The Israeli army said it will extend "ground operations" in the Gaza Strip on Friday night after significantly intensifying its air strikes on the Palestinian territory. The news came as local authorities announced that internet and phone services have been cut off across the coastal enclave. Earlier, a barrage of rockets struck a residential building in Tel Aviv, injuring at least two people. Follow our live blog for the latest updates. All times are Paris time (GMT+2).
- The Israeli army said it will extend "ground operations" in the Gaza Strip on Friday night after significantly intensifying its air strikes on the Palestinian territory.
- A local telecoms provider in Gaza said on Friday evening that internet and phone services have been cut off.
- Palestinian militants fired rockets from Gaza into Israel, including one that hit a residential building in Tel Aviv on Friday. At least two people were wounded, according to Israeli medics.Â
- The health ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza said Friday that 7,326 people have been killed in the Palestinian territory since the eruption of war with Israel on October 7. The latest death toll includes 3,038 children killed, a ministry statement said, while 18,967 people have been wounded across Gaza. FRANCE 24 has not been able to independently verify this information.
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Key developments of Thursday, October 26:
The estimated number of Hamas-held captives killed in Gaza due to Israeli strikes is around 50, Abu Obeida, a spokesman for the al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas's armed wing, said on Thursday according to the al-Qassam Brigades' Telegram account.
The health ministry in Gaza issued a 212-page document on Thursday which it said contained the names and ID numbers of more than 7,000 Palestinians killed during the Israeli bombardment of the enclave. The ministry's move came after USÂ President Joe Biden and the Israeli military questioned the casualty figures issued by authorities in Gaza, which is controlled by Hamas.
About 900 additional US troops are heading to the Middle East or have newly arrived there to bolster air defences to protect USÂ personnel amid a surge in attacks in the region by Iran-affiliated groups, the Pentagon said on Thursday.
EU leaders agreed at a summit on Thursday to call for the establishment of "humanitarian corridors and pauses" to get urgently-needed aid into Gaza. "The European Council expresses its gravest concern for the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza and calls for continued, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access and aid to reach those in need through all necessary measures including humanitarian corridors and pauses for humanitarian needs," a declaration adopted by the leaders said.
Read our blog to see how the day's events unfolded.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)
