Hamas militants 'doomed', Israeli PM says in TV address, as country 'preparing ground offensive'

Israel is preparing a ground invasion of Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised statement on Wednesday, warning that Hamas militants are "doomed".

Israel's leader did not provide any timings or further information about the ground invasion, saying that decisions would be taken by the government's special war cabinet.

It comes after the United Nations chief rejected accusations by Israel that he justified the October 7 attacks by Hamas, saying "this is false" and the "opposite" of what his statement to the Security Council said. Antonio Guterres told the council in New York on Tuesday that attacks by Hamas "did not happen in a vacuum".

His comments enraged Israeli diplomats who announced they would no longer grant visas to UN officials and called for his immediate resignation.

On Wednesday the UN chief said he wanted to "set the record straight especially out of respect to the victims and to their families". "I am shocked by the misrepresentations by some of my statement ... as if I was justifying acts of terror by Hamas. This is false. It was the opposite," he told reporters.

Also on Wednesday the first UK RAF flight providing medical and water supplies to Gaza was sent to Egypt. UN relief workers in Gaza have warned they will run out of fuel by Wednesday night and may have to cease operations.

Follow live updates below...

Key Points

• Gaza hospitals face having to choose what services to provide as they run out of fuel

• What you need to know about the fuel crisis in Gaza

• UK send RAF plane to Gaza with 21 tonnes of humanitarian aid supplies

• What you need to know about Israel's battle with the UN

• UN chief wants to 'set the record straight' on his Israel comments

Wednesday 25 October 2023 06:59 , Jordan King

Good morning and welcome to The Evening Standard's live coverage of the Israel-Gaza conflict as it enters its 19th day.

Important developments to catch up on:

• Israel renewed its vow to destroy Hamas

• It rejected calls for a ceasefire at a high-level UN meeting

• The country also dismissed calls for “proportionality” in its response to Hamas' October 7 attacks

• As of yesterday, the Palestinian death toll stood at 5,791, according to Hamas

• There are still more than 200 Israelis and foreign nationals being held hostage in Gaza

Israel attacks Syrian military targets

Wednesday 25 October 2023 07:14 , Jordan King

Israel said its fighter jets struck military infrastructure and mortar launchers belonging to the Syrian Army in the early hours of this morning.

The attack was in response to "rocket launches from Syria toward Israel yesterday", the Israel Defense Forces said.

Eight Syrian soldiers were killed and seven more were wounded in the assault, the Syrian state news agency (SANA) reported.

'Three killed' after Israel clashes with Palestinians in occupied West Bank

Wednesday 25 October 2023 07:26 , Jordan King

Israeli forces said armed Palestinians "fired and hurled explosive devices" at its forces in the Jenin refugee camp, in the northern West Bank. The military then struck them with a drone, and "hits were identified", it added.

The drone fired at least two projectiles, the Palestinian Authority's official news agency WAFA said, citing sources in the camp.

Three people were killed and more than 20 injured, said the director of Jenin Governmental Hospital Wissam Bakr.

The Jenin refugee camp, which has been the focus of Israeli military operations before, is believed to be a a Palestinian militant stronghold. The West Bank is emerging as another front in the conflict - 100 Palestinians have been killed in clashes with Israeli forces there, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

'No expectation that hamas would respect cesefire'

Wednesday 25 October 2023 07:31 , Jordan King

The Canadian Defence Minister Bill Blair said he does not believe Hamas would be oblige with a ceasfire.

He told reporters yesterday: "I have no expectation that a terrorist organisation would respect international law or any call for a ceasefire.

"Quite frankly, Hamas has to be eliminated as a threat, not just to Israel, but to the world."

Western countries have instead called for "humanitarian pauses".

United Nations in Gaza will 'run out of fuel tonight'

Wednesday 25 October 2023 07:40 , Jordan King

The United Nations Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said its operation to deliver aid to civilians in Gaza will come to a halt tonight if Israel does not allow fuel into the blockaded enclave.

But Israel, who does not want to inadvertently provide fuel to Hamas, essentially said the militant group had stockpiled fuel in Gaza.

The IDF posted a photo of what it said showed "fuel tanks inside Gaza".

"They contain more than 500,000 litres of fuel - ask Hamas if you can have some," they said in a response to UNRWA.

Some recent photos of Gaza:

Wednesday 25 October 2023 07:46 , Jordan King

This morning's photographs show Palestinians searching for casualties at the site of Israeli strikes in Khan Younis, in the south of the Gaza Strip.

'More than 80 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes' - Hamas

Wednesday 25 October 2023 07:48 , Jordan King

Gaza's Hamas-run government said more than 80 people were killed and hundreds were wounded in Israeli raids on Gaza last night.

What you need to know about yesterday's UN Security Council meeting

Wednesday 25 October 2023 08:07 , Jordan King

Comments said in yesterday's meeting are dominating the headlines this morning, these are the main points

The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a ceasefire 

He told the 15-member Security Council: “It is important to also recognise the attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum. The Palestinian people have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation.

“But the grievances of the Palestinian people cannot justify the appalling attacks by Hamas. And those appalling attacks cannot justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people."

He went on to say that "protecting civilians does not mean ordering more than one million people to evacuate to the south, where there is no shelter, no food, no water, no medicine and no fuel, and then continuing to bomb the south itself".

Mr Guterres also said "no party to an armed conflict is above international humanitarian law".

These comments angered Israel

Israel’s UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan responded to the speech, which he called "shocking", and said “the Secretary-General is completely disconnected from the reality in our region.”

He wrote: “There is no justification or point in talking to those who show compassion for the most terrible atrocities committed against the citizens of Israel and the Jewish people."

Mr Erdan then said he would no longer meet with Mr Guterres.

Israel says yesterday's raids 'struck terrorists and Hamas infrastructure'

Wednesday 25 October 2023 08:16 , Jordan King

The IDF said it carried out "wide-scale strikes" on parts of the Gaza Strip over the last day.

Attacks "struck several terrorists and Hamas infrastructure, including terror tunnel shafts, military headquarters, weapons warehouses, mortar launchers and anti-tank missile launchers", the military said in a statement posted to Telegram.

The strikes also hit "Hamas’ emergency operational apparatus, including war rooms, infrastructure and military headquarters" which "was responsible for setting up blockades that prevented Gazans from evacuating to safer areas in the southern Gaza Strip".

Hamas says more than 80 Palestinians were killed in raids last night.

Israel says it killed Hamas commander

Wednesday 25 October 2023 08:37 , Jordan King

The IDF said it killed the commander of Hamas' North Khan Yunis Battalion, Taysir Mubasher, who has also served as the Commander of Hamas' naval forces and held several positions in weapons manufacturing.

In a statement posted on Telegram, the military said Mubasher "has extensive experience in the military and as a commander, directing terror attacks".

The IDF said "Mubasher was responsible for numerous terror attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers throughout the years", including one where five students were killed.

Mubasher also "directed the terror attack in the Vered Post in 2003 and was involved in the infiltration into Zikim beaches during Operation Protective Edge'," the military said.

'Time to teach them a lesson': Israel will deny visas to UN officials

Wednesday 25 October 2023 09:01 , Jordan King

Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, said the country will no longer grant visas to UN officials, after UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' remarks at yesterday's Security Council meeting.

He told Army Radio, a network operated by the IDF: “Due to his remarks we will refuse to issue visas to UN representatives.

"We have already refused a visa for Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths. The time has come to teach them a lesson.”

Israel has responded angrily to Mr Guterres' comments while calling for a ceasefire.

He said: “It is important to also recognise the attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum. The Palestinian people have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation.

“But the grievances of the Palestinian people cannot justify the appalling attacks by Hamas. And those appalling attacks cannot justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people."

Shelters in Gaza four times over capacity - UN

Wednesday 25 October 2023 09:49 , Jordan King

The United Nations Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said Palestinians have been forced to sleep in the streets because shelters in Gaza are "overwhelmed".

Nearly 600,000 internally displaced people are sheltering in 150 UNRWA facilities, the UNRWA posted on Wednesday morning.

"Our shelters are four times over their capacities - many people are sleeping in the streets," it said.

Hezbollah leader holds talks with Hamas

Wednesday 25 October 2023 10:02 , Jordan King

The leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah group, Hassan Nasrallah, held talks with senior Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad figures in a key meeting of three top anti-Israel militant groups amid the war raging in Gaza.

In a brief and vague statement released to Hezbollah-run and Lebanese state media, Nasrallah said they all agreed on the next steps that should be taken "at this sensitive stage".

They said their goal was to achieve "a real victory for the resistance in Gaza and Palestine" and halt Israel's "treacherous and brutal aggression against our oppressed and steadfast people in Gaza and the West Bank".

No other details were provided.

IDF says it thwarted Hamas divers trying to infiltrate Israeli territory by sea

Wednesday 25 October 2023 11:28 , Jordan King

IDF soldiers spotted Hamas divers trying to get into the in the area of Zikim via the sea yesterday, the military said in a statement posted on Telegram.

They wrote: "The terrorists exited through a tunnel shaft located on the coast of the Gaza Strip and were struck by IDF fighter jets and Naval soldiers. In addition, IDF fighter jets and Naval soldiers struck a weapons storage facility that was used by the terrorists."

More fire to and from Lebanese border

Wednesday 25 October 2023 11:44 , Jordan King

The IDF said it struck "a terrorist cell attempting to fire from Lebanon toward the community of Zar'it in Israeli territory" this morning.

Less than an hour later, it said "terrorists fired an anti-tank missile from Lebanon toward IDF soldiers in the area of Avivim" with "IDF tanks and artillery firing toward the origin of the shooting".

No injuries were reported, the military said on Telegram.

RAF plane on its way to Egypt with humanitarian aid for Gaza

Wednesday 25 October 2023 12:21 , Jordan King

An RAF plane is on its way to Egypt with a cargo of 21 tonnes of humanitarian supplies for Gaza, the Ministry of Defence has announced.

Supplies on board the C-17 aircraft include medical equipment and water filters.

It comes after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced he was increasing UK support by £30 million to meet the needs of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, which has been subject to a siege and bombardment from Israel as Tel Aviv retaliates after Hamas's assault on October 7.

Turkey's president calls Hamas a 'liberation group'

Wednesday 25 October 2023 12:26 , Jordan King

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said Hamas was a "liberation group" fighting to "protect their land and citizens”.

In a speech to his party today, Mr Erdogan said Turkey "owes nothing" to Israel and vowed he would no longer visit the country.

Gaza hospitals 'to halt some services amid fuel shortage'

Wednesday 25 October 2023 12:40 , Jordan King

Hospitals in Gaza will be forced to choose which services to contunie offering to try and salvage the remainder of what little fuel they have.

Lily Esposito, spokesperson for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, said: "Without fuel our trucks cannot go around to further places in the strip for distribution.

"We will have to make decisions on what activities we keep or not with little fuel."

In recent days, Israel allowed a small number of trucks filled with aid to come over the border with Egypt but barred deliveries of fuel — needed to power hospital generators — to keep it out of Hamas' hands.

More than half of Gaza's primary healthcare facilities, and roughly a third of its hospitals, have stopped functioning, the World Health Organization said.

Sunak backs 'pauses' in conflict but rejects ceasefire

Wednesday 25 October 2023 12:59 , Josh Salisbury

Rishi Sunak has backed “specific pauses” in the conflict between Israel and Hamas to allow British nationals to escape Gaza and let aid in but rejected calls for a ceasefire.

The Prime Minister said breaks in fighting as Israel pummels the small territory, which is home to more than two million Palestinians, are necessary to get hostages released as well.

He said the pauses had been discussed at the United Nations as he announced that an RAF plane is flying to Egypt with 21 tonnes of humanitarian supplies.

More than 80 MPs have urged the Government to call for a ceasefire, as five UK nationals remain missing, some of whom are believed to be being held hostage in Gaza.

Downing Street has argued that a ceasefire would only benefit HamasThe Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “A wholesale ceasefire would only serve to benefit Hamas.

“Humanitarian pauses, which are temporary, which are limited in scope, can be an operational tool.”

Sunak rejects Guterres comments amid growing diplomatic row

Wednesday 25 October 2023 13:29 , Matt Watts

Rishi Sunak has rejected UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres’ comments on the Hamas attack on Israel, amid a diplomatic storm about the remarks.

The Prime Minister is not however calling on the UN chief to resign, as called for by Israel’s UN ambassador Gilad Erdan.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “Obviously we don’t agree with that characterisation put forward. We are clear that there is and can be no justification for Hamas’ barbaric terrorist attack which was driven by hatred and ideology.”

Mr Guterres told a United Nations Security Council meeting in New York that it was important to recognise that “the attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum”.

The spokesman said that the UN a “as a body will continue to play an important role…. and that is supported by the UK Government”

Starmer meets with Labour’s Muslim MPs amid backlash

Wednesday 25 October 2023 13:45 , Matt Watts

Sir Keir Starmer is currently meeting with some of Labour’s Muslim MPs, amid a backlash over his position on Gaza and Israel.

Around 12 Labour parliamentarians are believed to be in attendance, including at least one frontbencher.

A spokesman for the Labour leader said: “We fully recognise that this is a very difficult time for a lot of people, there are strong feelings on all sides of the debate here and it is important that he takes the time to sit down and listen to people from all points of view, which he has sought to do throughout this process.”

Sir Keir has faced criticism in recent weeks after he appeared to suggest in an LBC interview that Israel's decision to withhold water and power from Gaza was proportionate and justified.Despite seeking to clarify his remarks, Sir Keir faced a fresh row over his visit to a mosque on Sunday.

Members of the South Wales Islamic Centre claimed the leader had “gravely misrepresented our congregants and the nature of the visit” in tweets he sent out afterwards, which it said “put [the centre] and the wider Muslim community into disrepute”.

Starmer continues to resist call for ceasefire

Wednesday 25 October 2023 14:04 , Matt Watts

Sir Keir Starmer is continuing to resist calls from within some in his party for a ceasefire in the Hamas-Israel conflict.

But the Labour leader has moved to back calls, including from the Prime Minister, for a move to humanitarian pauses in a bid to protect civilians.

A spokesman for Sir Keir said: “We have said throughout that we would support any initiative to get more aid in and help get hostages out. We saw that Antony Blinken said last night that humanitarian pauses must be considered, that seems to be something that Downing Street is now echoing and we would obviously full support that position.”

Asked about calls for a complete ceasefire, the spokesman said: “We fully recognise that Israel has a right to defend itself, to go after the hostages and to act in accordance with humanitarian law in that process.

“What we have also said is that we need to ensure that there is protection of civilian life, that we ensure all necessary aid supplies can get into Gaza and reach people who need them, and that continues to be our position.”

UK says ceasefire would 'only benefit Hamas'

Wednesday 25 October 2023 14:12 , Jordan King

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's spokesperson said: "A wholesale ceasefire would only serve to benefit Hamas.

"Humanitarian pauses, which are temporary, which are limited in scope, can be an operational tool."

UK flight carrying aid for Gaza leaves for Egypt

Wednesday 25 October 2023 14:23 , Jordan King

The Royal Air Force C-17 aircraft, which is carrying 21 tonnes of humanitarian aid for Gaza, is now on its way to Egypt, the Ministry of Defence has said.

It is delivering 76,800 wound care packs donated from medical stockpiles, 1,350 water filters and 2,560 solar-powered lights.

This is part of a £30 million aid package announced by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak earlier this week.

Israel reveals what it says is Hamas' step-by-step instructions on their attack

Wednesday 25 October 2023 14:36 , Jordan King

Israel has released a translation of what it claims is a document of instructions for Hamas militants to use during the October 7 attack.

The supposed guidelines allegedly include telling fighters to "gather hostages when each group finishes purifying the area" and "killing anyone that may pose a threat or cause a disturbance".

The document also says militants should "gather some hostages to use as human shields", the IDF claims.

Syria says Israel has targetted Aleppo's airport

Wednesday 25 October 2023 14:43 , Jordan King

Syrian state media said Israel hit Aleppo's airport with strikes.

"The Israeli enemy carried out an air attack from the direction of the Mediterranean Sea, west of Latakia, targeting Aleppo International Airport," a Syrian military source told state TV, adding that the attack had damaged the airport's runway.

The Israeli military declined to comment when asked if it attacked Aleppo's airport.

The airport has already been out of service since October 22, due to an Israeli missile attack.

What you need to know about the fuel crisis in Gaza

Wednesday 25 October 2023 15:20 , Jordan King

The clock is ticking after the UN said it will have to bring a stop to providing aid to civilians as soon as tonight if it does not get more fuel into the blockaded enclave.

Hospitals are on the verge of having to make difficult decisions on what services to halt in order to save what little fuel they have left.

Activists around the world have repeatedly pointed out that hospitals need power to keep equipment like baby incubators running.

The other main worry is water - as Gaza needs fuel to power pumps and desalination plants. There have been multiple reports of Gazans resorting to drinking seawater.

Surgeon Ghassan Abu Sitta Ghassan Abu Sitta recently reported that the Chief of Surgery at Gaza's main Shifa Hospital said "the number of active ambulances on the road is decreasing because of the fuel crisis".

But Israel will not allow fuel into Gaza because it does not want Hamas to get hold of it.

The Israeli Defense Forces last night replied to the United Nations Agency for Palestine Refugees' plea for fuel with a photo of what it said showed "fuel tanks inside Gaza".

"They contain more than 500,000 litres of fuel - ask Hamas if you can have some," the military wrote on social media.

Former British Intelligence Officer Philip Ingram told Sky News today: "Hamas almost certainly has that - the way you can analyse fuel storage areas using intelligence techniques - I would probably believe the Israelis in this.

"Hamas needs the fuel to move its own vehicles around, to move its own missiles around that it's firing nightly at Israel.

"But more importantly, Hamas' full defence is based on its hundreds of kilometres of tunnels that they've got underneath Gaza - some of them 250 feet.

"They need the light, they need air to be pumped in, they need the fuel to power their own generators to make sure that they can survive in there.

"If they can't get air and light in, then Hamas can't survive in those tunnels and they can't mount their defences in those tunnels."

UN chief wants to 'set the record straight' on his Israel comments

Wednesday 25 October 2023 15:31 , Jordan King

UN chief Antonio Guterres' comments that "Hamas did not happen in a vacuum” has angered Israel so much it has announced that it will no longer grant visas to UN officials.

Mr Guterres has just spoken to the media to say he is "shocked by misrepresentations by some as if he was justifying acts of terror by Hamas".

"This is false. It was the opposite,' he said.

He went on to unequivocally condemn "the horrifying and unprecedented 7 October acts of terror by Hamas in Israel" and stressed that "nothing can justify the deliberate killing, injuring and kidnapping of civilians – or the launching of rockets against civilian targets".

Mr Guterres added: "Indeed, I spoke of the grievances of the Palestinian people.

"In doing so, I clearly stated, and I quote: 'But the grievances of the Palestinian people cannot justify the appalling attacks by Hamas'.”

He said he wanted to "set the record straight, especially out of respect for the victims and their families".

Rafah school sheltering 4,600 people damaged

Wednesday 25 October 2023 17:11 , Miriam Burrell

An UNRWA school in Rafah, sheltering 4,600 people, suffered severe collateral damage from a close proximity strike, the United Nations Palestinian refugee agency in Gaza has said.

Al-Awda hospital to halt services tonight

Wednesday 25 October 2023 17:18 , Miriam Burrell

Al-Awda hospital, one of the biggest in Gaza, is just hours away from running out of fuel, ActionAid has said.

A third of Gaza’s hospitals and nearly two-thirds of primary health care clinics have stopped providing services entirely due to damage from air strikes and a lack of fuel.

Doctor Khaled said:  "We are working on two generators alternatively. There has been no electricity at all for 17 days in Gaza. Capacity is a problem because there are a huge number of patients and not enough beds.

"We are insisting on staying in our hospital so we can continue to provide services for our patients, our injured, and our people.

"Al-Awda is the main provider of maternity services in the northern part of Gaza – we are the pioneers in this area. So, we are delivering babies here, during the attacks."

Pictured: Makeshift camp for displaced people in Khan Yunis

Wednesday 25 October 2023 17:24 , Miriam Burrell

People distribute food at a makeshift camp for displaced people in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip

Macron: 'Massive ground intervention' in Gaza would be error

Wednesday 25 October 2023 17:57 , Miriam Burrell

French President Emmanuel Macron says it would be an "error" for Israel to launch a "massive ground intervention" in Gaza.

"France recognises Israel's right to defend itself. Regarding a ground intervention, if is entirely targeted against terrorist groups, that is a choice that it has, but if it is a massive operation that would endanger civilian populations, in that case I think it would be an error for Israel," he told reporters in Egypt.

Mr Macron added that 31 French citizens had died from the Hamas attacks in Israel earlier this month.

Aid agency calls for ceasefire not a 'pause' in Gaza

Wednesday 25 October 2023 18:07 , Miriam Burrell

ActionAid UK CEO Halima Begum has responded to Sir Keir Starmer's statement calling for aid to be delivered to Gaza.

She said "a comprehensive solution must prioritise a ceasefire in order to achieve long-term peace and stability in the region; a pause on its own only prolongs the suffering.

"Replenishing stocks of medicines for another night of continuous bombing is not a sustainable source of support for the Palestinian people.

"A lasting solution requires addressing the long-term causes of violence as well as the pressing humanitarian crisis.

"Every moment we delay in reaching a ceasefire means more innocent lives hanging in the balance, and the longer the violence rages on, the more civilian casualties we'll tragically witness."

Israeli PM: 'We encourage Israeli citizens to carry arms'

Wednesday 25 October 2023 18:27 , Miriam Burrell

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has encouraged Israeli citizens to carry arms.

He said the Government is doing everything possible to bring hostages home and troops are preparing for a ground invasion, but he wouldn't say when.

Mr Netanyahu said civilians in Gaza should move to the south.

Netanyahu says Israel 'preparing for ground invasion'

Wednesday 25 October 2023 18:49 , Matt Watts

Israel is preparing a ground invasion of Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised statement on Wednesday, but he declined to provide any details on the timing or other information about the operation.

He said the decision on when forces would go into the Palestinian enclave, controlled by the Islamist movement Hamas, would be taken by the government's special war cabinet, which includes the leader of one of the centrist opposition parties.

"We have already killed thousands of terrorists and this is only the beginning," Netanyahu said.

"Simultaneously, we are preparing for a ground invasion. I will not elaborate on when, how or how many. I will also not elaborate on the various calculations we are making, which the public is mostly unaware of and that is how things should be."

Israel has carried out days of intense bombardment of the densely populated Gaza Strip following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israeli communities that killed some 1,400 people.

Earlier, citing U.S. and Israeli officials, the Wall Street Journal reported that Israel had agreed to delay the invasion of Gaza for now, so the United States could rush missile defences to the region.

Reuters reported on Monday that Washington advised Israel to hold off on a ground assault and is keeping Qatar - a broker with the Palestinian militants - apprised of those talks as its tries to free more hostages and prepare for a possible wider regional war.

Netanyahu 'to give answers' on Hamas attacks

Wednesday 25 October 2023 19:06 , Miriam Burrell

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he will be held accountable for the October 7 massacre by Hamas militants, but that will only come after Israel's war against the Islamic militant group.

In a nationally televised address on Wednesday night, Mr Netanyahu said that he was busy plotting a ground invasion of Gaza and expressed sorrow for the attack, which killed over 1,400 Israelis and saw over 200 others taken captive in Gaza.

"October 7 is a black day in our history," he said. "We will get to the bottom of what happened on the southern border around Gaza. This debacle will be investigated. Everyone will have to give answers, including me."

Vote on humanitarian pauses in Gaza fails to pass

Wednesday 25 October 2023 21:27 , Miriam Burrell

A United Nations vote on humanitarian pauses in Gaza has failed to pass.

The US resolution called for the consideration of humanitarian pauses to allow for the flow of aid into Gaza, but the idea was vetoed by Russia and China.

Russia said it would not support the plan and put forward its own resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire. It also failed.

The United Arab Emirates also voted no, while 10 members voted in favour and two abstained.

Live coverage ends

Wednesday 25 October 2023 22:21 , Miriam Burrell

That's all for tonight. Please check back in tomorrow for our live coverage.