18m
Contains distressing content.
14 Oct 2023

Israel forces prepare to strike Gaza from ‘air, sea and land’

Chief Correspondent

No power or fuel, no water coming out of the taps and food running dangerously low. The UN says the humanitarian situation in Gaza was already critical and is now “fast becoming untenable”. All this as the Israeli military warns it will strike Gaza City “very soon”.

Time is fast running out for the 1.1 million people in northern Gaza to comply with Israel’s order to evacuate. Hundreds of thousands have fled south, despite Hamas urging them to stay put.

Earlier, Israel said it was giving them safe passage along the two main roads for six hours.

There were reports that Egypt and Israel would let foreigners leave Gaza through the Rafah crossing, but it remained shut amid wrangling over a deal to allow aid in.

The Palestinian health ministry says Israeli air strikes have killed 2,215 people in Gaza – almost a third of them children and 324 in just the last day.

And 55 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank, in clashes with Israeli troops and attacks by settlers.

More than 1,300 Israelis were killed in last weekend’s brutal attack by Hamas – which is designated a terrorist group by many countries.

Israel says it’s confirmed that 126 civilians are being held hostage in Gaza.

Alex has more on the day’s events. You may find some of the images distressing.