Israel-Hamas war HIGHLIGHTS: Israeli shelling along Lebanon border kills one journalist, leaves 6 injured

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

The World Health Organization says the forced evacuation of severely ill or badly injured people from hospitals in northern Gaza would amount to a “death sentence” for some.

"Visited 24*7 MEA control room set up in New Delhi as part of #OperationAjay. We continue to monitor the situation and provide necessary information & assistance. The government is always committed to the safety of Indians abroad," tweets MoS MEA V Muraleedharan.

Warnings from Israel's military that more than 1.1 million civilians in northern Gaza should evacuate "southwards" in the next 24 hours are a "tall order," CNN quoted National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications John Kirby as saying, while avoiding criticism of the Israeli Defense Forces.

Blinken “underscored that Hamas does not stand for the Palestinian people’s right to dignity and self-determination and discussed ways to address the humanitarian needs of civilians in Gaza while Israel conducts legitimate security operations to defend itself from terrorism,” the Times of Israel reported citing a statement.

Canada is providing an initial $10 million for humanitarian assistance to address the urgent needs related to “the crisis in Israel, West Bank and the Gaza Strip,” Canada's International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen announced on Thursday, CNN reported. 

Israel-Hamas conflict | US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin says, "The US will make sure Israel has what it needs to defend itself. Israel has a right to protect its people... Democracies like ours are stronger and more secure when we uphold the laws of war. Terrorists like Hamas deliberately target civilians. But democracies do not. This is a time for resolve, not revenge. For purpose, not panic. Security, not surrender..."

Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu meets with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin in Tel Aviv.  

PM Netanyahu: "Hamas is ISIS....Hamas is worse than ISIS...Just as the whole civilised world united to fight ISIS, the world has to unite to help us fight Hamas. I know that you stand with us."

Israel-Hamas conflict | US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin says, "In times like these, sometimes the best thing that a friend can do is just to show up and to get to work. Now, this is no time for neutrality, for false equivalence or for excuses for the inexcusable. There is never any justification for terrorism, and that's especially true after this rampage by Hamas anyone who wants lasting peace and security for this region must condemn Hamas..." 

Israel-Hamas conflict | Minister of Defense of Israel Yoav Gallant says, "When you (US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin ) said that you stand with Israel, you showed up. You stand here with us. You have shown us what it means to be an ally, to be a friend, to be a brother... I briefed the secretary on strategic developments in our region and the chief of staff together with the IDF leadership, shared our foreign power operations. The first corporation and US support in the Pentagon, in the White House, in the Congress and freedom of operation and enforce our capabilities. In fact, today we will receive the second aircraft carrying essential union with the idea... This is a war on freedom and values, and we are on the front line. We will keep fighting and we will win this war."

Israel-Hamas conflict | US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin says, "...I extend my deepest condolences to the Israeli people, for those wounded & killed in this war by Hamas. I am also here in solidarity with all the families still living the waking nightmare of not knowing the fate of their loved ones. We will continue to coordinate closely with Israel to help secure the release of innocent men, women and children in the clutches of Hamas, including American citizens. Now, Israel is a small country, a place where everybody knows everybody. And in times of trial, the intimacy of your society deepens the intimacy of your grief. But that's not a weakness..." 

Israel-Hamas conflict | US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin met with Minister of Defense of Israel Yoav Gallant

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNWRA) warned Friday of the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, after Israel's order for people in the north of the enclave to evacuate south, CNN reported.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said an Israeli “ground operation” into Gaza would be problematic because of the risks of using heavy military equipment in civilian areas, CNN reported.

Fresh rocket sirens are heard in Ashkelon, which has been targeted several times in the last two hours, reported the Times of Israel.

Hamas launched rockets towards Ben Gurion International Airport and the southern Israeli city of Sderot, CNN reported.

Tens of thousands of Muslims demonstrated Friday across the Middle East in support of the Palestinians and to protest against the Israeli airstrikes pounding the Gaza Strip, underscoring the risk of a wider regional conflict erupting as Israel prepares for a possible ground invasion there, reported the Associated Press.

In Muslim communities across the world, worshippers gathered at mosques for their first Friday prayers since Hamas militants attacked Israel, igniting the latest Israel-Palestinian war, reports the Associated Press.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Jordan, BBC reported.

"The Air Force destroyed dozens of positions for launching hostile aircraft (as UAVs) that were built on the roofs of civilian houses in the Gaza Strip. Aircraft of the Air Force, with the help of aerial intelligence, attacked dozens of emergency positions of the terrorist organization Hamas to launch hostile drones, which were built inside and on the roofs of the houses of the residents of the Gaza Strip," said the Israeli Air Force on X.

"The Flotilla 13 elite unit was deployed to the area surrounding the Gaza security fence in a joint effort to regain control of the Sufa military post on October 7th. The soldiers rescued around 250 hostages alive. 60+ Hamas terrorists were neutralized and 26 were apprehended—including Muhammad Abu A'ali the Deputy Commander of the Hamas southern Naval Division," said the Israel Defence Forces on X.

Iran’s foreign minister says the aim of his visit to Beirut is to preserve security in Lebanon amid regional tensions. Hossein Amirabdollahian called in comments after meeting caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati in Beirut for leaders of the region to hold a meeting in order to discuss the situation, the Associated Press reported.

Confrontations across the West Bank continued into late Thursday night, with Palestinian health officials reporting three Palestinians had been killed overnight. That brings the total number of Palestinians killed in the West Bank up to 35 in the seven days since the start of the latest Israel-Hamas war, with 650 Palestinians wounded in that time, AP reported.

Germany’s foreign minister is heading to Israel on a visit meant to show her country’s solidarity. During the visit on Friday, Annalena Baerbock is expected to discuss how Germany can support Israel, as well as the fate of hostages taken by Hamas the previous weekend — among them several German-Israeli dual citizens, reported the Associated Press.

The British Foreign Office updated its travel guidance on Friday, telling its citizens in Gaza to follow the advice from Israeli authorities to relocate south, reported CNN.

An employee at the Israeli Embassy in Beijing was attacked on Friday, with the background of the attack unclear as of yet, according to the Foreign Ministry. The employee was transferred to the hospital in stable condition, reported the Jerusalem Post.

The United Nations opened an appeal Friday for $294 million that it says it needs to aid and protect 1.2 million Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank, reported the Associated Press.

Hamas says Israel's heavy bombardment of the Gaza Strip has killed 13 hostages, including foreigners, held by the group, reports the Associated Press.

Egypt has taken “unprecedented measures” to prevent a breach to its borders with Gaza, a senior Egyptian security official said Friday, calling Israel’s potential ground invasion of the territory a “grave mistake", reported the Associated Press.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived Friday in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv to meet with senior government leaders and see firsthand some of the U.S. weapons and security assistance that Washington rapidly delivered to Israel in the first week of its war with the militant Hamas group, reported the Associated Press.

Hamas on Friday told Palestinians living in Gaza not to leave their homes, CNN reported citing a statement sent to media organizations. The armed group, which governs the territory, accused Israel of engaging in “psychological warfare” by sending messages that told Palestinian civilians and employees of international organizations to evacuate to the south.

Half an hour after a massive evacuation order was called in Gaza, veteran Egyptian politician Mustafa Bakri accused Israel of trying to drive Palestinians into Egypt, reported the Associated Press.

"The IAF struck 750 military targets overnight, including underground Hamas terror tunnels, military compounds and posts, residences of senior terrorist operatives used as military command centers, weapons storage warehouses, comms rooms and targeted senior terrorist operatives," said the Israeli Air Force on X.

The number of people forced from their homes by the airstrikes soared 25% in a day, reaching 423,000 out of a population of 2.3 million, the United Nations said Thursday. Most crowded into U.N.-run schools, reported the Associated Press.

Chants of 'Vande Matram' and 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' by passengers on the first flight carrying 212 Indian nationals from Israel. The flight landed at Delhi airport earlier today. 

On the Israel-Palestine conflict, IDF Spokesperson Jonathan Conricus says "Unfortunately the number of Israeli casualties has risen again to 1,300 Israeli civilians and soldiers & more than 3000 wounded...We have never, ever in our history been forced to deal with such a situation and it is ongoing. It will take days and as we match and identify more and more of the Israeli bodies that are uncovered in the communities...Our aim is to take all of Hamas's military abilities and strip them away at the end of this war. Our intention is that Hamas will no longer have any ability to strike, harm or kill Israeli civilians. That is the purpose of what we are doing now inside the Gaza Strip. That is why the Israeli Air Force has been delivering significant amounts of bombs on the Gaza Strip and that is what we will continue to do as this war unfolds..."

Israel’s military on Friday directed the evacuation of northern Gaza, a region that is home to 1.1 million people — about half of the territory’s population — within 24 hours, a UN spokesman said.