Mood of defiance to foreign pressure in Israelpublished at 09:24 British Summer Time 10 April

09:24 BST 10 April

Jeremy Bowen
International Editor

There seems to be a mood of defiance in the Israeli government and Israel in general about the foreign pressure they are facing, and a feeling that, "they are all against us but we’ve got to do what we’ve got to do".

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said, not about Biden, but about this pressure in general, that it is not necessarily to do with what Israel is doing in Gaza, but that it smacks of antisemitism.

It's also important to remember that, despite this American pressure on Netanyahu to negotiate a ceasefire, the US is continuing to supply Israel with arms.

And in addition to being under pressure from President Biden, Prime Minister Netanyahu is also under pressure from his own right-wing government coalition partners, who want no concessions and don’t really want to put more aid into Gaza.

What they really want is for him to continue with the operation and go into Rafah.

The UK will not suspend arms sales to Israel, Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron says.

It follows mounting pressure on the government over its weapons trade with Israel, after an air strike which killed aid workers and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Ministers have been asked whether legal advice deems Israel to have breached international humanitarian law. If it were considered to have done so, it could ultimately bar arms sales from the UK.

During a US State Department news conference Lord Cameron said the latest assessment of Israeli conduct “leaves our position on export licences unchanged”.

He added the UK had “grave concerns” about humanitarian access but said “no like-minded countries” had suspended arms exports to Israel – which remained a “vital” defensive partner to the UK.

Labour suggested the government's position was "simply not good enough".

On radio station LBC this morning Prime Minister Rishi Sunak repeated the position but described the situation in Gaza as “increasingly intolerable”.

Rushdi Abualouf
Gaza correspondent

Image source, Reuters

"We are not fine" has now become the official Eid al-Fitr greeting among Gaza residents and on social media platforms.

In previous years, the markets were bustling with shoppers on the eve of the most significant occasion for Muslims, which marks the end of Ramadan.

During this time last year, the streets echoed with the sounds of Eid takbirs, and vendors showcased creative displays of Eid products, such as sweets filled with dates and various types of chocolates. However, this year, there are no sweets nor joy, only pain, sadness, oppression and mourning, as expressed by many people.

Forty-seven-year-old taxi driver Muhammad al-Barbari, who is a father of six from Gaza City, was displaced with his family to Rafah six months ago. He told me: "We used to stay up all night, purchase sweets and new clothes for the children, and pray Eid in the Grand Mosque.

"Unfortunately this year, we live in a tent without the basic necessities of life."

While conditions in Gaza were already hard and challenging before 7 October, Eid has traditionally been a respite from the hardships of life, a time of joy and happiness. Not anymore.

Hugo Bachega
Middle East correspondent, in Jerusalem

US President Joe Biden has called on Israel to agree to a six-to-eight-week ceasefire in its war against Hamas, in another sign of increasing American frustration with the situation in Gaza.

The statement, in an interview to a US Spanish language TV network, marks a departure from his previous position that it was the responsibility of Hamas to agree to a truce and a deal involving hostages. Hamas, meanwhile, is still studying the latest proposal for a ceasefire that could see the release of dozens of captives.

In a significant shift in tone, President Biden said Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was making a mistake with the way he was conducting the war. “I don’t agree with his approach,” he said.

And in a sign of intensifying pressure on Israel, he urged the country to just agree to a ceasefire deal with Hamas.

The interview was recorded before the latest round of talks in Cairo, which have included the head of the CIA.

A ceasefire proposal includes the release of 40 hostages being held in Gaza in return for 900 Palestinians from Israeli jails. Hamas said it was analysing the offer.

Biden also called for unlimited food and medicine to enter Gaza, saying there was no excuse for aid not to be given to people there.

Alys Davies
Live reporter

Image source, EFE/REX/Shutterstock

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage.

Many Gazans are marking the Islamic festival of Eid al-Fitr in circumstances far different from last year, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Some are returning to their homes in the southern city of Khan Younis after most Israeli troops pulled out of the area, although for many they are coming back to scenes of destruction. That withdrawal comes ahead of an expected assault on the southern city of Rafah.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has set a date for a military offensive there, despite growing warnings that it could lead to high civilian casualties.

The US is among Israel’s allies opposed to a Rafah offensive and President Joe Biden has warned he believes Netanyahu is making a “mistake” in his handling of the Gaza war.

He says Gaza should have "total access to all food and medicine" for the next six to eight weeks.

We’ll be covering these stories and more from our newsroom in London, with a team of correspondents deployed across the region to bring you live analysis throughout the day.