US President Joe Biden, speaking from the White House on Tuesday, said that Saturday’s attack on Israel was “sheer evil”, and reiterated US support for Israel. Also on Tuesday, Hamas attacked a southern Israeli city after warning residents to evacuate, as Israeli warplanes hammered the Gaza Strip. Read our live blog to see how all the day's events unfolded. All times are Paris time (GMT+2).
This live page is no longer being updated. For more of our coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here
02:33am: EU warns Musk's X spreading 'illegal' disinfo after Hamas attack
The EU's digital chief Thierry Breton warned Elon Musk on Tuesday that his platform X, formerly Twitter, is spreading "illegal content and disinformation", in a letter seen by AFP.
The letter said concerns had heightened after the Hamas attack against Israel, and demanded Musk respond to the complaint within 24 hours and contact "relevant law enforcement authorities".
As the European Union's commissioner for industry and the digital economy, Breton is charged with regulating internet giants that trade within the bloc, and can launch legal action.
"Following the terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas against Israel, we have indications that your platform is being used to disseminate illegal content and disinformation in the EU," Breton wrote.
Breton reminded Musk that EU law sets tough rules on moderating content, "especially when it comes to violent and terrorist content that appears to circulate on your platform".
01:15am: Palestinian UN envoy accuses Israel of 'genocidal' campaign against Gaza
The Palestinian envoy to the United Nations on Tuesday described Israel's bombardment of the Gaza Strip and vow to impose a complete siege on the Hamas-controlled Palestinian enclave as "nothing less than genocidal."
Hamas militants carried out their deadliest attack in Israel's history on Saturday, when gunmen rampaged through Israeli towns, killing more than 1,000 people and taking scores of hostages to Gaza. Israel has retaliated with air strikes on Gaza that have razed entire districts as it prepares for a possible ground offensive.
Israel's Defence Minister Yoav Gallant drew international condemnation by announcing on Monday a "total blockade" to stop food and fuel reaching Gaza, home to 2.3 million people. Gallant said Israel was battling "beastly people."
"Such blatant dehumanization and attempts to bomb a people into submission, to use starvation as a method of warfare, and to eradicate their national existence are nothing less than genocidal," Palestinian UN envoy Riyad Mansour wrote in a letter to the UN Security Council on Tuesday.
12:15am: New Yorkers rally for Israel
Thousands of people attended a Pro-Israel rally on Manhattan’s East Side Tuesday evening.
The crowd packed into Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza at 47th Street and Second Avenue, located near the United Nations.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul, NYC Mayor Eric Adams and NY Attorney General Letitia James attended the 5 pm rally.
The gathering took place in the wake of the deadly attacks in Israel by the militant group Hamas.
New York City is home to the largest Jewish population outside of Israel, with some 2 million Jewish people living in the city and surrounding areas.
11:05pm: EU's Borrell: Israeli moves in Gaza break international law
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell accused the Israeli government on Tuesday of breaking international law by imposing a total blockade of Gaza in response to the attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israel.
After an emergency meeting to discuss the repercussions of the attack, Borrell also said an "overwhelming majority" of EU foreign ministers supported continuing aid payments for the Palestinian Authority, which governs the West Bank.
Borrell made his statement the day after European Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi, a Hungarian diplomat, said all EU development aid for Palestinians was suspended - only for the Commission to disown his announcement after a backlash from EU governments.
10:42pm: Biden's remarks 'attempt to cover crimes' of Israel, says Hamas
Palestinian militant group Hamas on Tuesday called US President Joe Biden's comments "inflammatory" after he condemned the group's unprecedented attack on Israel as "sheer evil".
"These remarks are an attempt to cover up the crimes and terror of the Zionist government," Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, said in a statement on its website.
10:23pm: Israeli army says 'three terrorists' killed in exchange of fire in Ashkelon
An exchange of fire between Israeli troops and holdout "Palestinian terrorists" killed three of the militants in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon, the army said Tuesday.
Troops backed by helicopters and drones exchanged fire with "several terrorists in the industrial zone of Ashkelon", several kilometres north of the Gaza Strip the army said, continuing to search for holdout fighters of the Hamas militant group who carried out an unprecedented attack on southern Israel from Gaza Saturday.
10:04pm: Germany announces special flights to bring nationals back from Israel
German airline Lufthansa will send "several special flights" to Israel on Thursday and Friday to repatriate citizens of the country, sources close to the Germany's foreign ministry told AFP Tuesday.
German nationals wishing to leave the country by this means must register with the ministry's dedicated crisis platform, the same source said.
10:02pm: Israel fires back after Syrian shells land in Israeli territory, military says
Israeli troops fired artillery and mortar shells toward Syria on Tuesday after a number of shells launched from its northern neighbour landed in open areas on Israeli territory, Israel's military said.
A source in southern Syria said a Palestinian faction had fired three rockets toward Israel.
The development raises fears the violence could lead to a wider war, as Israel trades cross-border salvos with Lebanon's Hezbollah and battles Hamas militants in Gaza.
The military said its soldiers had fired "toward the origin of the launching in Syria". It did not provide details.
9:55pm: Medical NGOs raise alert over conditions in Gaza
International medical NGOs issued a stark warning Tuesday over the health and humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, which has been bombed by the Israeli military following Hamas's weekend attack.
The groups called for a humanitarian corridor to support medical relief efforts, and respect for humanitarian law.
"The situation is catastrophic... I don't think anyone is safe in Gaza," said Sarah Chateau, head of the Palestinian territories programme for Doctors Without Borders (MSF).
MSF has been working in the region for more than 20 years, employing 300 Palestinians and 20 international staff.
"We transferred our teams to a United Nations building. The bombardments were so massive that the risks were too great," she added.
9:51pm: Israel military says it is now 'on offense'
Israel stepped up its offensive on Tuesday, expanding the mobilisation of reservists to 360,000, according to Israeli media.
The country's military also declared it had regained effective control over areas Hamas had attacked in its south, and of the Gaza border.
"We are now on offense," Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said.
FRANCE 24's correspondent in Jerusalem Irris Makler brings us the latest:
9:47pm: Putin concerned over 'catastrophic increase' in Israel-Gaza toll
Russian President Vladimir Putin in Tuesday voiced concern at the "catastrophic increase" in the number of civilian victims in Israel and the Gaza Strip, after four days of fighting.
During a telephone call with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, "emphasis was placed on the sharply worsening situation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict zone", the Kremlin said in a statement.
"Deep concern was expressed about the continuing escalation of violence and the catastrophic increase in the number of civilian casualties," it added.
9:42pm: Shells fired at Israel from Syria land in open areas, says Israeli military
Israel's military said on Tuesday that a number of shells had been launched from Syrian territory toward Israel, and that some landed in open areas in Israeli territory.
The military did not provide details. There were no reports of damage or injuries.
9:33pm: US welcomes EU preserving aid for Palestinian people
The United States said Tuesday it welcomed EU support for continuing development aid to the Palestinian people after attacks on Israel by Islamist militant group Hamas.
"They did reverse that, which is a step that we welcome. We have made very clear that we do not have any grievance with the Palestinian people," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters.
Brussels had earlier rowed back comments from EU neighborhood commissioner Oliver Varhelyi that the bloc was immediately suspending "all payments" to the Palestinians.
9:07pm: Blinken to pay solidarity visit to Israel, says US State Department
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will pay a visit of solidarity to Israel on Thursday following a major attack by Hamas, the State Department said.
"It will be a message of solidarity and support," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters Tuesday.
8:55pm: 900 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes, says Gaza health ministry
Nine hundred people were killed, including 260 children and 230 women along with 4600 wounded in the Gaza Strip since Saturday, the heath ministry in the coastal enclave said late on Tuesday.
8:48pm: Biden says 14 Americans dead in Hamas attack, confirms US hostages
President Joe Biden on Tuesday confirmed that US citizens are among the large number of hostages taken by Hamas during its surprise attack on Israel and said that the latest death toll for Americans was now 14.
Biden said at the White House there were "at least 14 American citizens killed" and "we now know that American citizens are among those being held by Hamas".
8:39pm: Hamas armed wing claims rocket fire from south Lebanon
The Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Palestinian militant group Hamas, claimed rocket fire from south Lebanon earlier Tuesday, a statement said.
The group carried out a "rocket bombardment" on Israel's western Galilee area, according to the statement published on the Hamas channel on the Telegram messaging app, adding the group was "fulfilling its duty".
8:35pm: Biden says US ‘stands with the people of Israel’ in speech
President Joe Biden on Tuesday declared solidarity with Israelis, saying the US “stands with the people of Israel” and insisted there was “no justification for terrorism” as he condemned Hamas’s multipronged attack that took place on Saturday.
“This is not about party or politics, it’s about the security of our world,” he said, adding that the US was ready to order extra military forces to the Middle East.
“Our hearts may be broken but our resolve is clear,” he said.
8:29pm: Hamas says Israel killed 2 senior members in Gaza strike
The Hamas militant group said Tuesday two of its senior figures were killed in strikes by the Israeli military on the Gaza Strip, confirming an announcement by the army.
Zakaria Muammar led its economics section, while Jawad Abu Shamala coordinated ties with other Palestinian factions, as head of the national relations department, said the militant group which launched an unprecedented attack against Israel on Saturday.
Hamas described them as "senior leaders of the heroes of the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, and members of the movement's political bureau."
The Israeli military said the two were killed in overnight air strikes.
The army described Muammar as "a confidant to Yahya Sinwar", Hamas's Gaza chief, and said Shamala "led a number of operations targeting Israeli civilians and the state of Israel."
8:03pm: Turkey airlines halt flights to Israel
Turkey's airlines halted flights to Israel on Tuesday until further notice due to the conflict in the country.
In separate statements on messaging platform X, formerly Twitter, Turkish Airlines and Pegasus Airlines announced they are suspending their flights to Israel due to recent developments and the current conditions in the country.
7:56pm: French leftists probed for glorifying 'terror' over Hamas raids, says government
A French leftist party, the New Anti-Capitalist Party, are being investigated for glorifying "terror" over comments following the deadly Hamas raids on Israel, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on Tuesday.
Darmanin told a TV news show prosecutors referred the case to police after the far-left NPA affirmed "its support for the Palestinians and the means of struggle they have chosen to resist".
The party's statement concluded with the word "intifada" which means "uprising".
The NPA said Israeli strategy, which it said was known as the "lawnmower", consisted "of physically and regularly eliminating new generations of activists and opponents of the occupation, in an endlessly repeating cycle".
"This time, the offensive is on the side of the resistance," it said.
7:48pm: Netherlands sending military plane to bring back nationals from Israel, says local news agency
The Netherlands will send a military plane to Israel on Wednesday to bring back nationals who want to leave the country, Dutch news agency ANP reported on Tuesday, citing Foreign Affairs minister Hanke Bruins Slot.
Bruins Slot also said on Thursday a KLM passenger jet will likely be available for Dutch nationals to travel home with.
Around 200 Dutch nationals in Israel have indicated interest in the flights, ANP said.
7:19pm: EU's Borrell says support to Palestinians will continue
The EU will continue to support the Palestinian Authority, the European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters on Tuesday, adding it would be a mistake to stop.
"The overwhelming majority of the member states considered that we have to continue our support to the Palestinian Authority and the payments due should not be delayed", Borrell said after a meeting of EU Foreign Affairs ministers.
7:07pm: Qatar leading talks to swap Hamas-held hostages for Palestinians in Israeli jails
Qatari mediators have held urgent calls with Hamas officials to try to negotiate freedom for Israeli women and children seized by the militant group and held in Gaza in exchange for the release of 36 Palestinian women and children from Israel's prisons, a source told Reuters.
Watch FRANCE 24's report below:
6:59pm: Turkish Airlines halts flights to Israel until further notice
Turkish Airlines has halted its flights to Israel until further notice due to the latest developments in the country, a company spokesperson said in a statement posted on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday.
6:54pm: UN aid chief calls for immediate release of hostages in Israel-Hamas war
The head of the United Nations humanitarian relief agency on Tuesday called for the immediate release of all people who have been taken hostage in the war between Israel and Palestinian Hamas militants.
"My message to all sides is unequivocal: The laws of war must be upheld," UN aid chief Martin Griffiths said in a statement.
"Those held captive must be treated humanely. Hostages must be released without delay."
6:38pm: Spain sends two military planes to fly back citizens stranded in Israel
Spain has sent two military aircrafts to Israel to evacuate some 500 Spaniards whose commercial flights were suspended following deadly attacks by Hamas over the weekend, Acting Defence Minister Margarita Robles said on Tuesday.
Madrid's embassy in Israel estimates that around 500 Spanish citizens were there for tourism or temporary work, Robles told reporters, but it was "not foreseen" that those present in the country for other reasons would be evacuated.
6:25pm: Hezbollah targets Israeli tank with guided missile
Hezbollah on Tuesday targeted Israeli tank with a guided missile, two security sources in Lebanon said.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army said a helicopter struck an observation post belonging to the Hezbollah, in response to the anti-tank missile that was launched from Lebanese territory toward a military vehicle in the area of Avivim.
"No injuries were reported," the Israeli army added.
6:22pm: Eight French nationals killed, 20 missing, says French minister
Eight French nationals have been killed and 20 others are missing since Hamas struck Israel on Saturday, French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna said on Tuesday.
6:20pm: Netanyahu's Likud party says taking 'big steps' towards forming unity government
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party said it was taking "big steps" towards forming a unity government on Tuesday, as the country reeled from a war while facing deep internal divisions.
A party statement said Netanyahu invited the head of a key opposition party, Benny Gantz, to meet.
6:16pm: Details emerge about how Hamas planned the deadly attack on Israel
A senior Hamas official on Monday said only a small number of top commanders inside Gaza knew about the wide-ranging incursion launched into Israel, but that allies like Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah “will join the battle if Gaza is subjected to a war of annihilation”.
The surprise attack on Saturday caught Israel’s vaunted military and intelligence services completely off guard, as hundreds of Hamas gunmen poured through holes blown in the border fence and rampaged through several towns, killing hundreds of soldiers and civilians, and capturing scores of others.
Watch FRANCE 24's report below:
6:06pm: Sweden halts development aid to Palestinians
Sweden has temporarily halted development aid to Palestinian territories, Development Minister Johan Forssell told a news conference on Tuesday.
European Union foreign ministers are meeting on Tuesday to work out divisions among its 27 members over whether to continue aid payments to Palestinians a day after the European Commission backtracked on an announcement suspending all such aid.
Neighouring Denmark announced earlier on Tuesday that it would pause its aid.
5:36pm: Tours should be avoided, tourists should stay in hotels, says Israeli tourism ministry
Tours of Israel should be avoided, Israel's Ministry of Tourism said in a note sent to local tour agencies, as the country indicated it could be planning a ground assault on Gaza in response to Palestinian militant group Hamas' weekend attack.
The note added that those on cruises should stay on their ships, while others tourists should remain in their hotels.
"In general, please stay near protected places and act according to the instructions of the Home Command," the note said.
5:33pm: Germany says 'wrong' to halt humanitarian aid for Palestinians
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Tuesday called for sustained humanitarian aid for the Palestinian territories, a day after Berlin said it was suspending development assistance.
Ahead of emergency EU talks after the surprise Hamas assault on Israel, Baerbock said "it would be completely wrong to cease essential humanitarian aid for the civilian population".
4:47pm: Salvo of rockets fired from south Lebanon towards Israel, say security sources
A salvo of rockets was fired on Tuesday from southern Lebanon towards Israel, three security sources told Reuters, in the third consecutive day of violence along the Lebanese-Israeli border.
The Israeli military said it was responding with artillery fire to the launches coming from southern Lebanon.
One security source said the bombardment was carried out by Palestinian factions. A second source said shelling was hitting the southern area from which the rockets were launched.
4:32pm: 830 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes, says Gaza Health Ministry
The Gaza Health Ministry on Tuesday reported 830 Palestinians have been killed and 4,250 wounded in Israeli strikes since Saturday.
4:28pm: Sirens heard in Israel's north
Israel's military has reported sirens in the north of the country, close to Lebanon.
4:27pm: Norwegian Air cancels flights to and from Tel Aviv until December 19
Norwegian Air is cancelling its flights from Copenhagen and Stockholm to Tel Aviv, as well as return flights, until December 19, a company spokesperson told Reuters.
4:15pm: World Bank chief Banga says Gaza conflict is economic shock 'we don't need'
World Bank President Ajay Banga said on Thursday that the Israel-Hamas war is an unnecessary global economic shock that will make it harder for central banks to achieve soft landings in many economies if it spreads.
“It’s a humanitarian tragedy and it’s an economic shock we don’t need,” Banga told Reuters on the sidelines of the World Bank-International Monetary Fund annual meetings in Washington.
Central banks were “beginning to feel a little more confident that there was an opportunity for a soft landing, and this kind of just makes it harder”, Banga said.
4:03pm: Yemen's Houthis warn they will fire missiles, drones if US intervenes in Gaza conflict
Yemen's Houthi leader Abdel-Malek al-Houthi said on Tuesday that if the U.S. intervenes in the Gaza conflict directly, the group will respond by firing drones and missiles, and take other military options.
"There are red lines when it comes to Gaza," he said, adding that the Houthis were ready to coordinate with other groups and intervene.
3:58pm: Gaza-Egypt crossing hit by Israel for third time in 24 hours
Gaza's Rafah border crossing with Egypt, its only one not controlled by Israel, was hit by an Israeli air strike Tuesday for the third time in 24 hours, an AFP photographer and an NGO said.
The third strike consisted of "four missiles" which targeted the Palestinian side of the crossing, local Egyptian group Sinai for Human Rights reported.
Witnesses had said the second strike hit the no-man's land between the Egyptian and Palestinian gates, damaging the hall on the Palestinian side.
Contacted by AFP, the Israel military said it could "neither confirm or deny" any strike on the crossing "at this point".
Sinai for Human Rights said Tuesday's strikes had prompted the closure of the crossing, but there was no immediate confirmation from either side.
Witnesses said Egyptian employees at the border post had been evacuated while "dozens of Palestinian families" who had tried to enter Gaza were turned back towards the Egyptian town of El Arish.
It was the second day the crossing had been hit since Israel launched a ferocious bombardment of Gaza in response to a shock attack by the territory's Hamas rulers on Saturday.
3:54pm: Berlin working with airlines to boost flight capacity from Israel
The German foreign ministry's crisis response centre is working urgently with airlines to expand flight capacity from Israel, ministry sources said on Tuesday.
The ministry is aware of 17 groups of young people travelling in Israel, and four of them have already left the country safely. Other groups are to follow on Tuesday.
3:47pm: White House says Biden to speak with Netanyahu Tuesday
US President Joe Biden will speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday to discuss US support for Israel after receiving an update on the situation following Hamas's deadly attacks, the White House said.
3:45pm: French PM Borne says working with Air France on resumption of flights to Israel
French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne told parliament on Tuesday that she was working with Air France over a possible resumption of flights to Israel, to help with the repatriation of French nationals from the region.
3:04pm: Two members from Hamas political office killed in air strike, official says
Two members from Hamas's political office, Jawad Abu Shammala and Zakaria Abu Maamar, were killed in an air strike in Khan Younis in southern Gaza Strip, an official from the group said on Tuesday. In a statement, the Israeli military confirmed killing Abu Shammala, saying he had been struck "overnight".
2:43pm: Hamas attacks in southern Israel kill more than 1,000 people, says Israeli embassy
The death toll from Hamas's attack on Israel this Saturday has now exceeded 1,000, the Israeli embassy in the US said on Tuesday.
2:33pm: EU, Gulf states urge 'sustained financial support' for Palestinians
The European Union and Gulf Cooperation Council called for sustained aid for the Palestinian Territories on Tuesday following concerns that it could be axed after the Hamas attack on Israel.
"They stressed the importance of sustained financial support for UNRWA (the UN relief agency for Palestinians) and to continue humanitarian and development support for the Palestinians in the occupied territories," said a joint declaration read out by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.
2:27pm: Hamas armed wing tells residents of Israel's Ashkelon to leave within hours
Hamas armed wing spokesman Abu Ubaida told residents of Israel's port of Ashkelon to leave the area by 5pm (1600 GMT) on Tuesday, without giving any further details.
2:26pm: Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid: 'The endgame is there will be no Hamas in Gaza'
In an interview with FRANCE 24, Israeli opposition leader and former prime minister Yair Lapid reacted to the surprise Hamas attack on Israel from Gaza.
The incursion, which killed hundreds of Israelis, is being called "Israel's 9/11". Hundreds of Palestinians living in Gaza have been killed in retaliatory Israeli air strikes.
Asked how he saw the situation playing out, Lapid said "the endgame is there will be no Hamas in Gaza".
2:16pm: Putin says Israel-Hamas war shows 'failure' of US policy in the middle east
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday the Israel-Hamas conflict showed the "failure" of Washington's Middle East policy and called the creation of "an independent sovereign Palestinian state" a "necessity".
"I think many people would agree with me that it's a clear example of the failure of US politics in the Middle East," Putin said while meeting Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani in Moscow.
1:45pm: First wave of US security assistance en route to Israel, White House says
The first tranche of security assistance is on its way to Israel and more US assistance is to come, White House national security spokesman John Kirby told MSNBC in an interview on Tuesday.
1:43pm: Red Cross offers help over those missing in Israel, Gaza conflict
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it was ready to help reunite families and called for all hostages to be freed immediately.
"Killing civilians and ill treatment are prohibited by the Geneva Conventions. In addition, the conventions demand that the wounded and sick are cared for," said ICRC president Mirjana Spoljaric.
"People detained must be treated humanely and with dignity. Hostage-taking is prohibited under international humanitarian law and hostages should be immediately released unharmed."
She said the ICRC, which has been permanently present in Israel and the Palestinian Territories since 1967, was "ready to do everything we can to help, including in our role as a neutral intermediary".
1:35pm: Hamas has sole responsibility for conflict with Israel, says Italy's foreign minister
Hamas is solely responsible for the current conflict between the Islamist organisation and Israel, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Tuesday.
Speaking in parliament, Tajani said the Italian government was working hard to repatriate its nationals from Israel amid rising tensions in the region.
1:28pm: Israeli airlines add flights to bring reservists back home
El Al and Israir Airlines have added more flights to bring reservists back to the country and restricted flights arriving at Ben Gurion Airport's Terminal 3 due to security concerns, said Israel's airports authority.
The flights come after Israel said on Monday it had called up an unprecedented 300,000 reservists and warned residents of the Gaza Strip to evacuate in a sign it could be planning a ground assault.
While many major carriers have cancelled flights to and from Israel, Israel's national carriers have looked to ramp up capacity, at least in coming days.
On its website, Israir said it was offering rescue flights from Larnaca in Turkey, Corfu in Greece and Batumi in Georgia to help bring Israelis back to the country.
It said its flight schedule could be reduced in coming days as foreign crews employed by Israir were asked to leave the country while some Israeli staff were also recruited to fight.
1:10pm: German prosecutor opens murder and kidnapping probe into Hamas
Germany has launched an investigation into members of the Islamist organisation Hamas for suspected murder, manslaughter and hostage-taking, said a spokesperson for the federal public prosecutor.
Prosecutors "have opened an investigation against unidentified members of the radical Palestinian Islamist organisation Hamas," a spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office told AFP.
Under German law, prosecutors are compelled to investigate suspected crimes abroad if they involve German citizens.
The German foreign ministry confirmed on Monday that German citizens were among those kidnapped by Hamas over the weekend.
The Bild newspaper first reported on the investigation and said the families of those kidnapped had appealed to the German government for help.
12:16pm: Macron slams Iran's praise for Hamas attack on Israel
French President Emmanuel Macron has said Iran's condoning of the Hamas attack on Israel was unacceptable and that France was looking into to establish whether it was directly involved.
"I have no comment to make about the direct involvement of Iran for which we have no formal proof, but it's clear that the public comments by Iranian authorities were unacceptable... and that it is likely that Hamas was offered help," he said.
"But I will remain careful on that point until we have stabilised intelligence," Macron added in a news conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
In his first televised speech since the attack, Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei claimed the "supporters of the Zionist regime (Israel) and some people in the usurping regime have been spreading rumours over the past two or three days, including that Islamic Iran was behind this action. They are wrong," he said.
Khamenei however praised the attack against Israel. "We kiss the hands of those who planned the attack on the Zionist regime," he said.
11:19am: Nearly 200,000 displaced in Gaza, says UN
Nearly 200,000 people, or nearly a tenth of the population, have fled their homes in the Gaza Strip since the start of hostilities, said the UN's human rights office, warning that the enclave is poised for water and electricity shortages due to an Israeli blockade.
"Displacement has escalated dramatically across the Gaza Strip, reaching more than 187,500 people since Saturday. Most are taking shelter in schools," Jens Laerke, OCHA spokesperson, told a Geneva briefing, saying further displacement was expected.
A World Health Organization (WHO) spokesperson said it had reported 13 attacks on health facilities in Gaza since the weekend.
11:12am: Two more French nationals killed in Hamas attack
Two more French nationals were killed in the Hamas attack on Israel, said the French foreign ministry, taking the death toll of French victims to four.
"France mourns the tragic death of two more French nationals, bringing the number of French victims of the terrorist attacks by Hamas to four," said the French foreign ministry in a statement, adding that 13 French nationals remain missing.
10:59am: WHO calls for humanitarian corridor into Gaza
The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for the establishment of a humanitarian corridor into the Gaza Strip amid ongoing Israeli military air strikes on the blockaded enclave.
"WHO is calling for an end to the violence ... A humanitarian corridor is needed to reach people with critical medical supplies," WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic told a press briefing in Geneva.
10:40am: Total siege of Gaza 'prohibited' under international law, says UN rights chief
Israel's total siege of the Gaza Strip is banned under international law, said the United Nations human rights chief.
"The imposition of sieges that endanger the lives of civilians by depriving them of goods essential for their survival is prohibited under international humanitarian law," Volker Turk said in a statement.
Citing information gathered by his office, Turk said Israeli air operations have struck residential buildings, including large tower blocks, as well as schools and UN buildings across Gaza, resulting in civilian casualties.
"International humanitarian law is clear: the obligation to take constant care to spare the civilian population and civilian objects remains applicable throughout the attacks," said Turk.
10:26am: Three Palestinian journalists killed in Gaza strike, says press union
Three Palestinian journalists were killed early Tuesday in an Israeli air strike that hit a residential building near Gaza City's fishing port, a media union and an official said.
The journalists' syndicate announced "the martyrdom of three journalists in the Gaza Strip in the ongoing Israeli aggression".
The head of Gaza's Hamas-run government's media office, Salameh Maarouf, identified the three as Said al-Taweel, Mohammed Sobboh and Hisham Nawajhah.
10:20am: Israel to arm volunteer guards in border communities, Jewish-Arab towns
Israel will begin distributing thousands of assault rifles to volunteer first-response teams in border communities and mixed Jewish-Arab towns, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said in a social media post.
He said 4,000 Israeli-made rifles would be given out in the first round, with at least another 6,000 to follow. Volunteers would also eventually be equipped with helmets and flak jackets, he added.
10:17am: Iran's Khamenei denies involvement in Hamas attack on Israel
Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has denied any Iranian involvement in Saturday's shock Hamas attack on Israel despite its strong support for the Palestinian militant group.
In his first televised speech since the attack, Khamenei claimed the "supporters of the Zionist regime (Israel) and some people in the usurping regime have been spreading rumours over the past two or three days, including that Islamic Iran was behind this action. They are wrong," he said.
Khamenei however praised the attack against Israel. "We kiss the hands of those who planned the attack on the Zionist regime," he said.
9:45am: EU plunges into diplomatic row over suspension of Palestinian aid announcement
EU foreign ministers are meeting Tuesday to discuss the bloc’s development aid to the Palestinian Territories following a diplomatic row over an announcement of the suspension of aid by a Hungarian commissioner.
On Monday, Oliver Varhelyi, EU commissioner for neighbourhood and enlargement, said that all develoment aid for the Palestinian Territoriess would be “immediately suspended”.
“It’s unclear right now if this was ever a policy, or if this was one particular commissioner getting ahead of himself and announcing something for which he didn’t actually have the authority to announce,” explained FRANCE 24’s Dave Keating, reporting from Brussels.
Varhelyi is a Hungarian and a close ally of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Keating explained.
“Several member states reacted angrily” to Varhelyi’s statement ahead of Tuesday’s meeting, said Keating. “The Irish government put out an extremely strong statement saying that Commissioner Varhelyi doesn’t have the authority to do this and saying they oppose taking away aid from the Palestinians," he added.
9:15am: France, Spain not in favour of suspending EU aid to Palestinians
France is not in favour of suspending aid that benefits Palestinians directly in response to Hamas's recent deadly attack on Israel, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday.
"We are not in favour of suspending aid that directly benefits the Palestinian people, and we made this clear to the European Commission yesterday," the ministry said in a statement.
Spanish Acting Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares on Tuesday morning also said his government opposes a proposed suspension of EU aid to the Palestinian Territories.
"This cooperation must continue, we cannot confuse Hamas, which is on the list of EU's terrorist groups, with the Palestinian population, or the Palestinian Authority or the United Nations organisations on the ground," Albares said in an interview with Spanish radio Cadena SER.
He added that the Palestinian Territories will likely need more aid in the near future after Israel's bombardment of the Gaza Strip.
EU foreign ministers are meeting later Tuesday to discuss EU funding to the Palestinian Territories.
8:53am: Israeli warplanes pound Gaza City into early morning
Israeli warplanes pounded downtown Gaza City, home to Hamas's centres of government, with relentless bombardments into early Tuesday, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed retaliation against the Islamic militant group that would “reverberate for generations”.
The Israeli military said it struck hundreds of Hamas targets in Gaza’s City Rimal densely populated neighbourhood, an upscale district of Gaza City that's home to Hamas ministries, as well as universities, media organisations and the offices of aid organisations.
After hours of nonstop strikes overnight, some Rimal residents left their homes at daybreak to find some buildings torn in half by strikes, while others were reduced to mounds of concrete and rebar. Cars were flattened and trees burned out in moonscapes that had been residential streets.
The military’s heavy bombardment began over the weekend in areas of Gaza bordering Israel, and overnight shifted to the centre of Gaza City.
8:47am: Israel calls up 300,000 reservists, raising regional conflict fears
Israel has called up an unprecedented 300,000 reservists for its "Swords of Iron" campaign. "It’s the largest deployment in such a short time in Israeli history," said FRANCE 24's Irris Makler, reporting from Jerusalem.
"What that says is, Israel is either anticipating, or fearing, that this will not just be a war with Gaza. This is a sign to Hezbollah in the north and perhaps to Iran further away that Israel is prepared for a big battle," explained Makler.
8:16am: Israeli army has 'more or less restored control' over Gaza border, bodies of Hamas militants found
Israel's army has "more or less restored control" over the Gaza border and has found more than 1,500 bodies of Hamas militants in Israel near the border, according to military spokesman Richard Hecht.
"Approximately 1,500 bodies of Hamas militants were found in Israel around the Gaza Strip," said Hecht, adding that security forces had "more or less restored control over the border" with Gaza.
"Since last night we know that no one came in ... but infiltrations can still happen," he said.
The army had "nearly completed" evacuation of all the communities around the border, Hecht added.
7:51am: Israeli military amends remarks on Gaza-Egypt border crossing
The Israeli military revised on Tuesday a recommendation by one of its spokespeople that Palestinians fleeing air strikes in the Gaza Strip head to Egypt, saying in a follow-up statement that the main crossing on that border was currently closed.
Briefing foreign reporters, Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Hecht said he would advise Palestinian refugees to "get out" through the Rafah crossing on Gaza's southern border with Egypt.
His office then issued a statement. "Clarification: The Rafah crossing was open yesterday, but now it is closed," it said.
7:41am: Israeli military suggests Gazans fleeing strikes head to Egypt
The Israeli military suggested on Tuesday that Palestinians fleeing its air strikes in the Gaza Strip head to Egypt, which also borders the blockaded enclave.
"I am aware that the Rafah crossing (on the Gaza-Egypt border) is still open," Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Hecht, chief military spokesperson to the foreign media, said in a briefing. "Anyone who can get out, I would advise them to get out."
7:18am: Australian police investigate pro-Palestinian protest over alleged anti-Semitism
Australian police said on Tuesday they were investigating a pro-Palestinian protest outside Sydney Opera House, after footage emerged of a small group appearing to chant anti-Semitic slogans at the demonstration.
Around 1,000 pro-Palestinian supporters marched through downtown Sydney on Monday evening to the city's iconic Opera House, which the government had illuminated in the colours of the Israeli flag following Saturday's attacks by Hamas which Israel says killed more than 900.
Unverified footage shared by the Australian Jewish Association and featured on Sky News appeared to show a small group outside the Opera House lighting flares and chanting "gas the Jews".
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday called the reports of anti-Semitic slogans "horrific".
7:12am: Israel planting mines where Gaza fence was breached
Israel has retaken control of the Gaza border fence breached by Palestinian gunmen and is planting mines in the parts where the barrier was toppled, the chief military spokesperson said on Tuesday.
In remarks aired by Israel's Army Radio, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said there had been no new infiltrations from Gaza since Monday. In an apparent response to rumours that gunmen used cross-border tunnels, he said the military had no such findings.
6:51am: Blinken discussed US support with Israeli foreign minister
Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed US support for Israel in a call with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, the State Department said in a statement early Tuesday.
Blinken "reaffirmed our efforts to secure the immediate release of all hostages", the statement said.
Blinken also spoke with French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, reiterating their condemnation of Hamas's attacks on Israel, the department said in a separate statement.
6:17am: Thailand says 18 of its nationals killed in Israel
Eighteen Thai nationals have been killed in violence in Israel according to the latest available figures, a Thai foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Jakkapong Sangmanee, Thailand's deputy minister of foreign affairs, gave the updated toll and said the government was working to evacuate thousands of Thais away from the conflict. Around 30,000 Thais work in Israel, mostly in agriculture.
Jakkapong said about 3,000 Thais had put in requests to be taken back to Thailand.
3:30am: Trudeau condemns 'glorification of violence' in protests after Hamas attacked Israel
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other Canadian authorities on Monday condemned demonstrations across Canada by those they said were glorifying violence by supporting Palestinian Islamist group Hamas's attack on Israel.
"The glorification of violence is never acceptable in Canada," he said.
3:24am: Hamas official says Iran and Hezbollah had no role in Israel incursion
A senior Hamas official on Monday said only a small number of top commanders inside Gaza knew about the wide-ranging incursion launched into Israel, but that allies like Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah “will join the battle if Gaza is subjected to a war of annihilation.”
3:20am: Pro-Palestinian letter from Harvard students provokes alumni outrage
Prominent Harvard University alumni on Monday denounced a pro-Palestinian statement from students that blamed Israel for violence engulfing the region and urged the university to take action against the signatories.
A coalition of 34 Harvard student organisations said they "hold the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all unfolding violence" following decades of occupation, adding that "the apartheid regime is the only one to blame".
The organisations signing the letter included Muslim and Palestinian support groups plus others named for a variety of backgrounds and missions including the Harvard Jews for Liberation and the African American Resistance Organisation.
2:50am: Politicians condemn pro-Palestinian rally at Sydney Opera House
Australian political leaders on Tuesday condemned pro-Palestinian protesters who rallied at Sydney's Opera House, some throwing flares and chanting anti-Israel insults.
Protesters lit red flares outside the Opera House, shouted anti-Semitic slogans and carried banners with messages such as "Where there is apartheid resistance is justified".
"There is nothing to celebrate from the loss of innocent lives," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told a radio interviewer the following morning.
2:16am: Military leaders from US, Israel discuss Hamas attack, Pentagon says
US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Charles Brown Jr spoke on Monday with the Chief of the Israeli General Staff Herzi Halevi, the Pentagon said, adding they discussed Hamas's attack and steps to strengthen US military posture in the region.
2:07am: Hundreds in Argentina march for Israel
Hundreds of people took part in a march in support of Israel Monday in the capital of Argentina, which lost at least seven citizens in attacks by militant group Hamas that left hundreds dead.
The march took place at the corner of two streets in Buenos Aires respectively named State of Israel and State of Palestine.
"The only solution is to vacate the Gaza Strip, which originally belongs to the Jewish people," Rafael Yablonosky, a 60-year-old doctor, told AFP at the march.
Argentina is home to Latin America's largest Jewish community, with some 300,000 individuals in a population of about 45 million.
1:01am: In New York, pro-Palestinian demonstrators denounce Israeli government
Hundreds of pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered Monday in the heart of Manhattan, denouncing the Israeli government and demanding that the United States stop supporting its ally in the Middle East, after Palestinian militants' deadly weekend attack in Israel.
With signs reading "Israel go to hell!" and "NYC stands with Gaza," people of all ages stood in front of the Israeli consulate general waving Palestinian flags.
Across the heavily policed street, a pro-Israel group stood behind security barriers hurling insults at the other gathering.
It was the second day in a row that the city had been the scene of tense counterprotests between pro-Palestinian demonstrators and others defending Israel.
12:35am: Palestinian President Abbas expected in Moscow, says Russian media
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to visit Moscow, Russian news media quoted the Palestinian envoy to Moscow as saying late on Monday.
"We are awaiting an official statement from the Kremlin, from the Russian side, about when the visit will take place," Russia's RBC news outlet said, citing Ambassador Abdel Hafiz Nofal as saying.
"An agreement has been reached that Mr Abbas will come here to Moscow."
12:30am: Saudi prince says working to contain Israel-Gaza fighting
Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas he was working to prevent "an expansion" of conflict after the surprise Hamas attack on Israel, Saudi state media said early Tuesday.
The crown prince also told Abbas the Gulf kingdom continued "to stand by the Palestinian people to achieve their legitimate rights to a decent life, achieve their hopes and aspirations, and achieve just and lasting peace", the official Saudi Press Agency reported.
12:18am: 'No intention to put US boots on ground' in Israel-Hamas conflict, says White House
The United States has no plan to become militarily involved in the conflict between Israel and Hamas after the Palestinian militant group's deadly attack, the White House said Monday.
"There's no intention to put US boots on the ground," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters, adding however that President Joe Biden "will always make sure that we are protecting and defending our national security interest".
Kirby told reporters the White House expects additional security requests from Israel and will try to fulfil those needs as quickly as possible.
12:00am: Leaders of US, UK, Germany, Italy and France express support for Israel
The leaders of the US, Germany, Britain, France and Italy issued a joint statement on Monday condemning the attacks on Israel by Islamist militant group Hamas and expressed their "steadfast and united support" for Israel.
"Over the coming days, we will remain united and coordinated, together as allies, and as common friends of Israel, to ensure Israel is able to defend itself, and to ultimately set the conditions for a peaceful and integrated Middle East region," said the statement by US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Read yesterday’s liveblog to see how the day’s events unfolded.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)
