Hostage held in Gaza dies as Israel, Hamas work on cease-fire deal

A Palestinian child stands in front of a building destroyed by Israeli bombing in Rafah. PIC/ AFP

Dror Or, a 49-year-old held captive in Gaza, has died, the Hostages Families Forum said Friday. Or marks the 38th hostage killed, the forum said. He was one of about 250 people abducted when Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians. Israel says militants still hold around 100 hostages and the remains of more than 30 others.

Dozens of people demonstrated night outside Israel's military headquarters in Tel Aviv, demanding a deal to release the hostages. Meanwhile, Hamas said it would send a delegation to Cairo as soon as possible to keep working on cease-fire talks. A leaked truce proposal hints at compromises by both sides after months of talks languishing in a stalemate.

Across the United States, tent encampments and demonstrations against the Israel-Hamas war have spread across university campuses. More than 2,000 protesters have been arrested over the past two weeks as students rally against the war's death toll and call for universities to separate themselves from any companies that are advancing Israel's military efforts in Gaza.

The Israel-Hamas war has driven around 80 per cent of Gaza's population of 2.3 million from their homes, caused vast destruction in several towns and cities, and pushed northern Gaza to the brink of famine.

Gaza war military leaders promoted

The Israel Defence Forces' (IDF) spokesman said after a "lengthy process," Minister of Defence, Yoav Galant, and IDF Chief Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, agreed on promotion of commanders who "distinguished themselves in combat in the field" during the "Iron Swords" war, to positions in the General Staff Forum. Brigadier General Avi Belot will be appointed as commander of the Central Command and be promoted to the rank of major general.

Turkey halts all trade with Israel

Turkey on Thursday suspended all imports and exports to Israel citing the country's ongoing military action in Gaza and vowed to continue to impose the measures until the Israeli government allows the flow of humanitarian aid to the region. A Turkish Trade Ministry statement said "export and import transactions in relation to Israel have been stopped, covering all products".

More than 2,100 people arrested in US college protests

Police have arrested more than 2,100 people during pro-Palestinian protests at college campuses across the United States in recent weeks, sometimes using riot gear, tactical vehicles and flash-bang devices to clear tent encampments and occupied buildings.

One officer fired his gun inside a Columbia University administration building while clearing out protesters camped inside, a prosecutor's office confirmed. No one was injured by the officer's actions inside Hamilton Hall on the Columbia campus, according to Doug Cohen, a spokesperson for District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office.

Cohen said that the gun did not appear to be aimed at anyone, and that there were other officers but no students in the immediate vicinity. Bragg's office is conducting a review, a standard practice.

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