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Israeli forces are actively fighting Hamas in two locations inside Israel, after the country formally declared war.

Lieutenant Colonel Richard Hecht, the international spokesperson for the IDF, told Sky News that Israeli troops have managed to regain control of some areas of southern Israel.

“There are two last pockets of fighting,” he said. “We have more or less stabilised control in all communities around Gaza.”

Earlier, the IDF said fighting was occurring in as many as eight locations.

It said it thought the situation would be in “a better place”, more than 48 hours since the beginning of the surprise attack.

More than 1,000 Palestinian targets hit – follow live updates

Lieutenant Colonel Hecht said he was unsure if more Hamas had come across the Gaza border.

“There could be a potential for more to come through. We are still looking at other options for them to infiltrate into Israel. We can’t deny that,” he said.

“We are trying to make sure our border is secure on the ground and in the sea.”

Other key developments include:
• Hundreds of Israelis are being held hostage by Hamas, including women, children and the elderly;
• Israeli civilians have been gunned down in towns, along roads and at a techno music festival being held in the desert near Gaza;
• The United Nations Security Council opted for no immediate action after an emergency meeting;
• More than 123,000 people have been displaced in Gaza, UN says.

Israel-Hamas War – watch special programme on Sky News tonight at 9pm.

Israeli forces moved to crush fighters still in southern towns and intensified their bombardment of the Gaza Strip with the number of dead reaching 1,100 and thousands wounded on both sides.

At least 700 people have reportedly been killed in Israel and around 493 have died in Gaza as Israel retaliated with airstrikes in an operation which has been dubbed “Swords of Iron”.

The IDF said it had struck more than 1,000 targets inside the Gaza Strip, including airstrikes that levelled much of the town of Beit Hanoun in the northeast corner.

Explosions over Gaza City on Sunday. Pic: AP
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Explosions over Gaza City on Sunday. Pic: AP

The Israeli rescue service Zaka said its paramedics removed about 260 bodies from a music festival attended by thousands that came under attack.

The total number of dead is expected to be higher as other paramedic teams were working in the area.

Video on social media and Israeli news outlets showed dozens of festival-goers running through an open field as gunshots rang out. Many hid in nearby fruit orchards or were gunned down as they fled.

Pic: AP
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Damaged building in Ashkelon, Israel. Pic: AP

Israeli police take cover while sirens sound as rockets from Gaza are launched towards Israel, near Sderot, southern Israel, October 9, 2023. REUTERS/Amir Cohen
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Israeli police take cover in Sderot

“It’s the darkest day in our history,” Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus, spokesperson for the IDF, said.

“You could say it’s 9/11 and Pearl Harbor together for us,” he told Fox News.

Major Nir Dinar, also from the IDF, added: “They got us. They surprised us and they came fast from many spots – both from the air and the ground and the sea.”

By late Sunday, Israeli airstrikes destroyed 159 housing units across Gaza and severely damaged 1,210 others, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

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Gaza ablaze as conflict enters third day

The declaration of war foreshadows heavier fighting ahead, and a major question is whether Israel will launch a ground assault into Gaza, a move that in the past has brought increased casualties.

Meanwhile, in northern Israel, a brief exchange of strikes with Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group fanned fears that the fighting could expand into a wider regional war.

Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets launched from the Gaza Strip, as seen from the city of Ashkelon, Israel October 8, 2023. REUTERS/Amir Cohen
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Israel’s Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets launched from the Gaza Strip

During their rampage through southern Israel, militants dragged back into Gaza dozens of captives.

Authorities are still trying to determine how many civilians and soldiers were seized by Hamas fighters and taken back to Gaza.

Palestinians inspect damages in the aftermath of Israeli strikes, following a Hamas surprise attack, at Beach refugee camp, in Gaza City, October 9, 2023. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem
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Palestinians inspect damage in Gaza City

From videos and witnesses, the captives are known to include women, children and the elderly.

Israel-Gaza
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Hamas fighters crossed the Gaza border

A map showing the cities targeted by Hamas airstrikes
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Israeli cities targeted by Hamas rockets

The leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group, Ziad Nakhaleh, said his group, which took part in the attack, is holding more than 30 Israelis, among dozens he said were captive in Gaza.

He said they would not be released until all Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails are freed.

Senior Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouk told Arabic language news outlet al Ghad on Sunday that they were holding more than 100 people captive.

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Israeli city shocked by attack

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What is Hamas – and why has it chosen now to strike?
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US secretary of state Antony Blinken said as many as 1,000 Hamas fighters were involved in the assault, a high figure that underscored the extent of planning by the militant group ruling Gaza.

Palestinians inspect a mosque destroyed in Israeli strikes in Khan Younis, in the Gaza Strip
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Palestinians inspect a mosque destroyed in Israeli strikes in Khan Younis, in the Gaza Strip

Israeli soldiers scan an area while sirens sound as rockets from Gaza are launched towards Israel, near Sderot, southern Israel, October 9, 2023. REUTERS/Amir Cohen

How Hamas carried out deadly Israel attack

Israeli Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told reporters Hamas was using Beit Hanoun as a staging ground for attacks.

There was no immediate word on casualties in the town, with most of the community’s population of tens of thousands thought likely to have fled beforehand.

“We will continue to attack in this way, with this force, continuously, on all gathering (places) and routes” used by Hamas, Rear Admiral Hagari said.

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The faces of the people missing after the attack

At the UN, the United States called on all 15 members of the security council to strongly condemn “heinous terrorist attacks committed by Hamas” which has seen Israel declare war on the Palestinian organisation.

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Gaza ceasefire ‘resumes’ after killings and suspension of aid test fragile truce

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Gaza ceasefire 'resumes' after killings and suspension of aid test fragile truce

The Israeli military has said that a ceasefire in Gaza would hold after the truce was seriously tested by an attack that killed two Israeli soldiers and a wave of airstrikes that killed 36 Palestinians.

Aid supplies into the enclave are due to resume on Monday following US pressure, an Israeli security source said, shortly after Israel announced a halt in supplies in response to what it called a “blatant” violation by Hamas of the truce.

A little over a week has passed since the start of the US-proposed ceasefire aimed at ending two years of war.

Israel‘s military said militants fired at troops in areas of Rafah city that are Israeli-controlled, according to agreed-upon ceasefire lines.

The military said Israel responded with airstrikes and artillery, hitting dozens of Hamas targets. It also said its forces struck “terrorists” approaching troops in Beit Lahiya in the north.

Health officials said at least 36 Palestinians were killed across Gaza, including children.

An injured child is carried to Nasser Hospital after an airstrike in Khan Younis, Gaza. Pic: AP
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An injured child is carried to Nasser Hospital after an airstrike in Khan Younis, Gaza. Pic: AP

One airstrike hit a former school sheltering displaced families in the area of Nuseirat, killing four people, according to Al Awda Hospital, which received the casualties.

More on Israel-hamas War

Another hit a tent in the Muwasi area of Khan Younis in the south, killing at least four people, including a woman and two children, according to Nasser Hospital.

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Violence that plagues Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directed the military to take “strong action” against any ceasefire violations but did not threaten to return to war.

The armed wing of Hamas continued to accuse Israel of multiple ceasefire violations, but said it remained committed to the ceasefire agreement.

It said communication with its remaining units in Rafah had been cut off for months, adding “we are not responsible for any incidents occurring in those areas”.

Children were injured and some were killed in Sunday's strikes, local health officials say. Pic: AP
Image:
Children were injured and some were killed in Sunday’s strikes, local health officials say. Pic: AP

In a statement on social media on Sunday evening, the IDF said it had “begun the renewed enforcement of the ceasefire, in line with the terms of the agreement”.

“The IDF will continue to uphold the ceasefire agreement and will respond firmly to any violation of it,” it added.

An Israeli source told Sky News: “The bottom line is that we’re done responding. We are now back to where we were this morning before their attack.”

Fearing the truce may collapse, some Palestinians, many of whom have lacked sufficient food for months, rushed to buy goods from the main market in Nuseirat.

Further south in Khan Younis, other families fled their homes and shelters after airstrikes hit nearby.

Major hurdles still stand in the way of a long-lasting peace in Gaza. An earlier ceasefire collapsed in March when Israel launched a barrage of airstrikes.

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Ceasefire faces toughest test

The new ceasefire began on 10 October, but for days the Israeli government and Hamas have been trading accusations of ceasefire violations.

A senior Egyptian official involved in the ceasefire negotiations said “round-the-clock” contacts were under way to de-escalate the situation.

Israel on Saturday pressed Hamas to returning the remains of all 28 dead hostages as promised under the ceasefire, saying the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt would stay closed “until further notice”.

Hamas says it has no reason to keep the bodies of the remaining hostages, but that it needs special equipment
recover corpses buried under rubble.

A Hamas delegation led by chief negotiator Khalil al Hayya has arrived in Cairo to follow up the implementation of the ceasefire deal with mediators and other Palestinian groups.

The next stages are expected to focus on disarming Hamas, Israeli withdrawal from additional areas it controls in Gaza, and future governance of the devastated territory.

The US plan proposes the establishment of an internationally-backed authority.

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‘Priceless’ jewellery stolen from Louvre museum in Paris – as authorities reveal details of daring raid

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'Priceless' jewellery stolen from Louvre museum in Paris - as authorities reveal details of daring raid

“Priceless” jewellery has been stolen from the Louvre museum in Paris – as authorities revealed details of the daring raid that has forced the closure of the world famous landmark.

The museum, which is the world’s most popular, drawing up to 30,000 visitors a day, said on X it was closing for “exceptional reasons” on Sunday.

In a separate post, culture minister Rachida Dati said there had been a robbery and she was on site alongside museum and police teams.

Police working by a basket lift used by thieves at the Louvre museum in Paris. Pic: AP
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Police working by a basket lift used by thieves at the Louvre museum in Paris. Pic: AP

The Louvre museum in Paris. File pic: AP
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The Louvre museum in Paris. File pic: AP

French interior minister Laurent Nunez said the “major robbery” involved intruders entering the museum via a basket lift using a platform mounted on a lorry.

“They broke a window and went towards several display cases where they stole jewellery,” he added.

“These are jewels that have genuine heritage value and are, in fact, priceless.”

Mr Nunez told France Inter radio the robbery lasted seven minutes, while the interior ministry said the criminals fled on two motorbikes. No injuries have been reported.

More on France

The robbers were well-prepared, Mr Nunez said, and “had done scouting”, cutting window panes “with a disc cutter” before escaping “on a TMAX” (a type of Yamaha maxi-scooter).

The robbery took place between 9.30 and 9.40am (8.30-8.40am UK time), the French government said in a statement, adding an investigation has begun, forensic work was under way and “a detailed list of the stolen items is being compiled”.

Hooded criminals carrying “small chainsaws” entered the building from the River Seine side, where construction work is taking place, French daily newspaper, Le Parisien, said, quoting preliminary findings from the police investigation.

A window believed to have been used in a robbery at the Louvre museum in Paris. Pic: Reuters
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A window believed to have been used in a robbery at the Louvre museum in Paris. Pic: Reuters

Thieves used a basket lift mounted on a lorry to rob the Louvre. Pic: AP
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Thieves used a basket lift mounted on a lorry to rob the Louvre. Pic: AP

Intruders went to the Galerie d’Apollon (Apollo Gallery), home to a selection of the French Crown Jewels, the ministry said.

The robbers escaped with nine pieces of jewellery from Napoleon and the Empress’s collection.

A necklace, a brooch, a tiara, were among the items taken from the Napoleon and French Sovereigns display cases. A third robber stayed outside, Le Parisien said.

One of the stolen gems was later found broken outside the museum, according to the paper, which said it was believed to be Empress Eugenie’s crown.

Police sealed off the museum and evacuated visitors. New arrivals were turned away and nearby streets were closed, according to the interior ministry.

Social media users posted pictures and videos from in and outside the building, with one people leaving in what the user described as “total panic”.

Robbers broke in on the Seine side of the museum. Pic: Reuters
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Robbers broke in on the Seine side of the museum. Pic: Reuters

On person on X said they were there and reported a confused-sounding scene of police “running near pyramid and trying to enter the Louvre from glass side doors but they were locked and they could not enter”.

“Everyone inside was running and banging on glass doors to get out, but could not open. Police and military police arrived,” they added.

It’s not the first time the museum, one of the world’s most famous and a French national landmark, has been targeted by thieves.

In 1911, the Mona Lisa vanished from its frame, stolen by a former worker who hid inside the museum and walked out with the painting under his coat.

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It was recovered two years later in Florence – an episode that helped make Leonardo da Vinci’s portrait the world’s best-known artwork.

In 1983, two Renaissance-era pieces of armour were stolen and only recovered nearly four decades later.

The museum’s collection also bears the legacy of Napoleonic-era looting, containing 33,000 works of art, including antiquities, sculptures and paintings.

In addition to the Mona Lisa, its star attractions feature the Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory of Samothrace.

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Hamas hands over bodies of two more hostages, Israel confirms

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Hamas hands over bodies of two more hostages, Israel confirms

Israel has received the bodies of two more hostages from the Red Cross, the Israeli prime minister’s office has confirmed.

Shortly after 10pm UK time on Saturday, Israel’s military said Hamas handed over “two coffins of deceased hostages”.

There has been no identification of the bodies yet.

The news came as tensions were beginning to rise over the closure of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt.

Benjamin Netanyahu‘s office had said earlier on Saturday evening that it would stay closed “until further notice” – as the deadline for Hamas to return the bodies of the hostages had passed with no confirmation.

Mr Netanyahu had warned that its reopening would depend on how Hamas fulfilled its role in returning the remains of all 28 dead hostages.

The handover brings the count of returned bodies to 12 hostages, up from 10, according to Israel’s tally. Another 16 deceased hostages would then still have to be returned.

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All 28 were supposed to have been handed over by last Monday.

The handover of remains is among key points – along with aid deliveries into Gaza and the devastated territory’s future – in the ceasefire process meant to end two years of war.

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Rafah crossing to remain closed

Israel’s foreign ministry had originally said the Rafah crossing would likely reopen on Sunday – another step in the fragile ceasefire. This has now been revised to being closed “until further notice”.

A satellite image shows the back-up of aid trucks at the border from the air. Pic: ©2025 Vantor/Reuters
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A satellite image shows the back-up of aid trucks at the border from the air. Pic: ©2025 Vantor/Reuters

A fully reopened crossing would make it easier for Gazans to seek medical treatment, travel internationally or visit family in Egypt, which is home to tens of thousands of Palestinians.

It is unclear who will operate the crossing’s heavily damaged Gaza side once the war ends.

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Meanwhile, Gaza’s ruins were being scoured for the dead, over a week into a ceasefire. Newly recovered bodies brought the Palestinian toll above 68,000, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

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The ministry, part of the Hamas-run government, does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count. But the ministry maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by UN agencies and independent experts.

Famine declared

Israel has disputed them without providing its own toll.

Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251 people in the attack on southern Israel that sparked the war on October 7 2023.

Gaza’s more than two million people are hoping the ceasefire will bring relief from the humanitarian disaster caused by Israel’s offensive. Throughout the war, Israel restricted aid entry to Gaza – sometimes halting it altogether.

Famine was declared in Gaza City, and the UN says it has verified more than 400 people who died of malnutrition-related causes, including more than 100 children.

Officials in Israel say they have let in enough food, accusing Hamas of stealing much of it. The UN and other aid agencies deny this claim.

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