Sofia Bettiza
BBC News

Hours ago in Brussels, defence ministers from the Nato military alliance of Western nations were briefed by Yoav Gallant, the Israeli defence minister.

Nato allies condemned Hamas's "unjustifiable acts of terror" - but also urged Israel to respond with "proportionality".

"As the conflict unfolds, the protection of civilians is essential," said Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenerg. "There are rules of war."

When it comes to concrete help, a number of Nato allies say they are providing practical support to Israel.

A Greek warship is reportedly being deployed to the Eastern Mediterranean – it’s likely to be stationed off the Israel-Lebanon border.

And Germany said two of their armed Heron combat drones were being used by Israeli forces.

Most of all, what Israel is after is diplomatic backing for the operation that it is conducting in Gaza. And it got that from Nato allies.

Israel says they have dropped 6,000 bombs, weighing 4,000 tonnes, on Hamas targets in Gaza over the course of six days.

The Israeli air force said airstrikes have hit more than 3,600 targets.

Image source, Getty Images

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused Israel of using white phosphorus, a controversial munition, in its bombings of the Gaza Strip and Lebanon.

The highly combustible chemical is sometimes used by militaries to mark areas. But it can also severely burn people and it is highly dangerous when used as a weapon, especially if launched into crowded areas.

Israel's military told the Reuters news agency that it was "currently not aware of the use of weapons containing white phosphorous in Gaza". It did not comment on Lebanon.

HRW said it had obtained and analysed videos filmed in Gaza and Lebanon that appeared to show white phosphorus artillery shells exploding. It also highlighted pictures taken by the AFP news agency in Gaza showing white streaks in the sky.

White phosphorus ignites when it comes into contact with oxygen, producing dense white smoke.

"The use of white phosphorus in Gaza, one of the most densely populated areas in the world, magnifies the risk to civilians and violates the international humanitarian law prohibition on putting civilians at unnecessary risk," the rights group said in a statement, external.

White phosphorus is not banned under international law because it has legal uses, but because of the harmful effects it can have on humans, their use is tightly regulated.

Israel's armed forces used white phosphorus as smokescreen during its 2008-2009 offensive in Gaza. Several rights groups alleged war crimes at that time. The military had said in 2013 that it would phase out using the chemical as camouflage.

Good morning to our readers in Asia and Oceania. It's just reaching 4am in Israel and Gaza. Here is what you need to know:

• Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told parliament that "difficult days await" at the swearing in of his new war cabinet
• The UN says Gaza is facing a "dire" situation with food and water quickly running out and 50,000 pregnant women unable to access essential services
• Meanwhile the World Health Organization says 11 medical workers have been killed in Gaza since Saturday
• More than 1,400 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched retaliatory air strikes, with 338,000 people displaced
• The number of Israelis killed by Hamas during its attacks on the weekend has risen to 1,300, with at least 150 hostages taken into Gaza
• Meanwhile, Israel’s information minister, Galit Distel Atbaryan, has resigned - saying the department's funding will be better used elsewhere

• European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen will visit Israel on Friday to express solidarity with the victims of Hamas attacks
• US defence secretary Lloyd Austin is also travelling to Israel on Friday- a day after a visit from Secretary of State Antony Blinken

• Police in France have banned all pro-Palestinian demonstrations because they are "likely to generate disturbances" to public order

Tessa Wong
Live page editor, Singapore

Welcome back to our continuing coverage. I've just taken over from our team in Washington DC, and together with my colleague Derek Cai in Singapore, we'll be bringing you the latest news on what's happening in Israel and Gaza.