Melanie Ward is the chief executive of the charity Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP). She says the organisation has recently been forced to withdraw their staff and cease activities at al-Aqsa Hospital in central Gaza.

Speaking to the BBC from Cairo, she expressed her frustration at the ongoing military activity which she says is preventing her charity from providing essentials to those in need.

"We are unable to do so because of military activity," she says.

"It is deeply upsetting to be in this situation. "We know there are so many people in central Gaza and the north [of the enclave] who are desperately in need of medical supplies, but we cannot reach them."

Hugo Bachega
Middle East correspondent, in Beirut

Image source, Reuters

In the southern Lebanese village of Khirbet Selem today, crowds gathered for the funeral of Wissam Tawil, a senior Hezbollah commander, one day after he was killed in a suspected Israeli strike.

The coffin, wrapped in Hezbollah’s yellow flag, was carried in a procession through the streets, with mourners chanting prayers.

His killing was a significant development in the current crisis between Hezbollah, the powerful Iranian-backed Lebanese group, and Israel.

Tawil, a member of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan force, was the most senior Hezbollah figure to be killed in the current violence, raising fears of a major confrontation.

Cross-border attacks have continued, with Hezbollah attacking positions in Israel, and reports suggesting another senior commander of the group was killed in southern Lebanon in a strike believed to have been carried out by Israel.

Up until now, Hezbollah has calibrated its attacks, and the violence has been largely contained to border areas.

The group is seen by Israel as a much more formidable foe than Hamas: it has thousands of well-trained fighters, and about 130,000 rockets, including guided missiles capable of striking deep inside Israel.

Israeli authorities say it is imperative to restore security in the north of the country - even if that means the use of military force.

Some, including Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, have warned the group any escalation could lead to a devastating response, saying the military can do to Beirut what it has done to Gaza.

One of Antony Blinken's top diplomatic priorities appears to be to stop the war from spreading - but his visit comes against the backdrop of uptick in military activity on Israel's northern border with Lebanon.

As we reported earlier, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) carried out strikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon and said the group had hit one of its bases with a drone but did not cause casualties.

Army spokesperson Lt Col Peter Lerner tells BBC Radio 4's World at One programme Israel is "not seeking an escalation" in the war.

But, he warned the Israeli military has seen an "escalating situation" across its border with Lebanon in the last three months with the militant group Hezbollah.

"They have launched anti-tank missiles, have killed Israelis, launched attack drones, conducted sniper fire and attempted infiltration like we had on 7 October," he says.

Lt Col Lerner insists Israel's posture has been "primarily defensive" adding it has a clear statement to anyone "if you are planning to attack us and we know about it and we can intercept, we will".

"Hezbollah needs to be very cautious," Lt Col Lerner adds. "It is treading on very thin ice these days.

Image source, EPA

We can bring you some fresh comments from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's meeting with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.

The White House says the pair spoke at the Israeli War Cabinet in Tel Aviv and Blinken "reaffirmed" US support for Israel's "right to prevent the terrorist attacks" - but also stressed the importance of "avoiding further civilian harm and protecting civilian infrastructure" in Gaza.

Netanyahu and Blinken discussed efforts to secure the release of all remaining hostages and getting humanitarian aid into Gaza, spokesperson Matthew Miller says.

"The secretary reiterated the need to ensure lasting, sustainable peace for the Israel and the region, including by the realisation of a Palestinian state," Miller adds.

Image source, EPA

It's just gone 16:00 in Israel and Gaza. For those of you just catching up on what's been happening, here's a summary of the main updates:

• Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, is in Israel for talks with senior Israeli government figures as part of a wider diplomatic tour of the region. We're expecting to hear more from him later
• The World Health Organization has warned the security situation around three hospitals in Gaza is worsening rapidly
• The BBC has spoken to Palestinians in southern Gaza who say food merchants are ramping up prices, leaving ordinary people unable to pay
• The Hamas-run health ministry says 126 people have been killed in Gaza in the last 24 hours. The IDF has confirmed the deaths of nine of its soldiers
• The situation at Israel's northern border with Lebanon remains volatile, with locations on either side targeted by the IDF and Hezbollah

Image source, Reuters

The World Health Organization's Sean Casey, who is coordinating medical teams on the ground in Gaza, said he is deeply concerned about fighting around three hospitals - al-Aqsa Hospital, European Gaza Hospital and Nasser Hospital - which provide the "last line" of health care in the region.

Speaking to Reuters, he warned "we’re seeing the health system collapse at a very rapid pace".

Casey continued: "What we continue to see is the health system suffering, health workers unable to go to their workplace to care for patients because they fear for their lives, they fear for their safety.

"Patients who fear, and their families who fear, going to the hospital because they may die on the way.

"And actually, I heard that this morning, because of hostilities around a hospital in Khan Yunis governorate [in the south of Gaza], that patients and their families are risking their lives to just seek care."

Relatives of some of the hostages taken by Hamas have been protesting against humanitarian aid for Gaza at a crossing point in southern Israel.

Shay Vankert, father of hostage Omer Vankert, said he was concerned for the health of his captive son.

"We are going to stop the trucks because it's supposed to be humanitarian for humanitarian, it can't be only one side," he said.

Israel says 123 people remain unaccounted for after they were abducted and taken to Gaza during the 7 October attacks by Hamas. Of these, Israel says that 23 are believed to be dead.

Read more here

Image source, Reuters

People in Gaza are falling victim to price-gouging by food merchants amid shortages, ordinary Palestinians have told the BBC.

Jihad Abu Sharkh said he had to leave his home in northern Gaza for Rafah in the south, where many displaced Palestinians are sheltering - but food there is becoming a luxury item.

"We are under the mercy of the merchants who buy an item for 10 shekels then sell it for two hundred or two hundred and fifty shekels," he said.

"For example, they buy a bag of flour from the warehouse of supplies for 60 shekels and then sell it to us for 300 shekels."

He called on the "whole world to stand against the food dealers of war and put an end to their monopoly".

Jamal Abu Alyan, also in southern Gaza, said: "Wherever we go, we suffer from the monopoly of dealers..."

Another man in Rafah told the BBC: "A lot of people sleep without eating or drinking, while others have become beggars due to the lack of food and drink, and food dealers’ manipulation."

The United Nations has previously warned Gaza is experiencing acute food shortages and faces famine.

The Hamas-run health ministry says 126 people have been killed in Gaza the last 24 hours, the AFP news agency reports.

The ministry says it brings the total death toll, since the fighting began three months ago, to at least 23,210.

A total of 59,167 have been injured, the ministry adds.

Image source, Reuters

If you're just joining our live coverage of the Israel-Gaza conflict, here's what has happened so far today:

• US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is visiting Israel as part of a diplomatic tour of the Middle East
• He has met Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog, with more high-level meetings to take place this afternoon
• The talks come after deadly violence in Gaza overnight and more clashes along the border with Lebanon
• Israel says it "eliminated 40 terrorists" in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, last night. The Hamas-controlled health ministry said 57 deaths were recorded at a hospital in central Gaza
• The IDF has carried out strikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, and said the group had hit one of its bases with a drone but did not cause casualties
• The Israeli military has confirmed nine more of its soldiers have died in the fighting

Image source, Reuters

Earlier, we brought you comments from the Saudi ambassador to the UK, discussing how Gaza might be goverened after the war ended.

Prince Khalid bin Bandar Al Saud also told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the West should "treat Israel the same way it treats everyone else".

"If anyone else had done what the Israelis are doing today you would have seen them cut off from the international community, you would have seen people talking about sanctions, you would have seen all sorts of things," he said.

"I just don't see that fair behaviour. And the blind spot towards Israel is a real problem because it provides a blind spot to the peace.

"And you know like a lot of things that are linked, we will find no justice for the Palestinians if we don't find justice with the Israelis.

"And I think it's difficult for anyone with any sense to look at what's happening and say it's justified."

As we reported earlier, Antony Blinken's day in Israel began by meeting Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

In short comments before the meeting, Herzog discussed "the atrocious and preposterous" genocide case, brought by South Africa, that will come before the International Court of Justice this week.

The Israel Defense Forces has confirmed the deaths of nine more of its members.

The soldiers, aged between 19 and 35, were killed during battles in southern and central Gaza.

It brings the number of Israeli troops killed since the ground offensive in Gaza began to 185, according to the Times of Israel, external.

The IDF has confirmed a military base in northern Israel was struck by a drone launched from Lebanon today. Hezbollah earlier said it targeted an Israeli command post in Safed.

The Israeli military said no one was killed in the strike. It also said rockets had been fired from Lebanon towards two border communities.

The IDF confirmed its fighter jets targeted what it called "terrorist infrastructure" in the village of Kila in southern Lebanon this morning, and launched drones against an unspecified target.

It comes after an apparent Israeli drone strike killed a top Hezbollah commander on Monday.

There have been regular clashes along Israel's northern border with Lebanon between the IDF and the Iran-backed militia, which is allied with Hamas, since 7 October.

Image source, Getty Images

Earlier, we reported the Israeli military saying it has moved "deep" into the southern city of Khan Younis while "eliminating 40 terrorists".

Now, Palestinian media reports a 16-storey residential tower block has been destroyed in the centre of the city.

The Safa agency says Israeli warplanes targeted the Al-Farra Tower - the highest residential tower in the city centre.

Images on social media on Tuesday appear to show thick, black smoke billowing into the air. The BBC cannot yet verify the report from Safa.

As we reported earlier, Antony Blinken says that as well as meeting Israeli political leaders, he hopes to speak with families of people taken hostage by Hamas later today.

Outside the Tel Aviv hotel where the US Secretary of State has been having talks with Israel's president, several dozen protestors held up banners calling for a ceasefire to secure the release of the 132 people still being held in Gaza.

And in another sign of the strength of feeling in Israel about the plight of the hostages, photos from the south of the country show people demonstrating against humanitarian aid for Gaza at a crossing point for trucks entering the territory.

Image source, EPA

Image source, EPA

The top US diplomat, Antony Blinken, is now meeting Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Netanyahu's team said an "expanded meeting with members of the war cabinet will be held afterward".

Image source, Israel PM's office

Image source, Getty Images

Prince Khalid bin Bandar Al Saud, the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the UK, has been speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

He says there is "no perfect immediate solution" to how Gaza will be governed when Israel's operation there ends.

Asked what role Saudi Arabia - which was close to normalising diplomatic relations with Israel before 7 October - could play in the Palestinian territories in the future, he says is is not possible to plan without a ceasefire.

But he adds the Palestinian Authority - which governs parts of the West Bank - would likely need international support if it moved into Gaza.

"How that is made up, where it comes from, that has to be in discussion with the Palestinians, the international community, and without question you can't do it without the Israelis accepting it," he says.

Asked if he thought Hamas could be involved in governing a future Palestinian state, he indicates they could in certain circumstances, adding: "If there's no compromise, there's no solution."

Image source, Reuters

And from the US side, here's Antony Blinken's report of his meeting with Isaac Herzog.

The US secretary of state's spokesman says Blinken reiterated American support for Israel’s right to ensure Hamas's attacks against Israel on 7 October "cannot be repeated, and emphasised the need to take all feasible precautions to minimise harm to civilians".

The pair also discussed ongoing efforts to secure the release of all remaining hostages, spokesman Matthew Miller says. Israel estimates 123 people remain unaccounted for.

Blinken repeated US calls for the continued "and sustained delivery of humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza," Miller adds.