US pushes for pause in fighting as Israel says it has cut Gaza in two

Gaza continues to be bombed- courtesy photo

Sumary

The US secretary of state has arrived in Turkey as he continues his diplomatic tour of the region – and a push for a pause in the fighting
Speaking earlier in Baghdad, Antony Blinken said regional leaders would “welcome” a humanitarian pause in Gaza
Israel says it needs progress on the release of hostages before agreeing to any pause in its offensive
Meanwhile, the Israeli military says troops have reached the coastline in the south of Gaza City
“Today there is Gaza North and Gaza South,” a spokesman says. “They reached the coastline, they hold that line”
The BBC’s reporter in the Gaza Strip thinks the air strikes on Sunday night are the most intense since the war began
Israel began bombing Gaza after Hamas killed more than 1,400 people in Israel and kidnapped more than 200 others
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says more than 9,700 people have been killed in the Strip since 7 October

Israel says Gaza City encircled as US continues diplomatic dash

Nathan Williams

Live reporter

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken boards a military transport aircraft en route to Iraq — US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has visited several countries in the region in the last three daysImage caption: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has visited several countries in the region in the last three days

It’s gone midnight in London, 02:00 in the morning in Gaza and Israel, and 03:00 in Turkey – where America’s top diplomat has arrived for talks.

This follows Antony Blinken’s visit to the West Bank and Iraq on Sunday during a diplomatic dash of the region. He’s been discussing efforts to prevent the Gaza conflict from spreading and continues to push for a pause in the fighting.

The BBC’s Anthony Zurcher points out he is trying to find a middle ground where none currently exists. The Israeli PM has rejected the idea of a humanitarian pause for now, while Israel’s Arab neighbour’s have been calling for an immediate ceasefire.

Turkey’s relations with Israel have become increasingly frayed as the death toll in the conflict mounts.

Meanwhile, Israel says its forces have cut Gaza in two after its ground offensive against Hamas reached the Mediterranean coast in the Palestinian territory. A military spokesman said Gaza City was now completely encircled.

There have been airstrikes and huge explosions in the north of the enclave – the most intense since the war began, the BBC’s reporter in the Gaza Strips tells us. Phone and internet services have again been cut.

The UN – which is housing many of the 1.5 million displaced Gazans – says 48 of its sites across the Gaza Strip have been damaged since the war broke out.

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