Israel-Hamas war latest: Netanyahu orders siege on Gaza as hostages are threatened with execution

Israeli authorities have ordered a “complete siege” of Gaza as the Hamas militant group threatened to execute hostages.

Defence minister Yoav Gallant said he planned to cut off supplies of electricity, food and fuel to the Palestinian enclave.

“I ordered a full siege on the Gaza Strip,” Mr Gallant, a former IDF commander, said, according to the Times of Israel. “We are fighting human animals and we act accordingly.”

Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that air strikes in the besieged Gaza Strip were “just the beginning” and vowed to do “everything for Israelis held captive.”

This comes as Abu Obeida, the spokesman of Hamas’s military wing, Qassam Brigades, said the group is responding to heavy bombarding of Gaza’s residential areas which has seen homes collapse over civilians’ heads.

“We have decided to put an end to this and as of now and we declare that any targeting of our people in their homes without prior warning will be regrettably faced with the execution of one the hostages of civilians we are holding,” he said.

Local media reports that at least 900 people have been killed in Israel and almost 500 have been killed in Gaza, with thousands wounded.

Key Points

• Hamas threatens to kill Israeli hostage every time Gaza home hit ‘without prior warning'

• More than 10 British citizens feared dead or missing, reports say

• Israel vows to lay total siege to Gaza Strip

• British citizen among missing after Hamas attack music festival

• Israel-Palestine conflict explained

• Who are the Hamas?

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.”

Israeli strikes hit homes and schools in Gaza, says UN rights chief

10:00 , Tara Cobham

Israeli air operations have struck residential buildings, including large tower blocks, as well as schools and UN buildings across Gaza, resulting in civilian casualties, the United Nations Human Rights chief said on Tuesday, citing information gathered by his office.

"International humanitarian law is clear: the obligation to take constant care to spare the civilian population and civilian objects remains applicable throughout the attacks," Volker Turk said in a statement.

In response to Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant's announcement of a tightened blockade for the Gaza strip, Turk said that "sieges" that endanger the lives of civilians are prohibited under international law.

Gaza facing ‘severe shortage’ of drinking water, warns UN

09:52 , Tom Watling

Gaza is facing a “severe shortage” of drinking water due to Israeli’s cuts, the United Nations has warned.

On Monday, Israeli officials announced it would be cutting off water and electricity from the strip.

Its humanitarian office added that four schools and eight healthcare facilities had already sustained damage since Saturday.

UAV incursion into northern Israel ‘ruled out’

09:47 , Tom Watling

Reports of a “suspected intrusion” from southern Lebanon into the northern regions of Israel have been “ruled out”, the air force has said.

Earlier, Israel’s defence forces, aided by a combat aircraft, were ordered to “scan the area” of the Golan Heights following a report of an intrusion.

In its latest update, the Israeli Air Forces (IAF) said: “Further to the initial report, suspicion of intrusion into the airspace in the Golan Heights and Galilee area was ruled out. There is no fear of a security incident.”

Rishi Sunak vows to stand with Britain’s Jews

09:45 , Tara Cobham

Rishi Sunak has told Britain’s Jewish community “I will stop at nothing to keep you safe” amid concerns they could be targeted as Israel laid siege to the Gaza Strip following the Hamas atrocity.

The Prime Minister addressed a synagogue in north London to express his solidarity for Israel following the Hamas attack and to reassure Britain’s Jews.

Mr Sunak said: “I know that at moments like this when the Jewish people are under attack in their homeland, Jewish people everywhere can feel less safe.

“We have already seen vile words on our streets and attempts to stir up community tensions.

“I say: Not here. Not in Britain. Not in our country. Not in this century.”

Lucy Leeson reports:

Rishi Sunak vows to stand with Britain’s Jews as Israel-Hamas conflict escalates

Israel targets ‘terrorist squad’ at northern Gaza crossing

09:41 , Tom Watling

Israel’s Air Forces have released multiple videos purporting to show a group of Hamas fighters being attacked by a combat helicopter.

The attack happened this morning after the “terrorist squad” was identified by the Maglan unit of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF). They are a reconnaissance unit specialising in operating behind enemy lines.

The subsequent assault was carried out by an  AH-64D “Apache” attack helicopter on a section of the Gaza fence in the Zikim area, north of the strip, according to a statement.

“The IAF continues to attack with force and extensively hit many targets of the terrorist organisations in the Gaza Strip,” the statement added.

Israeli festival survivor recounts terrifying ordeal

09:30 , Tara Cobham

A survivor of the Hamas attack on a festival in Israel has described her ordeal after hiding in a bush to escape gunmen.

Noa Kalash said she feared for her life as she ran for cover on Saturday 7 October after "seeing things in the sky".

“I think that was the moment when I understood, maybe it’s the end. Maybe we’re going to die here,” she told Sky News.

Ms Kalash then recalled how she got into the first bush she saw and hid there “completely silent” for eight hours.

“We were just hearing everything happening around. Guns all over the place and people shooting.”

Oliver Browning reports:

Israeli festival survivor who hid in bush for hours recounts terrifying ordeal

Labour minister apologises for posing with Palestinian activists

09:30 , Tom Watling

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 backed 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.

Israel issues warning of ‘suspected intrusion’ near border with Lebanon

09:19 , Tom Watling

Israel military officials have urged residents in the northern regions to take shelter following reports of a “suspected intrusion”.

The Israeli Air Forces said they had deployed Israeli Defence Forces and a combat aircraft to “scan the area”, which includes the Golan Heights and the Upper Galilee.

Open source intelligence analysts have suggested “multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)” may have crossed over the border with Lebanon.

Israel remains concerned over a potential targeting of its northern regions from southern Lebanon, which is controlled by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah organisation.

The group reported over the weekend that they were in conversation with Hamas.

UK not planning to redeploy military assets to Middle East

09:16 , Tara Cobham

No 10 said the UK is not planning to redeploy military assets to the Middle East, with warship HMS Duncan already in the Mediterranean as part of Nato patrols.

In pictures: Israel continues to bombard Gaza

09:15 , Tara Cobham

Iran says Israel suffering ‘irreparable defeat’

09:12 , Tom Watling

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei has issued a statement this morning claiming that Israel has “suffered an irreparable defeat both militarily and in terms of intelligence” following the Hamas attack.

Iran has backed and funded the internationally-recognised terrorist organisation Hamas for decades.

Khomenei ‘s full statement read: “On the 7th October, the usurping Israeli regime has suffered an irreparable defeat both militarily and in terms of intelligence. Everyone said failure, I emphasise irreparability.”

Airstrikes hit north and western Gaza - video

09:05 , Tom Watling

Israeli airstrikes have hit regions in north and western Gaza this morning, footage has shown.

Among those areas affected are Beit Lahia, which is just to the south of the Erez crossing, where the first Hamas fighters crossed into Israel last weekend.

The Jabalia area, where a refugee camp is located, and Al-Bureji have also been affected.

The footage posted below is from the north of the strip.

Additional reports from southern Gaza suggest impacts in the Al-Mahatta neighbourhood, Khan Younis.

Woman in Gaza films herself sheltering as bombs drop outside

09:00 , Tara Cobham

A young woman in Gaza filmed herself sheltering as bombs dropped outside her window on Monday 9 October.

Journalist Plestia Alaqad explained that she and her neighbours were gathering in their homes “far away from the windows” as the airstrikes hit.

They decided to stay in their homes instead of evacuating.

Ms Plestia described how she “couldn’t breathe” and was heard coughing as she turned the camera to show smoke engulfing the area after the bombing.

In later videos, she provided further updates, confirming her electricity and internet had been knocked out by the strikes, and also recorded footage of the damage outside her home.

Oliver Browning reports:

Young woman in Gaza films herself describing situation as bombs drop outside window

Netanyahu holds situation assessment conference

08:59 , Tom Watling

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has just held a situation assessment conference with government and military officials.

It comes as rocket fire from Gaza resumed this morning following a six-hour break. No casualties have been reported.

The two towns in the Gaza envelope, the buffer zone between the strip and Israel, that appear to have been targeted had already been evacuated.

You can see more on this report earlier in our blog.

‘Total siege’ on Gaza will be ‘catastrophic'

08:47 , Bel Trew in Tel Aviv

On Monday the Israeli defence minister announced that Israel would impose a “total siege” on Gaza, which is home to over 2 million people and is already struggling with a 16-year Egyptian and Israeli blockade that has strangled medical, fuel and electricity supplies.

Palestinian medics warned that this would be “catastrophic” for the civilian population, that was already dealing with just four hours of power a day.

Jan Egeland, secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council aid group, said there was “no doubt that collective punishment is in violation of international law.”

“If and when it would lead to wounded children dying in hospitals because of lack of energy, electricity and supplies, it could amount to war crimes,’ he told the AP.

Firefights also erupted along Israel’s northern border with Lebanon with Lebanese militant groups. Lt. Col. Hecht said that four Islamic jihad fighters opened the border fence with Israel and got through but were killed in a firefight.

A Lt. Col, and second in command of an Israeli brigade was also killed in this attack, Hecht confirmed.

Death toll from fighting continues to climb

08:45 , Bel Trew in Tel Aviv

At least 1,600 people have been killed on both sides since Hamas launched a stunning surprise attack into Israel on Saturday triggering unprecedented street battles between militants and Israeli soldiers in Israeli towns.

The Israeli military said more than 900 people already have been killed in Israel a death toll not seen in half a century since the 1973 Arab-Israeli war. The number of dead is expected to rise as first responders discover more bodies in communities which were under militant control.

In Gaza and the West Bank, 704 people have been killed, including 90 children, in Israeli strikes according to authorities there. Israel says hundreds of Hamas fighters are among them. Thousands have been wounded on both sides.

Hamas has also taken around 130 soldiers and civilians hostage in its deadly raids of communities and a music festival near to Gaza. Hamas’s leader said on Monday that the militant group would begin executing them in response to Israel’s heavy bombing of Gaza.

Lt Col. Hecht said Israel would continue the bombardment, that 35 battalions and 4 divisions were fully deployed and ready and that they were “building an infrastructure for future operations”, a guarded hint at a possible imminent ground incursion.

“This is not a regular event this is a war, this is a massive massive dramatic epic event in Israeli society there will be books written about this” he told foreign reporters. “We should all change the paradigm here this is not regular contained tit for tat.”

It echoed a late night address by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who said, "We have only started striking Hamas. What we will do to our enemies in the coming days will reverberate with them for generations.”

UN secretary general demands opening of humanitarian corridor to Gaza

08:44 , Tom Watling

A humanitarian corridor into the Gaza Strip, which is home to some 2.3 million people, must be opened immediately, the United Nations secretary general has said.

Antonio Guterres said in a statement last night: “Medical equipment, food, fuel and other supplies are desperately needed, along with access for humanitarian personnel. Relief and entry of essential supplies into Gaza must be facilitated.”

He admitted that the situation in the Palestinian enclave will “deteriorate exponentially” as a result of an Israeli siege.

You can see his full statement below.

Israel says finds bodies of 1,500 militants as seals border

08:41 , Tara Cobham

The Israeli military says the bodies of around 1,500 Hamas militants have been found in Israel as it announced it has now sealed the border with Gaza.

Minor firefights with militants erupted in two communities near to Gaza overnight. However dozens of breaches in the fence have been closed, and the military is in control, Lt. Col Richard Hecht, Israeli military spokesperson said.

The military has meanwhile mobilised 300,000 reservists, with speculation a ground invasion of Gaza is imminent.

“We have more or less restored full control over the border fence in the next few hours, it will be final,” said Lt. Col Richard Hecht, adding that there were no further infiltrations from Gaza overnight.

“We have nearly completed the evacuation of all the communities around the border. Right now we are focusing on our offensive in the Gaza Strip,” he added.

Nearly 200,000 Gazans flee their homes

08:36 , Tom Watling

More than 187,000 Gazans have fled their homes after three days of Israeli strikes, the United Nations announced on Tuesday.

It is the most significant internal displacement of people within the strip since a 2014 Israeli air and ground offensive uprooted about 400,000 Gazans.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said it was sheltering more than 137,000 people in schools across the territory.

Families have taken in some 41,000 others, they added.

Air raid sirens go off in Israel as rocket fire resumes from Gaza

08:24 , Tom Watling

Rocket fire from Gaza has resumed after a six-hour break, causing air raid sirens to go off in multiple towns near the border, open source intelligence analysts have reported.

One analyst reported that the two towns of Kisufim and Ein HaShlosha, near the eastern border with Gaza, had been affected.

Both towns are within the Gaza envelope, the buffer zone past the strip, which is home to roughly 55,000 people.

Israel flies back ‘hundreds’ of reservists from Europe to fight Hamas

08:14 , Tom Watling

Two military transport aircraft have returned from Europe with “hundreds of Israeli Defence Force combatants”, the national air forces have said.

The "Karnaf" and "Shimshon" aircrafts were sent to unknown locations across Europe to allow military reservists living overseas to return “to take part in Iron Swords War”, a statement from the Israeli Air Force said.

‘No equivalence’ between actions of Israel and Hamas, says Foreign Secretary

08:08 , Tara Cobham

The UK's foreign secretary has said there is "no equivalence" between Hamas's attacks on Israel and Israel's bombing of the Gaza Strip.

James Cleverly told Sky News that it was "completely inappropriate" to suggest there was a "balancing act" between the two.

"The truth is that the reason we express our solidarity with the people of Israel is because terrorists took action to murder, to kidnap, and we're now seeing reports that they are threatening to execute people that they have kidnapped," he said.

"The idea that somehow there is an equivalence, there is a kind of a balancing act between the actions of the Israeli government and their self defence, and the actions of Hamas and their terrorists, is completely inappropriate.

"I wouldn't want to do anything which would imply that to be the case. Of course, we want to see the minimisation of loss of life."

Gaza parliament a ‘legitimate military target’, claims Israeli spokesperson

08:04 , Tom Watling

Israel will not hesitate to strike Gaza’s parliament and civilian ministries if “there is a gunman firing rockets from there”, a spokesperson for the defence forces has said.

Speaking to reporters, Lt. Col. Richard Hecht said that during Israel’s offensive, any building occupied by Hamas would become a “military target”.

Listen to the eerie sound of bombs dropping as Gaza endures night of shelling

07:59 , Tom Watling

Body: Listen to audio from Gaza as Israeli bombing rocked the area overnight on Monday,

The aerial bombardment can be heard in footage shared on Snapchat at 9:27pm local time on Monday evening (9 October).

Listen to the eerie sound of bombs dropping as Gaza endures night of shelling

Foreign Secretary urges Palestine supporters not to attend protests

07:36 , Tom Watling

The foreign secretary has urged supports of Palestine not to attend protests, after demonstrations took place in London.

Speaking during an interview on Sky News, James Cleverley said the world was facing “a difficult, delicate situation”.

“There is no need, there's no necessity for people to come out. It causes distress,” he added.

Mr Cleverly said the protests were causing concern in the Jewish community, “who have often been on the receiving end of prejudice and threats of violence”.

“There's no need for this at all. I would encourage them just to pause,” he said.

Mr Cleverly also said he would not share a platform with the Palestinian ambassador to the UK, Husam Zomlot.

“I've met with him, I speak with him. Maintaining diplomatic relations is important,” he said.

“But I have said that Palestinian voices, particularly those in leadership positions, should criticise the appalling behaviour, the atrocious actions, that have been perpetrated by Hamas.

“These indiscriminate killings, these murders, these kidnaps, these terrorist actions, should be condemned by the leadership of the Palestinian Authority, because otherwise there will be this perception that all Palestinians support Hamas, and they don't.”

Israel suggests Palestinians in Gaza should ‘check if southern border possibly open’

07:30 , Tom Watling

Israel has been forced into making a correction after it insinuated that the Gaza border with Egypt was open and that Palestinians wishing to flee the violence should use that route.

Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, international spokesperson for the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), said earlier this morning that the Rafah crossing, on the southern border of Gaza, was “still open”, adding that “anyone who can get out I would advise them to get out”.

But he has since been forced to correct himself, claiming that people “should check if Rafah is possibly open … I’m not aware if it is still open”.

Egypt has not commented on the status of that border.

Israeli military says 1,500 bodies of Hamas militants found

07:22 , Tara Cobham

Israel's military said about 1,500 bodies of Hamas militants were found in Israeli territory, as it said it had largely gained control in the country's south and "restored full control" over the border on the fourth day of fighting following an unprecedented surprise attack.

Spokesperson Richard Hecht said no Hamas fighters have crossed into Israel since last night, although infiltrations could still be possible. Israel has previously reported 900 soldiers and civilians killed, and Palestinian authorities have reported about 700 deaths in Gaza and the West Bank.

Images show aftermath of Gaza neighbourhood after Israeli strikes

07:22 , Tom Watling

Images of the aftermath of an Israeli strike in the al-Rimal neighbourhood of Gaza have been posted online.

Rimal is located towards the northeastern corner of the Gaza strip. It was bombed heavily on Monday and over the weekend.

British-Israeli brother describes last time he spoke with sister before Hamas arrived

07:16 , Bel Trew

British-Israeli Ahal Besorai, 60, says he last spoke to his sister Yonat, 50 at 7am on Saturday, when she was hiding in her bomb shelter on Kibbutz Be’eri near the border with Gaza.

Together with her husband Dror, also 50 and their two children, two girls aged just 15 and 13, Yonat had tried to conceal herself from gunmen, who arrived in the community on the back of a jeep mounted with a large machine gun.

“She was whispering to me that they were in hiding, that there were terrorists all around and they shouldn’t speak, and she hung up,” Mr Besorai told The Independent.

He later found out that 20 minutes after she hung up the militants set fire to the building forcing the family of four to come out.

“A member of the Kibbutz saw them being taken out of the house, they were alive,” continued Mr Besorai. They didn’t shoot them, so we assume they were taken to Gaza.”

Since then he has had no contact. He now knows between 20 and 30 friends who were killed from this kibbutz alone. So far Yonat and her family have not been included in the list of the dead. Mr Besorai has had to try to crowdsource information himself, by trawling through all the disturbing videos showing the moment of capture of other Israelis, but she hasn’t appeared there either.

“It’s devastating. I feel really helpless, I try not to think about it too much or I get into a dark place,” he said.

“Yonat is worrier, she will be so concerned for the children. We need to put pressure on Hamas to do the humane thing to behave according to the laws of war, to release old people, children and women. What sort of savagery is it to take babies and children?"

Mapped: How the Israel-Hamas war unfolded

07:00 , Mike Bedigan

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.

Mapped: How the Israel-Hamas war unfolded

Hamas’ attack on Israel prompts South Korea to consider pausing military agreement with North Korea

06:47 , Namita Singh

South Korea’s defence minister said on Tuesday he would push to suspend a 2018 inter-Korean military agreement in order to resume frontline surveillance on rival North Korea, as the surprise attack on Israel by Hamas militants raised concerns in South Korea about similar assaults by the North.

The agreement, reached during a brief period of diplomacy between South Korea’s former liberal president Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, created buffer zones along land and sea boundaries and no-fly zones above the border to prevent clashes.

Report:

Hamas' attack on Israel prompts South Korea to consider pausing military agreement with North Korea

Police investigate pro-Palestinian protest at Sydney Opera House over alleged anti-Semitism

06:46 , Namita Singh

Australian police said on Tuesday they were investigating a pro-Palestinian protest outside Sydney Opera House, after footage emerged of a small group appearing to chant anti-Semitic slogans at the demonstration.

Around 1,000 pro-Palestinian supporters marched through downtown Sydney on Monday evening to the city’s iconic Opera House, which the government had illuminated in the colours of the Israeli flag following Saturday’s attacks by Hamas which Israel says killed over 900.

Unverified footage shared by the Australian Jewish Association and featured on Sky News appeared to show a small group outside the Opera House lighting flares and chanting “gas the Jews”.

Prime minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday called the reports of anti-Semitic slogans “horrific”.

“We are a tolerant multicultural nation,” he said. “I understand that people have deep views about issues relating to the Middle East conflict but here in Australia we have to deal with political discourse in a respectful way.”

New South Wales state police told a news conference on Tuesday it was reviewing footage from the protest to determine if offences were committed.

Protest organiser Palestine Action Group Sydney defended its right to protest “apartheid” in Israel but said a small number of “vile antisemitic attendees” had no place in their movement.

“We are an anti-racist and anti-colonial movement and we refuse to fight racism with racism,” the group said in a post on social media.

“If you are an antisemite, you are not welcome at our rallies and are not a part of our movement. As we did today, we will ask you to leave and we will continue to do this.”

06:42 , Namita Singh

Israel says it has regained control of Gaza border fence

06:32 , Namita Singh

Israel says it has retaken control of the Gaza border fence breached by the Hamas gunmen who carried out this weekend’s massive attack.

The Israeli army is now planting mines in the openings where the barrier was toppled, the chief military spokesperson said on Tuesday.

In remarks aired by Israel’s Army Radio, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said there had been no new infiltrations from Gaza since Monday.

And in an apparent response to rumours that gunmen used cross-border tunnels, he said the military had no such findings.

Meanwhile, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) posted that in recent hours their “warplanes and vessels have attacked many targets of the terrorist organisations throughout the Gaza Strip”.

“Dozens of fighter jets attacked over 200 targets throughout the Rimal neighbourhood and Khan Yunis during the night,” it said while sharing videos of their attack.

WHO calls for establishment of humanitarian corridor in Gaza

06:30 , Namita Singh

The World Health Organization said that a 16-year-blockade of Gaza had already left its medical system under-resourced, and the increased hostilities are “compounding an already dire situation.”

The UN health agency reported Monday a total of 11 attacks on health care — which included medical facilities, ambulances and care providers — in the first 36 hours of the new conflict in Gaza.

“There is an urgent need to establish a humanitarian corridor for unimpeded, life-saving patient referrals and movement of humanitarian personnel and essential health supplies,” WHO said.

Many humanitarians voiced a simple hope: An end to the violence.“These unprecedented hostilities — and rapidly mounting death toll — underscore the urgency for all parties to stop the violence and ensure civilians are protected,” says Ana Povrzenic, country director in Palestine at the Norwegian Refugee Council.

In a statement, the Norwegian organisation said the humanitarian situation “continues to deteriorate” in Gaza and Israel’s announcement of a “siege” of the area “represents a grave violation of international law.”

EU reverses announcement that it was ‘immediately’ suspending Palestinian aid

06:28 , Namita Singh

The European Union late on Monday reversed an earlier announcement by an EU commissioner that the bloc was “immediately” suspending aid for Palestinian authorities.

Instead it said it would urgently review such assistance in the wake of the attacks on Israel by Hamas.

“There will be no suspension of payments” at the moment, a European Commission statement said late on Monday, five hours after EU commissioner Oliver Varhelyi had said that all payments from the development programme for Palestinians would be “immediately suspended. All projects put under review. All new budget proposals ... postponed until further notice”.

No immediate explanation for the reversal was given.

A full European Commission statement always trumps a statement from an EU commissioner, but the reversal on a £597m programme came at a time of extreme geopolitical sensitivities.

Since Saturday, support of the 27-nation bloc for Israel had been steadfast, including that the country had now every right within international law to defend itself in the war with Hamas.

The surprise announcement by Mr Varhelyi on development aid came just hours after EU officials stressed that no EU money whatsoever was going to Hamas in the first place and that contacts had been frozen for 16 years. The EU considers Hamas a terror group.

After hours of uncertainty over how deep the measures would reach and whether they would possibly also affect aid to those in immediate need, the European Commission said there was no suspension for now, but said it started “an urgent review of the EU’s assistance for Palestine”.

“The objective of this review is to ensure that no EU funding indirectly enables any terrorist organisation to carry out attacks against Israel,” the statement said.

The EU says it already has very strict rules in place to screen and vet beneficiaries and to make sure no such funds are made available to terrorists.

Damage to water, sanitation facilities affect one sixth of Gaza’s population

06:25 , Namita Singh

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance, or OCHA, said damage to water, sanitation and hygiene facilities in Gaza has hindered services for more than 400,000 people – or about one-sixth of the total population.

Israel controls most water resources in the Palestinian territories, in one of the world’s most water-stressed regions. Experts say the bombing and destruction of Gaza’s already weak water infrastructure will only make matters worse in an area where gastrointestinal, liver and skin problems exist already due to a severe lack of clean water.“Every drop of water counts,” said Amira Aker, a postdoctoral fellow of environmental health at the University of Laval in Quebec City, Canada, who has researched water issues in the Palestinian territories.

With Israeli air strikes cutting off power in Gaza, taps running dry are an “immediate problem,” Mr Aker said. “There is literally no way for them to clean their water.”Dr Wael Al-Delaimy, a professor of public health at the University of California, San Diego, said that as Gazans are forced to consume water of lower quality, more disease will follow.“It’s the common people who suffer,” he said.

As of late Sunday, OCHA said that Israeli authorities had halted supplies of electricity to Gaza, cutting power to no more than four hours per day.

The Gaza Power Plant was the only source of electricity in the area, and it could run out of fuel “within days,” OCHA said in a brief statement on Monday, adding that cash assistance was “urgently needed” for Palestinians.

“Humanitarian relief and essential supplies must be allowed to reach people in need, rapidly and without impediment,” OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke said in a text message.

“All parties must ensure freedom of movement for humanitarian workers.”The agency also noted displacement in Israel because of the violence and damage to civilian homes and infrastructure.

UN chief criticises Hamas’ killing and abduction of Israeli civilians

06:09 , Namita Singh

The UN chief was careful not to underplay the devastation and intense suffering among Israelis since Saturday, decrying the launching of “thousands of indiscriminate rockets that have reached central Israel, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem” and how hundreds of Israelis were killed and many more wounded.

“I recognize the legitimate grievances of the Palestinian people. But nothing can justify these acts of terror and the killing, maiming and abduction of civilians,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said.

UN airs concerns for civilians as Israel steps up military response in Gaza to deadly Hamas attacks

06:05 , Namita Singh

The United Nations, aid groups and public health experts expressed growing concerns Monday about humanitarian needs in Palestinian areas as Israel ratchets up a muscular military riposte and a lockdown of Gaza, after the weekend attack by Hamas militants who killed and kidnapped hundreds of civilians in Israel.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres led the clarion call, endeavoring to put the focus on civilians in both Israel and Gaza and renewing his condemnation of the fatalities and hostage-takings by Hamas.

He also warned of the prospect of more innocent lives lost.

In a statement to reporters in New York, Guterres said that more than 137,000 people in Gaza — or about six per cent of its population — were now sheltering in sites run by UNRWA, the aid agency for Palestinians. He cited reports of Israeli missile strikes on places like schools, health facilities and high-rise apartment buildings.

“I am deeply distressed by today’s announcement that Israel will initiate a complete siege of the Gaza Strip, nothing allowed in — no electricity, food, or fuel,” he said.“The humanitarian situation in Gaza was extremely dire before these hostilities. Now, it will only deteriorate exponentially,” Mr Guterres said.

Woman of Israeli-Chinese heritage among those taken hostage

05:44 , Namita Singh

A young woman of Israeli and Chinese heritage was among the scores of hostages seized by Hamas fighters, the Chinese Embassy in Israel said.

“Noa was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists when attending a peace music festival in southern Israel. She was dragged from Israel to Gaza,” an embassy statement said. “She is a daughter, a sister and a friend.”

US Senate Majority Leader welcomes stronger Chinese statement on Hamas attack

05:42 , Namita Singh

US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he was grateful for a strengthened statement from China condemning the killing and kidnapping of Israeli and foreign civilians by Hamas, issued during a bipartisan congressional visit to Beijing that included a lengthy meeting with President Xi Jinping.

Mr Schumer led a delegation of six senators to China for talks aimed at stabilizing ties following a sharp deterioration in recent years over trade, US support for self-governing Taiwan, human rights and other issues. The delegation, which included three Democrats and three Republicans, was the first visit by US lawmakers since 2019 and came at a time of growing attacks on China in Congress as America contends with Beijing’s rise as a global power.

Mr Schumer told foreign minister Wang Yi earlier in the day that he had been very disappointed by China’s failure to strongly condemn the attack on Israel and show sympathy for the country and its people.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said later Monday that China is “deeply saddened by the civilian casualties caused by the conflict between Palestine and Israel.”

“China opposes and condemns acts that harm civilians,” along with actions that “expand conflict and undermine regional stability,” Mr Mao said, going beyond an initial Foreign Ministry statement on Sunday.

China hopes for a resumption of peace talks, the implementation of a two-state solution, and a “comprehensive and proper settlement of the Palestinian issue, which guarantees the legitimate concerns of all parties, through political means, as early as possible,” Mr Mao said at a daily briefing.

Aid groups scramble to help as Israel-Hamas war intensifies and Gaza blockade complicates efforts

05:40 , Namita Singh

Humanitarian groups are scrambling to assist civilians caught in the war between Israel and Hamas and determine what aid operations are still safe to continue, efforts that are being complicated by an intensified blockade of Gaza and ongoing fighting.

Two days after Hamas militants went on a rampage that took the world by surprise, Israel increased airstrikes on Gaza and blocked off food, fuel and other supplies from going into the territory, a move that raised concerns at the United Nations and among aid groups operating in the area home to 2.3 million people. Hamas, in turn, pledged to kill Israelis it abducted if the country’s military bombs civilian targets in Gaza without warning.

Hundreds of people have been killed and thousands wounded on both sides, and aid groups operating in the region say there are needs both in Gaza and Israel.

More than 2 tons of medical supplies from the Egyptian Red Crescent have been sent to Gaza and efforts are underway to organize food and other deliveries, according to an Egyptian military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the press.

But the United Nations and other aid groups are pleading for more access to help Palestinians who find themselves in the middle of intense fighting.

Doctors Without Borders, which is still operating in Gaza, has to rely on supplies it already has inside the territory because it can’t bring any more in, said Emmanuel Massart, a deputy desk coordinator with the organization in Brussels.

The group — which says it only runs programs in Palestinian areas since Israel has strong emergency and health services — reported Monday that it provided treatments to more than 50 people following airstrikes at the Jabalia refugee camp located north of Gaza City. In addition to helping patients in Gaza, it said it was donating medical supplies to other clinics and hospitals, which have become overcrowded with patients and are experiencing shortages of drugs and fuel that can be used for generators.

Mapped: How the Israel-Hamas war unfolded

05:37 , Namita Singh

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.

My colleague Andy Gregory has more:

Mapped: How the Israel-Hamas war unfolded

Netanyahu: Strikes against Hamas are 'just the beginning' after attack on Israeli citizens

05:30 , Mike Bedigan

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that air strikes in the besieged Gaza Strip were “just the beginning” and vowed to do “everything for Israelis held captive.”

In a joint statement, world leaders including Rishi Sunak, Joe Biden, Emmanuel Macron, Giorgia Meloni expressed their “steadfast and united support” for Israel and condemned the “appalling acts of terrorism” committed by Hamas.

In video: Tragic German tourist whose body was paraded by Hamas

05:28 , Namita Singh

German tourist dances at festival before Hamas kidnap her

What is Hamas and why did it attack Israel? All you need to know about militant group in Gaza

05:28 , Namita Singh

Palestinian group Hamas has launched its largest-ever attack on Israel, with militants launching thousands of rockets and storming through the Gaza border in an unprecedented assault.

In the deadliest assault Israel has suffered in generations, hundreds of soldiers and civilians living in settlements close to the border have been killed or abducted, after Hamas blew up observation posts and other fortifications and broke out of beseiged Gaza on motorbikes, speedboats and paragliders.

Two days after the shock incursion, Israel is still engaged in gunfights with Hamas fighters lodged within eight locations on its territory, with prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowing to root out every last militant and fire on all those hiding in Gaza – one of the world’s most densely-populated regions.

Andy Gregory reports:

What is Hamas, and why did it attack Israel?

Rishi Sunak pledges to keep British Jews safe amid Israel-Hamas conflict

05:00 , Namita Singh

Rishi Sunak told Britain’s Jewish community “I will stop at nothing to keep you safe” amid concerns they could be targeted as Israel laid siege to the Gaza Strip following the Hamas atrocity.

The prime minister addressed a synagogue in north London to express his solidarity for Israel following the Hamas attack and to reassure Britain’s Jews.

“We stand with Israel, the United Kingdom stands with Israel against this terrorism today, tomorrow and always,” Mr Sunak said.

A brief history of the Israel-Palestinian conflict explained

04:58 , 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.

The French commander was ultimately defeated in that conquest but his attempt to establish a European stronghold in the Middle East was revived by the British 41 years on, when foreign secretary Lord Palmerston wrote to his ambassador in Istanbul, urging him to press the Sultan to open up Palestine to Jewish immigrants as a means of countering the considerable influence of Egyptian governor Mohammed Ali.

More here:

A brief history of the Israel-Palestinian conflict - explained

Pro-Palestine protests took place near to the Israeli Embassy in London on Monday evening

04:55 , Mike Bedigan

Last moments of young tattoo artist dancing with friends before horror Hamas attack

04:48 , Namita Singh

A young German tattoo artist was caught dancing and laughing on camera, just hours before she was stripped naked and killed by Hamas militants near the Gaza border.

Shani Louk, 23, was among hundreds of victims at an outdoor music festival near Kibbutz Urim when Palestinian gunmen opened fire on the crowds during the early hours of Saturday morning.

In a video posted on social media, Ms Louk can be seen beaming into the camera with her friends, while music blasts in the background at the Supernova trance event.

Report:

Last moments of young tattoo artist dancing with friends before horror Hamas attack

Yousaf: ‘My in-laws are stranded in Gaza and I fear they won’t survive’

04:43 , Namita Singh

Scotland’s first minister has said his parents-in-law are “trapped” in Gaza after visiting family, leaving him worried if they will “make it through the night”.

The parents of Humza Yousaf’s wife, Nadia El-Nakla, were in Gaza visiting family when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel this weekend, killing hundreds, according to reports.

Speaking to journalists yesterday, a visibly emotional Mr Yousaf said: “As many will know, my wife is Palestinian, her mum and dad, my in-laws, who live in Dundee, live in Scotland, they’ve been in Gaza and are currently trapped in Gaza, I’m afraid.”

Report:

‘My in-laws are stranded in Gaza and I fear they won’t survive’

Fears of Israeli ground assault as military declares it is ‘going on the offensive’

04:42 , Namita Singh

Sirens warning of incoming rocket fire blared in Israeli communities near the Gaza border overnight.

The announcement that 300,000 reservists had been activated in just two days added to speculation that Israel could be contemplating a ground assault of Gaza, a territory it abandoned nearly two decades ago.

“We have never drafted so many reservists on such a scale,” chief military spokesperson Rear-Admiral Daniel Hagari said. “We are going on the offensive.”

Palestinians forced from homes

04:40 , Namita Singh

Palestinians reported receiving calls and mobile phone audio messages from Israeli security officers telling them to leave areas mainly in the northern and eastern territories of Gaza, and warning that the army would operate there.

Dozens of people in Gaza City’s Remal neighbourhood fled their homes.

“We took ourselves, children and grandchildren and daughters-in-law and we ran away. I can say that we became refugees. We don’t have safety or security. What’s this life? This is not a life,” resident Salah Hanouneh, 73, said.

In Israel’s south, scene of the Hamas attack, Israel’s chief military spokesperson said troops had re-established control of communities inside Israel that had been overrun, but isolated clashes continued as some gunmen remained active.

Irish president says response to Gaza conflict must respect international law

04:15 , Mike Bedigan

Irish president Michael D Higgins has called for a cessation of violence in Israel and Gaza for “the protection of the lives of innocent civilians”.

His comments came as the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs criticised a unilateral announcement from an EU commissioner which said payments under a development portfolio for Palestinians would be suspended.

In a statement, Mr Higgins said: “May I, as President of Ireland, lend my voice to those internationally that have called for an immediate end to the killing which has, since Saturday following Hamas’ attack on Israel and the response to it, included so many civilians, young people and children, as well as older members of families.

Irish president says response to Gaza conflict must respect international law

‘This vile enemy wanted war and it will get war’

04:11 , Namita Singh

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed revenge for the loss of Israeli lives in a fiery speech accusing Hamas of executing tied-up children and other atrocities. “This vile enemy wanted war and it will get war,” he said.

Comparing Hamas to Isis, he said: “The atrocities committed by Hamas have not been seen since Isis atrocities. Bound children executed along with their families. Young men and women shot in the back, executed. Other horrors I won’t describe here.

“We have always known who Hamas is. Now the entire world knows. Hamas is Isis. And we will defeat it just like the enlightened world defeated Isis,” he said.

Israel has “only started” its offensive, said Mr Netanyahu, adding “what we will do to our enemies in the coming days will reverberate with them for generations”.

Hundreds of Israelis and Palestinians killed as war rages

04:00 , Namita Singh

The death toll has continued to rise since the devastating weekend attack by Hamas, prompting international declarations of support for Israel and appeals for an end to the fighting and the protection of civilians. The death toll now stands at 1587 on both sides.

Israeli TV channels said the death had climbed to 900 Israelis, with at least 2,600 injured, and dozens taken captive. Among the Israeli dead were 260 mostly young people gunned down at a desert music festival, where some of the hostages were abducted.

Gaza’s health ministry said at least 687 Palestinians had been killed and 3,726 wounded in Israeli air strikes on the blockaded enclave since Saturday. Apartment blocks, a mosque and hospitals were among the sites attacked, and the strikes destroyed some roads and houses, according to media reports and eyewitnesses.

Israel also bombed the headquarters of the private Palestinian Telecommunication Co, which could affect landline telephone, internet and mobile phone services.

Hamas threatens to kill captives if Israel strikes civilians

03:53 , Namita Singh

The Islamist militant group Hamas threatened to execute an Israeli captive every time Israel bombs a Palestinian home without warning, as Israel called up an unprecedented 300,000 reservists and imposed a blockade on the Gaza Strip, raising fears it planned a ground assault.

The violence, which has claimed more than 1,500 lives, prompted international declarations of support for Israel after a devastating weekend attack by Hamas, and appeals for an end to the fighting and protection of civilians.

The Israeli military said it hit targets in the Gaza Strip from the sea and air, including a weapons depot it said belonged to Islamic Jihad and Hamas targets along Gaza’s coast line.

Hamas spokesperson Abu Ubaida issued the threat yesterday to kill Israelis among the dozens held captive after the surprise attack on Saturday morning. He said Hamas would execute an Israeli captive for every Israeli bombing of a civilian house without warning, and broadcast the execution.

There was no immediate response from the Israeli military to that threat. Israeli foreign minister Eli Cohen said more than 100 people had been taken captive by Hamas during the deadly cross-border incursion over the weekend.

Three arrests at London protests over Israel-Gaza conflict

03:47 , Namita Singh

Three people have been arrested during protests and vigils over the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

British Transport Police arrested a 15-year-old male in Kensington High Street on suspicion of assault on an emergency worker, racially motivated criminal damage and possessing an offensive weapon.

A 70-year-old man was also arrested in Kensington on suspicion of racially motivated criminal damage and a 29-year-old man was arrested in Oxford Street on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon.

The arrests were confirmed by the Metropolitan Police, who said officers will continue to have an “enhanced visible presence” on the streets of London to reassure the public.

A special focus will be placed on Jewish communities across the city.

Supporters of both Palestine and Israel took to the streets of London on Monday to attend vigils and protests after the conflict heightened on Saturday when Hamas launched an unprecedented attack against Israel.

A police spokesperson said: “UK policing has an obligation to uphold the right to protest. However, we are clear that where any activity crosses into criminality, we will, and have, taken action.”

Is Biden’s $6bn Iran deal really behind Hamas attacks – or is GOP exploiting tragedy for partisan purposes?

03:45 , Mike Bedigan

In Washington DC, the blame game over responsibility for the Hamas attacks has already begun.

Over the weekend as every Republican candidate in the race blamed Joe Biden and his administration for the outbreak in violence — a result, they say, of the Biden administration’s softened approach towards Iran.

The Iranian government’s involvement in the conflict has been hotly debated, with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)’s support for Hamas well known but no clear evidence yet pointing to Iranian tactical or military support for the militants involved in the fight today.

Are Republican claims that the Biden administration’s recent dollars-for-prisoners deal with Tehran is behind the attack on Israel supported by the facts? Or is the party exploiting the tragedy for its own ends in the heat of a presidential primary?

John Bowden looks at what we know so far

https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/biden-iran-israel-hamas-republicans-b2426833.html

Biden warns that Americans are likely being held hostage by Hamas amid Israel attack

03:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

President Joe Biden on Monday said the US government is aware of “at least 11” Americans who have been killed in attacks on Israel by Hamas and warned that an as-yet unknown number of US citizens may have been taken as hostages by the terrorist group.

In a statement, Mr Biden said the updated toll of American fatalities was part of efforts to “continue to account for the horrors of the appalling terrorist assault against Israel this weekend and the hundreds of innocent civilians who were murdered” and stressed that the “immense scale and reach of this tragedy” is only now being understood.

“We also know that American citizens still remain unaccounted for, and we are working with Israeli officials to obtain more information as to their whereabouts,” he said, adding that his “top priority” as president is “the safety of American citizens—whether at home or abroad”.

Biden warns that Americans are likely being held hostage by Hamas amid Israel attack

02:43 , Mike Bedigan

Despite the ongoing conflict, Alabama football coach turned US Senator Tommy Tuberville plans to continue his monthslong blockade against the promotion of hundreds of American military officials in protest of Pentagon policy to reimburse service members’ travel expenses for abortion care.

The Republican senator has put on hold at least 300 military nominees, including officers who would command forces in the Middle East, while thrusting international security issues into his anti-abortion crusade.

Among the organisations by Mr Tuberville’s stonewalling is the US Navy, with a new Chief of Naval Operations still unconfirmed.

https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/tuberville-military-israel-palestine-b2426777.html

Nikki Haley calls for Israel to 'finish' Hamas following attack on civilians

02:20 , Mike Bedigan

Pro-Israel, pro-Palestinian protesters rally outside Israeli consulate in NYC

02:01 , Mike Bedigan

Protesters from both sides of the Israel-Palestinian conflict rallied at the Israeli consulate in New York on 9 October.

Split by East 42nd Street, the two opposing groups raised signs and flags as they chanted.

“I’m here to show solidarity to the Palestinians,” Queens resident Saif Eldilemi said.

Democrats call for Biden’s nominee for new US ambassador to Israel to be confirmed

01:46 , Mike Bedigan

Democratic senators have called on the Senate to rapidly confirm the Biden administration’s nominee to be US ambassador to Israel as war between Israel and Gaza rages on.

The Senate is out for the week and will not return until Monday 16 October. President Joe Biden nominated Jacob Lew, the former US Treasury Secretary during the Obama administration who practices Orthodox Judaism, to be US ambassador to Israel, in September.

https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/democrats-senate-ambassador-israel-hamas-b2426834.html

UK backing Israel after it declares ‘siege’ on Gaza following Hamas attack

01:30 , Mike Bedigan

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said the UK will “continue to support Israel” after Tel Aviv announced a “complete siege” on the Gaza strip following Hamas’ attack.

Speaking after an emergency Cobra meeting chaired by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to discuss the situation in Israel, Mr Cleverly said Hamas fighters were “shielding themselves among the Palestinian people”.

It comes after Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant said he had ordered a siege on Gaza that would halt the supply of electricity, food and fuel to 2.3 million people living in the Hamas-ruled territory, while Israel’s forces pound the strip with retaliatory waves of airstrikes.

UK backing Israel after it declares ‘siege’ on Gaza following Hamas attack

Metropolitan Police arrest three people following pro-Palestine protests in London

Tuesday 10 October 2023 00:59 , Mike Bedigan

The Metropolitan Police said three people had been arrested and further enquiries were underway following pro-Palestine protests in central London.

The force earlier said it was looking into “instances of suspected criminal damage in Kensington High Street” where the protests initially took place.

At close to midnight on Monday, the Met announced protests had concluded, writing on X: “Londoners have seen more officers on the streets today to reassure the public, with an enhanced visible presence in Jewish communities.”

California Congressman: ‘You cannot reform Hamas’

Tuesday 10 October 2023 00:51 , Mike Bedigan

California Congressman Brad Sherman has said he believes the conflict in Gaza may last “months” and Hamas must be defeated.

“You can’t just pretend this didn’t happen and just leave them [Hamas] with the sophisticated military power that they’ve demonstrated. You’ve got to disarm Hamas,” Mr Sherman told BBC News.

He added that the organisation may have felt obliged to launch an attack out of the fear that Saudi Arabia would reach a peace deal with Israel that was being brokered by the Biden administration. Mr Sherman added that there was a liklihood that Hamas would execute prisoners.

“They did this because they had to... You have to defeat Hamas. You cannot reform Hamas,” he said.

White House spokesperson John Kirby chokes up on CNN about Israel attack

Tuesday 10 October 2023 00:35 , Mike Bedigan

White House spokesperson John Kirby choked up while being interviewed on CNN about Hamas attacks on Israel.

Joe Biden said on Monday, 9 October, that at least 11 Americans have been killed in Israel while other US citizens are “likely” among the hostages being held by Hamas.

After seeing images of the victims, Mr Kirby said: “It’s very difficult to look at these images and the human cost.

“It’s difficult, and I apologise.”

John Kirby says there is ‘no direct evidence’ of Iran’s involvement in Hamas attacks

Tuesday 10 October 2023 00:15 , Mike Bedigan

White House National Security Council spokesman, John Kirby, said that the US government has currently seen no evidence of Iran’s involvement in planning the surprise attacks on Israel by Hamas.

Mr Kirby told PBS News Hour that there was “no question that there’s a degree of complicity” by Iran in supporting the events but there was no “direct evidence” of the nation’s involvement.

“We’re looking very hard to see if there is corroborating evidence that proves that Iran was, you know, a participant in these attacks but we just haven’t seen it. And frankly, our Israeli counterparts, they haven’t seen it either,” he said.

“But look, I mean, make no mistake, there’s a degree of complicity here just because Iran has been supporting Hamas now for many, many years – weapons tools, capabilities training. So clearly [with] Iran, there’s a complicity here, but in terms of the specific series of attacks we’ve seen in the last 24-36 hours, we just don’t have direct evidence.”

Claims of Iran’s involvement in helping preparations for Hamas’ attack were first made in a report in the Wall Street Journal.

Mr Kirby added that the US government has no intention of sending troops into Israel, but it will protect US interests in the region.

Hundreds of protesters gather outside London's Israeli embassy

Tuesday 10 October 2023 00:00 , Mike Bedigan

Rishi Sunak pledges support to British-Jewish community

Monday 9 October 2023 23:45 , Mike Bedigan

Rishi Sunak pledged his support to the British-Jewish community, as he joined Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis for a vigil with local communities at the Finchley United Synagogue in north London on Monday.

In a short address, the UK prime minister said: “The people who support Hamas are fully responsible for this appalling attack. They are not militants. They are not freedom fighters. They are terrorists.

“The days and weeks ahead will continue to be very difficult. But when we say we stand with Israel, we mean it. Not just today, not just tomorrow, but always.

“And I will stand with you, the British-Jewish community. Not just today, not just tomorrow, but always.”

Husband relives nightmare of watching his wife taken hostage by Hamas in Israel

Monday 9 October 2023 23:25 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

It was Yoni Asher’s phone that confirmed his worst fears.

Tracking his wife Doron’s mobile, he watched helplessly as he saw it pop up in southern Gaza, miles from where she was supposed to be with their daughters Raz, five, and Aviv, aged three.

They had been taken hostage, along with scores of others, by Hamas militants in their devastating weekend attack.

“I saw she had been taken into Kfar Younis which is deep inside Gaza,” Yoni told The Independent, his voice blank with grief. “The GPS even showed us the route the terrorists took.”

The nightmare of watching my wife being taken hostage by Hamas in Israel

Met Police looking into ‘suspected criminal damage’ at Palestine protest

Monday 9 October 2023 23:15 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The Met Police are looking into “instances of suspected criminal damage in Kensington High Street” at a protest for Palestine.

Apartment buildings go up in dust and ash as Israel drops bombs on Gaza City

Monday 9 October 2023 23:06 , Mike Bedigan

VOICE: The US has ignored the hopelessness of the Israel-Palestine conflict for too long

Monday 9 October 2023 22:46 , Andrea Blanco

“This weekend’s heinous massacre of unarmed civilians by Hamas was shocking not just for its unbridled brutality, but because the people in places of power in Israel and the United States appeared blind to its possibility,” The Independent’s Richard Hall writes

“For the better part of the last 50 years, the Israel-Palestine conflict — for want of a better term — was a top priority for successive US presidents. From Jimmy Carter to Barack Obama, both Republican and Democrat administrations recognised and often witnessed the costs of allowing this conflict to fester unaddressed.”

The conflict was traditionally a high priority for US presidents. But in recent years, it has been allowed to fester.

Read more:

The US has ignored the hopelessness of the Israel-Palestine conflict for too long

Gaza siege: ‘We already only have four hours power a day'

Monday 9 October 2023 22:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A Palestinian medic from Gaza told The Independent’s Bel Trew: “We already only have 4 hours of power a day, water comes once every 3 days.”

11 Americans killed as Israel orders siege of Gaza

Monday 9 October 2023 22:14 , Andrea Blanco

At least 11 Americans have been killed following the attacks on Israel by Hamas, prompting a full siege and blockade of the Gaza Strip.

In a lengthy statement on Monday, President Joe Biden said “Sadly, we now know that at least 11 American citizens were among those killed—many of whom made a second home in Israel”.

“We also know that American citizens still remain unaccounted for, and we are working with Israeli officials to obtain more information as to their whereabouts,” he said, adding that “while we are still working to confirm, we believe it is likely that American citizens may be among those being held by Hamas”.

Read more:

At least 11 Americans killed as Israel orders siege of Gaza

Iran is complicit but there is no direct evidence tying it to attacks in Israel, White House says

Monday 9 October 2023 22:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Iran is complicit even though the United States has no intelligence or evidence that points to Iran’s direct participation in attacks in Israel by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, a White House spokesperson said on Monday.

“Iran has long supported Hamas and other terrorist networks throughout the region with resources capabilities training,” White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said on MSNBC.

“And so in that regard, clearly, Iran is complicit here, but in terms of specific evidence on this, these sorts of attacks, no, we don’t have anything,” he said.

Hezbollah fires on Israel after members killed in shelling

Monday 9 October 2023 21:40 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Lebanese armed group Hezbollah fired a salvo of rockets onto northern Israel on Monday in response to at least three of its members being killed in Israeli shelling on Lebanon.

The exchange of fire marks a significant expansion of the conflict between Israel and Palestinian militants to the Israeli-Lebanese border further north. Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel fought a brutal month-long war in 2006.

Hezbollah in a statement on Monday said it had fired rockets and mortars on two Israeli military posts in the Galilee. The Israeli military said it identified a number of “launches” from Lebanon into Israel, without any injuries. It said it was responding with artillery fire onto Lebanon.

Hezbollah said in consecutive online statements that three of its members had been killed in Israel‘s “aggression” on southern Lebanon on Monday afternoon. Two Lebanese security sources told Reuters two more Hezbollah members were killed.

Israel shelled southern Lebanon on Monday after a cross-border raid claimed by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group, which has been fighting alongside Hamas since it launched its surprise attack on Israel on Saturday.

The complete blockade of Gaza will be brutal: the big question is what comes next

Monday 9 October 2023 21:34 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under pressure from hawks to destroy Hamas, but there are others calling for cooler heads to prevail, writes Kim Sengupta:

The total blockade of Gaza imposed by Israel, with food, electricity and water cut off, can only be a short-term measure because of the sheer humanitarian suffering this will inflict on the people in the territory.

Aid organisations, diplomats and Israeli security officials recognise that such harsh punitive measures cannot be kept for long without a terrible toll being taken, even by the standards of wars in Gaza.

The siege is taking place while Gaza is experiencing ferocious, pounding air strikes. The health ministry in the territory has said around 680 people have been killed and 3,700 injured by Israeli warplanes and missiles since Saturday. The combined stress of bombs and blockade may, it is feared, lead to a catastrophic collapse of infrastructure.

The total blockade of Gaza will be brutal – but what comes next? | Kim Sengupta

Saudi Arabia voices continued support for Palestinians

Monday 9 October 2023 21:16 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman stressed to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that the kingdom will continue to stand by the Palestinians, and will spare no effort to restore calm and stability to the Palestinian territories.

Two Italians missing near Gaza, presumed kidnapped

Monday 9 October 2023 21:07 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A married couple with dual Italian-Israeli citizenship are missing from their kibbutz near Gaza and have probably been taken hostage, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Monday.

“They are a man and a woman, husband and wife ... and were living in the Be’eri kibbutz. They are not answering calls from their family,” Tajani told state broadcaster RAI.

“We hope to find them, but at this time we don’t have any other news. It is probable that they have been kidnapped.”

He did not give their names.

Hamas fighters poured into southern Israel on Saturday in a surprise attack, killing hundreds of people and seizing dozens of hostages who have been taken to Gaza.

Thousands gather outside Israeli Embassy in support of Palestine

Monday 9 October 2023 20:56 , Holly Evans

Thousands have gathered outside the Israeli Embassy on High Street Kensington this evening to protest in support of the Palestinian people.

The Independent’s Maira Butt was at the scene as crowds chanted “Occupation no more”, “Israel is a terror state” and “Free Palestine”.

“It’s not a war, it’s colonisation,” said 19 year old Jaffa. “We’re here because we have a voice. So many governments are supporting Israel, and we want to show our government that we’re on the side of the Palestinian people.”

Timeline of Supernova festival attack that left hundreds dead in Israel

Monday 9 October 2023 20:34 , Holly Evans

Terrified festivalgoers fled in panic as Hamas fighters parachuted into an all-night rave and opened fire, taking hostages and killing indiscriminately.

An Israeli rescue service said its paramedics removed more than 260 bodies from the Supernova music festival, near the border with Gaza, which came under attack by Hamas militants early on Saturday morning, with British citizen Jacob Marlowe among the missing.

The total figure is expected to be higher as other paramedic teams were working in the area.

Barney Davis has more

How Supernova festival attack that left hundreds dead in Israel unfolded

Nikki Haley criticised for calls on Israel to ‘finish’ Hamas

Monday 9 October 2023 20:15 , Holly Evans

Former UN Ambassador and GOP presidential primary candidate Nikki Haley has been beating the war drums in the wake of a weekend attack in Israel, and has called for the US ally to “finish” Hamas.

Ms Haley said the incident was “not just an attack on Israel — this was an attack on America,” in a post on X/Twitter.

“Finish them, @Netanyahu,” she wrote. “They should have hell to pay for what they have just done.”

Read more here

Nikki Haley criticised for calls on Israel to ‘finish’ Hamas

Zelenskyy accuses Russia of trying to incite war in the Middle East

Monday 9 October 2023 20:11 , Holly Evans

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of being “interested in inciting war in the Middle East” to assist them in “destroying freedom in Europe”.

In a video posted on social media, Mr Zelensky said: “All of this represents a much greater threat than the world is currently aware of. The world wars of the past were triggered by local aggressions.”

Israel has 'only started’ striking Hamas

Monday 9 October 2023 19:55 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel has “only started” striking Hamas.

Netanyahu delivered the pronouncement in a nationally televised address as Israel pressed ahead with a third day of heavy airstrikes in Gaza.“We have only started striking Hamas,” he said. “What we will do to our enemies in the coming days will reverberate with them for generations.”

‘We will win’- Netanyahu

Monday 9 October 2023 19:53 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Israel’s Netanyahu said: “We voice our solidarity with all the families of hostages. We have mobilised all the police forces to work on this issue.

“What is happening is reality and this is what links us to each other. Only together, we will win.

“As the prime minister, I have to tell you we have hard days coming. What has happened is very sad. But we will win.”

Biggest planes coming to Israel from US, Netanyahu says

Monday 9 October 2023 19:52 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

“Every place where Hamas is active will be completely destroyed. We will continue to intensify the operation. I would like to thank the US for their support to Israel,” Benjamin Netanyahu said.

“We have the biggest planes coming from the US to our land. I would also like to thank many international leaders for expressing their support to Israel.”

Netanyahu thanks army for their sacrifice

Monday 9 October 2023 19:52 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in his address this evening: “I would like to voice my support to all the army and all those sacrificing their lives to protect Israel.”

NYC Mayor Eric Adams slams pro-Hamas protesters in Times Square after one seen brandishing swastika

Monday 9 October 2023 19:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has slammed pro-Hamas protesters in Times Square after one was reportedly seen brandishing a swastika.

Protesters gathered in Times Square in New York City on Sunday, just a day after Hamas militants stormed into Israel early on Saturday morning, killing hundreds of people and taking dozens captive across the Gaza border.

Supporters of Israel were separated via a police barricade from backers of the Palestinian cause – one of whom was spotted on the front line holding up a swastika.

Eric Adams slams pro-Hamas protesters in Times Square after one seen with swastika

Palestinian death toll rises to 687

Monday 9 October 2023 19:26 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The Palestinian death toll has risen to 687 and 3,726 are wounded, the health ministry has said.

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