Israel-Hamas war latest: Israeli military announces 'tactical pauses' in parts of southern Gaza (2024)

Pressure continues to grow on Benjamin Netanyahu to secure the release of Israeli hostages, with regular rallies attended by hundreds of family members of those still in Gaza increase in both frequency and attendance.

Demonstrations have become increasingly more tense, with a number of arrests.

At a rally last night in Tel Aviv, participants watched a video message from Andrey Kozlov, who was rescued from Hamas captivity a week ago.

"More than 120 hostages are still there, and I can't feel all the happiness from this situation because I was rescued and they were not," he said.

"I ask to bring them home as soon as possible. Israel, world, Hamas, I ask you to make a deal as soon as possible."

Rotem Kalderon, the son of hostage Ofer Kalderon, said he isn't ready "to live in a world full of death".

"I am not ready to live in a country with a government that sends us to settle in the borders and fight in wars and in the end abandons us," he said.

"I'm not ready to live without a father."

As we reported earlier this morning, the Israel Defence Forces has announced "tactical pauses" in parts of southern Gaza.

The IDF has clarified its position for the avoidance of confusion, with some outlets suggesting that all of southern Gaza would see some form of ceasefire.

"The IDF makes it clear that there is no cessation of hostilities in the southern Gaza Strip, and the hostilities in Rafah continue," it said in a statement.

"Also, there is no change in the introduction of goods (aid) into the [Gaza] Strip.

"The axis carrying the goods will be open during the day in coordination with international organisations, for the transportation of humanitarian aid only."

As we reported earlier, eight Israeli soldiers were killed in a single explosion in Rafah yesterday, in what is the deadliest incident for Israeli soldiers since January (see 6.37am post).

Our Middle East correspondent Alistair Bunkall explains what we know...

"It's still not clear how exactly it happened.

"They were travelling in what's known as a combat engineering vehicle - a heavily, heavily armoured vehicle... whatever they got hit by would have to have been pretty big.

"The IDF don't seem to know whether it was an anti-tank missile fired at them, whether they hit some sort of IED (improvised explosive device) on the side of the road or if Hamas possibly planted an explosive onto the vehicle as it was travelling.

"It's major loss of life for the Israelis and it's underlines that the fighting is continuing pretty heavily in many parts of Gaza, particularly in Rafah."

These images show Palestinians holding Eid al Adha prayers among the ruins of the Al Rahma mosque in Khan Younis, which was destroyed by Israeli airstrikes.

Eid al Adha, commonly translated as theFeast of Sacrifice, is the second of the two main Islamic holidays alongside Eid al Fitr.

The Israel Defence Forces has outlined the areas it will hold its daily tactical pauses.

According to the map shared on social media, the IDF will hold its fire around roads leading from the Kerem Shalom crossing to the European Hospital - via Al Bayuk.

The IDF says the route connecting the Kerem Shalom crossing and the Salah al Din road (in yellow) will see no hostilities.

That effectively will allow aid to access the Salah al Din highway.

It's not clear how much of a buffer zone the IDF will allow at this stage.

Yesterday, eight Israeli soldiers were killed in a single blast in the southern city of Rafah.

It's the deadliest incident for Israeli soldiers since January when 21 were killed when two buildings collapsed in central Gaza.

The eight dead are believed to have been driving in a convoy following an overnight offensive against Hamas and died inside an armoured vehicle, according to The Times Of Israel.

One has been named as Captain Wassem Mahmoud, 23, of the Combat Engineering Corps' 601st Battalion. The families of the other seven have been informed and will be named in due course.

Some 37,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war since October last year according to Hamas-led authorities in the territory, although the ministry of health does not differentiate between fighters and non-combatants.

Catch up on the rest of yesterday's events here.

The Israeli military has announced a "tactical pause" in its offensive in southern Gaza, in order to allow the deliveries of increased quantities of humanitarian aid.

The army said the pause would begin in the Rafah area at 8am (6am UK time) and remain in effect until 7pm (5pm UK time).

The Israel Defence Forces said the pauses would take place every day until further notice.

It will allow aid trucks to reach the nearby Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing - the main entry point for incoming aid - and travel safely to the Salah al Din highway, the main north-south road, to deliver supplies to other parts of Gaza, the military said.

It said the pause was being co-ordinated with the UN and international aid agencies.

Videos posted online in recent days appear to show Israeli soldiers firing flaming objects into Lebanon using a trebuchet and a bow and arrow.

Hezbollah, a Lebanon-based militia group backed by Iran, have frequently clashed with IDF forces on the Israel-Lebanon border since the most recent conflict broke out between Israel and Hamas on 7 October.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously warned thatBeirut would be turned "into Gaza" if Hezbollah started anall-out war.

Sky News has approached the IDF for comment on the videos.

US President Joe Biden has said he is not confident that a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza will happen soon.

Mr Biden attended today's G7 leaders' summit in Italy, where he confirmed to reporters that a ceasefire plan was discussed.

When asked whether he was confident a ceasefire would happen soon, the president replied "no".

He said that he hadn't lost hope but added that "Hamas has to move."

Mr Biden's three-phase ceasefire plan was accepted by the UN Security Council this week.

The proposal was reported to include the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and would involve Hamas handing over all of its hostages.

However, as we reported this morning, a senior leader of Hamas told Reuters that the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza was a change to the deal that they had requested.

The Colombian government has announced it will receive injured Palestinian children and provide them with medical care.

Elizabeth Taylor Jay, Colombia's deputy minister of multilateral affairs, was speaking in Stockholm where she was on a state visit with Colombian president Gustavo Petro.

"We have taken the decision to provide humanitarian support to Palestinian children who will travel with their families to Colombia for rehabilitation," she said.

Ms Taylor Jay does not say how many children will be taken in by Colombia, nor how they would be transported from Gaza.

President Petro has been one of the most vocal critics on the world stage of Israel's conduct in Gaza following the attack by Hamas on 7 October.

Colombia broke diplomatic ties with Israel in May.

Earlier this month, Mr Petro announced via a post on X that his country would suspend coal exports to Israel "until the genocide is stopped."

Colombia is Israel's largest supplier of coal, according to the American Journal for Transportation.

Coal shipments there generate about $165m (£129.4m) a year in taxes, royalties and other contributions.