Gaza latest: Defiant Netanyahu promises to 'finish the job' against Hamas as he denies starving Gazans

Scuffles break out at London march for hostages

Scuffles have broken out at a "national march for the hostages" organised by Stop the Hate UK and a number of Jewish groups in London.

A man was carried away by police officers after an altercation close to the gates of Downing Street.

He was seen throwing water over a demonstrator before charging at him and putting his hand around the demonstrator's neck.

Another scuffle broke out after two men shouted "free Palestine" in front of the march.

One was bundled to the ground close to Trafalgar Square after being surrounded by around a dozen people.

Another man was moved away by police officers after he began shouting.

Earlier, on The Strand, a young man was kept away from the protesters after shouting "free Palestine".

Analysis: Netanyahu knows he's losing propaganda war

Benjamin Netanyahu believes he is losing the propaganda war, says international correspondent Diana Magnay.

The fact that he has held a rare news conference with foreign journalists shows he is "trying to reclaim the narrative".

"He understands that the international outcry, the accusations of genocide, he is losing the propaganda war."

She continues: "He had pictures of starving children saying that it was fake news. 

"He said he was going to sue the New York Times for one picture of a child who was later found to have cerebral palsy.

"Now you can both be starving and have cerebral palsy, but I think he is trying to push the narrative that we foreign media are not getting the right picture out of Gaza.

"That is quite difficult given the flood of images that we are getting out of Gaza all the time, given what the agencies that are now beginning to bring aid in there are saying about the nature of starvation."

Netanyahu has recognised that he is going to have to "significantly up the amount of aid", she says.

What did we learn from Netanyahu's news conference?

The Israeli prime minister held a news conference with foreign journalists in order to "puncture the lies" of Hamas, he said.

Expanded military operation

There are still "thousands" of Hamas fighters in Gaza and given the group's "refusal to lay down its arms, Israel has no choice but to finish the job and complete the defeat of Hamas", he said.

Two strongholds remain - Gaza City and the Central Camps of the Mwas - and the Israeli government has instructed the IDF to attack them, he said.

The plan has not yet been discussed with Donald Trump, Netanyahu said.

He said the IDF would enable civilians to "safely leave".

'The day after'

"Our goal is not to occupy Gaza. Our goal is to free Gaza," said Netanyahu.

He spoke of a demilitarised Gaza with a non-Israeli civilian administration after the war, while Israel maintained "overriding security responsibility". 

That administration will not be the Palestinian Authority, he said, but "there are candidates" in mind.

Denies Israel starving Gazans

Netanyahu was questioned over Israel's 11-week blockade of humanitarian aid and the IPC's report that famine was unfolding in Gaza.

"Israel has let in close to two million tons of aid," he said.

Most aid organisations say the amount of aid being allowed into Gaza is far below what is needed.

"If we had a starvation policy, no one in Gaza would have survived after two years of war," said Netanyahu.

He said Hamas has been looting aid trucks and that uncollected food has been "rotting" at the border, blaming the UN for not distributing it.

The Israeli leader said he was "designating safe corridors for aid distribution" and increasing the number of distribution points managed by the Gazan Humanitarian Foundations.

These aid sites, run by a controversial US and Israeli-backed group, have become scenes of "orchestrated killing", according to the charity Doctors Without Borders.

Attacks media

Netanyahu criticised the international media for covering starvation in Gaza, giving three examples of what he called fake photographs of starving children.

"I'm looking right now into the possibility of a governmental suit against the New York Times because this is outrageous."

He continues: "The only ones that are being deliberately starved in Gaza are our hostages."

UK ambassador warns: Hamas and Israel must step away from 'the path of destruction'

A UK ambassador to the UN warns Israel and Hamas must "step away from the path of destruction."

James Kariuki, deputy UK ambassador to the UN, is speaking in New York.

He repeats British calls for more aid to be let into Gaza.

"All land routes must be opened for essential supplies, including food, baby formula, medicine, shelter, fuel and clean water," Kariuki says.

"A diplomatic solution is possible, but both parties must step away from the path of destruction," he adds.

Kariuki urges both parties to engage in "good-faith negotiations and show political will".

He goes on: "The recent conference on the two-state solution was a powerful demonstration of the international resolve to achieve a brighter future for the region.

"The UK will continue working with our partners on the long-term plan to secure peace in the region as part of a two-state solution.

"This is the only way to guarantee Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace, security and dignity."

UK and four European nations condemn Israeli expansion of military operation

UN envoys from the UK, Denmark, France, Greece and Slovenia have made a joint statement condemning Israel's decision to expand its military operation in Gaza.

"This plan risks violating international humanitarian law. We call on Israel to urgently reverse this decision," a spokesperson says.

"Any attempts at annexation or of settlement expansion violate international law.

"Expanding military operations will only endanger the lives of all civilians in Gaza, including the remaining hostages."

It will do nothing to return the hostages and will exacerbate the "catastrophic" humanitarian situation in Gaza, he says.

"The IPC has warned that famine is unfolding in Gaza. Children are dying from starvation."

He calls it a "manmade crisis".

He tells Israel to lift restrictions on aid delivery and allow the UN and established humanitarian partners to operate.

Netanyahu questioned over 'spectre of famine' and aid site killings

International correspondent Diana Magnay is putting two questions to Benjamin Netanyahu.

"Given what the IPC [Integrated Food Security Phase Classification] says is the unfolding spectre of famine in the Gaza Strip, would you accept that your 11-week, complete blockade on Gaza played a role in that?

"And given the killings that we have seen at the GHF [Gaza Humanitarian Foundation] aid sites, how will you guarantee that that kind of disaster will not happen when you have a million more displaced?"

Benjamin Netanyahu says the problem was that Hamas was looting aid.

He says Israel's attempt to stop aid trucks and bring them through GHF distribution points "wasn't successful" due to Hamas.

"I don't know of a country that texts millions of messages to civilians to get out of harms way," he says.

He says there are hundreds of trucks entering Gaza to relieve "deprivation". 

Netanyahu claims the price of food is plummeting due to Israel's "humanitarian surge".

'Several candidates' for civilian administration, Netanyahu says

Netanyahu is next asked about specifics of the "non-Israeli civilian administration" he spoke about earlier - see our 14.42 post for more.

He claims there are "several candidates" to help with it.

However, the Israeli prime minister refuses to name any of them.

"There are candidates I don't want to, I don't want to spoil the chances of succeeding here because I think [they're] real - but they're real providing we finish the job," he says.

He spoke about the Lebanese government and "some of the Arab countries".

"I think this is the starting point," he says.

"There are several candidates... and it's a transitional period, it's a transitional authority. It's going to be there because we don't want to, contrary to what I said, we want a security belt, but right next to our border. But we don't want to stay in Gaza," Netanyahu says during the news conference.

But he repeats his oft-heard message that peace can only be achieved if "we finish Hamas".

Netanyahu asked if Israel will rescue hostages alive

Benjamin Netanyahu is answering questions at a news conference.

Asked if Israel is proceeding with the belief that it can rescue the remaining living hostages, he says his goal is to do so.

"If we don't do anything, we're not going to get them out," says Netanyahu.

"We are talking about how to get the remaining hostages [out] alive as we close in on Hamas.

"I think there are various ways, creative ways, on how this can be done."

Netanyahu claims he directed military to let 'more foreign journalists into Gaza'

Netanyahu is asked about the possibility of letting foreign press into Gaza.

He says "more foreign journalists" are going to be let in.

"We have decided and I've ordered and directed the military to bring in foreign journalists, more foreign journalists, a lot. There's a problem of assuring security, but I think it can be done," Netanyahu says.

But he seems to suggest the military would accompany journalists.

He claims the decision was made a number of days ago, but seemed not to know if it had been implemented.

"You're telling me it hasn't yet been implemented? But it should be. Should be," he tells the reporter who asked the question.

Israel has banned foreign journalists from going into Gaza for the length of its war against Hamas.

Netanyahu denies starving Gazans

Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel has allowed in two million tonnes of aid.

Most aid organisations say the amount of aid being allowed into Gaza is far below what is needed.

"If we had a starvation policy, no one in Gaza would have survived after two years of war."

Netanyahu says there is a "global campaign of lies" against Israel.

He claims Hamas has been looting the aid trucks and that uncollected food has been "rotting" at the border, blaming the UN for not distributing it.

He criticises the international media for covering starvation in Gaza, giving three examples of what he calls fake photographs of starving children.

"I'm looking right now into the possibility of a governmental suit against the New York Times because this is outrageous."

Netanyahu hits back at 'Hamas lies', says Israel has 'no choice but to finish the job'

Netanyahu claims Hamas is refusing to "lay down its arms" so Israel has "no choice but to finish the job".

"Given Hamas's refusal to lay down its arms, Israel has no choice but to finish the job and complete the defeat of Hamas," he says.

The Israeli prime minister claims there are "two remaining strongholds" in Gaza, that he intends to "dismantle".

Netanyahu used the map below to illustrate where he says they are - the central camps, and Gaza City.

"We have about 70 to 75% of Gaza under Israeli control, military control," Netanyahu says.

He adds: "Last Thursday, Israel's cabinet, Israel's security cabinet, instructed the IDF to dismantle the two remaining Hamas strongholds in Gaza City and the central camps."

He claims this is "the best way to end the war." 

Seemingly, this is where the next fighting will be and where Israel will concentrate its attacks.

Netanyahu outlines 'plan for day after'

Speaking at a news conference, Benjamin Netanyahu claims Gazans are "begging" Israel to free them from Hamas.

"Our goal is not to occupy Gaza, our goal is to free Gaza," he says.

"The war can end tomorrow if Hamas lays down its arms and releases all the remaining hostages."

He says Gaza will be demilitarised and Israel will maintain "security responsibility," and a "non-Israeli civilian administration" will be established in Gaza.

"That's our plan for the day after."

That civilian administration won't be the Palestinian Authority, he says.

-SKY NEWS