Israel-Hamas war LIVE: Israel refuses UN officials visas ‘to teach them a lesson’ – as Antonio Guterres denies ‘justifying’ Hamas terror

Iran’s supreme has accused the United States of ‘directing’ strikes by Israel in Gaza.

‘America is a definite accomplice of criminals,’ said Khamenei during a speech in Tehran.

‘The United States is in some way directing the crime that is being committed in Gaza.’

Khamenei said the hands of Americans ‘were tainted with the blood of the oppressed, children, patients, women and others’.

He earlier said on X (formerly Twitter):

The head of Israel’s Holocaust memorial centre has become the latest voice in the country to criticise UN chief Antonio Guterres over his comments that the October 7 Hamas attacks ‘did not happen in a vacuum’.

Yad Vashem chairman Dani Dayan said in a statement: ‘The slaughter of Jews by Hamas on October 7th was genocidal in its intents and immeasurably brutal in its form.’

He said it tests the sincerity of world leaders who went to Yad Vashem and pledged ‘Never again’.

‘Those who seek to ‘understand’, look for a justifying context, do not condemn the perpetrators, and do not call for the unconditional and immediate release of the abducted, fail the test. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres failed the test.’

The UN agency operating in Gaza has said it will be forced to make ‘very tough decisions’ if fuel does not enter the enclave today.

UNRWA previously said it would be forced to stop operations tonight if fuel does not come in via the Rafah border crossing amid shortages.

A spokesperson for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has 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.’

Mr Sunak’s office also said that it did not agree with UN chief Antonio Guterres’s assertion that the Hamas terror attack ‘did not happen in a vacuum’.

‘We don’t agree with that characterisation that’s been put forward,’ the spokesperson said of the remarks.

‘We are clear there is and can be no justification for Hamas’s barbaric terrorist attack.’

Hamas operatives planned their bloody surprise attack on Israel using an underground phone network, according to a report citing US intelligence.

Two sources reportedly told CNN:

• A small Hamas cell made plans using phones built into the walls of a secret tunnel network.
• This allowed them to communicate without being detected by Israeli intelligence.
• The group avoided using mobile phones or computers over the two-year period.

Israel’s ambassador to the UN has claimed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refused to speak to Antonio Guterres twice after the October 7 attacks.

Gilad Erdan said that the secretary-general had asked to speak to Netanyahu but that the Prime Minister ‘refused to accept his call’.

He also added that it was ‘not by chance’ that Guterres had not visited Israel since the conflict broke out.

The foreign ministers of Turkey and Qatar accused the international community of ‘double standards’ Wednesday in its reaction to the escalating conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

Qatar’s top diplomat Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said the two governments – both Western allies – ‘reaffirm our complete rejection of responding to the crisis with double standards when it comes to human life’.

‘It is not permissible to condemn the killing of civilians in one context and justify it in another.’ Al-Thani, who also serves as Qatar’s prime minister, said.

Britain would consider discussing a humanitarian pause in Gaza to facilitate aid coming into the territory, but does not want a wholesale ceasefire as that would only benefit Hamas militants, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s spokesperson said.

Downing Street argued that a ceasefire would only benefit Hamas as Sunak advocated for limited pauses to allow in aid.

His 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.’

Hamas said it launched a rocket on Wednesday toward the southern Israeli resort city of Eilat, some 220 km (136 miles) from the Gaza Strip, and the Israeli military said there had been an impact in an outlying area.

There was no immediate word of any casualties in what appeared to be the longest-range Palestinian attack of the Gaza war raging since October 7.

This is the moment the Israel Defense Forces bombs a team of Hamas divers trying to infiltrate Israel after frogmen entered the sea from a Gaza tunnel.

The IDF said that at least two Hamas terrorists attempted to access Israel via the sea at Zikim – just north of the Gaza Strip – after entering a nearby beach in Gaza via a tunnel.

Read the full report HERE.

If you are just joining this live blog, here is what has happened so far on the 19th day of the conflict:

• A fourth aid convoy of 20 trucks has passed through the Rafah border crossing into Gaza.
• Israel has continued its criticism of Antonio Guterres, saying his remark that Hamas attacks ‘did not happen in a vacuum’ have ‘tarnished’ the UN.
• The Gaza death toll has risen to more than 6,500, according to the Hamas-run health ministry – suggesting the biggest daily rise in deaths since the conflict began.
• An RAF plane carrying 21 tonnes of aid for Palestinians has left the UK bound for Egypt.
• The IDF says it ‘thwarted’ two Hamas divers as they tried to get into Israel by sea last night.

The number of Palestinians killed so far in the conflict has risen to over 6,500, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

At least 6,546 people, including 2,704 children, have been killed, it claimed.

A further 17,439 are also said to have been wounded since October 7.

It marks an increase of nearly 1,000 since yesterday, which would make it the biggest daily rise in deaths since the conflict erupted.

• Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has ‘tarnished the UN’ with his remark that the Hamas atrocities of October 7 ‘did not happen in a vacuum’, Israel has said.
• The Israeli foreign ministry accused him of having a ‘biased and distorted attitude’ towards Israel.
• It even accused the UN chief of ‘supporting the monstrous violence’ of Hamas.
• ‘The UN secretary-general must retract his words, implement deep personal soul-searching and apologise for his statement,’ it said in the statement on X.

Syrian media has reported that Aleppo International Airport, in the north of the country, has been hit by Israeli airstrikes.

There was said to be no injuries in the strikes but the runway at the airport was damaged.

If confirmed, it would make i the fourth time the runway has been hit in recent weeks.

Qatar’s foreign minister says that hostage negotiations with Hamas over the more than 200 people it took hostage during its Oct. 7 attack on Israel continue.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who also serves as Qatar’s prime minister said: ‘Regarding the progress on the hostage negotiation, it’s still ongoing.’

‘If we compare where we started and where we are right now, there is some progress and some breakthrough and we will remain hopeful.’

He added: ‘The negotiations are still ongoing and at any moment of time, I think that if we will be able to get along between the two parties, I think we will see some breakthroughs hopefully soon.’

Sources: Israeli army, Hamas-run Palestinian health authority, Palestine Red Crescent Society

The IDF has published footage it says shows Hamas divers being taken out as they try to infiltrate Israel by sea.

The Israeli military says it identified at least two terrorists as they tried to gain access to the area of Zikim – just north of the Gaza Strip.

Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner of the IDF said that his forces have ‘no patience for nonsense’ on northern border with Lebanon as fighting with Iran-backed terror group Hezbollah continues.

‘Hezbollah has been aggravating the situation on the northern front with Lebanon, and there is a concern the northern front in itself from Syria, all the way across to Lebanon, will increase its hostility towards Israel,’ he told Sky News.

Discussing strikes on Syria overnight, he also said that Israel sees the border with Lebanon and Syria as ‘one large front’.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan will no longer visit Israel as was previously planned and has criticised the country’s war on Hamas.

In a speech to parliament he said:

• Hamas is not a terrorist organisation but a liberation group waging a battle to protect its land.
• He criticised western support saying: ‘tears shed for Israel is manifestation of fraud’.

• A fourth convoy of 20 aid trucks has passed into Gaza from Egypt, an aid official said this morning.
• The Palestinian Red Crescent and the UNRWA received the aid supply, Khaled Zayed, the head of the Egyptian Red Crescent in North Sinai said.

Pictured: Members of the Palestine Red Crescent Society distribute aid to people in the southern Gazan city of Khan Younis

An Israeli ground operation into Gaza would turn the fighting there into a massacre, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said.

In a news conference with his Qatari counterpart in Doha, Fidan said those supporting Israel’s actions under the pretence of solidarity are ‘accomplices to its crimes’.

• The UN’s children’s agency has said it is deeply concerned about the high child casualty rate in Gaza.
• Over the course of the conflict, 2,360 children have reportedly been killed and 5,364 injured, UNICEF said last night.

Adele Khodr, regional director for the Middle East and North Africa said:

The situation in the Gaza Strip is a growing stain on our collective conscience. The rate of death and injuries of children is simply staggering.

Even more frightening is the fact that unless tensions are eased, and unless humanitarian aid is allowed, the daily death toll will continue to rise.

The head of Lebanon’s Hezbollah met leaders of Hamas and Islamic Jihad to discuss what their alliance must do to ‘achieve a real victory for the resistance’, the group said.

Navine Abu Owdah’s apartment in Khan Younis was hit by an airstrike yesterday, badly injuring the pregnant 30-year-old.

Owdah was quickly rushed to the nearby hospital of al-Amal, where thankfully doctors managed to deliver a healthy baby girl.

‘A cesarean section was performed in the emergency department, and her baby girl, who is in good condition, was delivered,’ Dr. Salim Saqer said.

The mother, who suffered multiple fractures and has abdominal bleeding, remains under observation and is receiving treatment.

Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations said his country would deny visas to officials after secretary-general Antonio Guterres said ‘the attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum’.

‘Due to his remarks we will refuse to issue visas to UN representatives,’ Gilad Erdan told Army Radio this morning.

‘We have already refused a visa for under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs Martin Griffiths,’ Erdan said, adding: ‘The time has come to teach them a lesson.’

• More than 100 Palestinians have been killed across the occupied West Bank since war erupted between Israel and Hamas on October 7, the health ministry said.
• Many of the deaths came in raids by Israeli troops, with Ramallah authorities saying the Palestinian were killed by Israeli ‘bullets and missiles’.
• There has also been a rise in violence between Palestinians and Israeli settlers which has seen civilians as well as fighters killed on both sides.

• Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the war on Hamas is costing around 1 billion shekels a day (over £200million or $245million).
• He said the national budget is ‘no longer relevant’ and would be amended as the country is on a war-footing.
• He appeared unfazed by S&P Global’s downgrade of Israel’s outlook to ‘negative’ from ‘stable’.

Home Office minister Robert Jenrick said the government does not agree with the assessment of UN chief Antonio Guterres that ‘clear violations of international humanitarian law’ had been committed in Gaza.

If he is referring to what has happened over the course of the last two weeks, we don’t believe Israel has broken international law. There is a clear right in international law for a nation to defend itself, and that is what Israel is doing.

We do want to see Israel, wherever practical – and it is immensely difficult to do – to surgically degrade and eradicate Hamas. That is what they are trying to do and we obviously hope they succeed because the world will be a better place… it will be a blessing if we can rid the world of Hamas.

Dr Mads Gilbert from the Norwegian Aid Committee is waiting to enter Gaza from Egypt with aid.

He spoke to the BBC about the ‘horrific scene’ his colleagues have witnessed in the bombarded enclave:

• ‘Imagine a hospital with 5,000 to 15,000 civilian refugees, overcrowded with patients needing surgical care, and then the lights are going out’ he said.
• He said the stress of the bombing is triggering premature labour in pregnant women.
• Poor sanitation and and lack of clean water and food means disease outbreaks are likely.
• Key equipment is stalling and doctors are having to work through their own grief and fear as they cope with the bombing.
• He added: ‘It makes Dante’s Inferno look like a tea party.’

Here is what you need to know as the Israel-Palestine conflict enters its 19th day:

• Israel has launched an intensive bombardment of southern Gaza overnight, with Hamas claiming that at least 80 people have been killed
• Eight Syrian military personnel have been killed in an Israeli airstrike on the country, according to Syrian state media
• The UN agency which looks after Palestinians has said they will need to end operations tonight amid fuel shortages
• UK minister Robert Jenrick has said Britain is ‘not asking for a ceasefire’ in the Middle East
• US Secretary of State Antony Blinken Blinken has urged members of the UN Security Council to consider ‘humanitarian pauses’ in the conflict
• Remarks made by the UN chief Antonio Guterres, that the October 7 attacks by Hamas ‘did not happen in a vacuum’, are continuing to draw anger from Israel