Israel-Gaza war live: Eight Palestinians killed in West Bank as British citizens told to leave Lebanon

Eight Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank, with clashes reportedly continuing between Israeli forces and gunmen at the Nur Shams refugee camp.

Meanwhile, road repair machinery has been moved to the Rafah crossing, in preparation for 20 trucks of aid to be brought from the Egyptian border into Gaza. Following talks with the US, Israel agreed to allow the opening for food and medicine, provided it was not diverted by Hamas for their own use.

Hamas media has since reported that one of their top commanders had been killed in an Israeli airstrike on his home. Head of the Hamas-led national security forces, Jehad Mheisen, was reportedly killed alongside his family on Thursday.

Meanwhile, a British-Israeli man has been confirmed to have been murdered in Hamas’ October 7 attack, BBC reports.

Yonatan Rapoport, known as Yoni, was killed in the attack on Kibbutz Be’eri. The Manchester United fan and father-of-two had planned to take his son to Old Trafford next month, for his son’s first game there.

During his visit to Israel on Thursday, Rishi Sunak promised Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu that Britain would stand by Israel in “its darkest hour” as he welcomed the decision to allow aid into Gaza and said Israel was doing all it could to limit civilian deaths.

Key Points

• Sunak says UK ‘proud’ to stand with Israel in ‘darkest hour’

• Nine British nationals confirmed dead, says Downing Street

• Road repair machinery sent through Rafah crossing to prepare for Gaza aid trucks

• US defence chiefs ‘have data showing Israel not guilty of blast'

• Israel to let aid into Gaza from Egypt, says Biden

Sunak says UK ‘proud’ to stand with Israel in ‘darkest hour’

12:21 , Athena Stavrou

Rishi Sunak promised Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu that Britain would stand by Israel in “its darkest hour” as he welcomed the decision to allow aid into Gaza and said Israel was doing all it could to limit civilian deaths.

“I know that you are taking every precaution to avoid harming civilians in direct contrast to the terrorists of Hamas which seeks to put civilians in harm’s way,” Sunak said alongside Netanyahu in Jerusalem.

Continuing his statement at a press conference in Israel, Sunak said: “Can I also say that we have seen the scenes over the past day that have shocked all of us, particularly at the hospital and we mourn the loss of every innocent life - civilians of every faith, every nationality who have been killed.

“And we also recognise that the Palestinian people are victims of Hamas too.

“And that is why I welcome your decision yesterday that you took to ensure that routes into Gaza will be opened for humanitarian aid to enter.”

He added: “I’m proud to stand here with you. In Israel’s darkest hour as your friend. We will stand with you in solidarity. We will stand with your people and we also want you to win.”

‘We are scared’: US citizens still stuck in Gaza after Biden visit to Israel

21:34 , Holly Evans

When Joe Biden visited Israel on Wednesday, he had a message for its people: You are not alone.

“As long as the United States stands – and we will stand forever – we will not ever let you be alone,” the president said from Tel Aviv.

Sixty-two miles away in southern Gaza, hundreds of US citizens stranded near Rafah border crossing couldn’t have felt more forgotten.

Read more here

‘We are scared’: US citizens still stuck in Gaza after Biden visit to Israel

US Navy warship intercepted missiles potentially headed to Israel, Pentagon says

21:10 , Holly Evans

A U.S. Navy warship on Thursday intercepted three cruise missiles and several drones launched by the Iran-aligned Houthi movement from Yemen potentially toward Israel, the Pentagon said.

Washington is on heightened alert for activity by Iran-backed groups as regional tensions soar during the Israel-Hamas war.

The Pentagon said the destroyer USS Carney was operating in the northern Red Sea on Thursday when it brought down the projectiles and there were no injuries. “We cannot say for certain what these missiles and drones were targeting, but they were launched from Yemen heading north along the Red Sea, potentially towards targets in Israel,” Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Patrick Ryder told reporters.

A U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said it did not appear that the warship was the target.

Netanyahu visits soldiers at Gaza Border

20:50 , Holly Evans

The Israeli prime minister has told his troops Israel “stands behind” them and the country will “win with all our might”.

Benjamin Netanyahu travelled to the Gaza Border today to meet combat soldiers, ahead of an expected ground invasion.

When he asked if they were ready , they replied: “Yes, until victory.”

Earlier, Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant told troops they would soon see Gaza “from inside”.

Mr Netanyahu posted this video to X, with the message: “The warriors are ready.”

State Department official resigns over Biden’s approach to Gaza crisis: ‘Failure of American politics’

20:39 , Holly Evans

Josh Paul worked with the US Department of State for more than a decade. On 18 October, his viral resignation letter warned that “blind support” for Israel’s military actions has informed “short-sighted, destructive, unjust and contradictory” decisions that conflict with “the very values we publicly espouse.”

His resignation follows President Joe Biden’s meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to affirm US support for Israel in the wake of Hamas attacks, a visit marked by widespread protests against the administration at home and abroad during a growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Read more here

State Department official resigns over arms to Israel amid Gaza crisis

Gaza’s ministry of health asks petrol stations to donate diesel supplies to hospitals

20:27 , Bel Trew

Gaza’s ministry of health has issued a desperate plea to petrol stations and citizens to hand over any diesel supplies to hospitals to power their generators.

In the communique they urged “anyone who has any litter of diesel” to communicate with the ministry of health “in order to save the lives of the wounded and sick”.

Medhat Abbas, the director of Gaza’s largest hospital al-Shifa told The Independent his teams were desperately searching for fuel across Gaza as their generators would shut at any moment, meaning ventilators and incubators could be switched off.

“They are searching in all gas stations to find any amount at all,” he said.

The World Health Organisation told The Independent on Wednesday that doctors were having to operate without anaesthesia because the number of wounded was so huge and stocks were so low.

They said medics are having to make “impossible choices” because of the “crippling shortages”. On Thursday British-Palestinian surgeon, who works with Doctors Without Borders said on X social media platform that he was reduced to using shop-bought vinegar to treat bacterial wound infections.

20 trucks of aid does ‘not even scratch the surface’ of Gaza’s needs

20:06 , Holly Evans

Gaza’s health ministry has begged petrol stations and citizens to donate diesel supplies for hospital generators, as rights groups warned 20 trucks of aid due to enter Gaza on Friday does “not even scratch the surface” of the enclaves needs.

US president Joe Biden announced on Wednesday that Israel and Egypt agreed to allow 20 trucks carrying food, water and medicine into the besieged strip.

Fuel, which needed to power generators at hospitals, was included on the list approved by Israel.

Twenty trucks ““does not even scratch the surface of their needs,” said Melanie Ward, head of Medical Aid to Palestine that runs clinics in Gaza.

“Hospitals are collapsing, lacking even basic supplies like painkillers and bandages. Disease outbreaks are inevitable in overflowing and unsanitary shelters. People are drinking sea water to try to stay alive, “ she added.

ActionAid said that insufficient aid could lead to more innocent deaths in Gaza and that the lack of fuel in particular meant that “hospitals could stop operating at any hour”.

Biden will seek support from Americans of his approach to Israel conflict in TV address

20:00 , Holly Evans

President Joe Biden will try to sell Americans on his approach to conflicts in Israel and Ukraine in a prime-time White House address on Thursday, a day after his Middle East trip was upended by a hospital blast in the Gaza Strip.

His televised remarks are scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on Thursday (0000 GMT on Friday), while the U.S. House of Representatives remains without a leader needed to pass Biden’s expected funding requests for the wars.

In only the second prime-time Oval Office address of his nearly three years as president, Biden will seek support from citizens and lawmakers growing wary of sending billions of dollars overseas to support conflicts with no end in sight.

The White House has said Biden will unveil his additional funding request this week.

Body of British victim Danny Darlington identified, says relative

19:45 , Holly Evans

A relative of photographer Danny Darlington has told Sky News that his body has been identified.

Mr Darlington was killed alongside his German girlfriend in southern Israel after a shock incursion by Hamas terrorists on 7 October.

His half-brother Lior Perri said he received official confirmation shortly before going on air and said he was “speechless” by the actions of Hamas.

“I could never imagine the abduction of old and sick people, people who need care, and babies and and mothers,” he said.

“I would never believe that these kind of people will be abducted. I cannot give any logical message to them.”

European council president states importance for the US and EU to share information

19:40 , Holly Evans

European Council President Charles Michel said on Thursday it was very important for the United States and the EU to share information and do what is needed to avoid escalation in the Israel-Gaza conflict.

Michel also noted the authorities must be vigilant to ensure that EU funds in Gaza are not misused.

Biden suggests Hamas has ‘gotta learn how to shoot straight’ after hospital blast

19:20 , Holly Evans

President Joe Biden on Wednesday said it appeared that the deadly blast at a Gaza hospital which had upended plans for a visit to Jordan had been an accident caused by Hamas militants’ inability to accurately target their own weapons.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One during a stop at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany, Mr Biden said: “I’m not suggesting that Hamas deliberately did it”.

“It’s that old thing: Gotta learn how to shoot straight,” he said, adding later that the Tuesday explosion, which the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry had falsely attributed to an Israeli airstrike, was “not the first time that Hamas has launched something that didn’t function very well”.

Read more here

Biden suggests Hamas ‘gotta learn how to shoot straight’ after hospital blast

Israeli strikes kill 18 Palestinians at refugee camp, say Hamas

19:08 , Holly Evans

A series of Israeli airstrikes on the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza has killed 18 Palestinians, the Hamas-run interior ministry has claimed.

It comes as Israel continues to bombard the region in response to Hamas’s deadly attacks nearly two weeks ago, with thousands declared dead since the violence began on 7 October.

Rishi Sunak shares picture landing in Saudi Arabia

19:02 , Holly Evans

In a post on X, Rishi Sunak said: “I’ve landed in Saudi Arabia.

“As an international community, we must not let Hamas’ terror attack become a catalyst for a terrible humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

“We will work together to ensure regional stability and prevent a dangerous escalation.”

Eight Palestinians and Israeli police officer killed in West Bank clashes

18:48 , Holly Evans

Eight Palestinians and an Israeli police officer were killed in clashes in the Nur Shams refugee camp in the West Bank city of Tulkarm, the Palestinian Red Crescent and the Israeli police said on Thursday.

Clashes were still taking places between the Israeli army and a number of gunmen at the camp, witnesses said.

Rishi Sunak meets Saudi crown prince

18:38 , Holly Evans

Rishi Sunak has met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh, according to state news agency SPA.

The agency posted a video to X of the pair shaking hands.

UPenn crisis deepens with calls growing for president to resign over Israel war row

18:32 , Holly Evans

A former trustee has called for the University of Pennsylvania’s president to resign from her role as tensions over the Israel-Hamas war continue to boil over in college campuses across the US.

Vahan Gureghianm told CNN that “negligent” UPenn President Elizabeth Magill needs to step down from her role as he warned that the backlash from powerful donors is likely to grow.

“She is negligent and not really up to the job of being the president of one of the eight or so most elite universities in the world,” Mr Gureghian said.

Read more here

UPenn crisis: Calls grow for president to resign over Israel war row

Jordan foreign minister says the war would have ‘catastrophic repercussions’

18:12 , Holly Evans

Jordan’s Foreign Minister said on Thursday the country feared the worst was yet to come in the Gaza war, with no signs of a success in efforts to de-escalate.

In remarks at a press conference with his German counterpart, Ayman Safadi said the war would have “catastrophic repercussions” and urged “protecting the region from the danger of its expansion”.

Palestinian-Americans trapped in Gaza feel ‘abandoned’ by US government

18:02 , Holly Evans

Despite the ongoing bombardment of Gaza, where Israel cut the tiny enclave’s electricity, the Alarayshi family had managed to find a signal. They dashed off a message to the Arab American Civil Rights League (ACRL), an advocacy group based in Michigan.

“People left for evacuation and they were killed on the streets and by air,” Zacharia Alarayshi wrote, according to court documents. “Some made it back alive and they are hiding inside now. The situation is getting worse.”

“They just hit the house next to us,” he added. “We are scared. We can’t go to the bathroom; we can’t go anywhere. We don’t have electricity, we’re without water, there’s nothing.”

Read more from Josh Marcus here

Palestinian-Americans trapped in Gaza feel ‘abandoned’ by US government

Oxfam says Rishi Sunak’s comments ‘not helpful'

17:52 , Holly Evans

Oxfam has responded to Rishi Sunak’s comments that he want’s Israel to “win” its battle against Hamas.

The charity has said it is “not helpful given the humanitarian situation” in Gaza and called for all parties to commit to a ceasefire.

The prime minister made the remarks to Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv earlier today.

US to send two Iron Dome systems back to Israel, say sources

17:46 , Holly Evans

The Pentagon plans to send the two Iron Dome missile defense systems it had previously purchased from Israel back to that country to defend itself against inbound missiles, a U.S. official and a congressional aide said.

The Department of Defense told members of Congress at a briefing on Wednesday it planned to lease the Iron Dome systems back to Israel, the U.S. official and the congressional aide told Reuters. In this type of a financial arrangement, the ownership remains with the buyer.

The transfer back to Israel could come within days, the congressional aide said.

North Carolina man charged over Israel-Hamas war-fuelled death threats against Jewish organisation

17:36 , Holly Evans

A North Carolina man was arrested and charged for allegedly making death threats to a local Jewish organisation in the wake of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Jeffrey Scott Hobgood, of Troy, sent an email on 11 October to the unidentified Charlotte-based organisation that read in part “I am going to take out every one of you,” according to the US Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina.

“You can’t stop what is coming,” the email continued, which was signed with the name J. Scott Hobgood.

Read more here

North Carolina man charged over Israel-Hamas war-fuelled death threats

Fox News host says Jews calling for ceasefire ‘don’t have a say’ as they aren’t ‘affected’ by war

17:31 , Holly Evans

Fox News host Greg Gutfeld has criticised Jewish protesters calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, arguing they “don’t have a say” because they aren’t “affected” by the war.

On Wednesday’sThe Five, Mr Gutfeld said there are “not two sides with equal merit and equal dishonour” in the conflict between Gaza and Israel.

“It’s terrorists versus Israel,” he said.

Read more here

Fox News host says Jews calling for ceasefire ‘don’t have a say’

Trump says he ‘may’ also visit Israel after Biden wartime trip

17:26 , Holly Evans

Donald Trump has now suggested that he could also travel to Israel following President Joe Biden’s historic wartime visit on Wednesday.

The former president spoke to reporters during a break in his New York civil fraud trial on Wednesday – a case that threatens to topple his business empire in the Big Apple and land him with $250m in financial penalties.

“If I was president, Israel would not have been attacked. It was visually attacked. It would not have been attacked,” he said.

Trump says he ‘may’ also visit Israel after Biden wartime trip

American man reveals 71-year-old mother in Gaza is being harassed with hoax bomb calls

17:13 , Holly Evans

An American man has revealed how his 71-year-old mother is being harassed by pranksters making hoax bomb calls to her home in Gaza.

Hani Almadhoun, who works at the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees, told CNN that his mother was told to evacuate her home due to the strikes from Israeli military – only to find that the warnings were actually “prank calls”.

Mr Almadhoun condemned the pranksters, saying it is “not human” to do such a thing.

Read more here

American man reveals mother, 71, in Gaza is being harassed with hoax bomb calls

MTV Europe Music Awards called off due to security concerns amid conflict

17:05 , Holly Evans

Next month’s MTV Europe Music Awards in Paris have been cancelled, organisers have said, citing “the volatility of world events” amid the ongoing conflict in Israel and Gaza.

The awards ceremony, at which the likes of Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Bad Bunny and the Foo Fighters were among nominees, was due to be held on Nov. 5.

“Given the volatility of world events, we have decided not to move forward with the 2023 MTV EMAs out of an abundance of caution for the thousands of employees, crew members, artists, fans, and partners who travel from all corners of the world to bring the show to life,” a spokesperson said in a statement.

“The MTV EMAs are an annual celebration of global music. As we watch the devastating events in Israel and Gaza continue to unfold, this does not feel like a moment for a global celebration. With thousands of lives already lost, it is a moment of mourning. We look forward to hosting the MTV EMAs again in November of 2024.”

UN secretary-general calls for immediate humanitarian ceasefire

16:59 , Holly Evans

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.

“Gaza needs aid at scale and on a sustained basis,” Guterres said during a press conference in Cairo with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry.

He called on Hamas to release the hostages it seized on Oct. 7, and on Israel to give unrestricted access for aid.

US State Department issues worldwide caution on travel to all US citizens

16:56 , Holly Evans

The US State Department has issued a worldwide caution warning US citizens about the travel all across the globe in light of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

“Due to increased tensions in various locations around the world, the potential for terrorist attacks, demonstrations or violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests, the Department of State advises U.S. citizens overseas to exercise increased caution,” the alert reads.

Nine British citizens killed in Hamas attack in Israel as number rises

16:53 , Holly Evans

The number of British people killed in the Hamas terror attack on Israel has risen to nine, Downing Street has confirmed.

Another seven Britons in Israel remain missing following the attack which saw more than 1,400 killed, with some of those feared to be among the dead.

Rishi Sunak, who was in Israel on Thursday to tell PM Benjamin Netanyahu he has a right to “go fater” Hamas, said earlier this week that said seven British nationals had been killed with nine missing.

Read more here

Nine British citizens killed in Hamas attack in Israel as number rises

Hezbollah fires rockets at Israeli position with 13 of its fighters killed

16:41 , Holly Evans

Lebanese group Hezbollah said it fired rockets at an Israeli position in the village of Manara on Thursday and drew an Israeli artillery barrage in response, the latest exchange in the worst escalation in violence on the border in 17 years.

The Iran-backed group says 13 of its fighters have been killed so far in the cross-border exchanges that have flared since Oct. 7, when Palestinian group Hamas attacked southern Israel and Israeli forces launched a counteroffensive on Gaza.

Hezbollah, which fought a war with Israel in 2006, said its fighters had hit the Israeli position in Manara with guided missiles. It also said its fighters had attacked four other Israeli positions on Thursday.

The Israeli military earlier reported fighters in Lebanon had fired at least two anti-armour missiles into Israel, striking the border village of Manara without causing casualties.

‘You will soon see Gaza from the inside,’ Israeli Defence Minister tells troops

16:33 , Holly Evans

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant told infantry troops gathered at the Gaza border on Thursday that they will soon see the Palestinian enclave “from inside,” his office said, suggesting a ground invasion could be nearing.

“You see Gaza now from a distance, you will soon see it from inside. The command will come,” he said according to the statement.

Foreign Office tells British nationals to leave Lebanon immediately

16:27 , Holly Evans

The Foreign Office has told Britons to leave Lebanon immediately after protests broke out in the capital Beirut over the Israel-Hamas war.

In their latest updated, they advised against all travel to Lebanon, which shares a border with Israel. It told British nationals already there to “leave now while commercial options remain available”.

This comes after demonstrators clashed with security forces near the US embassy on Wednesday over deaths from a blast at the al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza, which Israel and Hamas blame each other for.

Nine British nationals confirmed dead, says Downing Street

16:18 , Holly Evans

Nine British nationals have been confirmed dead and a further seven are missing after Hamas’s attacks on 7 October, a Downing Street spokesperson has said.

They include IDF soldier Nathanel Young, photographer Danny Darlington and 13-year-old Yahel Sharabi and her mother Lianne.

Sunak lands in Saudi Arabia

15:58 , Holly Evans

Rishi Sunak has landed in Saudi Arabia ahead of his meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The prime minister’s trip to the region is aimed at ensuring the conflict doesn’t escalate regionally.

During his trip to Tel Aviv, he told Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu that Britain would stand by Israel in “its darkest hour” while also welcoming the decision to allow aid into Gaza.

Sunak says he stands with Netanyahu in Israel’s ‘darkest hour’

15:54 , Holly Evans

Rishi Sunak has again tweeted his support for Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu. “I stand with you in Israel’s darkest hour,” he said on the X post.

No 10 has also shared a slicked video of the PM’s busy day in Tel Aviv.

UEFA announces no competition matches to be played in Israel until further notice

15:49 , Holly Evans

European football’s governing body has announced that no UEFA competition matches will be played in Israel until further notice.

Israel’s national teams and club sides Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Tel Aviv, who are both competing in Europe, must find alternative venues outside the country to fulfil their UEFA fixtures.

A UEFA statement read: “After a thorough evaluation of the current safety and security situation in the whole territory of Israel, the UEFA Executive Committee decided that no UEFA competition matches shall be played in Israel until further notice.

“The Israel Football Association and its clubs Maccabi Haifa FC and Maccabi Tel-Aviv have been requested to propose alternative venues/stadiums (which must comply with all applicable UEFA regulations) outside the territory of Israel for their home matches to be used for as long as this decision remains in force.”

Five trucks of medical supplies are ‘ready to go’ at Egypt border

15:39 , Holly Evans

Five trucks of medical supplies are ready at the border between Gaza and Egypt, the World Health Organization said on Thursday, welcoming Israel’s announcement that it will not block the entry of aid into the Palestinian territory.

“Our trucks are loaded and ready to go,” WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press conference on Wednesday. He said he hoped the supplies would be delivered as soon as the crossing opened, “hopefully tomorrow”.

World Health Organisation ‘welcome’ Israel’s decision to allow aid into Gaza

15:36 , Holly Evans

The World Health Organisation has said it welcomes Israel’s announcement that it will not block the entry of food, water and medicine into Gaza from Egypt.

They said they had been left “shocked, appalled and saddened” by the conflict and were “gravely concerned” about the welfare of Palestinians trapped within the besieged enclave.

Family members of hostage victims detail ‘torture’ of waiting for news

15:30 , Holly Evans

In a press conference with family members of victims held hostage by Hamas, a woman burst into tears as she spoke of the kidnapping of her cousin and her young family.

In a video posted online by Hamas, Shiri Bibas can be seen clutching her two redhead babies who are covered in a blanket.

“In two months’ time, I don’t want to sit here in a press conference celebrating his first birthday,” her cousin said through tears.

“This is torture,” she says. “They’re innocent civilians, innocent children. They’re not a pawn or a game in a war... this is crazy.”

EU steps up scrutiny of misinformation on Meta and TikTok

15:08 , Holly Evans

The European Union (EU) has ratcheted up its scrutiny of big tech companies - with demands for Meta and TikTok to detail their efforts to curb illegal content and disinformation during the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The European Commission formally requested that the social media companies provide information on how they are complying with sweeping new digital rules aimed at cleaning up online platforms.

The commission asked Meta and TikTok to explain the measures they have taken to reduce the risk of spreading and amplifying terrorist and violent content, hate speech and disinformation.

Under the EU’s new rules, which took effect in August, the biggest tech companies face extra obligations to stop a wide range of illegal content from flourishing on their platforms or face the threat of hefty fines.

The new rules, known as the Digital Services Act (DSA), are being put to the test by the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Photographs and videos have flooded social media of the carnage alongside posts from users pushing false claims and misrepresenting videos from other events.

Mother of children kidnapped by Hamas asks to 'stop all military actions’

14:57 , Holly Evans

Israel indicates it is moving away from full ground invasion of Gaza

14:55 , Bel Trew

The Israeli military has signalled it is moving away from a proposed full ground invasion, tell reporters this week they may do "something different".

The Israeli Military would not confirm or deny to The Independent whether this was the case. Israeli news outlet Walla News reported that some of the reservists called up ahead of the impending joint  sea, ground ad  air  offensives "have been sent home" but remain on standby,  indicating the offensives has been postposed.

Road repair machinery sent through Rafah crossing to prepare for Gaza aid trucks

14:51 , Holly Evans

Machinery to repair roads has been sent through the Rafah border crossing from Egypt into the Gaza Strip in preparation for the delivery of some of the aid stockpiled in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, two security sources said on Thursday.

Rafah is the only crossing not controlled by Israel but has been out of operation since the first days of the conflict in Gaza following Israeli bombardments on the Palestinian side of the border.

The United States and Egypt have been pushing for a deal with Israel to get aid delivered to Gaza, and the White House said on Wednesday that it had been agreed for up to 20 trucks to pass through, with hopes for more trucks later.

Israeli military has ‘zero tolerance’ for Iran and Hezbollah ‘trying us’

14:45 , Bel Trew

“[Israel] has zero tolerance for other Iran backed organisations trying us at this time,” said Major Marcus Chef, a reservist and spokesperson for the Israeli military.

“I think Lebanon needs to ask whether it wants to risk its future for the Hamas terror organisation. “

He said the border would be unstable "as long as they are firing anti-tank missiles”.

“The [Israeli military] is ready, ready to response to any attack,” he said in response to a question about whether a second front would be devastating to Israel.

"The IDFf is not going to tolerate aggression and will not allow distraction either. We are laser focused on eliminating on hamas military infrastructure - we will deal with Hezbollah as necessary. “

But is has raised the spectre of a wider regional war.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has warned of a possible "preemptive" action against Israel if it carried out its anticipated ground invasion of Gaza. He said last weekend that Iran would not watch from the sidelines if the US failed to restrain Israel.

Rocket alert sirens sound on border with Lebanon

14:45 , Holly Evans

Rocket alert sirens are sounding on Israel’s northern border with Lebanon, according to the Home Front Command alert app.

Lebanon is home to Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group, who have engaged in intermittent clashes with Israel across the border in recent days.

Yesterday, nine rockets were launched from Lebanon, setting off sirens in Kiryat Shmona and several nearby communities, the Israeli Defence Forces said.

Five Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in West Bank refugee camp

13:52 , Holly Evans

Five Palestinians were killed in clashes with Israeli forces in Nur Shams refugee camp in the West Bank city of Tulkarm, the Palestinian ministry of health said on Thursday.

Israeli forces broke into the camp and clashes are still taking places between the Israeli army and a number of gunmen, witnesses said.

Israeli military warns Lebanon ‘risks its future’

13:35 , Bel Trew

The Israeli military have warned Lebanon “risks its future” if it choses to open a second front in the north, amid growing concerns of a regional war.

Israel and Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group in Lebanon, have engaged in daily cross border exchanges of fire since Israel launched its heaviest bombardment yet on Gaza.

That was in response to the 7 October unprecedented attack by Hamas militants on Southern Israel where they killed hundreds of people and took took at least 203 people including Brits hostage.

Both Israel and Lebanon have suffered civilian deaths this week, with at least 13 people killed and the border regions on both sides being evacuated. On Thursday Lebanon continued to fire anti-aircraft fire at Israel, which said it struck back.

Sunak and Netanyahu discussed need to prevent regional escalation

13:23 , Holly Evans

Benjamin Netanyahu and Rishi Sunak on Thursday discussed the need to prevent any regional escalation in the conflict with Hamas, Downing Street has said.

“Both leaders underscored the need to prevent any regional escalation in the conflict and the importance of restoring peace and stability to the region,” Sunak’s office said after the pair met in Israel.

No10 confirms nine British nationals still missing

13:14 , Holly Evans

Nine British nationals are still missing after the Hamas raids on Israel, Downing Street has confirmed.

But No 10 said it could not be sure how many hostages had been taken – as some of the nine are among those feared dead.

It came after Rishi Sunak today met families of those who loved ones have been taken back to Gaza.

No 10 also confirmed that at least seven British nationals were killed in the attacks by Hamas.

Sunak pledges aid Israel as he ‘mourns loss of civilians of every faith’ killed

12:47 , Athena Stavrou

Rishi Sunak has pledged aid to Israel as he “mourns the loss of civilians of every faith” killed in the Middle East conflict.

Speaking at a press conference in Israel on Thursday, Mr Sunak said: “We have seen the scenes over the past day that have shocked all of us, particularly at the hospital and we mourn the loss of every innocent life — civilians of every faith, every nationality who have been killed.

“And we also recognise that the Palestinian people are victims of Hamas too.

“And that is why I welcome your decision yesterday that you took to ensure that routes into Gaza will be opened for humanitarian aid to enter.”

Sunak pledges aid to Israel as he ‘mourns loss of civilians of every faith’ killed

Palestinian death toll rises to 3,785

12:41 , Athena Stavrou

The health ministry in Gaza said at least 3,785 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes since October 7.

Of the total death toll, 1,524 were children and 1,000 were women, ministry spokesman Ashraf Al-Qudra told a press conference.

Al-Qudra added that 44 health workers had been killed in Gaza while four hospitals were out of service and 14 basic healthcare services had stopped functioning.

“There are no medicine stocks in any of the hospitals in Gaza,” Al-Qudra added, calling on the international community to expedite the delivery of aid to Gaza.

Rishi Sunak will travel to Saudi Arabia after he has finished his visit to Israel

12:36 , Athena Stavrou

Rishi Sunak is to travel to Saudi Arabia after his visit to Israel, No 10 has said, as he tries to prevent the current crisis from spreading.

The Prime Minister will meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and will fly to the country later this afternoon.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said Saudi Arabia “remains an important partner” in the region and added that No 10 will give further updates on the PM’s travel later today.

Mr Sunak is expected to return to the UK on Friday afternoon.

Hamas are ‘worst monsters on planet’, Netanyhau tells Sunak

12:23 , Athena Stavrou

Mr Netanyahu said Hamas were “the new Nazis” and the “worst monsters on the planet”, adding: “You fought the Nazis 80 years resolutely and the entire world supported your action”.

He called on UK and other allies to stand with Israel as it vows to “fight and defeat” Hamas.

“It’s not only our battle – it’s the battle … of the modern Arab countries, it’s the battle of western civilisations, the battle of the free world, it’s the battle of the future.”

The Israeli PM said Hamas and others want to bring back “slavery and war”. He added: “We have to win. We have to release the hostages. We have to work together in every way possible to get them back”

Destruction of Hamas would be ‘blessing’, says UK minister

11:42 , Athena Stavrou

Security minister Tom Tugendhat has said the destruction of the terrorist organisation Hamas would be “a blessing”.

Calling Hamas “barbarous murderers”, he said: “The destruction of Hamas would be a blessing not just for the Israeli people but for the Palestinian people ... I would love to see a world without Hamas in it.”

Mr Tugendhat said Hamas had “stolen” aid from civilians and “used the Palestinian people as their slaves to build tunnel complexes”.

He also accused Iran of “pouring money” into Hamas.

Watch: Netanyahu holds private meeting with Sunak in Jerusalem

11:39 , Athena Stavrou

Rishi Sunak has met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this morning in a private meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem.

As the pair embraced, the Prime Minister told his Israeli counterpart: “Hello my friend, very good to see you.”

UK media has not be permitted into the bilateral meeting between the pair, but the Israeli embassy has shared footage of exchanges at the start of their talks.

Netanyahu’s office added that the leaders will also hold an expanded meeting, where they will issue statements to the media.

As part of the two-day trip, Mr Sunak will urge Middle East leaders to “avoid further dangerous escalation”, saying that “too many lives have been lost” already in the Israeli-Hamas conflict.

Live: Rishi Sunak meets with Israel’s Netanyahu after saying he is 'grieving’ with country

11:33 , Athena Stavrou

Watch live as Rishi Sunak meets with Israel’s Netanyahu in Jerusalem:

Israel targeting bakeries as Palestinians line up for bread, Palestine says

11:28 , Athena Stavrou

Israel has bombed and targeted areas with bakeries in Gaza over the course of the war while dozens of Palestinians were lining up to buy bread, Salam Marouf, the head of the government media office, said in a statement.

By repeatedly targeting bakeries, he said that Israel sought to worsen the humanitarian situation, inflict a greater number of casualties and “make it more difficult for citizens, to the point that obtaining some loaves of bread has become a dangerous journey.”

More than five bakeries were targeted in different areas to the north and south of Gaza, either directly or in the area where they are located, Maarouf said.

Aid groups, including the World Food Program, have warned Gaza is running low on food supplies with shops only having a few days worth of supplies left. More are available in warehouses run by humanitarian organizations, but these are hard to reach because of constant bombardment.

Sunak says Israel has a ‘duty’ to retaliate against Hamas

11:23 , Athena Stavrou

Rishi Sunak told president Isaac Herzog that Israel had “not just a right” but a “duty” to “restore security to your country”.

Following a meeting with the head of state, the PM said: “We will stand with you in solidarity with your people and your right to defend yourself to bring security back to your country, to your people, to ensure the safe return of the hostages that have been taken and I know we will talk further about that later on.”

He added: “You have not just a right to do that, I think you have a duty to do that, to restore that security to your country.”

Israeli president thanks Sunak for visiting in ‘darkest hour’ and attacks the BBC

11:21 , Athena Stavrou

Israeli president Isaac Herzog said he was “extremely grateful” to Mr Sunak for visiting during Israel’s “darkest hour”.

He said the country was determined to turn it into Israel’s “finest hour” – recalling his father’s volunteering efforts in London during the Blitz during World War II.

He said Israel would respond with the “incredible spirit under fire” Britons showed during the war despite the “enormous pain”.

“You have been with us from the first moment – are we are extremely grateful.”

Mr Herzog said Israel was facing something akin to “Isis on our border” and “coalition of evil led from Tehran” – saying Iran was backing Hamas.

He said people had been moved out of northern Gaza so Israel could “carry out our inherent right of self-defence”.

Mr Herzog also attacked the BBC for its refusal to call Hamas a terrorist group, accusing them of a “distortion of the facts”. He said there had to be “outcry” over the broadcaster’s policy.

Israeli airstrike kills senior Hamas leader

11:19 , Athena Stavrou

An Israeli strike killed the head of the Hamas-led national security forces, Jehad Mheisen, Hamas media says.

Members of his family were also killed in their house, a Hamas-aligned news agency said on Thursday.

Rishi Sunak currently meeting Netanyahu

11:06 , Athena Stavrou

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is currently holding a private meeting with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem.

As the pair embraced, the Prime Minister told his Israeli counterpart: “Hello my friend, very good to see you.”

UK media has not be permitted into the bilateral meeting between the pair, but the Israeli embassy has shared footage of exchanges at the start of their talks.

Netanyahu’s office added that the leaders will also hold an expanded meeting, where they will issue statements to the media.

Earlier today, Mr Sunak told Israeli President Isaac Herzog that the UK stood in solidarity with Israel and reiterated Israel’s “right to self-defence in line with international law”.

British-Israeli man killed in October 7 attack

11:02 , Athena Stavrou

Yonatan Rapoport, known as Yoni, has been confirmed as one of Hamas’ victims in their October 7 attack, BBC reports.

The British-Israeli was reportedly killed in the attack on Kibbutz Be’eri.

The Manchester United fan and father-of-two had planned to take his son to Old Trafford next month, for his son’s first game there. He had two children Yosefi and Aluma.

Sunak hugs Israeli woman as he meets families of hostages

10:47 , Athena Stavrou

Mr Sunak met with families whose loved ones have been held hostage by Hamas following the attacks on 7 October.

In a post on X, the PM was pictured hugging a woman, who was not identified. “To have a child taken from you is a parent’s worst nightmare,” he said – repeating his determination to see hostages released.

Suank: Palestinians are victims of what Hamas has done

10:39 , Athena Stavrou

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told Israeli President Isaac Herzog that the UK stood in solidarity with Israel as the two met there on Thursday, with Sunak adding that it was also important to provide humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.

“We will stand with you in solidarity with your people and your right to defend yourself, to bring security back to your country to your people, to ensure the safe return of the hostages that have been taken,” Sunak said in a televised part of the meeting.

He also stressed the need to provide aid to Gazans.

“Palestinians are victims of what Hamas has done. It’s important that we continue to provide humanitarian access,” he said.

Sunak tells President Israel has “right to self-defence in line with international law”

10:37 , Athena Stavrou

Rishi Sunak told Israeli President Isaac Herzog his country has the “right to self-defence in line with international law” during their meeting on Thursday.

Offering a readout of the meeting, a Downing Street spokesman said the Prime Minister “expressed his personal condolences for the horrific loss of life in Israel as a result of Hamas’ terrorism”.

“He reiterated that the UK stands in solidarity with Israel and firmly believes in the country’s right to self-defence in line with international law,” the spokesman added.

Mr Sunak and President Herzog also agreed on the the importance of getting humanitarian aid to suffering Palestinians in Gaza and the Prime Minister “welcomed yesterday’s announcement” that Israel would not stop aid from entering Gaza.

The spokesman said: “He expressed his sincere hope that further progress could be made on delivering crucial food, water and medicine.

“The Prime Minister conveyed his gratitude to President Herzog for the support Israel has provided to British nationals caught up in the attacks, including to the families of those who have been taken hostage.”

Both leaders stressed the need to avoid further escalation of violence.

Scottish First Minister’s brother-in-law refusing to leave post as a doctor in Gaza because people “need me”

10:27 , Athena Stavrou

Humza Yousaf’s brother-in-law has refused to leave his post as a doctor in Gaza because people “need me”.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the Scottish First Minister shared a video of bloodied children being treated by medical personnel.

In a message, Mr Yousaf said his wife, Nadia El-Nakla, had implored her brother to go home and rest after working for seven consecutive days.

The First Minister wrote: “My brother-in-law, a doctor in Gaza, is spending his seventh consecutive day in hospital. Nadia spoke to him & said he should go home to rest, his response: ‘I can’t leave my people when they need me’.

“Health workers in Gaza are heroes.”

It comes after Mr Yousaf told broadcasters last week his brother-in-law had been forced to decide who to treat due to a lack of medical supplies.

Mr Yousaf also used his first address to the SNP conference as leader this week to call for the UK Government to set up a refugee resettlement scheme for those seeking to flee Gaza, stating that Scotland could be the first place to take people in.

Aircraft carriers sent near Israel for possible evacuations, US tells Turkey official

10:23 , Athena Stavrou

US aircraft carriers moved closer to Israel in the eastern Mediterranean were sent there for the possible evacuation of civilians, a Turkish defence ministry official said on Thursday.

The US has deployed two aircraft carriers - and their support ships - to the eastern Mediterranean since a surprise attack by Hamas militants on Israel this month.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan criticised the US for the move, saying that they would commit “serious massacres” in Gaza. He also said the deployment of U.S. aircraft carriers to the region hindered Turkish efforts to establish calm in the region.

“When we raise this issue with our US counterparts, they tell us that those aircraft carrier groups were sent there as part of non-combatant evacuation operations for civilians in the region,” a Turkish defence ministry official told reporters.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier said that the deployment of aircraft carrier battle groups to the region was “not meant as a provocation, it’s meant as a deterrent”.

Israel travel: Is it safe to visit and what are your rights if you have a trip booked?

10:19 , Athena Stavrou

After hundreds of its citizens were killed in a sudden assault from Gaza, Israel has declared war on Hamas.

The conflict is ongoinf, and Israel’s prime minister has pledged “mighty violence” and threatened to reduce Gaza to “rubble”.

Israel, long popular with tourists, is still accessible by air – but hundreds of flights have been cancelled and cruise ship itineraries have been changed.

These are the key questions, answered by Simon Calder:

Is it safe to travel to Israel amid attacks?

Sunak meets Israeli President

10:14 , Athena Stavrou

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Israel on Thursday, Sunak’s office said, where the pair stressed the need to avoid further escalation of violence in the region.

“The Prime Minister and President Herzog stressed the imperative need to avoid further escalation of violence in the region. They agreed to continue working together to that end,” Sunak’s office said in a statement.

Egypt repairing roads at Gaza crossing ahead of aid delivery

09:47 , Athena Stavrou

Machinery to repair roads has been sent through the Rafah border crossing from Egypt into the Gaza Strip in preparation for the delivery of some of the aid stockpiled in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, two security sources said on Thursday.

The United States and Egypt have been pushing for a deal with Israel to get aid delivered to Gaza, and the White House said on Wednesday that it had been agreed for up to 20 trucks to pass through, with hopes for more trucks later.

Most of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents depended on aid before the current conflict started on Oct. 7, about 100 trucks daily were providing humanitarian relief to the enclave, according to the United Nations.

More than 100 trucks were waiting close to the crossing on the Egyptian side on Thursday, though it was not expected that aid would enter before Friday, Egyptian security sources said. More aid is being held in the Egyptian city of Al Arish, about 45 km (28 miles) from Rafah.

Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters arrested in demonstration at US Capitol

09:39 , Athena Stavrou

Hundreds of pro-Palestine demonstrators were arrested on Wednesday 18 October after taking part in an unauthorised demonstration in the rotunda of the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill.

Activists rallied in Washington DC calling on the Biden administration and Congress to press for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Capitol Police made 300 arrests, according to reports.

The US Capitol Police said its officers began arresting protesters who refused to comply with orders to disperse, with some 500 other demonstrators blocking off Independence Avenue.

Many of the protesters were from the group Jewish Voice for Peace, and could be heard chanting “The world is watching.”

Sunak says UK ‘stands with’ Israel as he arrives for talks with Netanyahu

09:32 , Athena Stavrou

Rishi Sunak said the UK “stands with” Israel after arriving in Tel Aviv for a two-day visit to the Middle East, where he will call for any spread of violence to be avoided.

The prime minister will hold talks with his counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli president Isaac Herzog as he begins the trip on Thursday 19 October, which is expected to take in other capitals in the region.

“You have suffered an unspeakable, horrific act of terrorism and I want you to know that the United Kingdom and I stand with you,” Mr Sunak said after landing.

Pictures: Gaza this morning

09:24 , Athena Stavrou

As Israeli airstrikes continued overnight, here are the latest pictures from Gaza on Thursday morning:

20 aid trucks to enter Gaza

09:16 , Athena Stavrou

Joe Biden said Egypt has agreed to open the Rafah border crossing to allow roughly 20 trucks carrying humanitarian aid into Gaza.

The US President discussed aid with the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el Sisi by phone late on Wednesday, while flying home from a less than eight-hour visit to Israel.

Biden told reporters that Sisi agreed to open the Rafah crossing from Egypt to Gaza to allow about 20 trucks carrying humanitarian aid into the enclave, where people are desperately short of food, water, fuel and other essentials after Israel unleashed a blockade and air strikes 12 days ago.

Biden did not give a timeline for the opening, but U.S. national security spokesperson John Kirby said it would occur in coming days following repairs to the road.

UK security minister refused to “give legal opinion” on cutting off Gaza water supply

09:04 , Athena Stavrou

Security minister Tom Tugendhat has said he will not “give a legal opinion” on whether cutting off the water supply in Gaza is within the rule of law.

He told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “I’m not a lawyer and I’m not going to give you a legal opinion on that. What I am going to say though, very clearly, is that the water supply is not just down to Israel... Quite of a lot of it was being pumped in through pipes that Hamas dug up in order to turn them into rockets in order to murder civilians.”

Gaza normally gets its water supplies from a combination of sources, including a pipeline from Israel, desalination plants on the Mediterranean Sea and wells. Those supplies were slashed when Israel cut off water, along with the fuel and electricity that power water and sewage plants, in the wake of the Hamas attacks.

The United Nations recognizes access to water as a human right, and on a basic level, the human body needs a constant supply of water to survive.

Rishi Sunak to ‘express solidarity’ over Hamas attacks

08:58 , Athena Stavrou

The Prime Minister has arrived in Israel to “express solidarity” with the country over Hamas’s October 7 attack as part of a two-day trip calling for any escalation of violence in the wider region to be avoided.

Rishi Sunak landed at Ben Gurion airport on Thursday morning ahead of holding talks with his counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, and President Isaac Herzog.

“Above all, I’m here to express my solidarity with the Israeli people. You have suffered an unspeakable, horrific act of terrorism and I want you to know that the United Kingdom and I stand with you,” Mr Sunak told reporters on the ground.

As part of a trip, he will urge Middle East leaders to “avoid further dangerous escalation”, saying that “too many lives have been lost” already in the Israeli-Hamas conflict.

The visit comes after the US president flew into Israel on Wednesday in a diplomatic bid to prevent fighting from spiralling into a larger crisis.

Four Palestinian teenagers ‘killed in West Bank'

08:48 , Athena Stavrou

Seven Palestinians, including four teenagers, were killed by Israeli forces in several areas of the occupied West Bank, according to Palestinian official news agency WAFA.

The report says two teenagers, aged 15 and 17, were killed by live bullets after the Israeli forces “targetted” them at the entrance to the village of Shuqba, west of Ramallah.

WAFA added that in the last 12 hours, a 14-year-old was shot and killed by Israeli forces in a refugee camp south of Bethlehem.

Another boy, 16, was killed in a refugee camp east of Tulkarm after Israeli forces allegedly left him “lying on the ground bleeding for about an hour, and prevented ambulances from transferring him to the hospital.”

Three other Palestinians were also killed in the West Bank over the last 12 hours, WAFA reports - raising the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank since October 7th to 69.

Israel has not immediately commented on the incidents

‘Irresponsible speculation’ saw Biden talks called off, says UK minister

08:12 , Athena Stavrou

Security minister Tom Tugendhat said “irresponsible speculation” over the al Ahli hospital blast led to Arab leaders calling off talks with US president Joe Biden.

He told Times Radio: “The reason we’re going to be so careful about this is that the premature speculation comes at a cost.

“The reality is there were beginning of talks promised between President Biden and some Arab leaders, and irresponsible speculation led to some of those leaders walking away as they thought that it would be unacceptable to discuss such matters after Israel had been accused of this attack.”

He added: “It now appears that that was at best speculation and at worst propaganda by a terrorist organisation.”

Mr Tugendhat said the figures are still “not entirely clear” on the number of British hostages in the Middle East. “We are doing our best to make sure that we help get the hostages released,” he added.

Sunak tells Israelis: “I grieve with you"

08:02 , Athena Stavrou

Rishi Sunak said he stands with Israel “against the evil that is terrorism” as he arrived in the country for talks.

In a post on X, he said: “I am in Israel, a nation in grief. I grieve with you and stand with you against the evil that is terrorism. Today, and always.”

He also told reporters as he landed: “Above all, I’m here to express my solidarity with the Israeli people. You have suffered an unspeakable, horrific act of terrorism and I want you to know that the United Kingdom and I stand with you.”

IDF continues to attack Gaza Strip “all the time”

08:01 , Athena Stavrou

The Israel Defence Forces said they have continued to strike in the Gaza Strip and have struck “hundreds of Hamas terror structures” in the last day.

In a post on Telegram, the IDF wrote: “The structures include anti-tank missile launching posts, terror tunnel shafts, intelligence infrastructure, and additional command centers. Dozens of mortar launchers were also struck, the majority of which were destroyed immediately after launching shells at Israel.”

They also claimed to have “killed terror operatives, including senior members of different terror organizations, including the head of the military branch of the ‘Popular Resistance Committees’ in Rafah”

Local media reported that after midnight on Wednesday, Israel intensified bombing over different parts of Gaza, killing “dozens” of Palestinians.

Rishi Sunak arrives in Israel for talks with Benjamin Netanyahu

07:29 , Athena Stavrou

Rishi Sunak has arrived in Israel as he prepares to meet leaders in the Middle East and call for any “dangerous escalation” in violence to be avoided.

The prime minister will hold talks with his counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog as he starts a two-day trip expected to take in other capitals in the region.

He will urge Middle East leaders to “avoid further dangerous escalation”, saying that “too many lives have been lost” already in the Israeli-Hamas war.

Breaking: Rishi Sunak lands in Israel

07:17 , Namita Singh

British prime minister Rishi Sunak has landed in Tel Aviv, said Israel’s Army radio. His two day trip comes as he tries to prevent the Israel-Hamas conflict from spiralling into a larger crisis.

Israeli president calls BBC coverage ‘atrocious’

07:16 , Namita Singh

Israel’s president has accused the BBC of “atrocious” coverage of the Hamas-Israel conflict following the corporation’s decision not to refer to Hamas as a terrorist organisation.

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Isaac Herzog asked what else the BBC needed “in order for them to admit that we are dealing with the worst terrorist organisation in the world?”.

Mr Herzog said: “I feel the BBC’s reporting is atrocious. The fact that it does not recognise Hamas as a terror organisation requires a complete legal battle and public battle. It’s unbelievable.”

Israel president accuses BBC of ‘atrocious coverage’ of Hamas-Israel conflict

Would be ‘extremely dangerous’ for Israel to lie about hospital attack, says ex-MI6 chief

07:15 , Namita Singh

Sir Alex Younger, former chief of the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) was asked on ITV’s Peston whether he believed Israel was being truthful when it said a hospital in Gaza was hit by a hostile missile rather than theirs.

Sir Alex said: “Israel knows it’s in the court of public opinion, it understands that, and I think for it to do anything other than tell the truth as it sees it would be extremely dangerous.”

Peston asked about a video, that some have accused Israel of faking, of alleged Hamas members talking about a failed missile launch by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, to which he said: “I think Israel would be completely nuts to try anything like that and I very much doubt it’s the case.”

US State Department official resigns over country’s approach to Israel-Palestine conflict

07:14 , Namita Singh

US State Department official Josh Paul resigned over Joe Biden administration’s approach towards Israel Palestine conflict.

“I made myself a promise that I would stay for as long as I felt the harm I might do could be outweighed by the good I could do,” Paul, who worked in the State Department division ​​overseeing arms sales, wrote in his note. “In my 11 years I have made more moral compromises than I can recall, each heavily, but each with my promise to myself in mind, and intact.”

“I am leaving today because I believe that in our current course with regards to the continued – indeed, expanded and expedited – provision of lethal arms to Israel – I have reached the end of that bargain,” he wrote.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators in The Hague urge ICC action

06:48 , Namita Singh

Several hundred pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside The Hague headquarters of the International Criminal Court (ICC) yesterday to urge it and the international community to take action against what they call genocide against Palestinians.

Fighting began on 7 October when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel as part of its goal to end Israeli occupation. Israel has since retaliated by bombing Gaza, and an estimated 1,400 Israelis and 3,000 Palestinians have been killed so far.

The ICC is investigating potential atrocity crimes that Hamas militants in Israel and Israelis in the Gaza Strip have committed since 2014, which also covers the current conflict.

“We are against killings of any (parties), however when it comes to Gaza the world is always (turning) a blind eye. We came here to say enough is enough,” Rafat Alkayyali, 50, said, adding that he came to the ICC to protest because he believes in international law.

Protesters carried signs that said: “Justice for Palestine - Stop the Genocide” and “How many children will die until Israel is prosecuted”.

Last week ICC prosecutor Karim Khan told Reuters that the court has jurisdiction over potential atrocity crimes carried out by Hamas militants in Israel and Israelis in the Gaza Strip, even though Israel is not a member state.

Americans warned against travelling to Lebanon as part of Beirut embassy set on fire

06:43 , Namita Singh

The US has warned Americans not to travel to Lebanon after part of the Beirut embassy complex was set on fire.

Family members of US government personnel and non-essential embassy staff were allowed to leave Lebanon after the embassy in Beirut was targeted by protestors who started a fire at the complex.

Footage from the ground showed heavy protesting, with those gathered reportedly denouncing US support for Israeli “bombardment of innocent Palestinians” – per ABC News.

Martha McHardy has more in this report:

Americans warned ‘do not travel’ to Lebanon as part of Beirut embassy is set on fire

Starbucks and workers' union sue each other over pro-Palestinian social media post

06:20 , Namita Singh

Starbucks and the union organising its workers sued each other yesterday in a standoff sparked by a social media post over the Israel-Hamas war.

Starbucks sued Workers United in federal court in Iowa, saying a pro-Palestinian social media post from a union account early in the Israel-Hamas war angered hundreds of customers and damaged its reputation.

Starbucks is suing for trademark infringement, demanding that Workers United stop using the name “Starbucks Workers United” for the group that is organizing the coffee company’s workers. Starbucks also wants the group to stop using a circular green logo that resembles Starbucks’ logo.

Workers United responded with its own filing, asking a federal court in Pennsylvania to rule that it can continue to use Starbucks’ name and a similar logo. Workers United also said Starbucks defamed the union by implying that it supports terrorism and violence.

On 9 October, two days after Hamas militants rampaged across communities in southern Israel, Starbucks Workers United posted “Solidarity with Palestine!” on X, formerly known as Twitter. Workers United – a Philadelphia-based affiliate of the Service Employees International Union – said in its lawsuit that workers put up the tweet without the authorization of union leaders. The post was up for about 40 minutes before it was deleted.

But posts and retweets from local Starbucks Workers United branches supporting Palestinians and condemning Israel were still visible on X til Wednesday. Seattle-based Starbucks filed its lawsuit in US District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, noting that Iowa City Starbucks Workers United was among those posting pro-Palestinian messages.

In video: Bombardments hit area surrounding Gaza’s Al-Quds hospital

06:09 , Namita Singh

Bombardments hit area surrounding Gaza’s Al-Quds hospital

‘Seven children die from airstrike in Gaza’

06:09 , Namita Singh

Airstrike into a home in southern Gaza town killed seven children, claim residents and doctors.

The news spread quickly on social media, as grisly images of dead and bloodied toddlers lined up side by side on a hospital stretcher stirred outrage in Gaza and the West Bank.

Bandaged and caked in dust, the bodies were brought to the Gaza European Hospital in Khan Younis along with three other dead members of the Bakri family. Photographers swarmed the operation room as women covered their eyes and doctors wept.

“This is a massacre,” hospital director Dr Yousef Al-Akkad said, his voice choking with emotion. “Let the world see, these are just children.”

Local medics also confirmed that the children were killed in a strike and said the Bakri family was just one of many such cases Wednesday.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.

Australian lawmaker accuses Israel of ‘collectively punishing’ Palestinians

06:00 , Namita Singh

Australian government minister Ed Husic has accused Israel of collectively punishing Palestinians in its war on Hamas.

“I feel very strongly that Palestinians are being collectively punished here for Hamas’ barbarism,” Mr Husic told Australian Broadcasting Corp in an interview today:

Ed Husic

Opposition senator Jane Hume accused the Muslim lawmaker of using “loose language” that did not align with the government’s position. Australia’s House of

Representatives this week passed a government motion that recognizes Israel’s “inherent right to defend itself” and “unequivocally condemns” the Hamas attacks. The motion also calls for the “protection of civilian lives and the observance of international law.”

Rishi Sunak calls for ‘calm and cool’ response to Gaza hospital blast

05:59 , Namita Singh

Rishi Sunak has called for a “calm and cool” response to the blast at a Gaza hospital as the government committed to publish an assessment of who was behind the blast.

The prime minister yesterday urged MPs not to “rush to judgment” as Israel and Hamas issued rival claims about the atrocity feared to have killed at least 500 at al Ahli.

Visiting Tel Aviv, US president Joe Biden sided with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu by telling him it “appears as though it was done by the other team, not you”.

But Mr Sunak – who held talks with the national security adviser and the chair of the Joint Intelligence Committee yesterday morning – said he would not “rush to judgment before we have all the facts on this awful situation”.

Report:

Rishi Sunak calls for ‘calm and cool’ response to Gaza hospital blast

Israel OKs limited aid for Gaza as regional tensions rise

05:58 , Namita Singh

President Joe Biden has visited Israel on an urgent mission to keep the Israel-Hamas war from spiraling into a broader regional conflict. The office of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday said that limited humanitarian aid would be allowed into Gaza from Egypt following a request from Mr Biden.

The president’s visit came after hundreds of people were reported killed in an explosion at a Gaza Strip hospital. There were conflicting claims of who was responsible for the hospital blast.

Officials in Gaza quickly blamed an Israeli airstrike. Israel denied it was involved and released a flurry of video, audio and other information that it said showed the blast was due to a missile misfire by Islamic Jihad, another militant group operating in Gaza. The Islamic Jihad dismissed that claim.

More details here:

Live updates | Israel OKs limited aid for Gaza as regional tensions rise following hospital blast

Evidence shows Hamas militants likely used some North Korean weapons in attack on Israel

05:57 , Namita Singh

Hamas fighters likely fired North Korean weapons during their 7 October assault on Israel, a militant video and weapons seized by Israel show, despite Pyongyang‘s denials that it sells arms to the militant group.

The video was analyzed by two experts on North Korean arms. Along with an Associated Press analysis of weapons captured on the battlefield and South Korean military intelligence, the video indicates that Hamas used the F-7 rocket-propelled grenade, a shoulder-fired weapon that fighters typically use against armored vehicles.

The evidence shines a light on the murky world of the illicit arms shipments that sanction-battered North Korea uses as a way to fund its arms programs.

Report:

Evidence shows Hamas militants likely used some North Korean weapons in attack on Israel

Antisemitism should be taught in all schools to tackle hate, says Jewish education leader

05:56 , Namita Singh

All schools should teach children about antisemitism to tackle hate incidents across society, a Jewish education leader has suggested.

Rabbi David Meyer, chief executive of Partnerships for Jewish Schools, said educating pupils is the “solution” to combating antisemitism.

His comments came after two Jewish schools in north London were vandalised with red paint in the last week following Hamas’ attack on Israel.

Education ministers have urged schools and colleges to tackle antisemitic behaviour “head on” and make sure that any expression of political views “does not create an atmosphere of intimidation or fear”.

Report:

Antisemitism should be taught in all schools to tackle hate across society

Humza Yousaf’s mother-in-law ‘can’t take another night’ in Gaza

05:19 , Namita Singh

Humza Yousaf’s mother-in-law has said she “can’t take another night” in Gaza, an SNP MP has said.

Elizabeth El-Nakla has been stuck in Gaza with her husband, Maged, since the escalation in hostilities last weekend.

According to SNP MP Chris Law, speaking in the Commons during Prime Minister’s Questions, Ms El-Nakla made her “final goodbyes” in a call with the first minister and her daughter, Nadia, this morning.

Report:

Humza Yousaf’s mother-in-law ‘can’t take another night’ in Gaza, SNP MP says

Israel’s president accuses BBC of ‘atrocious’ coverage of Hamas-Israel conflict

05:00 , Namita Singh

Israel’s president has accused the BBC of “atrocious” coverage of the Hamas-Israel conflict following the corporation’s decision not to refer to Hamas as a terrorist organisation.

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Isaac Herzog said Israeli families had been “wiped off the face off the earth” and asked what else the BBC needed “in order for them to admit that we are dealing with the worst terrorist organisation in the world?”.

Mr Herzog told the paper: “I feel the BBC’s reporting is atrocious.

“The fact that it does not recognise Hamas as a terror organisation requires a complete legal battle and public battle. It’s unbelievable.”

Under its editorial guidelines, the BBC said it does not use the word “terrorist” but attributes it and makes it clear that Hamas is proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the UK government.

A statement from the BBC board, after its regular monthly meeting held earlier this week, said: “No one who has watched or listened to harrowing reports over the last 10 days could be left in any doubt about the horror brought about by Hamas’s attack on defenceless civilians in Israel.

“As this war continues, with so many deaths of innocent civilians in both Israel and Gaza, the BBC will no doubt continue to come under scrutiny about the way in which we cover it – that is to be expected and also welcomed. The BBC is listening.

“We believe that our editorial guidelines serve us well, and continue to serve us well in difficult circumstances; we do periodically review them as a matter of course, and when we do so at our next planned review in the spring, we will consult and debate these issues just as we always do.”

More in this report:

Israel’s President accuses BBC of ‘atrocious’ coverage of Hamas-Israel conflict

ICYMI: How the most important diplomatic trip of Biden’s presidency was almost derailed

05:00 , Josh Marcus

Twenty-four hours ago, it looked like there was little reason for President Joe Biden to follow through on his pledge to visit Israel and Jordan after meetings with a trio of Arab leaders were called off in the wake of an explosion which had rocked the Al-Ahli Arabi Baptist Hospital in Gaza.

Mr Biden had been set to meet with King Abdullah II of Jordan, President Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt and Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas before the blast, which may have killed upwards of 300 people.

But as he traveled by motorcade to Air Force One, it was announced that the second leg of the trip — set to occur after Mr Biden met with Israeli leaders in Tel Aviv — had been canceled, leaving just the opening part in Israel remaining on his agenda.

Andrew Feinberg reports.

How the most important diplomatic trip of Biden’s presidency was almost derailed

Layla Moran accepts Richard Madeley’s apology after Gaza question

04:42 , Namita Singh

An MP who has extended family in Gaza said she has accepted broadcaster Richard Madeley’s apology after he asked whether there was “any word on the street” ahead of Hamas’s attack.

Layla Moran said she thought the question during Tuesday’s GMB programme came from a “place of… ignorance” but was not asked out of malice.

A spokesperson for the ITV show said Madeley was “sorry that he upset viewers” with his line of questioning during the conversation with the Liberal Democrat MP.

Read the details here:

Moran accepts Madeley’s apology after Gaza question: ‘Came from place of ignorance’

Labour and council leaders meet amid resignations over party’s Israel stance

04:34 , Namita Singh

The Labour leadership is understood to have held a meeting with councillors after a number of resignations over the party’s messaging on the conflict in the Middle East.

Amna Abdullatif, a councillor in Ardwick in Manchester since 2019, said on Monday she would quit Labour after Sir Keir Starmer made “horrifying comments about Israel having the right to withhold fuel, water, food and electricity from the 2.2 million Palestinians trapped in Gaza, effectively endorsing a war crime”.

It came after Shaista Aziz and Amar Latif, of Oxford City Council, said they were resigning from Labour for similar reasons.

Report:

Labour and council leaders meet amid resignations over party’s Israel stance

Hundreds attend vigil outside Downing Street for Gaza hospital blast victims

04:33 , Namita Singh

Hundreds of protesters have attended a vigil outside Downing Street for victims of a deadly blast at a hospital in Gaza.

Hamas has blamed an Israeli air strike for the explosion, which is feared to have killed hundreds, while the Israeli military said the hospital was hit by a rocket misfired by Palestinian militants.

Braving heavy rain on Wednesday evening, protesters gathered in Westminster holding signs that read “stop the massacre” and “stop bombing Gaza”.

Luke O’Reilly has more in this report:

Hundreds attend vigil outside Downing Street for Gaza hospital blast victims

Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website