Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant has officially stepped down in a ceremony that replaced him with Israel Katz, the former foreign minister, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired Gallant earlier this week.

The prime minister has replaced an experienced former general with Mr. Katz, who had been foreign minister and who has staunchly supported Israel’s right-wing government.

Israeli attacks have created deplorable conditions across Gaza, but humanitarian groups say the month-long siege of towns in the north have essentially rendered the area unlivable.And they accuse Israel's military of inflicting starvation and destruction to ensure hundreds of thousands of Palestinians can never return to their homes.

The Israeli military said on Friday it was planning to reopen the Kissufim crossing into central Gaza to increase the flow of aid into the southern end of the Gaza Strip. The move comes amid growing international pressure on Israel to get more aid into Gaza,

- A convoy of Israeli armored military vehicles leaves the Gaza Strip through the Kissufim crossing into Israel, Sept. 12, 2005. Israel said Nov. 8, 2024, that it is preparing to open the crossing amid pressure for more humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip.