Dominic Casciani
Home and legal correspondent, at the protest

Image source, Reuters

Today's pro-Palestinian demonstration in London is one of the most significant protests in recent years in the capital.

At 14:00 the Metropolitan Police estimated that around 100,000 people had joined the march to Downing Street. But an hour and a half later, people could still be seen joining the back of the route.

Overall, the mood - from what I have seen after hours of being here - has been positive and noisy. I've seen no signs of demonstrators showing support for Hamas and Hezbollah, which are banned under UK law as proscribed terror groups.

And out of the hundreds of placards and slogans I've seen, there's been just one that could be described as antisemitic.

On the whole, though, the mood remains largely positive. I've seen a lot of families and people from all walks of life, all generally calling for the human rights of Palestinians to be respected.

There’s been some chanting of “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" - a slogan that some use to call for Palestinian control of all land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, including Israel. Many Jewish groups say that’s a call to violence - but police say it would be unlikely to be unlawful if used in the context of this protest and without intimidation.

This, however, remains quite a complex policing operation with up to 1,000 officers available to play a part. The Met earlier closed off access to the Israeli embassy and had riot teams on hand in case of trouble.

Tom Grundy
Reporting from central London

Image source, Getty Images

Let's return to the pro-Palestinian march in London, where those attending have braved the rain and continued on their march to reach the gates of Downing Street.

People are standing on walls and buildings, waving the Palestinian flag, as speakers play to the crowd from a stage erected on Whitehall.

Police have generally kept their distance today - they estimate around 100,000 have taken part.

Chance of breakthrough remote at Peace Summitpublished at 16:54 British Summer Time 21 October 2023

16:54 BST 21 October 2023

Paul Adams
Diplomatic correspondent, in Jerusalem

Image source, EPA

The grandly named Cairo Peace Summit is a hastily arranged affair. As such, the chances of any kind of meaningful breakthrough seem remote.

The agenda is hazy and it seems differences over a final declaration may mean no text emerges, as is customary for such events.

The US is barely there, represented only by its chargé d’affaires in Cairo.

There’s a smattering of European leaders, while others (including the UK) have chosen to send foreign ministers.

For Arab leaders, it’s an opportunity to voice their fears that Israel’s military offensive in Gaza could result in the forcible displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.

Egypt’s President Sisi has repeatedly warned that a flood of Palestinians crossing into the Sinai Peninsula could have disastrous security implications in a place known for lawlessness and periodic bouts of Islamist violence.

With the death toll among Palestinians in Gaza soaring above 4,300 (an utterly unprecedented number, compared with previous Gaza wars), Jordan’s King Abdullah condemned the world’s silence.

“The message the Arab world is hearing is that Palestinian lives matter less than Israeli ones,” he said.

Image source, AFP/ Khaled Desouki

Let's turn towards what's happening in Cairo for a moment, where world leaders are meeting for a Peace Summit.

The meeting is part of a collective effort to avoid a wider regional war, and a little earlier we heard from UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly.

He said that while "Israel has the right to self-defence and the right to secure the release of those who are kidnapped", it also must work to "alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza".

"Despite the incredibly difficult circumstances, I have called for discipline and professionalism and restraint from the Israeli military," he said.

The foreign secretary stressed that leaders must work together to prevent further conflict because "that is exactly what Hamas wants".

As we've been reporting, thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters are on the streets London today. Similar protests are also taking place in several countries - here are some of the latest pictures:

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Reuters

Image source, EPA

Earlier we heard from the UN, who said the 20 aid trucks which were then waiting to cross from Egypt into Gaza would be a "drop in the ocean" of the help required in the Strip.

Twenty trucks have now made the crossing, which is the number Israel previously agreed to.

The US has welcomed this - but Secretary of State Antony Blinken has also urged "all parties to keep the Rafah crossing open to enable the continued movement of aid that is imperative to the welfare of the people of Gaza", according to a statement seen by the AFP news agency.

"We have been clear: Hamas must not interfere with the provision of this life-saving assistance," Blinken said.

"Palestinian civilians are not responsible for Hamas's horrific terrorism, and they should not be made to suffer for its depraved acts."

Anna Foster
Reporting from northern Israel

Right along Israel’s border with Lebanon, large numbers of troops are preparing for a potential new northern front in this war if there’s a major attack from the north.

Fields are being turned into forward operating bases, artillery shells are being prepared and armoured vehicles readied.

Israel is doing what it can to strengthen and fortify this border, moving soldiers in and evacuating civilians from locals towns and villages.

Image source, .

“Not my first war,” Major Or from the Israel Defence Forces tells me, as darkness falls around us and a helicopter passes overhead, lighting up Hezbollah positions over the border with flares.

“I [have] never seen such massive amounts of units all across Israel. Everyone has a lot of motivation, we’re prepared and trained at a scale we have never seen before, at least not in my lifetime.”

Major Or - and many of the reservists in his unit - usually work in the tech industry. They’ve now put their civilian lives on hold.

“Everyone in Israel knows someone who lost their life on that Saturday. But when we are here, we're not thinking about fear, we're thinking about winning, and eliminating the threat so it will never happen again.”

And if you're just joining us, a reminder that the Rafah crossing from Egypt to Gaza has opened allowing 20 trucks to pass into the besieged enclave.

The trucks are carrying food, water and medicine (but no fuel).

Celebrations erupted on both sides of the crossing as much needed humanitarian relief enters the strip.

Take a look at the short clip below.

We've had an update on the demonstrations taking place in London this afternoon, with the Met Police estimating there are now "up to 100,000" pro-Palestinian protesters marching.

Those demonstrating have assembled at Marble Arch, where attendees hold signs reading "Freedom for Palestine" and "Stop Bombing Gaza".

Image source, Henry Nicholls/ AFP

Image source, Getty Images

It's two weeks since Hamas launched its attack on Israel. Here's a catch-up of the main developments today:

The first trucks carrying aid into Gaza crossed the Rafah border this morning, allowing 20 lorries with humanitarian aid into the Strip, where it will be distributed by UN staff on the ground.

Israel gave an updated estimate of the number of hostages being held in Gaza, putting the number at 210. This does not include an American mother and daughter who were released overnight - more on that story here.

In Egypt's capital, some of the major powers in the Middle East and Europe are meeting for a summit to discuss the Israel-Gaza war. But notably, Israel, Iran and the US are not present.

The Hamas-run heath ministry says 4,385 people have died in the last two weeks, and the UN reports 17 staff from its agency UNRWA have been killed. Hamas attacks in Israel have killed about 1,400, and earlier Israel's military said at least 307 soldiers had been killed since 7 October.

Gordon Corera
Security correspondent, BBC News

We heard yesterday about the release of two US hostages who'd been abducted during Hamas's deadly raid on Israel this month.

The news has highlighted the unusual role played by Qatar - a role which brings influence but also carries risks.

The fact that the tiny Gulf state hosts both a significant US military base as well as Hamas tells you that Qatar knows how to work different sides, straddling support for Islamist groups in the region, sometimes difficult relations with its neighbours, while still working closely with the West.

Image source, .

It has positioned itself as a middle man and arbiter - not just over these hostages but going back years with a similar role in hostage crises involving Syria and Iraq, and as acting as the staging post for a Taliban office and negotiations with the US over Afghanistan.

In all of this, Qatar hopes to gain influence and a degree of protection.

There are risks though, especially given the nature of the Hamas attacks on Israel that this could lead the US and others to put more pressure on it to take a tougher line on some of the groups it hosts.

But there is also a recognition from the US – and others – that back-channels are often vital and Qatar has shown its value in this role.

Tom Grundy
Reporting from central London

Image source, Getty Images

Meanwhile in the UK, thousands of protesters are marching through central London today to show support to Palestinians.

The co-organisers, Palestine Solidarity Campaign, are calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and for "full humanitarian aid" to be sent in.

From where I stand, there are Palestinian flags being waved as far as the eye can see, accompanying constant chants of “Palestine will be free”.

Smoke from green and red flares are filling the air outside some of London’s most expensive hotels on Park Lane as the march continues towards Downing Street.

Image source, Getty Images

In the last 24 hours, similar protests have been held around the world in places like Thailand, Australia, the Netherlands, South Africa, and several Arab countries.

Image source, Getty Images

The UN will be responsible for distributing the aid that has arrived into Gaza through the Rafah crossing today, our correspondent on the ground Rushdi Abu Alouf says.

He's been watching the convoy of trucks prepare to begin their journey from the border crossing into Khan Younis in Gaza's south.

The convoy is flanked by UN cars, he says, which will escort the trucks to a warehouse in the southern city.

Once there, UN workers will decide where the humanitarian aid goes - it's likely it will be sent to UN schools, where thousands have been sheltering, as well as hospitals in the area, he says.

Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry says at least 4,385 people have been killed in the Strip since 7 October.

That number includes 1,756 children, it says in a statement.

A bit more now on the Al Zahra neighbourhood, large parts of which were destroyed in air strikes on Thursday night.

BBC Arabic's Adnan El-Bursh met people who lived there. While he was there, a warning came from the Israeli army telling people to evacuate.

Aerial images reveal destruction in Gaza neighbourhoodpublished at 12:46 British Summer Time 21 October 2023

12:46 BST 21 October 2023

Image source, Getty Images

These images show the impact of air strikes in the Al Zahra neighbourhood of Gaza on Thursday night.

A large area of the neighbourhood, consisting of about 25 residential towers, has been destroyed.

Image source, Getty Images

Israel told all civilians living north of the Wadi Gaza river valley to evacuate in 24 hours a week ago. Residents of Al Zahra, which is located south of Gaza City, were included in the order, which saw hundreds of thousands of people flee to southern cities like Khan Younis.

Those who remained in Al Zahra received Israeli warning messages ahead of the strikes, Reuters news agency reports.

Image source, .

The BBC has confirmed these pictures were taken in the Al Zahra neighbourhood by comparing the layout of buildings with earlier satellite imagery.

Satellite photos taken on Thursday also show these towers still standing, confirming that they were destroyed between Thursday evening and Friday morning.

Image source, Getty Images

The Israel Defense Forces said on Friday that they had attacked "over 100 operational targets of terrorist organisations in the Gaza Strip" overnight on Thursday.

The BBC asked the IDF for comment on what specifically was targeted in Al Zahra.

They said: "In response to Hamas' barbaric attacks, the IDF is responding forcefully to dismantle Hamas military and administrative capabilities.

"In stark contrast to Hamas' intentional attacks on Israeli men, women and children, the IDF follows international law and takes feasible precautions to mitigate civilian harm".

This post was updated with the IDF's response to our request for comment.

Image source, .

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Anna Foster
Reporting from northern Israel

Kiryat Shemona, a community of 20,000 people close to Israel’s border with Lebanon, is emptying out.

Hours after the order to leave was given, we met families in an underground shelter waiting to be taken to cities further away. They feared for their safety amid the ongoing exchanges of fire, and were frustrated at how long the evacuation was taking.

Zehavit has cancer, but since the war began all her medical appointments have been cancelled.

“I’m calling and there is no answer,” she says.

“There’s no-one to talk to. I asked them to take the sick people first. I know they evacuated others but no-one has reached out to me”.

And even here in the shelter, Efrat doesn’t feel her three-year-old twins are safe.

She says the law bans locking the door of these public shelters.

She tells me how worried she is about infiltrators coming across the border, and is frightened about the possibility of another massacre like the one in the south.

Image source, Getty Images

A number of leaders from the Middle East and Europe have gathered in Cairo, Egypt for summit to discuss the de-escalation of the Israel-Gaza war.

A few minutes ago we heard from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who used his opening remarks to say that Palestinians will not be forced off their land.

"We will never accept relocation, we will remain on our land whatever the challenges," he said.

Abbas is head of the Palestinian Authority, which has control over areas of the occupied West Bank, but not the Hamas-run Gaza Strip.

Egypt and other Arab states have previously said a massive influx of Palestinian refugees fleeing the war would be unacceptable because it would amount to the expulsion of Palestinians from their land.

The meeting, which is called a Summit for Peace, also includes officials from Jordan, Qatar, Italy, Spain, the EU and UK. But, key notable absentees include Israel, the US and Iran.

We've just been hearing from a spokesman from the Israeli military, who says they have so far notified the families of 210 hostages that they are being held in the Gaza Strip.

This does not include American mother and daughter Judith and Natalie Raanan, who were released by Hamas last night.