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British surgeon shot dead after taking wrong turn in South Africa, inquest told

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A British surgeon who was killed during violent protests in South Africa was shot in the head, an inquest has heard.

Kar Hao Teoh, 40, who worked at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, Essex , was a tourist in Cape Town when he was shot.

An inquest, which was opened and adjourned in Chelmsford on Thursday, heard he died on August 4 of a gunshot to the head.

Michelle Brown, area coroner for Essex, said: “On August 4, this 40-year-old was on holiday in South Africa with his family when an unknown person approached the car and discharged a firearm, hitting him in the head.”

A post-mortem examination carried out in South Africa recorded that Mr Teoh, of Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire, died of a gunshot to the head, Ms Brown said.

It is believed he had taken a wrong turn from a nearby airport when a group approached the vehicle he was in and shot him.

Unrest on the outskirts of South Africa’s second-largest city began after minibus taxi drivers announced a week-long strike.

Ms Brown said Mr Teoh’s body has been repatriated to Essex.

“The case will be adjourned off and will be heard at some point, depending on the time limits for the evidence to arrive from South Africa,” she said, adding that the date for a full inquest hearing is to be confirmed.

Mr Teoh worked as a consultant trauma and orthopaedic surgeon at the Princess Alexandra Hospital.

In a statement, the hospital said he was a “well-respected member of the team, valued colleague and friend to many across the hospital as well as in regional, national and international trauma and orthopaedic networks”.

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In 2021, Mr Teoh won an international prize for his pioneering research into the treatment of ankle fractures.

South African police have opened a murder case into the shooting, which happened in the Nyanga township near Cape Town International Airport.

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British doctor shot and killed in Cape Town amid violent taxi strike protests

The man, 40, took wrong turning from airport into Nyanga township, where protests were taking place

A British doctor was shot and killed in Cape Town after taking a wrong turn from the airport and encountering violent protests linked to a week-long taxi driver strike.

The 40-year-old British national was with two family members when he drove into the city’s Nyanga township, located near Cape Town international airport.

In Ntlangano Crescent, a “number of suspects” approached his vehicle before fatally shooting him, said Lirandzu Themba, a spokesperson for the police minister. There have been no arrests.

Five people have been killed in the violence accompanying the taxi strike, which began on 1 August, police said. Individuals have set fire to buses and cars, blocked roadways, destroyed property and thrown rocks. Since Thursday, officers have arrested 120 people for various offences including malicious damage to property, public violence and looting.

SANTACO President Mr. Abner Tsebe weighs in on the Cape Town taxi related impasse and echoes calls for peace. pic.twitter.com/UTCT41sHT2 — SANTACO (@SA_Taxis) August 9, 2023

The South African national taxi council called for the one-week strike after failing to reach a resolution with the local government over issues with a new municipal law that its members say is disproportionately affecting their livelihoods. The law grants local authorities the power to impound vehicles for what drivers have described as minor infractions – driving without a licence or registration plates, or not wearing a seatbelt.

The union has condemned the violence , and said its members were not behind it. “We are especially aggrieved by the perception of the public that we are lawless,” the union said in a statement . “The perception is being fuelled by protesters and not members of our organisation.”

Responding to the violence, authorities cleared a road on Monday to allow for the free flow of traffic to the airport – and impounded 53 minibus taxis in the process.

The Foreign Office said it was supporting the family of a British man who died in South Africa, and advised Britons to be on alert while travelling in the country.

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Brit tourist, 40, shot dead in South Africa was killed in front of wife & son, 2, after taking wrong turn

• Nick Parker
• Imogen Braddick
• Published : 3:59 ET, Aug 10 2023
• Updated : 7:40 ET, Aug 10 2023
• Published : Invalid Date,

A BRITISH dad who was killed by a single gunshot to the head in Cape Town was a top Harley Street surgeon on a family trip.

Dr Kar Hao Teoh, 40, was  gunned down in Nyanga  in front of his wife Sara and two-year-old son Hugo after he took a wrong turn from the airport and accidentally drove into a riot.

Street clashes sparked by a week-long taxi drivers strike had erupted in the area and the Brit, who was born in Singapore, is understood to have been killed when he stopped his silver Toyota Rav 4.

Three passengers in the car - including Hugo - were taken to hospital for treatment for severe trauma.

A Cape Town police spokesman said: "The deceased was seated in the driver seat with a gunshot wound to the head.

"Two passengers in shock and an infant were transported to a local hospital for medical treatment."

Dr Teoh, from Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, worked as a trauma and orthopaedic consultant and had been awarded several international fellowships.

He was based at the NHS Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow.

Harley Street colleague Professor Paul Lee described the doctor as a "guiding light" in an emotional tribute.

He said: "It is with profound sorrow that we announce the passing of our esteemed colleague and dear friend, Mr Kar Teoh, a respected trauma and orthopaedic consultant who left us too soon.

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"He was a guiding light in our professional community, a devoted friend, and a cornerstone of many significant projects.

"For those of us privileged to call him a friend and colleague, Kar was a trustworthy and steadfast presence.

"The loss of Mr Kar Teoh leaves a void in our hearts and community.

"His professional dedication was unparalleled, but it was his personal warmth, his commitment to friendship, and his unwavering support that we will remember most fondly."

Prof Lee said a JustGiving page had been set up in Dr Teoh’s memory to help support his family - which had, within hours, raised £25,000.

Friends were invited to send pictures and memories of the much-loved surgeon.

Two years ago, Dr Teoh won the Presidential Prize at the European Foot and Ankle Society conference in Lyon for his research.

Former neighbours of the surgeon expressed their horror on hearing of his tragic death.

Julia Coombs, 41, said: "It's very, very sad - he was not old at all. He had a young child. It's shocking - poor family."

The mum-of-one added: "He was very friendly and down to earth - very polite and helpful."

Residents in the quiet road in Bishop's Stortford said the Teoh family moved out in June.

Dr Teoh was said to have moved in four years ago before being joined by his wife Sara, who works as a dentist.

The neighbour, who asked not to be named, added: "I only heard the news this morning, I was quite shocked - this happened right in front of his family." 

She said an older couple, believed to be either Dr Teoh's or his wife's parents, also lived at the mid-terrace townhouse, and would take the medical couple's young child to nursery. 

Lirandzu Themba, the spokeswoman for South Africa's police minister, said the doctor took a wrong turn towards Nyanga.

"In Ntlangano Crescent a number of suspects approached his vehicle, shot and killed him. No arrests yet," she said.

A Foreign Office spokesman confirmed it was supporting Mr Teoh's family and speaking to local authorities.

Protests erupted after a law was introduced giving the authorities the power to impound taxi driver's vehicles for driving without a licence, or registration plates.

Cops started impounding vehicles last week - sparking violence as protesters torched buses and cars and pelted the police with stones.

The office of the City of Cape Town said the riots had hit commuters leaving people stranded due to attacks on public transport.

Cape Town city mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said: "In Cape Town, violence will never be tolerated as a negotiating tactic."

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British doctor murdered during violent cape town taxi protests after ‘taking wrong turn’, 40-year-old among five people shot dead after violence erupts during taxi drivers' strike in south african city.

A British doctor is among five people shot dead in violent protests in South Africa .

The 40-year-old, who was visiting as a tourist with his family, was killed in the Ntlangano Crescent area of Cape Town last Thursday, officials have said.

It is believed he had taken a wrong turn from a nearby airport while driving with two other people when a group approached the vehicle and shot him.

“In Ntlangano Crescent [in Nyanga] a number of suspects approached his vehicle, and shot and killed him,” Lirandzu Themba, a spokeswoman for the police minister, said.

Unrest on the outskirts of South Africa’s second-largest city began after minibus taxi drivers announced a week-long strike on 1 August.

The taxis drivers’ national union has condemned the violence and said its members are not instigating violence.

The drivers are in dispute with the local government over issues with a new municipal law that its members say is disproportionately affecting their livelihoods. The law grants local authorities the power to impound vehicles for what drivers claim are minor breaches such as driving without a licence or not wearing a seatbelt.

Five separate murders have been recorded during the protests, which have included stone-throwing, road blockades, looting, arson and public violence, the South African police service said.

The Foreign Office advised Britons to be on alert while travelling in the country. It said it was “supporting the family of a British man who has died in South Africa” after issuing a travel alert last week about the unrest.

South African ministers accused of 'living like rock stars' while country is in crisis

The protests are continuing, drawing the area into a state of lockdown. Schools have closed, deliveries to schools and factories have been interrupted, and workers have feared going into work since the violence errupted.

Geordin Hill-Lewis, Cape Town’s Mayor, said he would stand firm. “In Cape Town, violence will never be tolerated as a negotiating tactic. We reiterate our call on Santaco [the taxi union] to return peacefully to the negotiation table,” he said.

Violent crime is a persistent problem in Nyanga. Although police say it has declined in recent years, there were an average of 74 per murders per day in 2022.

Last Saturday, a Law Enforcement Advancement Plan officer was killed while out on patrol. Police said that “the deceased was a passenger in the back of a vehicle when a unknown gunman opened fire.”

They added that the attack may have been related to the taxi strike.

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British doctor shot dead in South Africa protests with five more killed in violence

• South Africa
• Wednesday 9 August 2023 at 10:27pm

A British man was shot dead during an eruption of violent protests in South Africa.

He is among five people who have been fatally shot in the unrest, which was sparked following the announcement of a week long minibus taxi drivers strike.

The 40-year-old, reportedly a doctor, was a tourist and was killed in the Ntlangano Crescent area of Cape Town last Thursday, officials said.

It is believed he had taken a wrong turn from a nearby airport while driving with two other people when a group approached the vehicle and shot him.

Unrest on the outskirts of South Africa’s second-largest city began after minibus taxi drivers announced a week-long strike.

The taxis’ national union, which is angry at what it calls heavy-handed tactics by police and city authorities in impounding vehicles.

It said its members aren't instigating the violence and others are using the strike as an excuse to launch their own protests.

Five separate murders have been recorded during the protests, which have included stone-throwing, road blockades, looting, arson and public violence, the South African Police Service said.

A community safety officer was killed on Friday night, with city authorities also linking that officer's death to the protests.

Vehicles have been set on fire in across the outskirts of Cape Town and one of the city’s depots was firebombed over the weekend, authorities said.

The Foreign Office advised Britons to be on alert while travelling in the country.

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British doctor shot dead in South Africa after taking wrong turn

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A British doctor holidaying in South Africa was shot dead after taking a wrong turn from the airport.

The unnamed 40-year-old man was reportedly with two other family members when their car ended up in Ntlangano Crescent, in the township of Nyanga, last Thursday.

‘A number of suspects approached his vehicle, shot and killed him,’ police officials said. It is not yet clear what happened to the others in the car.

Nyanga, one of Cape Town’s oldest townships, has been dubbed the most dangerous area in South Africa in the past.

It is unclear how the doctor ended up there, but the tragedy has taken place while Cape Town is riddled with violent riots.

The city’s minibus taxi drivers have been on strike against a recent crackdown on crimes such as driving without a licence or registration plates.

They claim local authorities are unfairly targetting them, impounding their vehicles for offences other drivers would only be fined for.

But the city’s mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has defended the campaign, saying it is an effort to make commuting safer for many people who use taxis to get around.

The unrest has seen a total of five people dead, including a police officer, arson, stone-throwing, road blockades and looting.

The main union involved, the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco), has denied its members are behind the violence and officially called for an end to it on Sunday.

Mr Hill-Lewis is refusing to negotiate with Santaco while the violence is ongoing and will only speak with unions after a period of peace.

The British Foreign Office has released advice about the riots, telling travellers: ‘These strikes have the potential to turn violent and may impact multiple areas including journeys to and from the airport.’

Similarly, the British High Commission issued an alert which says: ‘GPS services could divert you into less secure areas or into ongoing protests.’

Nyanga is notorious for horrific violence and was once known as the murder capital of South Africa.

Although it no longer has the highest murder rates (131 were recorded in the year 2021/22), it still sees brutal crimes often carried out amid township gang wars.

Nyanga was established in the 1940s as a result of the apartheid-era migrant labour system, designed to provide cities with access to cheap black labour while maintaining segregation.

Black men were essentially forced to migrate from their family homes in rural areas to find work in cities where they could only stay in hostels or townships on the outskirts.

There are now more than 500 townships in South Africa today and, although many have become distinct communities, they are typically overcrowded and poverty-stricken, with residents being the most likely to fall victim to the country’s high crime rates.

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Brit tourist, 40, shot dead in South Africa was killed in front of wife & son, 2, after taking wrong turn

• Nick Parker
• Imogen Braddick
• Published : 8:59, 10 Aug 2023
• Updated : 12:40, 10 Aug 2023
• Published : Invalid Date,

A BRITISH dad who was killed by a single gunshot to the head in Cape Town was a top Harley Street surgeon on a family trip.

Dr Kar Hao Teoh, 40, was  gunned down in Nyanga  in front of his wife Sara and two-year-old son Hugo after he took a wrong turn from the airport and accidentally drove into a riot.

Street clashes sparked by a week-long taxi drivers strike had erupted in the area and the Brit, who was born in Singapore, is understood to have been killed when he stopped his silver Toyota Rav 4.

Three passengers in the car - including Hugo - were taken to hospital for treatment for severe trauma.

A Cape Town police spokesman said: "The deceased was seated in the driver seat with a gunshot wound to the head.

"Two passengers in shock and an infant were transported to a local hospital for medical treatment."

Dr Teoh, from Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, worked as a trauma and orthopaedic consultant and had been awarded several international fellowships.

He was based at the NHS Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow.

Harley Street colleague Professor Paul Lee described the doctor as a "guiding light" in an emotional tribute.

He said: "It is with profound sorrow that we announce the passing of our esteemed colleague and dear friend, Mr Kar Teoh, a respected trauma and orthopaedic consultant who left us too soon.

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"He was a guiding light in our professional community, a devoted friend, and a cornerstone of many significant projects.

"For those of us privileged to call him a friend and colleague, Kar was a trustworthy and steadfast presence.

"The loss of Mr Kar Teoh leaves a void in our hearts and community.

"His professional dedication was unparalleled, but it was his personal warmth, his commitment to friendship, and his unwavering support that we will remember most fondly."

Prof Lee said a JustGiving page had been set up in Dr Teoh’s memory to help support his family - which had, within hours, raised £25,000.

Friends were invited to send pictures and memories of the much-loved surgeon.

Two years ago, Dr Teoh won the Presidential Prize at the European Foot and Ankle Society conference in Lyon for his research.

Former neighbours of the surgeon expressed their horror on hearing of his tragic death.

Julia Coombs, 41, said: "It's very, very sad - he was not old at all. He had a young child. It's shocking - poor family."

The mum-of-one added: "He was very friendly and down to earth - very polite and helpful."

Residents in the quiet road in Bishop's Stortford said the Teoh family moved out in June.

Dr Teoh was said to have moved in four years ago before being joined by his wife Sara, who works as a dentist.

The neighbour, who asked not to be named, added: "I only heard the news this morning, I was quite shocked - this happened right in front of his family." 

She said an older couple, believed to be either Dr Teoh's or his wife's parents, also lived at the mid-terrace townhouse, and would take the medical couple's young child to nursery. 

Lirandzu Themba, the spokeswoman for South Africa's police minister, said the doctor took a wrong turn towards Nyanga.

"In Ntlangano Crescent a number of suspects approached his vehicle, shot and killed him. No arrests yet," she said.

A Foreign Office spokesman confirmed it was supporting Mr Teoh's family and speaking to local authorities.

Protests erupted after a law was introduced giving the authorities the power to impound taxi driver's vehicles for driving without a licence, or registration plates.

Cops started impounding vehicles last week - sparking violence as protesters torched buses and cars and pelted the police with stones.

The office of the City of Cape Town said the riots had hit commuters leaving people stranded due to attacks on public transport.

Cape Town city mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said: "In Cape Town, violence will never be tolerated as a negotiating tactic."

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Nyanga is one of the most dangerous places in South Africa.

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Route removed from Google Maps after tourists shot driving through South Africa danger routes

Route altered after british surgeon shot dead at wheel of hire car, article bookmarked.

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Google Maps has removed a route from its navigation system after a number of tourists came into danger while travelling towards one of South Africa ’s most violent regions.

The technology giant has decided to alter its directions after a series of incidents in Nyanga, which is only a short distance from Cape Town’s international airport.

In August, a British surgeon was shot dead at the wheel of his hire car after he was re-routed by officers to avoid road closures. Kar Hao Teoh, 40, was shot in the head by a gunman while his mother, wife and son were sat in the vehicle alongside him.

An American tourist also miraculously survived being shot in the face earlier this month.

Walter Fischel, 55, had been directed towards Nyanga after he opted for the fastest route on Google Maps. By the time he realised the area was “not the greatest”, he had been caught in congestion and was targeted by four men and shot in the face.

He was able to put up a fight until the gunmen stole his cash and drove away in his car. Speaking to News24 from his hospital bed, he said: “While I tried looking for help, I spat out a couple of my teeth and the bullet as well.”

Google’s South Africa director, Professor Alistair Mokoena, said that blocking Nyanga as a recommended route to avoid traffic on the main motorway was the first priority.

GPS developers including Google are facing increasing pressure to update routes, after a series of incidents where lives have been risked or lost across the globe.

Google is currently being sued by the family of a driver whose car fell off a collapsed bridge, after Maps advised him to use the route despite the bridge collapsing nine years previously.

Scottish authorities also advise hikers and tourists to use traditional maps and compasses to tackle Ben Nevis , as Google Maps may direct them towards rocky, steep terrain that could prove “potentially fatal”.

This story initially reported that new security alerts will be added for tourists to safely navigate the country but Google has clarified that is not the case

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British doctor, 40, shot dead in South Africa riot after taking wrong turn out of airport

9 August 2023, 13:59

By Will Taylor

A British doctor has been killed after he took a wrong turn from Cape Town airport and ended up in a riot.

Listen to this article

The unnamed tourist, 40, was with two members of his family when he was shot dead during disorder in Nyanga.

He is one of five people killed during violence at the township, which is just outside Cape Town International Airport.

Tensions boiled over during a minibus taxi driver strike, which began with a week-long shutdown on Thursday.

Lirandzu Themba, a spokeswoman for South Africa's police ministry, said: "The 40-year-old doctor was driving with two other persons in the vehicle.

"From the airport he apparently took a wrong turn off on Thursday evening and headed towards Nyanga.

Read more: Group trapped in Cardiff car crash that killed three 'had been drinking and inhaling laughing gas'

"In Ntlangano Crescent a number of suspects approached his vehicle, shot and killed him. No arrests yet."

The labour dispute broke out after local authorities were given the power to impound vehicles if workers breached rules like driving without a licence.

Violence erupted when Cape Town authorities started impounding vehicles, and protesters responded by bombarding the police with stones and setting cars and buses on fire.

Read more: Heartbroken family posts photo of smiling boy, 7, who leapt into toxic powder unaware it was deadly and died minutes after

The South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) began the strike on Thursday. The unnamed British national was killed on the same day.

A total of 120 people were arrested for crimes including public violence, damage to property and looting by Tuesday.

The strike has shut down public transport throughout the city in the south west of the country.

It is unclear if that led to the doctor taking a wrong turn.

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Tourist shot in the face after hire car’s sat nav takes him to notorious South Africa township where Brit was killed

• Katie Davis
• Jamie Pyatt
• Published : 13:21, 7 Nov 2023
• Updated : 13:21, 7 Nov 2023
• Published : Invalid Date,

A TOURIST was shot in the face after his sat nav directed him through a notorious South African township where a British surgeon was killed.

Walter Fischel, 55, had his jaw shattered and several teeth blasted out after being ambushed by a gang just half an hour after arriving in Cape Town from Connecticut , US .

The American holidaymaker had just been to pick up a foreign exchange to pick up local currency when the GPS system in his airport hire car guided him through crime-ridden Nyanga.

Unknown to Mr Fischel, the sat nav diverted him into deadly danger to avoid a motorway snarl-up as he headed to the whale-watching tourist town of Hermanus 75 miles away.

Poverty-stricken Nyanga is one of the world’s worst crime areas where gang violence is rife and South African police only enter heavily armed and where rioting, rape and murder are common.

As Mr Fischel entered the run-down town, a gang of four men - who likely followed him from Cape Town International Airport - were lying in wait.

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The Avis car door was wrenched open and Fischel said when he tried to grab the main attacker's pistol he was shot in the face and dragged out of the car.

On his hands and knees, he crawled to the rear of his car and opened the boot and grabbed his travel bag and tried to run but the gang chased him and snatched his bag and beat him.

They then fled into the maze of narrow and deadly side streets - leaving Mr Fischel laying in the street covered in blood from his mouth where he had been shot in the face.

He recalled spitting out several teeth and the bullet then waking up in hospital.

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Mr Fischel, who was travelling alone and had flown in at 2pm on Friday from Thailand, told News24: “The traffic in the township got slow enough until it eventually just stopped.

“Four men who seemed to be waiting opened the doors and I got shot in the face.

“I tried to reach the pistol as they grabbed goods in the car but the kicked me out the cart and I opened the boot to grab my bag and ran but they chased me down and grabbed it."

Doctors at the first hospital he was rushed to were not well equipped enough to deal with his injuries, so he was taken to another facility.

Medics took x-rays of his bullet wound and told him that he was extremely lucky to still be alive.

Trauma surgeon Denis Allard said they had to secure his airways first as the bullet fired into his mouth which shot out several teeth had also shattered his jaw causing severe bleeding.

Mr Fischel added: “I’m lucky to be here, I’m angry I didn’t see it coming, you know the ordeal.

“I mean who would have expected that in the middle of the day?”

South Africa is one of the most dangerous countries in the world with nearly 80 murder and 120 rapes a day but are carried out mostly in townships and areas of poverty.

Tourist murders are relatively uncommon in South Africa and normally occur when visitors enter areas which should be avoided and become victims to opportunists.

But Nyanga is considered the murder capital of South Africa with the highest murder rate in the nation and the police station is unable to cope with the gang violence.

Tourist Mr Fishcel plans to catch the first flight home and return to the USA as soon as he is discharged from hospital but warns fellow tourists not to trust their sat-navs.

He told News24: "This was an area close to the airport which you can easily stray into unintentionally and there should be more warnings in place to let travellers know.

“If this can happen at 3pm then it can happen anytime. I'm extremely lucky to have made it out alive. But, as soon as I'm given the all-clear, I am leaving the country."

It comes after British surgeon Kar Thao Teoh, 40, was shot dead in the very same township after his sat-nav also diverted him off the same N2 motorway into in August.

Dr Teoh from Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire, was with several other adults and a child when his car drove into Nyanga and they were ambushed by protestors and he was brutally shot dead.

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The consultant trauma and orthopaedic surgeon at Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, Essex, was described as a “rising star” and his killers remain on the loose.

A South African Police spokesman said: "We have a specialist team tracking down this responsible for the attempted murder and robbery of an American tourist and are following up strong leads".

• South Africa
• United States

Israel-Hamas war latest: Israeli military announces 'tactical pauses' in parts of southern Gaza - as minister says cabinet was not informed of decision

The IDF says it will hold daily tactical pauses in parts of southern Gaza to allow more aid to flow into the territory, where international aid organisations have decried a worsening humanitarian crisis. Itamar Ben-Gvir says the military did not seek cabinet approval for the plan.

Sunday 16 June 2024 21:26, UK

• Israel-Hamas war

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• Israeli military announces 'tactical pauses' in parts of southern Gaza
• Ben-Gvir slams 'delusional' plan - and says it was not approved by cabinet
• Route of 'pauses' outlined by IDF
• Alistair Bunkall analysis: Why 'tactical pauses' don't spell an end to fighting
• US Navy details commercial ship crew rescue after Houthi attack
• Ceasefire response 'consistent' with Biden's plans, Hamas chief says
• Live reporting by Ollie Cooper

Thanks for following our live coverage, that's all for today. 

The Israeli state will continue to pay for the temporary housing and hotels for citizens caught up in the 7 October Hamas attacks and the resulting conflict with militant groups in Gaza and Lebanon. 

Thousands of Israelis, particularly in the areas bordering Gaza and Lebanon, have been put up at the expense of the state since their displacement - allowed to return to their homes only when the security situation allows. 

Earlier this year, our international correspondent Alex Rossi   visitedKiryat Shmona, an evacuated Israeli settlement near Lebanon, and described a ghost-town like scene...

Some of those in temporary living situations were hoping to return soon, but today the government's extension of the scheme seems to have poured cold water on that. 

"The government, today, approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's proposal... to extend the period of lodging for residents who have been evacuated from their homes, in the hotels and temporary housing solutions, which are being financed by the state, until 15 August 2024," a statement from Mr Netanyahu's office read.

"This is according to professional considerations and an assessment of the overall conditions that would allow for the residents to return to their homes."

The Israel Defence Forces has struck what it says are Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon. 

It said the air force had "intercepted a suspicious aerial target over southern Lebanon" and fighter jets were dispatched in response.

"IDF fighter jets struck a Hezbollah military structure in the area of Yaroun in southern Lebanon," it said in a statement, adding: "IDF [also] artillery fired to remove a threat in the area of Amra."

For context: Iran-backed, Lebanon-based Hezbollah, which means "Party of God" in Arabic, openly calls for the destruction of the "Zionist regime in Palestine" and is deemed a terror organisation by most Western powers.

The militia has long aligned itself with Hamas and Islamic Jihad and has frequently clashed with IDF forces on the Israel-Lebanon border since the most recent conflict broke out on 7 October.

But the violence has largely been contained to areas at the border, shaped by what observers have called unwritten rules of engagement between adversaries that have long threatened each other with catastrophic damage in the event of war.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously warned that Beirut would be turned "into Gaza" if Hezbollah started an all-out war.

These images show Muslims in Jerusalem praying outside the Al Aqsa mosque, known to Jews as the Temple Mount. 

Access to the mosque has been strictly supervised by the Israel Defence Forces in recent months, with many worshippers complaining about unnecessarily tight rules for a holy place. 

As we outlined in our 7.12am post, today Muslims are holding prayers for Eid al Adha.

The holiday, commonly translated as the Feast of Sacrifice, is the second of the two main Islamic holidays alongside Eid al Fitr.

The US Navy has shared details of how its sailors rescued the crew of a commercial ship struck by the Yemeni Houthi group.

The Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned bulk cargo carrier M/V Tutor was struck by a Houthi "unmanned vessel" in the southern Red Sea on 12 June, which "caused severe flooding and damage to the engine room".

"A helicopter from helicopter maritime strike squadron 74 airlifted 24 civilian mariners from Tutor to Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea," the navy said.

"From there, helicopters from helicopter sea combat squadron 7 transported the group to USS Dwight D Eisenhower." 

After being medically checked on board, the mariners were flown ashore for follow-on care.

One civilian mariner remains missing, however. 

For context: The Yemen-based, Iran-backed Houthis say they are targeting any and all ships they believe are linked, operated, owned, flagged or travelling to or from Israel. 

US and British destroyers are among an international naval taskforce set up to combat the Houthi attacks in the area. 

Earlier, we brought you the words of Israel's far-right security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who dubbed the "tactical pause" plans for parts of southern Gaza "delusional". 

Finance minister Bezalel Smotrich, who chairs the ultra-nationalist Religious Zionist Party, has similarly criticised the plan.

Mr Ben-Gvir and Mr Smotrich are two of the biggest supporters of the war in Gaza, but often suggest the military or those controlling it do not go far enough.

"The 'humanitarian aid' that continues to reach Hamas keeps it in power and may put the achievements of the war down the drain," Mr Smotrich said. 

"The problem is that the [IDF's] general headquarters is completely disconnected from the existence of the forces in the field," he added. 

Reports have swirled that neither cabinet nor the prime minister and his defence secretary were made aware of the IDF announcement before it went public. 

By  Alistair Bunkall ,  Middle East correspondent 

The decision to pause fighting for 11 hours a day along two main routes in Gaza comes as a result of international pressure on Israel and the desperate need to get aid flowing around the Strip.

The Rafah crossing, between Gaza and Egypt, has been closed ever since Israel began military operations there some weeks ago. 

As well as humanitarian aid, it was also the main route for fuel into Gaza.

The US floating pier has been unsuccessful and is again being temporarily dismantled due to rough seas.

Aid has been piling up on the Gaza side of the Kerem Shalom crossing with too few lorries to collect it. 

When the trucks do move, they're often looted before getting far. 

This localised pause does not mean an end to the fighting. 

In fact, the fighting around Rafah has been particularly intense over recent days and Israel has made it clear operations will continue there and elsewhere.

The corridor, although limited, should help movement of aid, however, and could be expanded if successful. 

These images show the scale of recent protests against Benjamin Netanyahu's government in Tel Aviv. 

As we reported earlier, protests are increasing in frequency, attendance and tension as parts of the Israeli public voice their anger at the lack of movement on a ceasefire and hostage deal with Hamas (see 8.59am post). 

These pictures were taken by a drone last night. 

Tactical pauses near Rafah are "delusional", Israel's far-right security minister has said. 

Itamar Ben-Gvir said: "The one who decided on a 'tactical truce' for the purpose of a humanitarian transition, especially at a time when many of our soldiers are falling in battle, is evil and a fool who should not continue in his position. 

"Unfortunately, this move was not brought before the cabinet and is contrary to its decisions."

Mr Ben-Gvir has repeatedly called for Israel to stop aid deliveries to Gaza during the war and to re-occupy the territory.

"It's time to get out of the concept and stop the crazy and delusional approach that only brings us more dead and fallen," he concluded.

There are also reports among Israeli outlets that the announcement this morning also came as a surprise to the remaining war cabinet ministers - defence minister Yoav Gallant and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 

Hamas's response to the Joe Biden ceasefire proposal was largely consistent with the US president's plans, the group's leader has said. 

Speaking to mark Eid al Adha, Ismail Haniyeh said: "The movement, along with all the resistance factions, has shown great seriousness and great flexibility in order to reach an agreement that will spare the blood of our people and stop the aggression.

"Our response... is compatible with the foundations contained in Biden's speech and the Security Council resolution regarding the three stages of the deal and the terms of the ceasefire," he added. 

Haniyeh then blamed Israel for not showing any flexibility and attempting "to circumvent and deceive through proposals and ideas aimed at obtaining prisoners and returning to resume the war of extermination again".

For context:  Joe Biden's proposal, outlined at the end of May, was accepted by Israel on Tuesday night - but not publicly. 

Hamas initially suggested it had accepted the deal, but on Wednesday, Antony Blinken spoke in Qatar and said Hamas had requested changes to the deal. 

"Some of the changes are workable, some are not," he said. 

Reports suggested Hamas wants written guarantees from the US over a permanent ceasefire and withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza before it signs off on the deal. 

What is the proposed deal?

The first of the proposed three-phase deal would be a ceasefire lasting six weeks, during which Israel and Hamas would negotiate a permanent end to the fighting in Gaza, Mr Biden said when outlining the plan at the end of May.

If the negotiations take longer than six weeks, the ceasefire would continue for as long as it takes to strike a deal, he added.

Phase two would involve Hamas handing over the remaining hostages and Israel withdrawing all of its forces from Gaza.

The final phase would be about a "major reconstruction plan" for Gaza, according to the president.

It was backed by the United Nations Security Council on Monday. 

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