That's the end of our live coverage for today, thanks for reading. We'll be back again at 09:00CET on Sunday morning with all the latest developments. For now, read our live blog below to see how events unfolded on Saturday:
${title}
Live ended
Summary
Israel has instructed all 1.1 million Palestinians in north Gaza to leave, including those in hospitals. That figure is around half the strip's population
The UN warns Israel's evacuation plan would have "devastating humanitarian consequences"
At least 2,215 Palestinians, including 724 children, have been killed and thousands more wounded in Israeli air attacks on Gaza
The number of people killed in Israel has reached over 1,300, with more than 3,400 wounded
Gaza hospitals are reportedly overwhelmed - and say 60% of casualties women and children
Human Rights Watch has accused Israel of using white phosphorus munitions in its military operations in Gaza and Lebanon
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warns this is 'just the beginning'
Two civilians killed in Israeli bombing in southern Lebanon - local mayor
Two Lebanese civilians have been killed in an Israeli bombardment in Chebaa, in southern Lebanon, the village's mayor, Mohammad Harb, told AFP on Saturday.
“A man and his wife were killed in their house by an Israeli bombardment,” he said.
Exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and the Israeli army have intensified for several days in this region at the border between the two countries.
(AFP)
Blinken seeks China’s help to prevent spread of Israel Hamas war - State Department
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has called on Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to seek China’s help in preventing the Israel-Hamas war from spreading.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Blinken called Wang on Saturday from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to ask China to use whatever influence it has in the Middle East to keep other countries and groups from entering the conflict.
Miller would not say which countries and groups the US believes Beijing has influence with but China is known to have close trade and political ties with Iran, which in turn supports Hamas and Lebanon’s Hezbollah group.
Miller declined to characterize Wang’s response, but said the US believes it and China have a shared interest in Middle East stability.
(AP)
The war against Hamas must be waged with 'the greatest respect' for the humanitarian situation - Germany
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called on Saturday for the war against Hamas to be waged with "the greatest respect" for the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
“The fight against Hamas must be carried out with the greatest respect for the humanitarian situation of innocent women, children and men,” Baerbock said following a meeting with her Egyptian counterpart in Cairo.
(AFP)
Israel-Hamas war: Cyprus welcomes refugees from Israel
Cyprus has been welcoming a constant flow of refugees from Israel, evacuated by boats or planes, since the Hamas attack on October 7, Cypriot officials said on Saturday.
Hundreds of foreign nationals arrived this week from Israel aboard military flights or cruise ships to the island of Cyprus, some 250km from the Israeli coast.
Cypriot authorities expect more arrivals in the coming days, including US nationals who will fly in.
A liner is also expected at the port of Limassol, in the south of the island.
According to the Cypriot news site Philenews, some 2,100 people, having boarded a ship leaving from the Israeli port of Haifa, are expected on Sunday, while another ship is also heading towards the island.
On Friday, a boat leaving from Haifa carrying 300 European nationals, mainly Hungarian, docked in the Cypriot port of Larnaca in the south.
Some 150 Israelis are expected to board this ship to return to Israel.
Commercial flights between Cyprus and Israel have been suspended.
(AFP)
Israeli PM visits troops near Gaza
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has paid a visit to Israeli ground forces stationed near the conflict-hit Gaza Strip.
“With our fighters in the Gaza Strip, on the front line. We are all ready,” he wrote on X - formerly Twitter - alongside pictures and videos of his visit.
עם הלוחמים שלנו בעוטף עזה, בקו החזית. כולנו מוכנים.
(צילום: אבי אוחיון, לע״מ) pic.twitter.com/TiGzHcWhPK
— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) October 14, 2023
IN PICTURES: Thousands of Palestine supporters march in London
Thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators take to the streets in London
Thousands of people have demonstrated in central London on Saturday, under heavy police surveillance, in support of the Palestinian people.
Contrary to bans in France and Germany, the London march was authorised - but the police had warned that they would arrest anyone showing support for Hamas.
The procession set off from Regent Street in front of the BBC headquarters, with numerous Palestinian flags and signs reading “Freedom for Palestine”, “Stop the massacre in Gaza” and demanding sanctions against Israel.
The police and the government had deployed more than 1,000 officers.
The move came as authorities recorded an increase in anti-Semitic acts over the past week and a young woman was arrested on Friday.
She was suspected of having displayed his support for Hamas who are classified as a terrorist organization in the United Kingdom.
The British are very divided on the issue: according to a YouGov poll, 22% think that the United Kingdom should be more critical of Israel, while 16% would like stronger support for the Jewish state.
(AFP)
Reports of exchange of fire with Israeli troops - Hezbollah TV
Hezbollah’s TV station has reported an intense exchange of fire along Lebanon’s border with Israeli positions in a disputed area along the border with Syria’s Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
Al-Manar TV reported that Hezbollah fighters pounded Israeli positions in the Chebaa Farms and Kfar Chouba hills area on Saturday.
It was the latest exchange of shelling between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters since last Saturday following Hamas’ attack on southern Israel.
Israel’s military said that it was striking Lebanon after coming under fire from Hezbollah. Chebaa Farms was captured by Israel from Syria during the 1967 Mideast war, but Lebanon considers it and the nearby Kfar Chouba hills as Lebanese territories.
Golan Heights were annexed by Israel in 1981.
(AP)
Avoiding a 'generalised' crisis is still possible - Head of Iranian diplomacy
The head of Iranian diplomacy has suggested that it is still possible to avoid a "generalised crisis", against a backdrop of fear of regional conflagration since the attack carried out by Palestinian Hamas against Israel on October 7.
“There is still a political opportunity to avoid a generalized crisis in the region,” said Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.
“Perhaps it will be too late in the coming hours,” he warned.
The Israeli state and the United States fear the opening of a second front in northern Israel on the border with Lebanon, especially if Hezbollah, supported by Iran, decides to intervene in the war between their Islamist ally Hamas and Israel.
Speaking from the Iranian Embassy in Beirut, Amir-Abdollahian reiterated that Iran's regional allies (Syria, Hezbollah, Hamas, among others), known informally as the "Axis of resistance", could react in the event of an escalation of the Israeli offensive in Gaza.
“The resistance (to Israel, editor’s note), on other fronts, has placed all possible scenarios before it, it has its finger on the trigger,” he added.
(AFP)
Palestinian Hamas leader accuses Israel of 'war crimes' in Gaza
Hamas leader Ismaïl Haniyeh has accused Israel of committing "war crimes" in the Gaza Strip, a densely populated strip of Palestinian land, constantly shelled by the Israeli army since Hamas' bloody attack against Israel last Saturday.
“Israeli atrocities constitute war crimes and flagrant violations of international law,” Mr. Haniyeh wrote in an open letter addressed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, according to a statement on the website of the Palestinian Islamist movement.
(AFP)
Beijing calls on Washington to play a “responsible role” in the Israel/Gaza conflict
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday that Washington must "play a constructive and responsible role" in the conflict between Israel and Gaza, during a telephone conversation with his American counterpart Antony Blinken.
“The United States must concretely play a constructive and responsible role, putting the issue of a political settlement back on the table as soon as possible,” Wang Yi told Antony Blinken, according to a statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
(AFP)
Nine hostages killed by Israeli strikes in the last 24 hours - Hamas
At least five Israelis and four foreigners held hostage by Hamas in the Gaza Strip have been killed by Israeli strikes in the past 24 hours, the military wing of the Palestinian Islamist movement said on Saturday.
They were killed by “strikes on the places where the prisoners were held,” said the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades in a press release, without giving further details.
These new deaths bring to 22 the number of Hamas hostages killed in raids since the start of the war a week ago, according to Hamas.
More than 150 Israelis, foreigners and dual nationals were taken hostage by Hamas on October 7, according to the Israeli government.
(AFP)
Gaza hospital given new evacuation deadline
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society - the sister of The Red Cross - says they have received an order from Israeli forces, stating a new deadline to evacuate its Al-Quds hospital in Gaza City.
Israel now say they must leave the premises by 1pm (4pm local time), according to a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter).
They added that an initial deadline was given for 3am (6am local time).
The association maintains, however, that they cannot evacuate the hospital as they are obliged under a humanitarian mandate to continue providing services to the sick and the wounded currently residing there.
PRCS Statement on Al Quds Hospital Evacuation order.#Gaza_Under_Attack#NotATarget pic.twitter.com/4QGIFAAUAo
— PRCS (@PalestineRCS) October 14, 2023
UN says its Gaza shelters 'are not safe anymore'
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has said its shelters in Gaza “are not safe anymore”, calling the situation “unprecedented”.
In a statement posted on X - formerly Twitter - the agency wrote: “Wars have rules. Civilians, hospitals, schools, clinics & UN premises cannot be a target".
“We are sparing no effort to advocate with parties to the conflicts to meet their obligations under international law to protect civilians including those seeking refuge in UNRWA shelters,” they added.
🛑STATEMENT 👇@UNRWA calls on the Israeli Authorities to protect all civilians who have been sheltering in @UNRWA premises across the📍#GazaStrip including those in northern Gaza and Gaza city.
— UNRWA (@UNRWA) October 14, 2023
Journalist killed in southern Lebanon - Lebanese army accuses Israel
The Lebanese army on Saturday accused Israel of being responsible for the shooting that killed a Reuters journalist and injured several others, including two from the AFP, on Friday in southern Lebanon.
“The Israeli enemy fired a rocket that targeted a civilian press car, which led to the death of video journalist Issam Abdallah” and injured several other journalists, according to an army statement.
(AFP)
Qatar warns Israel against collective punishment over evacuation
The Qatari foreign ministry has released a statement on X - formerly Twitter - saying that the state rejects attempts by Israeli leaders to “forcibly displace” Palestinians from Gaza.
Qatar Announces Its Categorical Rejection of the Attempts to Forcibly Displace the Palestinian People from Gaza Strip#MOFAQatar pic.twitter.com/V7LMSSdtPN
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Qatar (@MofaQatar_EN) October 14, 2023
Egyptian humanitarian aid for Gaza arrives in Sinai
Egyptian charities on Saturday have sent over 100 trucks carrying 1,000 tons of humanitarian aid including food and other supplies to the Palestinian people in Gaza, local media reported.
The aid will stay in Sinai until a deal is secured with Israel to allow the delivery of it into the besieged territory.
(AP)
Foreign ministers from OIC to meet in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia has called an urgent meeting of foreign ministers from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, a 57-member bloc of Muslim countries.
The OIC said in a statement on Saturday that the meeting will “address the escalating military situation in Gaza and its environs as well as the deteriorating conditions that endanger the lives of civilians and the overall security and stability of the region.”
The meeting is set to take place on Wednesday in Jeddah.
(AP)
UNICEF calls for immediate cease-fire and humanitarian access into Gaza
The UN children’s agency is calling for an immediate cease-fire and humanitarian access into the Gaza Strip, saying hundreds of thousands of children and their families have started fleeing northern Gaza.
UNICEF said children and families in Gaza have practically run out of food, water, electricity, medicine and safe access to hospitals, following days of hostilities and cuts to all supply routes.
“The situation is catastrophic, with unrelenting bombing and a massive increase in the displacement of children and families. There are no safe places,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.
UNICEF said its staff have continued to respond to the critical needs of children across the Gaza Strip, but access is becoming increasingly difficult and dangerous.
The agency has assured that UNICEF staff will stay in southern Gaza to continue to provide support for children in need.
(AP)
Hospital patients spent part of the night on the street in Gaza, medical aid group says
Patients and medical staff of Al Awda Hospital in Gaza spent part of their night on the street “with bombs landing in close proximity,” following Israel’s orders to evacuate the facility, the medical aid group Doctors Without Borders (also known as Médecins Sans Frontières) have said.
Scott Hamilton, a spokesman for the aid group said some of the medical staff and all patients have been moved to another location.
“But the situation remains extremely complicated and chaotic,” he told The Associated Press, adding, “We call on Israel once again to cease the indiscriminate bloodshed - withdraw their ultimatum.”
(AP)
Protesters cover BBC's London HQ in red paint
Protesters have targeted the BBC's London headquarters, daubing it in red paint.
Videos and images shared on social media show the entrance to the building closed off, with metal 'cleaning in progress' warning signs.
London's Metropolitan Police say the incident has not been linked to any protest group.
"We are aware of criminal damage to a building in Portland Place, W1A," they said in a statement, adding, "at this stage there is no suggestion this is linked to any protest group".
Just arrived at work. This is the front entrance to BBC this morning pic.twitter.com/BHkyAtKZWF
— Victoria Derbyshire (@vicderbyshire) October 14, 2023
Israel recommends that northern Gaza population 'do not delay' evacuation
The Israeli army has recommended to the population of Gaza City "not to delay" in evacuating their homes and moving towards the south of the territory before the launch of a military offensive.
Reports say that roads in the north are already congested.
There is a “slot from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.” on Saturday, army spokesperson Richard Hecht told reporters, without specifying a deadline.
“We know this is going to take time, but we recommend that people should not wait,” he added.
(AFP)
Israel says it hit militants trying to cross from Lebanon
The Israeli army said Saturday that it had struck militants trying to infiltrate Israel from Lebanon.
The Israel Defence Forces released infra-red footage on Friday showing what they say are the strikes on militants attempting to cross the Israel border from Lebanon. It was not clear which group the alleged militants belonged to. On Friday, Hezbollah said its fighters fired several rockets at four Israeli positions along the border and the Israeli army said it had attacked Hezbollah targets with drone strikes.
“The Lebanese government bears responsibility for every attack launched from Lebanon towards our sovereignty. Anyone who tries to cross the border into our lands will be killed,” the Israeli military’s Arabic spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, said in a statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
(AP)
Agreement reached to allow foreigners to leave Gaza amid mass Palestinian evacuation from north
Egypt, Israel and the United States have agreed to allow foreigners in Gaza to pass through the Rafah border crossing into Egypt, a senior Egyptian official says.
The official said Saturday that Israel has agreed to refrain from striking areas the foreigners would pass through on their way out of the besieged Palestinian territory. He said Qatar also was involved in the negotiations and the participants received also approval from the Palestinian militant groups, Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
A second official at the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing point said they received “instructions” to reopen it on Saturday afternoon for foreigners coming from Gaza.
The first official said negotiations were still underway to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza through the crossing point.
Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media.
(AP)
IDF name Hamas commander they have ‘eliminated’
Israel’s military (IDF) have announced that Hamas commander Ali Qadi, who led the October 7 attacks on Israel, has been “eliminated".
Taking to X - formerly Twitter - the IDF warned: "all Hamas terrorists will meet the same fate".
Ali Qadi led the inhumane, barbaric October 7 massacre of civilians in Israel.
We just eliminated him.
All Hamas terrorists will meet the same fate.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 14, 2023
‘A matter of life and death’ in Gaza as water runs out - UNRWA
The UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) has announced that more than two million people are at risk in Gaza as water supplies run out.
“It has become a matter of life and death. It is a must; fuel needs to be delivered now into Gaza to make water available for 2 million people,” Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General said in a statement.
“Clean water is running out in Gaza, after its water plant and public water networks stopped working. People are now forced to use dirty water from wells, increasing risks of waterborne diseases”, he added.
The urgent appeal comes following the Israeli government's decision to cut off water, food and fuel from the besieged enclave.
Gaza has had no electricity since Wednesday, which has had a knock-on effect on the water supply.
“We need to truck fuel into Gaza now. Fuel is the only way for people to have safe drinking water. If not, people will start dying of severe dehydration, among them young children, the elderly and women. Water is now the last remaining lifeline. I appeal for the siege on humanitarian assistance to be lifted now,” Lazzarini added in the statement.
Israel claims to have killed Hamas leader who carried out October 7 attack - military spokesperson
A leader of the Islamist movement Hamas who led the bloody attack on Israel on October 7 was killed by the Israeli army, an Israeli military spokesperson claimed on Saturday.
"A commander of Hamas' Nukhba ("elite" in Arabic) unit, which led the attack on Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip last weekend, was killed in an airstrike," the statement revealed.
(AFP)
Israel and Egypt agree to let Americans out of Gaza
Israel and Egypt have given the green light to let the Americans leave the Gaza Strip on Saturday through the Rafah crossing point, an American official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
These two partners of the United States agreed to leave the only crossing point between Gaza and Egypt "open from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (09:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. GMT)", said an official accompanying Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Ryad.
(AFP)
Russian diplomat hopes to meet Hamas next week for talks on hostage release
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister and Kremlin envoy for the Middle East and Africa Mikhail Bogdanov hopes to meet representatives of the Palestinian group Hamas in Qatar next week, the Russian news agency Ria Novosti reported on Saturday.
Bogdanov told the agency that he "does not rule out" a meeting with Hamas, adding: "if they are willing, we are always in favor of contacts, especially in the current situation, (the meeting) would be useful in resolving practical issues, including the release of hostages."
(AFP)
Iran’s foreign minister warns Israel from Beirut it could suffer ‘a huge earthquake’
Iran’s foreign minister has called on Israel to stop its attacks on Gaza, warning that the war might expand to other parts of the Middle East if Hezbollah joins the battle, and that would make Israel suffer “a huge earthquake”.
Hossein Amirabdollahian told reporters in Beirut that Lebanon’s Hezbollah group has taken all the scenarios of a war into consideration and Israel should stop its attacks on Gaza as soon as possible.
Egypt erects blast walls at the closed Rafah crossing
Egyptian authorities have erected “temporary” blast walls on Egypt’s side of the Rafah crossing point with Gaza, two Egyptian officials say.
The crossing point has been closed since earlier this week after Israeli airstrikes hit close to its Palestinian side.
The officials said the blast walls were erected as part of “precautionary measures” Egypt has taken in recent days over growing concerns about a mass exodus of Palestinians.
One of the officials said the walls will be removed once a deal is reached with Israel to spare the crossing from its airstrikes.
Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to brief journalists.
Palestinians were fleeing in a mass exodus after Israel’s military told people to evacuate to the southern part of the besieged territory ahead of an expected ground invasion.
(AP)
Jordan’s King Abdullah will ask Europe for support to end conflict
The King of Jordan, King Abdullah, is setting off on a European tour on Saturday to attempt to garner support from the region’s leaders for an end to the Israel Hamas conflict.
Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi informed state media of the plan as it's revealed that King Abdullah, who met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday, will build on previous talks he's had with leaders in an effort to de-escalate the violence and prevent the Middle East region being dragged into a wider war.
Palestinian ministry: At least 324 dead in Gaza in Israeli strikes in last 24 hours
Israeli strikes on Gaza have left "at least 324 dead" including 126 children and 88 women in the last 24 hours, the Palestinian Health Ministry of the Islamist Hamas movement, in power in Gaza, said on Saturday.
At least 1,018 people were injured in the same circumstances, the ministry added in a statement.
(AFP)
The death toll in Gaza has risen to 2,215 dead, including 724 children - Palestinian ministry
(AFP)
Health ministry: Israeli air raids kill 324 Palestinians in past 24 hours
The Palestinian health ministry in Gaza has said that at least 324 Palestinians have been killed and 1,000 others wounded following Israeli air raids in Gaza over the past 24 hours.
Israeli army 'very sorry' for death of journalist in Lebanon
The Israeli army is “very sorry” for the death of a journalist in Lebanon on Friday evening, its spokesperson said on Saturday during a press briefing.
"We are very sorry for his death. We are investigating," said Lieutenant Colonel Richard Hecht, without explicitly acknowledging responsibility for the death of a Reuters journalist killed during a bombing on the outskirts of the village of Alma el-Chaab, in southern Lebanon.
Several others were injured during the same incident.
(AFP)
Riyadh suspends discussions on possible normalization with Israel - Saudi source
Saudi Arabia has decided to suspend discussions on possible normalization with Israel, in the midst of the war between Israel and Palestinian Hamas, a source close to the Saudi government told AFP on Saturday.
The kingdom "has decided to suspend discussions on possible normalization with Israel and has informed American officials," the nation announced - a decision that comes while the American Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, is currently in Riyadh in the part of a regional tour.
(AFP)
Staff at Northern Gaza hospital refuse to evacuate
Medical teams at a hospital in the northern Gaza Strip have refused to adhere to the Israeli army’s order to evacuate, citing patients in serious condition and the continuing need for urgent healthcare.
“I got a call from the Israeli army Friday asking us to evacuate the hospital,” Ahmed Muhanna, the hospital’s chief of medicine al-Awda Hospital in Jabalia told Anadolu news agency, adding, “This is not possible”.
“Some patients were evacuated, but some other patients cannot be transferred due to their serious condition,” he said, adding, "The hospital staff, including 35 doctors and medical aides, are determined to stay and provide healthcare to patients".
He also indicated that the hospital is currently providing intensive medical care for five patients.
Earlier reports said the army gave the hospital just two hours to evacuate, a timeframe which was later extended - but still remains in effect.
Josep Borrell calls Gaza evacuation order 'totally impossible'
Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said on Saturday that an Israeli order to evacuate more than a million people from northern Gaza in a single day was "totally impossible to implement".
Israel ordered Friday to evacuate "all civilians" from Gaza City to the south within 24 hours, ahead of an expected ground offensive against Hamas in retaliation for the deadliest attack in Israel's history last week.
“As a representative of the official position of the European Union, I say that (the evacuation order) is totally, totally impossible to implement,” Josep Borrell said at a press conference in Beijing on the last day of his three-day visit to the city.
Borrell also stressed that Israel has obligations vis-à-vis international law.
“The position is clear,” Borrell said. “We certainly defend Israel’s right to defend itself.” “But like any law, it has a limit. And that limit is international law.”
(AFP)
Several 'terrorists' killed during an infiltration attempt from Lebanon - Israeli army
Several 'terrorists' were killed on Saturday morning during an attempt to infiltrate Israel from Lebanon foiled by the army, an Israeli army spokesperson has claimed.
“Israeli army soldiers identified a few hours ago a terrorist commando who was trying to enter Israeli territory from Lebanon. A drone targeted this commando and killed several terrorists,” the spokesperson said in a press release.
(AFP)
More than 1,300 buildings destroyed in Gaza - UN
More than 1,300 buildings have been completely destroyed in the Gaza Strip, the UN announced on Saturday, after a week of intense bombardment by Israeli forces.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said 5,540 houses "were destroyed", while almost 3,750 others were so damaged that they are now uninhabitable.
(AFP)