Live Updates: Only hospital in central Gaza to run out of fuel in 48 hours

13:03 GMT — The Gaza government warned that al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah city in central Gaza would run out of fuel within 48 hours, threatening to halt health services and spark a humanitarian crisis following Israel's sixth day of closing border crossings into the besieged enclave.

“The administration of al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the central governorate announced that fuel is about to run out within the next 48 hours, thus halting health and medical services,” the Gaza media office said in a statement.

It added that “the cessation of fuel supply to the last hospital providing health services in the Gaza Strip comes after the destruction of the health sector and the medical system by the occupation (Israel), and the closure of 33 hospitals from service completely.”

The office held Israel, the US, and all relevant parties fully responsible “for any catastrophe or real crisis that may occur at any moment due to the depletion of fuel at al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.”

It cautioned that "this crisis may result in deaths of patients and children, especially patients and wounded individuals admitted to intensive care units and nurseries."

12:48 GMT — Rafah offensive would lead to 'humanitarian disaster': UN chief

An Israeli ground attack in Gaza's Rafah would lead to an "epic humanitarian disaster", UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned after negotiators left truce talks in Cairo without a deal.

"A massive ground attack in Rafah would lead to (an) epic humanitarian disaster and pull the plug on our efforts to support people as famine looms," Guterres said during a visit to Nairobi, adding that the situation in the southern Gaza city was "on a knife's edge".

"We are actively engaged with all involved for the resumption of the entry of life-saving supplies — including desperately needed fuel — through Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings," he said, reiterating his calls for a ceasefire.

12:17 GMT — Israel reports detecting 3 missiles launched from Lebanon

Israel reported the detection of three anti-tank missiles launched from Lebanon toward the Upper Galilee area, according to local media.

The private Israeli Channel 12 reported that three anti-tank missiles were fired at Misgav Am in the Upper Galilee near the southern Lebanese border.

One of the missiles hit a building while the other two caused fires in the area, it added.

11:32 GMT — EU slams attack on UNRWA headquarters in East Jerusalem by Israeli extremists

The EU slammed the attack on the headquarters of UNRWA in occupied East Jerusalem by a group of Israeli extremists.

“The EU strongly condemns the attack against the UNRWA premises in East Jerusalem. Perpetrators must be held to account,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on X.

Stressing that Israel has a responsibility to ensure the safety of humanitarian workers, he said: “UNRWA is an irreplaceable lifeline to millions in Gaza and the region.”

11:07 GMT — Unavailability of fuel to halt humanitarian, communication, banking activities in Gaza within days: UN humanitarian office

The UN humanitarian office warned that if the supply of fuel does not resume immediately it will affect all life-critical sectors in Gaza.

"Humanitarian operations cannot run without fuel. Unless the supply of fuel resumes immediately, humanitarian, communication, and banking activities will halt within days," Georgios Petropoulos, the head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) sub-office in Gaza, told a UN briefing in Geneva.

"Protection of civilians, humanitarian assets and supplies with assurance from all parties to the conflict remain a major concern," Petropoulos added.

The current availability of fuel will enable communication service providers to continue operating for another 24 hours, after which network disruptions will commence, he stressed.

10:50 GMT — Qassam Brigades say they ambushed Israeli forces in southern Gaza

The Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Palestinian resistance group Hamas, said Friday that they ambushed Israeli forces in the Saad Sayel barracks site, eastern Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

In a statement, the Qassam Brigades said its fighters “ambushed a Zionist force after detonating a pre-prepared minefield inside the Saad Sayel barracks site east of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.”

It also said its fighters “executed a military operation near Al-Dawa Mosque, located east of Rafah.”

The operation involved targeting “a building housing several Israeli soldiers with a TBG shell, striking a troop carrier beneath the building with a Yassin 105 shell, and deploying an anti-personnel shell along with a full strike against a group of Israeli soldiers positioned near a tanker.”

10:19 GMT — Germany condemns 'escalation of violent protest' against UNRWA in east Jerusalem

Germany condemned the "escalation of violent protest" against the UN agency for Palestinian refugees in east Jerusalem after the agency temporarily closed its headquarters there following repeated attacks.

"Israel must ensure the protection of UN facilities and personnel in the occupied Palestinian territories," the German foreign ministry said on X, formerly Twitter. "The UN need to be able to serve their important mandate in Gaza, the West Bank and east Jerusalem."

09:57 GMT — Mossad openly admitted for 1st time 'surprised' by Hamas attack on October 7

Israeli intelligence agency Mossad has openly admitted for the first time that it was surprised by the attack carried out by Palestinian resistance group Hamas on October 7 of last year.

“Israel's Mossad intelligence agency has admitted for the first time that it was surprised by the events of October 7, 2023,” Israeli security expert Yossi Melman wrote in Haaretz on Friday.

According to Melman, Mossad prepared a document for the new edition of the Israel Intelligence Heritage and Commemoration Center’s bulletin detailing the agency's activities during the war in Gaza.

"The Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations (Mossad, or in its official English name – Israeli secret intelligence service) was also surprised on the morning of the holiday of Simchat Torah (October 7) by the code red alert sirens that pierced the sky,” reads the document, according to Haaretz.

08:56 GMT — Another Hezbollah fighter killed in border clashes with Israel

One more Hezbollah fighter was killed in clashes with Israeli forces near the border with Lebanon, the Lebanese group said.

The group identified the slain fighter as Hassan Krayyim from the town of Deir Siriane, “who was martyred on the road to Jerusalem due to his injuries.”

The new fatalities brought to 294 Hezbollah fighters killed in clashes with Israeli forces since October 8, 2023, according to an Anadolu tally based on statements released by the group.

In the past few hours, the intensity of the mutual shelling between the group and Israel has increased. The latter claimed to have attacked more than 20 targets in a Lebanese area within minutes, while Israeli media reported that the party launched dozens of rockets and drones on the western Galilee.

08:02 GMT — Israeli extremists torch part of UN compound in Jerusalem

The main United Nations aid agency for Palestinians closed its headquarters in East Jerusalem after local Israeli extremists set fire to areas at the edge of the sprawling compound, the agency said.

Philippe Lazzarini, the head of UNWRA, said in a post on the social media platform X that he had decided to close the compound until proper security was restored. He said Thursday's incident was the second in less than a week.

"This is an outrageous development. Once again, the lives of UN staff were at a serious risk," he said.

"It is the responsibility of the State of Israel as an occupying power to ensure that United Nations personnel and facilities are protected at all times," he said.

08:00 GMT — Nearly 110,000 fled Rafah to areas with appalling conditions

UNRWA said that around 110,000 people have fled Rafah for safety.

“As Israeli Forces bombardment intensifies in Rafah, forced displacement continues,” UNRWA stated on X.

“Nowhere is safe in Gaza and living conditions are atrocious,” it said, adding, “The only hope is an immediate ceasefire.”

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) ordered Palestinians to move towards an "expanded humanitarian area" extending from nearby al-Mawasi to Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah. They claimed there would be field hospitals, tents, and extra aid supplies available.

However, Palestinians and UN officials stated that these areas were densely populated, lacked essential services, and were devastated by recent conflict.

On Monday, Israeli forces issued evacuation orders for Palestinians in eastern Rafah, a move widely seen as a prelude to Israel's long-feared attack on the city, home to some 1.5 million displaced Palestinians.

A day later, Israeli forces special control of the Rafah border crossing, which connects Gaza and Egypt, closing it to all traffic.

07:50 GMT — Hamas condemns abuse of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails

The Palestinian resistance group Hamas denounced the mistreatment of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

Hamas said In a statement, “The escalation of the Zionist prison administration's aggressive and criminal policies against our brave prisoners will not weaken their resolve.”

“The Palestinian people will not let their prisoners fall victim to the barbarism of this Nazi occupation,” said Hamas.

The statement highlighted "testimonies documenting the abuse and torture that the prisoner, Commander Ibrahim Hamed, and his fellow prisoners are subjected to, in addition to the isolation and oppression affecting prisoner movement leaders, which led to the killing of a number of prisoners."

07:30 GMT — Two key border crossings into Gaza are still closed, with no aid entering the enclave, local authorities said.

The statement by the Gaza-based General Authority for Crossings and Borders came in response to statements from the US State Department on the opening of crossings and entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

The statement confirmed that the crossings are still closed and under Israeli control since the Israeli army invaded Rafah, took over the Rafah crossing and closed the Kerem Shalom crossing.

The army claimed earlier to have reopened the Kerem Shalom crossing after closing it on Sunday to deliver aid to Gaza upon a request from US President Joe Biden but the crossings authority denied the claims.

06:17 GMT — Egypt says Hamas, Israel must show 'flexibility' to seal Gaza truce deal

Egypt has said Hamas and Israel must show "flexibility" if they are to strike a deal for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange in the seven-month war on Gaza, according to a foreign ministry statement.

The readout of a phone call between Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said both diplomats agreed on "the importance of urging the parties to show flexibility and make all the necessary efforts to achieve a ceasefire agreement and put an end to the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza".

06:05 GMT — Hamas says 'ball is completely' in Israel's hands in truce talks

Palestinian resistance group Hamas has announced that its delegation attending Gaza ceasefire negotiations in Cairo had left the city for Qatar, adding the "ball is now completely" in Israel's hands.

"The negotiating delegation left Cairo heading to Doha. In practice, the occupation [Israel] rejected the proposal submitted by the mediators and raised objections to it on several central issues," the group said in a statement, adding it stood by the proposal.

"Accordingly, the ball is now completely in the hands of the occupation."

05:30 GMT — US opposes forcing Palestinians from Gaza, Blinken tells Egypt

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has told his Egyptian counterpart that the United States opposes exodus of Palestinians from Gaza, after Israel seized the fence crossing at Rafah.

In a telephone call with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, Blinken reaffirmed President Joe Biden's "clear position that the United States does not support a major military operation in Rafah and the United States' rejection of any forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said.

Blinken "also expressed the United States' support for the reopening of Rafah crossing and the continued flow of urgently needed humanitarian assistance," Miller said.

05:10GMT — UNRWA shuts E. Jerusalem HQ after arson by 'Israeli extremists'

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees has said it is temporarily shuttering its headquarters in occupied East Jerusalem after "Israeli extremists" set fire to the perimetre following weeks of repeated attacks.

"This evening, Israeli residents set fire twice to the perimeter of the UNRWA headquarters in occupied east Jerusalem," agency chief Philippe Lazzarini said on X, formerly Twitter, lamenting that it was the second attack on the compound in a matter of days.

He described how "a crowd accompanied by armed men were witnessed outside the compound chanting 'Burn down the United Nations'."

UNRWA and staff from other UN agencies at the time were on the compound, which has on its grounds petrol and diesel stations for a fleet of UN cars.