Israel-Gaza LIVE: Starmer explodes in rage as Netanyahu plans total takeover in Palestine

5 mins ago08:54 Emily Wright

Israel's leader of the opposition has slammed the security cabinet's decision to take over Gaza City as "a disaster" which will "lead to many more disasters".

Yair Lapid says a takeover of Gaza City would lead to the deaths of the remaining hostages and the killing of many Israeli soldiers.

The plan is "in complete opposition to the opinion of the military and security ranks", he added.

The army's chief of staff, Lt Gen Eyal Zamir, has also warned against the move. He has accused Netanyahu of bowing to pressure from far-right security cabinet ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.

10 mins ago08:49 Emily Wright

Hundreds of protesters rallied near Netanyahu's office in Jerusalem on Thursday night, calling for a deal to free the hostages.

The demonstration has been described as a "huge public backlash" by Israeli journalists, the BBC reported.

"The government is taking steps that are very, very unpopular," said Tal Schneider, political correspondent at the Times of Israel.

"All public polling suggests that the public is very much against this step," she said, adding that Netanyahu appears to be in a "bubble or a cocoon".

(Image: Getty)

(Image: Getty)

14 mins ago08:45 Emily Wright

18 mins ago08:41 Emily Wright

Israel is considering cutting security ties with the UK if Sir Keir Starmer recognises Palestine next month, according to reports.

Diplomatic sources told The Times that Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is considering it as one of several options.

"London needs to be careful because Bibi [Netanyahu] and his ministers have cards they could play too," a source told the outlet.

"Israel values its partnership with the UK but recent decisions mean it is coming under pressure and the UK has a lot to lose if Israel’s government decides to take steps in response."

Last month, Sir Keir revealed that the UK will recognise a Palestinian state in September at the United Nations unless Israel meets certain conditions, including agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza and reviving the prospect of a two-state solution.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacted furiously to the announcement, saying the decision rewarded "Hamas' monstrous terrorism".

21 mins ago08:38 Emily Wright

Donald Trump reportedly started shouting at Benjamin Netanyahu on the phone when he tried to say reports of children starving in Gaza were fake, according to NBC News.

After the US president publicly undermined Mr Netanyahu by saying he was “not particularly convinced” that images of starving children were fake, Mr Netanyahu demanded a phone call with him.

The conversation was “a direct, mostly one-way conversation about the status of humanitarian aid” in which the US president “was doing most of the talking,” a former US official said.

When Mr Netanyahu tried to say images of starving children were not real, Mr Trump interrupted and started shouting, saying he didn’t want to see them labelled “fake”.

(Image: Getty)

24 mins ago08:35 Emily Wright

Earlier today, a junior minister said the UK Government hopes Israel reconsiders its plan to take over Gaza City.

"We think that decision is the wrong decision, and we hope that the Israeli government will reconsider it," Miatta Fahnbulleh, a junior energy minister, said on Times Radio. "It risks escalating an already intolerable and atrocious situation."

She said later on Sky News: "Our priority is, in order to try and get a ceasefire, we’ve got to get parties around the table. I know it feels incredibly hard given the current situation, but it has to be the priority."

Earlier this week, the UN described the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza as "critical", with 2.1 million people fighting starvation because of aid shortages.

27 mins ago08:32 Emily Wright

Mr Netanyahu’s plan to fully occupy Gaza has been met with criticism and concern from both protesters in Jerusalem and at home in the UK.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the Israeli government’s decision to "further escalate its offensive" and take over Gaza City "is wrong, and we urge it to reconsider immediately".

"This action will do nothing to bring an end to this conflict or to help secure the release of the hostages. It will only bring more bloodshed," the statement continued.

"Every day the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsens and hostages taken by Hamas are being held in appalling and inhuman conditions. What we need is a ceasefire, a surge in humanitarian aid, the release of all hostages by Hamas and a negotiated solution. Hamas can play no part in the future of Gaza and must leave as well as disarm.

"Together with our allies, we are working on a long-term plan to secure peace in the region as part of a two-state solution, and ultimately achieve a brighter future for Palestinians and Israelis.

"But without both sides engaging in good faith in negotiations, that prospect is vanishing before our eyes. Our message is clear: a diplomatic solution is possible, but both parties must step away from the path of destruction."

As the Israeli cabinet meeting began, hundreds of protesters rallied near the prime minister’s office in Jerusalem, calling for a deal to free the hostages.

(Image: Getty)

28 mins ago08:31 Emily Wright

Overnight, the Security Council approved five principles for concluding the war. This involves:

1. The disarmament of Hamas

2. The return of all hostages (alive and dead)

3. The demilitarisation of the Gaza Strip

4. The establishment of Israeli security control of the Gaza Strip

5. The installation of an alternative civil administration that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority.

"A decisive majority of security cabinet ministers believed that the alternative plan that had been submitted to the security cabinet would neither achieve the defeat of Hamas nor the return of the hostages," a statement from Mr Netanyahu’s office added, but did not give any further details.

30 mins ago08:29 Emily Wright

As Israel’s security cabinet convened on Thursday night (August 7), Benjamin Netanyahu said he planned to fully occupy Gaza, but he did not intend to govern it.

The Israeli prime minister told Fox News that a full occupation would be the only way to ensure Israel’s security and wipe out Hamas.

He added Israel did not want "to keep" the Gaza Strip, and that he would prefer to hand the Palestinian territory to "Arab forces that will govern it properly without threatening us and giving Gazans a good life.

"That’s not possible with Hamas."

(Image: Getty)

32 mins ago08:27 Emily Wright

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of events in Israel and the Gaza Strip after Benjamin Netanyahu announced plans to fully occupy Gaza.

Stay tuned for updates.