Israel-Palestine live: Israel and Palestinians agree to truce, hostage deal

Restrictions on communications, like those imposed by Israel in the Gaza Strip, could be used to cover up atrocities, Human Rights Watch has warned.

In a statement on Wednesday, the organisation said the besieged Palestinian territory is facing an imminent communications blackout due to fuel shortages caused by Israel's ongoing assault and blockade.  

A total blackout will further compound the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the NGO added. 

"Intentional, blanket shutdowns or restrictions on access to the internet violate multiple rights and can be deadly during crises,” said Deborah Brown, a senior technology researcher at Human Rights Watch. 

“Prolonged and complete communications blackouts, like those experienced in Gaza, can provide cover for atrocities and breed impunity while further undermining humanitarian efforts and putting lives at risk.”

HRW urged Israel to end its blockade, allow fuel into Gaza and "refrain from deliberately shutting down or destroying telecommunications systems that cause disproportionate harm to civilians". 

 South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) party said on Thursday that it would support a parliamentary motion calling for the Israeli embassy in South Africa to be closed.

The opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) will propose the motion later on Thursday, also calling for the suspension of all diplomatic relations with Israel in solidarity with the Palestinians.

"The African National Congress will agree to a parliamentary motion which calls upon the government to close the Israel Embassy in South Africa and suspend all diplomatic relations with Israel until Israel agrees to a ceasefire," the ANC said in a statement.
 

The Israeli air force dropped leaflets overnight in eastern areas of Khan Younis in the south of the Gaza Strip, telling people to leave their homes and shelters “for their own safety”, suggesting an imminent military operation in the area. 

This is not the first time such leaflets have been dropped in Gaza. In the first weeks of the war, Israeli drones dropped leaflets on north Gaza, telling people to transfer to the south, with no guarantee of their return. 
 

Israeli forces have carried out a widespread arrest campaign in the occupied West Bank on Thursday, according to the Ramallah-based Commission of Detainees Affairs and Wafa news agency.

At least 85 citizens in the occupied West Bank were detained, taking the number of detentions from the start of the war on 7 October to 2,735. 

Local media also reported Israeli raids taking place in al-Mughayyir, east of Ramallah. 
 

The United Nations' human rights chief said on Thursday that outbreaks of disease and hunger seemed "inevitable" in Gaza after weeks of Israeli assault on the densely populated enclave.

"Massive outbreaks of infectious disease, and hunger, seem inevitable," Volker Turk said at an informal briefing to states at the UN in Geneva, following a visit to the Middle East.

All of the bakeries in Gaza are now out of service, after being bombed by Israeli air strikes. 
 

At least nine Palestinians have been killed early on Thursday by Israeli bombing on central Gaza, according to Wafa news agency.

Dozens of others were wounded in the air strikes which targeted a petrol station in central Gaza and a mosque in Khan Younis, where many people were sheltering.

Meanwhile, eyewitnesses at al-Shifa Hospital said that Israeli forces have placed facial recognition cameras and electronic gates in the courtyard of the medical complex.

Palestinian sources also told the news agency that Israeli bulldozers broke through the southern gates, destroying it. 
 

Mohammed Zakkout, the general director of hospitals in the Gaza Strip, said on Thursday that there is a “near total communication blackout” in al-Shifa Hospital now, with those trapped inside unable to communicate to others. 

The communication blackout comes as Israel continues its military raid on the hospital, which has now been ongoing for over 24 hours. 

“The Israeli army is firing live ammunition at anyone who tries to leave the hospital,” he told Al Jazeera Arabic on a live phone call. 

He also added that they have requested for all wounded patients to be transferred to Egypt due to the number of collapsed hospitals in Gaza.
 

Iceland's prime minister said she is "horrified" by the ongoing killings of civilians in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, and demanded a ceasefire.

"I‘m horrified by the ongoing civilian deaths in Gaza. Iceland condemns all violations of international humanitarian law," Katrin Jakobsdottir wrote on X.

"Nothing can take priority over the duty to provide medical services to people in need. Iceland supports calls for humanitarian ceasefire," she added. 
 

Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry said it “strongly condemns” the Israeli forces’ storming of al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza and the bombing of the vicinity of other hospitals. 

The statement, published on social media platform X, read: “The Kingdom stresses the need to activate international accountability mechanisms regarding these ongoing violations and brutal and inhumane practices by the Israeli occupation forces, against children, women, civilians, health facilities and relief teams.”

Three Palestinians have been killed in a suspected shooting in Jerusalem on Thursday, according to Al Jazeera Arabic. 

Israeli media also reported that five Israelis were wounded, with one being described as being in critical condition, according to the Emergency Medical Services.

The shooting took place at a checkpoint between Bethlehem and Jerusalem.

Israel's former Public Diplomacy Minister and current Likud Israeli parliament member, Galit Distal Atbaryan, said on Wednesday that she is "enraged with Netanyahu" and that this rage "burns her from the inside."

"This government's days are numbered," she said over text conversation with a social activist, according to Israeli media. 
 

Israeli army forces have heavily damaged the specialised surgery building at Gaza’s al-Shifa Hospital, according to reports in Al Jazeera English.

The Israeli army yesterday also blew up a medicine store room and destroyed medical equipment during the ongoing raid. 

Around 200 people have been blindfolded, interrogated and taken to unknown areas at al-Shifa. 

Some people have been stripped naked and forced into the hospital courtyard before they were interrogated. 

The Israeli military said it bombed the home of Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas. 

"The 215th fire brigade in the 162nd division attacked tonight with fighter jets the house of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the political bureau of the terrorist organisation Hamas," the Israeli military said on social media platform X, saying the home was used for "terrorist infrastructure" and senior level Hamas meetings. 

The military released video footage showing missiles being fired at what appeared to be a large residential home. 

Haniyeh is based mainly Qatar along with other members of Hamas' political leadership. The strike comes as Israel and Hamas are negotiating a hostage deal brokered by Qatar. 

At least nine people were killed and dozens injured by an Israeli strike on a gas station in central Gaza where displaced people were sheltering, according to Arabic media.

A video reportedly from the site showed rescue workers searching for survivors in the dark and the road littered with debris.

There were also reports of Israeli aircraft conducting bombings in the northern Gaza Strip over the night.

The Israeli military announced that two soldiers were killed fighting in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, bringing the death toll since Israel launched its ground invasion to 50.

The military said Captain Asaf Master, 22, a platoon commander in the 401st Brigade’s 601 Battalion and Captain Kfir Itzhak Franco, 22, a platoon commander in the 401st Brigade’s 52nd Battalion were killed.

The military said two soldiers were seriously injured in Gaza.