Image source, Reuters

Humanitarian agencies, Israel's allies and other countries have accused Israel of not doing enough to ensure that food gets to those in need in Gaza.

Some have accused Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war.

All aid for Gaza is subject to strict Israeli checks aimed at preventing supplies from reaching Hamas.

But aid groups have said these are complex and arbitrary, causing major delays. Israel has denied impeding deliveries and accuses aid organisations of failing to distribute it.

Most recently, in Rafah, where more than a million displaced Palestinians have been sheltering, the UN has warned that food and fuel is running out.

On Wednesday, the Israeli military announced it had reopened the Kerem Shalom crossing, a key entry point that had been closed for four days because of Hamas rocket fire.

It released a video showing lorries entering the crossing on Thursday, but the UN said the fighting made it impossible for it to pick up the supplies.

Talks aimed at securing a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages remain in deadlock.

For the last week, negotiators from Israel and Hamas have been present in Cairo as well as mediators from Egypt and Qatar.

There had been celebrations in Rafah on Monday night after Hamas agreed to proposals for a ceasefire and hostage release deal. But Israel quickly dashed those hopes, saying the draft did not meet its demands.

Since then, Israel has said it has reopened one of the main entry points for aid into Gaza - the Kerem Shalom crossing - days after it was closed in response to a rocket attack by Hamas. The Rafah crossing has remained closed.

Image source, AFP

We've been hearing from some of the people in Rafah affected by the military's order for residents to move to areas designated as humanitarian zones by Israel.

Rafah resident Ghada Mannaa has been describing the areas to UN officials:

Ghada continues by saying "there is also no electricity available, nor water, nor a health system".

"The so-called safe areas are the same areas that have been hit and targeted since the start of the war, so we are in a dilemma here of what to do," Ghada adds.

Ghada goes on to say "that's why people are scattered in the streets, because we are not sure what to do. We either go to the safe areas to get hit there or simply stay here and die".

Another person, Diyaa Nahhal, has said:

Image source, Reuters

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed US President Joe Biden's warnings against a full-scale operation in Rafah.

Earlier in the week, Netanyahu responded to Biden's statement by saying Israel would fight on and adding "if we need to... we will stand alone".

Netanyahu also invoked the war of 1948 - where the newly formed State of Israel was attacked by a coalition of Arab states - to dismiss the US warnings.

"In the War of Independence 76 years ago, we were the few against the many," he said. "We did not have weapons. There was an arms embargo on Israel, but with great strength of spirit, heroism and unity among us - we were victorious."

Despite Netanyahu's comments, his government has come under pressure after the US suspended the delivery of 1,800 2,000lb (907kg) bombs and 1,700 500lb bombs over fears that they could cause civilian deaths in Rafah.

You can read the full story here.

Image source, Getty Images

Last week, President Joe Biden said the US will not supply heavy weapons to Israel which could be used in a major assault on the southern Gazan city of Rafah.

In an interview with CNN, Biden said America would continue to give Israel the weapons it needed to defend itself, including interceptors for its “Iron Dome” air defence system.

But he said US-supplied heavy weapons had already killed civilians in Gaza, and warned Israel would not keep Washington's support if it carried out military operations in those population centres.

In the UK, Foreign Secretary David Cameron has said Britain is opposed to the military operation in Rafah, but is unlikely to follow America in delaying arms sales to Israel.

Cameron said circumstances were different as Britain issued licences for a small amount of weapons.

On Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he hopes to overcome his differences with Biden - but vowed to press ahead with its military assault on Rafah.

Earlier in the week, Israel's army said it was directing about 100,000 people out of eastern Rafah in southern Gaza towards an “expanded humanitarian area”.

This zone, which is north of Rafah, stretches from al-Mawasi to the city of Khan Younis and the central town of Deir al-Balah.

The UN has said the evacuation zone covers more than 30 sq km (12 sq miles) and had nine shelters for displaced people, three clinics, and six warehouses.

A few days ago the UN agency Unwra warned the area couldn’t accommodate any more people and said about 80,000 people had already fled Rafah since Monday.

As we've been reporting, residents in Rafah woke up to new warnings this morning, as the Israeli army called on more neighbourhoods in the city to evacuate to the western parts of the Gaza Strip.

Here's a little bit more information from the Israel Defense Forces’ spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, who wrote on X in Arabic, external earlier ordering people to leave for the “expanded humanitarian area” in al-Mawasi “immediately”.

He says Hamas is trying to rebuild its capabilities in the region and says the IDF will work with great force against them.

Adraee says everyone in those areas, and their families, are exposed to danger.

Last week the IDF had already ordered tens of thousands of civilians to begin evacuating eastern parts of Rafah city, ahead of what it called a "limited" operation to eliminate Hamas fighters and dismantle infrastructure.

Eastern Rafah sees intense bombardment this morningpublished at 09:08 British Summer Time 11 May

09:08 BST 11 May

Yolande Knell
Middle East correspondent, in Jerusalem

Image source, AFP

Residents tell us there has been intense Israeli bombardment of eastern Rafah while Israeli tanks have shelled the centre, particularly around the border crossing with Egypt, and gunships have opened fire off the coast.

A journalist working with the BBC told us parts of Rafah that were bustling with life a week ago are now like a ghost town. He said that he received a recorded message from the Israeli army telling him to leave. Some leaflets have also been dropped.

The Israeli military appears to be expanding its operations in Rafah – which it sees as a Hamas stronghold.

Already Israeli tanks have captured the main Salah el-Din Road and encircled the “red zone” in the east, which it previously told residents to move from. The army has said that its operations are “limited”; falling short of the full invasion that the US and other world powers have warned against.

However, they’ve already caused a new crisis in humanitarian operations – with severe shortages of food, clean water and fuel.

The latest Israeli military orders also tell Palestinians to move away from parts of the northern Gaza Strip which Israeli forces had left months ago.

Image source, Getty Images

A delayed US report on the Israeli use of American arms was submitted to Congress on Friday.

According to the report, the US says Israel may have used American-supplied weapons in breach of international humanitarian law in some instances during the war in Gaza.

But the state department report adds that the US did not have complete information in its assessment and that shipments could continue.

The White House-ordered review looked into how the country has used US-supplied arms since the start of last year.

While the report was a clear rebuke of some Israeli operations in Gaza, it stopped short of definitively saying that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) campaign had breached international law.

You can read the full story here.

New orders suggest offensive expandingpublished at 08:43 British Summer Time 11 May

08:43 BST 11 May

Yolande Knell
Middle East correspondent, in Jerusalem

With smoke rising over built-up parts of Rafah following the latest Israeli air strikes, the Israeli military has issued new evacuation orders – suggesting it’s expanding its offensive in Gaza’s southernmost city.

Already Israeli tanks have encircled an area in the east, which it previously told residents to move from.

The army has said its operations in Rafah – which it sees as a Hamas stronghold – are limited; falling short of the full invasion that the US and other world powers have warned against.

However, they’ve already caused a new crisis in humanitarian operations – with severe shortages of food, clean water and fuel.

The latest Israeli military orders also tell Palestinians to move away from parts of the northern Gaza Strip which Israeli forces had left months ago.

Image source, Reuters

Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, has been in the crosshairs of Israeli forces for weeks. Israel has been continuing to bombard the city and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists he will press on with a full-scale assault on Rafah.

The United States, Israel’s staunchest ally, has warned that it would halt the export of artillery shells and other weapons if Israel went ahead with the offensive.

Reuters has reported that Israeli tanks have taken the main road dividing the city, effectively encircling the eastern part of Rafah.

More than a million Palestinians have taken refuge in Rafah after Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, Khan Younis, and other parts of the enclave.

The UN says that more than 80,000 have fled the city since Monday, and UN chief Antonio Guterres says that a ground offensive would lead to an “epic humanitarian disaster”.

Jack Burgess
Live reporter

Image source, REUTERS/Mohammed Salem

Good morning and thanks for joining our live coverage of the latest in the Israel-Gaza war.

An Israeli military spokesperson has called, external for more residents of the southern city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip to evacuate before a planned offensive.

People have been told to head to an "expanded humanitarian area" as the Israel Defense Forces intensify their operations around the city, where more than a million displaced people are sheltering.

The order comes hours after a US government report said Israel may have used American-supplied weapons in breach of international humanitarian law in some instances during the war in Gaza.

The UN and Western powers have warned that an all-out assault could lead to mass civilian casualties and a humanitarian catastrophe.

Stay with us as we will bring you all the latest from Rafah and the wider conflict on our live page, along with analysis from our correspondents on the field.