Israel preparing for ‘coordinated offensive’ in Gaza Strip – as Iran pledges cooperation with Hamas
Israel is preparing to launch a “coordinated offensive” on the Gaza Strip, after the deadline given to Palestinians to move south to escape passed.
Up to 1.1 million people on the sliver of land were offered safe passage south of the Gaza Wadi river by Israel’s Defence Forces until 4pm local time on Saturday (2pm BST), ahead of what is expected to be an all-out offensive by land, sea and air.
But the UN warned the forced evacuation will have devastating humanitarian consequences, with hospital patients and others unable to leave.
Medical officials say an estimated 35,000 have crammed into the grounds of Gaza City’s main hospital, hoping for refuge.
Israel-Hamas war live: Israel preparing attack by air, land and sea
Earlier on Saturday, Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited troops preparing to enter the Gaza Strip, telling them: “The next stage is coming.”
The Hamas militant group stormed the border last weekend, killing hundreds of Israelis in their homes – as well as 260 others at a music festival.
The group also took Israelis hostage.
Thousands have been killed on both sides since last Saturday’s attack.
The preparations come as Iran’s foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian met with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Qatar on Saturday.
The pair “agreed to continue cooperation” to achieve the group’s “goals”, a statement from Hamas said.
It added Iran praised the attack as a “historic victory” that had dealt a setback to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory.
US outlet Axios reported Iran sent a message to Israel via the United Nations, stressing that it does not want further escalation in the conflict, but will intervene if the Israeli operation in Gaza continues.
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As Gazans move south – airstrikes continue over the territory
As families in cars, lorries and donkey carts packed with their possessions headed south from Gaza City, Israeli airstrikes continued in the besieged territory.
Hamas said 70 people, mostly women and children, had been killed in an attack on a fleeing convoy.
Sky News has seen footage that appears to show the truck both before and in the aftermath of the strike.
It was not immediately clear who the target of the airstrikes was, or whether militants were among the passengers.
Meanwhile, the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) said its troops conducted raids into Gaza to battle insurgents and hunt for more than 120 civilians kidnapped in last weekend’s shock assault by militants on southern Israel.
It is the first time Israel has stated ground troops have been operating inside the strip.
Israeli soldiers at a kibbutz that was targeted last weekend
Israeli media reported remains of people who had gone missing in last week’s attack had been found during the IDF raids.
On Saturday, US President Joe Biden called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and, while reiterating “unwavering” support for Israel, discussed international coordination to ensure innocent civilians have access to water, food and medical care.
Mr Biden also spoke with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who stressed the urgent need to allow urgent humanitarian aid corridors in Gaza.
In New York, Russia asked the UN Security Council to vote on Monday on a draft resolution on the Israel-Hamas conflict
that calls for a humanitarian ceasefire and condemns violence against civilians and all acts of terrorism.
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Pro-Palestinian protests take place in UK
Protests prompt arrests in London as politicians express support for Israel
In the UK, arrests were made at a pro-Palestinian rally in London as thousands of people marched through the streets.
There had been previous warnings made to those who attended that anyone showing support for Hamas faced being detained.
Hamas is a proscribed terror group in the UK.
Both Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer have condemned Hamas, a week after its attack on Israel.
Speaking on Saturday evening, Mr Sunak defended Israel’s right to defend itself, saying: “We stand with Israel, not just today, not just tomorrow, but always.”
“And I stand with you, the British Jewish community, not just today, not just tomorrow, but always.
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Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer added: “In the days that have followed, we have heard horrific stories of the murder and mutilation of men, women and children, along with the horror of hostage-taking.”
He called for hostages to be released and said he stands by the Jewish community.
British citizens on the Gaza Strip are being encouraged by the government to follow advice from Israel and move southwards, with hopes the Rafah crossing could open to allow those displaced in the region to head into Egypt.
Four repatriation flights organised by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have left Tel Aviv for those wanting to leave Israel, with the government now advising against all travel there.
Around 14 million people could die across the world over the next five years because of cuts to the US Agency for International Development (USAID), researchers have warned.
Children under five are expected to make up around a third (4.5 million) of the mortalities, according to a study published in The Lancet medical journal.
Estimates showed that “unless the abrupt funding cuts announced and implemented in the first half of 2025 are reversed, a staggering number of avoidable deaths could occur by 2030”.
“Beyond causing millions of avoidable deaths – particularly among the most vulnerable – these cuts risk reversing decades of progress in health and socioeconomic development in LMICs [low and middle-income countries],” the report said.
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USAID programmes have prevented the deaths of more than 91 million people, around a third of them among children, the study suggests.
The agency’s work has been linked to a 65% fall in deaths from HIV/AIDS, or 25.5 million people.
Eight million deaths from malaria, more than half the total, around 11 million from diarrheal diseases and nearly five million from tuberculosis (TB), have also been prevented.
USAID has been vital in improving global health, “especially in LMICs, particularly African nations,” according to the report.
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Established in 1961, the agency was tasked with providing humanitarian assistance and helping economic growth in developing countries, especially those deemed strategic to Washington.
But the Trump administration has made little secret of its antipathy towards the agency, which became an early victim of cuts carried out by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) – formerly led by Elon Musk – in what the US government said was part of a broader plan to remove wasteful spending.
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What is USAID?
In March, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said more than 80% of USAID schemes had been closed following a six-week review, leaving around 1,000 active.
The US is the world’s largest humanitarian aid donor, providing around $61bn (£44bn) in foreign assistance last year, according to government data, or at least 38% of the total, and USAID is the world’s leading donor for humanitarian and development aid, the report said.
Between 2017 and 2020, the agency responded to more than 240 natural disasters and crises worldwide – and in 2016 it sent food assistance to more than 53 million people across 47 countries.
The study assessed all-age and all-cause mortality rates in 133 countries and territories, including all those classified as low and middle-income, supported by USAID from 2001 to 2021.
Thailand’s prime minister has been suspended after a leaked phone call with a senior Cambodian politician caused outrage.
An ethics investigation into Paetongtarn Shinawatra is under way and she could end up being dismissed.
The country’s constitutional court took up a petition from 36 senators, who claimed dishonesty and a breach of ethical standards, and voted 7 to 2 to suspend her.
Protesters gathered in Bangkok at the weekend. Pic: Reuters
The prime minister’s call with Cambodia’s former leader, Hun Sen, sparked public protests after she tried to appease him and criticised a Thai army commander – a taboo move in a country where the military is extremely influential.
Ms Shinawatra was trying to defuse mounting tensions at the border – which in May resulted in the death of one Cambodian soldier.
Thousands of conservative, nationalist protesters held a demo in Bangkok on Saturday to urge her to step down.
Her party is clinging on to power after another group withdrew from their alliance a few weeks ago over the phone call. Calls for a no-confidence vote are likely.
Deputy prime minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit will take over temporarily while the court looks into the case.
The 38-year-old prime minister – Thailand‘s youngest ever leader – has 15 days to respond to the probe. She has apologised and said her approach in the call was a negotiating tactic.
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The popularity of her government has slumped recently, with an opinion poll showing an approval rating of 9.2%, down from 30.9% in March.
Ms Shinawatra comes from a wealthy dynasty synonymous with Thai politics.
Her father Thaksin Shinawatra – a former Manchester City owner – and aunt Yingluck Shinawatra served as prime minister before her – in the early to mid 2000s – and their time in office also ended ignominiously amid corruption charges and military coups.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be meeting Donald Trump next Monday, according to US officials.
The visit on 7 July comes after Mr Trump suggested it was possible a ceasefire in Gaza could be reached within a week.
On Sunday, he wrote on social media: “MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA. GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!!”
At least 60 people killed across Gaza on Monday, in what turned out to be some of the heaviest attacks in weeks.
Benjamin Netanyahu, left, with Donald Trump during a previous meeting. Pic: Reuters
According to the Hamas-run health ministry, 56,500 people have been killed in the 20-month war.
The visit by Mr Netanyahu to Washington has not been formally announced and the officials who said it would be going ahead spoke on condition of anonymity.
An Israeli official in Washington also confirmed the meeting next Monday.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration was in constant communication with the Israeli government.
She said Mr Trump viewed ending the war in Gaza and returning remaining hostages held by Hamas as a top priority.
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The war in Gaza broke out in retaliation for Hamas’ 7 October 2023 attacks on southern Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw a further 250 taken hostage.
An eight-week ceasefire was reached in the final days of Joe Biden’s US presidency, but Israel resumed the war in March after trying to get Hamas to accept new terms on next steps.
Talks between Israel and Hamas have stalled over whether the war should end as part of any ceasefire.
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