Israel-Hamas war – live: Gaza to be ‘razed to the ground’ as IDF mass at border and Palestinians run out of fuel

Gaza is going to be razed to the ground, an Israeli defence official has vowed as they warned it will be reduced to “a city of tents”.

The security official told Channel 13 News no buildings will remain in the region, saying, “Gaza will eventually turn into a city of tents.”

It comes as tens of thousands of Israeli troops have massed at the border with Gaza in what could presage a sweeping ground invasion of the strip.

Israeli military officials warned they had “created an iron wall of tanks, helicopters and aircraft” around Gaza as they continued to carry out strikes on the region from the air late on Tuesday night.

Meanwhile, the head of the Gaza Energy Authority warned that the region is set to run out of fuel within hours.

Jalal Ismail said Gaza’s sole power plant, which is now the only source of mains power there, will stop operating at 2pm local time (12pm BST) on Wednesday.

Israel has shut off water, fuel and electricity supplies to the strip in what it has called a “complete siege”.

Many of the hospitals in Gaza are already “at capacity”, according to one British-Palestinian surgeon who spoke to The Independent, with medical supplies running out.

At least 974 people have been killed in Gaza by Israel‘s retaliatory airstrikes, according to the latest updates, while roughly 5,000 have been wounded. More than 1,200 Israelis have been killed and over 2,700 injured.

Key Points

• Gaza set to run out of fuel within three hours

• Gaza will be reduced to ‘city of tents’, vows Israeli official

• Israeli warplanes target entire Gaza neighbourhoods: 'There is no safe place right now'

• Why ground attack on Gaza by Israeli troops now appears inevitable

• Mapped: How the Israel-Hamas war unfolded

• A brief history of the Israel-Palestinian conflict - explained

• All we know about Israeli hostages abducted by Hamas

Gaza will be reduced to ‘city of tents’, vows Israeli official

10:08 , Tara Cobham

Gaza is going to be razed to the ground, an Israeli defence official has vowed as they warned it will be reduced to “a city of tents”.

The security official told Channel 13 News no buildings will remain in the region, saying, “Gaza will eventually turn into a city of tents.”

Gaza set to run out of fuel within three hours

09:36 , Tara Cobham

Gaza is set to run out of fuel within hours, according to the latest update from the Gaza Energy Authority.

Jalal Ismail warned Gaza’s sole power plant, which is now the only source of mains power there, will stop operating at 2pm local time (12pm BST) on Wednesday, reported the BBC.

Palestinian energy authority chairman Thafer Melhem previously told Voice of Palestine radio on Wednesday that the plant would run out of fuel in 10 to 12 hours.

British doctor in Gaza hospital says system ‘will collapse very soon’

12:30 , Tara Cobham

“It’s like a tsunami of wounded people,” says Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah, a British surgeon who flew out from London yesterday to join humanitarian efforts in the Gaza strip.

Speaking from Al-Shifa, the largest medical hospital and complex in the region, he says he has seen “nothing like the absolute devastation” he has witnessed in the last 72 hours.

The news comes after the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said the humanitarian situation would “deteriorate exponentially” following Israel’s declaration of a complete siege of the region which has been under an existing blockade for sixteen years.

Maira Butt reports:

‘There are hundreds of kids’: Gaza doctor says system will collapse

White House slams Squad members’ ‘repugnant’ comments on Israel attack

12:20 , Tara Cobham

The White House has slammed members of the so-called “Squad” of progressive Democrats for their “repugnant” and “disgraceful” comments about the recent attacks on Israel by Hamas terrorists.

In the White House press conference on Tuesday, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked for President Joe Biden‘s response to the statements from some lawmakers calling for an immediate ceasefire and for his administration to stop funding Israel.

“So, I’ve seen some of those statements this weekend. And we’re gonna continue to be very clear,” Ms Jean-Pierre said.

“We believe they’re wrong. We believe they’re repugnant and we believe they’re disgraceful.”

Martha McHardy reports:

White House slams Squad members’ ‘repugnant’ comments on Israel attack

Israel freezes Barclays bank account linked to Hamas fundraising

12:06 , Tara Cobham

A bank account at British bank Barclays linked to fundraising for the Palestinian militant group Hamas has been frozen, Israeli police said.

Hamas launched a surprise attack from Gaza into Israel on Saturday in one of the most serious escalations in the Israel-Palestinian conflict in years.

The Israeli police said in a statement on Tuesday that its cyber unti worked with British police to freeze a Barclays bank account linked to Hamas.

The bank account's details were published by Hamas "for the purpose of depositing donation funds", the statement said.

A spokesperson for Barclays declined to comment on the freezing of the account, or confirm the accuracy of the detail in the police statement.

Israel has also frozen cryptocurrency accounts used to solicit donations for Hamas, the statement said.

Israel attacks Hezbollah site, confirms its military

12:05 , Tara Cobham

Israel has attacked a Hezbollah site, the country’s military has said.

The Israel Defence Forces struck an observation post of the terrorist organisation, its spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said.

It comes after Hezbollah claimed responsibility for rockets fired from Lebanon onto Israel on Wednesday morning.

11:55 , Tom Watling

A local Palestinian news agency has reported that at least 16 people have been killed in southern Gaza following an Israeli missile strike.

The attack, on the southern city of Khan Younis, destroyed two houses belonging to the al-Agha and Abu Shab families.

Local sources told the news agency that the attacks were carried out without warning and killed eight people from each family, wounding dozens more.

Ackman calls for Harvard grads to be blacklisted over Israel stance

11:51 , Tara Cobham

Billionaire Bill Ackman has called for the release of the names of all Harvard students who signed a letter holding Israel “entirely responsible” for the attacks by Hamas terrorists this week – so that the prospective hires can be blacklisted from top Wall Street firms.

A group of 33 student organisations at Harvard University, led by the Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee, released a statement on social media on Saturday arguing that Israel’s “apartheid regime” created the impetus for the war.

“Today’s events did not occur in a vacuum,” the letter read. “For the last two decades, millions of Palestinians in Gaza have been forced to live in an open-air prison.”

Martha McHardy and Josh Marcus report:

Bill Ackman calls for Harvard grads to be blacklisted over Israel statement

Scottish FM says wife’s family suffering ‘terrifying’ ordeal stuck in Gaza

11:49 , Tom Watling

Scotland’s First Minister, Humza Yousaf, has said that his wife’s family are suffering a “terrifying” ordeal while stuck in the Gaza Strip.

“We got an update from my mother-in-law this morning saying they are alive, and that’s what we needed to hear. It was a terrifying night for them,” he told Al Jazeera.

“The building they were in was shaking. The four young children were screaming throughout the night. They are down to their last supplies. The situation is absolutely dire.”

Missiles fired at Israeli city of Ashkelon - video

11:47 , Tom Watling

Footage has shown missiles being fired at Ashkelon, the Israeli city north of the Gaza Strip.

Subsequent footage has also shown their interception from the Iron Dome.

France reports dozens of antisemitic acts since Hamas attack

11:41 , Tara Cobham

French police have arrested more than 20 people over dozens of antisemitic acts carried out since Saturday, including harassment of Jewish children by fellow pupils at school, the government said on Wednesday.

France is home to some of Europe’s largest Muslim and Jewish populations and conflicts in the Middle East can lead to tensions there - which Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said the government aimed to avert with heightened police protection of Jewish sites, including schools and synagogues.

“It’s important that all French people of Jewish faith know they are protected,” Darmanin said as he and Education Minister Gabriel Attal visited a Jewish school near Paris.

Some 10,000 police are protecting 500 sites, Darmanin said.

Attal said pupils of Jewish faith had faced problems in their schools, including a pupil in the wider Paris region who had been attacked by fellow pupils who ripped his t-shirt. Any such incidents would be referred to judicial authorities, he said.

In Britain, reports of antisemitic incidents have tripled since the weekend compared with the same period last year, a Jewish charity said on Tuesday.

Erdogan says Turkey opposes ‘massacre of defenceless Gazans’

11:20 , Tom Watling

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said he “opposes the massacre of defenceless innocents” in Gaza as a result of the Israeli airstrikes.

He said: “We are against the killing of civilians in Israel. But we also oppose the massacre of defenceless innocents in Gaza by bombardments.

“Israel should act like a state, not like an organisation, otherwise it will diminish its international standing.

“It isn’t a war but a massacre when you conduct a conflict by denying water, electricity, food to a city and destroying its infrastructure, including churches and mosques.

“Denying international aid to a city and presenting it to the public as an achievement is something states wouldn’t do. It is a reflex of organisations.”

Israeli carry out drone strike against Lebanese Hezbollah

11:14 , Tom Watling

Israeli Air Forces have carried out a drone strike on “an observation post of the terrorist organisation Hezbollah” in southern Lebanon.

A statement from the IAF said: “An Air Force aircraft recently attacked an observation post of the terrorist organisation Hezbollah, in response to an anti-tank fire at an IDF force carried out a short time ago.”

Turkish officials warns Netanyahu: ‘One day you will be shot’

10:58 , Tom Watling

A Turkish official has warned Israeli prime minister Benjamin Nentanyahu that he will “die” for his strikes on Gaza.

Turkey’s Deputy Minister of Education Nazif Yılmaz, retweeting a video posted by Mr Netanyahu in which Gaza is seen being bombed, wrote: “One day they will shoot you too. You will die…”

Watch: Mother of woman killed at festival compares Hamas to Nazis

10:57 , Tara Cobham

BBC should explain why it is not calling Hamas terrorists, says Starmer

10:56 , Tara Cobham

Labour leader Keir Starmer has said the BBC should explain why it is not calling Hamas terrorists.

He told LBC: “The BBC needs to explain why it [is not using the term] because for most people ... I said terrorism and terrorist, and to me that’s obviously what we are witnessing. So I think it’s for the BBC to explain why then not doing it.”

Protestor scales Sheffield town hall to rip down Israeli flag

10:56 , Tara Cobham

This footage shows the moment a man scales Sheffield town hall and tears down an Israeli flag before trying to replace it with a Palestinian one.

The video shows a hooded man shuffling along the ridge of the roof. He can be seen pulling the Israel flag down before raising the Palestinian flag in its place.

Palestine supporters could be heard cheering as Israel’s flag was thrown to the floor and the man made a quick escape.

South Yorkshire Police confirmed officers attended the scene and during attempts to disperse crowds, “minor disorder” led to two suspects fleeing the scene.

Lucy Leeson reports:

Man scales town hall roof to rip down Israeli flag and replace with Palestine symbol

Before and after aerial photos show the deadly destruction of Gaza

10:55 , Tara Cobham

Dramatic aerial images of Gaza shows the extent of damage caused by deadly Israeli airstrikes, that have caused terror and devastation across the region.

Residential buildings, markets and mosques have been destroyed in retaliation for the attack launched by Hamas terrorists on Israel’s territories on Saturday.

The Gaza energy authority has warned that they only have “only 10 to 12 hours of fuel left”, while hospitals are said to be “at capacity” with thousands injured and awaiting treatment.

Holly Evans reports:

Death toll in Gaza surpasses 1,000

10:54 , Tom Watling

The death toll in Gaza has surpassed 1,000 for the first time since fighting began last Saturday.

The Palestinian health ministry said 1,055 have now been confirmed dead as a result of Israeli air strikes.

Russia says it will maintain contact with both sides of Israel-Palestine conflict

10:48 , Tom Watling

Russia will maintain contacts with both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and will remain involved in its settlement, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.

Moscow’s top priority is the safety of its citizens who are present on territories controlled by both parties, Peskov told a briefing.

The Kremlin finds itself in a “tricky position” over the ongoing conflict in Israel and Gaza, according to Pavel Luzin, a Russian foreign policy expert.

He told The Independent that Russian officials are struggling to find a balance between maintaining its well-known alliances with Iran and Hamas, as well as Hezbollah, without jeopardising its “vulnerabilities in the region”, namely military bases in Syria, that Israel could target.

Russia and Israel may be allied with opposing sides of the wider geopolitical conflict but they have maintained a “deconfliction mechanism” in Syria.

Russian air defences are not allowed to be used in Syria to strike Israeli air forces, which have been tasked with preventing Iranian weapons making it to Hezbollah in neighbouring Lebanon.

Pope urges Hamas to free hostages

10:45 , Tara Cobham

Pope Francis, in his strongest comments since the start of the conflict in Gaza, on Wednesday called for the release of all hostages taken by Hamas militants and said Israel has a right to defend itself.

Speaking in a sombre voice at the end of his weekly general audience to thousands of people in St. Peter's Square, he also expressed grave concern over Israel's siege imposed on Gaza.

"I continue to follow, with pain and apprehension, what is happening in Israel and Palestine. So many people killed, and others wounded. I pray for those families who saw a feast day turn into a day of mourning, and I ask that the hostages be immediately released," he said.

"It is the right of those who are attacked to defend themselves, but I am very worried by the total siege in which Palestinians live in Gaza, where there have also been many innocent victims," he said.

Before and after aerial photos show the deadly destruction of Gaza

10:39 , Tom Watling

Dramatic aerial images of Gaza shows the extent of damage caused by deadly Israeli airstrikes, that have caused terror and devastation across the region.

Residential buildings, markets and mosques have been destroyed in retaliation for the attack launched by Hamas terrorists on Israel’s territories on Saturday.

The Gaza energy authority has warned that they only have “only 10 to 12 hours of fuel left”, while hospitals are said to be “at capacity” with thousands injured and awaiting treatment.

You can see the photos in full below.

Before and after aerial photos show the deadly destruction of Gaza

In pictures: Israeli bombardments of Gaza continue

10:34 , Tara Cobham

Palestinian death toll rises to 974, according to health ministry

10:29 , Tom Watling

The Palestinian death toll has risen to 974, the local health ministry has said.

The ministry undersecretary told Anadolu Agency that women and children have suffered 60 percent of all injuries from the Israeli bombardment.

‘Responsibility lies with Hamas’, Starmer says on bombing of Gaza

10:15 , Tara Cobham

Asked if Israel has a right to lay siege to Gaza, the Labour leader Keir Starmer told BBC5Live: “I think Israel has the right to defend herself in the face of appalling and shocking terrorism – the cold-blooded murder of men, women and children.”

Asked if the bombardment of Gaza worries him, he said: “Responsibility lies with Hamas. We need to be really clear about that … It is important in moments like this we make it clear we stand with Israel.”

Starmer did tell Times Radio that “obviously, everybody needs to act within international law”, but added: “I don't think at this stage we should be saying anything other than Israel has the right to defend herself.”

His shadow foreign secretary David Lammy has said Israel’s response must be proportional and “in line with international law” and called for humanitarian access to Gaza.

‘Seventeen British nationals dead or missing' in Israel

10:00 , Tara Cobham

Seventeen British nationals including children are dead or missing in Israel after attacks by Palestinian militant group Hamas, the BBC reported on Wednesday, citing an official source.

UK defence secretary agrees Hamas ‘human animals’

09:45 , Tara Cobham

Defence secretary Grant Shapps has suggested he agreed with the characterisation of Hamas as “human animals” – saying the attacks on Israel were not “human behaviour”.

Put to Mr Shapps on BBC Breakfast that a top Israeli politician had described the fight as one against “human animals”, he was asked if he feels those words are right.

Mr Shapps said: “Yes. I mean, if you think about what has happened, you know, families being slaughtered and babies being murdered, festival goers, this is not human behaviour to go around and do that.”

Asked about claims that Israel may be breaking international law by not allowing civilians in Gaza to have access to food, water and heat, defence secretary Grant Shapps told Sky News: “It’s very early days. They have had to seal the border for obvious reasons.”

He added: “We in the United Kingdom absolutely defend Israel’s right to do what they need to do now to go after Hamas, of course they need to respect international law ... But, as I say, I think that some of this is a bit of a distraction from the reports still coming through.”

Asked what has become a distraction, he said: “The difference between people who are trying to sort of say there is some sort of equivalence between the two I think are entirely wrong.”

Hezbollah claims rocket fire from Lebanon onto Israel

09:40 , Tara Cobham

Hezbollah said it was responsible for firing precision missiles on Israel on Wednesday, saying it was in response to Israeli attacks this week that left three of its fighters dead.

The Israeli military had said it had been targeted with anti-tank fire on Wednesday and had begun attacking Lebanon in return.

Israel ‘attacking Lebanese territory’ over suspected anti-tank fire

09:16 , Tom Watling

Israeli forces are “attacking Lebanese territory” following a reported anti-tank missile strike on a military base near the border.

A statement on X, formerly Twitter, read: “The Air Force is now attacking Lebanese territory in response to the anti-tank fire at the IDF force a short time ago, more details below.”

You can read more about the initial strike further down in our blog.

My terror as Hamas bombs fell on us during desert rave

09:15 , Bel Trew and Natalie Lisbona in Tel Aviv

Partygoers at a rave in the desert near the border with Gaza have told how the first hint of the horror raging towards them in the early hours of Saturday was a barrage of rockets roaring through the morning sky, as it emerged more than 260 people had died in the attack.

It was 6am. Most of the attendees, including a British and a German citizen, had not been to bed and were dancing to trance music under multicoloured tents set up for the Supernova festival.

The music stopped briefly and they dropped to the floor – a well-rehearsed drill for Israelis in the south of the country used to frequent cross-border exchange of fire with the Hamas militant group.

But this was so much worse than usual.

Read more here:

My terror as Hamas bombs fell on us during desert rave

Death toll continues to climb

09:00 , Tara Cobham

The death toll has continued to climb since fighting erupted between Israel and Palestine over the weekend.

Israeli troops have killed at least 1,000 Palestinian gunmen who infiltrated from Gaza in incursions that began at the weekend, and have reinforced all communities in Israel as hostilities spread to other fronts, the military said.

Gaza's health ministry said at least 950 people had been killed and 5,000 injured in the crowded coastal enclave since Saturday, when Hamas gunmen rampaged through parts of southern Israel in the deadliest Palestinian militant attack in Israel's history.

Israel's military said the death toll in Israel had reached 1,200 and more than 2,700 people had been wounded.

The victims were overwhelmingly civilians, gunned down in homes, on streets or at an outdoor dance party. Scores of Israelis and others from abroad were captured and taken to Gaza as hostages, some shown on social media being paraded through the streets.

Sirens sounding in southern Israel

08:57 , Tara Cobham

Air raid sirens are sounding in southern Israel, the country’s military has said.

The sirens are used to warn Israelis of incoming rocket fire.

Israel says an army post attacked with anti-tank fire from Lebanon

08:46 , Tom Watling

The Israeli military said one of its northern positions was attacked with anti-tank fire from Lebanon on Wednesday, but did not immediately provide details on any casualties or who might have been responsible.

The attack took place near the Israeli town of Arab al-Aramshe, opposite the Lebanese village of Dhayra, the statement said.

How to talk to teenagers about distressing news stories

08:45 , Tara Cobham

With all the access teenagers today have to the internet and social media, they may see more distressing news stories than even their parents.

Palestinian militant group Hamas – deemed a terrorist group by the UK Government – invaded Israel on Saturday from Gaza, with rocket attacks by air as well as military in boats.

Since then, Israel has sealed the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip off from food, fuel, medicine and other supplies, while launching retaliatory air strikes on the territory, which is home to 2.3 million people.

The most recent numbers suggest 900 people have been killed in Israel, 700 in the Gaza territory and the West Bank, and many hostages have been taken. Hamas has pledged to kill captured Israeli hostages if attacks target civilians in Gaza.

Yolanthe Fawehinmi reports:

Israel-Hamas conflict: How to talk to teenagers about distressing news stories

Gaza has just ‘10 to 12 hours of fuel left’, says Palestinian official

08:42 , Tom Watling

Gaza's power authority says its sole power plant will run out of fuel within hours, leaving the territory without electricity after Israel cut off supplies.

The plant, which is the only current provider of electricity, will run out of fuel in 10 to 12 hours, Palestinian energy authority chairman Thafer Melhem told Voice of Palestine radio on Wednesday.

Israel said it would cut off all electricity to the territory after Hamas' bloody rampage over the weekend.

All of Gaza's crossings are closed, making it impossible to bring in fuel for the power plant or the generators on which residents and hospitals have long relied.

The power authority said Wednesday that the plant would shut down in the afternoon.

Around 10 Britons caught in violence, says Defence Secretary

08:33 , Tara Cobham

Grant Shapps said he could not provide exact numbers on the number of British citizens caught up in the violence in Israel and Gaza but estimated there are around 10.

Speaking to Times Radio, the Defence Secretary said: "No I don't have precise numbers on that. We think it might be in the region of 10 or so, but we don't have exact numbers."

Hamas will ‘pay for its crime’, says Israel

08:31 , Tom Watling

The Israeli Defence Forces have posted an ominous photo of the Gaza Strip from the small kibbutz of Kfar Aza nearby, vowing to make Hamas “pay for its crimes”.

Last night, the IDF claimed that Hamas terrorists had marched into Kfar Aza on Saturday and slaughtered more than a hundred civilians. They suggested that some of the militants had beheaded children as young as two-years-old.

Israeli forces had been fighting to get back into the kibbutz since Saturday. It was one of the last positions regained.

All we know about Israeli hostages abducted by Hamas

08:21 , Tara Cobham

Fears are growing over the safety of dozens of hostages being held in Gaza after attacks by Hamas over the weekend.

Israel’s troops are battling to clear out Hamas gunmen more than two days after they carried out the deadly rampage that has left hundreds of people dead.

Hostages, including members of the Israeli Defence Forces as well as civilians, some of whom were taken from a nearby music festival on Saturday, are currently being held in the heavily-militarised Gaza area.

Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson, said it was an “unprecedented [moment] in our history that we have so many Israeli nationals in the hands of a terrorist organisation”.

Below The Independent’s Tom Watling looks at everything we know about the hostage situation.

All we know about Israeli hostages abducted by Hamas

Israel fires long-range missile into Gaza

08:20 , Tom Watling

Israeli forces have released a video showing the firing of a long-range rocket launcher into Gaza.

It is the first recorded use of the Mantach rocket launcher on the strip since 2006.

A statement from Daniel Hagari, the spokesperson for the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), read: “The 334th ‘Thunder’ battalion of the 282nd fire brigade, attacked on Tuesday for the first time since 2006 using the rocket launchers of the "Mantach" type, a military site of the terrorist organisation Hamas in the Gaza Strip.”

Satellite images show impact of Israeli strikes

08:00 , Tom Watling

Satellite images have shown the impact of Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza strip over the past few days.

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said on Tuesday they were committed to “widespread” attacks across the strip.

Maxar, the US-based space technology company, provided the images.

At least 260 children killed in Gaza, claims Palestinian health ministry

07:47 , Tom Watling

At least 260 children have been killed by Israeli air strikes over the past four days, the Palestinian health ministry has claimed.

The Palestinian foreign ministry added that strikes had damaged 48 schools across the strip.

Images show aftermath of Gaza strikes

07:23 , Tom Watling

Images have shown the aftermath of Israeli strikes on sections of the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza.

Shapps describe Hamas as ‘pure evil’

07:18 , Tom Watling

​​Grant Shapps has described actions by Hamas in Israel as "pure evil" and encouraged people to refer to those who carried out the attacks as terrorists.

Speaking to GB News, the defence secretary, who is in Brussels to attend a meeting of Nato defence ministers, said: “It's just horrendous isn't it. Reports of babies being butchered, festival goers as we heard the other day being slaughtered, even a Holocaust survivor being murdered.

“And this isn't just militants or gunman, as I'm seeing it described in some places, call it what it is, this is pure and simple terrorism from Hamas, a proscribed organisation.”

He added: “We have asked (Israel) to ask us when they need anything specific, and those conversations are ongoing.

“But I think the main thing that they need is understanding and support from the rest of the world right now because what happened was unprecedented and frankly pure evil.”

He added: “I don't believe that Hamas represents the Palestinian people, and Hamas behaviour.”

A brief history of the Israel-Palestinian conflict – explained

07:04 , Namita Singh

The modern state of Israel was founded in May 1948 in the aftermath of the Holocaust and Second World War but the conflict that has raged between Israelis and Palestinians since can be traced back much further.

Historians and commentators offer differing opinions as to when this chapter of history begins. In her series Al Nakba (2008) on Al Jazeera, documentary maker Rawan Damen begins her story with Napoleon Bonaparte, who proposed a Jewish homeland in Palestine as long ago as 1799 in the wake of the siege of Acre during his war against the Ottoman Empire.

Report:

Israel-Palestine conflict, explained. A brief timeline history to 2023

‘Scenes coming out of Gaza will be difficult to cope with’

06:57 , Namita Singh

In an ominous update this morning, an IDF spokesperson has said that the “scenes coming out of the Gaza Strip will be more difficult to understand and cope with” as fighting there intensifies.

“We have sustained extremely heavy casualties... This, however, will not deter us and it will not weaken our resolve,” said the Spokesperson Lt Col (res) Jonathan Conricus.

Israeli death toll rises to 1,200, says IDF

06:56 , Namita Singh

The death toll now stands at 1,200 Israelis and more than 2,700 wounded, according to a spokesperson for the Israeli military.

“And sadly, something tells me, these numbers are not the final numbers,” said IDF spokesperson Lt Col Jonathan Conricus in his morning update.

“We were at 700, and [then] 900 dead Israelis, and all of a sudden it jumped to 1,200. That is not because of ongoing fighting and Israelis continu[ing] to be butchered by Hamas terrorists.

“It is because now, as the time has gone by, we are discovering bodies of dead Israelis in the various communities that Hamas infiltrated and where they conducted their massacres.”

Some Israelis abroad desperately try to head home – to join reserve military units

06:40 , Namita Singh

At the most harrowing of times, some Israeli citizens living overseas aren’t running from the war at home, but to it. From Athens to New York, they’re rushing to airports and diving into online chat groups for help, desperate to make their way to the country after Hamas militants attacked.

Some of these Israelis abroad are yearning to serve, whether that means fighting in a military reserve unit or volunteering to shuttle supplies to those in need, even as the war has already claimed at least 1,800 lives and shows no signs of abating.

On Tuesday, Israel’s military expanded its mobilisation of reservists to 360,000, according to the country’s media, as it ramped up its retaliation for the surprise attacks.

Report:

Some Israelis abroad desperately try to head home — to join reserve military units, or just to help

How big is the Israeli military and what is the Iron Dome?

06:23 , Namita Singh

Israel is laying siege to Gaza after a deadly attack by Hamas left hundreds of people dead.

The country is drawing on its huge military capabilities to hit back at the terrorists and say they have already killed around 1,500 militants following Saturday’s incursion.

“We are going to go on the offense and attack the Hamas terrorist group and any other group that is in Gaza,” Israeli Brigadier General Dan Goldfus said. “We will have to change the reality from within Gaza to prevent this from happening again.”

My colleague Jabed Ahmed reports:

How big is the Israeli military and what is the Iron Dome?

‘Kfar Aza smells of death’: Inside the Israeli border village where ‘babies were slaughtered’ in Hamas attack

05:49 , Namita Singh

‘When Hamas came they cut the heads of women and children,’ an Israeli major claims while making a chopping motion towards his neck, writes Bel Trew. The bodies are hidden so it’s impossible to verify, but it is clear much blood has been shed in the village near the Gaza border:

Inside the Israeli border village where Hamas ‘atrocities’ have shocked IDF soldiers

Why ground attack on Gaza by Israeli troops now appears inevitable

05:48 , Namita Singh

Israel’s military has laid out the extent to which troops at the border were caught unaware by the Hamas attack that the IDF says left dozens killed in their beds, writes Kim Sengupta. As Israeli air strikes continue to hit Gaza, a ground offensive is likely to come next.

Why a ground attack on Gaza by Israeli troops now appears inevitable | Kim Sengupta

Israeli warplanes target entire Gaza neighbourhoods: 'There is no safe place right now'

05:47 , Namita Singh

In a new tactic, Israel is warning civilians in Gaza to evacuate entire neighbourhood after neighbourhood, and then inflicting devastation from the air, in what could be a prelude to a ground offensive.

This morning residents were scrambling to find safe havens in the tiny coastal enclave as Israel continued to escalate its aerial bombardment.

Yesterday the military told residents of the whole al-Daraj neighbourhood to evacuate. New explosions soon rocked it and other areas, continuing into the night.

Fighter jets returned multiple times to another neighbourhood, al-Furqan, striking 450 targets in 24 hours, the Israeli military said.

One blast hit Gaza City’s seaport, setting fishing boats aflame.

“There is no safe place in Gaza right now. You see decent people being killed every day,” Gaza journalist Hasan Jabar said after three Palestinian journalists were killed in the Rimal bombardment. “I am genuinely afraid for my life.”

Flying Palestinian flag in UK ‘may not be legitimate’, says Suella Braverman

05:24 , Namita Singh

Waving a Palestinian flag on British streets “may not be legitimate” any longer if it is deemed to be a show of support for acts of terrorism, home secretary Suella Braverman has said.

The cabinet minister has told police officers to use the “full force of the law” against any shows of support for Hamas or bids to intimidate the UK’s Jewish community in the wake of the attack on Israel.

Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside the Israeli embassy in Kensington to demonstrate on that same evening, letting off fireworks, lighting flares and chanting “Israel is a terrorist state” and “Free Palestine”.

Report:

Flying Palestinian flag in UK ‘may not be legitimate’, says Suella Braverman

Israel response must be ‘in line with international law’, says Lammy

05:23 , Namita Singh

Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy has said there must be humanitarian access to Gaza as he maintained support for a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians.

After days with a lack of clarity over whether he would speak as planned at the Labour Friends of Palestine event on the fringes of the party conference, Mr Lammy gave an address at the “dark and sombre moment”.

He condemned what he described as “terrorist” attacks from Hamas, but said Israel’s response must be proportional and “in line with international law”.

“I agree with President Macron when he said we must not confuse the fight against terrorism with the most elementary humanitarian support for civilian populations,” Mr Lammy said.

“There needs to be humanitarian access and supplies to Gaza. We must distinguish between Hamas and the Palestinian people because failure to do so would only embolden the terrorists and punish the wrong people.

“There will not be a just and lasting peace until Israel is secure, Palestine is a sovereign state and both Israelis and Palestinians enjoy security, dignity and human rights.”

He said while it “may never have felt more distant than it does today”, he would not give up hope for “two states, living side by side in peace”.

Israeli village near Gaza border lies filled with bodies of residents and militants

05:20 , Namita Singh

On the road approaching this rural village, the bodies of militants lie scattered between the shells of burned-out cars. Walls and doors of what used to be neatly kept stucco homes are blasted wide open. As bags holding the bodies of slain residents await identification, the smell of death hangs thick in the hot afternoon air.

This is the scene confronting Israel’s military as it battles to beat back a sweeping assault launched by Hamas from the Gaza Strip, in fighting that has killed hundreds in this country left reeling and the adjoining Palestinian enclave under heavy Israeli bombardment.

Report:

Israeli village near the Gaza border lies in ruin, filled with the bodies of residents and militants

Starmer condemns ‘senseless’ killings unleashed by Hamas ‘terrorists’

04:51 , Namita Singh

Sir Keir Starmer got a standing ovation as he condemned the “senseless” killings unleashed by Hamas “terrorists” in Israel in his speech to the Labour conference.

With war between Israel and the militants raging on for a fourth day, killing hundreds on both sides, the Labour leader was forced to tackle the developments head-on in his address in Liverpool.

He said he has been “shocked and appalled by events in Israel”, which was attacked by Hamas on Saturday, and was met with loud applause as he reiterated his support for Israel’s right to respond.

“I utterly condemn the senseless murder of men, women and children - including British citizens - in cold blood by the terrorists of Hamas,” Sir Keir said.

“This party believes in the two-state solution - a Palestinian state alongside a safe and secure Israel.

“But this action by Hamas does nothing for Palestinians and Israel must always have the right to defend her people.

“And conference, these events, the war in Ukraine, they show precisely the test of our era. The world is becoming a more volatile place.”

As Israel declares war, the US has no ambassador there. That’s exactly how Republicans want it

04:45 , Namita Singh

GOP obstruction of Joe Biden’s nominees is an expression of their belief in his illegitimacy, writes Andrew Feinberg:

As Israel declares war, the US has no ambassador there. That’s how the GOP wants it

Blinken to visit Israel to affirm US support

04:39 , Namita Singh

US secretary of state Antony Blinken is being dispatched to affirm the Biden administration’s support for Israel as the latter faces shocking violence perpetrated by Hamas militants and has vowed an unprecedented armed response.

Mr Blinken is due to touch down on Thursday, where he will speak to officials in the Israeli government about the US’s plans to shore up financial and military aid to the Israeli military.

His arrival will follow president Joe Biden’s forceful remarks in support of Israel and the country’s right to respond with military force to the murder of civilians and attacks on Israeli security forces over the past few days.

John Bowden reports from Washington DC:

Blinken to visit Israel this week to affirm US support amid Hamas attacks

Malala Yousafzai: ‘War never spares children'

04:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Varadkar: Solidarity for Israel will fall apart if it goes too far in Gaza

04:17 , Namita Singh

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said international solidarity for Israel will dissipate if it “goes too far” in its response to recent attacks by Hamas.

On Saturday, militant group Hamas sent fighters across the border of Gaza and fired thousands of rockets into Israel.

In retaliation, Israel has sealed the Gaza Strip off from food, fuel, and other supplies as the war’s death toll rose to nearly 1,600 on both sides.

Mr Varadkar said he was horrified at the situation in the region.“I’m just really horrified at what we’re seeing happening in Israel and Palestine, particularly the targeting of civilians, the killing of women and children and the taking of hostages,” he told RTE.

Report:

Varadkar: Solidarity for Israel will fall apart if it goes too far in Gaza

State Department insists on evidence of Iran’s involvement in Israel attack

04:16 , Namita Singh

A spokesperson for the US State Department has reiterated that the Biden administration has not yet seen evidence to support the idea of direct links between the Iranian government and the violent assault on Israeli civilians, police and military bases carried out by Hamas over the past week.

Matthew Miller made that clear at a Tuesday press briefing, where he made the careful distinction between Iran’s longstanding and widely-known financial and political support for Hamas in the region and actual, tangible logistical support for the latest attack.

More here:

State Department insists no evidence that Iran planned Israel attack

Will Hezbollah, Israel’s powerful foe enter the conflict?

04:12 , Namita Singh

A set of delicate and unwritten rules of engagement has ensured no major conflict between Israel and Hezbollah since 2006. But those rules are now being tested, Richard Hall writes.

Will Hezbollah, Israel’s powerful foe to the north, enter the conflict?

New York mother of a woman killed in Israel festival compares Hamas to the Nazis

04:08 , Namita Singh

The mother of a young woman who was killed by Hamas militants at an Israeli music festival has compared the terrorist group to the Nazis.

Hannie Ricardo, whose 26-year-old daughter Oriya Ricardo was one of the victims at the Supernova psytrance festival on Saturday, described the attackers as “monsters” and said the world needed to stand against them.

The rave, held in the Negev desert, not far from the Re’im millitary base, was directly in the path of Hamas fighters, who stormed over the border from Gaza into Israel on Saturday.

Mike Bedigan has more:

Mother of woman, 26, killed at Israel peace festival compares Hamas to the Nazis

WhatsApp says warning message of cyberattacks on Jewish people is a hoax

04:02 , Namita Singh

WhatsApp has said warnings about cyberattacks targeting Jewish people are a hoax with no basis in reality.

The Meta-owned platform has debunked several messages widely circulating on social media platforms that warn Jewish people will be the target of cyberattacks through forwarded messages.

But WhatsApp communications manager Emily Westcott said the forwarded messages, which have been widely shared on the platform as well as across other social media including X/Twitter, are a hoax.

My colleague Vishwam Sankaran reports:

Viral WhatsApp warning of cyberattack targeting Jewish people is fake

Flying Palestinian flag in UK ‘may not be legitimate’, says Suella Braverman

04:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Waving a Palestinian flag on British streets “may not be legitimate” any longer if it is deemed to be a show of support for acts of terrorism, home secretary Suella Braverman has said.

The cabinet minister has told police officers to use the “full force of the law” against any shows of support for Hamas or bids to intimidate the UK’s Jewish community in the wake of the attack on Israel.

Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside the Israeli embassy in Kensington to demonstrate on that same evening, letting off fireworks, lighting flares and chanting “Israel is a terrorist state” and “Free Palestine”.

Flying Palestinian flag in UK ‘may not be legitimate’, says Suella Braverman

As Israel declares war, the US has no ambassador there. That’s exactly how Republicans want it

03:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

GOP obstruction of Joe Biden’s nominees is an expression of their belief in his illegitimacy, writes Andrew Feinberg:

As Hamas fighters bulldozed and paraglided their way into Israeli territory to massacre and kidnap civilians amid a barrage of rocket fire early on Saturday morning, the account on X (formerly known as Twitter) belonging to the US Ambassador to Israel issued a post to “condemn the indiscriminate rocket fire by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians” and state that she was “in contact with Israeli officials, and fully support[ing] Israel’s right to defend itself from such terrorist acts”.

But even though the name of the account was “@USAmbIsrael” — short for “US Ambassador to Israel” — the State Department-affiliated account was not being operated in the name of any ambassador.

As Israel declares war, the US has no ambassador there. That’s how the GOP wants it

The reality of Israel’s ‘total siege’ on Gaza – where two million Palestinians are trapped in a 25 mile stretch of land

02:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Israel’s defence minister has ordered a “total” siege on Gaza that would sever all power and water supplies, as well as blocking food and fuel, a move Palestinian medics warn will be “catastrophic” for the embattled civilian population.

Israel has turned the full might of its army onto pounding the 42-km long territory in retaliation for a surprise attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas at the weekend which has killed 900 Israelis.

The military told The Independent its troops were still battling militants across six different locations in the south of Israel.

Bel Trew reports from Tel Aviv:

Full might of Israel lays seige to Gaza as battles with Hamas rage on

01:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Bel Trew reports from Gaza border after Hamas militants commit massacre in Kfar Aza

Mother of tattoo artist missing after Hamas attacks says daughter is alive in Gaza hospital

Wednesday 11 October 2023 00:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The mother of a tattoo artist, believed to have been killed by Hamas terrorists at a music festival, has claimed her daughter is alive but in critical condition.

Shani Louk, 22, was recognised by her distinctive tattoos and dreadlocks as the partially naked body inside a pick-up truck that was paraded through the streets by Palestinian gunmen.

She and her friends had been attending the Supernova festival just three miles from the Gaza border when they were caught in the crossfire during Saturday’s shock attack.

Mother of tattoo artist missing after Hamas attacks says daughter is alive

Why a ground attack on Gaza by Israeli troops now appears inevitable

Tuesday 10 October 2023 23:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Israel’s military has laid out the extent to which troops at the border were caught unaware by the Hamas attack that the IDF says left dozens killed in their beds, writes Kim Sengupta. As Israeli air strikes continue to hit Gaza, a ground offensive is likely to come next:

Troops at the Gaza border were caught unawares and “slaughtered by the dozens in their beds” by Hamas as 11 military bases were overrun as a result of the lethal and massive Israeli intelligence failure over the raid.

More than 60 soldiers were killed in the first hours of the coordinated assault after drones were used to destroy state-of-the-art surveillance systems, with the numbers expected to rise as identities are established. A police station with communication equipment had to be blown up by Israeli forces after it had been captured by Islamist fighters.

Why a ground attack on Gaza by Israeli troops now appears inevitable | Kim Sengupta

Blinken to visit Israel this week to affirm US support amid Hamas attacks

Tuesday 10 October 2023 22:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is being dispatched to affirm the Biden administration’s support for Israel as the latter faces shocking violence perpetrated by Hamas militants and has vowed an unprecedented armed response.

Mr Blinken is due to touch down on Thursday, where he will speak to officials in the Israeli government about the US’s plans to shore up financial and military aid to the Israeli military.

His arrival will follow President Joe Biden’s forceful remarks in support of Israel and the country’s right to respond with military force to the murder of civilians and attacks on Israeli security forces over the past few days.

Blinken to visit Israel this week to affirm US support amid Hamas attacks

Gaza hospitals running out of supplies to treat wounded as Israel’s bombardment goes on

Tuesday 10 October 2023 22:12 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Hospitals in Gaza are running out of supplies including anaesthetic, while the only power plant is on the brink of shutdown, pushing the enclave to the verge of humanitarian collapse.

Israel has unleashed one of the heaviest bombardments of the tiny strip ever recorded, after the ruling Hamas militant group launched a deadly surprise attack in Israel on Saturday, that left more than 900 dead.

The Israeli government later announced a “total siege” on the 42-km long territory, vowing to cut off power, water, fuel and food to the more than 2 million people who live there. The sole remaining access from Egypt shut down Tuesday after Israeli airstrikes hit near the border crossing.

Our chief international correspondent Bel Trew reports from Tel Aviv:

Gaza hospitals running out of supplies for wounded as Israel’s bombardment goes on

Gaza’s biggest hospital ‘at capacity'

Tuesday 10 October 2023 21:53 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

White House in talks with Israel about safe passage for Gaza

Tuesday 10 October 2023 21:45 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The White House has said it is talking to Israel about a safe passage for Gaza civilians after the besieged strip was pounded by air strikes today.

The US national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said they are “focused on this question” during a press briefing on Tuesday.

“We do not deliberately target civilians,” Sullivan said of the U.S. and Israel, when asked about civilian casualties in Gaza in the Tuesday press briefing.

“We work to make sure that our military operations are conducted consistent with the rule of law and the law of war,” he added.

Palestinians in Gaza have said that Israeli bombardment has been heavy and feels like a new “Nakba,” the Arabic word for catastrophe that refers to the 1948 war of Israel‘s creation that led to their mass dispossession.

Israel fires back after Syrian shells land in Israeli territory

Tuesday 10 October 2023 21:10 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Israeli troops fired artillery and mortar shells toward Syria on Tuesday after a number of shells launched from its northern neighbour landed in open areas on Israeli territory, Israel‘s military said.

A source in southern Syria said a Palestinian faction had fired three rockets toward Israel.

The development raises fears the violence could lead to a wider war, as Israel trades cross-border salvoes with Lebanon’s Hezbollah and battles Hamas militants in Gaza.

The military said its soldiers had fired “toward the origin of the launching in Syria”. It did not provide details.

There were no reports of damage or injuries.

Mapping how the deadly Hamas attack on Israel unfolded

Tuesday 10 October 2023 20:40 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The surprise and highly sophisticated incursion, a major failure of much-vaunted Israeli intelligence, has claimed the lives of more than 700 civilians and soldiers living close to the Gaza border, with the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) still seeking to root out militants embedded in Israeli settlements two days later.

In retaliation, Israel has launched relentless air strikes on Gaza and its tightly-packed civilian population – among whom Israel says Hamas militants are hiding – and has declared a “complete siege” of the enclave by cutting off supplies of electricity, food and fuel.

Maps show how the deadly Hamas attack on Israel unfolded

‘Kfar Aza smells of death’: Inside the Israeli border village where ‘babies were slaughtered’ in Hamas attack

Tuesday 10 October 2023 20:25 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

‘When Hamas came they decapitated women and children,’ an Israeli major claims in the village a few miles from Gaza, writes Bel Trew. The bodies are hidden so it’s impossible to verify, but it is clear much blood has been shed:

The Israeli village smells of death. The air is thick with the scent of bodies decomposing in the sunshine.

A stutter of machine-gun fire erupts as we first enter Kafr Aza, located a few miles from the border fence with Gaza.

Israeli soldiers, some flat to the ground, fan out silently in a staggered Z-shape. They edge steadily forward through a field, while rocket fire burns lines through the sky above us.

Inside the Israeli border village where Hamas ‘atrocities’ have shocked IDF soldiers

Tuesday 10 October 2023 20:15 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Bel Trew reports from Gaza border after Hamas militants commit massacre in Kfar Aza

EU’s Breton warns Musk about disinformation on X

Tuesday 10 October 2023 20:10 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

EU industry chief Thierry Breton on Tuesday warned Elon Musk of disinformation spread on his X messaging platform following Hamas‘ surprise attack on Israel.

“I therefore invite you to urgently ensure that your systems are effective, and report on the crisis measures taken to my team,” Breton told Musk in a letter dated Oct. 10 and seen by Reuters.

Mia Khalifa ‘dropped from Playboy podcasting deal’ after Israel-Palestine comments

Tuesday 10 October 2023 20:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Mia Khalifa has been reportedly released from her podcasting contract with Playboy after sharing her stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Khalifa, a media personality and former adult content actor, had been a content creator for Playboy, which launched its OnlyFans-esque digital creator platform in March.

Since the latest outbreak of violence, Khalifa has been sharing social media content about the conflict in support of Palestine, which has been occupied by Israel since 1967.

Mia Khalifa ‘dropped from Playboy podcasting deal’ after Israel-Palestine comments

At least 14 Americans killed in Hamas attack on Israel, says Biden

Tuesday 10 October 2023 19:46 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Joe Biden says that at least 14 American civilians have been killed in the brutal Hamas attack on Israel, up from 11 the White House had previously confirmed.

The president gave the updated figure as he spoke to the nation from the State Dining Room of the White House on Tuesday and condemned the “unadulterated evil” unleashed by Hamas.

Israel says that more than 1,000 people were killed when Hamas launched a surprise attack by air, sea and land on the country from Gaza on 7 October.

At least 14 Americans killed in Hamas attack on Israel, says Biden

The Independent’s Bel Trew reports from attacked Israeli village

Tuesday 10 October 2023 19:40 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Our chief international correspondent reports from Israeli village Kfar Azza, near the Gaza border.

She said “gunfire erupted” as they entered the town.

She was also told by a major in the IDF that “decapitated bodies” of children and women were found in the village.

‘This is terrorism’: Biden decries ‘pure, unadulterated evil’ of Hamas attacks and says US stands with Israel

Tuesday 10 October 2023 19:39 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

President Joe Biden on Tuesday said the US will continue to stand with Israel in the wake of terrorist attacks which have now claimed the lives of 14 Americans and over 1,000 Israelis, calling the actions by Hamas “pure, unadulterated evil”.

Follow this breaking news story from our White House correspondent Andrew Feinberg here:

Biden decries Hamas attacks on Israel: ‘This is terrorism’

Israel launches diaspora bond push to raise money amidst war with Hamas

Tuesday 10 October 2023 19:24 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Israel launched a diaspora bond campaign on Tuesday to raise money amidst a war with Hamas, according to posts on social media sites linked with Israel Bonds.

“Israel Bonds has launched an international campaign to raise funds for the Jewish state that is at war,” posts on LinkedIn, Instagram and X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter. “Invest in Israel bonds to provide the nation with financial resources at its darkest hour.”

According to its website, Israel Bonds - the country’s borrowing vehicle for diaspora bonds - had $5.4 billion worth of outstanding bonds as of December 31, representing approximately 12% of the country’s external governmental debt.

Media representatives for Israel Bonds’ U.S. arm, the Development Corporation for Israel, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Egypt moving to prevent mass exodus from Gaza through Sinai

Tuesday 10 October 2023 19:04 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Egypt is moving to prevent a mass exodus from the Gaza Strip into its Sinai Peninsula, as Israeli bombardment halted crossings at the main exit point from the Palestinian enclave on Tuesday, Gaza officials and Egyptian security sources said.

Israel‘s assault on Gaza has caused alarm in Egypt, which has urged Israel to provide safe passage for civilians from the enclave rather than encouraging them to flee southwest towards Sinai, two Egyptian security sources said.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Tuesday that the escalation in Gaza was “highly dangerous” and that Egypt was pursuing a negotiated solution to the violence with regional and international partners.

Egypt would not allow the issue to be settled at the expense of others, Sisi said in comments reported by state news agency MENA, an apparent reference to the risk that Palestinians could be pushed into Sinai.

Egypt’s military had taken up new positions close to the border and was running patrols to monitor the area, said Ahmed Salem of the Sinai Foundation for Human Rights.

Rafah is the sole possible crossing point into Sinai for Gaza’s 2.3 million residents. The rest of the densely populated strip is surrounded by the sea, and by Israel, which has announced a total siege of Gaza and could launch a ground offensive.

Flying Palestinian flag in UK ‘may not be legitimate’, says Suella Braverman

Tuesday 10 October 2023 18:55 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Waving a Palestinian flag on British streets “may not be legitimate” any longer if it is deemed to be a show of support for acts of terrorism, home secretary Suella Braverman has said.

The cabinet minister has told police officers to use the “full force of the law” against any shows of support for Hamas or bids to intimidate the UK’s Jewish community in the wake of the attack on Israel.

Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside the Israeli embassy in Kensington to demonstrate on that same evening, letting off fireworks, lighting flares and chanting “Israel is a terrorist state” and “Free Palestine”.

Our political correspondent Adam Forrest reports:

Flying Palestinian flag in UK ‘may not be legitimate’, says Suella Braverman

Tuesday 10 October 2023 18:40 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Our White House correspondent, Andrew Feinberg, reports from the US:

The bipartisan Senate Congressional Delegation led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer spoke by phone with Israeli President Isaac Herzog from the U.S. Embassy in Beijing to get an update on the ongoing situation in Israel.

Leader Schumer, the highest ranking Jewish official in American history, told President Herzog that although his heart aches for Israel, he stood firm in the bipartisan support in the United States Senate for Israel and stands ready to do whatever it takes to ensure Israel has the resources it needs.

Additionally, the delegation met Tuesday night with a group of ambassadors of allied nations at the U.S. ambassador’s residence in Beijing.

The delegation expressed their support for Israel and urged their governments to do everything they can to stand in solidarity with the country.

Spain sends two military planes to fly back citizens stranded in Israel

Tuesday 10 October 2023 18:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Spain has sent two military aircraft to Israel to evacuate some 500 Spaniards whose commercial flights were suspended following deadly attacks by Islamist Hamas over the weekend, Acting Defence Minister Margarita Robles said on Tuesday.

Madrid’s embassy in Israel estimates that around 500 Spanish citizens were there for tourism or temporary work, Robles told reporters, but it was “not foreseen” that those present in the country for other reasons would be evacuated.

Earlier on Tuesday, Portugal’s foreign affairs ministry said it would evacuate 190 of its citizens in Israel on air force planes to Cyprus. A group of Spaniards was among the passengers on the first flight, according to a spokesperson for the Cypriot foreign ministry.

In pictures: Mourners attend funeral of two killed Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon

Tuesday 10 October 2023 18:15 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Iran's Khamenei says Tehran was not behind Hamas attack on Israel

Tuesday 10 October 2023 18:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Tehran was not involved in the militant Hamas group’s weekend attack on Israel, Iran’s top authority Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday, but hailed what he called Israel‘s “irreparable” military and intelligence defeat.

“We kiss the hands of those who planned the attack on the Zionist regime,” said Khamenei, who was wearing a Palestinian scarf, in his first televised speech since the attack.

“This destructive earthquake (Hamas‘ attack) has destroyed some critical structures (in Israel) which will not be repaired easily ... The Zionist regime’s own actions are to blame for this disaster,” said Khamenei.

Israel has long accused Iran’s clerical rulers of stoking violence by supplying arms to Hamas. Tehran, which does not recognize Israel, says it gives moral and financial support to the group, which controls the Gaza Strip.

Backing the Palestinian cause has been a pillar of the Islamic Republic since the 1979 revolution and a way the Shi’ite-dominated country has fashioned itself as a leader of the Muslim world.

Tuesday 10 October 2023 17:51 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Live: EU's Josep Borrell holds press conference on Israel-Palestine after meeting foreign ministers

Israeli grandmother’s murder ‘posted on her own Facebook page by Hamas terrorists’

Tuesday 10 October 2023 17:45 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

An Israeli grandmother was murdered by Hamas terrorists with her killers posting it on her own Facebook account, her family has said.

Describing her as “pure and good”, the unnamed woman’s granddaughter Mor Bayder claimed the horrifying videos were shared publicly on social media, reportedly showing the elderly woman being slaughtered in her own home.

“A terrorist came home to her, killed her, took her phone, filmed the horror and published it on her Facebook wall,” Ms Bayder said. “This is how we found out.”

Israeli grandmother’s murder ‘posted on her own Facebook page by Hamas terrorists’

Sweden halts development aid to Palestinians

Tuesday 10 October 2023 17:27 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Sweden has temporarily halted development aid to Palestinian territories, development minister Johan Forssell told a news conference.

European Union foreign ministers are meeting on Tuesday to work out divisions among its 27 members over whether to continue aid payments to Palestinians a day after the European Commission backtracked on an announcement suspending all such aid.

“We have a new situation after the 7th of October,” Forssell told reporters. “Our decision today is that Sweden will ... pause development aid to Palestine until further notice.”

Neighouring Denmark announced earlier on Tuesday that it would pause its aid.

The government said it had also given the development agency SIDA the task of reviewing aid to Palestinians and to report by the start of December.

“We don’t want Swedish tax-payers’ money goes to actors who don’t have a very clear view on these totally fundamental questions; where they reject terrorism,” Forsell said.

“But humanitarian aid will continue and will not be paused as a result of this decision.”

All we know about Israeli hostages abducted by Hamas

Tuesday 10 October 2023 17:15 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Fears are growing over the safety of dozens of hostages being held in Gaza after attacks by Hamas over the weekend.

Israel’s troops are battling to clear out Hamas gunmen more than two days after they carried out the deadly rampage that has left hundreds of people dead.

Hostages, including members of the Israeli Defence Forces as well as civilians, some of whom were taken from a nearby music festival on Saturday, are currently being held in the heavily-militarised Gaza area.

All we know about Israeli hostages abducted by Hamas

Gaza City harbour bombed by Israeli missiles

Tuesday 10 October 2023 17:06 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain