Israel has said it has begun the first stages of its takeover of Gaza City - as the UK condemned the approval of plans for a new West Bank settlement. Brigadier General Effie Defrin, Israel's military spokesperson, said on Wednesday that "IDF forces are ...

Israel's military is preparing to launch a major ground offensive on Gaza City, with thousands of troops being positioned as part of "preliminary actions" to seize the densely populated civilian zone. 60,000 Israeli citizens have been mobilised for active ...

Defrin: "Our forces already control the outskirts of the city" • Netanyahu orders to accelerate operations to seize Hamas's final strongholds in Gaza The IDF has begun the first steps of itsinvasion of Gaza City,

Elsewhere, we’re seeing footage online following further overnight attacks in Ukraine - with reports that a fuel and energy site is on fire in the southern port city of Odesa. Our team is also verifying reports of a Ukrainian drone attack on Voronezh in south-west Russia.

Displaced residents of Gaza City are split over a potential ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas that could allow them to return to their homes.

Gaza City presents a challenge. In 2024, it was largely cut off from central Gaza because the IDF held the Netzarim corridor.

As strikes on Gaza continue, Israel says it is studying what Qatar has, in its role as mediator, described as a "positive response" by Hamas to a ceasefire proposal. Spokesperson for Qatar's Foreign Ministry Majid al-Ansari declined to go into the details of the deal,