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Israel’s military says more civilian deaths in Gaza are “inevitable”, claiming that Hamas fighters are using Palestinians as cover.

More than one million Palestinians were warned to move south through Gaza at the weekend by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), ahead of an expected ground invasion.

In recent days, more than 80 people have been killed in attacks in the south following Israeli airstrikes, according to the Hamas-run government.

Follow live: Israel hints at ‘something different’ to ground offensive

The United Nations added six people were killed in an airstrike on a school run by the organisation in Gaza’s Al Maghazi refugee camp.

The Palestinian health ministry, which is run by Hamas, has also claimed up to 500 people, which they called “martyrs”, were killed in a bombing that targeted a hospital in Gaza City.

Sky News has not been able to independently verify the claim.

Explosion seen at the Arab Baptist Hospital in Gaza City. Pic: X
Explosion seen at the Arab Baptist Hospital in Gaza City. Pic: X
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Explosion seen at the Arab Baptist Hospital in Gaza City. Pic: X

IDF spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner, told Sky News: “You can’t expect us not to protect our civilians because Hamas are hiding behind theirs.

“We are in a huge effort… to minimise the civilian consequences of this conflict. But, and I say this very sadly, there will, and it is unfortunate and inevitable that this will continue to happen.”

He added: “We are going out of our way to refrain and minimise the civilian casualties, and it is indeed an extremely challenging task as pointed out, with the density of the population in Gaza.”

In an earlier statement on Tuesday, the IDF said it had cancelled a “large number” of attacks in recent days, which it said was done to avoid civilian casualties.

The lieutenant colonel added if it is directed to open a humanitarian corridor by the government, then it will, but until then, the IDF will continue its “fight”.

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Gazans evacuate after Israel strike warning

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The comments came amid fears the war could escalate, with US President Joe Biden expected in the region on Wednesday in an effort to calm tensions.

He will visit Israel to signal support for the country, then onward to neighbouring Jordan, where he will meet leaders from the Arab world, with concerns the conflict may spread in the region.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is also expected to visit Israel, Sky News Understands, possibly as part of a wider visit to the region.

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‘I lost my family’ in Gaza

Other key developments:
A 13-year-old British girl missing with her sister after the Hamas attack is confirmed to have died
• Director of Rafah border crossing killed
• Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of using civilians as human shields
• The UN operation in Gaza “on verge of collapse”, an official says
• US President Joe Biden is expected to visit Israel on Wednesday
• Violence is rising in the West Bank as number of Palestinians killed reaches 61
• Israel says it may do “something different” to its expected ground offensive

Israel has besieged and bombed Gaza since the Hamas militant attack on southern Israel on 7 October.

The chief of Israel’s military intelligence, Major General Aharon Haliva, has written a letter taking responsibility for failure to anticipate the deadly attack.

More than 1,300 people, mostly civilians, were killed in the Hamas assault, with about 200 hostages held captive in Gaza.

At least 3,000 people in Gaza have been killed in retaliatory strikes and 12,500 others have been injured, according to the territory’s health ministry.

Speaking at a news conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday, Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said Hamas was responsible for the safety of civilians in Gaza, including hostages they have taken, and claimed the group is using citizens as human shields.

17 October 2023, Palestinian Territories, Rafah: Palestinians search for victims following an Israeli air strike on Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. Photo by: Mohammed Talatene/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images
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People searching rubble in Rafah, Gaza. Pic: AP

Hundreds of people are feared buried under the rubble, and more than a million Palestinians have fled their homes, with aid agencies warning of a deteriorating humanitarian crisis.

Concerns about dehydration and diseases were high as water and sanitation services had collapsed.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said only around 14% of Gazans had access to water

“People will start dying without water,” it said.

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Ukraine war: Russia launches drone strike on Kyiv – as commander ‘sacked for lying about war progress’

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Ukraine war: Russia launches drone strike on Kyiv - as commander 'sacked for lying about war progress'

Russia launched a large drone attack on Kyiv overnight, with Volodymyr Zelenskyy warning the attack shows his capital needs better air defences.

Ukraine’s air defence units shot down 50 of 73 Russian drones launched, with no immediate reports of damage or injuries as a result of the attacks.

Russia has used more than 800 guided aerial bombs and around 460 attack drones in the past week.

Warning that Ukraine needs to improve its air defences, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said: “An air alert has been sounded almost daily across Ukraine this week”.

“Ukraine is not a testing ground for weapons. Ukraine is a sovereign and independent state.

“But Russia still continues its efforts to kill our people, spread fear and panic, and weaken us.”

Russia did not comment on the attack.

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It comes as Russian media reported that Colonel General Gennady Anashkin, the commander of the country’s southern military district, had been removed from his role over allegedly providing misleading reports about his troops’ progress.

While Russian forces have advanced at the fastest rate in Ukraine since the start of the invasion, forces have been much slower around Siversk and the eastern region of Donetsk.

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Russian war bloggers have long complained that units there are poorly supported and thrown into deadly battles for little tactical gain.

Russia’s ministry of defence has not commented on the reports.

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Russian forces capture ‘former British soldier’ fighting for Ukraine – reports

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Russian forces capture 'former British soldier' fighting for Ukraine - reports

Russian forces have reportedly captured a British man while he was fighting for Ukraine.

In a widely circulated video posted on Sunday, the man says his name is James Scott Rhys Anderson, aged 22.

He says he is a former British Army soldier who signed up to fight for Ukraine’s International Legion after his job.

He is dressed in army fatigues and speaks with an English accent as he says to camera: “I was in the British Army before, from 2019 to 2023, 22 Signal Regiment.”

He tells the camera he was “just a private”, “a signalman” in “One Signal Brigade, 22 Signal Regiment, 252 Squadron”.

“When I left… got fired from my job, I applied on the International Legion webpage. I had just lost everything. I just lost my job,” he said.

“My dad was away in prison, I see it on the TV,” he added, shaking his head. “It was a stupid idea.”

In a second video, he is shown with his hands tied and at one point, with tape over his eyes.

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He describes how he had travelled to Ukraine from Britain, saying: “I flew to Krakow, Poland, from London Luton. Bus from there to Medyka in Poland, on the Ukraine border.”

Russian state news agency Tass reported that a military source said a “UK mercenary” had been “taken prisoner in the Kursk area” of Russia.

The UK Foreign Office said it was “supporting the family of a British man following reports of his detention”.

The Ministry of Defence has declined to comment at this stage.

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Body of missing rabbi Zvi Kogan found in UAE – as Israeli PM says he was murdered in ‘antisemitic terror incident’

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Body of missing rabbi Zvi Kogan found in UAE - as Israeli PM says he was murdered in 'antisemitic terror incident'

The body of an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi who went missing in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been found, Israel has said.

Zvi Kogan, the Chabad representative in the UAE, went missing on Thursday.

A statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s office on Sunday said the 28-year-old rabbi was murdered, calling it a “heinous antisemitic terror incident”.

“The state of Israel will act with all means to seek justice with the criminals responsible for his death,” it said.

On Saturday, Israeli intelligence agency Mossad said it was investigating the disappearance as suspicions arose that he had been kidnapped.

The Emirati government gave no immediate acknowledgment that Mr Kogan had been found dead. Its interior ministry has described the rabbi as being “missing and out of contact”.

“Specialised authorities immediately began search and investigation operations upon receiving the report,” the interior ministry said.

Mr Kogan lived in the UAE with his wife Rivky, who is a US citizen. He ran a Kosher grocery store in Dubai, which has been the target of online protests by pro-Palestinian supporters.

The Chabad Lubavitch movement, a prominent and highly observant branch of Orthodox Judaism, said Mr Kogan was last seen in Dubai.

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Israeli authorities reissued their recommendation against all non-essential travel to the UAE and said visitors currently there should minimise movement and remain in secure areas.

The rabbi’s disappearance comes as Iran has threatened to retaliate against Israel after the two countries traded fire in October.

While the Israeli statement on Mr Kogan did not mention Iran, Iranian intelligence services have previously carried out kidnappings in the UAE.

The UAE diplomatically recognised Israel in 2020. Since then, synagogues and businesses catering to kosher diners have been set up for the burgeoning Jewish community but the unrest in the Middle East has sparked deep anger in the country.

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