Al-Shifa Hospital director says Israeli troops have instructed him to evacuate patients and staff – but IDF says it is securing safe passage to people who wanted to leave. 

Jerusalem

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel is 'at war' following a surprise attack from Gaza by Hamas militants.

Israel-Gaza War

Patients and staff evacuate main Gaza hospital

James Andre has been following the situation from Tel Aviv and we can speak to him now. Hello to you, James. The situation at al-Shifa was already dire and chaotic. What more do we know about the ordered evacuation of the hospital? Well, it's very difficult to understand exactly what happened at al-Shifa hospital this morning. As you pointed out, there were reports that the hospital staff was given one hour to evacuate the whole building by the Israeli army. Now, the Israeli army denies that. What we've been hearing is the following. A journalist inside al-Shifa, a journalist for the AFP news agency, translated what he heard over loudspeakers saying that indeed the hospital was given one hour to evacuate absolutely everyone from the compound. Now, that was also confirmed by the health ministry that is run by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Now, the Israeli army denies that. What they say, and this is confirmed by the hospital director, is that they were asked by the hospital director a safe route, a humanitarian corridor, in order to evacuate the wounded people and the patients that need special assistance. The Israeli army says they have conceded that. But what is one sure thing is that, yes, the Israeli army is clearly requesting for al-Shifa to be completely evacuated, but not under such a short time window. That is what we're being told. And, of course, the operation inside the hospital by Israeli soldiers is ongoing. For now, they are still trying to find evidence of the presence of this Hamas command center they have been saying existed under hospital and that, according to them, justifies this attack. But, for now, they say they have found some documents. They found and showed the press some light weapons and explosives, but small quantities of them, and then documents. That's as much proof as they have managed to present to the international community for now. Meanwhile, James, in Han Yunis, the largest city in Southern Gaza, what can you tell us about the situation there? Now, Han Yunis was bombarded this morning by — was struck by an Israeli plane, a strike that killed 26 people, according to the director of a local hospital and authorities in the Gaza Strip run by Hamas. For now, what we hear is that, yes, it appears that this military operation is moving into a third phase. Now, Mark Regev, who is one of the senior advisers to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was on American media saying that, indeed, it was time for the Palestinians to evacuate Han Yunis. Now, Han Yunis, according to the Israeli army, is a very important part of the Gaza Strip. It is one of the historic strongholds of Hamas inside the enclave. And, indeed, it is quite clear that it appears a new operation is starting there, while the rest of the operations are carrying on in the northern part of Gaza. Now, the problem is, for now, the Israeli army had asked Gaza residents from the north to evacuate towards the south to be safe. Now, Han Yunis is in the southern Gaza Strip, to the southeast, to be exact. And that means there is a new population displacement from the east-southern Gaza Strip to the west, begging one question, where will these people go, given it is already very cramped? The humanitarian situation in southern Gaza is catastrophic, with, we have been told, water evacuation systems overflowing, lack of drinkable clean water, lack of food. Shops are now running out of food, humanitarian agencies as well. So, it is a dire, dire situation in this part of the Gaza Strip. And, James, what can you tell us about the two-day communications blackout ending in Gaza? Now, this two-day communication blackout is coming to an end simply because the Israelis have accepted, pressed by the American government, to let 10,000 litres of fuel enter the Gaza Strip for this specific need, that is restoring some power in telecommunications to, obviously, this population that was with no news, no information, no Internet, which obviously makes things even tougher on them. Now, 10,000 litres is as much as has been authorised. That is really very little compared to the needs of the entire Gaza Strip. I mean, one expert on Israeli television today was saying that the Gaza Strip needed 1.1 million litres of fuel per day. But it is already that. And then, in a separate development, the U.N. has been requesting from the Israelis' authorisation to take fuel inside the Gaza Strip to carry on with humanitarian operations. Well, the Israelis have accepted to let 60,000 litres of fuel enter the Gaza Strip for the U.N. Now, the Israeli army and the Israeli government, their objective is to make sure the fuel isn't diverted and used for military operations by Hamas. This is why they're only letting a very small quantity enter and really checking who actually gets that fuel. But, yes, from now on, they've announced it would be 10,000 litres per day, which should be enough for at least some telecommunications.

Hong Kong's first district elections saw a turnout of 27.5 percent, the government said Monday, a record low for a race that had shut out all opposition candidates. China has barred pro-democracy candidates from entering the race this year, reserving the ballot for "patriots."

Sha Tin

Hong Kong elections witness record low turnout

Elon Musk has reinstated far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones on the social media platform X, a year after vowing never to let him return. Jones, who claimed that a December 2012 school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, that killed 20 children and six educators was a hoax, was banned from the platform in 2018 for violating its "abusive behavior policy."

Mountain View

Elon Musk lifts X ban on far-right conspiracist Alex Jones

The UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon is warning the escalation in hostilities along the Israeli border could widen. The Israeli army has carried out multiple air strikes on frontline villages in some of the fiercest bombardment yet. The Lebanese armed group Hezbollah is also stepping up attacks against Israeli military outposts. 

Beirut

Violence escalates between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah

The Federal Government has announced its new migration strategy, which plans to reduce migrant intake by raising requirements for international students and some workers to get a visa, including minimum English language requirements.

Canberra

Government announces crackdown on migration

As Israeli troops move closer to the centre of Khan Younis, Gaza, and residents attempt to find safety, the UN warns that half of Gaza’s population is starving.



Sderot

More people flee Gaza as UN warns of mass starvation

In the final days of COP28, finding greener ways to produce clean drinking water is a big topic of conversation, but the pressure is on for an official statement about fossil fuels.

Dubai

Climate Crisis

Drinking water, fossil fuels lead COP28 agenda in final days

Residents as far south as Mackay are being warned to brace for damaging winds as Cyclone Jasper continues to track toward the coast. It's expected to cross as a Category Two on Wednesday.

Mackay

North Queensland residents prepare for Cyclone Jasper landfall

The competition to follow Annastacia Palaszczuk as Queensland Premier is heating up after her announcement that she's retiring from politics at the end of this week. 

Brisbane

Race to replace Queensland Premier heats up

Israeli tanks battled their way to the centre of Khan Younis in a major new push into the heart of the main city in the southern Gaza Strip which is sheltering hundreds of thousands of civilians who fled other parts of the enclave. 

Israeli tanks reach center of Khan Younis

Three Hong Kong pro-democracy activists have been arrested, just before voting began in a "patriots only" district election that has marginalised formerly popular opposition figures in the city amid a national security clampdown.

Shenzhen

Hong Kong activists arrested in city's 'birdcage' election

Foreign investors who leave their homes vacant will be slugged with a six-fold increase to penalties as the Federal Government seeks to free up more housing stock.

Foreign investors to be penalised for leaving homes vacant

The Federal Government is set to unveil a major new migration strategy tomorrow that aims to dramatically cut Australia's intake.

Government plans to 'drastically cut' migration

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday approved two gene therapies for sickle cell disease, making one of them the first treatment in the United States based on the Nobel Prize-winning CRISPR gene editing technology.

Maryland

US approves two gene therapies for sickle cell disease

Israel bombing of the Gaza Strip has intensified in an expanded phase of its war against Hamas. This is after the United States wielded its U.N. Security Council veto to shield its ally from a global demand for a ceasefire.

Intensified fighting in Gaza as U.S. vetoes ceasefire

EU lawmakers and policymakers have reached a deal on rules regulating the use of artificial intelligence, EU industry chief Thierry Breton said on the X social platform.

Brussels

Rise of AI

EU reaches landmark deal to regulate AI threat

The U.S. has vetoed an emergency resolution at the UN security council — triggered by the secretary-general with a rarely-used power to force a vote — for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and to allow more aid into the area.

New York

United States vetoes UN vote on immediate Gaza ceasefire

Israel's military says it has struck 450 targets in Gaza over the past 24 hours, roughly double the figure it's typically reported since the end of the truce with Hamas. It marks a new expansion of the war.

Israel ramps up airstrikes on Gaza targets amid new phase

Russians and Belarusians who qualify in their sport for the Paris 2024 Olympics can take part as neutrals without flags, emblems or anthems at the event next year, the International Olympic Committee has ruled.

Paris

IOC rules Russian athletes can compete at Paris Olympics

Cyclone preparations are underway in north Queensland. Communities in North Queensland are bracing for Category Four Jasper to approach mainland Queensland by mid-next week.

Townsville City

North Queensland braces for Category Four cyclone

The Hamas-run health ministry reported 40 dead in strikes near Gaza City on Friday, and dozens more in Jabalia and the main southern city of Khan Yunis. So far, the fighting in the Palestinian enclave has left 17,487 people dead, according to the ministry's latest published figures. 

Hamas health ministry says over 17,000 dead in Gaza

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday told soldiers who had fought in Ukraine that he would run for the top job again in the 2024 election - a move that will allow the former KGB spy to stay in power until at least 2030. 

Moscow

Ukraine Invasion

Russia's Putin tells soldiers he will run for president again

Ahead of a U.N. Security Council vote on a resolution for a ceasefire in Gaza, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in his strongest public criticism of Israel's conduct of the war on Hamas in south Gaza, said there was a gap between the government's declared intentions to protect civilians and the casualties.

Washington

U.S criticizes Israel over Gaza civilian toll

2023 has been declared the hottest year in recorded history a month earlier than scientists would usually confirm the evidence. Temperatures are now nudging one and a half degrees Celsius higher than pre-industrial levels, giving the UN climate talks in Dubai a heightened sense of priority.

Council of the City of Sydney

Scientists confirm 2023 is the hottest year on record

The Department of Justice filed new criminal charges against U.S. President Joe Biden's son, Hunter, indicting him for allegedly failing to pay $1.4 million in taxes while spending millions of dollars on a lavish lifestyle. 

Delaware

Hunter Biden hit with new charges for tax evasion

Two months since the initial Hamas attack on southern Israel, doctors in Gaza are treating many times the number of patients they are equipped to handle, and a UN official says there is no safe place for humanitarian operations to continue.

Israel pushes deeper south as war with Hamas passes 2 months

Emergency authorities are on alert as severe Tropical Cyclone Jasper intensifies in the Coral Sea. The category four system is continuing its gradual march towards the North Queensland coast, but its exact path remains uncertain.

Tropical Cyclone Jasper strengthens off Queensland coast

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan visited Greece and met with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Thursday. The two leaders agreed to reboot their relations, establishing a roadmap designed to usher in a new era of closer ties between the two NATO allies but historical foes. 

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Israel-Gaza War