Four Gaza patients dead as oxygen cut off during Israel raid on Nasser hospital, doctors say - latest

Rafah in southern Gaza was also hit by Israeli airstrikes ahead of a planned ground invasion into the city

Thousands of pro-Palestine protesters rally outside Downing Street

At least four patients in intensive care died because their oxygen supply was cut off when Israeli troops stormed Gaza’s main hospital, according to the doctors.

Israeli special forces have stormed the last major hospital in southern Gaza, with the military saying it is a limited operation to seeking the remains of hostages taken by Hamas.

The raid came a day after the army sought to evacuate thousands of displaced people who had taken shelter at the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis.

The southern city has been the main target of Israel's offensive against Hamas in recent weeks. The military said it had "credible intelligence" that Hamas had held hostages at the hospital and that the remains of hostages might still be inside.

This comes after the UN warned that an Israeli ground invasion into Rafah could lead to slaughter as more tha one million Palestinians shelter there.

UN aid chief Martin Griffiths said Benjamin Netanyahu’s planned offensive could leave an “already fragile humanitarian operation at death’s door.”

Key points

• Four patients dead as Israeli troops storm hospital in Gaza, doctors say
• Israeli special forces inside Khan Younis hospital
• Israel launches 'extensive' strikes in Lebanon
• Rafah invasion could ‘lead to slaughter’, UN warns

[14 February 2024 14:45 · Chris Stevenson]

UK troops in Saudi Arabia

Britain has troops stationed in Saudi Arabia to provide air defence against possible drone and missile attacks by Houthi rebels at a time of growing concern about the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

A unit of around 50 gunners from 12 Regiment Royal Artillery are deployed at a base near Riyadh, as well as well as number of oil installations, in a bilateral defence arrangement with the Kingdom which had led a military alliance against the Houthis in Yemen.

Read more from our World Affairs Editor, Kim Sengupta, here:

[14 February 2024 15:43 · Chris Stevenson]

Rafah residents have nowhere to go

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said people in Rafah with nowhere to go "cannot simply vanish into thin air" as Israel prepares an assault on the border city.

"They need safe places and safe corridors to avoid being caught in the crossfire even more," she said before talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

[14 February 2024 16:33 · Chris Stevenson]

Stand firm on Rafah, diplomat says

The Palestinian foreign minister has said that efforts were underway to prevent an "imminent" Israeli attack on the city of Rafah in southern Gaza Strip.

Riyad al-Maliki urged the international community to "stand firm" and "act responsibly" to end the war. He also said there's "collective responsibility" to prevent the war from either dragging on or expanding to the occupued West Bank or neighboring states like Lebanon.

"We are looking at ways how to prevent that attack on Rafah," Mr Maliki said after talks with his Cypriot counterpart Constantinos Kombos.

[14 February 2024 18:13 · Chris Stevenson]

Ceasefire roadblock

International efforts to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas have suffered a setback, withas Israel reportedly recalled its negotiating team and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of hobbling the high-stakes negotiations by sticking to "delusional" demands.

Mr Netanyahu's remarks came hours after local media reported that the Israeli leader had ordered an Israeli delegation not to continue talks in Cairo, raising concerns over the fate of the negotiations and sparking criticism from the families of the roughly 130 remaining captives, about a fourth of whom are said to be dead.

The relatives of the hostages said Netanyahu's decision amounted to a "death sentence" for their loved ones.

[14 February 2024 19:00 · Bel Trew]

Israel’s military orders evacuation of last major hospital in south Gaza – as doctors say it is under siege

[14 February 2024 20:50 · Alexander Butler]

Israeli offensive on Rafah would be a humanitarian catastrophe, says German foreign minister

An offensive on the city of Rafah where 1.3 million people have sought refuge would be a humanitarian catastrophe, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Wednesday.

“1.3 million people are waiting there in a very small space. They don’t really have anywhere else to go right now ... If the Israeli army were to launch an offensive on Rafah under these conditions, it would be a humanitarian catastrophe,” Baerbock said in a news conference in Jerusalem during her visit to Israel.

[14 February 2024 22:00 · Alexander Butler]

Israel launches 'extensive' strikes in Lebanon

Four people have been killed in an “extensive wave” of Israeli air strikes in Lebanon launched after Hezbollah rocket fire killed a soldier in Israel.

A woman and two children were killed in the southern Lebanese town of Souaneh, state media and security sources said.

A man who Hezbollah identified as one of its fighters was killed in Aadchit.

Israel’s military said it hit Hezbollah infrastructure in response to a deadly rocket attack on its base in the northern Israeli town of Safed.

[14 February 2024 23:00 · Alexander Butler]

Families of hostages visit international court to urge the arrest of Hamas leaders

[15 February 2024 00:01 · Alexander Butler]

Helen Mirren, Boy George and Scooter Braun among celebrities endorsing Israel’s inclusion in Eurovision 2024

[15 February 2024 01:00 · Alexander Butler]

Iran claims terrorists blew up gas pipeline