Live: At least 75 killed in Israeli strikes on second day of Eid al-Adha

The EU "deeply regrets" the US sanctions imposed on four judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC), the European Commission said on Friday, putting its full weight behind the Hague-based court.

"The ICC holds perpetrators of the world's gravest crimes to account and gives victims a voice," Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X. "It must be free to act without pressure."

"We deeply regret the decision to impose sanctions on four additional individuals," said commission spokesperson Anitta Hipper. "We will provide the full support and contribution to ensure the protection of the court and its staff." 

The sanctions were imposed on Thursday in part as a response to the ICC arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence minister, Yoav Gallant.

Two of the targeted judges, Beti Hohler of Slovenia and Reine Alapini-Gansou of Benin, took part in proceedings that led to the indictment of Netanyahu and Gallant in November.

The other two, Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza of Peru and Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, took part in proceedings that led to a probe into allegations American forces committed war crimes in Afghanistan.

European Council chief Antonio Costa said the ICC "does not stand against nations - it stands against impunity." 

"We must protect its independence and integrity. The rule of law must prevail over the rule of power," Costa wrote on X. 

The Israeli army issues evacuation warning for parts of Gaza City, AFP reported. 

The warnings is likely a precursor for a new ground assault in the north, despite widespread destruction and mass displacement already caused by Israel. 

This is a developing story.

The death toll from Israel’s ongoing bombardment of Gaza has climbed to 15 since dawn, according to Al Jazeera.

• At least nine Palestinians were killed in strikes on Jabalia, a densely populated area in northern Gaza that has endured repeated Israeli attacks.

• In Khan Younis, five more people died after Israeli drones targeted makeshift tents sheltering displaced families, survivors told our team.

• One more journalist, critically injured in the Israeli bombing of Ahli Hospital on Thursday, has now died from their wounds. This latest death brings the number of journalists killed in that single attack to five.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has admitted his country is arming gangs in Gaza, which have been accused by aid groups of stealing lifesaving humanitarian aid, in a bid to counter the Palestinian movement Hamas.

Netanyahu said on Thursday his government had "activated" powerful local clans in the enclave on the advice of "security officials," hours after former Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman alleged the gang that Israel was backing was affiliated with the Islamic State group.

"We made use of clans in Gaza that are opposed to Hamas… What's wrong with that?” Netanyahu said in a video posted on X.

"It's only good. It saves the lives of Israeli soldiers."

Hours earlier, Netanyahu's office said that "Israel is working to defeat Hamas in various ways, on the recommendation of all heads of the security establishment."

Read more: Netanyahu admits Israel is backing gangs in Gaza to counter Hamas

At least seven Palestinians were killed in an Israeli air strike that struck a residential home in Jabalia al-Balad, in northern Gaza, according to a medical source at the Baptist Hospital, Al Jazeera Arabic reported.

Several others were wounded in the attacs.

An ambush in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis has left five Israeli soldiers dead, according to a report by Al Jazeera Arabic.

A unit of 12 troops from an elite division reportedly entered a booby-trapped building that then collapsed on top of them.

The explosion killed five and severely wounded two others, who remain in "very critical" condition.

The incident marks yet another blow to Israel’s ground forces, who have faced growing resistance in the south despite months of bombardment aimed at clearing the area.

An Israeli general linked to far-right circles has publicly embraced religious nationalism in his retirement speech, declaring messianism a national virtue - despite having been rejected for a top military post over concerns about his ideological leanings.

David Zini, recently appointed as the new head of the Shin Bet internal security agency, told attendees at his farewell from the army on Friday: “Messianism is not a derogatory word. We are all messianics, just like David Ben Gurion and the founding fathers of the nation.”

His remarks have drawn renewed scrutiny over the growing influence of religious extremism inside Israel’s military and security institutions, a trend critics warn is deepening under the far-right government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In January, Haaretz reported that Sara Netanyahu, the prime minister’s wife, had lobbied for Zini to be named chief of staff of the Israeli army. But Netanyahu ultimately blocked the appointment, reportedly telling close associates that Zini was “too messianic”.

Here are the latest developments:

• Israeli air strikes killed at least nine Palestinians in Rafah and Khan Younis on Friday morning, as the assault on Gaza continues.

• Palestinians in Gaza face severe challenges as Eid al-Adha begins, with Israel's ongoing 20-month war and a tightened aid blockade making traditional celebrations nearly impossible.

• The US-backed so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) announced on Friday that it has closed all its aid distribution centres across the besieged enclave as Palestinians go hungry on one of the holiest days in the Muslim calendar.

• Washington has imposed sanctions on four judges from the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing them of taking part in what it calls “illegitimate and baseless” actions against the United States and its ally, Israel.

• Israel is preparing to block a boat carrying international activists, including high-profile figures, as it attempts to breach the long-standing Israeli blockade of Gaza - a siege that rights groups have long denounced as collective punishment.

Israeli air strikes killed at least nine Palestinians in Rafah and Khan Younis on Friday morning, as the assault on Gaza continues.

At least four people were killed when a drone targeted a phone charging station near tents sheltering displaced families west of Khan Younis.

In Rafah, Israeli forces opened fire on an aid distribution site, killing four more. Dozens have died at these sites, which many now call “death traps” backed by Israel and the US.

Another body was recovered in Abasan al-Kabira after a separate strike.

Palestinians in Gaza have begun Eid al-Adha under siege, surrounded by destruction and displacement, as Israel’s blockade and relentless bombardment continue to devastate daily life in the enclave.

Footage emerging from across the Strip shows worshippers gathering for Eid prayers amid the ruins of bombed-out homes and mosques. Others observed the holy day from makeshift shelters and overcrowded camps, where thousands remain displaced with no path to return.

The scenes stand in stark contrast to the spirit of Eid al-Adha — a time of unity, sacrifice and communal joy for Muslims worldwide.

Instead, families in Gaza continue to endure shortages of food, water, medicine and fuel, with humanitarian agencies warning of catastrophic conditions exacerbated by Israel’s ongoing military campaign and tight blockade.

Israel is preparing to block a boat carrying international activists, including high-profile figures, as it attempts to breach the long-standing Israeli blockade of Gaza - a siege that rights groups have long denounced as collective punishment.

The vessel, named Madleen, is part of a mission to challenge the naval closure imposed by Israel on the besieged Palestinian enclave. Among those on board are Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and French-Palestinian MEP Rima Hassan.

The Israeli military has already begun tracking the ship’s journey, according to unnamed defence officials cited by The Times of Israel. 

Israeli officials say they will intercept the boat before it enters waters claimed by Israel but belonging to Gaza.

In a brief statement, the Israeli military said it is “enforcing the maritime security blockade on the Gaza Strip” and is “prepared and ready for a wide range of scenarios” in line with government orders.

The blockade, imposed since 2007, has turned Gaza into what the UN has repeatedly described as an “open-air prison.” Aid groups say it severely limits access to food, fuel, medical supplies, and the freedom of movement for over two million Palestinians.

The US-backed so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) announced on Friday that it has closed all its aid distribution centres across the besieged enclave as Palestinians go hungry on one of the holiest days in the Muslim calendar.

The group suspended operations after a series of fatal shootings by Israeli forces near the sites, forcing an immediate halt to aid deliveries.

The controversial US-backed initiative to distribute aid in Gaza named an evangelical leader and former adviser to US President Donald Trump as its new chief earlier this week.

Johnnie Moore, a former member of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, who has dismissed reports of mass killings at the GHF aid sites as “fictional massacres”, was appointed after the initiative’s former head, Jake Wood, resigned.

The appointment comes as major partners abandon the project amidst the mass killings of Palestinians seeking aid.

Wood cited concerns over the GHF’s ability to adhere to the “humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence”.

The GHF’s first week of operations descended into chaos, with 100 Palestinian aid seekers killed by Israeli forces at its distribution points in eight days.

Palestinians in Gaza face severe challenges as Eid al-Adha begins, with Israel's ongoing 20-month war and a tightened aid blockade making traditional celebrations nearly impossible.

Eid al-Adha, the Festival of Sacrifice, typically involves slaughtering sheep or cattle and sharing meat with the poor, followed by large family meals and children receiving new clothes.

However, Gaza has not seen fresh meat imports for three months, and most of its local livestock have perished.

A small number of animals remain at a makeshift pen in al-Mawasi tent camp on Gaza’s southern coast, but few can afford to buy them.

Some children gather to watch sheep, goats, a cow, and even a camel, reciting holiday prayers amid the hardship.

“I can’t even buy bread. No meat, no vegetables,” says Abdel Rahman Madi speaking to the news agency Associated Press. “The prices are astronomical.”

Nearby in Khan Younis, market stalls display stuffed sheep toys, holiday trinkets, and second-hand clothes. Yet most shoppers walk away empty-handed after seeing the steep costs.

“Before, there was an Eid atmosphere, the children were happy … Now with the blockade, there’s no flour, no clothes, no joy,” says Hala Abu Nqeira speaking to AP. “We just try to find flour for our children. Every day, we look for it at a fair price, but it’s impossible to find.”

Israeli media have reported casualties among Israeli troops in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, after an ambush led to a building collapsing on them.

Washington has imposed sanctions on four judges from the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing them of taking part in what it calls “illegitimate and baseless” actions against the United States and its ally, Israel.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the move on Thursday, naming the targeted judges as Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza of Peru, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini-Gansou of Benin, and Beti Hohler of Slovenia.

Two of the judges had approved arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and the use of starvation as a weapon during Israel’s assault on Gaza. The other two had backed investigations into US personnel accused of abuses during the war in Afghanistan.

“As ICC judges, these four individuals have actively engaged in the ICC’s illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America or our close ally, Israel,” Rubio said.

“The ICC is politicised and falsely claims unfettered discretion to investigate, charge, and prosecute nationals of the United States and our allies. This dangerous assertion and abuse of power infringes upon the sovereignty and national security of the United States and our allies, including Israel,” he added in post on X.