Rishi Sunak has told Israel’s prime minister to “protect ordinary Palestinians” as it continues its fightback against Hamas fighters.
The prime minister’s comments come after he pledged to send the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force to the eastern Mediterranean Sea to support Israel following the assault launched by Hamas last weekend.
A Number 10 spokeswoman said Mr Sunak “reiterated that the UK stands side by side with Israel in fighting terror” in his phone call with Benjamin Netanyahu, adding Hamas should “never again be able to perpetrate atrocities against the Israeli people”.
Israel ‘strikes Syrian airports’ – follow live conflict updates
She added: “Noting that Hamas has enmeshed itself in the civilian population in Gaza, the prime minister said it was important to take all possible measures to protect ordinary Palestinians and facilitate humanitarian aid.”
It comes as the United Nations said it has been told by the Israeli military that some 1.1 million Palestinians in Gaza should relocate to the enclave’s south within the next 24 hours.
“The United Nations considers it impossible for such a movement to take place without devastating humanitarian consequences,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.
“The United Nations strongly appeals for any such order, if confirmed, to be rescinded avoiding what could transform what is already a tragedy into a calamitous situation.”
In response, a Hamas official accused the Israeli military of “fake propaganda” and urged Palestinians “not to fall for it”.
Read more:
Why Israel is braced for Hezbollah attack from Lebanon
How hostage negotiators will be working to free Hamas captives
Israel said a total of 1,300 of its people have died since Saturday’s raid as its troops continue to mass along the barbed wire fence ahead of a possible ground offensive on Gaza, with 300,000 reservists called up.
The country is targeting Hamas after the militant group carried out a wave of attacks in Israel as gunmen stormed the border and killed hundreds in their homes as well as 260 others at a music festival.
Meanwhile at least 500 children and 276 women are among the estimated 1,537 Palestinians who have died with more than 6,000 wounded, the Gaza health ministry has said.
The number of fatalities in Gaza is expected to rise further as Israel’s siege of the territory has left Palestinians with dwindling supplies of food, water, electricity and medicine.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
White phosphorous has been used, human rights group claims
On the ground in Gaza, it has been claimed white phosphorous has been used as a weapon, which can indiscriminately burn people, thermally and chemically.
Human Rights Watch claimed Israel used the chemical in Gaza and Lebanon, verifying footage from 10 and 11 October, respectively, showing multiple airbursts of artillery-fired white phosphorus over the Gaza City port and two rural locations along the Israel-Lebanon border.
It said the weapon’s use “violates the international humanitarian law prohibition on putting civilians at unnecessary risk”.
Key developments:
• UK navy to send ships and begin surveillance flights over Israel
• Two UK Jewish schools close for safety reasons
• FA criticised over refusal to light up Wembley in Israeli flag colours
• British-Israelis issue plea as families held hostage in Gaza
• Israel says it rescued 250 hostages on day of incursion
• Blinken tells Netanyahu the US will always be by Israel’s side
• Israel reportedly strikes airports in Syria
• Israel says no food or water will be supplied to Gaza until hostages are freed
• UN warns of ‘dire situation’ in Gaza Strip
• Palestinians accuse Israel of killing civilians
• Israeli PM says Hamas beheaded soldiers and raped women
• Israeli military admits it failed to protect its citizens in Hamas attack
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
‘This is the equivalent of ten 9/11s’
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke on a visit to Israel where he said the government had showed him photographs and videos of the victims of attacks by Hamas.
He said the images included a baby riddled with bullets, soldiers beheaded, and young people burned alive in their cars or hideaways.
Mr Blinken added: “If you look at [the incursion] in proportion to the size of Israel’s population, this is the equivalent of ten 9/11s.
“That’s how big and how devastating the attack has been.”
Meanwhile, Hamas has said it “firmly denies” reports that its fighters have carried out beheadings as part of its attack on Israel.
Mr Blinken later flew to Amman in Jordan and will move on to Qatar and Saudi Arabia, where he will be “pressing countries to help prevent the conflict from spreading”.
Israel Defence Force troops assemble on border
Troops from the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) are building up near the Gaza border as an imminent ground invasion is possible – though no political decision on this has yet been announced, Lieutenant Colonel Richard Hecht said.
Israel has also evacuated tens of thousands of residents from nearby communities.
Should the ground offensive go ahead it would be the first since the 50-day Gaza war in 2014, which left thousands of Palestinians and dozens of IDF troops dead.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Global protests take place
There have been protests and demonstrations around world in the wake of the conflict in the Middle East.
In France, which has Europe’s largest Jewish and Muslim communities, the government banned pro-Palestinian protests, claiming they would “generate disturbances to public order”, leading to people being tear gassed in Paris.
Students at several universities in the US faced-off on campus, with protesters for both sides of the conflict chanting at each other and waving banners amid rising tensions.
Demonstrations have also taken place in Germany, Tunisia and Mexico, with more planned elsewhere at the weekend – including London.
