The allegations came in one of the most extensive reports of its kind on the issue since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel ignited the war. Israel has refuted them.

United Nations-backed human rights experts have accused Israel of “the systematic use of sexual, reproductive and other gender-based violence” in its war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip

A new report by the U.N. accuses Israel of the increasing use of sexual violence against Palestinians and genocidal acts through the deliberate destruction of their sexual and reproductive healthcare facilities.

As Hamas on Friday offered to release American Israeli soldier Edan Alexander and the remains of four other hostages held in Gaza, Israel's prime minister called it psychological manipulation.

Hamas says it will only release an American-Israeli and the bodies of four other hostages if Israel implements the existing ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, calling it an “exceptional deal” aimed at getting the truce back on track.

Hamas says it has accepted a proposal from mediators to release one living American-Israeli hostage and the bodies of four dual-nationals who had died in captivity.

Israel has sent humanitarian aid to Druze communities in its neighbour Syria over the past few weeks, its foreign ministry said on Thursday, in a further sign of backing for the minority group. Israel has been urging support for the Druze following the overthrow of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad in December and his replacement by the government of President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

A delegation of Druze religious elders from Syria crossed into Israel on Friday for the first such visit in more than 50 years, underscoring Israel's backing for the community amid growing tensions with the new government in Damascus.