Israel

Israel said its infantry and tanks had carried out raids inside the Gaza Strip on Friday, its first announcement of a shift from an air war to ground operations to root out Hamas fighters.

New Zealanders wanting to leave Israel are being supported to use commercial flights, as other countries scramble to lay on repatriation flights to evacuate thousands of tourists stranded there.

The death toll continues to rise on both sides of the conflict, while pro-Palestinian protests in America and Canada are being denounced. Follow RNZ's live blog for the latest.

Israel's security cabinet has formally declared war on Hamas, the militant Islamist group that controls the Gaza Strip, following Hamas's attack on soldiers and civilians in southern Israel. Video

Some of the hundreds of Pacific Islanders caught up in the conflict in Israel are beginning their journeys home.

The Israeli military says it has called up 300,000 reservists and two New Zealanders now living in Israel are coming face-to-face with the policy. Audio

The PM says he has spoken to his Australian counterpart and both are agreed in their condemnation of attacks by Hamas militants on Israeli territory.

Hamas gunmen rampaged through Israeli towns, killing more than 250 people and escaping with hostages, with more than 230 Gazans also killed in retaliatory strikes.

Israelis packed city streets on Saturday in nationwide demonstrations now in their 10th week against plans by the hard-right government to curb the Supreme Court's powers.

Palestinians have fired two rockets from the Gaza Strip towards southern Israel that were intercepted by missile defences, and Israel then carried out strikes in Gaza.

Nine Palestinians, including an elderly woman, have been killed in an Israeli military raid in the occupied West bank, Palestinian officials say.

Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the compound in Jerusalem amid heavy security, angering Palestinians and drawing a slew of condemnations.

The UN's highest court has been asked to give a legal opinion on Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories by the UN General Assembly.

Al Jazeera says it has made a submission to the International Criminal Court over the killing of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot during an Israeli raid in the West Bank in May.

Iran has executed four men convicted of cooperating with Israel's spy agency Mossad, Iranian state media reported.

Israel Prime Minister Yair Lapid has congratulated Benjamin Netanyahu on his election win as final results confirmed the former premier's triumphant comeback at the head of a solidly right-wing…