Aid groups have said it is “extremely challenging” to reach parts of Gaza, despite a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas bringing an end to an intense military campaign.
"Access to Gaza City and northern Gaza is extremely challenging," UN World Food Programme spokesperson Abeer Etefa told reporters, explaining that convoys of food aid were struggling to move along damaged or blocked roads from the south.
The WFP said on Friday it has brought about 560 tonnes of food per day on average into Gaza since the ceasefire took effect, but said it falls short of the scale of need in the enclave.
UN aid chief Tom Fletcher said ON Friday morning that there are “many frustrations and complications” and aid groups “still have mountain to climb” to deliver the amount of aid needed in Gaza.
The news comes after Donald Trump has warned Hamas that "we will have no choice but to go in and kill them" if internal conflict persists in Gaza, after initially downplaying the ongoing pockets of violence in the territory.
Key Points
- Aid delivery to northern Gaza 'extremely challenging' - WFP
- Trump warns Hamas: 'We will have no choice but to go in and kill them'
- US in talks with Indonesia, UAE, Qatar to send troops to Gaza
- Returned Palestinian bodies show signs of 'torture and execution'
- Hamas demands equipment to dig out bodies of hostages
- Starmer says ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans is 'wrong decision’
British government loses bid to block Palestine Action's legal challenge against ban
14:59 , Alex CroftThe British government on Friday lost its bid to block the co-founder of pro-Palestinian campaign group Palestine Action bringing a legal challenge over the banning of the group under anti-terrorism laws.
Huda Ammori, who helped found Palestine Action in 2020, was given permission to challenge the group's proscription on the grounds that the ban is a disproportionate interference with free speech rights, with her case due to be heard next month.
Britain's Home Office (interior ministry) then asked the Court of Appeal to overturn that decision and rule that any challenge to the ban should be heard by a specialist tribunal.
Judge Sue Carr rejected the Home Office's appeal, saying challenging the proscription in the High Court was quicker, particularly where people have been charged and are facing trial for expressing support for Palestine Action.
The court also ruled that Ammori could challenge the ban in the High Court on additional grounds, which Ammori said was a significant victory.
"It's time for the government to listen to the overwhelming and mounting backlash ... and lift this widely condemned, utterly Orwellian ban," she said in a statement.
The Home Office did not immediately comment.
Hamas calls on mediators to push for next ceasefire steps
14:28 , Alex CroftHamas called on mediators on Friday to push for the next steps under the ceasefire in Gaza, including reopening the border, letting in aid, beginning reconstruction, setting up an administration and completing Israel's withdrawal.
Fighting has largely stopped in Gaza under U.S. President Donald Trump's plan, endorsed by mediators Egypt, Qatar and Turkey. But further steps have been held up in part by Israeli accusations that the militants were too slow in handing over bodies of dead hostages.
Israel said on Thursday it was preparing for the reopening of Gaza’s Rafah crossing with Egypt to allow Palestinians to move in and out, but gave no date as it traded blame with Hamas over violations of the ceasefire.
Other unresolved elements of the plan include the disarmament of militants and Gaza’s future governance.
Hamas said it remained committed to the ceasefire agreement and to handing over the bodies of all remaining hostages, but that this process may take time.
'Hits were identified': IDF responds to reports that it killed Palestinian child
14:02 , Alex CroftThe Israeli military has responded after reports that it killed Palestinian child Mohammed Bahjat Al-Hallaq, south of Hebron in the West Bank.
The Palestinian Health Ministry in the West Bank said an 11-year-old boy died from injuries after Israeli soldiers opened fire toward stone-throwing youths south of Hebron.
The ministry, citing local residents, said Mohammad Bahjat Al-Hallaq died from a bullet wound in the pelvis after soldiers opened fire toward youths who threw stones at military vehicles passing through the town of Al-Rihiya in the southern West Bank.
Pictures circulating online show a child covered in blood in a car.
The Israeli military said “confrontations and rock-hurling incidents were directed at IDF soldiers” and that it “responded with fire toward the suspects in the rock-hurling”.
“Hits were identified,” it said, adding that no troops were injured.
Ceasefire seen as opportunity for Israel to rebuild global reputation - Reuters
13:30 , Taz AliThe Gaza ceasefire is giving many in Israel hope that the country can restore its international reputation after months of increasing isolation, according to a Reuters analysis.
Public support for Israel has fallen, with 39 per cent of Americans now saying Israel has gone too far in Gaza, up from 27 per cent in late 2023, according to Pew.
Israeli officials told Reuters the war's humanitarian toll has damaged the country’s standing, with over 67,000 Palestinians reported killed.
More than 66 per cent of Israelis were worried about the prospect of Israel's possible international isolation, according to an August poll by the Institute for National Security Studies, a Tel Aviv-based think tank, compared with 55 per cent in July 2024.
“Improving reputation takes a long time of rebuilding trust,” said one Western European diplomat, warning the ceasefire is only a first step.
WFP has brought in 560 tonnes of food per day into Gaza - but still not enough
13:01 , Alex CroftThe UN World Food Programme said on Friday it has brought about 560 tonnes of food per day on average into Gaza since the Israel-Hamas ceasefire took effect, but that still fell short of the scale of need in the enclave.
With famine conditions present in parts of Gaza, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher said on Wednesday that thousands of aid vehicles would now have to enter Gaza weekly to ease the crisis.
"We're still below what we need, but we're getting there... The ceasefire has opened a narrow window of opportunity, and WFP is moving very quickly and swiftly to scale up food assistance," WFP spokesperson Abeer Etefa told reporters in Geneva.
The WFP said it had not begun distributions in Gaza City, pointing to the continued closure of two border crossings, Zikim and Erez, with Israel in the north of the enclave where the humanitarian crisis is most acute.
Trucks carrying humanitarian aid to enter Gaza at the Rafah border with Egypt
12:30 , Taz Ali
Aid delivery to northern Gaza 'extremely challenging' - WFP
11:59 , Alex CroftDelivering aid to northern Gaza has proven “extremely challenging” due to destruction of Gaza’s roads, the UN World Food Programme has said.
"Access to Gaza City and northern Gaza is extremely challenging," WFP spokesperson Abeer Etefa told reporters in Geneva, adding that convoys of wheat flour and ready-to-eat food parcels were struggling to move along damaged or blocked roads from the south of the war-devastated territory.
Though small amounts of nutrition products have reached the north, relief convoys were still unable to move significant quantities of food there, as well as other areas.
"We've had 57 trucks yesterday (into southern and central Gaza). We consider this a breakthrough, but we're not yet at the level of around 80-100 trucks a day," Ms Etefa added.
On the ground | How the murder of an ice-cream seller from Florida embodies a hidden war in the West Bank
11:28 , Alex CroftFor two and a half hours, Sayfollah was left to die with no medical assistance, struggling to breathe, blood filling his lungs and his body broken after being brutally beaten by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
The 20-year-old, a dual US citizen who runs an ice cream shop in Florida, was only meant to be visiting family and friends in the village of Al-Mazra’a ash-Sharqiya, north of Ramallah, for the summer.
On 11 July, his family say a gang of armed settlers attacked him and his relatives as they stood on their own land.
Despite the fact that Sayf - as he is known - was in a critical condition, the Palestinian ambulance called to rescue him was blocked by Israeli security forces, according to his younger brother Mohammed, who was trying to help.
Bel Trew reports:
The death of an ice-cream seller from Florida embodies a hidden war in the West Bank
IDF says it foiled weapons smuggling attempt from Egypt
11:00 , Taz AliThe Israeli military claimed it foiled a weapons smuggling attempt on Israel’s western border.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said on Friday it spotted a drone crossing into the Paran Brigade area, which covers parts of the Negev Desert near the borders with Egypt and Jordan.
The drone was carrying two firearms, the IDF posted on X on Friday.
כוחות צה”ל סיכלו ניסיון הברחת אמצעי לחימה בגבול המערבי
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) October 17, 2025
לוחמי צה״ל סיכלו אמש, ניסיון הברחה של אמצעי לחימה במרחב חטיבת פארן.
הכוחות זיהו רחפן שחצה ממערב לשטח מדינת ישראל בניסיון להבריח אמצעי לחימה, ואיתרו את הרחפן שנשא שני נשקים ושלוש מחסניות.
אמצעי הלחימה הועברו להמשך טיפול… pic.twitter.com/tOcPx0o0D0
These are the hostage bodies released by Hamas – and those yet to be returned
10:00 , Taz AliHamas said returning the bodies of 19 missing Israeli hostages may take time because some are buried in collapsed tunnels or under rubble from Israeli airstrikes.
The group claims it cannot locate the remaining bodies without access to the specialist equipment needed to reach certain areas.
Under the first stage of the Gaza peace plan, Hamas is obligated to return all 28 deceased hostages.
In the report below, The Independent looks at which hostage bodies Hamas has released – and which are yet to be transferred from Gaza.
These are the hostage bodies released by Hamas – and those yet to be returned
In pictures: People inspect damage at cement plant caused by Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanese village Ansar
09:35 , Taz Ali
Turkey to send experts to Gaza for hostage recovery - report
09:00 , Taz AliTurkey has reportedly deployed dozens of relief experts from its Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) to the Gaza Strip, including a team focused on locating the remains of 19 missing hostages.
AFAD is highly experienced in earthquake response, having operated in difficult conditions during Turkey’s devastating earthquake in February 2023 and carried out rescue missions in more than 50 countries.
Turkish defence ministry sources told local media that AFAD’s main tasks include delivering humanitarian aid, recovering bodies and supporting the ceasefire.
Hamas said it has returned the remains of all the deceased hostages that it can reach, and that it will need special recovery equipment to reach more bodies.
Israeli military marking 'yellow line' along boundary in Gaza: Katz
08:40 , Taz AliIsrael’s defence minister said the Israeli military has begun marking the so-called “yellow line” covering over half of Gaza.
The yellow line marks the area Israeli troops would pull back to under the proposed ceasefire deal.
The line serves as a warning to Hamas and Gaza residents that “any violation or attempt to cross the line will be met with fire”, Israel Katz said on X.
UNRWA urges unrestricted aid as Gaza faces food crisis
08:20 , Taz AliThe UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has warned the collapse of Gaza’s agricultural sector has left many Palestinian families without food and an income.
It said nearly all of Gaza’s farmland has been either destroyed or rendered inaccessible, leading to soaring food prices. According to the agency, a kilogram of tomatoes that cost 60 cents before the war is now being sold for as much as $15.
"People cannot afford the food reappearing in the markets," UNRWA posted on X, warning of worsening food insecurity across the enclave.
“Until Gaza’s agricultural sector can be rebuilt, there must be an unrestricted flow of aid.”
Israeli fire kills seven Palestinians in Gaza
07:56 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarIsraeli fire killed at least seven Palestinians in Gaza yesterday, the health officials in the Hamas-run Strip said as Israel traded blame with Hamas over violations of the US-mediated ceasefire.
People in Gaza reported seeing drones and warplanes in the skies over the southern Gaza Strip with sporadic gunfire heard from time to time, according to Reuters.
A senior Hamas official yesterday accused Israel of flouting the ceasefire by killing at least 24 people in shootings since last Friday, and said a list of such violations was handed over to mediators.
"The occupying state is working day and night to undermine the agreement through its violations on the ground," he said.
Chief of staff of Houthi rebels dies after Israeli airstrike
07:27 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarAn Israeli airstrike targeting the top leaders of Yemen's Houthi rebels in August killed the chief of staff of its military, officials said.
The Houthis have acknowledged the killing of Maj Gen Muhammad Abdul Karim al-Ghamari, who had been sanctioned by the UN over his role in the country's decade-long war.
Israeli defence minister Israel Katz said al-Ghamari died of wounds he suffered in the attack and had joined "his fellow members of the axis of evil in the depths of hell".Mr Katz referred to the bombing as "the strike of the firstborn," likely a reference to the attack Israel conducted on 28 August.
That attack killed Houthi prime minister Ahmed al-Rahawi and others. However, analysts suggested al-Ghamari may have been wounded in a different attack targeting the secretive group.
Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu also acknowledged Israel killing al-Ghamari.
"Another chief of staff in the line of terror chiefs who aimed to harm us was eliminated," Mr Netanyahu said. "We will reach all of them."
Greta Thunberg claims she was ‘kicked and had wh*** written on her suitcase’ by Israelis
07:09 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarGreta Thunberg claims she was “hit and kicked” while in Israeli custody after she was detained from her Gaza aid flotilla.
The young Swedish activist has accused Israeli guards of having “no empathy or humanity”, recalled seeing dozens of people in handcuffs with their foreheads on the ground, and says she had to “beg” for water while in 40C heat.
Thunberg also claimed Israeli guards wrote the words “wh***” and drew images of a penis and the Star of David on her suitcase. Israel has hit back at the activist and claimed her allegations are “ludicrous and baseless”.
Alex Croft has more.
Greta Thunberg claims she was ‘kicked and had wh*** written on suitcase’ in Israel
Gaza left in environmental freefall after war, report says
06:59 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarGaza’s water, sanitation, and energy systems are on the brink of a total collapse after nearly two years of war.
As residents begin returning following a ceasefire, the region’s environmental damage could make its recovery impossible without urgent action, a new report warns.
Analysts said Gaza’s ecosystems have been devastated by bombardments, almost entirely ruining croplands and water systems, leaving two million people at continuous risk of a humanitarian crisis.
Thousands of displaced Gazans began returning to what is left of their homes after a ceasefire was announced this week between Israel and Hamas.
However, the study released by the Arava Institute on Wednesday estimated that 69 per cent of Gaza’s infrastructure has been damaged. It warned that environmental degradation now threatens public health, food security, and regional stability.
Stuti Mishra reports.
Live: Aid trucks wait at Rafah crossing to enter Gaza as Hamas hands over hostage bodies
06:48 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarStarmer says ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending Aston Villa game is ‘wrong decision’
06:47 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarPrime minister Keir Starmer has said the ban on supporters of Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv attending their team’s match against Aston Villa is “the wrong decision”.
The move to prohibit Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending their Europa League game at Villa Park yesterday was made amid public safety fears.
But Sir Keir has criticised the decision.
He said in a post on X: This is the wrong decision. “We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets.
More here.
Starmer says ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans attending Aston Villa game is ‘wrong’
Trump's special envoy says remains of hostages will be returned
06:21 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarSteve Witkoff, the US special envoy, said Washington will pursue the return of the bodies of the deceased until they are all handed over to Israel.
"And I’m confident they will all come home,” Mr Witkoff said at an event at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum.
Hamas has so far returned the remains of nine hostages and is yet to hand over the dead bodies of 19 others under the Donald Trump-brokered ceasefire agreement.
Mr Witkoff reiterated that “Hamas must unequivocally disarm, and they can have no future in Gaza; no future as they have been”.
“Only when extremism ends can prosperity begin. Peace in the region will save countless lives of Israeli and Gaza alike, and bring dignity to those who have suffered for far too long,” he added.
Mr Witkoff said the US was committed to substantially expanding the Abraham Accords.
Hamas demands equipment to dig out bodies of hostages
06:03 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarHamas has reportedly said that the return of the remaining dead captives “may take some time” as some of the bodies were buried inside tunnels destroyed by the Israeli military.
“The bodies of the Israeli prisoners that the resistance was able to access were handed over immediately,” Hamas said in a statement, according to Al Jazeera.
The Palestinian group has said that it requires equipment and devices to remove the rubble, which are currently unavailable due to Israel’s ban on their entry.
“Therefore, any delay in the return of the bodies falls entirely on the Netanyahu government, which is obstructing and preventing the provision of the necessary capabilities,” the group said.
Relatives and friends carry the body of Israeli slain hostage Eitan Levi
05:43 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Pro-Hamas messages displayed as airports in Canada and US hacked
05:16 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarHackers took over the public address systems at four airports, three in Canada and one in the US, to broadcast messages praising Hamas and criticising president Donald Trump.
An "advertisement streaming service" at the Kelowna International Airport in British Columbia "was briefly compromised and unauthorized content was shared," according to the Kelowna Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
Hackers broadcast messages in a foreign language and music over the PA system at Victoria International Airport in British Columbia, according to an airport spokesperson.
The hackers breached third-party software to access the PA system, and the airport switched to an internal system to regain control, the spokesperson said.
The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security is assisting the airport and the RCMP with the investigation.Hackers similarly took control of the PA system at Harrisburg International Airport in Pennsylvania, US transportation secretary Sean Duffy said in a social media post on Wednesday.
The US Federal Aviation Administration and airport officials are investigating the breach, he said.
Hackers also breached the flight information display screens and public address system Tuesday evening at Windsor International Airport in Ontario, and displayed "unauthorized images and announcements," according to airport officials.
The breach was to a "cloud-based software provider" used by the airport, and "our systems returned to normal shortly thereafter," according to the airport's statement.
Trump warns Hamas: 'We will have no choice but to go in and kill them'
05:11 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarUS president Donald Trump has warned Hamas that there would be “no choice but to go in and kill” Hamas if it it continued to “kill people in Gaza”.
It follows Hamas’ execution of seven Palestinians for “collaborating” with Israel, actions which Mr Trump appeared to condone at the time, comparing it to gang violence and recent US strikes on Venezuelan “drug boats”.
But he has since changed stance, warning the group that such killings are "not [part of] the Deal".
Addressing the allegations of killing Palestinians, a senior Hamas official told Reuters: “The occupying state is working day and night to undermine the agreement through its violations on the ground.”
Pro-Palestine marches to continue in the UK
05:06 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarPro-Palestine organisations in the UK have reacted angrily to the government’s plans to grant police new powers to put conditions on repeated demonstrations, describing it as a “draconian assault” on the right to protest.
They have vowed to continue protesting, saying the peace deal brokered by US president Donald Trump did not resolve a number of issues that continue to afflict the Palestinian people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. The ceasefire already appears fragile, with each side accusing the other of breaking it in the hours after the final living hostages were released Monday.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced earlier this month that police forces would be granted new powers to impose tougher conditions on protests by taking account of the “cumulative impact” of previous similar demonstrations.
More here.
Pro-Palestine march organisers hit out at ‘draconian assault’ on right to protest
US in talks with Indonesia, UAE, Qatar to send troops to Gaza
04:13 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarUS president Donald Trump's administration is speaking with many countries interested in contributing to an international force to stabilize security in Gaza, the White House has said.
Among the countries the US is speaking to about contributing to the force are Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Qatar, and Azerbaijan, two US advisers told Reuters.
There are also currently up to two dozen US troops in the region to help set up the operation, serving in a "coordination, oversight" role, they said.
Italy has publicly said it was willing to take part.
Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto told the UN General Assembly on 23 September that Jakarta was prepared to deploy 20,000 or more troops in Gaza to help secure peace.
France and Britain prepare UN resolution on Gaza peacekeeping force
04:12 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarFrance and the UK, in coordination with the US, are working to finalise a UN Security Council resolution in the coming days that would lay the foundation for a future international force in Gaza, Paris said.
With a shaky US-mediated ceasefire between Israel and Hamas holding, planning has begun for an international force to stabilise security in the Palestinian enclave, two senior US advisers said on Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters in Paris, French foreign ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux said such a force needed a UN mandate to provide a strong foundation in international law and ease the process of getting potential contributions from countries.
"France is working closely with its partners on the establishment of such an international mission, which must be formalised through the adoption of a UN Security Council resolution," he said.
"Discussions, notably with the Americans and British, are ongoing to propose this resolution in the coming days.”
Starmer says ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending Aston Villa game is ‘wrong decision’
04:00 , Maira ButtStarmer says ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans attending Aston Villa game is ‘wrong’
Fears for Gaza ceasefire grow after Israel and Hamas accuse each other of breaching Trump’s peace
03:00 , Maira ButtThe fragile Gaza ceasefire is on the brink of collapse, as Hamas accuses Israel of killing at least 24 people in the past six days.
The families of Israeli hostages have meanwhile called on the ceasefire to be terminated if Hamas does not release the remaining bodies of dead captives.
US President Donald Trump waded into the dispute late on Thursday as he threatened that there would be “no choice but to go in and kill” Hamas if it it continued to “kill people in Gaza”.
Fears for Gaza ceasefire grow after Israel and Hamas accuse each other of breaches
Dr Hussam Abu Safiya detention extended by six months
02:01 , Maira ButtDr Hussam Abu Safiya, a Gaza paediatrician, will remain in detention for six more months, Al Mezan’s lawyers confirmed on Thursday.
“An Israeli court has rubber-stamped the extension of Dr. Abu Safiya's arbitrary detention for six more months,” the human rights organisation wrote in a statement on X/Twitter on Thursday.
“This decision strips away any pretense: Dr. Abu Safiya is a hostage, a bargaining chip in ongoing negotiations.”
Amnesty has called for the release of Dr Safiya and all arbitrarily detained Palestinian healthcare workers. The doctor was detained by Israeli authorities on 27 December 2024.
Israeli forces stormed the Kamal Adwan Hospital – the last functioning hospital in northern Gaza at the time – and arrested Dr Safiya, the hospital’s director along with other medical staff.
Prior to Channel 13 footage released earlier this year, he had last been seen walking through rubble towards Israeli tanks after the hospital was raided.
UK ends Gaza surveillance flights after return of hostages
01:01 , Maira ButtTrucks continue to trickle in but 'nowhere near enough'
Thursday 16 October 2025 23:59 , Maira ButtAid trucks entered Gaza on Wednesday as Israel said 600 had been approved to go in under the ceasefire agreement.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher said it was a "good base" but nowhere near enough, with medical care also scarce and most of the 2.2 million population homeless.
UNICEF said it has brought in 250 pallets of supplies including family tents, winter clothes, tarpaulins, sanitary pads and hygiene kits.
It has distributed more than 56,000 packs of baby food to help 12,500 children for two weeks, UNICEF spokesperson Tess Ingram said on Thursday.
Hamas carries out public executions after returning to the streets of Gaza
Thursday 16 October 2025 23:01 , Maira Butt
Hamas carries out public executions after returning to the streets of Gaza
Palestinian leader and prisoner Marwan Barghouti beaten unconscious in prison, says son
Thursday 16 October 2025 22:30 , Maira ButtMarwan Barghouti, the most popular leader for Palestinians who is currently in an Israeli jail, was beaten unconscious by Israeli prison guards, his son has said.
Arab Barghouti cited evidence given by Palestinian detainees released this week in the ceasefire deal.
According to that information, his 66-year-old father was attacked by eight guards on 14 September while being transferred between Ganot and Megiddo prisons.
“What we know is that while they were transferring my father, they stopped along the way and eight security guards within the prison authority that worked for the prison authority started beating my father up in different ways, by kicking him, by [throwing] him on the ground, by punching him, focusing on the head area, chest area and legs as well,” he said according to The Guardian.
Mr Barghouti could barely walk for days, the released detainees said, after what his son said was the fourth time his father had been beaten over the past two years.
UN special rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese said on X: “I fear for the life of Marwan Barghouti. Reports say Israeli guards beat him unconscious.”
She called on the Red Cross to be allowed to visit Mr Barghouti to verify his condition.
Mr Barghouti has been in solitary confinement since the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023. He has been in prison for more than 20 years after being convicted of planning attacks which led to five civilians being killed, in a trial described as flawed by the Inter-Parliamentary Union, which questioned the quality of the evidence.
Watch: Putin congratulates Trump for 'solving peace in the Middle East'
Thursday 16 October 2025 22:00 , Maira ButtMaccabi Tel Aviv football fans banned from attending Europa game at Aston Villa
Thursday 16 October 2025 21:34 , Maira ButtAston Villa has said Maccabi Tel Aviv fans are not allowed to attend a Europa game on 6 November.
“Following a meeting this afternoon, the Safety Advisory Group have formally written to the club and UEFA to advise no away fans will be permitted to attend Villa Park for this fixture,” Villa said in a statement on Thursday.
“West Midlands Police have advised the SAG that they have public safety concerns outside the stadium bowl and the ability to deal with any potential protests on the night.
“The club are in continuous dialogue with Maccabi Tel Aviv and the local authorities throughout this ongoing process, with the safety of supporters attending the match and the safety of local residents at the forefront of any decision.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has criticised the decision, writing: “This is the wrong decision. We will not tolerate anti-semitism on our streets. The role of the police is to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation.”
Last year a football game in Amsterdam led to clashes between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv fans.
Returned Palestinian bodies show signs of 'torture and execution'
Thursday 16 October 2025 21:30 , Maira ButtThe health ministry in Gaza received 45 more bodies of Palestinians from Israel, marking another step in the implementation of the ceasefire agreement.
That brought to 90 the total number of bodies returned to Gaza for burial.
The forensics team examining the remains said they showed signs of mistreatment and released images of 32 unidentified bodies to help families recognise missing relatives.
The team that received the bodies said some arrived still shackled or bearing signs of physical abuse.
Many of the bodies appeared decomposed or burned. Some were missing limbs or teeth, while others were coated in sand and dust, according to Gaza officials.
Health officials have said Israeli restrictions on allowing DNA testing equipment into Gaza have often forced morgues to rely on physical features and clothing for identification.
Sameh Hamad, a member of a commission tasked with receiving the bodies at Khan Younis' Nasser Hospital, said some arrived with their hands and legs cuffed. "There are signs of torture and executions," he told The Associated Press.
The bodies, he said, belonged to men ages 25 to 70. Most had bands on their necks, including one that had a rope around the neck.
These are the hostage bodies released by Hamas – and those yet to be returned
Thursday 16 October 2025 21:00 , Maira ButtThese are the hostage bodies released by Hamas – and those yet to be returned
Freed Palestinian detainee lost eyesight after beatings
Thursday 16 October 2025 20:35 , Maira ButtA 28-year-old Palestinian has detailed the “torture” he endured in Israeli detention after he says beatings left him without his eyesight.
Mahmoud Abu Foul said he was beaten after being taken from Kamal Adwan Hospital by the Israeli military, in an interview with Channel 4.
“The beating and the interrogation and the torture, as a result of it I lost my eyesight,” he said.
He had had one leg amputated after Israeli strikes in 2015.
The Israeli military has previously said it does not breach any international laws during its interrogations with suspects.
Labour faces criticism after holding conference on Gaza reconstruction
Thursday 16 October 2025 20:15 , Maira ButtMinister for the Middle East, Hamish Falconer, has faced criticism after holding a conference on the economic recovery and reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, days after a fragile ceasefire was agreed.
Falconer referred to the UK’s “deep expertise in private investment” at the event held at Wilton Park earlier this week.
The conference was co-hosted with Egypt and the Palestinian Authority.
“This government has no shame,” Jeremy Corbyn MP told Middle East Eye.
He criticised the government for “allowing private companies to make money” out of the war, which he called a “genocide”.
Israel denies this and called a two-year UN investigation concluding it was committing a genocide, “false” and “distorted”.
Israel said the UK had played the “opposite” of a key role in the Gaza ceasefire and US ambassador Mike Huckabee called cabinet minister Bridget Phillipson “delusional” for her statements that it had done so.
Falconer said that Gaza had “real economic potential” at the conference, which took place earlier this week.
New pictures after ceasefire show sheer scale of Gaza destruction
Thursday 16 October 2025 19:30 , Maira Butt
Israel releases new photo of military standing around body of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar on anniversary of death
Thursday 16 October 2025 19:13 , Maira ButtOn the one year anniversary of the death of Yahya Sinwar, Israeli forces released an unseen picture depicting the aftermath of the killing of the Hamas leader.
It shows soldiers standing around the body of Sinwar in the rubble where he was killed.
“A year since humanity was freed from the master of the flood of evil,” Avichay Adraee, head of the Arab Media Branch in the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit wrote on Thursday.
“Goodness cannot be defeated—and justice, no matter how delayed, will prevail. To hell, and what a miserable fate awaits you, Sinwar.”
Sinwar was born in a refugee camp in Khan Younis in 1962 and was recruited into the militant group by its founder Sheik Ahmed Yassin. He is reported to have been the mastermind behind 7 October attacks, which killed almost 1,200 Israelis.
Footage of Sinwar throwing a stick at a drone before he was killed went viral on social media after it was released by the Israeli military last year.
Who is Yahya Sinwar? The October 7 attack mastermind killed by Israel
Greta Thunberg claims she was ‘kicked and had wh*** written on her suitcase’ in Israeli detention
Thursday 16 October 2025 19:10 , Maira ButtI would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice
Greta Thunberg claims she was “hit and kicked” while in Israeli custody after she was detained from her Gaza aid flotilla.
The young Swedish activist has accused Israeli guards of having “no empathy or humanity”, recalled seeing dozens of people in handcuffs with their foreheads on the ground, and says she had to “beg” for water while in 40C heat.
Thunberg also claimed Israeli guards wrote the words “wh***” and drew images of a penis and the Star of David on her suitcase. Israel has hit back at the activist and claimed her allegations are “ludicrous and baseless”.
Greta Thunberg claims she was ‘kicked and had wh*** written on suitcase’ in Israel
Trump says 'we will go in and kill Hamas' if violence continues in Gaza
Thursday 16 October 2025 18:50 , Daniel KeaneDonald Trump has said that “we will have no choice but to go in and kill Hamas” if violence from the militant group continues in Gaza.
In a post on Truth Social, he wrote: “If Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the Deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Trade unions condemn Israeli raids at Palestinian trade union offices in West Bank
Thursday 16 October 2025 18:40 , Maira ButtThe Trades Union Congress and International Trade Union Confederation have condemned a raid by the Israeli military and intelligence forces at the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU) in Nablus in the occupied West Bank.
“We demand an immediate, independent and transparent investigation into this incident and full accountability for those responsible,” wrote ITUC secretary Luc Triangle in a statement on Thursday.
Images appear to show workers seated across the floor of the offices with their hands behind their backs amid claims that the building had been “ransacked and vandalised” and entrance doors broken.
The TUC condemned the action as “another example of the intimidation and violence that Palestinians living under Israeli occupation face.”
It added: “Those responsible for these actions, and other violations of international law, must be held to account.”
The Independent has contacted the IDF for comment.
Israel hands over 30 more Palestinian bodies
Thursday 16 October 2025 18:15 , Maira ButtThe Gaza health ministry has announced that 30 more bodies of Palestinians were returned to the enclave by Israel on Thursday.
This brings the total to 120 since Friday.
Hundreds more remain in Israel, which has agreed to handover 15 Palestinian bodies for every body of an Israeli hostage or captive held in Gaza.
The Independent has seen images of the bodies returned to Gaza by Israel, as shared by Gaza’s health ministry.
At least one was seen wearing a blindfold. Other pictures showed dead bodies with ropes around his neck.
Rafah crossing to open on Sunday, says Israeli foreign minister
Thursday 16 October 2025 17:45 , Maira ButtIsraeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said that the Rafah crossing, on the border between Gaza and Egypt, will be re-opened on Sunday.
“We are making all the necessary preparations,” he told Italian news agency ANSA on Thursday.
It was not specified whether the crossing would be opened for the passage of humanitarian aid or for people.
Two Palestinians killed by Israeli airstrike as Israel says they posed 'immediate threat'
Thursday 16 October 2025 17:24 , Maira ButtLocal health authorities said an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis in southern Gaza killed two people on Thursday.
The Israeli military said its forces fired at several people who emerged from a tunnel shaft and approached troops, describing them as posing an immediate threat.
UK ceases surveillance flights over Gaza
Thursday 16 October 2025 17:15 , Maira ButtThe UK has ended surveillance flights over Gaza and Israel following the announcement of a ceasefire.
“Following the agreement of the Gaza peace plan between Israel and Hamas, and the release of remaining hostages, the Ministry of Defence has ceased surveillance flights over Gaza,” the government said in a statement on Thursday.
“The last fight took place on the 10 October 2025.”
It said that the flights were conducted to work with partners across the region to “secure the release of hostages, including British nationals, who were kidnapped.”
“In support of these efforts the Ministry of Defence conducted surveillance flights over the Eastern Mediterranean, including operating in air space over Israel and Gaza from December 2023,” it wrote.
“The surveillance aircraft were always unarmed, did not have a combat role, and were tasked solely to locate hostages.”
Britain operated surveillance flights on an almost daily basis with the help of a US contractor, with over 600 flights monitored by flight trackers, according to The Guardian.
Poisoned water and shattered grid: Gaza left in environmental freefall after war, report says
Thursday 16 October 2025 16:55 , Maira ButtGaza’s water, sanitation, and energy systems are on the brink of a total collapse after nearly two years of war, and as residents begin to return, the region’s environmental damage could make its recovery impossible without urgent action, a new report warned.
Analysts said Gaza’s ecosystems have been devastated by bombardments, almost entirely ruining croplands and water systems, leaving the two million people at continuous risk of a humanitarian crisis.
Stuti Mishra reports:
Fears for Gaza ceasefire grow after Israel and Hamas accuse each other of breaching Trump’s peace
Thursday 16 October 2025 16:34 , Maira ButtFears for Gaza ceasefire grow after Israel and Hamas accuse each other of breaches
Dr Hussam Abu Safiya detention extended by six months
Thursday 16 October 2025 15:55 , Maira ButtDr Hussam Abu Safiya, a Gaza paediatrician, will remain in detention for six more months, Al Mezan’s lawyers confirmed on Thursday.
“An Israeli court has rubber-stamped the extension of Dr. Abu Safiya's arbitrary detention for six more months,” the human rights organisation wrote in a statement on X/Twitter on Thursday.
“This decision strips away any pretense: Dr. Abu Safiya is a hostage, a bargaining chip in ongoing negotiations.”
Amnesty has called for the release of Dr Safiya and all arbitrarily detained Palestinian healthcare workers. The doctor was detained by Israeli authorities on 27 December 2024.
Israeli forces stormed the Kamal Adwan Hospital – the last functioning hospital in northern Gaza at the time – and arrested Dr Safiya, the hospital’s director along with other medical staff.
Prior to Channel 13 footage released earlier this year, he had last been seen walking through rubble towards Israeli tanks after the hospital was raided.
'Rafah crossing will be open in future' says Israel
Thursday 16 October 2025 15:40 , Maira ButtIsrael has said it continues to let aid in, according to its government spokesperson.
“Aid continues to enter the Gaza Strip as usual,” said Shosh Bedrosian on Thursday.
“As part of the agreement, the Rafah crossing will be open in the future. We are in close contact with our partners and have done our part of the agreement.”
Hamas accuses Israel of killing 24 Palestinians since ceasefire
Thursday 16 October 2025 15:33 , Maira ButtA senior Hamas official accused Israel of breaching the ceasefire by having killed at least 24 people in shootings since Friday.
On Thursday they said a list of such violations was handed over to mediators, according to Reuters.
The Israeli military did not immediately respond to the accusations. It has previously said that some Palestinians have ignored warnings not to approach Israeli troops across ceasefire lines "opened fire to remove the threat".
In a statement released on Thursday, Hamas wrote: “The horrific scenes visible on the bodies of the martyrs returned by the occupation, bearing marks of torture, abuse, and field executions, clearly reveal the criminal and fascist nature of the occupation army and the moral and human decadence this entity has reached, which doesn’t differentiate in its aggression between the living and the dead of our people.
“As such, this constitutes a heinous crime that rises to the level of genocide against our Palestinian people.
“We call upon international rights groups, foremost among them the UN and the Human Rights Council, to document these atrocious crimes, open an urgent and comprehensive investigation into them, and bring the occupation leaders to trial before relevant international courts, as they are responsible for committing unprecedented crimes against humanity in our modern history.”
'Thousands' of aid trucks wait at border as agencies say scale of humanitarian need is 'shocking'
Thursday 16 October 2025 15:25 , Maira Butt
Aid organisations frustrated as crucial supplies trickle into Gaza
Pro-Palestine marches to continue amid fragile ceasefire as organisers hit out at ‘draconian assault’ on right to protest
Thursday 16 October 2025 15:10 , Maira ButtPro-Palestine march organisers hit out at ‘draconian assault’ on right to protest
Pictures of scale of Gaza destruction released after ceasefire
Thursday 16 October 2025 14:49 , Maira Butt
Freed Gaza photojournalist finds out family are still alive after being told in Israeli jail they were dead
Thursday 16 October 2025 14:34 , Maira ButtShadi Abu Sido was detained without trial under Israel's Unlawful Combatants Law. Mr Sido said he was beaten severely and forced to kneel for extensive periods of time.
During imprisonment, he was told by Israeli authorities his family, including a wife and two children, had been killed.
“I heard her voice, I heard the voice of my children, I was astonished, it cannot be explained, they were alive. I saw my wife and children alive. Imagine amid death - life,” he said, according to Reuters.
An Israeli prison spokesperson said “to the best of our knowledge no such incidents occurred” and the military said treatment of detainees complies with Geneva Conventions.
Listen: Bel Trew speaks to The Media Show about The Independent's coverage of Israel-Gaza war
Thursday 16 October 2025 14:16 , Alex CroftIsrael hands over 30 more Palestinian bodies
Thursday 16 October 2025 13:37 , Alex CroftThe Gaza health ministry has announced that 30 more bodies of Palestinians were returned to the enclave by Israel on Thursday.
This brings the total to 120 since Friday.
Hundreds more remain in Israel, which has agreed to handover 15 Palestinian bodies for every body of an Israeli hostage or captive held in Gaza.
The Independent has seen images of the bodies returned to Gaza by Israel, as shared by Gaza’s health ministry.
At least one was seen wearing a blindfold. Other pictures showed dead bodies with ropez round his neck.
Returned Palestinian bodies show signs of 'torture and execution'
Thursday 16 October 2025 13:19 , Alex CroftThe health ministry in Gaza received 45 more bodies of Palestinians from Israel, marking another step in the implementation of the ceasefire agreement.
That brought to 90 the total number of bodies returned to Gaza for burial.
The forensics team examining the remains said they showed signs of mistreatment and released images of 32 unidentified bodies to help families recognise missing relatives.
The team that received the bodies said some arrived still shackled or bearing signs of physical abuse.
Many of the bodies appeared decomposed or burned. Some were missing limbs or teeth, while others were coated in sand and dust, according to Gaza officials.
Health officials have said Israeli restrictions on allowing DNA testing equipment into Gaza have often forced morgues to rely on physical features and clothing for identification.
Sameh Hamad, a member of a commission tasked with receiving the bodies at Khan Younis' Nasser Hospital, said some arrived with their hands and legs cuffed. "There are signs of torture and executions," he told The Associated Press.
The bodies, he said, belonged to men ages 25 to 70. Most had bands on their necks, including one that had a rope around the neck.
US military tells Hamas to halt violence and put down arms
Wednesday 15 October 2025 18:20 , Jane DaltonThe US military's Middle East command has called on Hamas to stop its violence against civilians in Gaza and disarm "without delay".
Hamas, which has not publicly committed to disarming and ceding power, has been reasserting itself by deploying security forces and executing those it deems collaborators with Israel.
The militant group has gradually sent its men back into the streets of Gaza since the ceasefire began on Friday.
It has killed more than 30 members of "a gang" in Gaza City, a Palestinian security source said on Monday.
"We strongly urge Hamas to immediately suspend violence and shooting at innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza," said Commander Brad Cooper, head of the US military's Centcom.
Commander Cooper asked the militant group to fully stand down, "strictly" adhere to President Donald Trump's Gaza plan and put down its weapons.
