Palestinian factions in several Beirut refugee camps surrendered their weapons to the Lebanese army on Friday, an official said, as the government disarms non-state groups.

Ramez Dimashkieh, chairman of the official Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee, told AFP that "the Palestine Liberation Organisation handed over three truckloads of weapons to the Lebanese army", including rockets and heavy weapons.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israel's military stepped up armed operations around Gaza City on Friday, ending temporary pauses there that had allowed for aid deliveries, as it announced the recovery of the body of Ilan Weiss, a hostage seized by Hamas.

Israel is pushing ahead with a plan to take full control of the whole Gaza Strip, starting with Gaza City, with the goal of destroying Hamas after nearly 23 months of war, while facing a global outcry over starvation in the besieged enclave.

By Olivia Le Poidevin

GENEVA (Reuters) -The World Health Organization has run out of critical medical supplies in Gaza that it needs to treat a surge in cases of a rare paralysis-causing syndrome in the Palestinian enclave, the U.N. agency said on Friday.

There have been 94 documented cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome in Gaza since June, resulting in 10 deaths, although GBS had rarely been seen in the enclave before the Israel-Hamas war began nearly two years ago, it said.

By Menna AlaaElDin, Mohamed Ezz and Yazan Kalach

CAIRO (Reuters) -Egyptian authorities have been rounding up teenaged TikTokkers with millions of followers, detaining dozens in recent weeks on accusations ranging from violating family values to laundering money.

Police have announced dozens of arrests and prosecutors say they are investigating at least 10 cases of alleged unlawful financial gains. They have imposed travel bans and asset freezes and confiscated devices.

(Reuters) -Israel has recovered the body of hostage Ilan Weiss from the Gaza Strip, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Friday.

The remains of a second hostage, whose name had yet to be released for publication, were also retrieved, the statement added.

Weiss, 55, a resident of Kibbutz Be'eri, in southern Israel, was kidnapped from his home and killed during the October 7, 2023, cross-border attack by Hamas, the Israeli military said.

The Israeli military declared Gaza City "a dangerous combat zone" on Friday ahead of a looming offensive to conquer the Palestinian territory's largest city after almost two years of devastating war.

Israel is under mounting pressure at home and abroad to end its offensive in Gaza, where the vast majority of the population has been displaced at least once and the United Nations has declared a famine.

The Israeli military, however, is gearing up to expand the fighting and seize Gaza City, with its Arabic-language spokesman saying on Friday: "We are not waiting.

By Leonardo Benassatto

BARCELONA (Reuters) -Pro-Palestinian activists preparing to set sail from Spain on Sunday for Gaza in dozens of boats carrying aid have called on governments to pressure Israel to allow their flotilla - the largest to date - through the naval blockade.

Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and Portuguese left-wing politician Mariana Mortagua were among hundreds of people from 44 countries due to depart from several ports to Gaza as part of the Global Sumud Flotilla. Sumud means "perseverance" in Arabic.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) -The Israeli military said that starting from Friday, a local humanitarian pause in military activity will not apply to the area of Gaza City, as it "constitutes a dangerous combat zone".

Israel's security cabinet had approved a plan to take control of Gaza City, a move expanding military operations in the shattered Palestinian territory that drew strong criticism at home and abroad over its pursuit of the almost two-year-old war.

MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia on Friday condemned a decision by Britain, Germany and France to launch a process that could reimpose U.N. sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme, saying it was absurd to solely blame Tehran for the collapse of the 2015 nuclear accord.

(Reporting by Dmitry Antonov; Writing by Lucy PapachristouEditing by Andrew Osborn)

GENEVA (Reuters) -The number of people reported missing to the Red Cross has risen by about 70% in five years, driven by rising conflicts and mass migration, the Geneva-based organisation said Friday, calling for a recommitment to the rules of war.

"...The surging number of missing persons provides a stark reminder that conflict parties and those who support them are failing to protect people during war," said Pierre Krähenbühl, Director General of the International Committee of the Red Cross.