Middle East

West Jerusalem will suspend the controversial operation if the militant group frees some hostages, the Israeli finance minister has said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that any decisions by the International Criminal Court, which is investigating Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks and Israel's military assault on Gaza, would not affect Israel's actions but would set a dangerous precedent.

A top official for the militant group has said it will turn into a purely political party if the Palestinians are given their own state.

A source familiar with the investigation at the ICC has said that arrest warrants against Israelis and possibly Palestinians will be issued soon.

Germany said on Wednesday it plans to resume cooperation with the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), signalling a resumption of funding that was frozen.

President Raisi has sent a pointed warning to West Jerusalem, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has threatened Israel with annihilation if it attempts to attack Iran again.

Israeli leaders planned a “much more extensive counterstrike on Iran” after Tehran launched a drone and missile barrage on Israel last weekend, but were pressured to pare down the operation by the US and its allies, the New York Times reported on Monday.

U.N. rights chief Volker Turk said on Tuesday he was "horrified" by the destruction of the Nasser and Al Shifa medical facilities in Gaza and reports of mass graves containing hundreds of bodies there, according to a spokesperson.

Israel has yet to provide evidence for its accusations that hundreds of staff with the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) are members of terrorist groups.