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Hamas urged, in a statement on early Sunday, the "immediate" start of talks for the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal.

Hamas said that its delegation held discussions with the head of Egypt's general intelligence agency, Hassan Mahmoud Rashad, in Cairo on the Gaza ceasefire and the hostages-for-prisoners deal in all its stages.

Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories, said that "Israel is targeting Palestinians as a people, and this is what defines the crime of genocide," in an interview on Saturday.

In the interview with Palestine TV, Albanese said while she does not believe Israel wants to kill every Palestinian, the aim is to "annihilate the concept of Palestinian existence in the occupied territories".

"Israel has violated the UN Charter, and it must be held accountable for its actions," she said.

Albanese added: I have called for the suspension of Israel’s credentials in the UN because of its disregard for international rules and laws. Israel has destroyed or damaged UN premises, targeted shelters, and accused the UN of terrorism."

A senior Hamas official said reports suggesting the group sent a message to the mediators that says that "it is open to a temporary truce" in Gaza are incorrect, according to the group's official Telegram channel.

Mahmoud Mardawi said: "Hamas confirms its full commitment to the agreement that was reached, with the necessity of moving to the second phase negotiations according to the agreed upon specifications, and that this news is incorrect and has no connection to reality."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Israel will send a delegation to Doha on Monday in an "effort to advance negotiations" on the fragile ceasefire in Gaza.

"Israel accepts the invitation from US-backed mediators, will send a delegation to Doha on Monday in an effort to advance negotiations," a statement from Netanyahu's office said Saturday.

Families of Israeli captives demonstrate in front of the Israeli defence ministry in Tel Aviv over their return [Getty]

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Hamas said on Saturday that there were "positive" signs regarding the start of negotiations for the second phase of the fragile Gaza ceasefire, as a delegation from the Palestinian group met with mediators in Cairo.

"The efforts of the Egyptian and Qatari mediators are ongoing to complete the implementation of the ceasefire agreement," Hamas spokesperson Abdel Latif Al-Qanoua said in a statement, adding that "the indicators are positive regarding the start of negotiations for the second phase," without providing further details.

Israeli forces detained Palestinian journalist Ahmad Jalajel on Saturday from the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, Palestinian media said.

On Wednesday, Israeli forces had detained Jalajel from his home in the Silwan neighbourhood during Iftar time, when Muslims break their fast. He was taken to a detention centre where he was interrogated for several hours before being released.

More than 50 freed Israeli hostages urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to fully implement the Gaza ceasefire deal and secure the release of those still held in the Palestinian territory.

"We who have experienced the inferno know that a return to war is life-threatening for those still left behind," a group of 56 freed hostages said in a letter posted on the social media platform Instagram on Friday evening.

"Implement the agreement in full, in one single manoeuvre."

Among those to sign the letter was Yarden Bibas, whose wife and two young sons died while held captive in Gaza.

Their plea came as Hamas released a video showing Israeli hostage Matan Angrest alive, footage that his family said had left them "shaken".

In the footage, Angrest, who turned 22 in November, also calls on the Israeli authorities to implement the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal.

The first phase of the Gaza ceasefire ended on March 1 after six weeks of relative calm that included exchanges of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, though hostilities have not resumed.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday slammed what he described as bullying tactics a day after US President Donald Trump threatened military action against Iran.

"Some bully governments -- I really don't know of any more appropriate term for some foreign figures and leaders than the word bullying -- insist on negotiations," Khamenei told officials after Trump threatened military action if Iran refuses to engage in talks over its nuclear programme.

"Their negotiations are not aimed at solving problems, they aim at domination," Khamenei said.

On Friday, Trump said he had written to Iran's supreme leader, urging new talks on the country's nuclear programme or face possible military action if it refuses.

Khamenei said on Saturday that bullying powers aim to assert their own expectations.

"They are setting new expectations that they think will definitely not be met by Iran," he said, without naming the United States or referring to Trump's letter.

Six Palestinians were injured in Israeli drone strikes in Gaza. According to Al Jazeera Arabic, the initial strike occurred on Salah al-Din Street in central Gaza, leaving three people wounded.

Another three individuals were injured in a separate drone attack in the al-Brazil neighbourhood in Rafah, southern Gaza.

France on Saturday condemned violence in Syria targeting "civilians because of their faith, and prisoners", as a war monitor said more than 500 Alawites have been killed in recent days.

A French foreign ministry statement called on Syria's new authorities "to ensure that independent investigations can shed light on these crimes, and that the perpetrators are sentenced".

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on Saturday reported that 532 Alawite civilians were killed in Syria "by security forces and allied groups".

The Alawites are a religious minority to which toppled president Bashar al-Assad belongs.

The wave of violence targeting them follows a rebel coalition led by Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) seizing power in December. After its victory, HTS had vowed to protect Syria's religious and ethnic minorities.

The International Committee of the Red Cross on Saturday called for "safe access" for health and aid workers amid violence on the Syrian coast.

In a post on X, the ICRC urged all parties to "ensure umimpeded access to health care and protection of medical facilities. First responders and humanitarian workers must be allowed safe access to provide medical aid and to transport the wounded and dead."

Israel is "committing the war crime of collective punishment" by blockading humanitarian aid entering Gaza, Hamas has said.

Israel on Sunday reimposed a ban on the entry of all goods into the territory, which it said would remain until Hamas complies with its ceasefire demands.

In a statement today, the Palestinian group said Israel is "committing the war crime of collective punishment against over two million Palestinian civilians through starvation and the deprivation of basic life necessities for the seventh consecutive day".

 Hamas sees "positive indicators" for launching talks over the second phase of Gaza ceasefire talks, the Palestinian militant group's spokesperson said in a statement on Saturday.

Police in southern India said Saturday that they arrested two men in connection with allegations of gang rape of an Israeli and a local woman.

The Israeli and her homestay operator were stargazing along with three male travelers, an American and two Indian, in Koppal town in southern Karnataka state on Thursday night, police official Ram L. Arasiddi said.

According to an initial investigation, three men on a motorbike approached them while asking for money. Following arguments, the three men pushed the male travelers into a nearby water canal and sexually assaulted the two women, Arasiddi said.

He said one of the Indian tourists drowned and his body was recovered on Saturday, adding that the American and another Indian swam to safety.

Koppal is about 350 kilometers (217 miles) from Bengaluru, India’s startup and technology powerhouse.

Arasiddi said police set up a special investigation team that arrested two out of the three suspects on Saturday. They were being investigated on suspicion of attempted murder, gang rape and robbery, he said.

The International Committee of the Red Cross on Saturday called for "safe access" for health and aid workers amid violence on the Syrian coast.

In a post on X, the ICRC urged all parties to "ensure umimpeded access to health care and protection of medical facilities. First responders and humanitarian workers must be allowed safe access to provide medical aid and to transport the wounded and dead."

The is extremely concerned by the reports of violence in the coastal area of Syria. We urge all actors involved to respect civilian lives & ensure access to first responders/ humanitarian workers so they can provide medical aid & transport the wounded & dead.

— ICRC Syria (@ICRC_sy)

Lebanon’s civil defence agency has confirmed that one person was killed and another wounded in an Israeli air raid on the village of Khirbet Selm in southern Lebanon.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military stated that it carried out an airstrike targeting a Hezbollah fighter in the region. It remains unclear whether the two incidents are connected.

For the first time in 17 months, protesters opposing the Israeli government’s judicial overhaul plan will march in Tel Aviv, according to the Times of Israel.

The demonstration follows Justice Minister Yariv Levin’s move to dismiss Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, accusing her of politicising her office and obstructing government decisions.

It also comes amid efforts within the ruling coalition to remove Shin Bet head Ronen Bar.

"Just as we stopped the coup in 2023 and just as we enlisted in the military and reserves and stopped the collapse of the state in 2024, so in 2025 we will prevent destruction again and stop the coup and the abandonment of the hostages," protest leaders said in a statement, according to Hebrew media.

Protests against the judicial overhaul were paused after the October 7, 2023, attack.

Activists from Palestine Action defaced a golf course owned by Donald Trump in Ayrshire, on Scotland’s west coast, spray-painting the words "Gaza is not for sale" across the property.

The group also claimed to have dug up holes on the course as part of their protest.

"Whilst Trump attempts to treat Gaza as his property, he should know his own property is within reach," the group stated in a social media post.

Palestine Action, a direct-action network known for targeting arms companies supplying weapons to Israel, has ramped up its protests amid the ongoing war in Gaza.

BREAKING: Palestine Action wreck Trump's golf course in Turnberry, Scotland.

"GAZA IS NOT FOR SALE" is sprayed across the lawn and the golf course's holes are dug up.

Whilst Trump attempts to treat Gaza as his property, he should know his own property is within reach.

— Palestine Action (@Pal_action)

Israeli settlers launched an assault on a Palestinian village in the Masafer Yatta region, south of Hebron, targeting residents and their homes in the occupied West Bank.

According to local sources who spoke to news publication Al Jazeera, Israeli forces entered the village shortly after the settler attacks and detained three Palestinians.

Settlers, who are Israeli citizens residing unlawfully on Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, have expanded in number since Israel began constructing settlements following its capture of these territories during the June 1967 Six-Day War.

Currently, over 700,000 settlers- accounting for nearly 10 percent of Israel’s population- reside in 150 settlements and 128 outposts across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

The Israeli military said it targeted a Hezbollah fighter with an air strike in southern Lebanon on Saturday, a day after reporting it conducted attacks on military sites belonging to the Lebanese armed group.

"A short while ago, the IAF (air force) struck a Hezbollah terrorist who was engaged in re-establishing terrorist infrastructure and directing Hezbollah terror activities in southern Lebanon," the military said in a statement.

High-level delegations from Turkey, Jordan, Syria and Iraq will meet in Amman on Sunday to discuss security cooperation and regional developments, a Turkish diplomatic source said on Saturday.

Last month, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said that the four countries would take steps toward jointly combating Islamic State in the region and they aimed to hold a first meeting on the issue in Jordan.

Foreign ministers will attend the meeting as well as defence ministers or military chiefs, and heads of intelligence organisations of the four countries, the Turkish diplomatic source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said.

The officials will discuss cooperation in the areas of security, combating terrorism and organised crime, as well as regional developments, the source added.

Since the ousting of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December, Western and regional countries have warned of a possible resurgence of Islamic State.

Thousands of members of the group are being held in prison camps in northeast Syria, guarded by the US-allied Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Turkey regards the SDF and the YPG militia which spearheads the group as terrorists, and says the prisons must be handed over to Syria's new leadership and the YPG should disarm.

The Israeli military said it conducted an air strike on Saturday in the Gaza Strip targeting several people attempting to retrieve a drone that had crossed into the Palestinian territory.

According to the military, the drone had flown from Israeli territory before being targeted by an Israeli aircraft in south Gaza.

"An IAF aircraft struck the drone and several suspects who collected it in the southern Gaza Strip," the military said in a statement.

The military has previously stated that drones have been used to smuggle weapons into the territory.

On Friday, the military conducted an air strike targeting people- who were accused to be fighters said to have been planting an explosive device in northern Gaza.

Emergency services were called to the Palace of Westminster in London on Saturday after a man holding a Palestinian flag climbed up Big Ben tower, police said.

Photos show the barefoot man standing on a ledge several meters up Elizabeth Tower, which houses Big Ben.

A nearby street was closed and several emergency services vehicles were at the scene as crowds looked on from behind a police cordon.

The Metropolitan Police said officers were at the scene "working to bring the incident to a safe conclusion," alongside firefighters and ambulance services.

Three emergency workers were seen lifted up on a fire brigade ladder platform to try to speak to the man on the ledge.

No other details were immediately available.

A brave person who climbed Big Ben with a Palestinian flag, he's there now asking for an end to police violence against protesters and freedom for Palestine. The road below is closed, full of police cars and a fire truck with a ladder.

— Liza Tóth JD #FBPE (@ipattorneyliza)

Rabha Seif Allam of the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo stated that Egypt is working to garner "broad support" for its plan to rebuild Gaza after Israel’s extensive military actions.

"This is an attempt to build a broad coalition that refuses the displacement" of Palestinians from Gaza, she explained.

The opposition from Arab nations to President Trump’s proposal to “take over” Gaza and remove Palestinians has strengthened.

At a recent summit in Cairo, Arab leaders launched a trust fund to assist in Gaza’s reconstruction and called on the global community to support it.

"The next step is for the plan to become an international plan through adoption by the European Union and international parties such as Japan, Russia, China and others," Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said.

"This is what we will seek and we have contact with all parties, including the American party."

Rosalia Bollen of UNICEF has warned that Israel’s blockade of Gaza threatens to reverse much of the humanitarian progress made during the recent ceasefire.

"It’s not just the aid that is halted from coming into Gaza, it’s also fuel," Bollen said, emphasising that Gaza’s critical infrastructure, including hospitals and desalination plants, relies on fuel due to the territory’s limited electricity supply.

She stressed the urgent need to scale up water production, highlighting that fuel is essential for this effort.

Bollen warned of the devastating impact of halting medical supplies, stating, "I’ve seen it with my own eyes. A couple of months ago … we saw a very small baby that was born at 28 weeks."

She continued: "That baby died after three weeks because of a lack of ventilators and CPAP machines in that hospital."

A Syria war monitor reported on Saturday that more than 300 Alawite civilians have been killed in recent days by the security forces and their allies, as authorities clash with fighters loyal to the former government of Bashar al-Assad.

Restoring security has been one of the most complex tasks for Syria's new authorities, installed after forces ousted Assad in a lightning offensive in December.

They are now facing their fiercest attacks yet by members of the Assad clan's Alawite minority and have launched a major counter-operation in the ethnic group's Mediterranean heartland triggered by deadly clashes on Thursday.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Saturday that "311 Alawite civilians were killed in the coastal region... by security forces and allied groups" since then.

The Observatory indicated they were killed in "executions" carried out by security personnel or pro-government fighters and accompanied by "looting of homes and properties".

The civilian deaths bring the overall toll to 524 people, including 93 members of the new government's security forces and 120 pro-Assad fighters.

State news agency SANA reported early Saturday that "deposed regime remnants" had launched an attack on the national hospital in the coastal city of Latakia, adding "the general security forces are repelling the attack".

Israeli forces carried out fresh raids in the occupied West Bank, storming cities and refugee camps in the northern region, according to the Palestinian Wafa news agency.

Troops entered Nablus, searching a residential building while heavily deploying around Al-Quds Open University and the neighbourhoods of Al-Sayadala and Al-Maajeen.

In the town of Qusra, south of Nablus, Israeli forces raided multiple homes as part of their ongoing military operations.

Meanwhile, in the Fawwar refugee camp, south of Hebron, at least one Palestinian was wounded by live fire during an Israeli incursion on Friday evening, Wafa reported.

More than 50 freed Israeli hostages urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to fully implement the Gaza ceasefire deal and secure the release of those still held in the Palestinian territory.

"We who have experienced the inferno know that a return to war is life-threatening for those still left behind," a group of 56 freed hostages said in a letter posted on the social media platform Instagram on Friday evening.

"Implement the agreement in full, in one single manoeuvre."

Among those to sign the letter was Yarden Bibas, whose wife and two young sons died while held captive in Gaza.

Their plea came as Hamas released a video showing Israeli hostage Matan Angrest alive, footage that his family said had left them "shaken".

In the footage, Angrest, who turned 22 in November, also calls on the Israeli authorities to implement the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal.

The first phase of the Gaza ceasefire ended on March 1 after six weeks of relative calm that included exchanges of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, though hostilities have not resumed.

Palestinian officials denounced the partial burning of a historic mosque in the occupied West Bank city of Nablus on Friday, which they said had been carried out during a raid by Israeli armed forces.

According footage obtained by news agency AFP on Friday's incident, it showed Palestinians inspecting the blackened and partially charred interior of the al-Nasr mosque -- a landmark in Nablus' Old City.

Witnesses interviewed by AFP said the military operation took place between 2:00 am and 6:30 am.

The Israeli army has yet to immediately provide official comment on its operations in the northern West Bank city.

Local religious authorities said a total of six mosques had been targeted.

The destruction came as Muslims marked the first Friday of the holy month of Ramadan.

In a statement, the Palestinian Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs called the damage to the Nablus mosques "a serious attack in its size and timing", and condemned "a systematic plan... in the desecration of our holy sites, mosques and places of worship".

Nablus endowments director Sheikh Nasser Al-Salman denounced "the Israeli occupation's barbaric invasion of Nablus mosques".

In a statement, he accused Israel of "working hard to violate Islamic holy sites and mosques at an accelerated pace".

After Being Set on Fire by the Occupation… Youth, Children, and Elders Restore Al-Nasr Mosque in Nablus in Preparation for Taraweeh Prayer.

Dozens of volunteers, including young men, women, children, and the elderly, are taking part in cleaning Al-Nasr Mosque in Nablus after it…

— Eye on Palestine (@EyeonPalestine)