Malu Cursino
Live reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Hamas has said that a delegation headed by its top negotiator arrived in the Egyptian capital for talks with officials and is monitoring "the implementation of the ceasefire agreement".

The group - who have held Israeli hostages in Gaza since 7 October 2023 - said it would not bow down to threats from Israel and the US.

Israel has threatened to "resume intense fighting" if hostages are not released by Saturday, although the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has not clarified whether the threat relates to the return of all hostages or the three hostages scheduled to be released this weekend.

The US, Israel's closest ally, said "hell" would breakout if Hamas did not release "all" hostages by the deadline.

The latest escalation, which threatens the ceasefire's longevity, follows a statement from Hamas on Monday. At that time, the group said it would be suspending the upcoming hostage release because Israel was allegedly violating its side of the agreement.

The pause in fighting after 16 months of war in the Gaza Strip has been welcomed by the international community, with the Red Cross urging both sides to uphold the truce.

A senior Egyptian source told the BBC that Cairo and Doha are "intensifying their diplomatic efforts" to salvage the ceasefire.

Egypt also says it is working on a "comprehensive vision" for the reconstruction of war-torn Gaza that guarantees Palestinians the right to stay on their land, unlike the proposal put forward by US President Donald Trump.

We're now pausing our live coverage, but we have more coverage on this story elsewhere on the BBC. You can read about Egypt's plans for rebuilding, or get up-to-date with the details included in the ceasefire deal.

Thanks for joining us.

As we reported earlier, Egypt and Qatar are "intensifying their diplomatic efforts" to salvage the Gaza ceasefire agreement.

A little while ago, Hussein Haridi, a former Egyptian assistant foreign minister, told the BBC World Service's Newshour programme that Cairo has already reached an agreement "in principle" on an all-Palestinian agency to oversee the re-construction and governance of the Gaza Strip.

Hamas, Fatah and the Palestinian Authority were in consensus on this, Haridi adds.

Asked about Hamas's role in the future of Gaza, which Israel and the US call unacceptable, the politician says it'll depend on what role the group would play, but added: "as I understand the Hamas position, they have already said they are not interested at the present stage to be in the driver's seat".

Gabriela Pomeroy
Live reporter

Image source, Berman Family

I've been talking to Liron Berman, whose 27-year-old twin brothers Gali and Ziv are being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza.

He says the family have recently received information that the brothers are alive. The last time they heard anything about them was in November 2023 - and Liron says not knowing about their situation brought the family "torment".

"To get the sign of life from my brothers is a lot for us, this is amazing," Liron tells me, his voice full of emotion.

"It lifts us up a little bit, and we are fighting with urgency to get them out."

Liron says he was told the two brothers have been separated in captivity.

"The ceasefire is very fragile, we are hearing talk about people wanting to end it," he says.

"But my family's mission is to make sure the deal to release the hostages will remain. Only through releasing the hostages will the ceasefire stay in place," he says.

The hostages released on Saturday, Eli Sharabi and Or Levy, have revealed details to Israeli media of their treatment in Gaza - including being chained, starved and held in tunnels - raising the fears for the condition of those still held hostage.

Image source, Reuters

Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit has rejected any displacement of Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank.

He says the plan for Gazans to leave the strip is "unacceptable", adding that US President Donald Trump's plan to move Palestinians out of Gaza is "an idea the Arab world has fought against for 100 years".

Speaking at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, Gheit says: "The focus is on Gaza today, tomorrow it will shift to the West Bank with the objective of emptying Palestine of its historical inhabitants."

Gheit says that if President Trump continues to pressure the Gazans on his "take over" plan, he could "lead the Middle East into a new cycle of intense conflict between the Arabs and Israel".

• For context: The Arab League is an intergovernmental organisation encompassing all Arab states in the Middle East and North Africa. It includes 22 Arab nations including Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia

Image source, EPA

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society says it has distributed 1,600 tents across Gaza to help house thousands of displaced Palestinians who are returning home.

They posted pictures of rows of blue tents, supported by metal frames, that have windows and doors. They're lined up with walkways between them.

In the post on X, the organisation says these sites will "provide urgent relief services amid the catastrophic humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip."

They have mostly placed tents in the north of Gaza so far, but say work will continue today in Rafah, in the south, "where hundreds of tents are expected to be distributed to establish camps managed by local committees".

BBC Monitoring

Saudi Arabia has condemned Israel's statements regarding the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza.

Saudi state-run news agency SPA reports that the country's cabinet expressed its "categorical rejection of the extremist Israeli statements regarding the displacement of the brotherly Palestinian people from their land" during a meeting chaired by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman on Tuesday.

The Saudi government also emphasised "the centrality of the Palestinian cause" to the kingdom, SPA reports.

This comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said "the Saudis can create a Palestinian state in Saudi Arabia".

Bin Salman also informed the Saudi cabinet of the content of two phone calls made with Jordan's King Abdullah and United Arab Emirates President Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Image source, EPA

We can now bring you a readout of US President Donald Trump's meeting with King Abdullah of Jordan yesterday.

In a statement issued by the White House, Trump is said to have reiterated that Hamas must release all hostages, including Americans, by Saturday.

He also asked the king of Jordan for his assistance in ensuring that Hamas and other leaders in the Middle East "understand the severity of the situation".

Earlier on Tuesday, Trump said "hell" would breakout if Hamas did not release all hostages by 12:00 local time (10:00 GMT). The group had been due to release three hostages by the Saturday deadline, but it said it would be suspending that release because of alleged violations by Israel of the ceasefire agreement.

Israel, in turn, said Hamas had to release "our hostages" - without specifying the number - or else fighting in the Gaza Strip would resume.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz is echoing Trump's sentiment, telling a security consultation today that "if Hamas does not release the Israeli hostages by Shabbat - the gates of hell will open on them, just as the US president promised".

He adds: "If Hamas stops releasing the hostages - then there is no agreement and there is war."

The Red Cross says upholding the ceasefire in Gaza is "crucial and an imperative to preserve human life and dignity".

As the truce's longevity appears to be in peril, the humanitarian organisation says "countless lives" have been saved during the past three weeks of the ceasefire and the period of calm "has had a tangible impact on people's lives".

The humanitarian organisation has been involved in the transfer of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners during the ceasefire and it says it remains committed to acting as a humanitarian intermediary "to support the implementation of this agreement and facilitate further releases of hostages and detainees and bring lifesaving aid into Gaza".

"Any reversal [of the ceasefire] risks plunging people back into the misery and despair that defined the last 16 months," it adds in a statement.

"We reiterate our long-standing call for all hostages to be released in a dignified and safe manner, for more aid to enter Gaza, and for the International Committee of the Red Cross to have access to all hostages and detainees."

Image source, Reuters

Image source, EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

Residents of the al-Faraa refugee camp in the West Bank tell the BBC they have been displaced following orders from the Israeli army.

Muawiya Mustafa Abdel Majid, who lives in the camp, told the Gaza Lifeline radio a little earlier that Israeli forces stormed the camp 11 days ago and demolished its electricity, water and telephone networks.

Another resident, Yasser Abu Kishk, said Israeli military were outside his house in "large numbers" and demanded his family of four leave immediately without belongings.

"They then handed me a paper stating that our house would be used for military purposes and that we had to leave. We were forced to leave in our pyjamas," he said.

Bassel Mansour, a member of the camp's emergency committee, said Israel has prevented all aid, particularly water and bread, from entering the camp for the tenth day.

He said the forces took control of people's homes and used them as bases to launch attack on other houses in the camp.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (Unrwa) has previously warned Israel against displacing residents of the West Bank.

Hugo Bachega
Middle East correspondent

As the region remains focused on the fragile ceasefire in Gaza, some elements of the one in Lebanon are uncertain, as Israel has requested an extension of the deadline for the withdrawal of its troops from southern Lebanon, due to expire next Tuesday.

Israel now wants its military to stay in five positions in the country for another ten days, a Western diplomatic source tells the BBC. Lebanon has rejected the request.

The deal that ended the war between Israel and Hezbollah was brokered by the US and France and came into force in November. It requires the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon, the removal of Hezbollah fighters and weapons from there and the deployment of Lebanese soldiers to the area, where for decades Hezbollah has been the dominant force.

It has already been extended once – the initial deadline was 26 January – after Israel said Lebanon had not fully implemented the truce. Lebanon accused Israel of delaying its withdrawal.

One of the priorities of the new Lebanese government is to restore the country’s territorial sovereignty, and the authorities strongly reject another delay. This is a country with memories of past foreign occupations, and the presence of Israeli troops here is seen as unacceptable, and a reason for concern.

Despite the ceasefire, Israel has continued to target Hezbollah, and has vowed to carry out more attacks on the Iranian-backed group to stop it from rearming.

Image source, Getty Images

Mustafa Barghouti, secretary general of the Palestinian National Initiative, tells the BBC the Israeli cabinet's demands cannot be met.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet is said to have unanimously backed US President Donald Trump's demand that all remaining hostages held by Hamas in Gaza must be freed by Saturday noon.

But in a statement on Tuesday Netanyahu used the words "our hostages" instead, leaving it unclear whether he meant all 76 hostages or the three hostages due to be released on Saturday as part of stage one of the ceasefire agreement. Hamas on Monday said it would be suspending the release, accusing Israel of violating some of the terms of the ceasefire deal.

Barghouti says the cabinet is "demanding something that is impossible, physically impossible to bring all the Israeli captives back on Saturday".

Speaking to the BBC News Channel, Barghouti says the release of all hostages by the weekend would be "a violation of the [ceasefire] agreement itself", adding: "there is a strong opinion in Israel to reactivate the war".

In Khan Younis, southern Gaza, Palestinians have been making a return to everyday activities amid the uncertain longevity of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

Khan Younis was targeted by heavy bombardment by Israeli forces, bearing the brunt of the military action, BBC Verify found last year.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

A senior Egyptian source tells the BBC that Egypt and Qatar are "intensifying their diplomatic efforts" to salvage the Gaza ceasefire agreement.

The source says that their mediators are working to find a solution that ensures the balanced implementation of the agreement and maintains calm to prevent a new escalation.

"The continuation of the ceasefire is in everyone’s interest, and we warn that the collapse of the agreement will lead to a new wave of violence with serious regional repercussions."

High level communications are ongoing, the source adds, as Cairo and Doha are urging all parties to adhere to the terms of the agreement.

Gaza is receiving more aid than Hamas claimspublished at 13:53 Greenwich Mean Time 12 February

13:53 GMT 12 February

Image source, EPA

By Nick Eardley

The threat of the ceasefire collapsing was raised on Monday - when Hamas said it was postponing Saturday’s hostage handover.

In a statement on Telegram, the Gaza Government Media Office made several claims.

One was that aid pledges had not been kept. The statement claimed 12,000 aid trucks had been due to enter the strip so far during the ceasefire, but the actual number had been 8,500.

Throughout the conflict, the BBC has used UN numbers.

It says more aid is getting in than Hamas claims. Aid chief Tom Fletcher said last week that 10,000 lorries had entered the strip during the ceasefire - six days before Hamas provided its lower figure.

The UN no longer provides a daily update and it’s unclear why, but a spokesman said on Tuesday that humanitarian operations had been scaled up “significantly”.

Israel also has a body responsible for humanitarian initiatives - COGAT. It has claimed a higher figure of 12,600 trucks up to 8 December.

Lucy Williamson
Middle East correspondent, reporting from Jerusalem

Hummus Shel Hatchina is a lunchtime ritual for Israelis living in and around Sderot. Last week, it reopened for the first time after the Hamas attacks here 18 months ago.

Banners with the faces of two young customers, still being held as hostages in Gaza, hang at the entrance. Among the crowd packed around tables in the covered terrace were Yuli and Maya – regulars here before the attacks.

They told us they have friends in common with the two young hostages, and are hoping the ceasefire deal holds. Trump’s demand that Hamas free all the remaining hostages this coming Saturday “isn’t realistic,” said Maya. “I’m afraid about what will happen.”

“You can’t believe anything until it happens,” said Yuli.

“The power of Hamas lies in them holding onto the hostages – even five of them, or one," he adds, “I don’t know if they’ll all come back.”

A Hamas delegation has arrived in Cairo for ceasefire talks, according to Hamas-run media Filastin.

The group has started meetings with Egyptian officials to discuss the implementation of the ceasefire agreement.

Egypt has been one of the key mediators in the talks between Israel and Hamas.

AFP news agency quotes a Hamas official saying the delegation "will discuss ways to end the current crisis and ensure the occupation's commitment to implementing the agreement".

Earlier, Hamas released a statement saying it appreciates Jordan and Egypt for rejecting the displacement of Palestinians. This was in response to Trump's plan to move Palestinians out of Gaza to other countries.

Imogen James
Live reporter

Image source, Getty Images

It' mid-afternoon in the Middle East, and lunch time here in London. If you're just joining us, here's what you need to know:

A vision for Gaza: Egypt says its plans will put forward a "comprehensive vision" for the survival of Palestinians in Gaza. What happens next in the region should "avoid jeopardising the gains of peace", they add.

Ceasefire future uncertain: Israel's Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu says fighting will restart in Gaza, if Hamas fails to release Israeli hostages on Saturday. Though, as BBC's Wyre Davies explains, uncertainty remains over if he's insisting that all 76 hostages should be freed by the deadline.

Defying Trump's plan: Jordan's Prime Minister Jafar Hassan says Palestinians will not be displaced from Gaza - despite US President Trump's plan to "take over". He says he is working with Egypt to rebuild Gaza.

Fears in Gaza: Palestinians are "worried" about the prospect of fighting resuming in the region. One Gazan tells the BBC the atmosphere on the streets is "dominated by tension and fear".

Hostages' families frightened: Omer Shem Tov's family say they are "frightened" by the possibility of the ceasefire falling through. The mother of Nimrod Cohen, who hasn't been seen alive for months, says this "is a matter of life and death".

BBC's Middle East correspondent Lucy Williamson says that as concern grows, Netanyahu's terms remain unclear.

We'll continue to update you on developments in the region. Stay with us.

Michael Shuval
BBC Arabic

"It's a matter of life or death." These words from the mother of an Israeli hostage come after Hamas suspended the release of hostages, blaming Israel for violating terms of the ceasefire deal.

Vicki Cohen sends a message to her son, Nimrod Cohen, who hasn't been seen alive for months:

Image source, Reuters

When it became apparent that fighting could soon resume in Gaza "our hearts sank", Lotfy Abu Taha says.

Speaking to Reuters in Rafah, he says "the whole country was shaken". Lotfy has been displaced seven times from Al-Qarara to Khan Younis, and says he has "no idea where to go next".

"The people are suffering; the people are the victims," adding that "this news from Trump, Netanyahu, and Hamas has made things even worse".

Another Palestinian man, Abdulrahman Al-Habibi, says that Israel and Hamas need to abide by the ceasefire deal.

"The people are in pain and sick, they are completely exhausted. There is no country in the world that is protecting these people," he says.

Image source, Getty Images

A Palestinian bookshop owner arrested for selling "inciteful" books says his two-day custody in an Israeli detention centre was the "worst experience of [his] life".

Mahmoud Muna says on Sunday Israeli police confiscated around 200 books with any relation to Palestine. He says he and his nephew Ahmed - who runs a branch of the same bookshop chain nearby - were then taken into custody.

An Israeli police statement said the two men were arrested on suspicion of "selling books containing incitement and support for terrorism".

"We were handcuffed most of time, put in underground cells that had very little access to food or water... It’s one of the worst experiences of my life," he tells the BBC's World Service's Newsday.

"If we are guilty of anything we are guilty of inciting ideas," Mahmoud says, "that’s what any good bookstore anywhere in the world should be doing".

After two days, Mahmoud and his nephew were released from custody, and their charge was changed to "public disorder", he says.

Image source, Reuters