Image source, Getty Images

As we reported earlier, the US has said a first group of 20 lorries carrying aid supplies could cross into Gaza from Egypt tomorrow, after repairs to the road.

We've just heard from Abeer Etefa from the World Food programme in Cairo, who says 20 trucks would be "a good start" but "it is nowhere near enough". She believes the initial plan is "a way to test the system".

Etefa says the situation in Gaza is "dire", with a population of two million people "in desperate need".

Of 23 bakeries the World Food Programme has worked with, only four are operating, she says, with many damaged or running out fuel, and shops running low on foodstuffs.

As we reported earlier, the Israeli military said this morning it "continues to attack" sites in the Gaza Strip. It says it's targeting Hamas infrastructure.

These pictures from Thursday show the aftermath of some of the air strikes.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, IDF

Our page this morning has focused on the war in Gaza - but there's also violence at the other end of Israel.

Since the Hamas attacks on 7 October, Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters have exchanged fire across the Lebanese border.

Today, the IDF said it responded with artillery shelling after two anti-tank guided missiles were fired from Lebanon at the northern Kibbutz Manara.

The IDF says there are no injuries in the latest missile attack - and said the artillery shelling is targeting the launch site of the missiles.

Lucy Manning
BBC News Special Correspondent

Image source, Family handout

As we reported earlier, a British-Israeli man, Yonatan Rapoport, has been confirmed to have been murdered by Hamas.

He was killed in the attack on Kibbutz Be'eri on 7 October.

He was a big Manchester United fan, and now the Israeli fan club of the team has issued a statement.

It says the club "shares in the grief of the Rapoport family...the wonderful Rapoport family stood bravely against the inferno, but Yonatan couldn't overcome the vile murderers".

It adds: "To the whole family - the whole community embraces you and shares deeply in your sorrow. May his memory be a blessing."

The family were due to attend the Manchester United v Luton Town game at Old Trafford on 11 November.

Neither electricity, nor fuel to run generators, has been allowed into Gaza in over a week, after Israel's "complete siege" stopped any goods from getting in.

Using satellite images taken at night, our colleagues in the BBC visual journalism team can show the stark contrast between September and last week.

Image source, .

Sunak's comments were far from the warning delivered by Bidenpublished at 12:45 British Summer Time 19 October 2023

12:45 BST 19 October 2023

Iain Watson
Political correspondent

There was nothing subtle about Benjamin Netanyahu’s comments - as well as the denunciations of Hamas as the "new Nazis", the "new Isis" and "monstrous barbarians", the Israeli PM framed the conflict as a struggle between Western civilisation and the "axis of evil" led by Iran.

He also warned of a long war and the need for continual support - with the subtext to Western governments not to get squeamish when Israel’s retaliation escalates.

Politically the UK PM Rishi Sunak saw it as important to be seen standing shoulder to shoulder with Israel.

But there were some subtleties in his speech - he warned Israel to minimise civilian casualties, albeit wrapped in approving language that he knew Israel would do this, unlike Hamas.

He also referenced international law and stressed the importance of humanitarian aid.

That said, it was far from the warning delivered by the US President not to be consumed by rage.

And with a succession of Western leaders being hosted in Israel, Sunak was playing his part in sending a message to Iran that a wider regional conflict would have consequences.

Here's another clip from Sunak, who earlier reiterated the UK's support for Israel stating: "We will stand with you in solidarity, we will stand with your people. And we also want you to win."

Here are the latest developments from Israel and Gaza, where it's just gone 14:30.

• Sunak in Israel: UK PM Rishi Sunak landed in Israel on Thursday morning and met the Israeli president Isaac Herzog and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu. He's the latest leader to visit the region, after the USA's Joe Biden and Germany's Olaf Scholz earlier this week
• Pledge of support: Sunak told Netanyahu in a televised address: "We want you to win", promising that the UK "absolutely supports" Israel's right to defend itself, while also saying he was glad Israel had agreed to let aid into Gaza
• Aid latest: Queues of lorries carrying food, water and medicine are waiting at the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, hoping for news that the border will open. The US said a first group of 20 trucks could cross into Gaza from Egypt tomorrow, after potholes in the access roads are repaired. But aid workers say it will only be a drop in the ocean
• Gaza strikes: Israel has continued to bomb Gaza with strikes overnight, and said this morning it hit "hundreds" of sites in Gaza in the past 24 hours. The Palestinian health ministry says more than 3,700 people have now been killed in Gaza
• Missing Israelis: It has been confirmed that British-Israeli man and father-of-two, Yonatan Rapoport, is now known to have been murdered by Hamas in the attack on Kibbutz Be’eri on 7 October. Also confirmed dead are an Israeli woman and her 12-year-old granddaughter. Israel said earlier that at least 203 hostages are now known to have been taken by Hamas
• Coming up: Sunak will head to Saudi Arabia this afternoon, and we'll bring you the latest on the push to get humanitarian aid into Gaza

A short while ago, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Rishi Sunak that the British fought the Nazis 80 years ago - and "Hamas are the new Nazis".

"We must fight them together," he said.

We've had some updated figures from the health ministry in Gaza, who say at least 3,785 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October.

Among those killed, 1,524 were children, 1,000 were women, and 120 were elderly, they say.

A total of 12,493 have been injured, the health officials added.

This death toll includes 471 people that the Gaza health ministry says were killed on Tuesday at Al-Ahli Arab hospital. Hamas blames an Israeli air strike, while Israel has laid out evidence it says shows a Palestinian rocket launched from Gaza misfired.

The number killed in that incident is also contested - an Israeli foreign ministry spokesperson has said it was "several dozen".

And that brings to an end the short statements from the UK and Israeli prime ministers.

Sunak concludes: "I'm proud to stand here with you in Israel's darkest hour, as your friend.

"We will stand with you in solidarity, we will stand with your people. And we also want you to win."

Sunak says all of us have been shocked at the scenes of the hospital blast this week and mourns the loss of innocent civilian life everywhere.

He stresses that Palestinian civilians are victims of Hamas too and welcomes Israel's decision to let aid into the Gaza Strip.

The UK will increase aid to region and try to get more support for people there as quickly as possible, he says.

Now over to Sunak, who says that Israel has lived through the "spectre of violence and terrorism for every day of its existence".

The prime minister adds the UK absolutely supports Israel's right to defend itself in line with international law, as well as its right to go after Hamas.

Sunak adds that he knows Israel is "taking every precaution to avoid harming civilians in direct contrast to the terrorists of Hamas which seek to put civilians in harm's way".

Referring to the fight against the Nazis in the Second World War, Netanyahu tells Sunak: "80 years ago the world stood with you during your darkest hour.

"This is our darkest hour - the world's darkest hour."

"This is why I value your support... We must win together.

"That means that this is a long war and we'll need your continuous support. There'll be ups and downs and difficulties. The people here are united... We need that unity across the board and continuous support."

Netanyahu repeats that this is not just Israel's battle but also the battle of the civilised and free world and modern Arab countries.

He says the other side is an axis of evil which includes Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran.

Netanyahu tells Sunak that the British "fought the Nazis 80 years ago".

"Hamas are the new Nazis," he adds.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu thanks PM Rishi Sunak for coming to Israel, saying that the visit is a "strong statement of support - we deeply appreciate it."

We're now hearing from UK PM Rishi Sunak and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, who are giving statements after their earlier talks.

You can stream it by clicking the Play button at the top of this page, and we'll bring you the key lines right on this page.

The Hamas attack has left Israelis united in shock and sadness - but there’s also been frustration at the government over a lack of a plan, at least publicly, to secure the return of those taken hostage.

From Tel Aviv, the BBC's Dan Johnson has been looking at the political divide inside Israel.

Listen to the latest episode of '5 Minutes On' podcast here.