National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir left the security cabinet due to his request to breach the status quo, Israeli media reported early Friday morning, citing a source who had been present at the meeting. Earlier, Israeli media reported that Ben-Gvir had left the security cabinet due to his call for the resignation of Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) chief Ronen Bar.

A group of prisoners seized hostages in a jail in Russia's Volgograd region on Friday and at least one member of the prison staff was killed, state media said."During a session of a disciplinary commission, convicts took staff of the penal institution as hostages," the prison service said in a statement."Measures are currently being taken to free the hostages. There are casualties."The prison in the town of Surovikino is designated as a "harsh regime" penal colony with capacity to hold up to 1,241 male prisoners, according to the prison service website.