Live: Hamas agrees to release 10 Israeli captives

Even after 20 months of siege, displacement, and mass killing, Palestinians in Gaza continue to assert their will to remain - as Israel escalates its genocidal campaign by attacking aid distribution sites and massacring starving civilians who refuse to leave.

Meanwhile, Iranian retaliation against Israel's recent aggression has triggered yet another exodus of Israeli Jews from the settler colony. 

Israeli citizens, dual citizens, and tourists have been desperate to flee the country on so-called "escape flotillas" and "rescue flights", as conditions have become even more unlivable in the last two years than they had been before 7 October 2023.

With "large numbers of Israeli citizens" desperate to escape, the Israeli government has issued a decision effectively barring them from leaving. 

Despite the return of those who were stranded abroad during the latest war, the current flight of Israeli Jews continues a broader trend in recent years to leave the country. 

Read more:  As Palestinians are massacred for staying, Israelis are desperate to flee

Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has cautioned against a visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying Berlin must not risk undermining international law in light of the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

“We, in particular, should make the international legal order part of our own identity,” Steinmeier said in an interview set to air Sunday on Deutschlandfunk radio, according to a transcript obtained by German news agency DPA.

He suggested it would be wise to avoid a scenario where Germany might be compelled to detain an Israeli leader under ICC obligations.

His remarks follow a controversial statement by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who said Germany would not recognise the ICC’s warrant against Netanyahu.

The ICC issued arrest warrants last November for both Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity over Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza.

Thousands of Israelis gathered in central Tel Aviv on Saturday, calling for the release of the remaining hostages held in Gaza.

The protest marked the first major demonstration since the ceasefire between Israel and Iran took effect on 24 June. Authorities had banned public gatherings during the 12-day flare-up, which began in the occupied West Bank, citing security concerns.

Crowds packed what has become known as “Hostages Square,” waving Israeli flags and displaying photos of captives still still held in Gaza.

“I now hope for an end to the war in Gaza, because nothing more can happen there,” said 80-year-old protester Dany Falk, speaking to AFP.

Hospitals across Gaza report that Israeli air strikes have killed at least 60 people since the early hours of Saturday, reported Al Jazeera.

One of the deadliest attacks took place in the Tuffah neighbourhood of Gaza City, where an Israeli strike levelled a residential building, killing at least 20 people—including nine children.

Medical teams say the death toll could rise further as bodies continue to be pulled from the rubble.

Channel 4 will broadcast Gaza: Doctors Under Attack, a documentary laying out damning allegations that Israeli forces systematically targeted Gaza's hospitals and medical staff throughout their military campaign—allegations which would amount to grave breaches of international law.

"This is a meticulously reported and important film examining evidence which supports allegations of grave breaches of international law by Israeli forces," said Louisa Compton, Channel 4's Head of News and Current Affairs. "It exemplifies Channel 4's commitment to brave and fearless journalism," she added, announcing the move on Saturday.

Produced by Basement Films and originally commissioned by the BBC—before it was dropped—the film was later reviewed, verified and approved by Channel 4 following rigorous editorial checks.

Gaza: Doctors Under Attack will be shown on Channel 4 at 10pm GMT on Wednesday, 2 July.

The programme offers deeply disturbing footage and testimonies that show Gaza's doctors and paramedics were not only denied the protections afforded to health officials under international law but were also actively hunted, imprisoned, and even tortured by the Israeli army.

Read more: Channel 4 to show Gaza war crimes documentary rejected by BBC

France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot says his country—and Europe—are prepared to help ensure the safe delivery of food aid in Gaza, where hundreds have been killed by Israeli forces while trying to access humanitarian supplies.

“We stand ready, Europe as well, to contribute to the safety of food distribution,” Barrot said on Saturday, as outrage mounts over the growing number of civilian killed close to Israeli-backed aid centres.

He voiced anger over the deaths of “the 500 people who have lost their lives in food distribution” in recent weeks.

His remarks follow a Friday report by Haaretz saying that Israeli commanders had authorised soldiers to open fire on Palestinians seeking aid—a charge Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called a “blood libel.”

The total death toll from Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza has reached 56,412 since 7 October, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

More than 133,000 people have also been wounded the ministry said on Saturday.

Gaza’s Health Ministry says 81 people were killed and 422 others wounded in the past 24 hours as Israel’s assault on the besieged enclave continues.

Hospitals are struggling to cope with the influx, while many victims remain trapped under rubble or lie in the streets, unreachable by emergency teams.

Hamas has turned down a proposed amendment by the United States to the current ceasefire framework, saying the suggested language would give Israel a green light to restart its military campaign, according to Asharq Al Awsat.

Citing sources close to the negotiations, the Saudi outlet reported that US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff proposed a clause stating the ceasefire would remain in place “as long as the negotiations are held in good faith.”

Hamas objected to the phrase “good faith,” arguing that its vague wording would allow Israel to justify resuming air and ground attacks at will.

The talks have also stalled over disagreements on how humanitarian aid should be distributed in Gaza and where Israeli forces should be positioned during a potential truce.

Israel wants the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation to oversee aid delivery, while Hamas insists international organisations take charge. Additionally, Hamas is demanding Israeli troops pull back to the positions they held prior to the 18 March escalation—something Israeli officials have refused, insisting their forces must remain in control of the territory currently held.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has called for a full withdrawal from Gaza in exchange for the release of all captives held by Hamas.

Speaking to Channel 12, Bennett proposed what he described as a “comprehensive deal” to break what he called a “terrible stagnation.”

“In light of the terrible stagnation, I suggest we go for a comprehensive deal: releasing all the hostages and deploying the IDF on the Gaza Strip perimeter,” he said, in a report carried by the Israeli daily Haaretz.

Bennett also argued that the task of dismantling Hamas should be left to Israel’s next leadership.

“Netanyahu must step down. Twenty years in power is unhealthy... The people want quiet, they want a government that runs the country,” he added.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry has confirmed that three people were killed and two others wounded following a pair of Israeli drone strikes targeting two towns in the country’s south.

The attacks, which struck separate locations, marked another deadly escalation along the Lebanese-Israeli border. The ministry did not immediately release further details about the identities of those killed.

At least 37 Palestinians were killed in Gaza on Saturday as Israeli forces launched fresh air and drone attacks across the enclave, Gaza’s civil defence said.

Spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP that 35 people lost their lives in seven separate strikes across various areas, while Israeli fire killed two more civilians waiting for food assistance in the Netzarim corridor, a militarised zone in central Gaza.

Among the dead were nine children, according to Bassal. Three were killed when an Israeli air strike hit a house in Jabalia, in northern Gaza.

He said six other children died in the northeast of Gaza City after strikes targeted a neighbourhood sheltering displaced people, including one area close to a school.

A rap duo on stage at the Glastonbury Festival led chants of “death to the IDF”, a reference to the Israeli army, during their Saturday performance, as pro-Palestinian sentiment surged among festivalgoers.

London-based group Bob Vylan delivered the chant multiple times while on stage, prompting many in the crowd - some waving Palestinian flags - to echo the words.

The performance came just before a scheduled appearance by Northern Irish hip-hop group Kneecap, whose vocal support for Palestinian rights has already drawn political scrutiny.

The BBC streamed Bob Vylan’s set live without censoring the chant or lyrics, though it later blocked the live broadcast of Kneecap’s set, alleging editorial guidelines.

Bob Vylan - comprising vocalist/guitarist Bobby Vylan and drummer Bobbie Vylan - are known for fusing punk, grime and hip-hop with socially conscious themes. Their lyrics frequently address racism, mental health, and gentrification in Britain’s Black communities.

Read more: 'Death to the IDF' chant echoes through Glastonbury Festival amid Gaza war anger

Here’s a recap of the past day’s developments in Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza and the wider region:

• At least 23 Palestinians, including nine children, were killed and dozens more wounded in Gaza on Saturday.

• Israeli forces killed 13 Palestinian athletes and coaches in June, the Palestinian Olympic Committee said on Saturday.

• An Israeli strike on southern Lebanon has killed one person, the Lebanese health ministry said on Saturday.

• The Israeli military said in a statement on Saturday that it has ‘likely intercepted’ a missile that was launched from Yemen.

• The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa) said that Gaza’s health sector remains under intense strain, with extensive damage to medical facilities and a critical lack of fuel.

• The paramilitary wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, al-Quds Brigades, said on Saturday it had detonated “a highly explosive device” in an Israeli military vehicle.

• Iran has expanded access to its airspace for international overflights following a ceasefire with Israel, though flight restrictions remain in place across much of the country, an official said on Saturday.

At least 20 Palestinians, including nine children, were killed and dozens more wounded after Israeli forces targeted the al-Tuffah neighbourhood in eastern Gaza City.

Wafa news agency reported that the air strike targeted a group of civilians near a school on Yafa Street in the northeast of al-Tuffah, causing significant casualties.

In a separate incident, two Palestinians were killed and others injured following Israeli shelling near the entrance to al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza.