Our live coverage on day ten of the Israel-Hamas war.
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Summary
- UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said 6 British citizens died in the Hamas attacks and 10 more are missing
- Iranian minister warns of war escalating to other fronts
- US Secretary of State Antony Blinken declared the US support for Israel's right to defend itself during a visit to the country
- Israel has dismissed reports of a ceasefire in south Gaza
- Talks continue on opening Egypt's border crossing with Gaza to allow in aid and some Palestinians to flee, though there's yet no sign of a diplomatic breakthrough
- At least 2,800 Palestinians have been killed, say authorities in Gaza. Two-thirds of whom are thought to be women and children
- Israeli authorities say there are about 199 hostages in Gaza
- US President Joe Biden has warned Israel occupying Gaza would be a "big mistake"
- Around one million people have been displaced in Gaza, according to aid agencies
- More than 1,000 Palestinians are missing under the rubble of buildings destroyed in Israeli airstrikes
- Israel is massing its forces on the border in preparation for a ground invasion
- More than 1,400 people were killed in Israel when Hamas fighters attacked civilians and soldiers just over a week ago
That's our live blog coming to a close today.
Read below to see how events unfolded on Monday. We're back Tuesday morning with all the latest overnight developments at 08:00 CET.
Thanks for reading.
Iranian minister warns of escalation of the war
Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the possibility of the war between Israel and Hamas spreading outside the region "is approaching (the) unavoidable stage".
"Conferred with my counterparts from Malaysia, Pakistan, Tunisia", he wrote. "Underlined the need to immediately stop Zionist crimes and murder in Gaza and to dispatch humanitarian aid. I stressed that time is running out for political solutions; probable spread of war in other fronts is approaching unavoidable stage."
EU announces flight operation to bring aid to Gaza
The EU will send flights to Egypt "to bring lifesaving supplies to humanitarian organisations on the ground in Gaza," the European Commission announced on Monday.
The first two flights will leave for Egypt this week, the EU executive said, carrying humanitarian cargo from UNICEF including shelter items, medicines and hygiene kits.
"Additional emergency items from EU emergency stockpiles are available and ready to be deployed to our humanitarian partners as soon as requested," the Commission said.
UK PM's call with President of Palestinian Authority Abbas
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he spoke to the President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas on Monday morning and expressed his condolences for the deaths of Palestinian civilians following Hamas' attack last Saturday.
Sunak reiterated that the UK believes that Hamas does not speak for ordinary Palestinians and that the country supports a two-state solution.
The two leaders agreed on the importance of avoiding further escalation of violence in the region, with Sunak expressing the UK's commitment to support the Palestinian Authority in trying to establish peace and stability.
The UK government said the two also discussed humanitarian aid and measures to protect civilians in Gaza.
UK increases humanitarian aid to Palestinians
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced on Monday that his country will increase humanitarian aid to the Palestinians by a third, adding an extra €11.5 million (£10 million).
"We must support the Palestinian people because they are also victims of Hamas", Sunak declared in the British Parliament. He added that his government was deploying RAF aircraft and the Royal Navy to stop the supply of arms to the region and to assist with humanitarian efforts.
France calls for the Gaza blockade to be eased and accuses Hamas of stopping residents from leaving
French foreign minister Catherine Colonna accused Hamas of preventing Gaza residents from leaving as thousands have reportedly gathered close to the crossing with Egypt in the hope of leaving the territory.
"France appeals to all groups or states who could seek to profit from the situation to abstain from doing so", Colonna, who was visiting Egypt, said.
The French minister also called for the blockade of Gaza to be eased to allow humanitarian aid to reach residents.
"The blockade doesn’t respect humanitarian law", she said. "Humanitarian aid must be permitted to enter Gaza, because it's unacceptable to leave women, men, children who aren't responsible for Hamas’s crimes suffering like this".
Six Brits killed in Hamas attacks - UK PM
Rishi Sunak has told the UK parliament that at least six Britons were killed in Hamas's surprise attack on southern Israel, with a further ten missing.
Addressing the House of Commons, the UK Prime Minister condemned Hamas' assault on Israel, calling for the "immediate release" of almost 200 people estimated to have been taken hostage by the militant group.
He then spoke to the British Jewish community.
"We stand with you now and always," he says to a chorus of "hear hear".
"This atrocity was an existential strike at the very idea of Israel as a safe homeland."
Sunak said British Muslims were "appaled by Hamas", saying the country should listen to their concerns with the same attentiveness.
"Let's say it plainly. We stand with British Muslim communities too," he said.
The UK PM said he supported Israel's right to defend itself, but insisted it must be done in line with international humanitarian law.
"As a friend we will continue to call on Israel to take every possible precaution to avoid harming civilians," he added.
Last week, the UK increased its military presence in Cyprus to prevent further instability in the region and assist Israeli forces.
Two-thirds of those killed in Gaza are women and children - reports
At least 2,808 Palestinians have been killed and 10,859 wounded in the Gaza Strip in Israeli airstrikes, the health ministry says.
Some 64% of all those killed are women and children, according to the government media office in Gaza.
It detailed that 254 Palestinians have been killed in the past 24 hours, while 37 medical staff were killed.
Medical staff staying put in north Gaza
The aid group Doctors Without Borders (MSF) says many of its personnel in northern Gaza have decided to remain in hospitals to treat the wounded, despite the looming Israeli invasion.
“Hospitals are overwhelmed,” said Claire Magone, general director of MSF France, in a video published on Sunday.
“There are no more painkillers now. Our staff tells us about the wounded screaming in pain, the injured, the sick who cannot get to the hospital, and the terror of finding themselves bombed in a few hours.”
The situation in southern Gaza is also difficult, she said.
“People are crowded into makeshift precarious camps, where access to water and food is extremely problematic.”
“Our teams report that accessing water is difficult, and is getting worse by the hour. Gaza’s water shortage has now reached a critical threshold.”
Photos: Israeli forces patrol near Lebanon
Majority of US want country to help Palestinians flee - survey
A majority of people in the US - from both Republican and Democratic camps - want their country to help Palestinians escape the violence, according to a poll by Reuters.
Support for Israel, in parallel, has increased since a survey conducted in 2014 when Israeli forces clashed with Hamas.
The poll found that 41% of those surveyed agreed with the statement that “the US should support Israel”, while 2% said “the US should support the Palestinians.”
'Dont test us', warns Israeli PM
Benjamin Netanyahu has warned Hezbollah militants in Lebanon and their Iranian backers that they will pay a high price if they become involved in the war.
“Don’t test us in the north. Don’t make the mistake of the past. Today, the price you will pay will be far heavier,”, said the Israeli Prime Minister referring to Israel’s 2006 war with Hezbollah.
In his speech to the Knesset, Israel's parliament, he said the world needed to unite to defeat Hamas.
“This war is also your war,” said Netanyahu. “We are carrying out all the preparations for the war in the south and across the country.”
He added Israel would allow aid into Gaza, but without detailing when exactly this would take place.
Addressing his fellow lawmakers, Israel's PM reaffirmed his commitment to bring hostages taken by Hamas home.
He said he had met with the families of those brought to Gaza by the militant group, listening to their stories with "tremendous pain".
"We are relentless in this effort to bring back our brothers and sisters, men and women, children and babies," added Netanyahu.
Protesters, reportedly including some relatives of the hostages have criticised the Israeli PM's handling of the crisis and called on him to resign.
Netanyahu, in his speech, thanked Western nations for their support.
Sirens blare in Jerusalem
Rocket warning sirens are ringing out in Jerusalem.
(AFP)
Israeli settlers attack West Bank village - reports
WAFA has reported that Israeli settlers destroyed three water wells, uprooted 70 olive trees and cut barbed wire fences in Susya, a Palestinian village south of Hebron.
A correspondent from the Palestinian news agency said Israeli settlers also bulldozed parts of Susya, which sits in the occupied West Bank.
Aid taken from UNRWA sites in Gaza
The UN organisation for Palestinian refugees has said that medical equipment and fuel were removed from its facilities in Gaza City.
UNRWA wrote on X it had received reports that a group of people with trucks purporting to be from the Ministry of Health in Gaza took the supplies from one of its compounds.
The UN organisation said it had to evacuate Gaza City with only a few hour's notice.
Since then, UNRWA said it has not had access to the compound and does not have any further details about the removal of these items.
It detailed that security cameras covering the entrance and exit to the site were damaged from blasts and had stopped working.
"UNRWA fuel and other types of material are kept for strictly humanitarian purposes - any other use is strongly condemned," it wrote on X.
Rocket launchers found near Israel border
Lebanon's army says it has discovered 20 rocket launchers during search operations near the country's border with Israel.
It said in a statement that four launchers were ready to be fired at Israel, with rockets inside them.
Over the past days several rockets have been fired at Israeli positions from southern Lebanon, amid a spike in tensions.
Photos: Crowds mass at Egypt border
UN aid chief hopes to hear 'good news' about Rafah border crossing
Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs at the UN, announced he would travel to the Middle East on Tuesday to “help with negotiations” on the delivery of aid to Gaza.
“I hope to hear good news this morning regarding the delivery of aid via Rafah,” the crossing point linking Egypt to Gaza, he said in a video message on Monday.
“We are in in-depth discussions with the Israelis, the Egyptians and others, enormously helped” by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken “in his travels in the region,” continued the UN official.
Pro-Palestine demos condemned by UK PM
The UK prime minister’s official spokesperson said it was “abhorrent” that images of Hamas attackers were reportedly displayed during demonstrations in support of Palestine.
It comes after London's Metropolitan police force asked for information about two women who had pictures of paragliders taped to the back of their jackets at protests in the UK capital over the weekend.
Putin discussing events with Middle Eastern leaders
Russia's president is on Monday speaking separately to the leaders of Israel, Iran, Syria, Egypt and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, according to reports.
During a previous call between Putin and Syria’s president Bashar al-Assad, the pair “called for an end to the shelling of Gaza and the forced displacement of its residents.”
It will be the first time Putin has spoken to Israel’s leadership since the 7 October Hamas attack was launched.
Two-state solution losing ground in Israel and Palestine
Fewer people in both Israel and Palestine believed the two states could co-exist peacefully - even before the outbreak of war with Hamas.
European Commission defends von der Leyen’s response to crisis
The European Commission’s chief spokesperson Eric Mamer reacted on Monday morning to criticism of President Ursula von der Leyen’s response to the Israel-Hamas war.
Responding to a question on whether von der Leyen had exceeded her powers during a recent visit to Israel, Mamer said: “The President can travel wherever she wants… She went to Israel to express solidarity with a country that had been subjected to an unprovoked terrorist attack. That is entirely in her prerogative.”
Asked whether the tripling of humanitarian aid to Palestinians, announced Saturday, was a politically-motivated move to “fix” von der Leyen’s image following a series of contradictory announcements on Palestinian aid, Mamer said: “The President was in contact over the week with many regional leaders and the United Nations Secretary General on Saturday. It is after that phone call (...) that we were in a position to announce an increase in the (humanitarian) budget.”
“To say that it is in reaction to political criticism is, in my view, despicable,” he added.
IDF hits dozens of sites in Gaza
The Israeli Defence Force has said it attacked dozens of "targets" in the Gaza Strip over the last few hours.
They claimed "operational headquarters and mortar bomb launching positions were destroyed", posting a purporting to show the strikes on X.
The IDF added that a military HQ of Hamas was "eliminated" a few days ago.
'Cancer of antisemitism must not be allowed to spread' - UK religious leader
The head of the Church of England, Justin Welby, has said hatred and discrimination towards Jewish people must be prevented.
"The cancer of antisemitism must not be allowed to spread in the UK," the Archbishop of Canterbury wrote on X this morning.
"I stand in full solidarity with the Jewish community in the face of the disgraceful hatred and prejudice we’re seeing on our streets, online and on campuses."
"We cannot tolerate such hatred. it's our moral responsibility to reject it - and unite in resistance to it," he added.
His statements come amid a "massive increase" in suspected antisemitic offences in London, according to the UK capital's Metropolitan police.
Berlin urges Iran 'not to add fuel to the fire'
Germany on Monday called on Iran to not aggravate the war between Hamas and Israel, warning of a "major regional escalation".
Anyone “who throws fuel on the fire should really think carefully because it is possible that we are facing a major regional conflict,” declared Foreign Ministry spokesperson Sebastian Fischer during a press briefing in Berlin.
Earlier today, a spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry warned Israel's continued attacks on the Gaza Strip could pose a serious risk to peace in the Middle East.
“The resistance across the region won’t shut its eyes to the crimes committed by the Zionists,” said Nasser Kananni.
Reaffirming Iran’s support for the Palestinian nation, the spokesman said Tehran has ramped up its political and international activities to end the Israeli bombardment of Gaza.
“The top and overriding priority is to end the ruthless massacres in the Gaza Strip and the humanitarian siege of the enclave.”
TikTok purges content around Israel Hamas war
Social media platform TikTok says it has deleted more than 500,000 videos and 8,00 directs related to the recent violence in Gaza.
Though it did not disclose why the content had been removed, there have been concerns that inaccurate and false information on social media is fanning tensions on both sides.
(AFP)
Hezbollah knocks out Israeli border cameras
Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group has started destroying surveillance cameras on several Israeli army posts along the border with Lebanon.
Hezbollah’s military media arm released a video Monday showing snipers destroying surveillance cameras placed on five points along the Lebanon-Israel border, including one outside the Israeli town of Metula.
Hezbollah’s aim appears to be to prevent the Israeli army from monitoring movements on the Lebanese side of the border.
(AP)
Nearly a dozen Palestinian journalists killed - union
Eleven reporters have been killed in the Gaza Strip since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas ten days ago, the Palestinian journalists union said on Monday.
It added that 20 Palestinian journalists were injured as a result of Israeli attacks on the enclave.
(AFP)
Gaza displacement war crime - NGOs
Two rights groups have sent an urgent letter to Israeli leaders denouncing what they called the forcible transfer and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, saying it was a war crime.
The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, together with Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI), sent the letter amid reports more than one million Gazans have been displaced.
On Friday, the Israeli military told more than one million civilians living in northern Gaza to evacuate, ahead of its likely invasion.
Israeli fighter jets have reportedly struck roads as people followed their order and tried to flee to safety.
Israel's army has denied this, saying it follows international legal norms and strikes only legitimate military targets.
The letter claimed this "forced displacement" of civilians was a blatant violation of international humanitarian law.
Adalah’s Legal Director Suhad Bishara said: "Israel’s brutal and indiscriminate assault on the entire Palestinian population of Gaza, along with clear statements by Israeli public officials accompanying it, indicate an intention on the part of the state to commit war crimes, crimes against humanity, and carry out ethnic cleansing."
"The plan to forcibly displace over one million Palestinians from northern Gaza represents the largest forced displacement of Palestinians by Israel since 1948. We reiterate our call to the international community to intervene immediately in order to prevent these crimes and the immense humanitarian catastrophe they create."
Arab League demands end to 'military operations' in Gaza
The head of the Arab League called on Monday for "the immediate cessation of military operations" in the Gaza Strip and the establishment of "corridors" to help the besieged population.
“We demand an immediate end to military operations and the opening of safe corridors to help the population,” Ahmed Aboul Gheit said during a meeting of Arab justice ministers in Baghdad.
(AFP)
UN agency rushes medical supplies to Lebanon
The World Health Organisation says it has sent two shipments of medical supplies to Lebanon in preparation for a possible escalation of clashes between Israeli forces and armed groups in the border area.
The UN agency said in a statement Monday it “has expedited the delivery of critical medical supplies to Lebanon in order to be ready to respond to any potential health crisis.”
Two shipments containing “enough surgical and trauma medicines and supplies to meet the needs of 800 to 1,000 injured patients” arrived in Beirut from Dubai on Monday, the statement said.
Lebanon’s health system has been overstretched since the country fell into a severe economic crisis four years ago. Many medical professionals have left the country and hospitals have faced supply and equipment shortages.
The WHO detailed border clashes have already resulted in civilian casualties.
“If these clashes escalate, more civilians will be at risk, and they will need immediate access to lifesaving medical care,” the statement said.
Since the outbreak of the latest Hamas Israel war on 7 October, armed groups in Lebanon, including Hezbollah, Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, have launched missiles at sites in northern Israel, while Israel has hit sites in southern Lebanon with airstrikes and shelling.
Strikes from the Lebanese side have killed one Israeli soldier and one civilian, while Israeli strikes have killed three civilians on the Lebanese side — including Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah — as well as four Hezbollah fighters.
Two members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad were killed on Monday in clashes with Israeli forces after crossing the border between the two countries.
(AP)
Iran ordering Hezbollah attacks at Lebanon border - IDF
Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari has accused Iran of ordering Hezbollah in southern Lebanon to attack Israel.
“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,” he claimed at a news briefing.
On Sunday, an Israeli soldier was killed and others were wounded in battles with Hezbollah fighters.
That same day, Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said it was "highly probable that many other fronts will be opened" if Israeli strikes continue on Gaza.
The Iranian government is a supporter of Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and a regional foe of Israel, though it denies it was involved in Hamas's surprise attack on 7 October.
Many Iranians are critical of their government's anti-Israeli policies.
Blinken returns to Israel for crisis talks
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken returned to Israel on Monday, as part of his crisis tour in the Middle East.
Blinken, who has visited Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Qatar in recent days, arrived in Tel Aviv this morning.
He is due to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem.
The top US diplomat is likely to be worried about the war between Israel and Hamas escalating into a wider regional conflict.
Attacks between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group, in south Lebanon have intensified in recent days.
(AFP)
Israel has right to self-defence but ‘in full compliance with international law’ - top EU official
Charles Michel, European Council president, released on Sunday evening a video statement setting out the EU’s joint position on the Israel Hamas war, following a week of uncoordinated and at times confusing messages from officials.
“There is no justification for terror, and we call for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages,” Michel says in the video, strongly condemning the “brutal terrorist attacks” launched by Hamas, which killed over 1,400 Israelis, according to latest figures.
Michel then notes “Israel has the right to defend itself” but this must be done “in full compliance with international law and international humanitarian law.”
The explicit references to international law were missing from the early statements of support sent by Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, an omission that earned her criticism.
In a bid to tie all the loose ends, Michel has convened an extraordinary meeting of EU leaders tomorrow, which will take place through video conference.
The meeting, Michel says, will focus on four main points: the urgent provision of assistance for the “basic needs of most vulnerable civilians,” engagement with other countries to prevent a “regional escalation,” possible security implications, and the “major” risk of migration movements.
The Israel Hamas war “has the potential to worsen tensions between communities and to feed extremism,” Michel warns.
The EU’s response, he adds, must be designed “in unity, in line with the Treaties and with our fundamental values.”
Israel hostage count leaps upwards
Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari has said 199 people are being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza.
This is a significant revision of an earlier figure of 155 from yesterday.
He said the military has "updated the families" of the hostages, who include foreigners and Israeli citizens, at a press briefing.
“We are making valiant efforts to try to understand where the hostages are in Gaza, and we have such information,” Hagari was quoted as saying by Israeli media.
“We will not carry out an attack that would endanger our people,” he added.
Hamas will cease to exist - Israeli ambassador
Israel's ambassador to the UK has told the BBC Irseal plans to wipe out Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
"This is a war that Hamas started, and Israel will finish," Tzipi Hotovely told the British broadcaster this morning, referring to Hamas's surprise attack in southern Israel on 7 October.
"Every Israeli is traumatised by the Hamas massacre," she said on BBC Radio 5 Live. "As the days go by, the atrocities are exposed."
Israel planned to wipe out Hamas in Gaza, Hotovely said, adding: "Hamas won't exist in the Gaza Strip. Israel can not afford a terror organisation in its borders."
In brief: The Rafah crossing
Much attention is currently focusing on whether the Rafah border crossing in southern Gaza will reopen or not. But what is it? And why does it matter?
- The Rafah crossing is located on the Gaza-Egypt border
- It is the only crossing point between Gaza and Egypt
- The Rafah crossing is currently closed, meaning people in Gaza cannot flee the fighting and humanitarian assistance cannot enter the strip from Egypt
- It has been closed during previous Israeli bombardments such as in 2008, 2014 and 2021
- The crossing is controlled by the Egyptian government, under an agreement signed in 2007 with Israel
- In 1948, Gaza was occupied by Egypt and the border did not exist
- During the Six-Day War in 1967, Israel took the Gaza Strip from Egypt and conquered the Sinai Peninsula (the part of Egypt which borders Gaza)
- Israel and Egypt struck a peace deal in 1979 which returned the Sinai to Egypt and reestablished the border
- Control of the Rafah crossing was handed back to Egypt in 2005, when Israel withdrew from Gaza
'Not enough body bags for the dead in Gaza' - UNRWA
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees has issued its latest situation report on the impact of the violence in Gaza, detailing a devastating toll on civilians.
UNRWA said more than one million people - almost half the total population of Gaza - have been displaced, amid heavy Israeli bombardment.
Nearly 400,000 of whom are in UNRWA facilities.
This number is "much exceeding our capacity to assist in any meaningful way, including with space in our shelters, food, water or psychological support," it noted.
An unknown number of internally displaced people (IDPs) were sheltering in UNRWA premises in northern Gaza, despite the Israeli military's evacuation order, the UN agency said.
UNRWA said it is "no longer able to assist or protect" them and did not know how many IDPs had remained in their 127 buildings in north Gaza and Gaza City, two areas subject to Israel's likely military invasion.
"People across Gaza have severely limited access to clean drinking water," it reported, expressing serious concerns that waterborne diseases could rise as people were consuming brackish water from agricultural wells.
UNRWA said the number of people killed in the besieged Palestinian enclave was increasing.
"There are not enough body bags for the dead in Gaza," it added.
Photos: War takes toll on Palestinian emergency responders
Israel contradicts southern Gaza truce
The Israeli PM's office has appeared to deny reports of a ceasefire in southern Gaza, less than an hour after Egyptian security sources told reporters a truce had been agreed to coincide with the reopening of the Rafah border crossing.
"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 read.
Ceasefire agreed in southern Gaza
The US, Israel and Egypt have agreed to a ceasefire in southern Gaza to coincide with the reopening of the Rafah border crossing, two Egyptian security sources have told reporters.
The ceasefire is reportedly expected to begin now, following claims the Egyptian-controlled crossing would reopen at the same time.
Israel to evacuate near northern border
Israel says it will start the evacuation of residents in 28 villages up to 2km from its border in the north with Lebanon.
It follows intensifying fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah since the start of the conflict in Palestine a week ago.
At least one Israeli soldier died and three were wounded on Sunday, following repeated attacks by the Lebanese group at a military post in northern Israel.
In a statement, the Israel Defence Forces and the ministry of defence said the plan had been approved by Defence Secretary Yoav Gallant.
Residents of the evacuated villages will be moved to state-subsidised guest houses.
Border crossing set to reopen, Blinken says
The Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza will reopen to allow humanitarian aid in, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said,
“Rafah will be reopened. We’re putting in place with the United Nations, with Egypt, with Israel, with others, a mechanism by which to get the assistance in and to get it to people who need it,” he said
Blinken made the comments after a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday but did not give further details.
US media have reported that the crossing will reopen at 9 a.m. local time on Monday for several hours. Aid convoys are already queueing to get in. Some dual nationals and foreign passport holders are also expected to be evacuated via the crossing.