Hamas-Israel conflict live updates: Israel to form war cabinet as Gaza loses power; Qantas, Virgin called to assist in repatriation flights for Australians

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  • Gaza’s only power plant shuts down; 11 United Nations staff killed
  • Israel to form emergency government, war cabinet
  • This morning’s headlines at a glance

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Gaza’s only power plant shuts down; 11 United Nations staff killed

Residents in Gaza are facing ever-growing uncertainty after the territory’s only power plant ran out of fuel and shut down on Wednesday, local time.

Israeli airstrikes further demolished entire neighbourhoods and sent people scrambling to find safety. Hospitals in the Gaza Strip are struggling to treat the injured with dwindling medical supplies.

Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City.Credit: AP

Meanwhile, the deputy director of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees says 11 staffers have been killed in Gaza since Saturday, up from nine.

Jenifer Austin said in a statement that the dead include five teachers at UN-funded schools, one gynaecologist, one engineer, one psychological counsellor and three support staff.

She said some of the victims were killed in their homes with their families.

“United Nations Relief and Works Agency mourns this loss and is grieving with our colleagues and the families,” she said.

“We call for the fighting to come to an end to spare more civilian lives lost.”

AP

Israel to form emergency government, war cabinet

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sealed an agreement with a major political rival to form an emergency unity government and “war-management” cabinet, as the country battles its most significant military crisis in decades.

The decision to form a wartime unity government is a significant step for the deeply divided country which was consumed by months of protests over controversial judicial reform before the war broke out.

Israeli soldiers prepare their vehicles in the city of Netivot amid retaliations in the Gaza Strip.Credit: Getty

Former defence minister and military chief of staff Benny Gantz released an apparent joint statement with Netanyahu late Wednesday (AEDT) announcing the agreement to form a five-member “war-management” cabinet, the Associated Press reported.

It will consist of Netanyahu, Gantz, current Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and two other top officials serving as “observer” members and will not pass any legislation that is not connected to the war in Gaza for as long as it continues.

The move comes as Israel prepares for a ground offensive in Gaza that would push casualty numbers high on both sides of its war with Hamas, as the nation’s defence minister declared he had released all restraints on the Israeli military.

Read the full story here.

This morning’s headlines at a glance

Thanks for following our live coverage of the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.

I’m Broede Carmody and I’ll bring you the latest developments for the first half of the day.

Here’s what you need to know before we get started.

  • More than 1200 Israelis have been killed since Saturday’s unprecedented incursion by Hamas terrorists, according to the Israeli military. At least 2700 Israelis have been injured.
  • In Gaza, more than 1050 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli reprisal strikes, according to the local health ministry. More than 5300 people have been injured.
  • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to form a war cabinet with opposition party leader Benny Gantz.
  • Around 250,000 people in Gaza – out of a population of more than 2 million – have been displaced, the United Nations Palestinian refugee agency says. The sole power plant in Gaza has also run out of fuel and shut down, according to local media.
  • Hamas’ armed wing, the Al Qassam Brigades, claimed the group was still fighting inside Israel on Wednesday, Israeli time. Israel’s military did not immediately respond to the claim.
  • And Qantas says it will operate two free flights from Tel Aviv to London on Friday.

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