Israel-Hamas war: Aid trucks cross into Gaza for the first time since conflict erupted
The Rafah Crossing on the Gaza-Egypt border opened to allow vital aid into Gaza for the first time since the conflict erupted.
Lorries with life-saving food, medicines, water purifiers and blankets have been given permission to enter the Gaza Strip.
More than 200 trucks and 3,000 tons of aid had amassed on the Egypt side of the Rafah crossing.
It comes as two US citizens, Judith and Natalie Raanan, were released by Hamas in a deal thought to brokered by Qatar.
It is thought that Hamas took around 200 hostages during the attack on October 7.
Cleverly to attend Cairo conference
07:52 , Sami Quadri
UK foreign secretary James Cleverly is among those expected to attend an international conference in Cairo on Saturday to discuss the escalating war between Israel and Hamas.
Others will include Egyptian president Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas, Jordanian King Abdullah and Qatari Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.
Thousands join pro-Palestine march in Australia
08:02 , Sami Quadri
Thousands of people took part in a pro-Palestinian march in Sydney on Saturday.
Around 15,000 people attended, organiser Palestine Action Group said, with demonstrators chanting "Palestine will never die" and waving Palestine flags. Police, including officers on horseback, patrolled the event that closed city streets, and a police helicopter circled overhead.
Police said no arrests had been made. Palestine Action Group spokesperson Amal Naser said the march was peaceful.
Rafah crossing opens to allow aid into Gaza
08:32 , Sami Quadri
The border crossing between Egypt and Gaza opened on Saturday to allow aid into Gaza.
Lorries with life-saving food, medicines, water purifiers and blankets have gained access to the Gaza Strip
More than 200 trucks carrying roughly 3,000 tons of aid had been positioned near the crossing for days before heading into Gaza. An Associated Press reporter saw the trucks entering.
Cleverly: Aid flowing into Gaza is 'lifeline'
08:48 , Sami Quadri
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said the aid flowing through the Rafah crossing into Gaza was a “lifeline”.
But he said that access had to be maintained to provide humanitarian relief.
He said: “Trucks carrying lifesaving aid are beginning to cross at Rafah into Gaza.
“This aid is a lifeline for those suffering.
“But it cannot be a one-off. The UK continues to push for humanitarian access to Gaza.”
Resigning Oxford City councillors say Labour leadership ‘complicit in war crimes’
09:04 , Sami Quadri
Six Labour councillors on Oxford City Council have resigned after remarks from party leadership on the Israel-Hamas conflict sparked concern.
Councillors Imogen Thomas, Edward Mundy, Paula Dunne, Duncan Hall, Dr Hosnieh Djafari-Marbini and Jabu Nala-Hartley said on Friday they were stepping down from the party in the wake of Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer appearing to suggest that Israel has “the right” to withhold energy and water from Gaza.
The councillors said in a statement: “At a time when it’s been crucial to call for an immediate ceasefire and a de-escalation, and to insist Israel abides by international law, Keir Starmer and the shadow Foreign Secretary have instead endorsed collective punishment, blockade, siege and mass civilian casualties.
“As Starmer has said, ‘Israel has that right’ to continue deadly attacks on Gazans. This is complicity in war crimes.
“The Labour party leadership has sought to silence members and representatives who have sought to highlight these violations of international law, banning motions from branches, and strongly advising councillors against attending demonstrations.
“This is a direct threat to our democratic rights.”
Hamas: Expected aid 'will not change the catastrophic medical conditions in Gaza'
09:16 , Sami Quadri
Hamas issued a statement on Saturday saying that expected truckloads of aid 'will not change the catastrophic medical conditions in Gaza'.
Earlier on Saturday, Egyptian State TV showed footage of Egypt opening its border with the Gaza Strip at the Rafah crossing point, where at least 20 trucks of aid are expected to cross through the border.
Hamas media: 13 killed in airstrike over a residential unit in Gaza’s Deir el Balah
09:30 , Sami Quadri
At least 13 Palestinians were killed on Saturday from an airstrike in Gaza's Deir El Balah neighborood, Hamas' Al Shehab news agency reported.
The incident happened over a single residential unit, Al Shehab said.
World Health Organization says health supplies are moving towards Rafah border
09:49 , Sami Quadri
Four trucks carrying health supplies have started to move towards the Rafah border crossing, on their way to Gaza, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a statement on Saturday.
The WHO also said it was working with the Egyptian and Palestine Red Crescent societies to ensure the safe passage of critical supplies.
Pictured: Trucks carrying aid drive through Rafah crossing
10:23 , Sami Quadri
Trucks drive through Rafah crossing to deliver vital aid supplies to people in Gaza
Small blast outside Israeli embassy in Cyprus
10:40 , Sami Quadri
A small blast occurred overnight outside the Israeli embassy in the Cypriot capital Nicosia, police said. No damage or injuries were reported.
Police said a metal object containing "a small amount of pyrotechnic material" exploded about 30 metres away from a perimeter compound of the embassy, which lies in a heavily populated area of Nicosia.
Four youths aged between 17 and 21 found in the area were being questioned by police, a security source said. In the car of one of the detainees police found 2 knives and a hammer.
Cyprus state radio reported the detainees were Syrians.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas: We won't leave, we will remain on our land
11:01 , Sami Quadri
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said "we won't leave, we will remain on our land" during his opening speech at the Cairo Peace Summit on Saturday.
The summit is being held in Egypt as Israel prepares a ground assault on Gaza following Hamas' attack that killed 1,400 people. More than 4,100 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's counteroffensive, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.
Gaza aid 'barely a drop in the ocean', warns charity
11:04 , Sami Quadri
Riham Jafari, Communications and Advocacy Coordinator for ActionAid Palestine, has warned that the aid being delivered into Gaza is "barely a drop in the ocean".
She said: "We welcome this morning's aid convoy into Gaza, but it's clear that what's being delivered today is barely a drop in the ocean. Before this crisis began, around 500 aid trucks would normally cross the border every day providing a vital lifeline to millions of Gazans who were already facing a humanitarian crisis.
"Aid trucks also did not bring with them the fuel needed to power hospitals, keep ambulances moving, or to pump water from the ground. We're hearing stories every day of communities coming together to donate whatever fuel they have remaining to keep incubators going for newborns who are in a critical condition. With 2.2 million Gazans facing a humanitarian crisis we're urgently calling for a ceasefire and for the opening of humanitarian corridors"
Jordan's King Abdullah condemns Israel over Gaza attacks
11:21 , Sami Quadri
Arab leaders condemned Israel's two-week-old bombardment of Gaza on Saturday and demanded renewed efforts to reach a Middle East peace settlement to end a decades-long cycle of violence between Israelis and Palestinians.
Speaking at the Cairo Peace Summit, Jordan's King Abdullah denounced what he termed global silence about Israel's attacks on the enclave and urged an even-handed approach to the Israeli-Palestinian dispute.
"The message the Arab world is hearing is that Palestinian lives matter less than Israeli ones," he said, adding he was outraged and grieved by acts of violence waged against innocent civilians in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel.
"The Israeli leadership must realise once and for all that a state can never thrive if it is built on a foundation of injustice ... Our message to the Israelis should be that we want a future of peace and security for you and the Palestinians."
French foreign ministry calls for a humanitarian truce after opening of Rafah border
11:38 , Sami Quadri
The French Foreign Ministry has called for a humanitarian truce to allow the delivery of aid into Gaza following the opening of the Rafah border crossing from Egypt.
Israel says number of hostages in Gaza now at 210
12:16 , Bill Mcloughlin
According to an Israeli military spokesman, they have so far notified the families of 210 hostages taken by Hamas militants.
Gaza death toll rises
12:39 , Bill Mcloughlin
Up to 4,385 people have died in Gaza, the Palestinian health ministry has said.
Those killed include 1,756 children and 976 women while the number of those injured has increased to 13,651.
Thousands gather for pro-Palestine march in London
13:01 , Sami Quadri
Thousands of protesters gathered at Marble Arch in central London on Saturday as part of a pro-Palestine march.
Attendees held signs that read “Freedom for Palestine” and “Stop Bombing Gaza”.
Chants included “Judaism yes, Zionism no, the state of Israel must go”, and “5, 6, 7, 8, Israel is a terrorist state”.
The platform at Marble Arch Tube station was briefly closed due to the crowds.
Full coverage can be found here.
Cleverly calls for restraint from Israeli military
13:10 , Sami Quadri
British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said on Saturday he had spoken to the Israeli government about its duty to act in accordance with international law and to preserve civilian lives in Gaza, and for its military to show restraint.
"I have spoken directly to the Israeli Government, about their duty to respect international law and the importance of preserving civilian lives in Gaza," Cleverly told the Cairo Peace Summit hosted by Egypt.
"Despite the incredibly difficult circumstances, I have called for discipline and professionalism and restraint from the Israeli military."
Pictured: Pro-Palestine protesters march in London
13:30 , Sami Quadri
Thousands of protesters have gathered in London to march in solidarity with Palestine
Pro-Palestine supporters chant controversial slogan in London
13:40 , Sami Quadri
Pro-Palestinian protesters in central London on Saturday chanted “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”, despite an ongoing controversy around the slogan’s meaning.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman has previously branded the slogan antisemitic and claimed that it is “widely understood” to call for the destruction of Israel.
Jewish groups including the Board of Deputies, Jewish Leadership Council and the Community Security Trust have asked prosecutors to clarify if chanting the slogan is a criminal offence.
However, those who defend the slogan describe it as a “long-standing protest chant” that calls for a homeland for the Palestinian people.
Up to 100,000 people attend pro-Palestine protests in London
14:28 , Sami Quadri
The Metropolitan Police has said that "up to 100,000" people are attending the pro-Palestine protests in London this afternoon.
Kay Burley’s remarks about Palestinian ambassador ‘potentially misleading’
14:29 , Sami Quadri
Sky News has said on-air remarks by Kay Burley about the Palestinian ambassador “gave a potentially misleading representation” of his views.
A total of 1,537 complaints were made to the media watchdog Ofcom about the Breakfast With Kay Burley programme on October 10, which took place after Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel.
On Saturday, news presenter Anna Jones said on Sky News: “Earlier this month we reported that the Palestinian ambassador to the UK, Dr Husam Zomlot, said in reference to the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7 that ‘Israel had it coming’.
“We recognise that this is not what Dr Zomlot had said in an earlier interview.
“Sky News also accepts that this gave a potentially misleading representation of Dr Zomlot’s views.”
On Wednesday, Ofcom said “The complainants alleged Kay Burley misrepresented comments made by the Palestinian ambassador.”
Meloni urges international community not to fall into Hamas "trap"
15:21 , Sami Quadri
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Saturday that the international community must avoid an escalation in the war between Israel and Hamas and set a roadmap towards a two state solution.
Meloni made the remarks while speaking in Egypt at the Cairo international summit for peace in the Middle East as Israel prepares a ground assault on Gaza.
"Although our starting points are far apart, our interests overlap perfectly: that what is happening in Gaza does not become a much wider conflict, a religious war, a clash of civilisations," Meloni said speaking in Italian.
"I have the impression that this was the real aim of the Hamas attack, not to defend the rights of the Palestinian people, but an attack that would create an unbridgeable gap between the Palestinians and the Israelis, meaning that the target is all of us, and we cannot fall into this trap, which would be very stupid."
Hamas says it won't discuss fate of Israeli army captives until end of 'aggression' on Gaza
15:46 , Sami Quadri
Palestinian militant faction Hamas said it will not discuss the fate of Israeli army captives until Israel ends its "aggression" on the Gaza strip.
"Our stance with regards to Israeli army captives is clear: it's related to a (possible) exchange of prisoners, and we will not discuss it until Israel ends its aggression on Gaza and Palestinians," Hamas official Osama Hamdan, speaking from Lebanon, told a televised presser.
