential palace in the capital, Khartoum.

Friday’s victory is perhaps the army’s most symbolic since launching a key counteroffensive against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in September last year.

The RSF continues to control pockets in southern Khartoum, but has lost most of the capital since Sudan erupted into a civil war in April 2023.

The development comes just days after RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo released a video urging his fighters not to give up the palace.

Civilians have generally welcomed the army as liberators despite some reports of army-aligned militias carrying out human rights abuses following RSF withdrawals.

The RSF has committed countless atrocities in Sudan, including in Khartoum.

A recent report by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), found that RSF fighters had detained at least 10,000 people in Khartoum since the start of the war until June last year.

UK: Adolescence writer calls for ‘radical action’ not role models

One of the most talked-about TV shows of recent years, Netflix’s hard-hitting drama Adolescence, has been the hot topic of discussion this week, from the House of Commons to US talk shows to the gates of the scriptwriter’s son’s school.

Those discussions have been sparked by the fictional story of a 13-year-old boy who is accused of stabbing a girl, and the factors that could have turned him into a killer.

“I’ve had lots of responses from people I haven’t heard from for years, telling me about conversations they’re now having with their children,” writer Jack Thorne says. “That’s really gratifying.

“My son’s headteacher stopped me at the school gates to say, ‘I’d like to talk to you about this, and I’d like to think about what our school can do and what other schools can do’,” Thorne adds.

“The conversations seem to be starting in all sorts of different places.”

Thorne is now calling for the government to take “radical action” to help tackle the issues the programme raises.

Chief among them are social media and the influence of incel (involuntary celibate) ideas, which encourage men to blame women for their lack of relationships and opportunities.

USA: Trump awards Boeing major contract to build ‘most lethal’ fighter jets

President Donald Trump has awarded Boeing a multi-billion dollar contract to build the US Air Force’s most advanced fighter jet, the Next Generation Air Dominance aircraft.

Trump described the high-speed stealth aircraft, dubbed the F-47, as the “most lethal aircraft ever built” and said a version has been secretly flying for the last five years.

The jet will replace Lockheed Martin’s F-22 with an aircraft that is also designed to fly alongside unmanned drones in combat, Trump announced at the White House.