The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says that hundreds of people fled al-Shifa hospital on foot this morning, according to the AFP news agency.

It says 120 wounded patients remain at the hospital, along with an unspecified number of premature babies.

Earlier, health officials told AFP that "450 wounded and patients with chronic illnesses" could not be moved and a number of medical staff would stay at the hospital to care for them.

The BBC can't independently verify these figures.

Rushdi Abu Alouf
Reporting from Khan Younis

A journalist inside al-Shifa hospital who I have been speaking to all week tells me he and many others have now left the premises, carrying white flags.

Earlier this week Khader Al Zaanoun spoke of heavy gunfire and interrogations as Israeli forces searched the site.

"The hospital was evacuated except for patients who could not move and a very small number of doctors," he tells me.

He adds:

The Israeli military has denied ordering the evacuation of al-Shifa hospital following earlier reports that it had told everyone in the complex to leave within an hour.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had agreed to a request, external from the director at al-Shifa for Gazans who wanted to evacuate to do so via a "secure route".

"At no point, did the IDF order the evacuation of patients or medical teams and in fact proposed that any request for medical evacuation will be facilitated by the IDF," a statement said.

Medical staff would stay with patients who are unable to evacuate, the statement continued, saying the IDF had been providing additional food, water and humanitarian assistance to the hospital.

Israeli troops have been searching the hospital, where they say Hamas has a command centre in tunnels below ground. They have found some weapons stashes but so far have not provided evidence of a major command centre.

Large numbers of displaced people have been sheltering in the hospital, where conditions are desperate after intense fighting in the area.

Image source, AFP

Three days after Israel dropped leaflets to warn people to leave Khan Younis, another warning to evacuate the city has been issued.

Khan Younis is the largest city in southern Gaza - where hundreds of thousands of people fled to after being told to evacuate the north.

As the humanitarian crisis is worsening in the packed city, Israel’s warnings suggested military operations there were imminent.

Mark Regev, an advisor to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told US media while Israeli troops would have to go into the city to destroy Hamas tunnels and bunkers, people in Khan Younis could move west, “Where hopefully there will be tents and a field hospital”.

“I’m pretty sure that they won’t have to move again” if they moved west, he said.

Jamie Whitehead
Live reporter

Good morning and welcome back to our live coverage of the Israel-Hamas War.

Israel has issued a new warning to Gazans in Khan Younis in the south of the territory to leave.

Last night, Mark Regev, an advisor to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told MSNBC that Israel was asking people to relocate but added: “I know it’s not easy for them. but we don’t want to see civilians caught up in the crossfire.”

Hundreds of thousands of Gazans fled the north to southern areas including Khan Younis after being ordered to leave by Israel for their own safety. But the south has continued to come under Israeli bombardment too.

I’m here in London with Ece Goksedef, stay with us and we’ll keep you updated throughout the day.

Image source, .

For anyone in need of a catch-up on the day's events in Gaza and Israel, here's a summary of the key moments:

Fuel crisis

Israel says it has agreed to allow two fuel lorries a day into Gaza, which the country's national security advisor says will prevent a collapse of the sewage system and risk of disease to its troops.

The US government has said this agreement amounts to around 140,000 litres every two days - 120,000 of which will be used to fuel aid vehicles and other humanitarian efforts, with the remainder to power communication networks.

But aid agencies warn this is nowhere near enough to run their humanitarian operations, amid growing fears of people starving as they desperately search for food.

Communication networks in Gaza were down for more than a day, after the strip's telecoms firms ran out of fuel to generate power for phone or internet networks. Signal has since been partially restored, two companies say, after a delivery of some fuel.

Al-Shifa search

The crisis at al-Shifa hospital is ongoing, where Israel recently began searching for evidence of a Hamas command centre it says is located in tunnels under Gaza's largest medical facility.

The Israeli military says its troops have found the body of a second woman held hostage by Hamas, during a search close to al-Shifa. This morning, a funeral was held for 19-year-old soldier Noa Marciano - who was one of about 240 people kidnapped during the 7 October atrocities.

The Hamas-run health authorities in Gaza say 24 people have died in the hospital’s emergency department over the last two days because of a lack of power.

Officials also say the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli attacks has exceeded 12,000. Many more are believed to be missing under the rubble of Gazan buildings.

Pressure on Netanyahu

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has admitted Israeli forces have not been "successful" in minimising civilian casualties in Gaza, but blamed Hamas for using people as human shields.

One of Netanyahu's predecessors, Ehud Olmert, has called for a political solution to resolve the future of Gaza in a BBC interview - blaming his rival for security failings that led to more than 1,200 Israelis being killed by Hamas.

Meanwhile, families and friends of those being held hostage in Gaza are marching in protest from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, with the journey of around 43 miles (69km) due to end at Netanyahu's office on Saturday to demand their release.

Image source, Reuters

The Israeli military says it will "increase the capacity of humanitarian convoys" carrying aid into Gaza, with "no limitation" on the number of trucks allowed to cross into the territory.

In a statement, IDF Col Elad Goren says Israel will "increase the capacity of humanitarian convoys and trucks, as long as there is a need".

He says "every list we get from the UN will be delivered" after being checked.

Israel has severely limited aid going in to Gaza since Hamas's attacks on 7 October.

Aid agencies had previously said the minimum number of trucks that would be needed to sustain the civilian population was 100 per day.

As we've been reporting, data from the Egyptian Red Crescent and UNRWA has indicated that no trucks carrying any sort of aid have entered the Gaza Strip for the past three days due to the fuel shortages.

Munira Hussein & Alex Smith
Dar es Salaam and London

Image source, Mashav Israel

The Tanzanian government has confirmed the death of a student taken hostage in Gaza.

Clemence Felix Mtenga was one of two Tanzanians taken by Hamas on 7 October. It is unclear how the 22-year-old died.

In a statement confirming his death, the country's foreign ministry say it is in touch with Israel over the other Tanzanian hostage, Joshua Mollel.

Mtenga's family has been informed, it said, adding that officials were liaising with the Israeli government to send his body home.

Mtenga had only landed in Israel in September and was due to study there for 11 months.

More than 230 hostages were taken in the assault by Hamas, and at least 1,200 people killed.

• Read more here

Barbara Plett Usher
US State Department correspondent

A US State Department official has explained how Israel reached a deal to allow some fuel into Gaza.

He said the agreement on a mechanism – refuelling the Rafah depot in the south for onward distribution in Gaza - was reached in principle several weeks ago.

But the Israelis delayed implementation for two reasons: They kept telling the Americans that fuel still hadn’t actually run out in southern Gaza, and they’d also been waiting to see if they could first get a hostage deal.

On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer and told him time was up, fuel had expired and immediate action was needed to avert a profound humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.

The Israelis could not wait for a resolution of hostage issues, he said, which might or might not happen.

On Thursday, Blinken called Israel's opposition leader Benny Gantz, who is part of the country's emergency unity government.

That was an important conversation and the Israeli war cabinet then voted to approve the fuel deal.

The State Department official said the US would keep trying to increase the amount of fuel. But he said convincing Israel to move on Gaza aid was always a process of pushing and getting measured progress.

Image source, AFP

Noam Sagi, whose mother Ada was taken hostage from Kibbutz Nir Oz where she lived in southern Israel, earlier spoke to the BBC about how the families of hostages have been reacting to news of two hostages' bodies being found in Gaza.

"I am trying to not to listen too much what is going on. Because we are in the middle of psychological torture for the last 42 days. And it is not even about us, it is about the people in the tunnels, the people who have medical conditions, kids and elderly," he said.

Sagi has not heard from his mother, who has a lung condition, since 7 October - the day she was kidnapped from her home.

"Every little piece of news that coming is not helping," he said.

The BBC has obtained satellite imagery taken at 11:30 this morning local time (09:30 GMT) of large crowds passing through what appears to be a checkpoint on the Salah al-Din road out of Gaza City.

The Israeli military said it was allowing civilians to flee southwards down this road for a few hours each day.

Take a look at the image below:

Gaza's main telecom providers - Paltel and Jawwal - have confirmed the "partial restoration" of communications in various parts of the Gaza Strip.

In a statement on X, Paltel said: "This comes after a limited quantity of fuel was provided through [UN relief agency] Unrwa to operate our main generators.

"Service continuity depends on receiving fuel supply regularly."

Phone and internet services in the Gaza Strip had been down for more than 24 hours.

Israel's war cabinet has agreed to allow 140,000 litres of fuel into Gaza every two days after a request from Washington, amid acute shortages that threatened aid deliveries and communications in the besieged strip, US officials said on Friday.

Earlier, Israel said it had agreed to allow two fuel tankers a day into the territory.

Aid agencies have been lobbying for more fuel to enter Gaza in order for them to able to distribute humanitarian supplies.

A US State Department official has said that Israel has committed to allowing 120,000 litres of fuel every 48 hours for the UN's Palestinian aid agency to power its trucks and run other essential services.

The agreement also outlines that a further 20,000 litres would be allowed to power the telecoms companies to prevent further blackouts.

Reuters news agency says Gaza's main telecommunications companies Paltel and Jawwal said on Friday that their telecommunications had now been partially restored following the delivery of a limited amount of fuel.

Earlier, AFP reported that 17,000 litres had been allowed to enter Gaza, the first shipment since Israel's war cabinet said it would allow regular deliveries.

Image source, EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on Israel to end its military operation against Hamas and for an immediate ceasefire to be signed.

He made the comments during a news conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz before a joint meeting between the two leaders.

During a scaled-back state visit to Berlin, Erdogan said Germany should work together with Turkey to achieve a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The Turkish leader, who has called Hamas "liberators", said Turkey was not bound by the guilt of the Holocaust in who it supported - a reference to Germany's backing for Israel.

Scholz said Germany would never compromise on Israel's right to exist and to defend itself.

The two leaders agreed it was important to hold talks on how their countries might contribute to ending the violence.

Co-director of policy, advocacy and programmes at ActionAid, Hannah Bond, says that without fuel, "it would just be impossible to distribute the absolutely essential aid that needs to get to Gaza."

Since the roads have been bombarded, driving through the roads has already been difficult for weeks, Bonds tells the BBC.

"And the fuel issue is really significant. Incubators cannot work without fuel, operations having to happen by phone lights, Caesareans are happening with no medication at all, no painkillers," according to her colleagues on the ground, Bond says.

In southern Gaza, there are reports of leaking sewage.

"Pumps cannot run without fuel so we end up with this really catastrophic situation where there is not enough food and water. And on top of that, the spread of disease caused by sewage on the streets," Bond adds.

Orla Guerin
Reporting from Jerusalem

Image source, Family handout

There are many harrowing stories among those making their way to Jerusalem on the march I described in the previous post.

Tagit Tzin has two much-loved nieces who are being held by Hamas. She tells me that eight-year-old Ella Elyakim is a keen dancer, and her older sister Dafna, aged 15, is into TikTok and makeup.

Hamas live streamed the attack on their home on 7 October. Their father Noam was later killed, along with his partner, Dikla Arava, and her son, Tomer. Tagit is worried the girls witnessed this.

She tells me, through her tears, that she has hope of getting her nieces back.

“I know that they will come home," she says. “I know that they will be back, but it takes too much time and our government are the only ones that can stop this in this minute.”

She lifts a bandage on her wrist to show me a new tattoo – it’s designed like a bracelet with three broken links for Noam, Dikla and Tomer.

Orla Guerin
Reporting from Jerusalem

Image source, Anadolu Agency

Families and friends of Israeli hostages being held by Hamas are on a cross country walk to push for their release. They set out from Tel Aviv on Tuesday and are due to reach Jerusalem tomorrow evening - a journey of a little under 70km, or 43 miles.

Their destination is the office of Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu. They have one demand – get them back, whatever it takes.

They have marched along roadsides, and on motorways, some with walking sticks, some with baby strollers, a few with their dogs. Supporters have been handing out bottles of water and ice lollies to help with the burning heat. Many are wearing military-style dog tags, bearing the words "bring them home now".

Hopes have been raised of a deal that might bring some of the hostages home. Sources say this would involve the release of some of the Israeli women and children in return for Palestinian women and children in Israeli prisons. And there would be a ceasefire, of a number of days.

But there’s no deal yet and the hostages remain at risk from Hamas, and from Israeli airstrikes on Gaza.

Image source, Anadolu Agency

Image source, Anadolu Agency

Bread is ordinarily a staple food for people in Gaza. But fuel shortages mean bakeries have come to a crippling halt.

Earlier this week, the UN's World Food Programme confirmed the shutdown of Gaza's final bakery operating in partnership with the agency.

Today, it warned of the "immediate possibility of starvation" among Gaza's population of two million people.

The following photos, taken in the southern city of Khan Younis earlier, show crowds gathered around one of the few bakeries still operating in the area.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Joe Inwood
International correspondent, BBC Newsnight

I’d arranged to meet Israel's former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who was in office from 2006 to 2009, to discuss the withdrawal from Gaza of 2005, which he had overseen. However, the conversation soon turned to the future of the Strip, as well as his fierce rival Benjamin Netanyahu.

Speaking in his Tel Aviv office, Olmert blamed the current prime minister for security failings that led to the 7 October attacks. Netanyahu has said everyone will be held accountable, including himself.

It is on the subject of the future of Gaza, as well as the occupied West Bank, that Olmert was most forceful.

He told me, “once Hamas had been destroyed”, an international peacekeeping force must come in to take over “for a short period of time”.

This would then allow the Palestinian authority to eventually take over from them, rather “than from Israeli bayonets”.

In return, he said Israel must offer “a political horizon” in the form of a two-state solution, the internationally backed formula for peace envisioning an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. His proposal would involve the withdrawal of Israeli settlers from almost all of the occupied West Bank.

This call will undoubtedly be highly controversial in many parts of Israeli society. The settler movement is increasingly powerful and emboldened.

He acknowledged his plan would lead to confrontation, but said if action was not taken, “then Israel will become a binational state that will forever live with internal conflict, friction, terror and hatred”.

As we've been reporting throughout the day, Israel says it will allow two fuel trucks to enter the Gaza Strip each day so that UN aid work can carry on in the territory.

A spokesperson for UNWRA - the UN's agency for Palestinians - has now told the BBC that none of the fuel that Israel says it's approved will arrive today.

Data from the Egyptian Red Crescent and UNRWA has indicated that no trucks carrying any sort of aid have entered the Gaza Strip for the past three days due to the lack of fuel.