Israel-Gaza latest: Cameron says UK not interested in halting weapons shipments to Israel despite US move

The UK Foreign Secretary has said he is “not really interested” in halting weapons shipments to Israel despite the United States warning that they will suspend their own transfers if Israel conducts an offensive in southern Gaza.

Speaking to BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg, David Cameron said he, too, opposed Israel launching an attack in Rafah, the southernmost city in Gaza, but added that he was against halting the UK’s weapons shipments.

He said such a move “would make Hamas stronger” and, additionally, make it harder to negotiate a ceasefire agreement that ensured all the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza return home.

“Just to simply announce today that we will change our approach on arms exports, it would make Hamas stronger and it would make a hostage deal less likely,” he said, adding that he was “not really interested in message sending” through political moves like ending weapons sales.

Earlier this week, US President Joe Biden suggested he would suspend additional shipments of weapons to Israel if they carried out an attack in Rafah.

But Lord Cameron argued the US “is in a totally different position” to the UK, since the US supplies around 68 per cent of Israel’s foreign-source weapons whereas the UK shipments amount to just one per cent.

Key Points

• Cameron says he’s ‘not interested’ in halting UK weapons shipments to Israel

• Ground assaults intensify in Gaza

• Israeli military issues fresh evacuation order for Gaza

• UN warns food supplies will ‘run out tomorrow’ in southern Gaza

Israeli military says it opened a new aid crossing into Gaza

17:23 , Tom Watling

The Israeli military has said it has opened a new humanitarian aid crossing into the Gaza Strip in coordination with the United States.

The crossing, called ‘Western Erez’, was opened in the northern Gaza Strip in order to transfer humanitarian aid, the military said in a statement.

Eurovision: Graham Norton discusses boos and ‘mixed reaction’ after Israel’s Eden Golan performs

16:50 , Tom Watling

Graham Norton referenced boos and a “mixed reaction” as Israel’s Eden Golan performed in Eurovision’s grand final on Saturday night (11 May).

The 20-year-old took to the stage in Malmö, Sweden, to sing “Hurricane”.

Israel’s participation in this year’s song contest caused major controversy, with many calling for a boycott due to the ongoing war in Gaza.

Golan qualified for the final on Thursday, amid pro-Palestinian protests against Israel being included in the event.

While she was booed in rehearsals during the build-up to Saturday’s final, Golan received more of a “mixed reaction” in the actual event.

Graham Norton discusses ‘mixed reaction’ after Israel’s Eurovision performance

Israel lacks 'credible plan' to safeguard Rafah civilians, says Blinken

16:18 , Tom Watling

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has defended a decision to pause a delivery to Israel of 3,500 bombs over concerns they could be used in the Gazan city of Rafah, saying Israel lacked a “credible plan” to protect some 1.4 million civilians sheltering there.

Speaking to ABC News' This Week, Mr Blinken said that President Joe Biden remains determined to help Israel defend itself and that the shipment of 3,500 2,000-pound and 500-pound bombs was the only US weapons package being withheld.

That could change, he said, if Israel launches a full-scale attack on Rafah, which Israel says it plans to invade to root out fighters of the ruling Hamas militant group.

Mr Biden has made clear to Israel that if it “launches this major military operation to Rafah, then there are certain systems that we're not going to be supporting and supplying for that operation”, said Mr Blinken.

“We have real concerns about the way they're used,” he continued. Israel needs to “have a clear, credible plan to protect civilians, which we haven't seen.”

Rafah is hosting some 1.4 million Palestinians, most of them displaced from elsewhere in Gaza by fighting and Israeli bombardments, amid dire shortages of food and water.

With the shock of 7 October still raw, profound sadness and anger grip Israel on its Memorial Day

15:45 , Tom Watling

Ruby Chen’s son, Itay, was killed in the Hamas attack on 7 October. But unlike scores of other families of soldiers killed that day, Chen doesn’t have a grave to visit because his son’s remains are held captive in Gaza.

The absence of a final resting place is being felt acutely now, as Israel marks its Memorial Day for fallen soldiers, when cemeteries are brimming with relatives mourning over the graves of their loved ones.

“Where are we supposed to go?” Chen said. “There is no burial site for us to go to.”

With the shock of Oct. 7 still raw, profound sadness and anger grip Israel on its Memorial Day

UN human rights chief: Israel’s Rafah offensive must not go ahead

15:15 , Tom Watling

The United Nations’ human rights chief has urged Israel not to go ahead with its Rafah offensive, which he says will have a “catastrophic impact” on the lives of more than a million Palestinians currently residing in the southern Gaza city.

“The latest evacuation orders affect close to a million people in Rafah. So where should they go now? There is no safe place in Gaza!” Volker Turk said in a statement.

“These exhausted, famished people, many of whom have been displaced many times already, have no good options.

He said a full-scale offensive could have a “catastrophic impact … including the possibility of further atrocity crimes”.

“I can see no way that the latest evacuation orders, much less a full assault, in an area with an extremely dense presence of civilians, can be reconciled with the binding requirements of international humanitarian law and with the two sets of binding provisional measures ordered by the international court of justice,” he said.

Watch live: Netanyahu addresses Israel as country marks Memorial Day amid Gaza war

14:45 , Tom Watling

Watch live as Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the country as it marks Memorial Day amid the Gaza war on Sunday 12 May.

Mr Netanyahu will make an address at the memorial ceremony for fallen soldiers and victims of conflict.

Watch: Netanyahu addresses Israel as country marks Memorial Day amid Gaza war

US says Israel likely violated international law in Gaza

14:15 , Tom Watling

A State Department report has found “reasonable” evidence that Israel has violated international humanitarian law using US weapons in Gaza.

The long-awaited report could have required the US to stop sending weapons to its ally if it had violated the terms of a weapons agreement.

But the investigation could not immediately link the violations to US arms, which leaves the Biden administration with some leeway on whether to restrict future sales.

US says Israel likely violated international law in Gaza

Israel’s Eurovision performance jeered by pro-Palestinian protesters in Malmo fanzone

13:45 , Tom Watling

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators in the Eurovision fan zone outside the venue in Malmo jeered and booed as Israel’s contestant performed during Saturday’s final (11 May).

Two of the protesters were seen being led away by police as the performance by Eden Golan was being shown.

Though Eurovision’s motto is “united by music,” this year’s event has proven divisive.

Earlier in the day, thousands had joined a march through Sweden’s third-largest city to protest Israel’s participation in the contest as it continues with its offensive in the Gaza Strip.

Inside the Malmo Arena, Golan took the stage to a wall of sound — boos mixed with cheers.

Israel’s Eurovision performance jeered by pro-Palestinian protesters in Malmo fanzone

UPDATE: Gaza death toll surpasses 35,000, says health ministry

13:15 , Tom Watling

At least 35,034 Palestinians have been killed and 78,755 others wounded in Israel‘s military offensive on Gaza since 7 October, the Gaza health ministry said on Sunday.

It is the first time the death toll has been higher than 35,000.

Cameron says he’s ‘not interested’ in halting UK weapons shipments to Israel

12:45 , Tom Watling

UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron has said he is “not really interested” in halting the UK’s weapons shipments to Israel despite the US suspension earlier this week.

Though he said the UK does “not support” an Israeli offensive in Rafah, a city in southern Gaza in which hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have fled the ongoing war, because he has not seen a plan from the Israelis concerning how “to protect people”, Lord Cameron insisted that halting weapons shipments was a needless political exercise.

“Just to simply announce today that we will change our approach on arms exports, it would make Hamas stronger and it would make a hostage deal less likely,” he said, adding that he was “not really interested in message sending” through political moves like ending weapons sales.

He said he wanted instead to focus on “hammering away every day” on getting humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Earlier this week, US President Joe Biden said he would suspend additional shipments to Israel if they conducted an attack in Rafah.

Cameron challenges BBC for failing to call Hamas ‘terrorists’ after claims British-Israeli hostage is dead

12:15 , Tom Watling

Lord David Cameron has challenged the BBC over the corporation’s failure to describe Hamas as “terrorists” after the Palestinian group claimed a British-Israeli hostage had died.

The foreign secretary urged the broadcaster to “ask itself again” about how it labels Hamas in the wake of the October 7 atrocities, when he appeared on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg today (12 May).

Lord Cameron branded Hamas “callous” over a video showing a British-Israeli hostage who the militants said had died in Gaza.

Lord Cameron said he could give no updates on the fate of Nadav Popplewell as the Foreign Office investigates what happened.

Hamas on Saturday released a statement that the 51-year-old had died after being wounded in an Israeli airstrike a month ago.

Cameron challenges BBC over Hamas after claims British-Israeli hostage dead

Rafah hospital says it has received ‘18 martyrs’ in past 24 hours

11:44 , Tom Watling

A hospital in Rafah, the southernmost city in Gaza into which Israel is readying a ground offensive, has reported that the bodies of 18 people were delivered to them over the past 24 hours.

The Kuwaiti hospital said on Sunday it had received the bodies of “18 martyrs” killed in Israeli strikes over the past 24 hours.

Israel pushes back into northern Gaza, ups military pressure on Rafah

11:15 , Tom Watling

Israel sent tanks into eastern Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip early on Sunday, after a night of heavy aerial and ground bombardments, killing 19 people and wounding dozens of others, health officials said.

Jabalia is the biggest of Gaza’s eight historic refugee camps and is home to more than 100,000 people, most of whom were descendants of Palestinians who were driven from towns and villages in what is now Israel during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war that led to the creation the state of Israel.

Late on Saturday, the Israeli military said forces operating in Jabalia are preventing Hamas, which controls Gaza, from re-establishing its military capabilities there.

“We identified in the past weeks attempts by Hamas to rehabilitate its military capabilities in Jabalia. We are operating there to eliminate those attempts,” said Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, Israel‘s military spokesperson, during a briefing to reporters.

Hagari also said that Israeli forces operating in Gaza City’s Zeitoun district killed about 30 Palestinian militants.

Hamas claims British hostage has died as Israel orders new evacuations of Rafah

10:45 , Tom Watling

A British-Israeli hostage held in Gaza has died, Hamas claimed on Saturday – as Israeli forces ordered further evacuations of the strip, forcing tens of thousands of Palestinians to leave their homes.

Nadav Popplewell, 51, who was taken hostage during the 7 October attack on Israel, died of wounds caused by an Israeli airstrike a month ago.

The Palestinian military group provided no evidence to support the claim, which has also not been verified by Israel or Mr Popplewell’s hometown of Nirim.

Hamas claims British hostage has died as new evacuations of Rafah ordered

Inside Oxford University’s Gaza student protests – where an Israeli MP made a bold appearance

10:15 , Tom Watling

‘I am very, very focused on the millions of people who are about to die’, one university protester tells Alex Ross as he is given a tour of their camp

Inside Oxford’s Gaza student protests – where an Israeli MP made a bold appearance

What’s the latest in the Israel-Gaza conflict? 12 May

09:39 , Tom Watling

Good morning.

After Hamas published footage yesterday claiming British-Israeli hostage Nadav Popplewell had been killed in Gaza by an Israeli airstrike - a claim for which they provided no evidence - protesters took to the streets in Tel Aviv calling for a deal to be made with the militant group to end the fighting and bring back to Israel the remaining hostages. Police used water cannons to disperse the crowds as they clashed with the authorities.

128 individuals are still being held hostage in Gaza, with 36 confirmed as dead. US President Joe Biden said on Saturday that a ceasefire could be achieved “tomorrow” if Hamas released the hostages. His remarks came after he warned Israel that he could suspend weapons shipments if they invade Rafah, the southernmost city in Gaza, for fear of further civilians being caught up in the crossfire.

In the Strip, hundreds of thousands fled Rafah as witnesses said Israeli tanks had positioned themselves on Salahuddin Road, which divides central Rafah from the eastern areas Israel has ordered to be evacuated, ahead of the imminent ground offensive.

At least 34,971 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its retaliatory war in Gaza following the deadly Hamas attack of 7 October, according to the local health ministry. More than 78,000 have been injured.

Outside of the Middle East, pro-Palestine protesters were seen congregating on London’s Waterloo Bridge on Saturday afternoon.

Lord Cameron: Rafah offensive would be wrong, but pressure should be on Hamas

09:21 , Tom Watling

David Cameron has said an Israeli offensive in Rafah would be wrong, but that the pressure should be on Hamas to end the conflict.

The foreign secretary said Britain has been clear that for a major offensive to go ahead in the city, on the southern border of the Gaza Strip, should not go ahead without “a clear plan about how you save lives”.

But he told Sky News “the real pressure” should be on Hamas to agree a hostage release deal that could stop the fighting tomorrow.

Lord Cameron said: “The right answer is to try and stop the fighting by having a hostage deal, achieving a pause in the fighting and then using that to build a sustainable ceasefire without going back to further conflict.

“That's why I'm always pushing on the Israelis and on everyone else. But the problem is, it goes back to Hamas.

“Hamas had been offered a deal which would release hundreds of prisoners from Israeli jails, that would provide a pause in the fighting to get desperately needed aid into Gaza, and they're not taking that deal.”

Ground battles intensify across Gaza

09:03 , Matt Mathers

Israeli forces were battling Palestinian militants across the Gaza Strip on Sunday, including in parts of the devastated north that the military said it had cleared months ago, where Hamas has exploited a security vacuum to regroup.

Palestinians reported heavy Israeli bombardment overnight in the urban Jabaliya refugee camp and other areas in the northern Gaza Strip, which has suffered widespread devastation and been largely isolated by Israeli forces for months. U.N. officials say there is a "full-blown famine" there.

Residents said Israeli warplanes and artillery struck across the camp and the Zeitoun area east of Gaza City, where troops have been battling Palestinian militants for over a week. They have called on tens of thousands of people to relocate to nearby areas.

"It was a very difficult night," said Abdel-Kareem Radwan, a 48-year-old Palestinian from Jabaliya. He said they could hear intense and constant bombing since midday Saturday. "This is madness."

Israel ‘carpet bombs’ Gaza refugee camp

09:00 , Matt Mathers

Israel has reportedly “carpet bombed” the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza.

Several Palestinians were killed and injured during the attacks, according to Al Jazeera and the Wafa news agency/

The exact number of casualties was not immediately clear.

ICYMI: Rafah’s hospitals overwhelmed while food and fuel run out as Israel steps up bombardment

08:44 , Matt Mathers

The few remaining hospitals in Rafah are at 250 per cent capacity, while food and fuel are running out, the United Nations has warned, as heavy fighting between Israeli troops and Palestinian militants moves towards the centre of Gaza’s border city.

Crucial aid crossings remain inaccessible, meaning supplies of food, medicines, tents and blankets are dwindling. The World Food Programme will run out of food for distribution in southern Gaza by Saturday and there are no tents, blankets or bedding to set up new locations for displaced people, said Georgios Petropoulos, an official with the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Rafah.

Full report:

Rafah’s hospitals overwhelmed while food and fuel run out as Israel steps up bombing

With the shock of 7 Oct still raw, profound sadness and anger grip Israel on its Memorial Day

08:15 , Matt Mathers

Ruby Chen’s son, Itay, was killed in the Hamas attack on 7 October. But unlike scores of other families of soldiers killed that day, Chen doesn’t have a grave to visit because his son’s remains are held captive in Gaza.

The absence of a final resting place is being felt acutely now, as Israel marks its Memorial Day for fallen soldiers, when cemeteries are brimming with relatives mourning over the graves of their loved ones.

"Where are we supposed to go?" Chen said. "There is no burial site for us to go to."

Full report:

With the shock of Oct. 7 still raw, profound sadness and anger grip Israel on its Memorial Day

Watch: Israeli military release video claiming to show aftermath of Hamas attack on children’s playground

07:53 , Matt Mathers

IDF release video claiming to show aftermath of Hamas attack on children’s playground

Hamas claims British hostage has died as Israel orders new evacuations of Rafah

07:30 , Matt Mathers

A British-Israeli hostage held in Gaza has died, Hamas claimed on Saturday – as Israeli forces ordered further evacuations of the strip, forcing tens of thousands of Palestinians to leave their homes.

Nadav Popplewell, 51, who was taken hostage during the 7 October attack on Israel, died of wounds caused by an Israeli airstrike a month ago.

Full report:

Hamas claims British hostage has died as new evacuations of Rafah ordered

Small pro-Palestinian protests held Saturday as college commencements are held

07:08 , Matt Mathers

Small pro-Palestinian protests popped up sporadically Saturday as colleges and universities from North Carolina to California held commencement ceremonies, including dozens of graduating students at Virginia Commonwealth University who walked out on an address by Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

While some of the estimated 100 students and family members who left during the Republican governor’s speech showed support for Palestinians, others held signs signaling opposition to Youngkin’s policies on education, according to WRIC-TV.

At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a small group of demonstrators staged what appeared to be a silent protest during commencement at Camp Randall Stadium. A photo posted by the Wisconsin State Journal showed about six people walking through the rear of the stadium, with two carrying a Palestinian flag.

At the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, pro-Palestinian demonstrators splattered red paint on the steps of a building hours ahead of the school’s commencement ceremony and chanted on campus while students wearing light blue graduation gowns posed for photos, the News & Observer reported. At the University of Texas, Austin, a student held up a Palestinian flag during a commencement ceremony and refused to leave the stage briefly before being escorted away by security.

And at the University of California, Berkeley, a small group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators began waving flags and chanting during commencement and were escorted to the back of the stadium, where they were joined by others, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. There were no major counterprotests, but some attendees voiced frustration.

"I feel like they’re ruining it for those of us who paid for tickets and came to show our pride for our graduates," said Annie Ramos, whose daughter is a student. "There’s a time and a place, and this is not it."

Doctors Without Borders stops work in Rafah

06:00 , Alex Ross

Following the Israeli military’s latest evacuation order in Rafah, medical charity Doctors Without Borders has stopped its work at the Indonesian Hospital.

The group said it must relocate 22 patients to other health facilities because “we can no longer guarantee their safety”.

Eurovision controversy

04:00 , Alex Ross

The Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday night was mired in controversy surrounding the participation of Israel’s Eden Golan, and a large group of demonstrators were outside Malmo Arena as the acts performed.

There was a mixed reaction for the 20-year-old singer from the 9,000 people at the arena in Malmö, Sweden, as both boos and cheers were heard in the crowd.

Israel’s Eden Golan performs to protests outside the Eurovision arena

Chances of a ceasefire and protests

03:00 , Alex Ross

Another round of cease-fire talks in Cairo ended earlier this week without a breakthrough, after Israel rejected a deal that Hamas said it accepted.Tens of thousands of people attended the latest anti-government protest in Israel on Saturday evening amid growing pressure on Netanyahu to make a deal.“I think the (Rafah) operation is not meant for the hostages and not meant for killing the Hamas, it’s meant for just for one thing, save the government,” protester Kobi Itzhaki said.

Pictures of the evacuation in Gaza

02:00 , Alex Ross

Statement from Israel’s Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari

Saturday 11 May 2024 23:54 , Alex Ross

On Saturday night, with many Palestinians ordered to leave thier homes in Gaza, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari issued a statement on his country’s offensive.

He said in the northern Jabalia city, with people being evacuated, fighter jets had struck targets across the area.

In the Zeitoun area, he said troops had killed around 30 “terrorists” and located dozens of weapons in a school.

In the south, in eastern Rafah, “terrorist infrastructure” had been targeted.

“Even at this hour, every fighter and commander on the battlefield envisions the hostages, sees them, thinks of them, and fights to bring them home, “ he said.

“There are 132 hostages still held in captivity in Gaza. It is the duty of the IDF and all security organizations to ensure their quick return home.”

Hamas claims British hostage has died as Israel orders new evacuations of Rafah

Saturday 11 May 2024 22:36 , Alex Ross

Hamas claims British hostage has died as new evacuations of Rafah ordered

Protest in Tel Aviv

Saturday 11 May 2024 21:16 , Alex Ross

Rafah’s hospitals overwhelmed while food and fuel run out as Israel steps up bombardment

Saturday 11 May 2024 21:00 , Tom Watling

The few remaining hospitals in Rafah are at 250 per cent capacity, while food and fuel are running out, the United Nations has warned, as heavy fighting between Israeli troops and Palestinian militants moves towards the centre of Gaza’s border city.

Crucial aid crossings remain inaccessible, meaning supplies of food, medicines, tents and blankets are dwindling. The World Food Programme will run out of food for distribution in southern Gaza by Saturday and there are no tents, blankets or bedding to set up new locations for displaced people, said Georgios Petropoulos, an official with the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Rafah.

Rafah’s hospitals overwhelmed while food and fuel run out as Israel steps up bombing

Here are some of the latest photos from Gaza

Saturday 11 May 2024 20:30 , Tom Watling

Below are some of the latest photos from Gaza.

Ground attack would be irresponsible - German chancellor

Saturday 11 May 2024 20:12 , Alex Ross

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Saturday that a ground attack on Gaza’s southern city of Rafah by Israel would be irresponsible and lead to a massive loss of civilian lives.

“We think an offensive on Rafah would be irresponsible. We warn against it,” Scholz said at a webcast event organised by German newspaper group RND.

“We don’t believe that there is any approach that would not lead in the end to incredible loss of human life of innocent civilians,” Scholz said, adding that he had told this to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Despite heavy US pressure and alarm expressed by residents and humanitarian groups, Israel has said it will proceed with an incursion into Rafah, where more than 1 million displaced people have sought refuge during the seven-month war.

Inside Oxford University’s Gaza student protests – where an Israeli MP made a bold appearance

Saturday 11 May 2024 20:00 , Tom Watling

‘I am very, very focused on the millions of people who are about to die’, one university protester tells Alex Ross as he is given a tour of their camp

Inside Oxford’s Gaza student protests – where an Israeli MP made a bold appearance

US says Israel likely violated international law in Gaza

Saturday 11 May 2024 19:30 , Tom Watling

A State Department report has found “reasonable” evidence that Israel has violated international humanitarian law using US weapons in Gaza.

The long-awaited report could have required the US to stop sending weapons to its ally if it had violated the terms of a weapons agreement.

But the investigation could not immediately link the violations to US arms, which leaves the Biden administration with some leeway on whether to restrict future sales.

US says Israel likely violated international law in Gaza

Hamas claims British-Israeli killed in airstrike a month ago

Saturday 11 May 2024 19:29 , Barney Davis

The Foreign Office is urgently seeking more information after Hamas on Saturday claimed that a British-Israeli hostage had died in Gaza.

The Palestinian militant group released a video saying that Nadav Popplewell, who was taken hostage during its October 7 attack on Israel, died after being wounded in an Israeli airstrike a month ago.

It provided no evidence for the claim and the Israeli military has not commented.

A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: “We’re urgently seeking more information following the release of this video. Our thoughts are with his family at this extremely distressing time.

“The UK Government has been working with partners across the region to secure the release of hostages, including British nationals. We will continue to do all we can to secure the release of hostages.”

Earlier on Saturday, Hamas released undated footage of Mr Popplewell, 51, with a black eye confirming his name.

The militants released a second video hours later in which they said he died of wounds sustained in a missile strike.

Israel’s Eurovision semi-final success overshadowed by pro-Palestine protests in Malmo

Saturday 11 May 2024 19:00 , Tom Watling

Israel’s success in the second Eurovision semi-final was overshadowed on Thursday by widespread protests against the country’s participation in the annual song contest.

Eden Golan, who is representing Israel at this year’s event, was voted through to the grand final following her dramatic performance of “Hurricane”, a song that was reworked from original entry “October Rain” after it was widely interpreted as a reference to the Hamas attacks of 7 October.

Eden Golan: Israel’s Eurovision semi-final success overshadowed by protests in Malmo

Who is Eden Golan? Israel’s 2024 Eurovision contestant singing Hurricane at the final in Sweden

Saturday 11 May 2024 18:30 , Tom Watling

Eden Golan is representing Israel in the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest, and will perform her song “Hurricane” at the grand final tonight in Malmö, Sweden.

Earlier this week, the 20-year-old singer was met with boos and shouts of “free Palestine” during the dress rehearsal for the second semi-final on Thursday 9 May.

Protests were also underway outside the Malmö Arena, where the event is being held, as pro-Palestine activists waved Palestinian flags and banners with Eurovision-style branding and the word “genocide” written across them.

Who is Eden Golan? Israel’s Eurovision contestant singing in the final

Some more words from Rafah residents as they flee the region

Saturday 11 May 2024 18:00 , Tom Watling

Below we have some more quotes from residents fleeing Rafah ahead of an imminent Israeli offensive.

Mohammad Mansour. 44 years old.

“We are leaving the place to escape death, a human tragedy that is renewed once again, in search of a safe area. A million and a half people are wandering around, carrying whatever food they can find,” he says.

“A feeling of weakness and terrible fear. We don't know where to go. All places are affected by the Israeli flames. The areas that the occupation claims are safe do not have any human services. There is no food there. Here in the Gaza Strip, death threatens everyone. Death besieges those who stay and those who flee. Even people don't have the money to move.

“There is a big lack of food. There is no drinkable water. Health services are suspended. There are no bathrooms suitable for human use. Israel is committing what is more horrific than mass massacres. It deliberately insults even those who remain alive.”

Israel orders new evacuations in the southern Gaza city of Rafah as it prepares to expand operations

Saturday 11 May 2024 17:30 , Tom Watling

Israel ordered new evacuations in Gaza’s southern city of Rafah on Saturday as it prepared to expand its operation, saying it was also moving into an area in northern Gaza where Hamas has regrouped.

Fighting is escalating across the enclave with heavy clashes between Israeli troops and Palestinian militants on the outskirts of Rafah, leaving the crucial nearby aid crossings inaccessible and forcing more than 110,000 people to flee north.

Israel orders new evacuations in the southern Gaza city of Rafah as it prepares to expand operations

Egypt refuses to coordinate with Israel on entry of aid from Rafah crossing

Saturday 11 May 2024 17:01 , Tom Watling

Egypt has refused to coordinate with Israel on the entry of aid into Gaza from the Rafah crossing due to Israel‘s “unacceptable escalation”, Egypt’s state affiliated Alqahera News satellite TV reported on Saturday, citing a senior official.

The official also said that Egypt held Israel responsible for the deterioration of the situation in the Gaza Strip.

On 7 May, Israeli forces seized the main border crossing at Rafah, closing a vital route for aid into the besieged enclave.

The United Nations and other international aid agencies said the closing of the two crossings into southern Gaza - Rafah and Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom - had virtually cut the enclave off from outside aid and very few stores were available inside.

Red Crescent sources in Egypt said shipments had completely halted.

Hamas says another Israeli hostage held in Gaza is dead

Saturday 11 May 2024 16:30 , Tom Watling

Palestinian Islamist group Hamas has said that another one of the hostages abducted during its 7 October attack on Israel has died.

Hamas released a video saying that Nadav Popplewell, who was taken hostage from the southern Israeli community of Kibbutz Nirim, died after being wounded in an Israeli strike in Gaza.

The Israeli military did not offer immediate comment on the latest video. It has referred to previous videos of hostages released by Hamas as psychological terror. It has also denied some of the previous accusations by Hamas that hostages were killed by Israeli fire.

Earlier on Saturday Hamas released an undated video of the 51-year-old captive in front of a white wall, with a bruise on his right eye, and speaking his name.

Hours later, in the second video, it said Popplewell died of wounds sustained a month ago in an Israeli air strike.

Hamas said Popplewell, whom it said was also a British citizen, was being detained with a woman hostage when the place they were being held was targeted by an Israeli missile.

“He died because he didn’t receive intensive medical care at medical facilities because of the enemy’s destruction of hospitals in Gaza,” the Hamas armed wing spokesman, Abu Ubaida, said in a statement.

Of 252 people abducted on 7 October, 128 remain in Gaza, according to Israeli tallies. At least 36 of them have been declared dead by an Israeli forensic committee.

What's the history of 'outside agitators'? Here's what to know about the label and campus protests

Saturday 11 May 2024 16:00 , Tom Watling

Historically, when students at American universities and colleges protest — from the Civil Rights Movement to Black Lives Matter — there’s a common refrain that “outside agitators” are to blame. College administrators and elected officials have often pointed to community members joining protests to dismiss the demands of student protesters.

Experts say it’s a convenient way for officials to delegitimize the motivations of some political movements and justify calling in law enforcement to stop direct actions that are largely nonviolent and engaging in constitutionally protected speech.

What's the history of 'outside agitators'? Here's what to know about the label and campus protests

Inside Oxford University’s Gaza student protests – where an Israeli MP made a bold appearance

Saturday 11 May 2024 15:30 , Tom Watling

‘I am very, very focused on the millions of people who are about to die’, one university protester tells Alex Ross as he is given a tour of their camp

Inside Oxford’s Gaza student protests – where an Israeli MP made a bold appearance

Watch live as thousands protest against Israel’s Eurovision entry ahead of final in Malmo

Saturday 11 May 2024 15:00 , Tom Watling

Watch live as thousands of people protest against Israel’s Eurovision entry ahead of Saturday’s final in Malmo tonight (11 May).

Israel’s Eden Golan place in the competiton has been mired in controversy as protests have taken place across Sweden in the lead-up to the contest.

On Thursday ahead of the semi-final where Golan qualified, Greta Thunberg joined pro-Palestinian protesters on the streets of Malmo.

Watch live: Thousands protest against Israel’s Eurovision entry in Malmo

We have some more quotes from residents in Rafah

Saturday 11 May 2024 14:30 , Tom Watling

Zakia Issa, 65. It is her first time evacuating. She has lived in Al-Shaboura.

“We are feeling tired, afraid, and depressed. With the severity of the bombing, the children began to cry,” she says.

“The bombing is now getting closer and closer to the area we were in.

“I moved to my son’s house with my other children and grandsons, a small, crowded, and cramped apartment. We sleep side by side, and we are suffering from gas cooking; there is no gas at all. We try to use it once a day. We do not have many food supplies [either].”

Maysar Abu Ghoura, 32. It is her fourth time evacuating. She is originally from Gaza City in the northern half of the Strip.

“The intensity of the bombing is indescribable. I was with many relatives and friends after months of staying in the same area. We are now dispersed, each of us going to an area,” she says.

“Now I feel afraid when I see all the people fleeing the area again. I don’t know where I will take the children. There is no safe place.

“We are so tired, both psychologically and physically, that we no longer have any desire to eat. We only eat one meal a day due to our lack of food.

“When my children hear the sound of the plane, they start screaming and crying. We are now very terrified of what will happen in the coming days.”

UN says more than 300,000 Palestinians affected by latest evacuation order

Saturday 11 May 2024 14:01 , Tom Watling

A United Nations spokesperson has estimated that more than 300,000 people have been affected by the Israeli evacuation orders this morning, which cover the north and southern regions of Gaza.

Louise Wateridge, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) communications officer told The Independent: “We expect that the true number is actually a lot higher because the areas affected by the new evacuations are so built up. It’s devastating, really devastating. Inside and outside the declared evacuation zones there is a lot of ongoing military bombardment.”

Speaking about the conditions in Rafah, the southernmost city of Gaza into which Israeli forces plan to attack, she added: “Nobody in Rafah slept last night. There was a significant increase in the bombardments, which are loud and frequent,  throughout the evening and all through to this morning.

“The bombardments shake the ground and wake you up - but the children’s cries are what keep you awake.

“It’s not only in the east of Rafah where the current evacuation orders have been in place since Monday. But also you can hear this bombardment in central Rafah and also in where I am in the west of Rafah. It is completely  surrounding us -  it is also coming from the sea, there was a lot of naval shelling throughout the night and throughout the morning.

“So, people feel very trapped. And fear is gripping in here, because it feels like there is danger from all sides.”

She said that everyone has become aware that the crossings from Egypt and Israel into Gaza are closed, meaning food and fuel supplies are stuck, and that is “sending panic around the community”.

Rafah resident says region is becoming ‘ghost town’ as they flee Israeli forces

Saturday 11 May 2024 13:28 , Tom Watling

A Palestinian father of three and resident of Rafah, a southern city in Gaza, has said the region into which Israeli forces are preparing to invade has become a “ghost town” as tens of thousands pack up their belongings and flee the incoming troops.

Khaled Roumi, 33 years old and from the Al-Shaboura neighborhood, told The Independent that he and his family had “hastily prepared our things to leave” the area.

“We were threatened and asked through recorded messages to our mobile phones to leave the area,” he said.

“Many people left the area a few days ago as it was near the previously threatened neighborhoods east of Rafah, our neighborhood considered the center of the city. We left as a result of the danger and heavy bombings near the area since their announcement to attack Rafah.

“The situation is horrible; it is difficult to control yourself. Everyone began to collect their belongings and move towards west Rafah, Khan Yunis, and Deir al-Balah.

“We are going to our relative’s home in the west, despite being worried and afraid to be threatened again to leave the west of Rafah.

“People are very afraid. All the areas that were threatened looked like ghost towns. The areas, houses, and streets have become empty. You would feel lonely when walking on the streets of these neighborhoods.

“The situation is more difficult than you can imagine. Food is now not available like before, and it is difficult to get water. There are no goods in the market to buy. Prices are rising every day due to the closure of the crossings.”

UPDATE: Gaza health ministry provides latest death toll

Saturday 11 May 2024 13:00 , Tom Watling

At least 34,971 Palestinians have been killed and 78,641 others wounded in Israel‘s military offensive on Gaza since 7 October, the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry has said in an update.

Watch live view of camp for displaced Palestinians in Rafah as Israeli strikes intensify

Saturday 11 May 2024 12:30 , Tom Watling

Watch a live view from a camp for displaced people in Rafah on Friday 10 May.

As Israeli forces gather on the outskirts of the southern Gaza city, Palestinians fear another “Nakba”, when 700,000 of them were permanently driven from their homes at the creation of Israel in 1948.

View of camp for displaced Palestinians in Rafah as Israeli strikes intensify

Israel’s ambassador ‘shreds’ UN Charter in protest of Palestinian statehood recognition vote

Saturday 11 May 2024 12:00 , Tom Watling

Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations “shredded the UN Charter” whilst giving a speech at the General Assembly.

Gilad Erdan shredded a tiny version of the Charter in a mini paper shredder whilst on the podium in protest at the Assembly’s resolution to urge the recognition of a Palestinian state.

The General Assembly voted 143 to 9 in favour of urging the Security Council to recognise Palestine, 25 countries abstained.

At the moment, Palestine is recognised as an “observer” state in the United Nations.

Only the Security Council can decide on full recognition of a state in the UN.

Israel’s ambassador ‘shreds’ UN Charter in protest of Palestinian statehood vote

US says Israel likely violated international law in Gaza

Saturday 11 May 2024 11:30 , Tom Watling

A State Department report has found “reasonable” evidence that Israel has violated international humanitarian law using US weapons in Gaza.

The long-awaited report could have required the US to stop sending weapons to its ally if it had violated the terms of a weapons agreement.

But the investigation could not immediately link the violations to US arms, which leaves the Biden administration with some leeway on whether to restrict future sales.

US says Israel likely violated international law in Gaza

Here are some of the latest photos coming out of Gaza

Saturday 11 May 2024 11:00 , Tom Watling

Below are some of the latest photos coming out of Gaza as Israel prepares to attack the southern city of Rafah.

UN warns food supplies will ‘run out tomorrow’ in southern Gaza

Saturday 11 May 2024 10:30 , Tom Watling

The United Nations has warned that food supplies will “run out tomorrow” in southern Gaza as the two crossings into the area remain blocked and closed by Israeli forces.

Georgios Petropoulos, the head of the Gaza office for the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said: “The closure, especially of the Rafah crossing and Kerem Shalom, has severed access for us to fuel, to supplies, and the movement of humanitarian staff.

“It has also affected the movement of any civilians who could go out on medical evacuation.

“The World Food Programme and UNRWA will run out of food for distribution in the south by tomorrow.

“That means that people will be left only with aid that has already been distributed in their shelters, in their homes and on site.

“As of today, we have 12 bakeries supported by humanitarian partners here in South Gaza. Eight have ceased to operate due to a lack of human stock and four that are still operating at reduced capacity will be out of that stock by Monday.”

Gaza doctor recounts horrifying child injuries

Saturday 11 May 2024 10:00 , Tom Watling

Earlier, we reported that an emergency doctor had told us about several children who had suffered horrifying injuries that he said were the result of Israeli airstrikes this morning and earlier this week.

The Hamas-run health ministry has claimed that the majority of those killed or wounded in the Gaza Strip over the past seven months have been women and children.

Below, we print in full his quotes detailing these stories. Readers are advised that the content is of a graphic nature.

“We’ve had numerous young children and teenagers with blast and burn injuries from this morning’s attacks,” he said.

“One teenage boy came in in respiratory arrest. We revived him initially with oxygen and ventilation. However, it became apparent that his lung had been penetrated by the shrapnel and it had torn a hole in his heart. We did open heart surgery in the resuscitation room and attempted to repair the holes in his heart but despite our best efforts we were unable to revive him.

“There have been many other children here who came in with extensive burns, affecting anywhere between 20 and 50 per cent of their body surface. They are in extreme pain and their skin is sloughing off, and we’ve been struggling to keep up with the amount of pain relief they need and to dress the burns and the many lacerations and wounds.

“We’ve had another child who was brought in after having drowned in the sea. The child’s father said that the children were playing at the beach and they were being shot whilst at the beach and so many children ran into the sea in order to try and avoid getting shot. The drowned child was brought into the emergency room with severe breathing problems and has now been put on a mechanical ventilator.”

Gaza doctor says hospital staff are ‘at the end of their reserves’

Saturday 11 May 2024 09:45 , Tom Watling

An emergency doctor based in the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis has said hospital staff are “at the end of their reserves” after a “barrage of patients”.

Based out of the European Gaza Hospital in Khan Yunis, the doctor recounted to The Independent several graphic stories concerning the wellbeing of Palestinian children injured this morning and in other airstrikes.

Hospitals have been under further strain after Israeli tanks crossed and then blocked the Egyptian crossing into Rafah,  the southernmost city in Gaza, at the start of this week ahead of a ground offensive.

“We’ve had a barrage of patients being brought to hospital: by donkey cart, by pickup truck, carried in on foot, by ambulance,” he said in a voice note.

“The situation here is dire. Staff are very much at the end of their reserves. Many doctors and nurses have been unable to get to work but also, have said they have learnt the lessons from previous area invasions and are fearful for the hospital being invaded. They fear being buried in mass graves, like at Nasser [hospital].”

Rafah citizen: We do not know where to go

Saturday 11 May 2024 09:30 , Tom Watling

A resident of Rafah has said people are “confused” after Israeli forces dropped evacuation leaflets onto the southern city of Gaza this morning.

The citizen, who asked only to be identified as Ali, told The Independent that the hundreds of thousands of civilians in the area “do not know if they should move from the west or middle area of Rafah” to avoid being caught up in Israel’s imminent ground offensive.

“People are confused regarding the news they’re hearing,” he said. “They do not know if they should move from the west or middle area of Rafah, or the areas that were not identified as safe places or dangerous places.”

He added that many were “severely disappointed” about the incoming Israeli ground assault given the “good news” they celebrated when Hamas accepted an earlier ceasefire proposal.

That deal, co-authored by Egypt and Qatar last weekend, and signed off by the US, was rejected by Israel, who insisted upon eventually carrying out an offensive in Rafah.

Ali said the good news has “quickly turned from positive to negative”.

He added that the nearest city to Rafah, Khan Yunis, has been “mostly destroyed and is not suitable for residence.

“It does not have the basic human necessities, especially water. There are empty places, but there is no water, no infrastructure to move there. So how can they survive there,” he said.

See the Israeli evacuation notice to Palestinians in Rafah in full

Saturday 11 May 2024 09:10 , Tom Watling

Below, you can see in full the Israeli evacuation notice issued to Palestinians in Rafah, the southernmost major city in Gaza.

The leaflets were airdropped into Rafah and posted by the Israeli military's Arabic spokesperson, Avichay Adraee on X, formerly Twitter.

"To all the residents and displaced people in Rafah area, Rafah's camps, Al Shaboura, and the neighborhoods of Al-Jeneina, administrative district and Khirbet Al-Adas in the blocks of (31.27.26.25.9.8.7.6), you are in a dangerous combat zone,” the note read.

“The IDF will act with extreme force against terrorist organizations in your areas of residence. Everyone in these areas is risking their lives and the lives of their family members.

“For your safety, we ask you to evacuate immediately to the humanitarian zone. It is strictly forbidden to get close to the security wall. Getting close to the wall poses a threat to your life and security.”

19 people killed overnight in Rafah

Saturday 11 May 2024 08:51 , Matt Mathers

At least 19 people, including eight women and eight children, were killed overnight in central Gaza in three strikes that hit the towns of Zawaida, Maghazi and Deir al Balah, according to Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al Balah and an Associated Press journalist.

Israel’s bombardment and ground offensives in Gaza have killed more than 34,800 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its figures.

Much of Gaza has been destroyed and 80% of its population have been driven from their homes.

Rafah’s hospitals overwhelmed while food and fuel run out as Israel steps up bombardment

Saturday 11 May 2024 08:34 , Matt Mathers

The few remaining hospitals in Rafah are at 250 per cent capacity, while food and fuel are running out, the United Nations has warned, as heavy fighting between Israeli troops and Palestinian militants moves towards the centre of Gaza’s border city.

Crucial aid crossings remain inaccessible, meaning supplies of food, medicines, tents and blankets are dwindling. The World Food Programme will run out of food for distribution in southern Gaza by Saturday and there are no tents, blankets or bedding to set up new locations for displaced people, said Georgios Petropoulos, an official with the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Rafah.

Full report:

Rafah’s hospitals overwhelmed while food and fuel run out as Israel steps up bombing

Israel orders new evacuations in the southern Gaza city of Rafah as it prepares to expand operations

Saturday 11 May 2024 08:15 , Matt Mathers

Israel ordered new evacuations in Gaza’s southern city of Rafah on Saturday as it prepared to expand its operation, saying it was also moving into an area in northern Gaza where Hamas has regrouped.

Army spokesman, Avichay Adraee, told Palestinians in Jabaliya and Beit Lahiya cities and the surrounding areas to leave their homes and head to shelters in the west of Gaza City, warning that people were in "a dangerous combat zone" and that Israel was going to strike with "great force."

Heavy fighting is underway in northern Gaza, where Hamas appeared to have once again regrouped in an area where Israel has already launched punishing assaults.

Battles erupted this week in the Zeitoun area on the outskirts of Gaza City, in the northern part of the territory. Northern Gaza was the first target of the ground offensive. Israel said late last year that it had mostly dismantled Hamas in the area.

'Virtually no humanitarian aid' entered Gaza last 5 days, UN says

Saturday 11 May 2024 08:00 , Vishwam Sankaran

UN aid agencies warned that supplies are running short, and operations could halt within days in Gaza.

“For five days, no fuel and virtually no humanitarian aid entered the Gaza Strip, and we are scraping the bottom of the barrel,” Hamish Young, Unicef Senior Emergency Coordinator in Gaza, said.

Israel said it cannot win the war without rooting out Hamas fighters it believes are in Rafah.

Israeli forces have sealed off eastern Rafah from the south and have shut down the only crossing between the enclave and Egypt.

Police arrest dozens, break up pro-Palestinian protests at US universities

Saturday 11 May 2024 07:30 , Vishwam Sankaran

Police have arrested dozens in the US as they dismantled pro-Palestinian protest encampments at the University of Pennsylvania and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology yesterday.

Campus police at the University of Pennsylvania removed protesters from an encampment that had been in place for over two weeks.

Overall, 33 people, including faculty and seven students, were arrested and charged with trespassing.

Police arrived at MIT early in the morning, and gave protesters about 15 minutes to leave, and arrested the 10 who remained, the university’s president said.

In 75 instances of campus protests recorded by the Associated Press since 18 April, about 2,900 people have been arrested at 57 colleges and universities.

US says Israel's use of American weapons in Gaza likely violated international law

Saturday 11 May 2024 07:00 , Vishwam Sankaran

The Biden administration said yesterday that Israel’s use of US-provided arms in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law, but added that the evidence for determining it was incomplete.

US said it had “reasonable” evidence that Israel breached international law protecting civilians in how it conducted its war against Hamas.

But the Biden administration said it wasn’t able to link specific US weapons to individual attacks by Israeli forces in Gaza.

The first-of-its-kind assessment comes following over seven months of Israel invading Gaza with airstrikes, ground fighting and aid restrictions that have claimed nearly 35,000 Palestinian lives, mostly women and children.

Australia says Palestine's full UN membership will build peace momentum

Saturday 11 May 2024 06:27 , Vishwam Sankaran

Australia’s support for Palestine’s bid to become a full UN member would build momentum towards peace in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, the country’s foreign minister Penny Wong said today.

Australia, along with an overwhelming majority of the UN General Assembly, backed the resolution to effectively recognise a Palestinian state and recommended that the Security Council “reconsider the matter favourably”.

“At the UN General Assembly, 143 countries including Australia voted for a resolution to grant the Palestinian mission a modest extension of participation rights,” Ms Wong posted on X today.

“We all know one vote on its own won’t end this conflict - it has spanned our entire lifetimes - but we all have to do what we can to build momentum towards peace,” Ms Wong said.

Nine countries including the US and Israel voted against the bid, while 25 abstained.

“We continue to condemn Hamas’ terrorist attack of 7 October, and the call for the immediate release of all hostages. We reiterate our consistent calls for a humanitarian ceasefire so that aid can increase and civilians can be protected,” Ms Wong said.

South Africa requests world court emergency move to restrain Israel

Saturday 11 May 2024 02:00 , Jane Dalton

South Africa urged the United Nations’ top court Friday to issue more emergency measures to restrain Israel, saying its military incursion in Rafah threatens the “very survival of Palestinians in Gaza.”

South Africa again requests emergency measures from world court to restrain Israel's actions in Gaza

Watch: Israel’s ambassador ‘shreds’ UN charter to protest at Palestinian statehood recognition

Saturday 11 May 2024 01:01 , Jane Dalton

ICYMI: First shipment of aid heads to US-built floating pier in Gaza

Friday 10 May 2024 23:59 , Jane Dalton

In case you missed it:

First shipment of aid to the US-built floating pier in Gaza departs from Cyprus

Israel did not breach terms of US weapons use, official report to say

Friday 10 May 2024 23:01 , Jane Dalton

A review by the Biden administration of Israel’s use of US-provided weapons in its war in Gaza does not conclude that Israel has violated the terms for their use, according to three sources.

The report, due to be released soon, is expected to be sharply critical of Israel, but falls short of saying Israel violated terms of US-Israel weapons agreements, according to one US official.

The administration’s findings on its close ally’s conduct of the war was the first-of-its-kind assessment compelled by President Joe Biden’s fellow Democrats in Congress.

Rishi Sunak slams protests over Israel’s Eurovision appearance

Friday 10 May 2024 21:59 , Jane Dalton

Rishi Sunak has condemned “outrageous” protests and calls for a boycott over Israel‘s participation in the Eurovision song contest:

Rishi Sunak slams protests and boycott calls over Israel’s Eurovision appearance

Rafah hospitals overwhelmed as Israel steps up bombardment

Friday 10 May 2024 21:00 , Jane Dalton

The few remaining hospitals in Rafah are at 250 per cent capacity, while food and fuel are running out, the United Nations warned, as heavy fighting moves towards the centre of Gaza’s border city. Bel Trew reports:

Rafah’s hospitals overwhelmed while food and fuel run out as Israel steps up bombing