At least 20 Palestinians killed in Israeli strike on Gaza seafront cafe, witnesses and rescuers say

35 minutes ago Share Save Rushdi Abualouf Gaza correspondent Reporting from Cairo Wyre Davies BBC News Reporting from Jerusalem Share Save

Getty Images At least 20 people were reported killed at the beachside cafe

At least 20 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli air strike that hit a popular seafront cafe frequently used by activists, journalists, and local residents in western Gaza, according to medics and eyewitnesses. Rescue teams evacuated 20 bodies and dozens wounded from Al-Baqa Cafeteria, an outdoor venue which consisted of tents along the beach, a spokesperson for Gaza's Hamas-run Civil Defence told the BBC. He added that emergency crews were still searching through a deep crater left by the explosion. "I was on my way to the café to use the internet just a few meters away when a massive explosion hit," said Aziz Al-Afifi, a cameraman with a local production company, told the BBC.

"I ran to the scene. My colleagues were there, people I meet every day. The scene was horrific - bodies, blood, screaming everywhere." Videos posted by activists on social media appeared to show the moment a missile, reportedly fired from an Israeli warplane, struck the area. Footage captured the aftermath of the attack, with bodies scattered across the ground. Al-Baqa Cafeteria had become a well-known space for journalists, activists, and remote workers, offering internet access, seating, and workspace along Gaza's Mediterranean coast. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. The attack came after Israel carried out a wave of air strikes across the Gaza Strip overnight, triggering the mass displacement of hundreds of Palestinian families, witnesses said. Rescue teams recovered the bodies of five people, while dozens of injured civilians were evacuated to Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City, according to local reports. The bombardment follows one of the largest evacuation orders issued since the war resumed in March. It comes amid increasing pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to refocus efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement.

On Saturday, US President Donald Trump said on social media that Netanyahu was working on negotiating a deal with Hamas "right now". That came days after a senior Hamas official said mediators had intensified their efforts to broker a new ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza, but that negotiations with Israel remain stalled. A two-month ceasefire collapsed in March when Israel launched fresh strikes on Gaza. The ceasefire deal - which started on 19 January - was meant to have three stages, but did not make it past the first stage. Israel followed this with a total blockade on humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza, which it partially eased after 11 weeks following pressure from US allies and warnings of starvation from global experts. The partial easing saw the creation of the controversial US- and Israeli-backed aid group, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). Since GHF took over distribution operations, there have been almost daily incidents of killings and injuries of Palestinians seeking aid. Eyewitnesses and medics have blamed Israel, though Israel has said it has only fired warning shots towards people it considered a threat.

Tech firms face demands to stop illegal content going viral

Oliver Griffiths, online safety group director at Ofcom, said its proposed measures seek to build on existing UK online safety rules but keep up with "constantly evolving" risks.

These could also include making some larger platforms assess whether they need to proactively detect terrorist material under further online safety measures.

The UK regulator published a consultation on Monday seeking views on further protections to keep citizens, particularly children, safer online.

Tech platforms could be forced to prevent illegal content from going viral and limit the ability for people to send virtual gifts to or record a child's livestream, under more online safety measures proposed by Ofcom.

"We're holding platforms to account and launching swift enforcement action where we have concerns," he said.

"But technology and harms are constantly evolving, and we're always looking at how we can make life safer online."

The consultation highlighted three main areas in which Ofcom thinks more could be done:

stopping illegal content going viral

tackling harms at source

giving further protections to children

The BBC has approached TikTok, livestreaming platform Twitch and Meta - which owns Instagram, Facebook and Threads - for comment.

Ofcom's range of proposals target a number of issues - from intimate image abuse to the danger of people witnessing physical harm on livestreams - and vary in what type or size of platform they could apply to.

For example, proposals that providers have a mechanism to let users report a livestream if its content "depicts the risk of imminent physical harm" would apply to all user-to-user sites that allow a single user to livestream to many, where there may be a risk of showing illegal activity.

Meanwhile potential requirements for platforms to use proactive technology to detect content deemed harmful to children, would only apply to the largest tech firms which present higher risks of relevant harms.

"Further measures are always welcome but they will not address either the systemic weaknesses in the Online Safety Act," said Ian Russell, chair of the Molly Rose Foundation - an organisation set up in memory of his 14-year-old daughter Molly Russell, who took her own life after viewing thousands of images promoting suicide and self-harm.

He added that Ofcom showed a "lack of ambition" in its approach to regulation.

"As long as the focus is on sticking plasters not comprehensive solutions, regulation will fail to keep up with current levels of harm and major new suicide and self-harm threats," Mr Russell said.

"It's time for the prime minister to intervene and introduce a strengthened Online Safety Act that can tackle preventable harm head on by fully compelling companies to identify and fix all the risks posed by their platforms."

The consultation is open until 20 October 2025 and Ofcom hopes to get feedback from service providers, civil society, law enforcement and members of the public.

It comes as tech platforms look to bring their services in line with the UK's sweeping online safety rules that Ofcom has been tasked with enforcing.

Some have already taken steps to try and clamp down on features that experts have warned may expose children to grooming, such as through livestreaming.

In 2022, TikTok banned children raised its minimum age for going live on the platform from 16 to 18 - shortly after a BBC investigation found hundreds of accounts going live from Syrian refugee camps with children begging for donations.

YouTube recently said it would increase its threshold for users to livestream to 16, from 22 July.

Second arrest in Donaghadee murder investigation

8 minutes ago Share Save Eimear Flanagan BBC News NI Share Save

PSNI Sarah Montgomery was a 27-year-old mother of two who was pregnant with her third child

A second person has been arrested by police investigating the murder of a pregnant woman in Donaghadee, County Down. Sarah Montgomery, 27, was the mother of two young girls and expecting her third child when she was pronounced dead at her Elmfield Walk home on Saturday afternoon. A 42-year-old woman was arrested in Belfast on Monday on suspicion of assisting an offender, while a 28-year-old man who was detained on suspicion of murder remains in police custody. The police have said both suspects "were known to the victim and at present, no-one else is being sought in connection with the crime".

Appeal for sightings of yellow vehicle

The police were first alerted to an unconscious and seriously injured woman inside the Elmfield Walk house on Saturday afternoon. Ms Montgomery was then treated by emergency services but pronounced dead at the scene. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) described the case as "deeply tragic" and said it would "do everything in our power to bring anyone involved in this senseless murder to justice". On Monday, detectives issued a public appeal for information about a specific vehicle in east Belfast as part of their investigation. They are seeking sightings of a yellow Jeep Avenger in the Airport Road area of the Belfast Harbour Estate on Friday afternoon. "We are working at pace to determine the circumstances of Sarah's tragic murder and need help from people in the Donaghadee and Belfast areas," said Det Ch Insp Tom Phillips. "This is an incredibly tragic case which has devastated Sarah's family and friends, and leaves two small children without their beloved mum." He explained that officers want to hear from witnesses who may have seen anything suspicious in Elmfield Walk, Donaghadee, between 13:20 and 14:20 BST on Friday. They are also appealing for sightings of the yellow Jeep between 15:30 and 16:15 later that same day. "Do you have CCTV, dashcam or phone footage which could be useful in our investigation?" Det Ch Insp Phillips asked. "Even if you think it may not be important, please come forward and speak with us as even very small pieces of information could prove invaluable to us."

Tributes to 'kind and wonderful mother'

Blue teddy bears and sunflowers are among the items placed in tribute to Donaghadee murder victim Sarah Montgomery

Ms Montgomery was the 27th woman to be murdered in Northern Ireland since the start of 2020. Teddy bears, tributes and flowers have been left near the scene of her death at Elmfield Walk. One of the tributes left outside her house described her as a "beautiful, kind and wonderful mother". A picture of violence: The 27 women killed in NI since 2020 Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O'Neill said her death underlines the "epidemic in our society" of violence against women and girls. Speaking in the Northern Ireland Assembly, she described the issue as a "scourge" and a "huge societal problem that we all share". "Another young mother, her life being taken," O'Neill said as she expressed her sympathy with Ms Montgomery's family. "It's just such a tragedy and it just really underlines for us all once again that we have a huge problem in our society with violence against women and girls." Donaghadee RNLI, where Sarah was a "highly regarded" member of the fundraising branch, posted on Facebook that her death was "a deep shock". In the post it said she helped out "at fundraising and station events to support the lifesaving work of the charity. The post said she had a strong family connection to the charity and extended its "deepest sympathies" to her family and friends.

Forensic investigators examined the scene at Elmfield Walk on Sunday

Women's Aid NI released a statement on Monday, noting that of the 27 woman murdered in Northern Ireland since 2020 "the vast majority... were killed in their own homes". The organisation expressed its "sincerest condolences" to the victim's family, friends and the wider Donaghadee community. "Please know you are all in our thoughts at this incredibly difficult time, and we can't even begin to understand your devastating loss," it added.

At the scene: Tributes as police presence remains

by Kelly Bonner, BBC News NI reporter At the home of Sarah Montgomery in Donaghadee, neighbours and friends have left flowers and blue teddies. One note, paying tribute to a "beautiful, kind and wonderful mother" adds: "Thinking of you and your family and your 2 girls." Another note says: "So sorry, Sarah. You were a great mummy and a lovely girl." Near where these tributes have been laid, the police cordon at her house is still in place as officers continue to investigate.

Mourners left hand-written notes praising the victim for how well she cared for her two young daughters

MP condemns 'barbaric' murder

Local residents who spoke to BBC News NI over the weekend described her as a bright, bubbly and loving mother. The local MP, Alex Easton, said Ms Montgomery's children attended the same primary school as his own grandchild and she was regularly seen on the school run. "She's been described as somebody who kept to herself and never was in any bother," he told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme. He said he had been speaking to residents in Donaghadee over the weekend and they were still "extremely shocked by what's happened". Easton described the murder as "wrong and barbaric" and said more action is needed to protect women and girls. "I think Stormont maybe needs to look at doing some sort of education in our schools - that our children are taught that violence against women is totally wrong," he added.

'Palpable sense of shock' in Donaghadee

Alliance councillor Hannah Irwin revisited the scene on Monday and told Good Morning Ulster it was "particularly poignant" to stand next to the tributes. She said two young girls had lost their mother and she could not imagine what the children must be going through. "I know there's just a palpable sense of shock in the Donaghadee community at the minute to see such a young life taken so soon," she told the programme. Irwin said Northern Ireland has "a serious problem with violence against women and girls and we need to be doing more about it". The councillor argued that education and early intervention was needed "so we can reach a stage where women aren't losing their lives and women aren't being abused or assaulted". "We need to tackle that pervasive misogyny in society first off, so we don't reach that stage in the first place."

'Sarah won't be forgotten'

Ulster Unionist councillor Mark Brooks knew Ms Montgomery and said she was a "lovely girl"

Man guilty of murder in 'UK's oldest cold case'

8 minutes ago Share Save Emma Elgee & Sarah Turnnidge BBC News, Bristol Share Save

Avon and Somerset Police Louisa Dunne was murdered in Bristol in June 1967

A 92-year-old man has been found guilty of the rape and murder of a Bristol woman in a case that remained unsolved for nearly six decades. Louisa Dunne, 75, was found strangled on her living room floor by a neighbour on Britannia Road in Easton, Bristol, on 28 June 1967. Convicted rapist Ryland Headley, of Clarence Road in Ipswich, has now been found guilty of Mrs Dunne's murder following a trial at Bristol Crown Court. Senior investigating officer Det Insp Dave Marchant said Headley, who was in his 30s when he killed Mrs Dunne, was "predatory" and said his other crimes were "eerily similar".

Headley is set to be sentenced on Tuesday. He was only linked to the mother-of-two's murder in 2023, when a review of the case uncovered new DNA evidence.

Handout Louisa Dunne was found dead in her home by her neighbours

Det Insp Marchant said: "This is a marrying of old school and new school policing techniques." He added it was believed to be the oldest cold case to be solved in the UK. Mrs Dunne had been twice widowed and lived alone, but was well-known in the local area. Headley was accused of forcing entry into her home before sexually attacking her and then strangling her. The night of her death, neighbours reported hearing a woman's "frightening scream". Det Insp Marchant said a neighbour was first alerted to something unusual happening when the paper they left for Mrs Dunne was not taken in on the morning of 28 June 1967. Despite the efforts of police 58 years ago, no key suspect was identified. It was only when the case was re-examined by Avon and Somerset Police decades later, that DNA testing of a swab that contained semen was linked to Headley.

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At least 20 Palestinians killed in Israeli strike on Gaza seafront cafe, witnesses say

Just now Share Save Rushdi Abualouf Gaza correspondent Reporting from Cairo Wyre Davies BBC News Reporting from Jerusalem Share Save

Reuters Zeitoun has been repeatedly hit by Israeli strikes during the war (file photo)

At least 20 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli air strike that hit a popular seafront cafe frequently used by activists, journalists, and local residents in western Gaza, according to medics and eyewitnesses. Rescue teams evacuated 20 bodies and dozens wounded from Al-Baqa Cafeteria, an outdoor venue which consisted of tents along the beach, a spokesperson for Gaza's Hamas-run Civil Defence told the BBC. He added that emergency crews were still searching through a deep crater left by the explosion. "I was on my way to the café to use the internet just a few meters away when a massive explosion hit," said Aziz Al-Afifi, a cameraman with a local production company, told the BBC.

"I ran to the scene. My colleagues were there, people I meet every day. The scene was horrific - bodies, blood, screaming everywhere." Videos posted by activists on social media appeared to show the moment a missile, reportedly fired from an Israeli warplane, struck the area. Footage captured the aftermath of the attack, with bodies scattered across the ground. Al-Baqa Cafeteria had become a well-known space for journalists, activists, and remote workers, offering internet access, seating, and workspace along Gaza's Mediterranean coast. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. The attack came after Israel carried out a wave of air strikes across the Gaza Strip overnight, triggering the mass displacement of hundreds of Palestinian families, witnesses said. Rescue teams recovered the bodies of five people, while dozens of injured civilians were evacuated to Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City, according to local reports. The bombardment follows one of the largest evacuation orders issued since the war resumed in March. It comes amid increasing pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to refocus efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement.

On Saturday, US President Donald Trump said on social media that Netanyahu was working on negotiating a deal with Hamas "right now". That came days after a senior Hamas official said mediators had intensified their efforts to broker a new ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza, but that negotiations with Israel remain stalled. A two-month ceasefire collapsed in March when Israel launched fresh strikes on Gaza. The ceasefire deal - which started on 19 January - was meant to have three stages, but did not make it past the first stage. Israel followed this with a total blockade on humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza, which it partially eased after 11 weeks following pressure from US allies and warnings of starvation from global experts. The partial easing saw the creation of the controversial US- and Israeli-backed aid group, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). Since GHF took over distribution operations, there have been almost daily incidents of killings and injuries of Palestinians seeking aid. Eyewitnesses and medics have blamed Israel, though Israel has said it has only fired warning shots towards people it considered a threat.