Israel-Palestine war live: Hamas fighting continues beyond barrier as 500 targets in Gaza hit overnight

Israeli forces are still battling against Hamas fighters in several locations on their own territory, as hundreds of targets have been hit in Gaza overnight following Saturday’s wide-ranging attack.

More than two days after Hamas launched its unprecedented incursion out of Gaza, the Israeli military said on Monday it is still battling militants holed up in “seven to eight” places in southern Israel.

Military spokesperson Richard Hecht said it was taking longer than expected to repel the incursion because there were still multiple breaches in the border, which Hamas could be using to bring in more fighters and weapons.

Israeli fighter jets, helicopters and artillery struck over 500 of Hamas and Islamic Jihad targets in the Gaza Strip overnight on Monday and had sent four combat divisions south where it continued to battle the Islamist militants.

At least 700 people have reportedly been killed in Israel — a staggering toll on a scale the country has not experienced in decades — and more than 400 have been killed in Gaza. Palestinian militant groups claimed to be holding over 130 captives from the Israeli side.

An Israeli rescue service said its paramedics removed more than 260 bodies from a music festival that came under attack by Hamas militants.

Early on Saturday morning, Hamas targeted the Nova music festival, a techno rave in the desert near the border with Gaza. British citizen Jacob Marlowe is among the missing after the festival was stormed by militants.

Key Points

• 260 bodies removed from music festival site

• At least 130 Israeli civilians and soldiers held hostage

• British citizen among missing after Hamas attack music festival

• 19 members of a family killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza

• US moves warships closer to Israel after Hamas attack

• Two US congressmen were in Israel during Hamas attack

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

18:15 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

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

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.

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’

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

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

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

17:06 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Watch: Israeli-Americans plead for safe return of loved ones missing after Hamas terror attack

16:52 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Israeli army claims Hamas decapitated children as bodies of babies found in village close to Gaza

16:40 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The IDF told The Independent’s Bel Trew how Hamas “decapitated” women and children in a ruthless attack in Kfar Aza, an Israeli village close to Gaza .

“When Hamas came here they decapitated women, they decapitated children. We saw dead babies, girls,” said Major David Ben Zion, 37 a reservist called up and deployed here on Saturday to try to evacuate the few survivors of the onslaught.

“We succeeded in saving some of them but we found most dead in their houses.

“They came with just one mission to kill more and more of our people.”

Pope monitoring Gaza situation with calls to local priest

16:28 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Pope Francis is following the situation in Gaza after the latest flare-up of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with regular calls to the local Catholic priest, Vatican media reported on Tuesday.

Gaza’s parish priest Gabriel Romanelli has received two phone calls from Francis since hostilities started at the weekend with an attack on Israel by Hamas Islamist militants in which more than 1,000 died.

The pope “expressed his closeness and his prayers” and “we thanked him for his appeal for a ceasefire and against all violence, all terrorism and all wars,” Romanelli told the Vatican News website.

Romanelli, who was speaking from Bethlehem, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, said Francis was also planning to call his deputy in Gaza, where about 150 displaced families are being looked after by the local Catholic Church.

On Sunday, Pope Francis called for an end to attacks and violence in both Israel and Gaza, saying terrorism and war would only bring further suffering and death to innocent people.

Israel‘s ambassador to the Vatican told Reuters on Monday: “I understand the Vatican wants peace. We all want peace. But I would like to hear stronger words about Israel‘s right to defend itself.”

Death toll from Hamas attack on Israel ‘rises to more than 1,000'

16:23 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

An Israeli military official says the death toll from Hamas‘ surprise attack over the weekend has now risen above 1,000.

Brigadier Geneneral Dan Goldfus announced the figure during a briefing with reporters on Tuesday.

He spoke as Israel was pressing ahead with a fierce offensive of airstrikes in Gaza that has claimed 830 lives on the other side and caused widespread destruction.

“We are going to go on the offence and attack the Hamas terrorist group and any other group that is in Gaza,” he said.

“We will have to change the reality from within Gaza to prevent this from happening again.”

The Hamas incursion is by far the deadliest militant attack in Israeli history.

The announcement came as Israeli warplanes hammered the Gaza Strip neighbourhood by neighbourhood on Tuesday, reducing buildings to rubble and sending people scrambling to find safety in the tiny, sealed-off territory as Israel vowed a retaliation for Hamas‘ attack that would “reverberate ... for generations.”

Inside Israel’s Supernova Festival: My terror as Hamas bombs fell on us during desert rave

16:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Survivors of a rave in the desert near the Gaza border when Hamas bombs struck and militants seized dozens of hostages tell Bel Trew and Natalie Lisbona how they fled in fear:

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.

My terror as Hamas bombs fell on us during desert rave

Israeli airlines add more flights to bring back reservists

15:50 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Israeli airlines El Al, Israir and Arkia added more flights on Tuesday to bring back reservists, according to their websites and Israel‘s airports authority, though the prospect of more conflict also stoked sector worries about staff shortages.

The flights come after Israel said on Monday it had called up an unprecedented 300,000 reservists and warned residents of Palestinian enclave Gaza to evacuate in a sign it could be planning a ground assault in response to Palestinian militant group Hamas‘ unprecedented weekend attack.

While many major airlines have cancelled flights to and from Israel, domestic carriers have looked to ramp up capacity, at least in coming days. Many Israelis were travelling abroad the last week for a Jewish holiday.

On its website, Israir Airlines said it was offering flights from Larnaca in Turkey, Corfu in Greece and Batumi in Georgia to help bring Israelis back to the country.

Arkia also offered flights from the Greek capital Athens to Eilat in southern Israel and Marrakesh in Morocco to Tel Aviv, among others.

Flag carrier El Al added a flight from Athens on Tuesday. El Al added that, while it wasn’t offering free flights for reservists, it was trying to keep prices affordable. Reservists flying from the United States are charged $900, flights from Bangkok cost $650, while flights under four hours from Europe cost $300, a spokesperson said.

Israel's envoy to UAE says Hamas will be smashed

15:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Israel‘s ambassador to the United Arab Emirates said on Tuesday that nothing would stop Israel from crushing Hamas.

Fighters from the Palestinian militant group stormed Israeli towns on Saturday in an assault launched from the Gaza enclave of Gaza, killing more than 1,000 Israelis - mostly civilians - and taking dozens hostage.

“We’ll do everything needed in order to make sure that those people will not threaten and will not hurt our citizens again,” Ambassador Amir Hayek told Reuters at the embassy in Abu Dhabi.

“We need to make sure that everyone will understand that if anyone will ever think about doing such things and putting Israeli citizens at risk, he will pay the full price and will not be able to do it again.”

“I don’t know any sovereign country in the world that could have been in this situation and continuing things as usual without smashing the terrorists,” Hayek added.

“We are talking about kids, women, elderly people, families. These people have been murdered, not for something they did. But for what who they are.”

Israel‘s enemies should not “miscaluate the situation,” he said. “I can assure you that we will win.”

Biden to speak with Israel's Netanyahu on Tuesday -White House

15:19 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

US President Joe Biden will speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday to discuss US support for Israel after receiving an update on the situation following Hamas‘ deadly attacks, the White House said.

Charities call for Israel-Hamas de-escalation as they claim ambulances bombed

15:10 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

UK aid charities have called for urgent de-escalation in the conflict in Israel and Gaza, amid claims ambulances carrying the injured have been hit by air strikes.

Save the Children UK said its teams and their families in Gaza are “terrified” and humanitarian access is “desperately needed”.

Another charity, Islamic Relief, called for an urgent ceasefire to prevent more civilian suffering, and said getting food, medical supplies and fuel into Gaza alongside humanitarian aid is now vital.

Charities call for Israel-Hamas de-escalation as they claim ambulances bombed

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

16:56 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

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.”

There are currently 173,000 active soldiers in the Israeli army, including 8,000 commanders, and another 300,000 reservists have been called to fight Hamas.

Read more here:

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

In pictures: Day four of Israel-Palestine war

14:51 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Palestinian journalist in Gaza says ‘people are leaving'

14:47 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Palestinian journalist Muhammad Smiry, who has been tweeting from Gaza, said “people are leaving” but said he has “no idea what is happening”.

A brief history of the Israel-Palestinian conflict - explained

14:37 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

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.

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

In Gaza City, there are no hiding places from the war – and it gets even worse at night

14:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A humanitarian worker gives an eyewitness account of life under Israeli bombardment, where two million other Palestinians are trapped in a 25-mile stretch of land:

I live in Gaza City, so I am witnessing most of the Israeli bombardment. I work in the humanitarian sector but right now the circumstances are so dire that we are really hindered from even trying to help affected and displaced people.

From my home, I see thick pillars of smoke which hang over us, blurring the skies, and I smell gunpowder. I hear children all around crying, terrified, while the blasts get closer and louder.

The Israeli bombing is non-stop, day and night for over 72 hours now. At night it gets worse, as the blasts reverberate louder and stronger while the electricity is off.

Read more here:

In Gaza City, there are no hiding places from the war – and it’s even worse at night

SNP leader asks Tory government to call for ceasefire

14:20 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Scotland’s first minister and SNP leader Humza Yousaf has written to foreign secretary James Cleverly urging the government to call for a ceasefire in Israel and Gaza to allow civilians to flee.

Mr Yousaf – whose own in-laws are trapped in Gaza – told Cleverley: “Too many innocent people have already lost their lives as a consequence of these completely unjustifiable and illegitimate attacks by Hamas.

“However, innocent men, women and children cannot, and should not, pay the price for the actions of a terrorist group.”

He added: “As a close friend and ally of Israel, I therefore ask the UK government to call on the government of Israel to ensure innocent civilians are protected and to put in place an immediate ceasefire to allow the safe passage of civilians through the Rafah border. Furthermore, it should open a humanitarian corridor into Gaza to allow supplies.”

Mapped: How the Israel-Hamas war unfolded

14:17 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Israel is at war after Hamas militants broke through the border from Gaza to inflict the deadliest attack the country has suffered in half a century.

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.

Here is a map which shows how the violence unfolded:

Mapped: How the Israel-Hamas war unfolded

Finnair cancels all Tel Aviv flights for the winter

14:10 , Simon Calder

Finnair, a leading European airline, has cancelled all its flights to and from Tel Aviv until 30 March 2024 because of “the unstable situation in Israel”.

The grounding, covering a spell of almost six months, is the longest so far in response to the Hamas attacks on Israel.

The airline said in a statement: “Safety is always our top priority. We are closely monitoring the situation and following the instructions of the authorities. The Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has published a travel bulletin in which the ministry urges you to avoid unnecessary travel to Israel.

“Finnair does not use Israeli airspace on its flights at the moment.

“We are sorry for the harm and worry this situation may cause you.”

British Airways, El Al and Virgin Atlantic continue to fly between London Heathrow and Tel Aviv – whose airport has remained open and operational throughout.

Budget airlines including easyJet, Ryanair and Wizz Air have temporarily suspended flights to and from Israel.

14:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Woman begs for safe return of grandmother, 85, kidnapped by Hamas terrorists

13:50 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

‘Israel-Palestine conflict ‘going to get worse’, says Foreign Secretary

Sports reporter fired for saying Philadelphia 76ers’ pro-Israel post ‘sucks’

13:40 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A sports journalist has been fired for saying that the Philadelphia 76ers’ social media post in support of Israel “sucks”.

Jackson Frank was let go from PhillyVoice on Sunday over a post on X where he criticised the basketball team’s statement about recent events in Israel and said he stands in “solidarity” with Palestine.

After Hamas terrorists launched attacks on Israel on Saturday, the 76ers released a statement.

Philadelphia reporter fired for saying 76ers’ pro-Israel post ‘sucks’

Hamas armed wing tells residents of Israel’s Ashkelon to evacuate in hours

13:29 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Hamas armed wing spokesman Abu Ubaida told residents of Israel‘s port of Ashkelon to leave the area by 5 p.m. (1400 GMT) on Tuesday, without giving any further details.

Senior Labour MP urges for ceasesire as he warns of ‘annihilation’ of Gaza civilians

13:27 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Senior Labour MP John McDonnell has urged people to “mobilise” to press for a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel as he warned of an “annihilation of civilians” in Gaza.

The former shadow chancellor told a Palestine Solidarity Campaign event on the fringe of the Labour conference: “I think our role as individuals and members of the Labour and trade union movement, and every other organisation that we can possibly mobilise as well, is to try and get some acknowledgement that the key factor now must be the protection of civilians.

“I’m so fearful, I’m so worried that what’s happening in Gaza now is that we’re seeing almost an annihilation of civilians.

“Therefore, everything we have to do now is to mobilise both within our own country, but internationally as well, to try and put pressure on the international community now to ensure that the attacks on Gaza end and that a form of dialogue is opened up to secure initially, at least, some form of ceasefire, de-escalation, and then hopefully the first steps to a longer-term solution.

“And I know we’ve been here so often before but I’m not sure we’ve been here on this scale of the potential loss of life, civilian loss of life in particular.

“If this continues on in this form, it could set the Middle East alight again on a scale we’ve not seen, maybe ever.”

‘I hear the cries of children’: Palestinian fears as Israel lays siege to Gaza

13:16 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Palestinians living in Gaza have shared their fears as the enclave comes under siege by Israeli forces.

More than 1,000 Hamas militants stormed Israel in the early hours of Saturday morning, killing hundreds of civilians and seizing hostages.

Israel declared war on the terror group on Sunday and the army called up around 300,000 reservists after the deadly assault.

Jabed Ahmed reports:

‘I hear the cries of children’: Palestinian fears as Israel lays siege to Gaza

Footage shows Gazans gathered at the Egyptian border crossing

12:47 , Tom Watling

Footage has shown dozens of Gazans gathered at the border crossing with Egypt from earlier this morning.

It was reported roughly 90 minutes ago that explosions hit the area near the crossing in Rafah.

Egypt has since shut the crossing indefinitely, while Israel has denied encouraging Gazans to use that route to escape.

Suspected security incident reported north of Gaza

12:41 , Tom Watling

Residents of Zikim and Karmia have been ordered to remain in their homes amid a suspected security incident in the area, the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council has said.

Hamas supporters in UK will be ‘held to account’, says Sunak

12:27 , Tom Watling

Body: Rishi Sunak has said that anyone in the UK found to be supporting Hamas in the wake of the attack on Israel would be held to account.

“Police have been given very clear guidance and advice from the government to do everything that they can to keep the [Jewish] community safe – they will clamp down on any behaviour that falls foul of the law,” said the PM.

“I’d just remind everyone that Hamas is a proscribed terrorist organisation. People should not be supporting Hamas and we will make sure that we hold people to account if they are.”

Sunak also said the UK government was ready to support any British citizens in need of help.

“I want to reassure them we’re doing everything we can, working very closely with the Israeli authorities to establish what is happening on the ground, and provide support to people where it’s needed.”

Israel refutes claims they have told Palestinians to flee to Egypt

12:25 , Tom Watling

Israel has denied that they have suggested residents of the Gaza Strip should “exit into Egypt”.

A statement on X, formerly Twitter, read: “In recent days, the IDF has been instructing the population inside of the Gaza Strip to distance themselves from designated areas.

“We emphasise that there is no official call by Israel for residents of the Gaza Strip to exit into Egypt.”

Earlier today, Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, international spokesperson for the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), said in one message that the border crossing from Gaza into Egypt was “still open” before adding: “Anyone who can get out I would advise them to get out.”

Netanyahu coalition partners green-light possible emergency government

12:15 , Tara Cobham

All partners in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition approved on Tuesday a proposed expansion of the government to include politicians now in the opposition, a statement from his Likud party said.

Since the shock weekend Hamas attack from Gaza and Israel's build-up for war, some centre-left parties have offered to join Netanyahu in government - a bid to shore up the country in crisis.

In pictures: Aftermath of massacre at Supernova music festival

12:00 , Tara Cobham

Israel striking ‘many targets’ in Gaza in ‘widespread’ attack

11:54 , Tom Watling

Israel has said it is attacking “many targets” in Gaza as part of a “widespread” attempt to strike Hamas strongholds.

White House spokesperson chokes up over ‘horrifying’ Israel attack

11:45 , Tara Cobham

White House spokesperson John Kirby choked up on CNN as he was asked about the “horrifying” images of the attack on Israel.

Mr Kirby, Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council, became emotional as he was asked by host Jake Tapper about children abducted by Hamas and young women who had been raped.

“I err….sorry….excuse me,” said Mr Kirby, who is a retired rear admiral in the US Navy.

“It is very difficult to look at these images Jake, the human cost, and these are human beings, they are family members, loved ones, cousins, brothers, sisters… yeah it’s difficult, and I apologise.”

Graeme Massie reports:

White House spokesperson chokes up over ‘horrifying’ Israel attack

Five Palestinian journalists killed and two missing

11:32 , Tara Cobham

At least five Palestinian journalists were killed and two went missing while reporting on Israel's ongoing war with Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip.

Journalists Saeed Al-Taweel and photographer Mohammed Sobih were killed on Tuesday when Israeli warplanes struck an area housing several media houses in Rimal district in western Gaza, the Associated Press quoted Palestinian news agency Wafa as reporting.

Three other Palestinian journalists were killed over the weekend while reporting from Gaza, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said, citing Palestinian press freedom groups.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar reports:

Five Palestinian journalists killed and two missing amid Israel-Palestine war

Crowd chants ‘free Palestine’ in front of Israel’s London embassy

11:29 , Tara Cobham

Fireworks were let off, flares list and chants of “free Palestine” were heard as thousands of people attended a pro-Palestine protest outside the boarded up Israel embassy in west London.

The protest, held on Monday evening, comes after Palestinian militant group Hamas sent fighters across the border to Israel and fired rockets in an unprecedented attack.

Chants of “Israel is a terrorist state” and “free Palestine” were heard at the event at High Street Kensington.

There was a heavy police presence at the protest.

Three people were arrested during the protests, including a 15-year-old on suspicion of assault on an emergency worker, racially motivated criminal damage, and possessing an offensive weapon.

Lucy Leeson reports:

Huge crowd chants ‘free Palestine’ in front of Israel’s London embassy

Explosions recorded near Egypt/Gaza border

11:23 , Tom Watling

Explosions have been reported close to the border crossing from Gaza into Egypt.

Bombardments hit close to the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula on Tuesday, three Egyptian security sources and a witness told Reuters.

The strike comes as the Israeli military bombards Gaza and follows a similar incident on Monday that partially disrupted operations at the border, though the crossing was working normally early on Tuesday, Egyptian security sources said.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior and National Security in the Gaza Strip said: “The occupation aircraft re-bombed the Rafah crossing gate between the Palestinian and Egyptian sides after it was repaired yesterday, which prevents the departure and arrival of travelers.”

Rafah is the sole possible crossing point into Egypt's Sinai Peninsula for Gaza's 2.3 million residents. Access is strictly controlled under a blockade by Egypt and Israel on the movement of goods and people from Gaza.

Drone alerts sound in Israeli towns bordering Gaza

11:17 , Tom Watling

Drone alerts have sounded in two Israeli towns near the border with Gaza.

Local reports claimed drone infiltration alerts are currently sounding in Mefalsim and Sderot, both of which are to the northeast of the strip.

German prosecutor ‘opens murder and kidnapping probe into Hamas'

11:03 , Tara Cobham

Germany's federal public prosecutor has launched an investigation into Hamas - the Islamist movement that controls Gaza - for suspected crimes against German citizens, the Bild newspaper reported on Tuesday.

The German foreign ministry confirmed on Monday that German citizens were among those kidnapped by Hamas in the attack, without giving precise numbers. The families of those kidnapped have appealed to the German government for help, Bild reported.

The prosecutor is investigating Hamas on suspicion of murder, manslaughter and hostage-taking, the report said.

The prosecutor's office was not immediately able to provide comment.

Hamas launched an attack last week that saw fighters storming into Israeli towns, killing hundreds and abducting dozens of people.

Hamas, which calls for Israel's destruction, says its attack was justified by the plight of Gaza under a 16-year-old blockade and the deadliest Israeli crackdown for years in the occupied West Bank.

Israeli attacks on Gaza kill 770 Palestinians, says Health Ministry

11:02 , Tara Cobham

At least 770 Palestinians have been killed and 4,000 wounded in Israeli air strikes on the blockaded enclave since Saturday, Gaza's Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

At least another 18 people were killed and 100 injured in the West Bank since Saturday, the ministry added.

Labour minister apologises for posing with Palestinian activists

10:30 , Tara Cobham

Labour minister Afzal Khan has apologised for posing for a photo at the stall of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) at the party conference.

The shadow trade minister said: “I want to apologise for any offence caused by stopping by the PSC stall at this time. I unequivocally condemn the terrorist actions of Hamas and support Israel’s right to defend itself.”

Apsana Begum, a left-wing Labour MP who backer Jeremy Corbyn, was also pictured at the stall. The PSC launched a protest outside Israeli Embassy, demanding Israel “end apartheid now”, after the Hamas attack.

Footage shows aftermath of strike on southwest Gaza

10:20 , Tom Watling

Footage has shown the aftermath of an Israeli strike on southwest Gaza, which killed at least one person.

The attack happened in the Tal al-Hawa neighbourhood.

Palestine activists should stay at home, says foreign secretary

10:15 , Tara Cobham

Foreign secretary James Cleverly has called on supporters of Palestine to stay at home, after protests in London. “There is no need, there’s no necessity for people to come out. It causes distress.”

He said that the protests were causing concern in the Jewish community, “who have often been on the receiving end of prejudice and threats of violence”, adding: “I would encourage them just to pause.”

Home secretary Suella Braverman has written to police chiefs to encourage them to step up patrols in areas with large Jewish communities amid concerns they could be subjected to antisemitic abuse.

Israeli military says Hamas 'has nowhere to hide' in Gaza

10:12 , Tara Cobham

The Israeli military said on Tuesday that Hamas operatives had "nowhere to hide in Gaza" and that the air force was carrying out unprecedently intensive air strikes in the Palestinian enclave in waves every four hours.

"We will reach them (Hamas) everywhere," chief military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said in a briefing.

Austria says it plans an evacuation flight from Israel on Wednesday

10:10 , Tara Cobham

Austria is arranging an evacuation of its citizens from Israel by military transport aircraft on Wednesday, Chancellor Karl Nehammer said on Tuesday.

Roughly 200 Austrians have so far informed the Austrian authorities that they wish to leave Israel, Nehammer told Puls 24 television on a trip to Turkey. The Foreign Ministry later asked Austrians in Israel who want to take up the offer of the evacuation flight to contact the Austrian embassy in Tel Aviv.

"It is happening in cooperation with the Austrian armed forces. A transport aircraft is available and the mission will begin tomorrow," Nehammer said, adding that the flight would be to Cyprus.

A spokeswoman for Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg confirmed media reports that the military transport aircraft was a C-130 Hercules and that the flight's destination would be Cyprus.

Austria said earlier on Tuesday that three of its dual citizens are missing and suspected to be among the prisoners taken into Gaza by Hamas.

Khamenei says Iran was not behind Hamas attack

10:07 , Tara Cobham

Iran's top authority Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday that Tehran had not been involved in the Hamas group's weekend attack on Israel, but he hailed what he called Israel's "irreparable" military and intelligence defeat.

In his first televised speech since the attack, Khamenei said "we kiss the hands of those who planned the attack on the Zionist regime".

More than a million Israeli civilians in northern regions head southward

10:07 , Tom Watling

More than a million Israeli civilians in the northern regions beneath Lebanon are fleeing southward over fears of a second front opening up, local outlets have reported.

Roughly 75 percent of Galilee residents have left their homes, according to local station Channel 12 news. It has a population of 1.6 million.

They added that in some border communities, nearly 90 percent of inhabitants have fled.

“Those who feel they cannot deal with the tension — not just today, but who are suffering accumulated trauma from years back — were advised two days ago that they should take their things and slowly, carefully head south,” a Channel 12 reporter said.

“The roads are open… The Homefront Command is permitting some kind of normal life in the area, but many have headed south toward the centre of the country.”

Fears of Hezbollah, stationed in southern Lebanon and who are in conversation with Hamas, opening up a second front have caused considerable anxiety among the Israeli population in its northern regions.

Israel arming volunteers in border communities and Jewish-Arab towns

10:01 , Tara Cobham

Israel would on Tuesday begin distributing thousands of assault rifles to volunteer first-response teams in border communities and mixed Jewish-Arab towns, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said in a social media post.

He said 4,000 Israeli-made rifles would be given out in the first round, with at least another 6,000 to follow. Volunteers would also eventually be equipped with helmets and flak jackets, he added.

Ben-Gvir's announcement came as Israel reeled from armed cross-border infiltrations by Palestinians from Gaza and eyed possible internal friction between Israel's majority Jews and 20 per cent Arab minority, many of whom identify with the Palestinians.

‘Significant number’ of British-Israelis caught in conflict

10:00 , Tara Cobham

Foreign secretary James Cleverly indicated that a “significant number” of British-Israeli dual nationals have been caught up in the conflict – but declined to confirm reports about the numbers affected. “It is complicated. I’m uncomfortable giving numbers,” he told LBC

Cleverly also said the government was “standing ready” to support any British citizens who need to leave Israel – including working with Egypt to get people out of Gaza.

“We are working with the air industry and Israeli air traffic control to ensure that there are still commercial flights leaving Israel for those Brits who want to leave – and of course there are land borders from Israel into both Egypt and Jordan.

“With regard to Gaza, we maintain close coordination with the Egyptian government about the maintenance of the Rafah crossing, which is the land crossing from Gaza into Egypt. I know people have been leaving Gaza via that route.”