Suella Braverman – latest: Tory civil war over home secretary police row as Sunak urged to sack her

Rishi Sunak is under pressure to sack Suella Braverman after she defied Downing Street by publishing an article accusing police of bias over protests in support of Palestine.

Her claim that there is a perception some senior officers “play favourites”, only the latest inflammatory comment by the Home Secretary in recent days, has prompted frustration and unease among Conservative MPs and sparked calls for the prime minister to sack her after she failed to get Number 10 to sign off the Times piece.

Downing Street was still investigating on Thursday night the “details” about how the article, which also contained a widely-criticised comparison between “pro-Palestinian mobs” and marches in Northern Ireland, was still sent for publication.

Israel has agreed to put in place four-hour daily humanitarian pauses in its assault on Hamas in northern Gaza, the White House said.

Joe Biden had asked Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to institute the daily pauses during a Monday call and said he had also asked the Israelis for a pause of at least three days to allow for hostage negotiations. “Yes,” Mr Biden said, when asked whether he had asked Israel for a three-day pause. “I’ve asked for even a longer pause for some of them.” He added there was “no possibility” of a formal cease-fire at the moment, and said it had “taken a little longer” than he hoped for Israel to agree to the humanitarian pauses.

National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said the Israelis had committed to announcing each four-hour window at least three hours in advance. Israel, he said, also was opening a second corridor for civilians to flee the areas that are the current focus of its military campaign against Hamas, with a coastal road joining the territory’s main north-south highway.

Israel is to begin daily four-hour pauses in its military campaign against Hamas in northern Gaza to allow residents to flee south, along with two humanitarian corridors, the White House has said:

Israel launched air strikes around at least three hospitals this morning further stressing the Palestinian enclave’s precarious health system as it struggles to cope with thousands of people wounded or displaced in Israel‘s war against Hamas militants.

“The Israeli occupation launched simultaneous strikes on a number of hospitals during the past hours”, Gaza Ministry of Health spokesperson Ashraf Al-Qidra told Al Jazeera television.

The medical facilities included Gaza’s biggest hospital, Al Shifa, where Israel said Hamas has hidden command centres and tunnels, allegations Hamas denies.

Mr Qidra said Israel targeted the Gaza City medical complex’s courtyard and there were casualties, but he did not provide details.

Gaza’s hospitals have struggled to care for victims as medical supplies, clean water and fuel to power generators run out.

Gaza’s health ministry has said 18 of Gaza’s 35 hospitals and 40 other health centres were out of service either due to damage from bombardment or lack of fuel.

Palestinian media published video footage of Al Shifa showing the aftermath of an Israeli attack on a parking lot where displaced Palestinians were sheltered and journalists were observing.

A pool of blood could be seen next to the body of a man being placed on a stretcher.

Former Labour home secretary Jack Straw said Rishi Sunak must sack Suella Braverman after her “extraordinary” attack on the police.

“He needs to fire her,” the New Labour grandee told The Independent.

“He needs to shows he understands there is a line to be drawn and uphold the independence of the police.”

Mr Straw said: “Picking a fight with Britain’s most senior police officer is an extraordinary and astonishing thing for a home secretary to do – it’s unheard of and shows a fundamental lack of judgement. And failing to sack her would be further evidence of a lack of judgment by him.

“If she thinks right-wing demonstrators get different treatment to left-wing ones, she needs to go into a dark room and lie down. She is out of her depth. She has been thrashing around in frustration at her failure to have any sensible impact in the job.”

One of the UK’s most senior police officers has defended the police’s rights to make independent operational decisions amid intense political pressure linked to allegation of bias over Armistice weekend protests.

Gavin Stephens, who is chairman of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), said that political views could dictate the decision making of police forces.

His comments came after the head of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Mark Rowley, refused to ban a pro-Palestine protest in central London on Saturday, despite pointed public comments by the prime minister and home secretary.

Mr Stephens said: “In policing we need the space to make difficult operational decisions in an independent manner.

“That space is set out very clearly in law in the Policing Protocol Order which was refreshed earlier this year.

“The decisions that we take are not easy ones, but we do so impartially, without fear or favour, and in line with both the law and our authorised professional practice.”

Speaking to journalists ahead of the national demonstrations calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, Mr Stephens said he considers it one of his civic responsibilities to use language carefully and not stoke up community tensions.

Israel’s military is closing in on central Gaza City and its main al-Shifa Hospital, where Israel claims Hamas fighters have a command centre, raising questions about how Israel will interpret international laws on protection of medical facilities and the thousands of displaced people sheltering there.

Israel has not outlined its possible plans for the hospital but says its top priority is dismantling Hamas’ command infrastructure.

Combat engineers are using explosives to destroy tunnels in the Islamist group’s vast underground network, Israel says.

Any Israeli attempt to seize al-Shifa, where video this week showed doctors scrambling to treat an influx of injured people, would risk heavy civilian losses.

The Independent view: A reshuffle is approaching, and Mr Sunak could take advantage of that to retire Ms Braverman. A smart move would be to replace her with someone who has many of the same instincts as she has, but at least respects the conventions of the constitution and the independence of the courts and the police: