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Abu Obeida, the spokesman for Hamas's armed wing, has been killed in an air strike in Gaza City, Israel has said, NBC reported .

Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz congratulated the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israel's security agency, Shin Bet, for the "flawless execution" in a post on X.

He gave no detail on the time or location of the operation, but the IDF earlier said its aircraft attacked "a key terrorist" in the al-Rimal neighbourhood on Saturday, prompting reports in Israeli media that Obeida had been the target.

Hamas has not confirmed his death. The Palestinian armed group earlier said dozens of civilians were killed and injured in Israeli strikes on a residential building in the district, according to BBC.

Gaza City faced heavy Israeli bombardment early Saturday as Israel advances its planned seizure of the territory’s largest area. At least 35 Palestinians, including aid seekers, were killed in attacks across Gaza since dawn, Al Jazeera reported.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees warned that the ongoing operation could displace up to one million people. Since the conflict began, over 63,000 Palestinians have died and nearly 160,000 were wounded.

Israel has intensified its military operations in Gaza City, with tanks and airstrikes flattening entire blocks, according to Al Jazeera correspondent Tareq Abu Azzoum. At least 64 Palestinians were killed in attacks across Gaza on Tuesday, including five at a local market.

The Palestinian Authority condemned the escalation, following an Israeli raid in Ramallah that injured dozens in the occupied West Bank.

Since the conflict began, Israeli strikes have killed over 62,800 Palestinians and wounded more than 158,600. In Israel, at least 1,139 people were killed and over 200 taken captive during the October 7 attacks led by Hamas, Al Jazeera reported.

Qatar said Israel has yet to respond to a ceasefire proposal accepted by Hamas earlier this month, raising doubts over its willingness to end the war in Gaza. According to Al Jazeera, the plan calls for a 60-day halt to Israeli operations, partial troop withdrawal, humanitarian aid entry, and a prisoner exchange.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said mediators Egypt and Qatar are awaiting an official reply, while Israel continues military action. He urged the international community to press Israel to engage, warning that Gaza faces worsening destruction and displacement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered fresh negotiations for the release of all hostages while approving plans for a major assault on Gaza City, BBC reported.

He rejected a Hamas-backed ceasefire proposal that offered only a partial hostage release, insisting Israel will accept a deal only if all captives are freed and Hamas is disarmed.

The Israeli military has begun preparations for a ground offensive, warning Gaza City’s one million residents to evacuate south. Heavy bombardment continued on Thursday as aid groups vowed to stay and support those unable to flee.

The war, sparked by Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack, has killed about 1,200 people in Israel and over 62,000 in Gaza, according to BBC.

The UK and 26 other countries have urged Israel to allow foreign journalists independent entry into Gaza, condemning restrictions on press freedom and attacks on reporters, BBC reported.

Since the war began in 2023, at least 192 journalists, mostly Palestinian, have been killed — the deadliest conflict for the press on record. Recent strikes killed six reporters, including four from Al Jazeera. Israel claimed one had Hamas ties but offered no evidence.

With international media barred, local journalists continue reporting under air strikes and food shortages. Aid groups warn of mass starvation as Israel advances a ground offensive in Gaza City. The UN cites Gaza’s health ministry figures showing more than 62,000 killed since the conflict began, according to BBC.

The Israeli military continued heavy bombardments on Gaza City as Prime Minister Netanyahu prepares to meet ministers on plans to seize the city. Israel has mobilized 60,000 reservists, though most may not see combat, and the military strategy remains unfinalized, Reuters reported.

Hamas has accepted a proposed 60-day ceasefire involving limited hostage and prisoner exchanges, but Israel insists all 50 hostages be released immediately.

According to Reuters, thousands of Palestinians are fleeing shelling in Sabra and Tuffah neighborhoods. Gaza’s health ministry reports two more deaths from starvation, raising the toll to 271, including 112 children, though Israel disputes these figures.

The Israeli military has begun preliminary operations around Gaza City ahead of a planned ground offensive, with troops holding the outskirts of the city. Defence Minister Israel Katz approved the operation, and 60,000 reservists are being called up to support it, BBC reported.

IDF forces are targeting Hamas infrastructure while warning civilians to evacuate. Hamas accused Israel of obstructing ceasefire efforts, while mediators Qatar and Egypt have proposed a 60-day truce and partial hostage release, which Israel has rejected.

The International Committee of the Red Cross warned that further military action could worsen Gaza’s humanitarian crisis and endanger hostages. Since October 2023, over 62,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to BBC.

Nine countries, including Jordan, the UAE, and Germany, airdropped 161 food packages over Gaza on Sunday, delivering about 106 tonnes of aid, the Israeli military said. Israel coordinated the operation under political directives, denying accusations of deliberate starvation, according to Xinhua.

Aid groups say the drops are insufficient, urging more aid and support for Gaza’s damaged health system. Health authorities reported seven recent deaths from hunger, including two children, raising the famine toll to 258, with 110 children among them.

Hundreds of thousands rallied across Israel on Sunday, with the largest crowd in Tel Aviv’s “Hostages Square,” urging the government to end the Gaza war and secure the release of captives. A nationwide strike disrupted roads, offices, and universities, with nearly 40 arrests, BBC reported.

Families of hostages accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of prolonging a “pointless war,” while Netanyahu and far-right ministers condemned the protests as aiding Hamas.

The demonstrations came after Israel’s decision to occupy Gaza City, condemned by the UN. Heavy bombardment in Gaza’s Zeitoun area forced thousands to flee, with at least 40 Palestinians killed Saturday. The UN says 1.9m Gazans face displacement and worsening malnutrition.

Since Hamas’s October 7 attack that killed 1,200 in Israel, more than 61,000 Palestinians have died in the conflict, according to BBC.

Thirty-one Arab and Islamic countries, backed by the Arab League, OIC and GCC, have condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s call for a “Greater Israel”, Xinhua reported.

In a joint statement, they said his remarks violate international law and threaten regional peace. They also denounced far-right minister Bezalel Smotrich’s approval of new settlements in the sensitive “E1” area and his rejection of a Palestinian state.

The groups warned against annexation and displacement of Palestinians, urged an immediate Gaza ceasefire, and demanded unhindered humanitarian access, according to Xinhua.

Israel is now pursuing a comprehensive deal to release all hostages held by Hamas, moving away from earlier plans for a partial release and temporary truce. Hamas leaders are in Cairo for preliminary talks with Egyptian mediators, who see a limited window to advance a deal, BBC reported.

Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes continue across Gaza, hitting Gaza City and surrounding areas. The Hamas-run health ministry reports at least 123 deaths in the past day, including children. Israel has begun new operations in Zaytoun, with military plans approved for the wider Gaza offensive.

Netanyahu insists the war will end only when all hostages are returned and Hamas surrenders, while Hamas demands a full Israeli withdrawal, prisoner exchanges, and refuses to disarm without a Palestinian state.

Humanitarian conditions in Gaza are dire, with UN agencies warning of widespread famine and malnutrition amid ongoing strikes, according to BBC.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and other UN agencies have warned that over 100 children in Gaza have died from malnutrition since October 2023. More than 300,000 children remain at severe risk amid worsening food shortages, according to Xinhua.

The World Food Program says Gaza needs over 62,000 tons of food monthly, but aid and fuel deliveries are far below demand. Fuel shortages have left over half of ambulances out of service, while most farmland is damaged or inaccessible.

OCHA’s director called the situation “beyond horrific.” Recently, six journalists were killed in an Israeli strike, raising journalist deaths to over 240. The UN calls for urgent protection of civilians and uninterrupted humanitarian aid, Xinhua reported.

Israel plans to seize Gaza City and forcibly relocate nearly a million Palestinians to southern areas, but many residents are refusing to leave.

The UN, several European countries, and China have condemned Israel’s military occupation plans. Gaza’s Health Ministry reports 11 people have died of starvation in the past day, raising hunger-related deaths to 212. Since the conflict began, at least 61,369 Palestinians have been killed and 152,850 wounded, Al Jazeera reported.

Germany has halted arms exports to Israel in response to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and growing public pressure. Chancellor Friedrich Merz, once a firm Israel ally, said the military campaign is unlikely to meet its goals against Hamas or secure hostages, Reuters reported.

This marks a rare shift in Germany’s long-standing support rooted in Holocaust responsibility, as public opinion turns critical of Israel’s actions. While Germany continues humanitarian aid to Gaza, calls for tougher measures, including sanctions, are rising within the government.

Despite tensions, Germany remains Israel’s second-largest arms supplier, highlighting the complexity of balancing moral concerns with strategic ties, according to Reuters.

Israel has rejected international condemnation after approving a plan to take full control of Gaza City. Defence Minister Israel Katz said threats of sanctions would not deter the country’s resolve, calling Israel a “strong, united fist”, BBC reported.

The plan aims to disarm Hamas, free hostages, demilitarize Gaza, and establish a new civil administration. Israeli forces would first secure Gaza City, relocating about one million residents south, followed by further operations.

The move drew criticism from the UN, several countries, and humanitarian groups, warning it would worsen Gaza’s suffering and risk civilian lives. Families of hostages in Israel also expressed deep concern.

The US showed less opposition, with President Trump saying Israel can decide its actions. The conflict, triggered by Hamas’s October attack, has caused heavy casualties and a worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, according to BBC.