Yolande Knell & Callum Tulley
Reporting from Jerusalem

Image source, BASHAR TALEB/AFP

Amid a deadly war in Gaza, new lives begin. But newborn babies and those still in the womb are among the worst hit by the harsh conditions.

With acute shortages of food, the UN says that one in 10 new babies is underweight or premature. There has also been an increase in miscarriages, stillbirths and congenital abnormalities.

Many mothers are struggling to breastfeed because of their own poor health.

At Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis, Malak Brees, now seven months pregnant, did not expect to conceive her second child. Six weeks ago, she lost a lot of amniotic fluid, putting her baby in danger.

"The doctors told me it was due to malnutrition and exhaustion... They told me it was in the hands of God - the foetus could survive or die."

While poor nutrition is causing new hazards in pregnancy, childbirth too has become far riskier.

Sometimes Israeli military action and displacement mean that women are giving birth in their tents or shelters with no medical help.

"If mothers are lucky enough to come to the hospitals to deliver their babies, women who give birth vaginally are typically being sent home three to four hours afterwards," says Sandra Adler Killen, an American registered emergency and paediatric nurse, who recently worked at the hospital in Gaza.

Rather than representing the hope of new life, babies have come to epitomise the struggle to survive.

• 'I begged for help, but only God answered': Growing dangers of pregnancy and childbirth in Gaza

It's mid-morning in Gaza, where aid points run by the US and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) have been closed for a day for "improvements works".

Here's the latest:

• Aid distribution sites shuttered, the controversial GHF continues to face forceful criticism from humanitarian organisations
• Many Palestinians rely on these sites for basic provisions, including food, but Unicef's Gaza spokesperson tells the BBC the quantity is "not sufficient" - instead of the 600 daily lorry loads he says should be entering, it's more like 600 boxes

• The Israel Defence Forces (IDF), meanwhile, warns that roads leading to the aid points will be considered "combat zones"
• It comes after 27 Palestinians were killed on their way to retrieve aid from one such site on Tuesday, the Hamas-run Civil Defence agency said
• The IDF said its troops fired after identifying suspects moving towards them "deviating from the designated access routes"
• It was the third attack in three days of a similar nature. The killings have deepened criticism of the new US-backed aid system, writes our correspondent in Jerusalem

• Meanwhile, we have approached the IDF for comment as a Civil Defence spokesperson and a hospital official report that at least 12 people have been killed in an Israeli strike on a school

Rushdi Abualouf
Gaza correspondent, reporting from Cairo

The death toll from the Israeli air strike on the school-turned-shelter in western Khan Younis has risen to 12, rescuers and health officials say.

Mahmoud Basal, a spokesperson for the Hamas-run Civil Defence agency, and an official at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis say 12 bodies have been recovered after two tents housing displaced families inside the school were hit.

The hospital official says another five dead had been brought there since midnight, including two from Abasan, east of Khan Younis.

Basal says Israeli strikes have also killed four people in northern Gaza - two in the Jabalia refugee camp, and two in Gaza City.

The BBC has approached the IDF for comment.

Image source, Reuters

A Unicef spokesperson in Gaza has criticised the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), saying the US and Israeli backed group is a "pretence of aid".

Speaking about GHF's decision to pause its activity today, James Elder tells the BBC Radio 4's Today programme that he wasn't aware of it until early this morning.

Describing the situation in Gaza yesterday, he says people have been walking 15-20km to get aid.

"There are teenage boys in tears at the car window showing me their ribs," he says.

He says beyond the pause, there's a wider issue of how aid is being distributed in Gaza.

"They're claiming their giving aid to people, it's not nearly sufficient. We're talking about a handful of distribution sites versus 400 during the ceasefire," he says.

He adds that trusted organisations continue to be blocked from distributing aid in the enclave.

"That's what's really lacking, big organisations that should be delivering 500-600 trucks a day. Instead, we're talking about 500-600 boxes going to individuals a day," he says.

Rushdi Abualouf
Gaza correspondent, reporting from Cairo

At least eight Palestinians were killed and several others injured in an Israeli air strike targeting a school in western Khan Younis, southern Gaza, according to medics and eyewitnesses.

Eyewitnesses report that an Israeli drone struck two tents, which were housing dozens of displaced people, including women and children, who had fled from areas in eastern Khan Younis.

A paramedic from the Hamas-run Civil Defence agency said in a WhatsApp message sent to journalists that rescue crews recovered the bodies of eight people, including two children, and transported more than 20 wounded individuals, some with critical injuries from a school sheltering hundreds of displaced Palestinians.

Local journalists and activists stated that the school had recently received hundreds of displaced residents from the al-Amal neighborhood in central Khan Younis, following Israeli air-dropped leaflets calling on residents to evacuate the area.

The BBC has approached the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for comment.

The UN Security Council is set to vote later today on a resolution calling for a ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access in Gaza.

The resolution calls for "an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza respected by all parties".

It also demands the "immediate, dignified and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups".

The upcoming vote is the council's first on the subject since November, when the United States blocked a ceasefire draft resolution calling for an end to fighting.

The vote will take place at 16:00 EDT (21:00 BST).

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aims to replace the UN-led aid distribution network in Gaza.

It was launched following repeated claims from Israel that the UN did not prevent supplies being hijacked by Hamas, which the UN denies.

Under the new system, Gazans are required to collect supplies from a small number of centres (marked on the map below) in areas under Israeli military control and staffed by armed American contractors.

Critics say the model has left people needing to walk long distances to the sites and transport boxes weighing 20kg back to their homes or shelters.

Our colleagues at BBC Verify, who have been analysing footage from Gaza, say that last week, at the opening of one of these distribution centres, total chaos erupted.

Videos showed the distribution centre overrun by desperate civilians trampling over toppled barriers; people flinched as sounds of gunshots rang out.

As we've reported, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) says it's closing its sites today for "update, organization and efficiency improvements works".

The US and Israeli-backed group, which began operating last week, says it will start distributing aid again on Thursday.

In a statement, the group says it has asked the Israeli military to "guide foot traffic" near military boundaries to reduce "confusion or escalation" risks.

GHF adds it is also working to develop clearer guidance for civilians and enhance training to support their safety.

"Our top priority remains ensuring the safety and dignity of civilians receiving aid," it says.

Image source, Reuters

What did Hamas-run Civil Defence agency say?

On Tuesday, at least 27 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire as they attempted to collect aid near a distribution site in Gaza, a spokesman said.

Mahmoud Basal said civilians were fired upon by tanks, quadcopter drones, and helicopters near the al-Alam roundabout, about 1km (0.6 miles) from the aid site.

What did medical workers say?

The director of Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, Atef Al-Hout, said many of the injured arrived with gunshot wounds, while a foreign medic working in the area described the scene as "total carnage".

What did the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) say?

The IDF said its troops fired shots after identifying suspects who moved towards them "deviating from the designated access routes".

What happened over the weekend?

This was the third deadly incident in as many days to occur on a route to a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid site.

Israel previously denied shooting Palestinians in a similar incident on Sunday, which the Hamas-run health ministry said killed 31 people and injured nearly 200.

Shootings deepen criticism of US-backed aid systempublished at 06:29 British Summer Time 4 June

06:29 BST 4 June

Barbara Plett Usher
Reporting from Jerusalem

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) insists that no people have been killed or injured at its distribution hubs, blaming Hamas for spreading lies.

But it has acknowledged that it doesn’t control the active war zone outside its perimeters. Now it says it will pause activity for a day of renovations.

A spokesman said this would involve reorganisation to deal with the volume of people arriving; as well as Israeli preparations on the access routes.

Palestinians have to pass through what Israel has called combat zones to get to the sites, and dozens have been killed trying to do so since Sunday.

Israel says it has only fired warning shots at individuals but is investigating eyewitness accounts that troops opened fire on the crowds.

The killings have deepened criticism of the new US-backed aid system. UN officials say it endangers civilians and serves Israel’s military purposes.

Image source, Reuters

Aid distribution centres in Gaza will be closed today after the Israeli military warned roads leading to the sites will be considered "combat zones".

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a controversial US and Israel-backed aid network which began operating last week, says it is closing its sites for "update, organization and efficiency improvements works".

In a separate update, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) says people would be "prohibited" from entering the distribution centres or travelling on roads leading to them.

It comes after at least 27 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire close to a distribution centre on Tuesday, according to the Hamas-run Civil Defence Agency. The IDF says its troops fired shots after identifying suspects who moved towards them "deviating from the designated access routes".

It was the third deadly incident in as many days to occur on a route to a GHF site.

The UN has warned that more than two million people are at risk of starvation in Gaza, after a total Israeli ban on shipments of food and other aid that lasted 11 weeks.

Stay with us as we bring you the latest updates.

This morning saw new reports of another deadly incident occurring close to a newly-established aid distribution point in the Gaza Strip.

The Hamas-run health ministry said 27 people were killed after coming under Israeli gunfire while waiting to collect aid packages. Israel has acknowledged the reports and confirmed shooting near identified "suspects", but underlined the full details have not yet been established.

• Today's incident follows closely behind reports of another taking place on Sunday under similar circumstances. However, while Israel has confirmed troops did fire today, they deny doing so on Sunday
• A British doctor has said the reported attacks has left the Al-Mawasi hospital "at pretty much 100% capacity"
• It comes as a new process for distributing aid has been established in the region - with Palestinians collecting aid from centres run by the US-Israeli backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation
• Israel's deputy foreign minister, Sharren Haskel, refused to commit to an independent investigation into events on Sunday in an interview with the BBC. Agreeing to such investigation depends on the situation, she said
• She also criticised media reporting on the war and the BBC more specifically, suggesting the BBC had apologised for 80 mistakes "up to three months ago" - figures the organisation say it doesn't recognise

We'll be closing our live coverage shortly but you can keep up to date with our news story.

Image source, Getty Images

As we've been reporting, the Hamas-run health ministry says at least 27 people have been killed and 90 injured by Israeli fire while waiting for aid distribution in Rafah, southern Gaza.

A British emergency medic working in Al-Mawasi hospital now describes the scramble to help this morning.

Speaking to the BBC World Service's Newshour programme, Mandy Blackman says they had been asked to take patients at around 05:00 local time (03:00 BST).

"The patients reported that they'd been going to get the food aid, and it was during this journey that they sustained their injuries," she explains.

"We’ve seen gunshot wounds, we’ve seen some stabbings, people beaten by what they say were bricks, and we’ve had people who’ve been pepper sprayed as well."

And, the emergency medic says these reported attacks at aid distribution centres has left the hospital "running at pretty much 100% capacity".

The Israeli military says it fired shots near an aid complex after identifying "several suspects" and it is examining reports of casualties.

Barbara Plett Usher & Rushdi Abualouf
BBC News

Image source, Reuters

Last week, Hamas responded to a US ceasefire proposal by saying it is prepared to release 10 living Israeli hostages and 18 dead hostages in exchange for a number of Palestinian prisoners. Hamas also requested some amendments to the plan.

The group repeated its demands for a permanent truce, a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and guarantees for the continuous flow of humanitarian aid. None of these are in the deal on the table.

It was neither an explicit rejection nor a clear acceptance of the US terms, which Washington says Israel has accepted.

Hamas said it had submitted its response to the US draft proposed by Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump's special envoy for the Middle East.

In a statement, Witkoff said: "I received the Hamas response to the United States' proposal. It is totally unacceptable and only takes us backward. Hamas should accept the framework proposal we put forward as the basis for proximity talks."

• Read more about the US-proposed Gaza ceasefire plan

We can bring you more now from Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel's interview on BBC Radio 4's Today programme earlier, during which she accused international media of "spreading" Hamas "lies".

Talking of the BBC specifically, she said: "The BBC has already up to three months ago reported 80 mistakes that it actually apologised for."

In response, the corporation has just released the following statement: “This is not a number we recognise; if and when mistakes are made, we acknowledge them and make the appropriate corrections.”

• You can listen to the full interview in our previous post

Some analysts see new aid plan as part of wider Israeli objectivepublished at 14:08 British Summer Time 3 June

14:08 BST 3 June

Tom Bateman
US State Department correspondent

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) has taken an aggressive stance in its statements, yesterday accusing the international media of “egregious... false reporting” and repeating “outright fabrications” of deaths “at” its site. Its accusations were inaccurate - the reporting was clear that Palestinians were killed whilst making their way to the GHF site.

My understanding is the GHF does not dispute that people were killed but maintains its teams on the ground don’t know how. Like those of Israeli and American officials, its public assertions that nobody was killed or wounded have stuck to very specific wording, only “at or near” its sites.

It has not publicly responded to questions asking what it does know about how dozens of Palestinians were killed trying to get its site, saying it has “no knowledge” of what happens outside its perimeter which is a “war zone”, dismissing “Hamas falsehoods” and attacking media reporting.

Some analysts see the project as part of a wider military objective by Israel to starve out Hamas and those affiliated with it whilst using food supply on Israel’s terms for the rest of a population, which the World Food Programme says is on the brink of starvation.

GHF denies that it acts with any political or military goals and says it is independent, saying yesterday it handed out 21 lorry loads of food (the UN was delivering around 600 truckloads per day during the last ceasefire).

Israel says the new system was necessary because Hamas was stealing food, a claim the last US administration rejected as happening on any scale that could justify cutting off UN supplies to Gaza.

The new system disadvantages the disabled, weak and sick who can’t get to the sites, and so far creates a further incentive for hungry Palestinians to be drawn south, where Israel has aimed to displace the population into smaller areas.

Head of opaque US-Israeli backed aid group has so far declined interview requestspublished at 13:59 British Summer Time 3 June

13:59 BST 3 June

Tom Bateman
US State Department correspondent

Image source, EPA

Israel continues to cut off most food supplies to Palestinians in Gaza through its military encirclement, in which the conventional method of distribution - via the United Nations - is struggling to get even a trickle of aid to the population.

In its place is militarised food supply. The Israeli army has cleared a few highly secured zones at Gaza’s periphery and is coordinating closely with a newly formed Israeli and American backed group operating on those sites calling itself the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).

It consists of armed US security contractors and other staff led by a former US government humanitarian official, John Acree. Its first executive director, Jake Wood, resigned as the project was being set up saying it breached crucial humanitarian principles of independence and neutrality.

The organisation is opaque, declining to reveal its funding sources (it says maintaining donor privacy is in line with other registered non-profit groups in the US).

Acree has so far declined interview requests, and its spokesperson has yet to do an on-the-record interview.

Its team in the US is now beginning to open up to journalists’ requests, having until yesterday operated only from an anonymised email address and not responded to most questions.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) is backed by the US and Israel and seeks to bypass the UN as the main supplier of aid in Gaza.

It uses distribution centres protected by armed American security contractors and Israeli forces, and relies on Palestinians collecting the aid and taking it away.

The Israeli foreign ministry says the first phase will have four distribution centres, with "more to follow".

More than two million people live in the Gaza Strip, and experts have warned of looming famine, saying not enough food is reaching the population.

The BBC's Gaza correspondent, Rushdi Abualouf, writes that people arrive hours before the sites open to try and ensure they receive aid.

The incidents in the last few days linked to the new process for distributing aid in Gaza come after repeated warnings over the humanitarian situation in the region.

The US and the UN are among those who have raised concerns over the quantities of food and supplies reaching Palestinians.

It comes as Israel launched a new major offensive dubbed "Operation Gideon's Chariots" last month in the Gaza Strip - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at the time the plan was to "take control" of Gaza.

On Sunday, Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz said the country's military is operating in Gaza "with great force".

“I instructed the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) to continue forward against all targets, regardless of any negotiations," he wrote on social media.

Meanwhile, negotiations between Israel and Hamas have led to some hostage exchanges but a previous two-month ceasefire collapsed earlier this year.

As we've been reporting throughout the day, there have been chaotic scenes at aid distribution points in Gaza as Palestinians facing acute food insecurity queue for food.

Water shortages are also a daily problem for many Gazans, with access to clean water limited and desalination plants and wells affected by fuel shortages.

United Nations humanitarian agency Ocha said last week, external that 72% of Gaza's water, sanitation and hygiene assets now fall within Israel's militarised zones, or areas under displacement orders since 18 March.

The agency says this has severely disrupted access to water.

The UN recommends every person has at least 7.5 litres of water per day for drinking, food and personal hygiene. It says 2.5 litres is needed simply to maintain proper bodily function.

However, estimates suggest the amount of daily water the average person in Gaza has access to is far lower: