Oxfam International says ‘starvation is being used as a weapon of war against Gaza civilians’.

Families of Israeli hostages want Israel to accept Hamas’s proposal of exchanging Palestinian prisoners for the hostages, but Israel’s president made no commitment.

Nearly 200  000 people have fled their homes since the beginning of this month as clashes between militia and government loyalist groups intensify

The United Nations estimates Gaza needs about 100 trucks a day to meet the needs of its 2.4 million residents

The US Secretary of Defence ordered the activation of air defence systems and notified additional forces that they may be deployed soon

A Hamas spokesman said ‘even dozens’ of such convoys could not meet Gaza’s needs, especially as no fuel was being allowed in to help distribute supplies

The president said South Africa could relate to the plight of Palestine

The Islamist group took more than 200 people hostage when it stormed into Israel from the Gaza Strip on October 7

Egyptian state-linked broadcaster Al Qahera News had said the Rafah crossing, the only route into Gaza, would open on Friday, but Cairo later said it needed more time to repair roads

Hamas said after the explosion on Tuesday that the cause was an Israeli air strike

If Hezbollah is activated by Iran, its involvement would likely open up a regional war

Hundreds of thousands of civilians have fled the conflict which has devastated Khartoum

Russia, China, Tanzania, Mexico, Portugal and Cambodia are among the scores of countries whose citizens are dead, kidnapped or missing

Iran has warned of a possible ‘pre-emptive action’ against Israel as it prepares a ground offensive on the Gaza Strip

The call has been endorsed by dozens of organisations and individuals across the continent

The UN secretary-general also voiced alarm at the announcement of a total siege of the Gaza Strip, while all aide has been blocked

There are fears that misinformation could trigger real-world harm, amplifying hate and violence especially in conflicts such as in Israel/Palestine

Israel also came under attack from the north on Sunday when Lebanon’s Hezbollah launched guided missiles and artillery shells ‘in solidarity’ with the unprecedented Hamas offensive, without causing any casualties

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said ‘we are at war’ and vowed severe retaliation after ordering an extensive mobilisation of Israeli army reserves

The Tongan side stayed competitive throughout the match

The early morning arrest on Friday of Duane ‘Keffe D’ Davis followed 27 years of investigations by police