LIVE | Israel-Hamas war: 'Reiterated India's principled position': PM Modi speaks to Palestine President

Sunak says UK will stand by Israel in its 'darkest hour'

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak assured Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu of unwavering support, pledging that Britain would stand by Israel even in its most challenging times.

Israel-Hamas conflict: Biden to make an address

Joe Biden will make an address regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict and the war in Ukraine on Thursday evening at 2000 ET (0000 GMT on Friday), the White House said on Wednesday.

China bats for a lasting solution to conflict

In his first comments on the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, Chinese President Xi Jinping said his country wants the war to be stopped as soon as possible.

"China wants the Israel-Hamas war to be stopped as soon as possible. Beijing was willing to work with Arab governments for a lasting solution to the conflict. A ceasefire was "imperative" as soon as possible to prevent the conflict from expanding, or spiralling out of control."

Israel collectively punishing Palestinians: Australia

The Australian government has accused Israel of collectively punishing Palestinians in its war on Hamas.

"I feel very strongly that Palestinians are being collectively punished here for Hamas’ barbarism. I really do feel there is an obligation on governments, particularly the Israeli government, to follow the rules of international law and to observe in particular that innocents should be protected," the Associated Press quoted Australian government minister Ed Husic as saying.

This is our darkest hour: Netanyahu

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the attack on Israel by Hamas gunmen aimed to prevent the expansion of its peaceful relations in the Middle East, and asked Britain to keep supporting the Gaza counter-offensive. “We were on the cusp of expanding that peace, and destroying that move was one of the reasons why this action was taken,” Netanyahu told visiting British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. “This is our darkest hour,” he added.

Netanyahu warns of 'long war'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday warned that Israel’s conflict with Palestinian militant group Hamas will not be a short-term engagement.

Standing alongside British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as the Israel-Hamas conflict enters its 13th day, Netanyahu said, “This is a long war, and we’ll need your continuous support.”

King Charles makes plea for religious tolerance amid Israel-Gaza conflict

Britain’s King Charles III has made a plea for religious tolerance and the importance of a multi-faith outlook as he mourned the loss of lives in times of international turmoil, an indirect reference to the Israel-Gaza conflict in the Middle East.

In a speech at Mansion House in the City of London on Wednesday evening, the 74-year-old monarch described the UK as a “community of communities” where shared values are the force holding it together and reminding that “there is far, far more that unites us than divides us”.

He stressed that British society was nurtured and enriched by citizens from the four corners of the globe, drawing upon deep wells filled with shared histories and experiences.

“One of my first acts as Sovereign, a little over a year ago, was to open the doors of Buckingham Palace to the leaders of the major faiths represented across these islands; to welcome them, with respect and indeed love, and to re-dedicate my life to protecting the space for faith itself within our shores,” said King Charles.

“Such understanding, both at home and overseas, is never more vital than at times of international turmoil and heartbreaking loss of life...Even in the most fractious times – when disagreements are polished, paraded and asserted – there is in our land a kind of muscle-memory that it does not have to be like this; that the temptation to turn ourselves into a shouting or recriminatory society must be resisted,” he said.

The King called for the moderating forces of "civility and tolerance, on which our political life and wider national conversation depend" and warned against the "rancour and acrimony" of social media. - PTI

Gaza health officials: Nearly 3500 killed and 12,000 wounded

According to health officials in Gaza, nearly 3,500 people have been killed and over 12,000 wounded due to the ongoing bombing.

1,400 Israelis killed in conflict so far

The Israeli military said on Thursday that at least 203 people are being held hostage in Gaza after the Hamas attack on October 7. It added that at least 306 soldiers are among the 1,400 Israelis killed in the conflict.

US President Biden to speak on Israel, Ukraine crises

US President Joe Biden is scheduled to deliver a rare Oval Office speech on Thursday, aiming to garner American support for the defense of both Israel and Ukraine amidst escalating crises faced by US allies. The 80-year-old President, currently in his bid for a second term in 2024, will speak to the nation shortly after his return from a significant solidarity trip to Israel following the deadly Hamas attack on October 7. Biden's primetime address coincides with his plans to request a $100 billion package from a divided Congress, with the funds allocated for both Ukraine and Israel.