Israel-Gaza - live: Biden warns Netanyahu against Rafah offensive as Hamas accepts Gaza ceasefire plan

US president Joe Biden again warned Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu against launching a military offensive in Rafah as the Palestinian death toll from Israeli bombing of the southern Gaza city continued to mount.

The warning came as Israel appeared close to launching an assault on Rafah.“The president doesn’t want to see operations in Rafah that put at greater risk the more than a million people that are seeking refuge there,” White House spokesman John Kirby said.

A few hours earlier, Hamas announced it had accepted a ceasefire proposal put forward by mediators Egypt and Qatar. A ceasefire could end seven months of war in Gaza, but Israel put a deal in doubt by saying the proposal didn’t meet its “core demands”.

Palestinian and Egyptian officials said Israeli tanks had already entered Rafah, moving as close as 200 metres from the crossing connecting the city with Egypt.

More than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli war on the Palestinian enclave which started after Hamas mounted an attack on Israel on 7 October that killed around 1,200 people.

The war has also displaced nearly two million Gazans, most of whom are sheltering in and around Rafah.

Key Points

• Netanyahu to go ahead with Rafah offensive

• Biden warns Netanyahu against major Rafah offensive

• Hamas accepts ceasefire deal from Egypt and Qatar

• Gaza’s streets ‘full of people shouting from happiness’

• Israel launches airstrikes on Rafah

• Rafah residents told to flee ahead of possible Israeli ground invasion

More photos show Palestinians fleeing Rafah

12:10 , Tom Watling

It is less than 12 hours since Israeli tanks first entered the eastern side of the Rafah crossing into Gaza and Palestinians were ordered to evacuate the area ahead of an imminent ground offensive.

But already images have shown that thousands of displaced civilians are rapidly fleeing the area.

Gaza is 'choked off' from aid since crossing closures, UN agencies say

11:50 , Tom Watling

The United Nations has said that the two main crossings into the southern Gaza Strip remain shut, virtually cutting off the enclave from outside aid with very few stores stationed inside.

The global agency’s humanitarian office spokesperson Jens Laerke told journalists that Israel had shut both the Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings for aid and people as part of its so-called “limited scope” military operation in Rafah where around one million uprooted people are sheltering.

“The two main arteries for getting aid into Gaza are currently choked off,” he said, adding that UN agencies had very low stocks inside the Gaza Strip since humanitarian supplies are consumed straight away. The enclave has just a one-day buffer of fuel stocks, he added.

“If no fuel comes in for a prolonged period of time it would be a very effective way of putting the humanitarian operation in its grave,” he added. A World Health Organization spokesperson said in response to a journalist’s question that no exceptions were being made for sick and injured patients.

While some non-fuel supplies have entered via the northern Erez crossing in recent days, the UN agencies said this was insufficient and difficult to deliver to Rafah since it meant crossing active combat zones.

Watch: Macklemore releases pro-Palestine music video ‘Hind’s Hall’

11:30 , Tom Watling

Macklemore has released a new song for Palestine.

Titled Hind’s Hall, the track is inspired by the current student protests happening around the world.

It also pays tribute to Hind Rajab, a six-year-old Palestinian child, who was recently killed by the Israeli military in Gaza while waiting for help.

Announcing the track on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday evening (6 May), Macklemore said all of the song’s proceeds will be donated

Macklemore says all of the song’s proceeds will be donated to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

Watch: Macklemore releases pro-Palestine music video ‘Hind’s Hall’

Egypt condemns Israel’s Rafah offensive

11:10 , Tom Watling

Egypt has condemned Israel’s offensive in Rafah, the last remaining area in Gaza yet to be invaded.

Egypt’s ceasefire proposal, co-authored with Qatar over the weekend, was accepted by Hamas but rejected by Israel.

The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: “We condemn the military operations in Rafah and the Israeli control over the Palestinian side of it. This dangerous escalation threatens the lives of more than a million Palestinians who depend on this crossing, which is the main lifeline. We call on Israel to exercise maximum restraint”

Norwegian Refugee Council: We woke to the sound of loud of explosions near our aid centre

10:50 , Tom Watling

A humanitarian aid organisation operating in Gaza has said they “woke up to the sound of airstrikes and loud explosions” in Rafah, nearby to where they have been donating aid to Palestinian civilians caught up in Israel’s war.

Israel launched an offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah early on Tuesday morning.

Ahmed Bayram, a spokesperson for the Norwegian Refugee Council, whose team is currently in Rafah, described the latest Israeli attack as “unthinkable”.

He told The Independent: “Our teams on the ground woke up to the sound of airstrikes and loud explosions very close from where we give aid.

“People in cars, buses, and on horse carts have knocked down their tents and left, not just in the areas where Israel issued evacuation orders but also in central and west Rafah.

“The prospect of a military operation in the heart of the most impoverished civilian population is just unthinkable. Such a step would not only lead to more inevitable deaths among families and children, but also the crippling of the entire aid system which relies on the Rafah crossing to bring in food, water and shelter support.

“We urge Israel’s allies to push for a complete reversal of this plan and for all sides to take the only viable alternative, a complete and sustainable ceasefire.”

IDF official asked where people of Rafah 'are meant to go' during Israeli strikes

10:30 , Tom Watling

Dismay as Israel prepares for Rafah invasion despite Hamas ceasefire offer

10:11 , Tom Watling

Israel has defied international concern and ordered the partial evacuation of Rafah – the last refuge in Gaza, where 1.4 million desperate civilians are braced for an impending ground assault the United Nations warned could lead to “bloodbath”.

Western leaders expressed dismay that Israel might press ahead with an invasion of the tiny area despite a last-ditch bid by Hamas to secure a temporary ceasefire.

Dismay as Israel signals Rafah invasion despite Hamas ceasefire offer

Rocket sirens reported at southern Gaza crossing

09:48 , Tom Watling

Sirens have sounded at the Kerem Shalom Crossing in southern Gaza, the Israeli military have reported.

Read between the lines for Biden’s changing position on Israel, US official says

09:30 , Tom Watling

Netanyahu is determined to attack Rafah, despite US warnings. Andrew Feinberg speaks to Israeli and American officials about what the consequences might be

Biden has a new position on Israel, anonymous US official suggests

Palestinians flee Rafah following Israeli evacuation notice

09:10 , Tom Watling

Images have shown Palestinians fleeing Rafah following the Israeli orders to evacuate the area ahead of a ground offensive.

Israeli tanks were seen rolling into the eastern side of the Rafah crossing this morning, before running down signs welcoming visitors to Gaza. Strikes in the area on Tuesday have reportedly killed 20 people already, according to the Palestinian news agecy Wafa.

UPDATE: Gaza death toll nears 35,000 as Israel begin Rafah offensive

09:00 , Tom Watling

At least 34,789 Palestinians have been killed and 78,204 injured in Israel‘s military offensive on Gaza since 7 October, Gaza’s health ministry has said in an updated statement.

Palestinian news agency Wafa reported this morning that 20 Palestinians, including women and children, have been killed by Israeli airstrikes already. It reports that an additional person was killed by a strike on Gaza City in the north.

Qatar-Egypt ceasefire proposal is leaked - read below

08:53 , Tom Watling

A copy of the ceasefire proposal submitted by Qatar and Egypt concerning the war between Israel and Hamas has been leaked to Al Jazeera.

Hamas has accepted the proposal but Israel, who have just launched an offensive in Rafah, the last remaining area of the Gaza Strop to be invaded, rejected the bid.

The plan is broken down into three 42-day stages, with the majority of hostage swaps and military retreats taking place during the first stage.

During the first 42 days, 600 trucks of humanitarian aid are due to be delivered on a daily basis, while Israel is expected to slowly withdraw from areas in Gaza, starting from the north and finishing in the south.

Regarding hostages, the text reads: “During the first phase, Hamas shall release 33 Israeli captives (alive or dead), including women (civilians and soldiers), children (under the age of 19 who are not soldiers), those over the age of 50, and the sick, in exchange for a number of prisoners in Israeli prisons and detention centres.”

The ratio of swaps would be one Israeli hostage for 30 Palestinian prisoners.

The second and third stages relate to Israel’s “complete withdrawal” from the Gaza Strip and the subsequent reconstruction of the enclave.

You can read the full text here.

Israeli offensive in Rafah ‘must not go ahead’, Sir Keir Starmer warns

08:40 , Tom Watling

An Israeli offensive in Rafah “must not go ahead”, Sir Keir Starmer has warned, after the Israeli military told Palestinians to leave parts of the southern Gazan city.

The announcement signals that a long-threatened Israeli ground invasion could be imminent, and came as ceasefire talks appeared to have stalled.

Israel had previously paused its plan to attack Rafah, which it says is the last significant Hamas stronghold, to allow for negotiations over the release of Israeli hostages by the militant group.

Israeli offensive in Rafah ‘must not go ahead’, Sir Keir Starmer warns

Borrell: Rafah offensive is going to cause a lot of casualties

08:31 , Tom Watling

The European Union’s top diplomat has warned that Israel’s offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah is “going to cause again a lot of casualties”.

Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said: “The Rafah offensive has started again, in spite of all the requests of the international community, the US, the European Union member states, everybody asking Netanyahu not to attack.

“I am afraid that this is going to cause again a lot of casualties, civilian casualties. Whatever they say. There are no safe zones in Gaza.”

Mapped: Where is Rafah and why is Israel invading it?

08:20 , Tom Watling

Israel has ordered the evacuation of more than 100,000 people from the city of Rafah in Gaza, as fears of a ground invasion become urgent.

About 1.4 million Palestinians — more than half of Gaza‘s population — are packed into the city and its surroundings, living in densely packed tent camps, shelters or overcrowded apartments after fleeing to Rafah in hope of escaping Israel‘s attacks.

Mapped: Where is Rafah, the city Israel is set to invade?

Footage appears to show Israeli tank running over Gaza welcome sign in Rafah

08:10 , Tom Watling

Footage shared by a reporter at the Israeli public broadcaster appears to show an Israeli tank running over an “I Love Gaza” welcome sign on the eastern side of the Rafah crossing.

The footage, shared by Kann News’ military correspondent Itay Blumental, shows a tank of the 401st Brigade rolling into the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing.

Filmed from atop the tank, the footage then appears to show the vehicle running over the sign.

Earlier, the Israeli military confirmed that the 401st Brigade had entered into the eastern side of Rafah in preparation for a ground offensive.

UN warns Rafah attack will worsen ‘catastrophic hunger’ in Gaza

08:02 , Tom Watling

The United Nations’ Palestinian agency has warned that “catastrophic hunger” in Gaza will “get much worse” if Israel proceeds with its ground offensive in Rafah.

In a statement on X, formerly Twitter, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East wrote: “Continued interruption of the entry of aid and fuel supplies at the Rafah crossing will halt the critical humanitarian response across the Gaza Strip.

“The catastrophic hunger faced by people especially in northern Gaza will get much worse if these supply routes are interrupted.”

Images show Israeli forces entering the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing

07:51 , Tom Watling

Images released by Israel have shown its military entering the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing as they claimed to have taken “operational control” of the area.

The handout picture shows the 401st Brigade’s combat team tanks entering the Palestinian side of the Rafah border

Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu has long said that an offensive in Rafah, the last area in Gaza untouched by a ground assault, was inevitable as they look to destroy Hamas.

Israel’s allies, including the US and the UK, have urged restraint.

Dutch police end a pro-Palestinian demonstration at Amsterdam university

07:35 , Tom Watling

Dutch riot police have ended a pro-Palestinian demonstration at an Amsterdam university , arresting some 125 people in sometimes violent clashes.

In messages posted overnight on social media X, formerly Twitter, police said they had to act to stop the event and dismantle tents that been set up by protesters, who used violence against police at the site.

“The police’s input was necessary to restore order. We see the footage on social media. We understand that those images may appear as intense,” police said.

Local media showed demonstrators shooting fireworks at police officers but there were no immediate reports of injuries on either side.

“All is now quiet ... police stay in the vicinity of the Roeterseiland campus,” police said later on X.

Outgoing Education minister Robbert Dijkgraaf said universities are a place for dialogue and debate and he was sad to see that police had to intervene.

Student protests over the war and academic ties with Israel have begun to spread across Europe but have remained much smaller in scale than those seen in the United States.

Here are some of the latest photos from Gaza

07:23 , Tom Watling

Good morning.

Below are the latest photos coming from Rafah, the southern city of Gaza, this morning. The Israeli military overnight says it has seized “operation control” over the Gazan side of the Rafah crossing into Egypt.

Israeli forces take control of Gaza's Rafah crossing with Egypt

07:12 , Namita Singh

The Israeli military said it had established “operational control” over the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing overnight on Monday. Footage broadcast on Israeli media showed an Israeli flag flying on the Gaza side of the crossing, though the Israeli army refused to comment on the flag.

The military said it was carrying out “targeted strikes” in eastern Rafah and claimed to have killed 20 Hamas militants. An Israeli army official said the vast majority of the people who were staying in the evacuation zone have left.

The crossing, just south of Gaza City, was taken over by Israeli tanks, the Israeli Defense Forces and Palestinian officials said.

Wael Abu Omar, a spokesperson for the Palestinian Crossings Authority, said the crossing, the main entry of humanitarian aid to the Gaza strip, was out of service.

“The whole western area of Rafah has become a theater of operations since yesterday. The bombardment has not stopped,” said Abu Omar, adding that crews have fled the facilities because of the bombing.

Jordan's King Abdullah presses Biden to avert Israel offensive in Rafah

07:03 , Namita Singh

Jordan’s King Abdullah told US president Joe Biden in a private meeting yesterday that an Israeli offensive in Rafah would lead to a “new massacre” of Palestinian civilians and urged the international community to take urgent action.

“The king warned of the repercussions of the Israeli ground offensive on Rafah, which could cause a regional spillover of the conflict,” a statement from the Jordan royal court said after Abdullah had lunch with Mr Biden at the White House.

The Jordanian statement said Mr Abdullah in his meeting with Mr Biden “warned that the Israeli attack on Rafah, where 1.4 million Palestinians are internally displaced as a result of the war on Gaza, threatens to lead to a new massacre”.

“His Majesty stressed the importance of all efforts that seek an immediate ceasefire in Gaza,” it said. “The king and the US president affirmed their commitment to working to reach a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza, stressing the importance of facilitating the delivery of sustainable humanitarian aid to the Strip in light of the dire needs.”

The White House said in a separate written statement that the two leaders discussed “the need for an immediate release of the hostages held by Hamas and a sustainable ceasefire that allows for a surge of the urgently needed humanitarian assistance to be delivered safely through Gaza”.

“Both remain committed to achieving a durable, lasting peace to include a pathway to a Palestinian state, with security guarantees for Israel,” the White House statement said.

Rafah crossing closed by Israeli tanks

06:51 , Namita Singh

The Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt is closed on the Palestinian side because of the presence of Israeli tanks, the spokesperson of the Gaza border authority told Reuters.

Three humanitarian sources told Reuters that the flow of aid through the crossing is halted.

Israeli forces take control of Palestinian side of Rafah crossing – report

06:50 , Namita Singh

Israeli forces have taken control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing, which borders Egypt in southern Gaza, reported Israel’s Army Radio.

Asked for confirmation, the Israeli military said it will be “publishing a statement shortly”.

Netanyahu jeopardising ceasefire deal by bombing Rafah, says Jordanian foreign minister

06:21 , Namita Singh

Biden warns Netanyahu against major Rafah offensive

06:04 , Namita Singh

US president Joe Biden urgently warned Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu against launching an offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah as the divide between the two leaders continues to grow along with the mounting Palestinian death toll.

The call between Mr Biden and Mr Netanyahu came as Israel appeared to be moving closer to a major military operation to root out Hamas militants in Rafah — something that Biden and his top aides have repeatedly told Israeli officials will only lead to more death and worsen the despair in the war-ravaged territory.

Both leaders are facing growing public pressure — Mr Biden from protests on college campuses and Mr Netanyahu from the families of some Israeli hostages — for a ceasefire deal.

“The president doesn’t want to see operations in Rafah that put at greater risk the more than a million people that are seeking refuge there,” White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said.

The White House described the leaders’ 30-minute conversation as “constructive”. Privately, however, administration officials’ concern was mounting as Israel yesterday ordered about 100,000 Palestinians to evacuate from Rafah and began carrying out “targeted” strikes in the eastern part of the city.

White House officials were carefully watching the unfolding, intensified Israeli action in Rafah with deep worry, but did not believe it amounted to the widescale attack Mr Netanyahu has been threatening, according to a person familiar with administration thinking who was not authorized to comment publicly.

Gaza enters ‘full-blown famine’

06:01 , Namita Singh

The humanitarian situation is rapidly deteriorating across Gaza. The head of the United Nations World Food Program, Cindy McCain, said on Sunday that northern Gaza has entered “full-blown famine” after nearly seven months of war.

Israel earlier announced it had Palestinians to evacuate from Rafah. Soon after the order, Hamas said it had accepted an Egyptian-Qatari proposal for a ceasefire.

Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said Israel would continue its operations in Gaza as officials deliberate the ceasefire proposal approved by Hamas.

And the Israeli War Cabinet voted unanimously to approve a Rafah military operation but said it would continue ceasefire efforts.

The new targeted strikes in eastern Rafah appeared aimed at keeping the pressure on Hamas as talks continue.

Refugees in eastern Rafah urged to flee to ‘safe zone’

05:01 , Namita Singh

There are around 450,000 displaced Palestinians sheltering in Muwasi. The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA, said it has been giving them aid but conditions are squalid, with few sanitation facilities in the largely rural area, forcing families to dig private latrines.

The Israeli evacuation order left Palestinians in Rafah wrestling with having to uproot their families once again for an unknown fate, exhausted after months living in sprawling tent camps or crammed into schools or other shelters in and around the city. Israeli airstrikes on Rafah early yesterday killed 22 people, including children and two infants.

Mohammed Jindiyah said that at the beginning of the war, he tried to hold out in his home in northern Gaza under heavy bombardment before fleeing to Rafah.

He is complying with Israel’s evacuation order this time but is unsure whether to move to Muwasi or elsewhere.

“We are 12 families, and we don’t know where to go. There is no safe area in Gaza,” he said.Sahar Abu Nahel, who fled to Rafah with 20 family members, including her children and grandchildren, wiped tears from her cheeks, despairing at a new move.

“I have no money or anything. I am seriously tired, as are the children,” she said. “Maybe it’s more honorable for us to die. We are being humiliated.”

Thousands protest in Israel calling for a deal to release hostages

04:45 , Namita Singh

Thousands of Israelis rallied around the country yesterday night calling for an immediate deal to release the hostages still held in the Gaza Strip.

The protests came as Israel’s war cabinet voted to begin an operation in the city of Rafah, saying that a ceasefire proposal Hamas accepted earlier in the night was not in line with Israeli demands.

In Tel Aviv, about 1,000 protesters swelled near Israel’s military headquarters, some blocking the city’s main highway until late into the night. Police tried to clear the road, lifting some protesters off the street and extinguishing fires lit during the demonstration. Other officers on horseback surrounded crowds who chanted “deal now!”

In Jerusalem, hundreds of protesters called for a hostage deal. They marched toward the home of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, holding a banner reading “the blood is on your hands”.

There were also smaller protests in the cities of Haifa, Beersheba and Raanana.

Israeli police did not immediately respond to a request about the number of people arrested.

In front of Netanyahu’s house stood Mai Albini Peri, the grandson of Haim Peri, a hostage in Gaza. He held a sign that read, “Rafah, not at the expense of my grandfather.”

Hamas publishes ceasefire proposal it agreed to

04:42 , Namita Singh

Hamas has published a copy of the cease-fire and hostage release proposal that the militant group said it had agreed to yesterday.

The framework brought forward by Qatar and Egypt aims to bring a halt to seven months of war in Gaza. However, it’s unclear if Israel will agree to the terms.

The proposal outlines a phased release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza alongside the gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from the entire enclave and ending with a “sustainable calm” or “permanent cessation of military and hostile operations.”

Israel has previously said it would not agree to either a full withdrawal of its forces or a permanent cease-fire as part of a hostage release deal.

The first stage would last 42 days and would involve a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip and the release of about 33 hostages held in the territory, including the remaining Israeli women — both civilians and soldiers — as well as children, older adults and people who are ill.

Thirty Palestinian prisoners held in Israel would be released in exchange for each Israeli civilian hostage and 50 in exchange for each female soldier.

Palestinians displaced in Gaza would be allowed to return to their home neighborhoods during that time.

US voices concern to Israelis about a major operation in Rafah, official says

04:29 , Namita Singh

Biden administration officials yesterday continued to express concerns to the Israelis that a major military operation in Rafah’s densely populated areas could be catastrophic.

White House officials were also privately concerned about the latest strikes on Rafah — although the strikes did not appear to be the widescale attack Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been threatening, according to a person familiar with Biden administration thinking who was not authorised to comment publicly.

IDF tanks and troops reportedly move to within 200 meters of Rafah border crossing

04:19 , Namita Singh

A Palestinian security official and an Egyptian official say Israeli tanks entered the southern Gaza town of Rafah, reaching as close as 200m from the crossing with neighboring Egypt.

The Egyptian official said the operation appeared to be limited in scope. He and Hamas’ Al-Aqsa TV said Israeli officials informed the Egyptians that the troops would withdraw after completing the operation.

The Israeli military declined to comment.

Earlier yesterday, Israel’s War Cabinet decided to push ahead with a military operation in Rafah, after Hamas announced its acceptance of an Egyptian-Qatari proposal for a cease-fire deal. The Israeli military said it was conducting “targeted strikes” against Hamas in Rafah without providing details.

Stormont Assembly to hear call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza

04:13 , Namita Singh

The Stormont Assembly in Northern Ireland is set to hear a call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and southern Israel.

The debate, listed for today, will be led by the Opposition SDLP.

It has been described as the first opportunity for the Assembly to make a united call for peace since the outbreak of the latest conflict in the region in October 2023.

The motion proposed by the official Opposition leader, Matthew O’Toole, condemns violence by Israel and Hamas.

It also calls for an immediate ceasefire and the release of hostages, rejects any ground assault on Rafah, affirms support for a two-state solution and the recognition of Palestine as a state, and calls for an end to the sale or transfer of weapons to Israel “while the genocide continues”.

Report:

Stormont Assembly to hear call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza

Rafah offensive is ‘systematic bloody campaign’ by Israel, Saudi Arabia says

01:30 , Alexander Butler

Israel’s invasion of Rafah is part of its military’s “bloody systematic campaign” to storm all areas of the Gaza Strip, Saudi Arabia said.

On X, Saudia Arabia’s foreign ministry said: “The foreign ministry expresses Saudi Arabia’s warning of the dangers of the Israeli occupation forces targeting the city of Rafah as part of its systematic bloody campaign to storm all areas of the Gaza Strip and displace its residents towards the unknown.”

Biden and Netanyahu speak again as US continues to oppose Rafah invasion

01:00 , Alexander Butler

Biden has a new position on Israel, anonymous US official suggests

‘Ball is in your court’, family of hostage tells Netanyahu

Tuesday 7 May 2024 00:30 , Alexander Butler

Gil Dickmann whose cousin Carmel, 39 is among at least 130 hostages still held in Gaza, told The Independent that families had gathered at the military headquarters in Tel Aviv demanding a ceasefire hostage exchange deal.

“The message to the government is: The ball is at your court. Sign the deal and bring them home now” he said“We will not abandon them.”

Netanyahu is ‘jeapordising deal’ by bombing Rafah, Jordan says

Tuesday 7 May 2024 00:01 , Alexander Butler

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is jeapordising a ceasefire deal by bombing Rafah, the Jordanian foreign minister said.

Ayman Safadi said: “Tremendous effort has been made to produce an exchange deal that will release hostages and realise a ceasefire. Hamas has put out an offer.

“If Netanyahu genuinely wants a deal, he will negotiate the offer in earnest. Instead, he is jeopardising the deal by bombing Rafah.”

Families of hostages welcome Netanyahu’s decision to send delegation to ceasefire talks

Monday 6 May 2024 23:30 , Alexander Butler

Families of Israeli hostages have welcomed Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to send a negotiation delegation and urged the release of “all hostages” from Gaza.

The terms of the agreement accepted by Hamas are unclear, but the militant group claimed it would consist of a three-phase plan, the first of which would see the release of 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

There are currently 132 Israeli hostages in Gaza, which were taken during Hamas’s attack on southern Israel on 7 October last year.

In a statement, the The Hostages Families Forum Headquarters said: “We welcome the prime minister and the war cabinet on their swift deliberation and decision to send a negotiation delegation to exhaust Hamas’ position and turn it into a deal for the return of all the hostages!

“Now is the time to demand from the negotiation team and all international partners - do not return without a signed deal!”

Pictured: Israeli protesters block road to demand ceasefire deal

Monday 6 May 2024 23:00 , Alexander Butler

Hamas’s announcement must pave way to release of hostages, families say

Monday 6 May 2024 22:30 , Alexander Butler

Families of Israeli hostages have said Hamas’s acceptance of a ceasefire deal must pave the way for their return from the Gaza strip.

In a statement, the The Hostages Families Forum Headquarters said: “Hamas’ announcement must pave the way for the return of the 132 hostages held captive by Hamas for the past seven months.

“Now is the time for all that are involved, to fulfill their commitment and turn this opportunity into a deal for the return of all the hostages.”

Jordan’s King Abdullah says Israeli attack on Rafah may lead to ‘new massacre’

Monday 6 May 2024 22:00 , Alexander Butler

Jordan’s King Abdullah II warned an Israeli attack on Rafah threatens to lead to a “new massacre” during a meeting with US President Joe Biden.

Meanwhile, CIA Director Williams Burns was in the region having discussions on the Hamas response, White House spokesperson John Kirby told reporters.

He declined to provide any details of what had been agreed, saying he did not want to jeopardise any deal.

“We want to get these hostages out, we want to get a ceasefire in place for six weeks, we want to increase humanitarian assistance,” Kirby said, adding that reaching an agreement would be the “absolute best outcome.”

UN chief ‘deeply concerned’ about Rafah offensive

Monday 6 May 2024 21:34 , Alexander Butler

The UN chief has expressed “deep concern” over Israel’s plans to invade Rafah after Netanyahu announced he would continue with the offensive.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on X: “I reiterate my urgent call to the Israeli government & Hamas leadership to come to an agreement & stop the suffering.

“I’m deeply concerned by indications that a large-scale military operation in Rafah may be imminent. Protection of civilians is paramount in international humanitarian law.”

On Monday, Netanyahu announced his war cabinet had approved plans to continue the operation in Rafah, despite Hamas agreeing to a ceasefire deal proposed by Egypt and Qatar.

Mr Netanyahu said the terms of the deal were “far from Israel’s necessary demands” and other Israeli officials described it as a “softened” version of a prior plan and “unacceptable”.

The Israeli leader said he would send a delegation to exhaust the possibility of reaching and agreement under conditions acceptable to the Jewish state.

What is the ceasfire deal Hamas has accepted?

Monday 6 May 2024 21:03 , Alexander Butler

The terms of the Qatari-Egyptian brokered deal are unclear, but Hamas claimed it would take place in three phases each lasting 42 days.

The US, Israel, Egypt and Qatar have not made the exact terms clear yet - however Netanyahu claimed the terms had been “softened” and was unacceptable.

The US said it was studying Hamas’s response and it would consult with regional allies about the plans.

Phase one

This phase would see a 42-day ceasefire period in which Hamas releases 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinians from Israeli prisons.

It would also see Israel partially withdrawing troops from Gaza and the return to free movement of Palestinians from south to north Gaza.

Phase two

This phase would also last 42 days, with the complete withdrawal of most Israeli troops from Gaza. Hamas would then release Israeli reservists and some soldiers in exchange for more Palestinians being released from prison.

Phase three

This would see the reconstruction of the Gaza strip under a plan overseen by Qatar, Egypt and the United Nations, as well as the end to the blockade of the Gaza strip.

Netanyahu to go ahead with Rafah offensive

Monday 6 May 2024 20:57 , Alexander Butler

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his war cabinet had approved continuing an operation in Rafah to pressure Hamas into releasing hostages.

Mr Netanyahu added that Israel would send a delegation to meet with negotiators to try to reach an agreement, which Hamas has accepted, but the Jewish state rejected as “unacceptable”.

The terms of the Qatari-Egyptian brokered deal are unclear, but Hamas claimed it would take place in three phases each lasting 42 days.

The first stage would see an Israeli-Palestinian captives swap, which includes Israeli hostages taken during Hamas’s 7 October attack.

The second phase would see Israel completely withdraw from Gaza, and the third would see the reconstruction of the strip and end of Israel’s blockade.

White House 'reviewing' response by Hamas to ceasefire and hostage release deal

Monday 6 May 2024 20:44 , Alexander Butler

The White House has said it was reviewing a response by the Islamist Hamas militant group to a ceasefire and hostage release deal, but declined to give any details of what was agreed.

CIA director William Burns was in the region having discussions on the proposal, White House spokesperson John Kirby told reporters.

“We want to get these hostages out, we want to get a ceasefire in place for six weeks, we want to increase humanitarian assistance,” Kirby said, adding that reaching an agreement would be the “absolute best outcome.”

Israel announces strikes on Rafah

Monday 6 May 2024 20:42 , Alexander Butler

The Israeli military has announced it is currently conducting targeted strikes against Hamas targets in the eastern part of the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

Earlier today, refugees reported explosions in the city. A picture taken of Rafah from southern Israel showed smoke billowing above the city’s skyline.

It is unclear how many strikes have been conducted throughout the day.

Dismay as Israel prepares for Rafah invasion despite Hamas ceasefire offer

Monday 6 May 2024 20:36 , Bel Trew

Israel has defied international concern and ordered the partial evacuation of Rafah – the last refuge in Gaza, where 1.4 million desperate civilians are braced for an impending ground assault the United Nations warned could lead to “bloodbath”.

Western leaders expressed dismay that Israel might press ahead with an invasion of the tiny area despite a last-ditch bid by Hamas to secure a temporary ceasefire.

Rishi Sunak said he was “deeply concerned... given the number of civilians that are sheltering there,” while Sir Keir Starmer said the Israeli offensive “must not go ahead.”

Israel says Rafah is the last significant Hamas stronghold, but aid groups said leaflets and text messages ordering tens of thousands of civilians to leave the eastern areas were “unlawful and alarming”.

Dismay as Israel signals Rafah invasion despite Hamas ceasefire offer

Israel examining ceasefire deal, IDF says

Monday 6 May 2024 20:00 , Alexander Butler

Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said Israel is examining the ceasefire proposal which Hamas says it has accepted.

He said: We examine every answer and response seriously and are exhausting every possibility regarding negotiations and returning hostages. In parallel, we are still operating in the Gaza Strip and will continue to do so.”

Earlier, an Israeli official is reported to have said the proposal was “unacceptable”.

Turkey welcomes Hamas's acceptance of ceasefire proposal

Monday 6 May 2024 19:30 , Alexander Butler

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has welcomed the acceptance of a ceasefire proposal by Hamas and says he hopes Israel will do the same.

Erdogan is also calling on Western countries to increase their pressure on Israel.

Last week, Turkey suspended all trade with Israel over its offensive in Gaza, citing the “worsening humanitarian tragedy” in the strip.

Watch: Families of Israeli hostages urge Netanyahu to accept deal

Monday 6 May 2024 18:59 , Alexander Butler

Watch: Children at Rafah border celebrate news of potential ceasefire

Monday 6 May 2024 18:54 , Alexander Butler

Displaced Palestinian children in Rafah have been filmed celebrating news Hamas accepted a Egypt-Qatar brokered ceasefire.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military but an Israeli official is reported to have said the proposal was “unacceptable”.

Sara, 24, who is in the centre of the besieged strip, told The Independent’s international correspondent Bel Trew everyone had taken to the streets dancing and shouting with happiness.

She said: “Kids are screaming loudly, ceasefire, a ceasefire. Literally we are dancing. We are happy because we are clinging onto these little glimmers of hope. I can’t wait to see this come true especially after the evacuation orders.”

Ceasfire deal ‘unacceptable, Israeli official says

Monday 6 May 2024 18:33 , Alexander Butler

An Israeli official said no ceasefire had been agreed in Gaza, after Hamas said it had accepted a proposal from Egyptian and Qatari mediators.

The source said the proposal that Hamas had accepted was a “softened” version of an Egyptian proposal, which included “far-reaching” conclusions that Israel could not accept.

“This would appear to be a ruse intended to make Israel look like the side refusing a deal,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Gaza’s streets ‘full of people shouting from happiness’, refugee says

Monday 6 May 2024 18:14 , Alexander Butler

Gaza’s streets are full of people “shouting from happiness” about Hamas’s acceptance of a Egypt-Qatar brokered ceasefire, displaced Palestinians told The Independent‘s international correspondent Bel Trew.

“The streets are full of people who are shouting from happiness. Men women and children are all out,” said Nedal, who has been displaced from the north of Gaza multiple times and is in Rafah.

Sara, 24, who is in the centre of the besieged strip added that everyone had taken to the streets dancing and shouting over a “glimmer of hope”.

“Kids are screaming loudly, ceasefire, a ceasefire. Literally we are dancing,” she said. “We are happy because we are clinging onto these little glimmers of hope. I can’t wait to see this come true especially after the evacuation orders.”

Hamas accepts ceasefire deal from Egypt and Qatar

Monday 6 May 2024 17:58 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Hamas said on Monday that it had accepted a Gaza ceasefire proposal from Egypt and Qatar.

The Islamist faction said in a statement that its chief, Ismail Haniyeh, had informed Qatar’s prime minister and Egypt’s intelligence chief of its acceptance of their proposal.

There were no immediate details over what the agreement entailed or comment from Israel.

UN experts condemn the continuous violence against Palestinians in Gaza

Monday 6 May 2024 17:57 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

UN experts have condemned the continuous violence against Palestinians in Gaza over the past seven months.

“We are horrified at details emerging from mass graves recently unearthed in the Gaza Strip. Over 390 bodies have been discovered at Nasser and Al Shifa hospitals, including of women and children, with many reportedly showing signs of torture and summary executions, and potential instances of people buried alive,” the experts said in a statement today.

US pier for Gaza is nearly ready but humanitarian aid could be delayed by weather

Monday 6 May 2024 17:32 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

US pier for Gaza is nearly built — but humanitarian aid could be delayed

Netanyahu agrees to reopen Gaza crossing for humanitarian aid, White House says

Monday 6 May 2024 17:08 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told US President Joe Biden on Monday that he would ensure the Kerem Shalom crossing between Israel and Gaza is open for humanitarian aid, the White House said.

Biden also reiterated his “clear position on Rafah” in a call with Netanyahu, the White House said in a statement.

‘Heroic’ Palestinian surgeon dies in Israeli prison

Monday 6 May 2024 17:00 , Alexander Butler

‘Heroic’ Palestinian surgeon dies in Israeli prison after months in detention

Sunak ‘deeply concerned’ about Israeli offensive in Rafah

Monday 6 May 2024 17:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Rishi Sunak said he is “deeply concerned” about an Israeli offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

Speaking during a visit to a north London community centre, the Prime Minister said: “I’ve been very consistent that we are deeply concerned about the prospect of a military incursion into Rafah, given the number of civilians that are sheltering there and the importance of that crossing for aid.

“I’ve made those points repeatedly to Prime Minister Netanyahu.

“The priority right now should be on all parties, but particularly Hamas, to agree to a deal to release hostages and allow more aid to go in as part of a temporary pause, which will allow us to build a sustainable ceasefire. That’s the best way to end the suffering. And that’s what I continue to call on all parties to do.”

Rishi Sunak urges Hamas to agree to a ceasefire

Monday 6 May 2024 16:52 , Alexander Butler

Rishi Sunak said he is “deeply concerned” about an Israeli offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

Speaking during a visit to a north London community centre, the Prime Minister said: “I’ve been very consistent that we are deeply concerned about the prospect of a military incursion into Rafah, given the number of civilians that are sheltering there and the importance of that crossing for aid.

“I’ve made those points repeatedly to Prime Minister Netanyahu. The priority right now should be on all parties, but particularly Hamas, to agree to a deal to release hostages and allow more aid to go in as part of a temporary pause, which will allow us to build a sustainable ceasefire.

“That’s the best way to end the suffering. And that’s what I continue to call on all parties to do.”

Dozens of Democrats call on Biden to reconsider Israel support

Monday 6 May 2024 16:30 , Alexander Butler

88 lawmakers call on Biden to reconsider Israel support over blocking of aid to Gaza

Israel orders Al Jazeera to shut down

Monday 6 May 2024 15:59 , Alexander Butler

Israel orders Al Jazeera shutdown as Netanyahu rejects peace talks

Mapped: Where is Al-Mawasi?

Monday 6 May 2024 15:33 , Alexander Butler

Starmer warns Rafah offensive ‘must not go ahead'

Monday 6 May 2024 15:05 , Alexander Butler

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has warned Israel’s planned invasion of Rafah must not go ahead and called for an immediate ceasefire.

Writing on X, Sir Keir said: “With more than a million Palestinian civilians sheltering in Rafah, an Israeli offensive must not go ahead.

“There must be an immediate ceasefire, the immediate release of all hostages, and unimpeded aid into Gaza that can be delivered regularly, quickly and safely.”

Pictured: Palestinians flee Rafah

Monday 6 May 2024 14:57 , Alexander Butler

Evacuation order is breach of international law, human rights group says

Monday 6 May 2024 14:39 , Alexander Butler

The Israeli military’s “forced evacuation orders” of Palestinian refugees are a major breach of international law, a human rights agency said.

The Norweigan Refugee Council said Al-Mawasi, where up to 100,000 Palestinians have been ordered to move, was overstretched and “devoid” of vital humanitarian services.

“It lacks the capacity to house the number of people currently seeking refuge in Rafah, with no assurances of safety, proper accommodation or return once hostilities end for those forced to relocate,” the NRC said.

The Israeli military claimed the area has been equipped with more field hospitals, tents, increased quantities of food, water, medicines, and other supplies.

Israel launches airstrikes on Rafah

Monday 6 May 2024 14:27 , Alexander Butler

The Israeli military has launched airstrikes on Rafah just hours after troops ordered Palestinians to evacuate parts of the city where more than one million people are sheltering, refugees said.

It comes amid fears a full-blown assault of the southern city could lead to a “bloodbath” with hundreds of thousands of children left with nowhere to go.

Israel’s military said it had expanded a “humanitarian area” nearby Rafah, and it had issued flyers, text messages, phone calls, and Arabic-language media broadcasts to alert refguees to the invasion.