Israel says 199 hostages have been taken to Gaza, a large increase on previous estimates. The United Nations has warned hospitals in Gaza only have enough fuel for 24 more hours of operation. US President Joe Biden has warned against Israel occupying Gaza ahead of the looming invasion. Work is continuing on getting Australians trapped in Gaza to safety. Water has run out at UN shelters across Gaza and there are fears the last of the fuel stocks powering hospital generators could be used up by today. The death toll has surpassed that of the third war between Israel and Hamas, in the summer of 2014.
- Water runs out at UN shelters in Gaza, fears grow as Israeli ground offensive looms
- Thousands attend peaceful pro-Palestinian rallies across Australia
- More Australian repatriation flights scheduled to leave Israel
- US sending second carrier strike group, fighter jets to Middle East
We are bringing our live coverage to an end for tonight. You can find the latest here on Gaza's crowded hospitals nearing breaking point as the threat of an Israeli ground invasion looms.
We'll be back tomorrow with more live coverage of the conflict.
The Israeli military says Hamas and other Palestinian militants are holding 199 hostages in Gaza – higher than previous estimates.
Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, a military spokesman, said the families have been notified.
He did not specify whether that number includes foreigners, or say who is holding them.
Most are believed to be held by the Hamas militant group, which rules Gaza.
There's been some confusion in recent hours about what exactly is happening with the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza.
Some US media reported the corridor would be opened around two hours ago – which hasn't happened yet – while there were also reports of Israel agreeing to a ceasefire with the USA and Egypt in southern Gaza to allow the crossing to reopen.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, though, denied that was the case.
"There is no ceasefire," was the simple message posted by his office on social media about half an hour ago.
Israeli Energy Minister Israel Katz went far further, saying no humanitarian assistance should be allowed into the densely populated Gaza Strip, which is home to around 2.3 million people.
That's despite calls from the UN and aid agencies to allow supplies in to help stave off the growing energy, food, health and water crisis.
"I strongly oppose the opening of the blockade and the introduction of goods into Gaza on humanitarian grounds," Katz wrote.
"Our commitment is to the families of the murdered and the kidnapped hostages - not to the Hamas murderers and those who aided them."
The World Health Organisation said lifesaving assistance, including health supplies to serve 300,000 patients, is awaiting entry through the Rafah crossing into Gaza.
The crossing was closed because of airstrikes earlier in the war, and the US has been trying to broker a deal to reopen the crossing to allow foreigners to leave and allow in humanitarian aid amassed on the Egyptian side.
The WHO, in comments to Associated Press, reiterated calls for the immediate and safe delivery of medical supplies, fuel, clean water and food, and other humanitarian aid into Gaza through the Rafah crossing.
It expressed concern about limited water and sanitation in the territory, particularly at hospitals where patients' lives can be lost due to infection and disease outbreaks.
The WHO said four hospitals in northern Gaza are no longer functioning as a result of damage and 21 hospitals are under an Israeli evacuation order.
Israel has just announced the evacuation of residents who live within two kilometres of its northern border with Lebanon.
"The National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) of the Ministry of Defence and the IDF are announcing the implementation of a plan to evacuate residents of northern Israel who live in the area up to two kilometres from the Lebanese border to state-funded guesthouses," the IDF and Defence Ministry said in a joint statement.
"The implementation of the plan was approved by Minister of Defence Yoav Gallant.
"A short while ago, the Northern Command updated the heads of the local authorities on the decision.
"The plan will be implemented by the heads of the local municipalities, the Ministry of Interior and the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) of the Ministry of Defence."
It is not known when exactly the evacuation will be completed.
The order comes after the IDF and Hezbollah have exchanged fire on the Lebanon border over the past week.
There are concerns that Hezbollah – which, like Hamas, is an Iran-backed militant group and long-time adversary of Israel – could seek to capitalise on the conflict in Gaza.
NSW Police have released footage of a man appearing to throw a flare during last week's pro-Palestinian protest at the Sydney Opera House.
Police say they want to speak to the man after establishing a strike force to investigate unlawful protest behaviour at the rally in Sydney last Monday.
"The man is described as being of medium to heavy build, with short dark hair and beard, and, at the time, he was wearing spectacles," police said in a statement.
"The man is depicted in the vision wearing a black hooded jacket, grey pants, black shoes, and a black and white scarf."
The pro-Palestine rally was marred by abhorrent antisemitic chants and the burning of an Israeli flag by a small group near the Opera House.
The rally's organisers roundly condemned that behaviour, which they said was carried out by a tiny minority of attendees.
While much of the focus is on Gaza, the Israeli military has also been active in the West Bank – the other Palestinian territory – since Hamas' assault two Saturdays ago.
According to OCHA, the Palestinian death toll there has risen to 56, more than a quarter of whom were children.
"In the West Bank, since Saturday afternoon, Israeli forces killed one Palestinian boy and another boy died from wounds sustained previously, bringing the fatality toll by Israeli forces since 7 October to 56 Palestinians, including 15 children," it said.
We mentioned concerns about Gazan hospitals running out of fuel – and with it the ability to continue operating – a little while ago, but an update from the UN's humanitarian office has outlined just how desperate the situation is.
In the update, posted several hours ago, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said hospitals would run out of power in just 24 hours.
"Fuel reserves at all hospitals across Gaza are expected to last for about an additional 24 hours," it wrote.
"The shutdown of backup generators would place the lives of thousands of patients at risk."
It also said water insecurity fears remain high despite Israel partially resuming supplies to one area, as Gaza's last desalination plant is now offline.
"Israel partially resumed water supply to the eastern Khan Younis area," OCHA said.
"Concerns about dehydration and waterhe UNborne diseases remain high given the collapse of water and sanitation services, including today's shutdown of Gaza's last functioning seawater desalination plant."
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