Image source, Reuters

Israelis, Palestinians in Gaza and global leaders are still attempting to work out what Israel's killing of Hamas's leader Yahya Sinwar means for the crisis in the Middle east.

The UK, the US and Germany cast his death as the removal of a key obstacle in achieving a ceasefire in Gaza.

Joe Biden soon admitted that the end of the war is not yet in sight - a view echoed by many Palestinians. But the US president did say it may be possible to bring about an end to the war in Lebanon

Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran put up a united front as they reacted to Sinwar’s killing, describing him as a "martyr". And they warned the fighting won’t stop “until Palestine is liberated".

But in Lebanon, cracks emerged as Tehran - Hezbollah’s top financial and military backer - was accused of “blatant interference” after offering to negotiate with France over UN Resolution 1701, which ended the last conflict between the paramilitary group and Israel in 2006.

Image source, Cogat

Elsewhere, Israeli military body Cogat - which manages the crossing of humanitarian aid into Gaza - said dozens of lorries carrying “food, water, medical supplies and shelter equipment" entered the north of the Strip today.

Shortly after, Israeli minister Amichai Chikli told the BBC Israel imposed a blockade on northern Gaza and prevented supplies from arriving in the area, which includes the refugee camp of Jabalia. Israeli forces have been fighting a deadly ground operation there for nearly two weeks.

We will now be pausing our coverage of the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon but, in the meantime, you can watch BBC Verify’s analysis of the footage of Sinwar’s killing.

As we've been reporting, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has met US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin, Germany today.

A joint statement posted to the government of Germany's website says the leaders "discussed events in the Middle East, in particular the implications of the death of Yahya Sinwar" for the "immediate" release of hostages, ending the war in Gaza and ensuring aid reaches civilians.

It goes on to say the leaders also reiterated their condemnation of Iran's attack on Israel and "coordinated on efforts to hold Iran accountable".

It adds they also spoke about the situation in Lebanon and agreed on the need to work towards a full implementation of UN Resolution 1701, which calls for an end to armed groups operating in southern Lebanon and was passed unanimously by the UN Security Council in 2006.

Image source, Reuters

A senior UN official has warned the prospect of a ceasefire in Gaza remains grim despite the killing of the Hamas leader this week.

Georgios Petropoulos says he doesn't expect humanitarian aid to enter northern Gaza more easily now that Yahya Sinwar is dead. He paints a bleak picture of the situation, describing having seen "children dying on the floors of hospital" because medicines can't reach them.

"The cadence of negotiations for peace is one thing," the official from UN's Office for Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA) tells the BBC's Newshour programme.

"The humanitarian need today of a family sitting in the cold without a tent while it's raining is a completely different thing, and we cannot have them linked up."

While US President Joe Biden hailed Sinwar's death as a chance to "seek a path to peace", Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu was quick to say Israel's objectives have not been met yet.

Since Israel began a renewed military offensive in northern Gaza nearly two weeks ago, humanitarian groups say that virtually no aid has entered the area.

Israel's own statistics show that aid deliveries to Gaza as a whole have collapsed when compared with the same period in September - although following US threats to suspend arms supplies the military body responsible said 30 aid trucks had entered the north today.

Yahya Sinwar was killed by a "severe traumatic brain injury" after being shot in the head, according to the pathologist in Israel who conducted his autopsy.

Dr Chen Kugel, from the National Center of Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv, says he found wounds "from other sources" on the former Hamas leader - including injuries to his right forearm from "missile fire", a damaged left leg from "fallen masonry" and shrapnel injuries to his body.

"They caused the severe damage, but the cause of death is the gunshot wound in the head," he tells US broadcaster CNN.

The Israeli military said earlier that the Hamas leader was killed when the building he was hiding in in Rafah was struck with "tank fire". It also noted its troops traded gunfire with a group of "terrorists" before the building was targeted.

Yahya Sinwar's bodyguard has been killed by Israeli forces in southern Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) says.

The IDF had previously reported Mahmoud Hamdan dead in an air strike on 10 September, claiming at the time he was killed alongside "dozens of additional terrorists" under his command in the Tal al-Sultan battalion.

In a statement this evening, the IDF acknowledges the "intelligence on which this assessment was based was insufficient", which meant Hamdan had continued to guard the former Hamas leader.

It goes on to say Hamdan was "eliminated" in encounter with troops which took place "approximately 200 meters from the spot where Sinwar was eliminated" in Rafah's Tas al-Sultan neighbourhood.

Hamas has not yet commented on the claim.

Rushdi Abualouf
Gaza correspondent, in Istanbul

The debate in Gaza over the merits of the 7 October attack has been ongoing for a year, but it reached a critical juncture with Israel’s killing of Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind behind the assault.

Supporters of the attack quickly eulogized Sinwar as a courageous Palestinian leader who fought to the very end, while detractors expressed hope that his death might contribute to an end to the war.

Lina Anuni, who fled Gaza City with her three children a year ago and relocated to Khan Younis, shared her thoughts with the BBC: "There is no gloating over death. I opposed him while he was alive and hold him equally responsible, alongside the Israeli occupation, for my suffering and that of 2.3 million Palestinians."

She said she also felt "a sense of sadness at his passing", but stressed that "all of this could have been avoided if Sinwar had thought more carefully before choosing to go to war in this manner".

Conversely, fellow activist Moamen al-Natour, took a more resolute stance on his Facebook page, stating: “I do not regret Sinwar’s death.

"His blood is not more precious than that of our children and women who have died due to his misguided decisions," he wrote.

“For Hamas, which views our blood as a tactical loss, the people will see its downfall as a strategic gain.”

Yousef Jamal, a supporter of Hamas, told the BBC that Sinwar "was martyred while fighting on the front lines".

"He was actively leading and negotiating while wielding his rifle, dressed in military uniform and keffiyeh throughout a year of relentless pursuit and military pressure. He did not hide among the displaced, seek refuge with enemy prisoners, or retreat into tunnels."

As we've been reporting, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) says more than 70 projectiles were fired by Hezbollah across the border into Israel today, while urgent evacuation orders were issued for 23 villages across southern Lebanon.

Here's what else has been happening, as seen in pictures:

Image source, EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Reuters

Image source, EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

Rushdi Abualouf
Gaza correspondent, in Istanbul

A senior Hamas official has told the BBC that the group will meet soon to choose a new leader according to the standards and regulations required by its institutions.

He says the movement's conditions for ending the war and concluding a prisoner exchange deal - which are withdrawing from all land in Gaza, stopping the war, allowing in aid and rebuilding - have not changed with the killing of Yahya Sinwar.

Sebastian Usher
Middle East regional editor

Image source, Reuters

• A joint statement by the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, and the German foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, casts Yahya Sinwar - who masterminded the 7 October attacks on Israel - as the key obstacle in achieving a ceasefire in Gaza
• The British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has echoed the words of US President Joe Biden, saying that all sides must make the most of this moment
• Hamas itself has, however, expressed its determination to continue fighting as long as Israeli troops remain in Gaza
• Israeli politicians from Benjamin Netanyahu on down have made clear that they believe their objectives have not yet been met
• In Gaza itself, the toll on Palestinian civilians continues. Earlier, the Israeli military confirmed it had sent in another unit to bolster its offensive in the north

An update from the Israeli military now, which says that 75 projectiles were fired from Lebanon into Israel by Hezbollah today.

The Israeli military intercepted two drones approaching the country from Lebanon while the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) says that it "dismantled rockets and additional weapons" from areas Hezbollah used as launchpads for attacks against Israel.

In the last hour, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for a "barrage of rockets" fired at northern Haifa, the Iran-backed group said in a statement on Telegram.

While in Lebanon, its state-run National News Agency (NNA) has reported air raids in the southern towns of Anqoun, Maaroub and Taraya throughout the afternoon.

With Sinwar's death, Hamas turns to its leaders abroadpublished at 18:27 British Summer Time 18 October

18:27 BST 18 October

Rushdi Abualouf
BBC News Gaza correspondent, in Istanbul

Image source, Reuters

The centre of gravity within Hamas has once again shifted back to the movement's leadership abroad, after Gaza had held the keys to decision-making since 2012.

Ismail Haniyeh (killed in an Israeli air strike in July) and Yahya Sinwar had previously monopolised the movement's decision-making due to Hamas's military strength.

Control over the decisions of war and peace equated to control over the movement itself. However, the dynamics have now changed, and the entire game with it.

Hamas in Gaza no longer possesses influential leaders or the military arsenal necessary to maintain its leadership role within the movement.

I believe that Khaled Meshaal, who is eager to reclaim power, will seize this opportunity. He is well-known for his opposition to Sinwar's positions.

Another door opens for Khalil al-Hayya, who is the most senior leader of Hamas outside Gaza.

He's known to have good relations with Iran's so-called 'Axis of Resistance', and also has good relations with the Turks, Qataris and Egyptians.

• The BBC's Jeremy Bowen interviewed al-Hayya earlier this month in Doha, just a couple of weeks before Sinwar was killed by Israeli forces in Rafah

The Visual Journalism Team
BBC News

We’ve looked back at satellite images from October 2023 to see the extent of destruction in the Tal al-Sultan area of Rafah, where Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed on Thursday.

The once densely populated area has been heavily damaged, with buildings destroyed and agricultural greenhouses razed to the ground.

The Israeli military launched a ground offensive against Hamas battalions operating in the Rafah area in May, and residents were told to flee to “safer” coastal areas.

As well as rubble around destroyed buildings, the satellite images reveal evidence of Israeli military positions where mounds of earth fortifications have been raised.

Image source, EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

US President Joe Biden says there's a possibility of working towards a ceasefire in Lebanon, but it will be harder to achieve in Gaza.

He made the comments during his one-day visit to Berlin, where he held talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Asked by reporters if he has an understanding of how and when Israel would respond to the missile attacks by Iran, Biden replied yes, but he didn't elaborate further.

As a reminder, Iran launched almost 200 ballistic missiles towards Israel on 1 October. Most of the projectiles were intercepted, according to Israel's military.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) says three projectiles fired from Lebanon were intercepted by its Air Force.

Sirens were activated in the Haifa Bay and Upper Galilee area between 19:00 and 19:01 local time (17:01 BST), the IDF says in a post on its Telegram.

All three projectiles were successfully intercepted, it adds.

Image source, Israeli Defense Force

The Israeli military has released new drone footage showing the moment its troops targeted the building Yahya Sinwar was in, in the Tal El Sultan area of Rafah, where he was killed.

Providing more information on the moments leading up to death of Sinwar, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) says after conducting scans of the area, Israeli soldiers were shot at by a group of "terrorists" who also "threw grenades" at them.

Israeli soldiers fired at buildings where the "terrorists" tried to flee to, it adds. "During scans conducted by the troops the following morning, the body of Hamas leader, Yahya Sinwar, was identified," the IDF says.

The IDF says it also located an undisclosed number of weapons.

Israel's choice of targets will shape what comes nextpublished at 17:06 British Summer Time 18 October

17:06 BST 18 October

Lyse Doucet
Chief international correspondent

Image source, EPA

The message is the same from Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran - the “martyrdom” of Yahya Sinwar will only intensity their battle against Israel, what they call the “resistance".

“The martyrs are alive forever, and today the cause of liberating the occupied Palestinian territories is more alive than ever,” is how Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi put it in his post on twitter.

But Sinwar’s killing comes as Iran’s top diplomat has been shuttling across the region, visiting Arab states which once counted among Iran’s arch enemies, including the Kingdoms of Saudi Arabia and Jordan, to try to find a way out of this escalatory spiral.

Despite their differences, there’s a shared concern over Israel’s devastating campaigns in Gaza and Lebanon, and the rising risks in this widening war.

The killing of Sinwar, of Hezbollah’s Hassan Nasrallah, and many more have significantly weakened Iran’s “ring of fire".

And Tehran and its neighbours know Iran is now in Israel’s sights. Its choice of targets will shape what comes next in this most unprecedented and unpredictable of times.

Image source, Reuters

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer says "no one should mourn the death of Hamas leader (Yahya) Sinwar".

Speaking in Berlin, Starmer says: "On his hands is the blood of innocent Israelis, killed on 7 October and over years of terror. And also the blood of Palestinian people who suffered in the chaos and violence that he sought and celebrated."

More widely, Starmer says he continues to support Israel's right to self-defence but that there is "no military solution - the answer is diplomacy".

"Now we must make the most of this moment... a ceasefire in Gaza, immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, immediate access to humanitarian aid and a return to the path towards the two-state solution," Starmer says.

Issuing a warning to Israel, he says "the world will not tolerate any more excuses on humanitarian assistance", adding the UN Relief and Works Agency (Unrwa) must be allowed to continue its work.

Image source, Reuters

As we've been reporting, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is in Lebanon's capital Beirut to meet the country's Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

Speaking at a press conference, Mikati says the pair discussed the conflict in southern Lebanon and agreed that a "diplomatic solution must come before war, violence and destruction, and is represented first by Israel’s full commitment to a ceasefire".

Mikati says he assured Meloni that "there is no priority above a ceasefire".

He reiterates that targeting bases belonging to the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) is "unacceptable", adding that the peacekeeping mission "must be strengthened".

Israel has been widely criticised after five Unifil peacekeepers were injured in southern Lebanon this month following the Israeli army's ground invasion. Israeli forces have urged UN peacekeepers to leave their positions.

Fergal Keane
Special correspondent

A senior UN Official has warned that “history will ask questions” about what the international community was doing when atrocities were happening in Gaza.

The head of the UN Human Rights office that covers the Palestinian Territories, Ajith Sunghay, says the violations and suffering of people on a day to day basis is unparalleled.

“It is unprecedented. We cannot keep silent,” he tells the BBC.

“There is an obligation on people who are seeing this... Member states have an obligation also to step up and stop this war. We need a cease fire urgently.”

Sunghay was speaking after the UN warned that there was a risk of famine across Gaza as winter approached.

Nearly two million people are displaced and the World Food Programme has described “catastrophic” levels of food insecurity.

Image source, Reuters

Turning back to southern Lebanon where the cross-border conflict with Israel continues, the Israeli military says it has killed about 1,500 Hezbollah operatives since its conflict with the armed group escalated.

In a post on X, external, Lt Gen Herzi Halevi says the estimated number of those killed was conservative, and adds "we are very determined to hit Hezbollah as hard as possible".

Meanwhile, Hezbollah says at midday, it launched a "squadron of swoop drones" on Israeli soldiers in Safed in northern Israel, "causing a number of deaths and injuries".

The BBC is not able to independently verify these claims.