🔴 Live: Netanyahu says Israeli bombardment of Gaza 'only the beginning'

Israeli APCs head towards the Gaza Strip border in southern Israel on October 13, 2023. © Ariel Schalit, AP

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to destroy Hamas in a televised address on Friday, warning that the fierce bombardment of Gaza was "only the beginning" of his country's response to the deadly attacks by Hamas militants last week. His threat came as thousands of Palestinians fled to southern Gaza in search of refuge after Israel warned them to evacuate ahead of a possible ground offensive in the Hamas-held enclave, where the death toll from Israeli air strikes has surged to at least 1,900, according to the local health ministry. Follow our live blog for all the latest developments. All times are Paris time (GMT+2).

10:50pm: Tunnels, Hamas drones, hostages mean Israel faces a tough Gaza ground offensive

Frank Ledwidge, a former UK military intelligence officer and currently a senior strategy lecturer at Portsmouth University, says an Israeli ground offensive in Gaza is likely to be brutal.

Israel, over the past few years, has changed its military doctrine to take highly kinetic action at minimal risk, explains Ledwidge. But once Israeli troops enter the densely populated Palestinian enclave, they will face IEDs, booby traps and Gaza’s network of tunnels.

"Gaza, like Israel, has planned for this operation for many years. Both sides are ready for the other. It’s going to be really challenging for both of them," he says.

Israeli troops also, for the first time, could face Hamas drones in the enclave that can monitor and attack them. But Israel has also trained on drones and perhaps even AI-controlled weaponry, explains Ledwidge.

Gaza’s civilians though will bear the brunt of the warfare, he says.

Click on video player below to watch the clip.

10:35pm: UN displacement expert 'horrified' by Gaza order

The UN expert on displacement has said she is "horrified" by Israel telling 1.1 million residents to evacuate the northern Gaza Strip, condemning the order as a crime against humanity.

Paula Gaviria Betancur, the United Nations' special rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, said it was inconceivable that Gazans could move across a war zone without devastating consequences.

"Forcible population transfers constitute a crime against humanity, and collective punishment is prohibited under international humanitarian law," Gaviria Betancur said in a statement.

Earlier, FRANCE 24's Jerusalem correspondent Irris Makler explained that any evacuation of civilians would require a pause in the Israeli bombing and the establishment of a humanitarian corridor – a subject she said would be on the agenda of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's talks with Arab leaders in the region.

Click on video player below to watch the clip.

10:10pm: Hospitals trying to share fuel, rotating staff as Gaza health situation deteriorates

After days of heavy Israeli bombardments on Gaza, the health system in the besieged enclave is dire, says Amber Alayyan, deputy programme manager for Palestine at Doctors Without Borders, also known by its French acronym, MSF.

Mobility is a major issue for MSF staff in Gaza, explains Alayyan, with most of them "having a difficult time" trying to reach hospitals and clinics, where they are badly needed.

With Israel blocking food, medicine and water supply into the enclave, "hospitals are trying to share fuel, and are rotating staff to cope", she says.

A paediatrician by training, Alayyan says Gaza’s children are particularly badly affected by the constant Israeli bombardments.

"First and foremost, there’s the injuries," she explains. "The injuries are massive and the problem is, with young children, particularly with babies, injuries of this volume and this extent are often quite lethal. The really heartbreaking effect is the mental health effect, the psychological impact of children who’ve been born in war and continue to feel the impact of it every few years."

More than 600 children have been killed in Israeli strikes since the October 7 Hamas attack, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

Click on video player below to watch the clip.

9:50pm: Saudi Arabia condemns bombardment, displacement of Gaza civilians

Saudi Arabia has denounced the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza and attacks on "defenceless civilians" in its strongest criticism yet of Israeli actions since the latest fighting broke out. 

Riyadh "affirms its categorical rejection of calls for the forced displacement of the Palestinian people from Gaza, and its condemnation of the continued targeting of defenceless civilians there," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

The Saudi statement was published as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Riyadh as part of a six-nation tour of Arab countries.

The war has dealt a blow to attempts by the administration of US President Joe Biden to facilitate normalisation between Israel and Saudi Arabia, home of the two holiest sites in Islam. 

Saudi Arabia, which has never recognised Israel, has issued several statements in the past week affirming its support for the Palestinian cause.

9:45pm: Death toll in Israeli strikes on Gaza passes 1,900

The week-long Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip has killed at least 1,900 people, including 614 children, the health ministry has said.

Some 370 women were among those killed in the seven days of air strikes, the Hamas-run health ministry said. It added that 7,696 people have been wounded.

The most recent official death toll from Israel stands at 1,300.

9:35pm: 'Even wars have rules,' says UN chief in call for humanitarian aid to Gaza

UN chief Antonio Guterres has appealed for the protection of basic human rights as the Israel-Hamas conflict spirals, stressing that "even wars have rules" and warning against using hostages as human shields.

"The situation in Gaza has reached a dangerous new low," Guterres said ahead of a Security Council meeting on the volatile situation.

"We need immediate humanitarian access throughout Gaza, so that we can get fuel, food and water to everyone in need," he said, adding that the blockaded enclave's health system was on the brink of collapse.

9:20pm: Rocket sirens sound in Tel Aviv, surrounding Israeli cities 

Hamas has continued to target Israeli cities with rocket fire from the Gaza Strip even as Israel steps up its bombardment of the Palestinian enclave ahead of a possible ground offensive.

FRANCE 24's Luke Shrago brings us the latest from Tel Aviv.

Click on video player below to watch the clip.

8:55pm: Israel's Netanyahu says Gaza offensive still in early stages

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to destroy Hamas in a televised address as the army prepares for an expected ground invasion of the Gaza Strip.

“This is only the beginning,” Netanyahu said of Israel's week-long bombardment of the Gaza Strip in retaliation for Hamas's deadly incursion last Saturday. “We will end this war stronger than ever.”

“We will destroy Hamas,” he added, saying Israel has widespread international support for the operation.

8:30pm: Blinken asks Israel to spare Gaza civilians during Arab tour

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has called on Israel to limit Palestinian civilian deaths as he works to set up safe areas in the Gaza Strip, seeking to keep calm in the Arab world following a major Hamas attack.

After a solidarity visit to Tel Aviv, Blinken, on a six-nation tour of Arab countries, again defended Israel's right to respond but also hardened his tone on protecting innocent Palestinians.

"We have urged the Israelis to use every possible precaution to avoid harm to civilians," Blinken told a news conference in Qatar. "We recognise many Palestinian families in Gaza are suffering through no fault of their own and that Palestinian civilians have lost their lives." 

But Blinken said that Israel was within its rights after the "unconscionable" attacks by Hamas. "What Israel is doing is not retaliation. What Israel is doing is defending the lives of its people," he said.

8:05pm: Situation on Israel-Lebanon border 'escalating really quickly'

Just hours after he reported, earlier Friday morning, that the situation on the Lebanon-Israel border was "stable", FRANCE 24’s Lebanon correspondent Rawa Taha says the situation was rapidly escalating.

A Reuters journalist was killed Friday evening, and six other international journalists were wounded in Israeli shelling into southern Lebanon.

"This is a really hard story for me," admitted Taha, noting that he was on the border on Thursday when he last saw the news crew that was hit.

Amid fears of the Israel-Hamas war spreading on several fronts, from Gaza to Israel’s south to Lebanon in the north, Friday’s deadly incident highlights the threat of a regional conflict.

Read moreFrom Gaza to Lebanon, Israel faces threats on many fronts

‘‘Earlier this afternoon, we heard news of a possible infiltration from Lebanon’s side of the border towards Israel. Then there was an exchange of fire in that location. Shortly afterwards, Hezbollah announced in a statement that it launched an attack on a number of Israeli military positions,’’ explained Taha.

Most Lebanese opposition politicians, as well as the majority of Lebanese citizens are wary of their country being dragged into a conflict with Israel again, explained Taha.

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7:50pm: Reuters names journalist killed in south Lebanon

The Reuters news agency has said that one of its journalists was killed during shelling in southern Lebanon that also injured several other reporters.

"We are deeply saddened to learn that our videographer, Issam Abdallah, has been killed," Reuters said, adding that, he "was part of a Reuters crew in southern Lebanon."

Qatar’s Al Jazeera TV earlier said two of its employees, Elie Brakhya and reporter Carmen Joukhadar, were among the wounded.

7:30pm: Analysis: The many dangers of an Israeli ground offensive in Gaza

Nearly a week after Hamas launched a shock attack on Israel, Gaza residents are braced for a ground offensive, with Israel mobilising reservists and moving military equipment to the border with Gaza.

But a potential ground offensive in the besieged enclave, one of the planet's most densely populated territories, could come at a very high cost, writes FRANCE 24's Jean-Luc Mounier.

Read moreGaza braces for ground offensive, but can Israel achieve its objectives?

7:10pm: UN chief appeals to Israel to 'avert a humanitarian catastrophe'

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed Friday for Israel to "avert a humanitarian catastrophe," after the Israeli army ordered more than one million people to evacuate north Gaza.

"The Secretary-General and his team have been working the phones. He's been in constant contact with Israeli authorities, urging them to avert a humanitarian catastrophe," spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters.

Earlier, FRANCE 24 spoke to the head of the Palestinian Red Crescent Marwan Jilani about the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Hamas-held enclave.

Click on video player below to watch the clip.

6:50pm: US Senate majority leader leads bipartisan delegation on Israel visit

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is headed to Israel this weekend to discuss what resources the United States can provide for its war against Hamas.

Schumer, a Democrat from New York, is leading a bipartisan group of senators to the country “to show the United States' unwavering support for Israel,” his office said. Schumer is the first Jewish majority leader of the Senate and the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in the US.

The visit comes as Congress is considering how much money and equipment to send to Israel and as two other high-ranking officials, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretry Lloyd Austin, have visited in recent days.

6:30pm: Israeli shelling along Lebanon border kills journalist, wounds 6

An Israeli shell landed in a gathering of international journalists covering clashes on the border in south Lebanon, killing one and leaving six others injured. 

An Associated Press photographer at the scene saw the body of the dead journalist and the six who were wounded, some of whom were rushed to hospitals in ambulances. Images from the scene showed a charred car.

Qatar’s Al Jazeera TV said two of its employees, Elie Brakhya and reporter Carmen Joukhadar, were among the wounded. The Associated Press said it was not naming the other outlets whose journalists were killed or injured until they make public statements on the matter.

6:20pm: Israel says ground forces made raids into Gaza 'over past 24 hours'

The Israeli military says for the first time that ground troops have been operating inside the Gaza Strip.

In a statement, the army said troops had entered Gaza to battle militants, destroy weapons and search for evidence about the missing hostages held by Hamas.

The announcement did not appear to be the beginning of an expected ground invasion of Gaza. Israel has been massing troops along the Gaza border since last Saturday’s deadly incursion by Hamas militants.

5:55pm: Turkey calls Israel's evacuation deadline 'unacceptable'

Turkey's foreign ministry has condemned as "unacceptable" Israel's ultimatum to Palestinians to evacuate Gaza ahead of an expected Israeli ground offensive.

"The announcement by the Israeli government calling on the Palestinian people living in the North of Gaza to move towards the south of Gaza within 24 hours is unacceptable," the ministry said in a statement.

"Forcing the 2.5 million residents of Gaza, who have been subject to indiscriminate air strikes for days and deprived of electricity, water and food, to migrate in an extremely limited area is a flagrant violation of international law and is inhumane," the ministry added.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said earlier in the day that "cutting water, electricity and food to two million people stuck in 360 square kilometres (140 square miles) is against the most fundamental human rights".

5:35pm: Putin evokes Nazi siege of Leningrad in call for moderation in Gaza

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that an Israeli ground offensive in Gaza would lead to an "absolutely unacceptable" number of civilian casualties, calling for a mediation between Israel and Hamas.

"Various scenarios are emerging, including the possibility of military and non-military measures being taken against the Gaza Strip comparable to the siege of Leningrad during World War II," Putin told journalists on a visit to Kyrgyzstan.

"We understand what that entails. In my opinion, this is unacceptable. More than two million people live there," he added.

5:10pm: Israel denies deploying phosphorus bombs in Gaza, Lebanon

Israel on Friday denied accusations from rights groups that it had deployed the incendiary weapon white phosphorus in its war against Hamas militants in the densely populated Gaza Strip, after the Islamists' deadly attack at the weekend.

"We deny those allegations, we have not made use of white phosphorus, not in Gaza and not in Lebanon," an Israeli military spokesman said.

Citing videos as well as interviews with two people who said they witnessed the strikes, Human Rights Watch has accused Israel of using the weapons, which can cause serious burns if they hit people.

Both interviewees described air strikes before explosions in the sky that generated stark white lines streaking downwards, said the rights group, adding that they also reported a strong smell.

4:55pm: Israel's rabbinate allows Sabbath radio use for Gaza war alerts

Israel's rabbinate has made an exception to the usual rules governing the Jewish Sabbath, allowing the observant to keep a radio on for attack warnings while the Gaza war rages.

Under Jewish law, any work or activity that consumes energy such as turning on lights or a radio or driving a car is prohibited during the Jewish Sabbath, which runs from sundown on Friday to nightfall on Saturday. 

However, as Palestinian Islamist group Hamas continues to rain rockets on Israel, several radio stations have announced that they will limit their Sabbath broadcasting to security announcements for listeners. 

In light of that, Israel's Ashkenazi and Sephardi chief rabbis decided to allow the faithful to leave their radios on through the Sabbath.

4:35pm: Thousands flee north Gaza ahead of possible ground offensive

Thousands of Palestinians are fleeing to southern Gaza in search of refuge after Israel warned them to evacuate before an expected ground offensive against Hamas in retaliation for last Saturday's deadly attack.

Gaza residents travel on a cart pulled by donkeys as they flee their homes in the northern Gaza Strip on October 13, 2023. © Mahmud Hams, AFP

The call to get out came six days after Hamas gunmen burst through the heavily militarised border around the Gaza Strip and killed more than 1,300 people in neighbouring Israeli settlements – most of them civilians.

Queues of cars and trucks form along a street in Gaza City as civilians flee to the south of the enclave on October 13, 2023. © Mahmud Hams, AFP

Nearly 1,800 people in Gaza – again, most of them civilians, and including more than 580 children – have been killed in waves of missile strikes on the densely populated enclave, the health ministry said.

Palestinians flash the V for victory sign as they flee their homes in Gaza City on October 13, 2023. © Mahmud Hams, AFP

The United Nations has described the immediate movement of some 1.1 million people – nearly half of the 2.4 million in the Gaza Strip – as "impossible".

Palestinians with their belongings flee to safer areas in Gaza City on October 13, 2023. © Mohammed Abed, AFP

4:25pm: Israel shells south Lebanon after border fence blast

Israel has shelled a border region in southern Lebanon, two Lebanese security sources said, after a blast occurred on the border fence, according to the Israeli army. 

One of the security sources said the shelling followed an infiltration attempt from the Lebanese side of the border, while the Israeli army said it was responding to a blast that caused "light damage" to the border barrier.

4:10pm: ICRC says Hamas attack doesn't justify Gaza's destruction

The massive Hamas attack on Israel cannot justify the "limitless destruction" of the Gaza Strip, the Red Cross has said in a statement.

"Nothing can justify the horrific attacks Israel suffered last weekend... but those attacks cannot in turn justify the limitless destruction of Gaza," the International Committee of the Red Cross/Red Crescent said.

The organisation said it would not be able to assist more than a million people in Gaza, to whom Israel has given 24 hours to evacuate to the south of the enclave.

"With a military siege in place, humanitarian organisations including the ICRC will not be able to assist such a massive displacement of people in Gaza," the statement read. "The needs are staggering, and humanitarian organizations must be able to increase aid operations."

4:03pm: British PM condemns 'disgusting' rise in anti-Semitic incidents

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has condemned a "disgusting" rise in anti-Semitic incidents in the UK in the days following Hamas's bloody attack on Israel.

"There's been a quite frankly disgusting rise in anti-Semitic incidents over the past few days. That's not right," Sunak said, speaking to journalists at an international summit in Gotland in Sweden.

London's Metropolitan Police said there were 105 anti-Semitic incidents and 75 anti-Semitic offences between September 30 and October 13, compared to 14 incidents and 12 offences in the same period last year.

3:50pm: Germany's top diplomat visits Israel, says Hamas using civilians as 'shield'

Hamas is using Gaza residents as a "shield", the German foreign minister has said at a news conference in Israel alongside her Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen.

"Hamas is now barricading itself behind more innocent people and is using them as a shield in Gaza," Annalena Baerbock told reporters on a visit close to the border with the Gaza Strip.

"Hamas has taken the entire population of Gaza hostage," she added. "Their tunnels, their weapons depots and command centres are deliberately located in residential buildings, supermarkets and universities. Maybe even in hospitals."

3:30pm: Israeli strikes on Gaza kill at least 1,799, health ministry says

At least 1,799 people have been killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza since the start of Israel's retaliatory air strikes on Saturday, the health ministry in the blockaded Palestinian enclave has said.

The ministry reported in a statement the "martyrdom of 1,799 citizens including 583 children and 351 women", adding that more than 7,000 people have been wounded.

3:15pm: Protesters rally across Muslim world in solidarity with Gaza

In Muslim communities across the world, worshippers have gathered at mosques for their first Friday prayers since Hamas militants attacked Israel, igniting the latest bout of violent fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants.

Protesters have also staged street protests in solidarity with Gaza, where medics say over 1,500 people have died in Israeli reprisal strikes.

FRANCE 24 spoke to protesters at a rally in the Tunisian capital.

Click on video player below to watch the clip.

3:10pm: Death toll at West Bank protests rises to 9

At least nine Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire across the occupied West Bank during rallies in support for Gaza, the Palestinian health ministry has said, updating its earlier toll of five.

The ministry reported "nine martyrs by occupation (Israeli) bullets in the West Bank" and some 130 wounded across multiple locations, some critically.

At least 44 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank in violence related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since Saturday, according to the health ministry.

2:55pm: 'Massive military ramp-up' around Gaza as ground offensive looms

FRANCE 24's Luke Shrago reports from an Israeli checkpoint near the town of Sderot, a few kilometres from the Gaza Strip.

Click on video player below to watch the clip.

2:40pm: Israeli fire kills five in West Bank as Palestinians rally for Gaza

At least five Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire across the occupied West Bank during rallies in solidarity with war-battered Gaza, the Palestinian health ministry has said.

AFP correspondents and a security official reported clashes in Ramallah, Nablus, Tulkarm, Hebron and other cities and towns, with the Palestinian Red Crescent reporting dozens wounded across the West Bank, some critically.

Deaths were recorded in Tulkarm, Nablus, Beit Ula and Tammun, the health ministry said in separate statements.

2:30pm: Pentagon chief pledges 'iron-clad' backing on Israel visit

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said Hamas fighters took "evil to another level" from Islamic State (IS) group jihadists as he pledged "iron-clad" backing for Israel in its war against the Palestinian Islamists.

"In encountering ISIS I felt as if we were staring evil in the eye – it was truly evil," Austin told reporters after talks with his Israeli counterpart, using another acronym for the IS group.

"And what we've seen from Hamas, it takes that evil to another level," he added.

Austin is the second high-level US official sent by President Joe Biden to visit Israel in two days, following Secretary of State Antony Blinken. 

2:15pm: Israel supports 'safe areas' for civilians in Gaza, US official says

Israel supports setting up "safe areas" for civilians in the Gaza Strip ahead of an expected major offensive, a senior US official has told AFP.

The two sides discussed "the need to establish some safe areas where civilians could relocate, be safe from Israel's legitimate security operations", said the official, a day after talks in Tel Aviv.

1:51pm: China's Wang Yi urges resumption of peace talks in Israel conflict

China's foreign minister Wang Yi said on Friday that the right way to resolve the Israel-Palestinian conflict was to advance the "two-state solution" and resume peace talks as quickly as possible.

"The United Nations should play its due role in resolving the Palestinian issue," Wang said in a press conference after talks with EU's top diplomat Josep Borrell.

1:48pm: Russia recommends that its citizens leave Israel

Russia recommends that its citizens leave Israel on scheduled flights, the RIA news agency quoted the Russian embassy as saying on Friday.

RIA cited the embassy as saying that 12 Russian citizens were missing in connection with the Israel-Palestinian conflict and that the number of Russians killed as a result of the violence was continuing to grow, without elaborating.

1:46pm: UK PM Sunak says Israel must take every possible precaution to protect civilians

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Britain was aligned the United States' view that Israel should take precaution to protect civilians in Gaza, after the Israeli military called for more than 1 million people to relocate within 24 hours.

"I'm aligned with what the Secretary of State from the United States and the president has said that, of course, Israel should take every possible precaution to protect civilians, as they exercise their rightful ability to defend themselves," Sunak told reporters on Friday when asked about Israel's actions.

1:40pm: White House says Israel's call to move Gaza civilians 'a tall order'

Israel's call for more than 1 million civilians in northern Gaza to move within 24 hours is going to be a "tall order," White House national security spokesman John Kirby said on Friday.

"That is a lot of people to move in a very short period of time," Kirby said in an interview on MSNBC. "We understand what they're trying to do and why they're trying to do this – to try to isolate the civilian population from Hamas, which is their real target."

1:34pm: EU's Borrell says 'unrealistic' for Palestinians in Gaza to move in 24 hours

Borrell said on Friday that Israel's call for more than a million Palestinians in Gaza to relocate to the enclave's south in 24 hours was "unrealistic".

"Certainly, civilians must be warned about incoming military operations, but it is utterly unrealistic that one million people can move in 24 hours," Borrell told a press conference in Beijing following talks with China's foreign minister Wang Yi.

Palestinians with their belongings flee to safer areas in Gaza City after Israeli air strikes, on October 13, 2023. © Mohammed Abed, AFP

1:29pm: Vatican ready for 'any necessary mediation' to free hostages held by Hamas

The Vatican's priority is securing the release of hostages held by Hamas and it stands ready for "any necessary mediation", one of its most senior cardinals said on Friday.

In an interview with Vatican media, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, describes the deadly attack last Saturday by Hamas on Israeli citizens as "inhuman" but added, referring to Israel's response, that "even legitimate defence must respect the parameter of proportionality."

1:25pm: French police say nothing points to connection between school attack and Israel conflict

Nothing so far points to a potential link between the attack on a school in northern France on Friday morning and the current situation in Israel, a police official told reporters.

France's anti-terrorism prosecution office earlier said it would start an investigation after an attack at a school in the town of Arras killed at least one person.

Read moreOne dead, two severely wounded in knife attack at French school

1:20pm: Palestinian envoy pleads with Japan to maintain aid and neutrality

Palestine's mission to Japan called on Tokyo to maintain humanitarian aid to Palestinians on Friday and play a neutral role in the conflict between the Hamas militant group and Israel.

"I plead for the Japanese to continue humanitarian aid to the Palestinians," Waleed Siam, representative of the Permanent General Mission of Palestine to Japan, told a news conference in Tokyo.

"Japan is a neutral and can continue playing a neutral role between the Palestinians and Israelis. I don't think America, the United States, can play that role anymore," he said. Siam said he condemned violence on both sides of the conflict but alleged Israel was using the attacks as part of a plan to "destroy" the enclave and displace its people.

Japan, which calls for a political solution to allow Israel and a future independent Palestinian state to coexist, has provided $2.3 billion of assistance to Palestinians over the last decade, according to a foreign ministry document.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa told her Israeli counterpart on Thursday the Hamas attacks cannot be justified for any reason and that Israel had the right to defend itself and its people under international law.

1:13pm: Hezbollah says 'when time comes for any action, we will carry it out'

Hezbollah deputy chief said on Friday that the powerful Iran-backed group was "ready" and would "contribute" to confrontations against Israel according to its own plan, despite foreign powers asking them to stay on the sidelines.

Sheikh Naim Qassem said that major powers, Arab countries and the United Nations had "directly and indirectly" told Hezbollah "not to interfere" in ongoing fighting between Israel and Hamas.

11:44am: Israel army drops flyers warning Gazans to flee 'immediately'

The Israeli military on Friday dropped flyers on Gaza warning residents to flee "immediately" to the south, AFP correspondents in the Palestinian territory said.

"Evacuate your homes immediately and go south of Wadi Gaza," read flyers dropped by drones and seen by AFP.

A map featured on the flyers showed an arrow pointing south across a line in the central Gaza Strip.

11:24am: States with clout should insist on respect of law, UN says

The United Nations' human rights office on Friday called on all states, especially those with international clout, to insist on the full respect of international law in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

"We are calling for a global call, an unequivocal call from every member state in the international community, particularly those with influence, to insist upon full respect for international humanitarian law," said UN Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani.

11:21am: Gaza ground operation would lead to 'unacceptable' civilian victims, Putin says

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday said an Israeli ground operation in Gaza would result in "unacceptable" civilian losses and that the main thing was to stop the bloodshed.

Putin, speaking in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, said the conflict should be resolved by peaceful means and that Russia supports a two-state solution.

11:15am: Israel army admits Gaza evacuation will 'take time', does not confirm 24-hour deadline

Israel's military admitted Friday it would take time for Palestinians to follow its orders to evacuate north Gaza, but did not confirm a UN report that it had set a 24-hour deadline.

"We are trying to provide the time and we are doing a lot of effort, and we understand it won't take 24 hours," army spokesman Daniel Hagari told journalists.

"I will not say (if) it's an accurate time," he added, when asked to confirm the army had informed UN officials Gazans had 24 hours to flee.

11:14am: Jordan's king warns against displacing Palestinians to neighbouring countries

Jordanian King Abdullah II warned Friday in a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken against displacing Palestinians as Israel readies a major offensive in Gaza in response to Hamas attacks.

"The crisis should not be spread to neighbouring countries and exacerbate the refugee issue," the king told Blinken, according to a palace statement.

11:04am: At least 258 Israeli soldiers killed since Hamas attack, army says

At least 258 Israeli soldiers have been killed in fighting against Palestinian militants since Hamas militants attacked Israel on Saturday, the army said Friday.

"The bereaved families of 258 fallen soldiers have been formally notified," army spokesman Daniel Hagari told a press briefing, revising up an earlier toll of 169 slain troops.

10:59am: 'Impossible' to evacuate vulnerable patients from north Gaza, WHO says

The World Health Organization said Friday that the Palestinian health ministry has told them it would be impossible to move vulnerable hospital patients to the south of the Gaza Strip.

"The Palestinian Ministry of Health has informed WHO that is impossible to evacuate vulnerable hospital patients from the north of Gaza," WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic told reporters in Geneva, following Israel's call for 1.1 million residents of northern Gaza to relocate to the south of the territory within 24 hours.

10:46am: Norway condemns 'unacceptable' siege of Gaza

Norway on Friday condemned Israel's "unacceptable" siege of Gaza after the Hamas militant group's bloody attack on Israel.

"Israel is entitled to defend itself ... but it cannot use all possible means," Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt told public radio NRK.

"I condemn this siege because you have to, when they ask so many people to leave, when they don't have access to food and medicine," she added.

10:40am: Israeli embassy employee attacked in Beijing, Israel foreign ministry says

An Israeli embassy employee in Beijing was attacked on Friday, Israel's foreign ministry said.

"An Israeli employee of the Israeli embassy in Beijing was attacked today," a foreign ministry statement said, adding the victim was being treated at a hospital and was in stable condition.

10:39am: Hundreds of rockets fired from Gaza towards Israel

Hamas armed wing Al-Qassam Brigades said on Friday that it launched 150 rockets towards the city of Ashkelon in Israel "in response to the displacement and targeting of civilians".

10:33am: Iran urges US to 'control' Israel to avert regional war

The United States must rein in Israel to avert a regional spillover of the war with Hamas, Iran's top diplomat said Friday in Beirut, adding Tehran was seeking to safeguard Lebanon's security.

"If the Americans want to prevent the war in the region from developing, they must control Israel," Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said, adding, "one of the goals of our trip is to stress on Lebanon's security".

10:23am: Thousands rally in Baghdad and Tehran in support of Palestinians

Thousands of Iraqis poured onto the streets of Baghdad Friday in support of Palestinians amid Israeli air strikes on Gaza in reprisal for a deadly Hamas attack, state television said.

"No to the occupation! No to America!" chanted the demonstrators, who had gathered in Tahrir Square after Shiite leader Moqtada Sadr called for a demonstration "in support of Gaza" and against Israel, an AFP journalist reported.

Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr gather during a protest in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, in Baghdad, Iraq, October 13, 2023. © Ahmed Saad, Reuters

Meanwhile in Iran, thousands gather in the streets of Tehran in a similar demonstration of support for Palestinians. 

The demonstrators waved the flags of Iran, Palestine and Hezbollah and held banners that read "Down with America" and "Down with Israel" as they marched in the Iranian capital, an AFP journalist said.

9:46am: Iran FM meets Hezbollah head in Lebanon, local media says

Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian met the head of the powerful Tehran-backed armed group Hezbollah in Lebanon on Friday, local Lebanese media outlets reported.

Amirabdollahian, who arrived in Beirut late on Thursday, met Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah to discuss the aftermath of a deadly operation by Hamas militants against Israeli towns last weekend, Al-Mayadeen television reported.

9:38am: Hamas says 13 hostages killed in Israel strikes on Gaza

At least 13 Israeli and foreign hostages held in the northern Gaza Strip have been killed in Israeli air strikes in the past 24 hours, Hamas's armed wing said Friday.

"Thirteen prisoners... including foreigners" were killed in five locations targeted by Israeli fighter jets, the Al-Qassam Brigades said in a statement.

9:36am: Hamas rejects Israel order to evacuate north Gaza

Hamas on Friday rejected an Israeli order for 1.1 million residents to evacuate northern Gaza within 24 hours ahead of an expected ground incursion into the overcrowded Palestinian territory.

"Our Palestinian people reject the threat of the occupation (Israeli) leaders and its call for them to leave their homes and flee from them to the south or Egypt," Hamas said in a statement.

9:25am: Aid workers struggle to help Gazans amid talk of aid suspension

As Israel continues to carry out air strikes on the Gaza strip, humanitarian aid workers struggle to provide help to civilian victims.

The struggle may become even more difficult as politicians talk of suspending financial aid to Gaza over fears of bolstering Hamas.

So far, the European Union has been the greatest contributor of financial support to Palestinians with €1.2 billion earmarked for the period 2021 to 2024.

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Gaza 2023 © France 24

8:57am: Gaza death toll rises to 1,537, including 500 minors

The death toll from Israeli strikes on Gaza rose to 1,537, with 6,612 people wounded, the Gaza-based health ministry said Thursday.

Of those killed, 500 were under the age of 18, the ministry said.

8:53am: US defence secretary arrives in Israel on visit to show solidarity

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in Israel Friday for a visit aimed at showing solidarity with a country still reeling from a devastating Hamas attack that has left thousands dead.

Austin will meet with officials including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant during the visit to Israel – his third as Pentagon chief – which follows one by Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

8:21am: Israel-Lebanon cross-border strikes: Situation 'much more stable'

The situation has become much more stable in Lebanon after Hezbollah exchanged fire with Israeli forces from northern border on Tuesday and Wednesday, said FRANCE 24’s correspondent Rawad Taha, reporting from Beirut. 

No major incident has been reported since an attack Thursday claimed by Hezbollah on an Israeli military site that killed one and wounded another.

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7:42am: Turkish, Emirati foreign ministers discuss Gaza humanitarian situation

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Friday held a call with his Emirati counterpart to discuss the humanitarian situation in Gaza amid fighting between Israeli and Palestinian forces there, a Turkish foreign ministry source said.

The source provided no further details. Turkey has offered to mediate the conflict and wants to send humanitarian aid to Palestinians affected by the fighting.

Fidan will travel to Egypt on Friday for talks on regional issues.

7:07am: Blinken begins Arab tour as Israel readies Gaza move

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday began a tour of Arab capitals as he seeks to build pressure on Hamas while Israel readies a likely massive offensive on the Gaza Strip following the militants' attacks.

The top US diplomat will meet Jordan's King Abdullah II, a longtime US partner, and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in Amman and will then visit Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

Blinken spent Thursday in Tel Aviv where he promised unwavering solidarity to US ally Israel after the surprise October 7 offensive by Hamas, who killed over 1,200 people and took about 150 more hostage.

6:49am: UNRWA moves Gaza operations centre, international staff south

The United Nations Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) said it relocated its central operations centre and international staff to Gaza's south to continue its humanitarian operations and support its staff and Palestinian refugees.

"We urge the Israeli Authorities to protect all civilians in UNRWA shelters including schools," the agency said on social media platform X.

6:46am: Israel army says it has called on Gaza City residents to evacuate to south

Israel's army called Friday for all Gaza City residents to evacuate their homes and head south of the territory "for their safety".

"The IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) calls for the evacuation of all civilians of Gaza City from their homes southwards for their own safety and protection and move to the area south of the Wadi Gaza as shown on the map," the army said in a statement.

Gaza strip map © FRANCE 24

5:25am: UN urges Israel to call off northern Gaza evacuation order

The United Nations was informed that Israel had ordered 1.1 million residents of northern Gaza to relocate to the south of the territory within 24 hours, a UN spokesperson said Thursday, calling for the order to be rescinded on humanitarian grounds.

"The United Nations strongly appeals for any such order, if confirmed, to be rescinded avoiding what could transform what is already a tragedy into a calamitous situation," Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN secretary-general said.

5:00am: UN says Israeli military warns 1.1 million Gazans to relocate south

The United Nations said early on Friday it has been told by the Israeli military that some 1.1 million Palestinians in Gaza should relocate to the enclave's south within the next 24 hours.

"The United Nations considers it impossible for such a movement to take place without devastating humanitarian consequences," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement. 

Dujarric said the order by the Israeli military also applied to all UN staff and those sheltered in UN facilities, including schools, health centres and clinics.

4:50am:  Brazil calls for humanitarian corridor for Gaza residents

The president of Brazil, which holds the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council, has appealed to his Israeli counterpart for the establishment of a humanitarian corridor to enable people in the Gaza Strip to flee to Egypt, he said Thursday.

The comments by Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva add Brazil to the voices of European foreign ministers and the World Health Organization that have called for the establishment of a route to either allow people to flee the Palestinian enclave or let humanitarian aid flow in.

"I recently spoke on the phone with the President of Israel Isaac Herzog," Lula said on X, formerly Twitter. "I conveyed my call for a humanitarian corridor so that people who want to leave the Gaza Strip through Egypt can be safe."

3:38am: North Korea denies its weapons used by Hamas against Israel

North Korea denied on Friday its weapons were used by Hamas in the attack against Israel, saying the claim made in some media reports was a bid by Washington to divert the blame for the conflict from itself to a third country.

Radio Free Asia reported this week citing military experts that Hamas militants may be using North Korean weapons and said footage of Palestinian fighters showed what appeared to be a rocket launcher suspected to be from the North.

3:00am: US colleges become flashpoints for protests on both sides of Israel-Hamas war

At Columbia University on Thursday, two groups of hundreds of students tensely faced each other in duelling pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrations, while university officials blocked public access to the New York City campus as a safety measure.

Supporters of Palestinians, many of whom wore face masks to hide their identities, held signs in a grassy area near a library that read "Free Palestine" and "To Exist is to Resist".

About 100 feet (30 meters) away, students backing Israel silently held up posters with the faces of Israeli hostages taken by Hamas.

2:30am: UN calls for $294 million for 'urgent needs' in Gaza, occupied West Bank

The United Nations on Thursday issued an emergency appeal for $294 million to address "the most urgent needs" in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

The funds would be used to help more than 1.2 million people, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said, stressing that aid groups do not have "the resources required to adequately respond to the full range of needs of vulnerable Palestinians".

1:40am: More than 423,000 people displaced in Gaza, says UN

More than 423,000 people have now been forced to flee their homes in the Gaza Strip, the United Nations said, as heavy Israeli bombardments continue to hit the Palestinian enclave.

As of late Thursday, the number of displaced people in Gaza had risen by an additional 84,444 people and reached 423,378, the UN humanitarian agency OCHA said in a statement sent on Friday.

1:35am: Human Rights Watch says Israel used white phosphorous in Gaza, Lebanon

Human Rights Watch on Thursday accused Israel of using white phosphorus munitions in its military operations in Gaza and Lebanon, saying the use of such weapons puts civilians at risk of serious and long-term injury.

Asked for comment on the allegations, Israel's military said it was "currently not aware of the use of weapons containing white phosphorous in Gaza".

It did not provide comment on the rights watchdog's allegations of their use in Lebanon.

Key developments from Thursday, October 12:

An Israeli airstrike on a residential building in the densely populated Jabaliya refugee camp in Gaza on Thursday killed at least 45 people and wounded dozens more, said Gaza health authorities.

As Gazans braced for a likely ground offensive, the Israeli army said they had bombarded the besieged enclave with approximately 6,000 bombs containing 4,000 tonnes of explosives since Saturday's Hamas attack.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken landed in Tel Aviv on Thursday as part of a wider Middle East tour to display Washington's solidarity with Israel after the attack by Palestinian Hamas militants and to seek to quell the conflict.

Read yesterday’s liveblog to see how the day’s events unfolded.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)