Rishi Sunak confirms 6 Britons dead and 10 missing after Hamas ‘pogrom’ in Israel – live

Rishi Sunak has provided an update on the number of Britons missing or killed as a result of the conflict in an address to Parliament today: 6 dead and ten missing.

It comes after the prime minister’s visit to a Jewish school in north London, where he repeated his belief that Israel has “every right to defend itself and its people to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again”.

He added that in his conversation with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he had also raised the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where 2,700 Palestinians have been killed and 9,700 people wounded in retaliatory airstrikes.

Mr Sunak’s statement to the Commons is expected to set out how the UK is aiding British nationals caught in the fighting and supporting Israel, as well as detailing the response to the impact on Palestinians trapped in the strip.

Hospitals across Gaza are expected to run out of fuel, while international aid is being held up in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula pending a deal to ensure its safe delivery.

Two Jewish schools covered in red paint in suspected hate crimes

21:14 , Holly Evans

Two Jewish schools in north London have been splattered with red paint in what police are treating as hate crimes.

Officers attended the Beis Chinuch school in Stamford Hill at 9am on Monday after paint was thrown over the door and gates.

The incident is understood to have taken place shortly before 7am on Thursday, with police also investigating a second incident at another school in Woodberry Down which was also doused in paint.

Read more here

Two Jewish schools covered in red paint in suspected hate crimes

‘They still had dreams’: Baby and toddler among entire family killed in Gaza, devastated relative reveals

21:02 , Holly Evans

A two-month-old baby was among 10 members of the same family killed in Gaza after an Israeli air strike hit their home, a devastated relative has revealed.

Just one day after Hamas launched an attack on Israel, 56-year-old Abdel Naser Shamalakh and his entire family were killed after rockets hit their home in Gaza.

“The whole family was buried under the rubble. They only found two whole bodies. The others were in parts or unrecognisable,” his British-Palestinian niece, 37-year-old Waf’a Shamalakh, told The Independent.

‘My two-month-old cousin was killed in airstrikes in Gaza’

BBC booed during rally against its reporting of the conflict

20:45 , Holly Evans

The BBC was booed as during a rally in central London against its reporting over the Israel-Hamas conflict, with speakers from the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) and UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) taking part.

Hundreds of protesters joined the event outside Broadcasting House, with the crowd stretching up to Regent Street.

Protesters shouted “don’t pay the licence”, “shame” and “Hamas is Isis” as they heard from podcaster Jonny Gould.

The National Jewish Assembly hosted the rally in collaboration with the UKLFI, CAA and the European Jewish Association.

‘There is no one left to bury anybody'

20:30 , Bel Trew

The Israeli military has vowed an “unprecedented response to an unprecedented attack” by Hamas, admitting in multiple interviews with The Independent these have been the most ferocious airstrikes ever recorded, adding a ground invasion was imminent.

In Gaza, the UN’s Palestinian refugee agency said the death toll from the onslaught was so high Gaza was running out of body bags.

In the enclave’s largest city, meanwhile, doctors told The Independent morgues were overflowing and bodies were being stacked against walls. They shared videos showing the authorities using bulldozers to hastily dig “emergency’ mass graves to buy dozens of corpses.

At the al-Aqsa hospital in the centre of the country, medics described putting the overflow of bodies into refrigerated food trucks.

One young man, who asked not to be identified as he was evacuating south, said he witnessed the authorities burying the dead “without family or friends present as there was no time and no one left to bury them.”

“The problem is people are too afraid to go to cemeteries,” said Ghassan Abu Sitta, a prominent British-Palestinian surgeon who works for Doctors Without Borders at Gaza’s largest hospital al-Shifaa which is also sheltering 35,000 people.

“Around 50 families had been completely wiped out because people are seeking refugee with their relatives,” during the heavy deployment. And so there is no one left to bury anybody”

Hospitals face collapse as international aid waiting at the Egyptian border

20:15 , Holly Evans

Hospitals in the Gaza Strip face collapse as water, power and medicine near depletion, while hundreds of thousands of Palestinians face dwindling food supplies as Israel maintains punishing air strikes in retaliation for the deadly rampage by Hamas.

Thousands of patients’ lives are at risk, UN officials said, and mediators are struggling to reach a ceasefire deal to let in aid waiting at the Egyptian border.

More than a week after Israel stopped entry of essential supplies, all eyes are on the Rafah crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. Trucks carrying badly needed aid have waited there for days unable to pass through, and Israeli air strikes last week forced the shutdown of Gaza’s only connection to Egypt.

Egyptian state TV and Gaza media reported that Israel struck the crossing again on Monday.

Lessons from the Yom Kippur war, 50 years on – and why it matters today

20:00 , Holly Evans

As the world holds its breath and leaders meet in an attempt to stop the Israel-Gaza conflict from escalating, author Uri Kaufman revisits the Yom Kippur war, which brought the world close to nuclear war, and looks at what stopped it.

Read the full article here:

Critical lessons from the Yom Kippur war, 50 years on – and why it matters today

Paraglider image used by protesters after Hamas massacre condemned

19:45 , Holly Evans

The Jewish community and a former MP have condemned the use of a paraglider image in the wake of Hamas’ deadly attacks in Israel, saying it “glorifies terrorism”.

Metropolitan Police officers investigating a public order offence has launched an appeal to find two women who were seen wearing images of paragliders at a pro-Palestine march in London on Saturday.

The images appear to hark back to last weekend’s attacks, which saw Hamas paragliders being used during an attack on civilians that left around 1,300 people dead.

Read more here

‘It’s glorifying terror’: Paraglider image worn after Hamas massacre condemned

Grant Shapps and Oliver Dowden appear to laugh during Sunak’s Israel and Gaza statement

19:27 , Holly Evans

Shapps and Dowden appear to laugh during Sunak’s Israel and Gaza statement

More pictures of the protest outside the BBC

19:20 , Holly Evans

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken shelters in bunker

19:11 , Holly Evans

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Israeli Prime Minister sheltered in a bunker for five minutes on Monday when air sirens went off in Tel Aviv during their meeting, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said.

The two have since moved out and are continuing their discussions at the defense ministry’s command center, Miller said.

Placards show pictures of kidnapped Israeli children in BBC protest

19:04 , Holly Evans

Protestors have gathered outside BBC Broadcasting House in central London to urge the broadcaster to call Hamas “terrorists”.

Many waved Israeli flags while others held placards with pictures of Israeli children kidnapped by Hamas.

One placard said “BBC if the King can call Hamas terrorists so can you” while another said “BBC! Hamas are terrorists, not militants!”

Protestors gather outside the BBC to urge broadcaster to call Hamas ‘terrorists'

18:38 , Holly Evans

Protestors have gathered outside BBC Broadcasting House in central London to urge the broadcaster to call Hamas ‘terrorists’.

Many waved Israeli flags while others held placards with pictures of Israeli children kidnapped by Hamas.

One placard said “BBC if the King can call Hamas terrorists so can you” while another said “BBC! Hamas are terrorists, not militants!”

BBC says it has given ‘careful consideration’ to Israel-Hamas coverage

18:34 , Holly Evans

The BBC said it has given “careful consideration” to all aspects of its coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The broadcaster has received complaints that its reporting has been biased against both Israel and Palestinians.

In a published statement, the BBC said: “Careful consideration has been given to all aspects of our coverage to ensure that we report on developments accurately and with due impartiality in line with the BBC editorial guidelines, which are publicly available.”

It added: “We understand that this is an extremely worrying time for people not only in the region, but also in the UK and around the world, and we have reflected this in our coverage.

“BBC News has provided our global audiences with coverage and first-hand testimony of the atrocities committed by Hamas and the suffering in Gaza.”

Speaking about its decision not to describe Hamas as a terrorist organisation, it said: “The BBC, along with many other UK and global news organisations, does use the word ‘terrorist’, but attributes it. We have made clear to our audiences that Hamas is proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the UK and other governments.”

The numbers of complaints are in the higher hundreds, not in the thousands, and there is a handful of numbers difference between the complaints totals for perceived Israeli and Palestinian bias, the PA news agency understands.

Watch live: Family and friends arrive for funeral of Muslim boy stabbed in Illinois

18:30 , Holly Evans

Watch live: Family and friends arrive for funeral of Muslim boy stabbed in Illinois

Middle East travel: Is it safe to visit Egypt, Jordan and Morocco?

18:18 , Holly Evans

Thousands of people have died since Hamas launched an assault on Israel from Gaza, and the conflict appears to be intensifying.

Many readers have contacted The Independent with concerns about their travel plans to the Middle East as well as the eastern Mediterranean.

These are the key questions and answers.

Read more from Simon Calder here

Is it safe to travel to the Middle East?

Palestinian man shot dead by Israeli forces in the West Bank

18:05 , Holly Evans

Israeli forces have shot dead a 19-year-old Palestinian man near the Salem military checkpoint outside Jenin in the occupied West Bank on Monday, the Palestinian health ministry said.

It said Anas Raed Farid Manasra was shot in the head and chest.

No immediate comment has been provided by the Israeli army.

Star of David graffitied on Berlin homes in echo of Nazi persecution

17:58 , Holly Evans

The Star of David has been graffitied on homes in Berlin, amid concerns anti-semitism is on the rise in Europe since the Hamas massacre in Israel.

The vandalism echoes the persecution of Jewish people in the 1930s, when Nazis marked the doors of Jewish businesses to deter Germans from using them.

Police in Berlin are dealing with four cases, after pictures of graffiti were shared on social media.

Read the full story here

Star of David graffitied on Berlin homes in echo of Nazi persecution

MPs pay tribute to Israel and Gaza victims with minute of silence in UK parliament

17:50 , Holly Evans

MPs pay tribute to Israel and Gaza victims with minute of silence in UK parliament

Chuck Schumer rushed to shelter in Tel Aviv amid rocket attacks

17:44 , Holly Evans

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and the bipartisan congressional delegation he was leading to Israel were rushed to a bomb shelter as Hamas launched rockets at Tel Aviv.

The New York Democrat wrote on X on Sunday (15 October) morning: “While in Tel Aviv today, our delegation was rushed to a shelter to wait out rockets sent by Hamas. It shows you what Israelis have to go through. We must provide Israel with the support required to defend itself.”

Mr Schumer included an image in the post showing him and Utah Republican Senator Mitt Romney, in addition to a number of others.

Read more here

Chuck Schumer rushed to shelter in Tel Aviv amid rocket attacks

Hamas is guilty as charged, but is Israel committing war crimes?

17:19 , Holly Evans

Israel’s Ambassador to the UK – Tzipi Hotovely – made a robust argument on the BBC Today programme on Monday that Israel is acting fully within international law in its tightened and draconian blockade of Gaza, its seemingly relentless bombing and its orders to 1.1m Gazans to leave their homes for the south of the territory.

It was also, by implication, a pre-emptive defence of what may happen once a ground invasion starts at a cost to Palestinian lives – of civilians as well as militants – which is impossible to predict.

There is no doubt whatsoever that the heinous massacre carried out by Hamas in Israeli communities on 7 October was a war crime, brutally targeting civilians.

Read more from Donald Macintyre here

Hamas is guilty as charged, but is Israel committing war crimes?

Lib Dem MP reveals relatives’ home in Gaza was bombed

17:04 , Holly Evans

Layla Moran, the Liberal Democrats’ foreign spokesperson, has spoken in the Commons about the bombing of her own relatives’ home in Gaza.

“My immediate family is in the West Bank. But we have extended family in Gaza city. Their house was bombed by the IDF, they went to seek sanctuary in a church because we are Christian Palestinians … They say to me they have nowhere to go.”

Ms Moran said she shared “profound emotions of loss and grief” with the Jewish community, before calling on Rishi Sunak to help work toward “a Palestinian state to call our own at the end of it”.

Sunak tells Abbas UK still wants ‘two-state solution’

16:52 , Holly Evans

Rishi Sunak spoke to Mahmoud Abbas, the leader of Palestinian National Authority, on Monday.

The prime minister “affirmed that the UK continues to support a two-state solution”, said No 10.

Mr Sunak “reiterated the UK’s position that Hamas does not speak for ordinary Palestinians” and discussed the need for more humanitarian aid and measures to protect civilians in Gaza.

“The leaders agreed on the importance of avoiding further regional escalation and ensuring calm in the West Bank,” said No 10.

Mr Sunak also spoke to president of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, agreeing to work together to mitigate against further escalation and the need to “reinvigorate the Middle East peace process”.

A Palestinian mother fled to the US for safety. 12 years on, war in her homeland fueled her son’s murder

16:43 , Holly Evans

Twelve years ago, Hanaan Shahin left the West Bank in search of a better life in America.

The then-20-year-old Palestinian was fleeing the violence and chaos of her homeland, which has been embroiled in a long-standing conflict with Israel for decades.

Ms Shahin settled in Plainfield Township, outside Chicago, for a life free from terror and violence, where she gave birth to her son.

But little did she know, 12 years later, her life would be torn apart by a shocking act of violence.

Read the full story from Martha McHardy here

A Palestinian mom fled to the US for safety. War in her home fueled her son’s murder

Hamas hostages: What do we know about Britons being held after terror attack in Israel?

16:32 , Holly Evans

Nearly 200 people are now believed to have been taken hostage by terrorists after an attack on Israel.

The Israeli military has not specified how many of the 199 captives are foreign nationals, but Rishi Sunak has told Parliament that 10 Britons are still missing more than a week on.

A further six Britons were killed in the Hamas’ attack on 7 October, Mr Sunak confirmed on Monday.

Read more here

All we know about Britons being held hostage after Hamas terror attack in Israel

Sunak tells Jewish students he ‘stands with them’ after Hamas attack on Israel

16:19 , Holly Evans

Sunak tells Jewish students he ‘stands with them’ after Hamas attack on Israel

Proscribe Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as terrorists, Sir Ed Davey tells Rishi Sunak

16:11 , Holly Evans

Sir Ed Davey has called for Rishi Sunak to proscribe the Islamic Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organisation.

The Liberal Democrat leader said the Iranian military group is a “funder of Hamas”, calling for it to be recognised as a terror group.

The Terrorism Act 2000 allows the government to proscribe an organisation if they believe it is concerned in terrorism such as promoting or encouraging terrorism.

The IRGC is currently designated as a terrorist organization by Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Sweden and the United States.

Sir Ed was joined by foreign affairs select committee chairman Alicia Kearns, who also called for the IRGC to be proscribed.

At least six Britons killed in Israel and 10 missing, says Rishi Sunak

16:07 , Holly Evans

Rishi Sunak said at least six UK citizens had been killed in Israel while another 10 were missing – some of whom are feared to be among the dead.

The prime minister said the “barbaric” terrorist attacks by Hamas on the Israel people had “shocked the world”, adding: “We should call it by its name – it was a pogrom.”

Mr Sunak said Britain “stands with Israel” as he again issued support for the country’s “right to defend itself” as it prepares for to “go after Hamas [and] take back hostages” with a ground invasion of Gaza.

Read the full story from Adam Forrest here

At least six Britons killed in Israel and 10 missing, says Rishi Sunak

Prime minister says ‘we stand with British Muslim communities too'

15:57 , Holly Evans

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told the Commons “we stand with British Muslim communities too”.

He said: “I also recognise that this is a moment of great anguish for British Muslim communities who are also appalled by Hamas’s actions but fearful of the response.

“We must listen to these concerns with the same attentiveness. Hamas is using innocent Palestinian people as human shields.”

He added: “We mourn the loss of every innocent life, civilians of every faith, every nationality who have been killed.

“And so, let’s say it plainly, we stand with British Muslim communities too.”

‘Labour stands with Israel, Britain stands with Israel,’ Sir Keir Starmer

15:51 , Holly Evans

Sir Keir Starmer has promised Labour stands with Israel and defended the country’s right to “bring her people home, defend herself and keep its people safe”.

The Labour leader said: “Hamas are not the Palestinian people, and the Palestinian people are not Hamas”.

But he joined Rishi Sunak in calling for Israel to defend itself “in accordance with international law”.

Sir Keir said: “Civilians must not be targeted, innocent lives must be protected. There must be humanitarian corridors.

“There must be humanitarian access, including food, water, electricity and medicines, so that hospitals can keep people alive and so that innocent people do not needlessly die.”

Sunak ‘sickened’ by antisemitic incidents since Hamas attack

15:48 , Holly Evans

Addressing the British Jewish community, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in the Commons: “We stand with you now and always. This atrocity was an existential strike at the very idea of Israel as a safe homeland for the Jewish people.

“I understand why it has shaken you to your core, and I am sickened that antisemitic incidents have increased since the attack.

“We are doing everything we can to protect you.”

He added: “We are working with the police to ensure that hate crime and the glorification of terror is met with the full force of the law.”

He went on: “We stand with the Jewish community.”

Sunak announces £10m extra aid for Palestinian people

15:45 , Holly Evans

Rishi Sunak said the UK government would increase aid to Palestinian people by a third – with an additional £10m of aid going through UN agencies.

“We must support the Palestinian people because they are victims of Hamas too,” he said – saying the terrorist group does not “represent” the people of Gaza.

He called on both Israel and Egypt to open up the Rafah crossing for aid.

“We must ensure humanitarian aid reaches civilians in Gaza – this requires Egypt and Israel to let in the aid that is so badly needed.”

Sunak says ‘We stand with Israel'

15:43 , Holly Evans

Mr Sunak told Parliament: “The families of some of the missing are in the public gallery today. We call for the immediate release of all hostages and I say to them: we stand with you. We stand with Israel.

“The murdered and the missing come from over 30 countries, including the United Kingdom.

“The terrible nature of these attacks means it is proving difficult to identify many of the deceased but with a heavy heart I can inform the House that at least six British citizens were killed.

“A further 10 are missing, some of whom are feared to be among the dead.”

At least six UK citizens killed and 10 missing, says Sunak

15:39 , Holly Evans

Rishi Sunak said at least six UK citizens had been killed in Israel and Palestine, while another 10 were missing.

The PM said the attacks by Hamas had “shocked the world”, adding that: “We should call it by its name – it was a pogrom … We stand with Israel.”

He revealed 500 Britons had been brought back on eight flights – and said the government working on land evacuations. Sunak said he had spoken to the Egyptian president about opening the Rafah crossing to get people out of Gaza.

Labour urges UK government to recognise Gaza humanitarian 'emergency'

15:29 , Holly Evans

Lisa Nandy, Labour’s shadow cabinet minister for international development, has urged the government to treat the situation in Gaza as an “emergency”.

Citing reports from humanitarian groups that they could no longer provide aid in Gaza due to the security situation, Ms Nandy said:“Incredibly concerned to learn from UNRWA that, as of this morning, they are no longer able to provide humanitarian assistance in Gaza.

“Water has almost entirely run out and there is no more capacity to provide shelter. I have today been in contact again with my counterpart Andrew Mitchell. This is an emergency that requires a swift and enhanced response.”

Rishi Sunak set to give statement in Parliament

15:22 , Holly Evans

Prime minister Rishi Sunak is set to deliver a statement in Parliament at 3.30pm, setting out the government’s position on the Israel-Hamas conflict and provide an update on the British citizens killed or missing.

Watch live here

Live: Sunak addresses MPs as Israel expected to launch ground offensive in Gaza

Netanyahu compares Hamas to Nazis in latest address

15:03 , Holly Evans

Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu has described Hamas as “part of the evil axis of Iran and Hezbollah” in his latest address, where he also compared the group to the Nazis.

“There are many questions surrounding the disaster that befell us ten days ago. We will investigate every aspect thoroughly,” he said.

“The nation is united towards one goal, victory. We will triumph because it’s about our very existence in this region, which is fraught with dark forces. Hamas is part of the evil axis of Iran and Hezbollah.

“They aim to plunge the Middle East into an abyss of chaos. Now, many around the world understand who Israel is facing. They comprehend that Hamas represents a new version of Nazism. Just as the world united to defeat the Nazis and ISIS, so it must unite to defeat Hamas

“We are committed to all the families. We will not relent in our efforts to bring our brothers and sisters back.”

Israeli PM warns Iran and Hezbollah not to ‘test us’

14:49 , Holly Evans

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned Iran and Hezbollah not to “test us” in the north.

Mr Netanyahu gave a speech in the Israeli Knesset on Monday in which he said the world needed to unit to defeat Hamas.

He said “this war is also your war,” and he compared Hamas to the Nazis.

Latest pictures from Gaza

14:40 , Holly Evans

Hezbollah destroys Israeli cameras along the Lebanese border

14:26 , Holly Evans

Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group said it has started destroying CCTV cameras on several Israeli army posts along the border as tension rises in light of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Hezbollah’s military media arm released a video showing snipers shooting at and destroying cameras on five points along the Lebanon-Israel border, including one outside the Israeli town of Metula.

The militant group appears to want to prevent the Israeli army from monitoring movements on the Lebanese side of the border after days of fire exchange that left at least seven people dead, including four Hezbollah fighters, on the Lebanese side.

Since the October 7 attack by the Palestinian militant Hamas group on southern Israel, which killed more than 1,400 Israeli civilians and troops, tension has been on the rise along the Lebanon-Israel border.

Hezbollah fighters fired anti-tank missiles on Israeli army positions and Israeli troops shelled border areas on the Lebanese side of the border.

Israel and Hezbollah are bitter enemies who fought a month-long war, in the summer of 2006, which ended in a draw.

Roman Catholic’s representative says he’d offer himself in exchange for Hamas hostages

14:07 , Holly Evans

The Roman Catholic Church’s top representative in the Holy Land has said he would be willing to offer himself in exchange for Hamas’ hostages if it would help bring children home.

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa’s offer wasn’t a formal proposal but a response to a journalist’s hypothetical question. It was unlikely to be considered seriously by Hamas, which is believed to be holding at least 199 people in Gaza after its Oct. 7 incursion into Israel.

Asked on a Zoom briefing Monday with Vatican-based reporters if he would be willing to offer himself for the hostages, Pizzaballa said: “If I’m available for an exchange? Anything, if this could bring about the freedom of children, no problem. My absolute willingness.”

Pizzaballa has been criticized by Israel for an initial responses to the Hamas attack by Christian leaders in Jerusalem. The Israeli government in particular singled out a statement Oct. 7 by the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem, of which Pizzaballa is a part, and statements expressing concern for Palestinian victims in Gaza.

Biden postpones trip to Colorado as conflict in Israel and Gaza widens

13:56 , Holly Evans

President Joe Biden will postpone a trip to Colorado to promote his signature climate law as the war between Israel and Hamas escalates.

The White House released a statement early Monday morning.

“The President’s trip to Colorado is postponed and it will be rescheduled,” an official said. “The President will remain at the White House to participate in national security meetings”

Read more here

Biden postpones trip to Colorado as conflict in Israel and Gaza widens

Why Israel has evacuated residents from its northern border with Lebanon

13:50 , Holly Evans

While Israel is readying its army for an expected ground invasion into Gaza, there have been clashes on the border with Lebanon to the north across the last week.

Israel has activated a plan to evacuate residents of 28 villages within two kilometres (one mile) of the border with Lebanon with the situation having intensified on Sunday. Hezbollah militants firing rockets and an anti-tank missile, and Israel responding with airstrikes and shelling. The Israeli military also reported shooting at one of its border posts.

The fighting killed at least one person on the Israeli side and wounded several on both sides of the border. Days of fire exchange have left at least seven people dead, including four Hezbollah fighters, on the Lebanese side.

Chris Stevenson and Richard Hall have more

Why Israel has evacuated residents from its northern border with Lebanon

BBC should use ‘accurate legal description’ for Hamas, says No 10

13:39 , Holly Evans

There is “no restriction” on the BBC calling Hamas fighters terrorists, Downing Street has said. “The legal position is that Hamas is a proscribed terrorist group – the term terrorist is an accurate legal description,” Rishi Sunak’s spokesman said.

“The BBC has described other attacks as terrorism – 9/11, 7/7, the Bataclan. To put it into context, the attack we witnessed in Israel was the third deadliest terror attack in the world since 1970.”

“So there is no restriction on the BBC using that term … A number of reporting organisations are accurately describing Hamas as a terrorist group. I think accuracy is important in the circumstances.”

Pro-Palestinian ‘paraglider images’ are ‘abhorrent’, says No 10

13:35 , Holly Evans

Rishi Sunak’s official spokesman said it was “abhorrent” that pro-Palestinian protesters reportedly displayed images of Hamas attackers during demonstrations.

It comes after the Metropolitan Police appealed for information about two women who had pictures of paragliders on their jackets at protests in London at the weekend.

The Sunak spokesman said: “It is hard to conceive of a situation where people would want to show support for individuals that committed a terrorist attack which saw children, babies slaughtered. It is hard to put into words.”

No 10 also appeared to suggest there was “much more” the FA could do to show support for Israel and deciding not to light up the arch over Wembley Stadium in the country’s colours.

Asked whether Sunak thought the FA had “fallen short” in its memorials last week, the No 10 official said: “As I say, we think there is much more to do and much more they can be doing to show support.”

No 10 denies UK could be ‘complicit’ with war crimes

13:24 , Holly Evans

Conservative MP Crispin Blunt said at the weekend that the UK could be complicit in war crimes in Gaza it doesn’t try to “restrain” Israel.

Asked about the warning, Rishi Sunak’s spokesman said: “We disagree with that. You’ve heard from the prime minister and foreign secretary about the importance of protecting civilians ...

“It’s vitally important we do not lose sight of the fact it is Hamas’ actions which are endangering Palestinians.”

No 10 said the government was speaking to Egyptian president Abdel Fattah El-Sisi about allowing aid through the border at Rafah to Gaza and allowing UK and other nationals to leave via the route.

Sunak will be speaking today to Mahmoud Abbas, the leader of Palestinian National Authority, and other regional leaders in the days ahead.

‘No restriction’ on BBC calling Hamas terrorists, claims No 10

13:17 , Andy Gregory

There is “no restriction” on the BBC describing Hamas fighters as terrorists, Rishi Sunak’s spokesperson has claimed.

Asked about the broadcaster’s decision not to use the description, Downing Street said: “I think ministers have set out our position on this already. The legal position is that Hamas is a proscribed terrorist group – the term terrorist is an accurate legal description.

“The BBC has described other attacks as terrorism – 9/11, 7/7, the Bataclan. To put it into context, the attack we witnessed in Israel was the third deadliest terror attack in the world since 1970.

“So there is no restriction on the BBC using that term, certainly not from Ofcom who have made it clear that, as long as they meet Ofcom rules on accuracy in news and due impartiality in news, it is for broadcasters to think about very carefully what they use to describe unfolding events.”

President Joe Biden postpones trip to focus on Israel-Hamas conflict

13:11 , Holly Evans

US President Joe Biden has postponed a trip to Colorado to stay in Washington and focus on the growing conflict in the Middle East.

Mr Biden had been heading to the Colorado congressional district of representative Lauren Boebert, where he was to visit CS wind, the world’s largest facility for wind tower manufacturing.

Instead, Mr Biden is expected to hold a series of high-level meetings with aides on Israel and growing humanitarian concerns in Gaza.

He is also weighing up a possible visit to the region in a powerful show of support for Israel following the October 7 attack by Hamas that killed more than 1,400 people, including at least 30 US citizens.

Lebanon PM scrambling to avoid country being pulled into war

13:11 , Andy Gregory

Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister has said the country’s politically paralysed government has been scrambling to ease tensions along its border with Israel and avoid dragging Lebanon into a new war.

Najib Mikati has spoken by phone with heads of state, top diplomats and officials from the United Kingdom, France, Turkey, Qatar, Jordan, United States, and Italy.

“Lebanon is in the eye of the storm, and the region as a whole is in a difficult situation,” Mr Mikati’s office quoted him as saying. The Lebanese government remains critical of Israel, but fears a new war could further devastate its battered economy and put the lives of its approximately 6.5 million people at risk.

There are concerns that the Iran-backed Hezbollah group and its powerful armed forces will ignore concerns from the Lebanese government and escalate once Israel launches a ground invasion. Hezbollah and Israel have clashed along the border across several towns.

The Lebanese army said search operations had led to the discovery of 20 rockets launchers near the Lebanon-Israel border, four of which contained rockets which were ready to be fired. Military experts are working on dismatling them, the army said.

Situation in Gaza is ‘fast-moving and complicated’, says No 10

12:59 , Andy Gregory

Rishi Sunak will provide the latest possible update about British nationals in Gaza this afternoon, Downing Street said, but warned the situation was “fast-moving and complicated”.

Rishi Sunak’s official spokesperson said: “We know that several British nationals sadly have been killed. Others are missing. You can expect the prime minister to provide the latest possible updates on this in his statement later today.

“In the meantime we are assisting families and our thoughts are with those who are facing unimaginable uncertainty and fear because of these despicable attacks.”

Downing Street warns flights from Israel ‘will not necessarily run indefinitely'

12:50 , Andy Gregory

Downing Street has urged British nationals in Israel who wish to leave to come forward as it warned flights “will not necessarily run indefinitely”.

“The commercial flights to some extent continue to run, we facilitated four charter flights for British nationals and their dependents,” the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said.

“Further flights are scheduled today. I think around 400 people have safely departed Israel and landed in the UK and obviously significant numbers have also left via those commercial flights.

“It’s important to note that flights will not necessarily run indefinitely so we would encourage anyone that does still wish to leave to come forward.”

UK schools asking students to cover ‘visible signs of being Jewish’, says Rabbi

12:44 , Holly Patrick

Schools in the UK have been advising students to cover “any visible signs of them being Jewish” if they feel uncomfortable, a Rabbi has said.

David Meyer, CEO of the Partnerships for Jewish Schools Collaboration, spoke to Sky News on Monday, 16 October after a pro-Palestine in London at the weekend. Police are seeking two women who wore images of paragliders at the protest.

Mr Meyer said: “I do not think that any other religion would be given guidance that they should be hiding the way they dress. To see people actually supporting the acts of these terrorists ... raises real questions for us as a society.”

‘My place is here’: Israeli reservists wait for orders at the Gaza border

12:30 , Andy Gregory

In a dispatch from southern Israel, our world affairs editor Kim Sengupta reported yesterday:

The mood among the Israeli troops preparing for combat across the border in Gaza was quiet and reflective as they faced brutal and bloody battles against an enemy ready and waiting.

The overwhelming firepower of the Israeli military should ultimately prevail over Hamas. But the troops waiting to go in know that some of them will not return from the long and attritional campaign that lies ahead.

Many of the young men in this mustering point in the desert do not have the experience of past combat. They are reservists who have come from home and abroad, to serve following the carnage of the Hamas raid last weekend in which families were slaughtered and captives taken away.

These troops will have to learn fast or pay the price as they face situations they have not been exposed to before – facing around 40,000 Islamist fighters, some of whom, at least, will seek the martyrdom they had pledged in the defence of Gaza.

‘My place is here’: Israeli reservists wait for orders at the Gaza border

‘No humanitarian crisis’ in Gaza, says Israeli ambassador

12:21 , Adam Forrest

Asked on Sky News what her country thinks of the humanitarian crisis emerging in Gaza, Israel’s ambassador to the UK Tzipi Hotovely said: “There is no humanitarian crisis.”

She added: “Israel is in charge of the safety of the Israelis. Hamas is in charge of the safety of the Palestinians. This is the time Hamas need to pay the price for its abuse, [for] killing innocent Israelis, and now preventing its own people to evacuate.”

Israel accuses Iran of ordering Hezbollah attacks at Lebanon border

12:15 , Andy Gregory

The Israeli military has accused Iran of ordering attacks by Hezbollah at the Lebanon-Israel border on Sunday.

“Hezbollah carried out a number of shooting attacks in order to distract from our war efforts in the south (Gaza), under Iranian instruction and with (Iranian) support,” chief military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said in a briefing.

Egypt border crossing inoperable not officially closed, claims Cairo

12:12 , Andy Gregory

Egypt has said the Rafah border crossing is not officially closed but is inoperable due to Israeli air strikes on the Gaza side.

“There is an urgent need to alleviate the suffering of Palestinian civilians in Gaza,” Egypt’s foreign minister Sameh Shoukry told reporters, adding that talks with Israel had not been fruitful.

“Until now the Israeli government has not taken a position on opening the Rafah crossing from the Gaza side to allow the entrance of assistance and exit of citizens of third countries.”

Mr Shoukry said Egypt aimed to allow normal flow through the crossing, including for Palestinians seeking medical treatment or normal travel.

Earlier, two Egyptian security sources had told Reuters a ceasefire in southern Gaza to last several hours had been agreed for Monday morning to facilitate aid and evacuations at Rafah.

But Israel denied that, with prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office saying: “There is currently no truce and humanitarian aid in Gaza in exchange for getting foreigners out.” Hamas official Izzat El-Reshiq told Reuters the same.

Glorifying Hamas can mean 14 years in jail, warns Sunak

12:08 , Adam Forrest

Rishi Sunak has warned that glorifying Hamas in the UK can result in long jail sentences.

“Hamas is a proscribed terrorist organisation, it’s very clear under the law, the support and glorification of Hamas is illegal, and those offences are punishable with up to almost 14 years in jail,” the PM said.

Speaking to broadcasters on a visit to a Jewish secondary school in north London, Sunak has told the Jewish community he will do “everything in our power to keep them safe”.

Sunak said ministers are “doing everything we can to provide support” to the British families who have loved ones taken hostage by Hamas.

The PM said the UK was also “making sure that we can try and get the Rafah crossing open [from Gaza into Egypt], that will ease the humanitarian situation”.

Sunak raised need to ‘minimise’ civilian deaths with Netanyahu

12:05 , Adam Forrest

Rishi Sunak said he has raised the need to minimise the impact on civilians in Gaza with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu. But the PM said Hamas was “telling people to stay behind” in the north of Gaza.

“I’ve raised with the Israeli prime minister the need to minimise the impact on civilians as best we can. I’ve raised the humanitarian situation. We will continue to do that with other allies around the region as well.”

He added: “Israel has given people advance notice of what’s happening … and it’s Hamas who is now telling people to stay behind. It’s Hamas that is embedding itself inside civilian populations and that is just example of the barbarity with which they operate.”

Mr Sunak said that Israel’s operations must centre on Hamas. “Nobody wants to see regional escalation. And certainly the Israeli prime minister does not, when I’ve spoken to him."

He said UK surveillance aircraft sent to the eastern Mediterranean last week will help make sure no arm shipments have been sent to other terrorist organisations in the region.

Palestinian prime minister appeals to Israel's Netanyahu: 'We are not animals'

12:02 , Andy Gregory

Palestinian prime minister appeals to Israel's Netanyahu: 'We are not animals'

12:01 , Andy Gregory

UK ‘enabling’ invasion of Gaza, says SNP leader’s wife

11:45 , Andy Gregory

Our political correspondent Adam Forrest reports:

Nadia El-Nakla, wife of Scotland’s first minister and SNP leader Humza Yousaf, has accused the UK government of “enabling” Israel’s invasion of Gaza.

El-Nakla, whose parents remain trapped in Gaza, told a SNP conference event: “The UK is enabling the behaviour of Israel, but gaslighting us at the same time.”

“Israel has one of the strongest and most advanced armies in the world and I’m just not sure why they need more support.”

‘We are on the verge of the abyss in the Middle East,’ says UN chief

11:42 , Andy Gregory

UN chief Antonio Guterres has urged Hamas to immediately release all hostages and for Israel to grant “unimpeded access for humanitarian aid” into the Gaza Strip.

“In this dramatic moment, as we are on the verge of the abyss in the Middle East, it is my duty as secretary-general of the United Nations to make two strong humanitarian appeals,” he said in a statement last night.

On the issue of humanitarian aid, he said: “Our selfless staff on the ground, along with NGO partners, need to be able to bring these supplies into and throughout Gaza safely.”

These objectives should not become bargaining chips and must be implemented, Mr Guterres urged, adding that it is “the right thing to do”.

Israel has not allowed Rafah crossing to open from Gaza, Egypt says

11:36 , Andy Gregory

Egypt’s foreign minister Sameh Shoukry has said the Israeli government is yet to take a stance which allows the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip to open.

Egypt has aimed since the conflict broke out to keep the Rafah crossing operational, Mr Shoukry said, calling the situation faced by the Palestinian people in Gaza “dangerous”.

Devastated father says Muslim son was trying to hug attacker who killed him over Israel-Hamas war

11:00 , Andy Gregory

A six-year-old Palestinian-American boy who was fatally stabbed by his landlord in an anti-Muslim hate crime linked to the Israel-Hamas war was likely trying to “give his attacker a hug” when he was murdered, according to his devastated father.

Joseph Czuba, 71, was arrested on Saturday morning after allegedly stabbing six-year-old Wadea Al-Fayoume 26 times and the little boy’s 32-year-old mother Hanaan Shahin more than 12 times in a shocking attack at a property in Plainfield Township, outside Chicago.

Police said that the boy and his mother were “targeted” due to their Muslim faith and the “on-going Middle Eastern conflict involving Hamas and the Israelis”.

Mr Czuba was charged with a hate crime, as well as first-degree murder, attempted murder, and aggravated battery. My colleague Martha McHardy has more in this report:

Muslim boy, 6, ‘tried to hug’ man who killed him over Israel war: Dad

Richard Madeley compares Gaza civilian deaths to those in Nazi Germany in WWII

10:49 , Andy Gregory

Richard Madeley appeared to compare Palestinian civilian deaths to those in Nazi Germany in the Second World War during a discussion on Good Morning Britain, my colleague Oliver Browning reports.

“When [the Allies] invaded Europe in 1944 and defeated the Nazis by going into Germany and in doing so... quite apart from the bombing campaigns, from the RAF and American air force, a lot of German civilians were killed,” Madeley explained.

“Nobody at the time made any excuses or apologies for that, they just saw it as a necessary evil,” he continued, before questioning if that was a “fair parallel” to be made with the Israeli bombardment and feared ground offensive in Gaza.

“I think we’ve moved on, from those times, haven’t we?” co-host Susanna Reid then asked.

Gaza hospitals running out of fuel reserves, UN warns

10:43 , Andy Gregory

Hospitals across Gaza have only 24 hours more of fuel reserves, putting thousands of patients at risk, the UN humanitarian office OCHA has warned.

At least 2,750 Palestinians have been killed and 9,700 wounded since the conflict erupted with Hamas’s cross-border incursion into Israel last Saturday, the health ministry said. Another 1,000 people were missing and believed to be under rubble.

Health ministry official Ashraf Al-Qidra appealed to people to head to the Shifa hospital, the largest of the territory’s 13 public medical facilities, to donate blood.

“If the hospital stops working, the whole world will be responsible for the lives of hundreds and thousands of patients who rely on our services, especially from Shifa,” he told the Associated Press.

Palestinian homes destroyed in southern city of Khan Younis

10:39 , Andy Gregory

Palestinian citizens have been pictured inspecting the remains of homes destroyed during Israeli raids in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis.

Will Hezbollah, Israel’s Lebanese militant enemy, enter the Gaza conflict?

10:23 , Andy Gregory

As the Israeli army mounted its response to the massacre of hundreds of civilians by Hamas last weekend, it sent tanks and troops not only to the scene of the atrocities, but to its northern border with Lebanon.

It was a recognition, borne from experience, that an all-out offensive against Gaza is unlikely to be contained there. To Israel’s north lies a much more formidable foe, and ally of Hamas, the Lebanese Shia militant group Hezbollah.

Recent skirmishes on the border have heightened the possibility that Hezbollah could enter the fray and widen the conflict beyond Israel’s borders. The group is significantly better equipped than Hamas, with an arsenal of tens of thousands of sophisticated rockets, according to Michael Knights, a fellow at the Washington Institute and expert on Iran-backed militias.

“Israel says the Hamas attack involved about 1,500 commandos entering Israel: Israel has assessed that Hezbollah has a 45,000-strong regular army,” he told The Independent.

Our correspondent Richard Hall has more:

Will Hezbollah, Israel’s Lebanese militant enemy, enter the Gaza conflict?

Sunak vows to do ‘everything in our power’ to keep Jewish community safe

10:21 , Andy Gregory

Rishi Sunak has told the Jewish community he will do “everything in our power to keep them safe” as police review footage of some “not acceptable” incidents.

Speaking to broadcasters on a visit to a Jewish secondary school in north London, the prime minister said: “We’ve spent time with the police to make sure they have all the tools, powers and guidance they need to police protests over the weekend appropriately, and strike that right balance.

“It’s a difficult job, but I’m grateful to them for everything that they’ve done. They’ve made several arrests, but they’re also now reviewing footage of some of the things that many people would have seen that are just simply not acceptable and where they can they will be able to make further arrests.

“I’m determined to ensure that our Jewish community is able to feel safe on our streets, that there is no place in our society for antisemitism and we will do everything we can to stamp it out and where it happens, it will be met with the full force of the law.”

Rishi Sunak to make Commons statement on escalating Israel-Gaza crisis

10:07 , Andy Gregory

Rishi Sunak will address MPs today about the escalating crisis in Israel and Gaza, and is making a visit to reiterate his government’s support for the Jewish community and “zero-tolerance for antisemitic abuse”.

The prime minister’s statement to parliament will reiterate “the UK’s total condemnation of Hamas’ attack” last weekend and will set out the government’s approach to the developing crisis”, No 10 said.

Mr Sunak will outline the assistance the UK is providing to Israel, efforts to support British nationals caught up in the violence, and its response to the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Pictured: UN-flagged fuel trucks move towards Egypt border

09:56 , Andy Gregory

Several UN-flagged fuel trucks in Gaza have been spotted driving south towards the Eygptian border, amid talk of a possible deal to allow foreign citizens to leave the enclave and for aid to be brought in.

Israel says nearly 200 held captive in Gaza as feared hostage count rises

09:37 , Andy Gregory

Hamas and other Palestinian militants are holding 199 hostages in Gaza, the Israeli military has said.

Previous estimates had put the number of hostages at 130.

Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, a military spokesperson, did not specify whether that number includes foreigners, or say who is holding them. Most are believed to be held by Hamas.

The families have been notified, he said.

Israel's UK ambassador compares their 24-hour warning to Dresden bombings

09:28 , Andy Gregory

‘Almost inevitable’ civilians ‘will be very badly affected’ by Gaza military operation

09:19 , Andy Gregory

It is “almost inevitable” that the operation in Gaza will see an “innocent civilian population that is very badly affected”, the UK’s armed forces minister James Heappey has said.

“I think you have to be clear that international law allows Israel to prosecute a mission that is legal, proportionate and necessary, and that, I’m afraid, does not necessarily mean that Israel has to be able to guarantee that there will be no civilian loss of life,” he told ITV’s Good Morning Britain.

“It is almost inevitable, given the complexity of the mission, that there will be (an) innocent civilian population that is very badly affected. I just don’t think there’s any point pretending otherwise.”

Asked about the possibility of opening the Rafah crossing into Egypt for people fleeing Gaza, Mr Heappey welcomed the prospect but said it is important to “sound a note of caution that the reports might be more optimistic than reality”.

UN-flagged trucks ‘driving towards Egypt border'

09:16 , Andy Gregory

Several UN-flagged trucks were leaving the southern Gaza Strip in the direction of a meeting point of the Palestinian enclave’s borders with Israel and Egypt, a Reuters employee has said.

The trucks initially appeared to be en route to the Rafah crossing on the Gaza-Egypt border but their course later appeared to take them in the direction of Kerem Shalom, an Israeli border crossing close to the Egyptian frontier.

UK encouraging Israel to balance military and humanitarian imperatives, minister says

08:39 , Andy Gregory

The UK is encouraging Israel to ensure it balances military and humanitarian efforts, armed forces minister James Heappey has said.

Asked whether the government supports the blockade of water, medical supplies and power from Gaza, he told LBC: “I think what we are recognising is that there is military necessity rubbing up against humanitarian necessity and what we’re saying to Israel is that they need and are, need to show the balance between those two imperatives.”

Echoing US secretary of state Antony Blinken, Mr Heappey said democracies hold themselves to a “higher standard” and “of course we are encouraging Israel to make sure it does hold itself to that higher standard”.

He added: “It is the devil’s own choice that Israel has got to make but for my money they are balancing correctly the need to preserve innocent human life as best they possibly can while accepting that the adversary that they will soon launch an attack on, uses humans and shields and deliberately seeks to hide within civilian population and infrastructure.”

No truth to reports of border opening, Hamas official says

08:27 , Andy Gregory

A Hamas official has told Reuters that there is no truth to reports about the opening of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt or a temporary ceasefire.

Egyptian security sources had previously told Reuters that an agreement had been reached to open the border crossing to allow aid into the enclave from 9am local time.

400,000 displaced Palestinians sheltering in UN schools and buildings

08:14 , Athena Stavrou

More than 400,000 Palestinians have taken shelter in UN schools and buildings, say UN agency.

The UNRWA, the UN’s Agency for Palestine Refugees, added that they are mourning the loss of 14 of their colleagues since Israeli air strikes began.

They wrote in a post on X: “At least 400,000 people are now displaced in our schools & buildings in Gaza.

“Old people, children, pregnant women, people with disabilities are just being deprived of their basic human dignity. This is a total disgrace.”

Palestinian death toll rises to 2,750

08:02 , Athena Stavrou

The number of Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks since October 7 has risen to 2,750, according to the Gaza health ministry.

This has increased from the 2,670 Palestinians reported to have been killed last night. They added that 9,700 Palestinians have now been wounded in the attacks.

The number of Israelis killed in Hamas’ military operation stands at 1,400.

Israel moves to evacuate villages on Lebanon border

07:57 , Athena Stavrou

Israel has activated a plan to evacuate residents of 28 villages within 2 km of the Lebanese border, the military said on Monday following hostilities with Hezbollah in parallel to the spiraling war in Gaza.

One of the villages, Shtula, came under a Hezbollah missile attack on Sunday. Israeli media said a civilian was killed Reuters reports.

Malaysia PM ‘does not agree’ with Western pressure to condemn Hamas

07:54 , Athena Stavrou

Malaysia does not agree with Western pressure to condemn Palestinian militant group Hamas, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Monday, amid widespread outrage over this month’s deadly attack on southern Israel.

Western and European countries have repeatedly asked Malaysia to condemn Hamas in meetings, Anwar said, without providing details.

“I said that we, as a policy, have a relationship with Hamas from before and this will continue,” Anwar told parliament. “As such, we don’t agree with their pressuring attitude, as Hamas too won in Gaza freely through elections and Gazans chose them to lead.”

Muslim-majority Malaysia has long been a vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause and has advocated for a two-state solution to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. It does not have diplomatic relations with Israel.

Reports of ceasefires being implemented in southern Gaza

07:27 , Athena Stavrou

There have been reports of a ceasefire being implemented in southern Gaza this morning to coincide with the re-opening of the Rafah border crossing, two Egyptian security sources said on Monday.

According to Reuters, Egypt, Israel and the U.S. agreed to a ceasefire in southern Gaza beginning at 6am GMT as the Egyptian-controlled border crossing opened.

However, both Israel and Hamas officials denied knowledge of the ceasefire.

“There is currently no truce and humanitarian aid in Gaza in exchange for getting foreigners out,” a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said 30 minutes after the initial reports.

The head of the Hamas media office says they have no information about a humanitarian truce being agreed in southern Gaza, according to Reuters. Salama Marouf, head of the Hamas government media office, said they have received no confirmation from the Egyptian side about intentions to open the crossing.

The Egyptian sources said the ceasefire would last for several hours but they were not clear on the exact duration. They also said the three countries had agreed that Rafah would be open until 2pm GMT on Monday as a one-day initial re-opening.

Rafah, which is on the border between Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula and Hamas-governed Gaza, is the only crossing into the territory not controlled by Israel.

Reuters images showed aid trucks from Egyptian NGOs in the Sinai town of Al-Arish on Monday morning, waiting for permission to make the hours-long trip to Rafah.

Assistance that had come from several countries and organisations has been stalled in al-Arish awaiting an agreement on the delivery of aid and evacuation of foreign nationals from Gaza, which U.S. Secretary of State Blinken said had been achieved after a visit to Cairo.

Asked for confirmation, the U.S. Embassy in Israel had no immediate comment, Reuters reports.

Yousaf’s wife calls on world to act and stop ‘unimaginable horror’ in Gaza

07:12 , Namita Singh

The wife of Scotland’s first minister has called on world leaders to “give the children of Gaza a chance of life” as she spoke of her “complete despair” at the situation in the region.

Nadia El-Nakla said she fears the city where her family has a home is being “obliterated” as Israel seeks retaliation for an attack by the Palestinian terror group Hamas.

Her parents are currently trapped in Gaza after travelling there from Scotland recently to visit family, and Ms El-Nakla spoke about the situation as the start of the SNP conference in Aberdeen on Sunday.

Report:

Yousaf’s wife calls on world to act and stop ‘unimaginable horror’ in Gaza

Evacuation of Gaza a ‘death sentence’ for 2,000 sick and injured Palestinians in hospital, says WHO

07:00 , Tom Watling

The World Health Organisation has warned that Israel’s order to evacuate north Gaza could be a “death sentence” for the more than 2,000 patients, including babies in incubators, in hospitals across the besieged strip.

Israel has ordered the population of the north of the 42km-long territory to move south ahead of an expected ground invasion: a move that could amount to the war crime of forcible transfer, according to some rights groups.

The order has piled panic on the population of more than two million people, who are already struggling under a “total siege” imposed by Israel, in response to a deadly attack by Hamas militants that has killed over 1,000 people.

Doctors in the evacuation zone said because they couldn’t relocate patients safely, they decided to stay as well to care for them.

Read the full report from Bel Trew in Tel Aviv below.

Gaza exodus a ‘death sentence’ for 2,000 Palestinians in hospital, says WHO

Senior UN relief official calls for ‘immediate unconditional’ access for life- saving aid in Gaza

06:27 , Namita Singh

Responding to the rapidly escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza, multiple UN agencies are preparing to deliver life-saving stocks including food and medical supplies.

Yet the Israeli authorities have linked access for humanitarian assistance with the release of hostages held by Hamas since the militant group launched its deadly 7 October terror attack, Lynn Hastings, the UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, told UN News.

“They have said they want to destroy Hamas, but their current trajectory is going to destroy Gaza,” Ms Hastings said in an interview with UN News on Sunday.

Calling for the unconditional and immediate release of hostages being held by Hamas, she also urged “immediate unconditional access” into Gaza for the delivery of lifesaving aid.

She warned: “We are anticipating that there won’t be any more water left, if not tomorrow, at the very latest by Tuesday.”

Israeli military denies attack civilians in Gaza

06:12 , Namita Singh

The Israel Defence Forces have denied attacking civilians in Gaza.

“We strike Hamas, we strike their infrastructure and we are hunting their commanders,” said IDF spokesperson Jonathan Conricus in his morning update. “Categorically we are not trying to strike civilians.”

He also denied responsibility for strike on a civilian convoy of evacuees that was hit by a deadly airstrike, killing 70 on Friday.

‘Big mistake’: Biden warns Israel against occupying Gaza

06:08 , Namita Singh

An Israeli occupation of Gaza would be a “big mistake”, US president Joe Biden said in an interview with 60 Minutes on CBS on Sunday.

“I think it’d be a big mistake. Look, what happened in Gaza, in my view, is Hamas and the extreme elements of Hamas don’t represent all the Palestinian people. And I think that it would be a mistake for Israel to occupy Gaza again,” he said.

Six-year-old boy killed in anti-Muslim attack in the US

06:06 , Namita Singh

A six-year-old Palestinian-American boy was fatally stabbed and his mother was wounded by their landlord in an anti-Muslim hate crime linked to the Israel-Hamas war, police in Illinois say.

The boy, named by his father as Wadea Al-Fayoume, was stabbed 26 times and his 32-year-old mother, Hanaan Shahin, more than 12 times in the shocking attack at a property in Plainfield Township, outside Chicago, on Saturday morning.

“Detectives were able to determine that both victims in this brutal attack were targeted by the suspect due to them being Muslim and the on-going Middle Eastern conflict involving Hamas and the Israelis,” Will County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.

Report:

Six-year-old Palestinian-American boy killed in anti-Muslim hate crime, police say

James Cleverly and David Lammy embrace after pair discuss Israel-Palestine

06:00 , Tom Watling

Egypt crossing may open for Gazans fleeing Israeli attack

05:52 , Namita Singh

The Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza will open at 9am local time today, said the US Embassy in Israel.

“We anticipate that the situation at the Rafah crossing will remain fluid and unpredictable and it is unclear whether, or for how long, travelers will be permitted to transit the crossing ,” the embassy said on Monday.

“If you assess it to be safe, you may wish to move closer to the Rafah border crossing – there may be very little notice if the crossing opens and it may only open for a limited time.”

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken yesterday announced that “Rafah will be open” after meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.

In video: Israeli police officer threatens reporter live on air

05:38 , Namita Singh

Watch: Israeli police officer threatens reporter live on air

Police appeal to find women at pro-Palestine march who wore paraglider pictures after Hamas massacre

05:25 , Namita Singh

Police want to find two women who were seen wearing images of paragliders at a pro-Palestine march in London on Saturday.

Thousands of people attended the demonstration in the capital, marching in solidarity with Palestinians trapped in Gaza as the Israeli army bombards the territory.

Pictures and footage of two people attending the event were shared on social media after it appeared they had images of paragliders taped to their shoulders, reports Lydia Patrick:

Police appeal to find women at pro-Palestine march who wore paraglider pictures

Evacuation of Gaza a ‘death sentence’ for 2,000 sick and injured Palestinians in hospital, says WHO

05:24 , Namita Singh

The World Health Organisation has warned that Israel’s order to evacuate north Gaza could be a “death sentence” for the more than 2,000 patients, including babies in incubators, in hospitals across the besieged strip.

Israel has ordered the population in the northern part of the 42km-long territory to move south ahead of an expected ground invasion: a move that could amount to the war crime of forcible transfer, according to some rights groups.

The order has piled panic on the population of more than two million people, who are already struggling under a “total siege” imposed by Israel, in response to a deadly attack by Hamas militants that has killed over 1,000 people.

Our international correspondent Bel Trew reports from Tel Aviv:

Gaza exodus a ‘death sentence’ for 2,000 Palestinians in hospital, says WHO

Biden insists US can 'take care' of two wars at same time in Israel and Ukraine

05:23 , Namita Singh

Joe Biden has strongly insisted that the US can be involved in two wars in Israel and Ukraine at the same time as the conflict in the Middle East continues to deepen.

“We’re the United States of America for God’s sake. The most powerful nation in the history of the world,” the president told Scott Pelley in a 60 Minutes interview that aired on Sunday night.

“We can take care of both of these and still maintain our overall international defence. We have the capacity to do this and we have an obligation to, we are the “essential nation” to paraphrase the former Secretary of State. And if we don’t then who does?”

Mr Biden has been resolute in his support for Israel and its military action towards Hamas since the bloody attacks on the country on 7 October, and has repositioned naval assets closer to the conflict in the eastern Mediterranean.

My colleague Graeme Massie has more:

Biden insists US can back two wars at the same time in Israel and Ukraine

Israeli tanks mass on border ahead of ‘imminent invasion’

05:15 , Namita Singh

Thousands of Israeli forces have massed on the border with Gaza ahead of an “imminent” invasion as the deadline for Palestinian civilians to flee southwards expired on Saturday afternoon.

Israel has called up some 360,000 military reserves ahead of the anticipated offensive, while tanks and heavy weaponry have also been brought to the border as airstrikes continue to pound the besieged enclave.

Read this joint report from Bel Trew and Tom Watling:

Israeli tanks mass on border ahead of ‘imminent invasion’

Biden says Hamas must be eliminated but supports two-state solution

05:07 , Namita Singh

Joe Biden says that Hamas must be entirely eliminated but that he supports a two-state solution creating a country for the Palestinian people.

The president spoke about the escalating violence between Israel and Hamas during a Sunday night interview for 60 Minutes on CBS, and was asked by Scott Pelley if he believed Hamas should be “eliminated.”

“Yes, I do. But there needs to be a Palestinian authority. There needs to be a path to a Palestinian state,” said Mr Biden.

My colleague Graeme Massie reports:

Biden says Hamas must be eliminated but supports two-state solution

Sunak to address MPs as Israeli invasion of Gaza looms

05:00 , Namita Singh

Rishi Sunak will address MPs on Monday about the escalating crisis in Israel and Gaza, as politicians return to Westminster amid renewed conflict in the Middle East.

Palestinians in Gaza remain braced for an imminent Israeli invasion, a week after Hamas militants launched a deadly assault on the country.

The prime minister is expected to make a visit on Monday morning to re-iterate his government’s support for the Jewish community, after a weekend that saw growing international efforts to stop the conflict escalating further.

Report:

Sunak to address MPs as Israeli invasion of Gaza looms

Hundreds attend London vigil to call for children kidnapped by Hamas to be freed

05:00 , Tom Watling

Hundreds marched to a central London memorial on Sunday to commemorate Israeli victims of the Hamas attack and beg for kidnap victims to be freed.

Many were draped in Israeli flags and posters saying “bring them home” with names and faces of hostages captured by Hamas handed out to attendees for Sunday’s march.

Police officers could be seen patrolling the peaceful event in Parliament Square, Westminster which came the day after a pro-Palestine rally.

You can read the full story below.

Hundreds attend vigil for victims and children kidnapped by Hamas

Thousands take part in pro-Palestinian rally in Belfast

04:53 , Namita Singh

Thousands of people have marched through the centre of Belfast as part of a pro-Palestinian demonstration.

Insults were exchanged as a small group carrying Israeli flags confronted the rally as it arrived at the City Hall.

The rally gathered at Writer’s Square in Belfast on Sunday and numbers swelled as it marched along Royal Avenue, with participants carrying flags and chanting pro-Palestinian slogans.

The PSNI mounted a significant security operation which included closing many of the main arterial roads in the city centre.

As the rally neared City Hall, a small number of people stood in front of the gates carrying Israel flags.

There were angry scenes as the two sets of demonstrators exchanged insults and police moved in to keep them apart.

A PSNI spokesperson said: “Police deployed a number of officers in response to a notified parade in Belfast.

“During the parade, a small number of people were spoken to about their behaviour, which calmed the situation.

“There were no further incidents.”

Taking part in the pro-Palestinian rally was Dr Raied Al-Wazzan from the Northern Ireland Council for Racial Equality.

He said: “We need to send a message to the Palestinian people that we support you, we are with you, we are against the bombardment of civilian people.

“We are against the blockade of Gaza.

Hundreds attend London vigil to call for children kidnapped by Hamas to be freed

04:45 , Namita Singh

Hundreds marched to a central London memorial on Sunday to commemorate Israeli victims of the Hamas attack and beg for kidnap victims to be freed.

Many were draped in Israeli flags and posters saying “bring them home” with the names and faces of hostages captured by Hamas handed out to attendees of the march.

Police officers could be seen patrolling the peaceful event in Parliament Square which came the day after a pro-Palestine rally.

Read the details here:

Hundreds attend vigil for victims and children kidnapped by Hamas

Thousands stage largest anti-Israel march in Morocco since normalisation

04:44 , Namita Singh

Thousands marched in Rabat on Sunday in support of Palestinians under siege in Gaza, in the biggest anti-Israeli protest since the 2020 normalisation of diplomatic relations.

At the march, organised by Islamists and leftist groups, protesters chanted: “Palestine is resisting” and “All against normalisation” as they burned an Israeli flag.

“I denounce the double standards of many Western governments regarding Palestinians,” said Charki Lahrech at the protest, saying some nations were turning a blind eye to Israel’s retaliatory strikes after the attack by Hamas militants.

“You cannot denounce Hamas acts and look away from Israeli killing of civilians including children, women and the elderly ... This is a message of solidarity with the Palestinian people to tell them you are not alone.”

Morocco, which has a defence cooperation pact with Israel, backs a two-state solution in the Middle East and has urged peace and protection of all civilians.

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