We will bring you the latest from across the region tonight. From jerusalem our correspondent tom bateman. Our International Editor jeremy bowen is in southern israel. And on lebanon border we will bring you the latest from anna foster. Good evening. Hundreds of thousands of palestinians fled south over the weekend hoping to escape the bombardment. Many left without the provisions they had stored, and are now without food and limited water. Those who went all the way south to the raffah border with egypt are still not safe. The border remains closed and earlier today, the town was hit by israeli air strikes. Buildings destroyed. This footage has been verified this footage has been verified by this footage has been verified by the bbc close to Rafah Crossing. Dozens trapped under the rubble. For the innocents the nightmare continues, as israel prepares the ground for a major offensive. But still hamas continues to fire rockets from built up areas. Airraid sirens. Tonight Air Raid Sirens were triggered injerusalem and tel aviv. And the number of hostages they think were taken into gaza has been revised upwards to 199. That is thought to include two teenage sisters from the uk, whose mother was killed in the attack nine days ago. Lets get an update for our middle east correspondent tom bateman who is injerusalem for us tonight. Tom, on my screen here and seeing some news flashes from one of the leaders of hamas talking about the hostages that they have and speaking to the wider Arab Community in the region. To the wider Arab Community in the reuion. ,. , , to the wider Arab Community in the reuion. ,. , region. Yes, there has been a series of statements region. Yes, there has been a series of statements over region. Yes, there has been a series of statements over the region. Yes, there has been a series of statements over the course region. Yes, there has been a series of statements over the course of of statements over the course of the last week at various points about hostages, this leader, the hamas called in the head of the Diaspora Affairs but he is based in qatar as are some other senior hamas figures. Over the course of the last week there have been various things for example about the claims of the deaths of hostages and air strikes. The problem with a lot of this is it is impossible to verify. In terms of the weight we can give any of these statements is quite tricky, but certainly what we have heard today is a revision upwards of the numbers of confirmed hostages in terms of the families that have been told on this israeli side is think they have 199 families that their relatives are among those held captive in gaza. Of course we already know that among those are children in the elderly. And in israel theres a growing sense of anger frustration about some people say is a lack of information from the israeli authorities. We saw some scenes today, for example in tel aviv of protest outside the Ministry Of Defence and a pro Government Support going into really physical confrontation with the father of a woman missing. 50 what was already a political crisis in this country now merging into the Security Crisis and some pretty desperate scenes. Going back to this leader some pretty desperate scenes. Going back to this leader sang some pretty desperate scenes. Going back to this leader sang in some pretty desperate scenes. Going back to this leader sang in the last few minutes that is really captives include high ranking officers from the gaza divisions saying that there are 6000 male in female prisoners in israeli prisons but putting the focus on some of these high value targets but difficult to verify these details. But lets talk instead about the Air Raid Sirens because the Secretary Of StateAntony Blinken is in tel aviv tonight at a Military Base where he was talking to the war cabinet. It seems they were sent scurrying to Air Raid Shelters in the myths of conversations. Air raid shelters in the myths of conversations. Yes they spent five minutes or conversations. Yes they spent five minutes or so conversations. Yes they spent five minutes or so in conversations. Yes they spent five minutes or so in the conversations. Yes they spent five minutes or so in the bunker conversations. Yes they spent five minutes or so in the bunker as minutes or so in the bunker as sirens went off with at least two or maybe three incidents today where they have been that longer range rocket fire coming from gaza. Hamas sing this was in retaliation for the deaths of civilians with that very high civilian death toll in gaza we have been talking about. We had Rocket Sirens here injerusalem, sending people to shelters here and in tel aviv, as you say, Antony Blinken having to take cover along with senior israeli officials within Defence Minister and other senior officials getting a taste of what ordinary israelis have been experiencing first hand throughout this last week. Experiencing firsthand throughout this last week. Experiencing firsthand throughout this last week. Thank you very much indeed for that. On the egyptian side of the border, a convoy of trucks carrying humanitarian aid for the gaza strip is positioned in the city of el arish, about an hour from the rafah border crossing. There was hope over the weekend that foreign nationals would be allowed to leave gaza but there are things standing in the way. The israelis dont want supplies getting into the hands of hamas, the egyptians are trying to avoid an internal refugee crisis, so they want assurances that supplies will be allowed in, and notjust a limited amount of aid, and then theres hamas, who dont want people leaving at all. In the interim, the water has been restored in the south of the strip, that happened yesterday afernoon, and today at least six petrol tanks crossed, with fuel for the pumping stations. Suggestions at least. The un Agency Undressing tonight that that is not the case that no fuel has crossed the case that no fuel has crossed the last 2a hours unwra. But it is the generators that are powering the hospitals that are dangerously low on fuel. The Un Office For The Coordination Of Humanitarian Affairs has warned they might run out by tonight and called on israel not to attack the hospitals. Hospitals are running out of fuel, running out of supplies, up in the north, people cant move without help. If you have been watching you will be aware. Us Secretary Of StateAntony Blinken has visited six countries in the region and faced some resistance from the arab worlds leaders, including egypts president el sisi and the Saudi Arabian crown prince, mohammed bin salman. In fact, on his visit to riyadh, we are told the saudis kept blinken waiting several hours for a meeting that was supposed to happen in the evening but to which the crown prince only showed up for the next morning. Perhaps that is why twice in several days secretary blinken has been underlining the same message. We democracies distinguish ourselves from terrorist by striving for a different standard. Even when it is difficult. And holding ourselves to account when we fall short. Our humanity, the value that we place on human life and human dignity, thats what makes us who we are. And we count them among our greatest strength. That is why it is so important to take every possible precaution to avoid harming civilians. The way that israel does this matters. It needs to do it in a way that affirms the shared values that we have for human life and human dignity. Taking every possible precaution to avoid harming civilians. Is there anything the american� s could offer the egyptians to persuade them to open the Rafah Crossing . The economist reports that theres talk in washington and the region about trying to pay off egypt, which is facing a debt crisis, to host palestinians displaced by the war in gaza. Steven cook is a Senior Fellow for middle east and Africa Studies at the council on foreign relations. Its interesting this the main reason why el sisi is slow walking this and there is a precedent for debt relief, the americans did something similar back in the 90s Whenjoining The First something similar back in the 90s when joining the first gulf war. Thats exactly right. George h w bushin thats exactly right. George h w bush in 1991 offered egypt 100 million in debt relief and got the pack Paris Club Countries to essentially wipe out their debt and Intern Egyptians deployed 35,000 troops to the of saudi arabia as a part of Operation Desert Storm that is what people are thinking in these terms now, what is it that each of needs, they need debt relief the second largest debtor in the world next to ukraine so it gives you a sense of how desperate the situation is in egypt. So there is a potential formula for debt relief, the question is whether there is the will in washington and other places to do this. And whether the debt relief is worth it to the egyptians to risk something that they have trying to been avoided at all costs was just having a large refugee population in the Sinai Peninsula when theyre already coasting around through 2000 Sudanese Refugees who fled the civil war. Fled the civil war. There is deep opposition fled the civil war. There is deep opposition knots fled the civil war. There is deep opposition knots because fled the civil war. There is deep opposition knots because of fled the civil war. There is deep opposition knots because of thej opposition knots because of the short term implications, Security Implications for egypt but the longer term suggestions that if they leave because of the and the palestinians will not be able to return. Is there, a risk that the humanitarian situation gets so dire and because of that in the end of the egyptians have no option but to Open The Gates . I the egyptians have no option but to Open The Gates . Open the gates . I think that is likel the Open The Gates . I think that is likely the case Open The Gates . I think that is likely the case that Open The Gates . I think that is likely the case that if Open The Gates . I think that is likely the case that if it Open The Gates . I think that is l likely the case that if it does get as dire as some imagine it very well may get, that president el sisi for mostly political domestic reasons will be forced to open up those border gates, yet, it will likely continue to be under very stringent conditions. The egyptians took a principal situation that the situation in gaza is the responsibility of israel and if they do not want to become responsible for millions of Palestinian Refugees and they do not want israel to dump the gaza problem onto egypt. There is some reporting the gaza problem onto egypt. There is some reporting tonight, the gaza problem onto egypt. There is some reporting tonight, the is some reporting tonight, the Egyptian Army is creating this Buffer Zone Near Rafah Setting up barbed wire fences five km between el arish and rafah. And we would have a tented serie city. Than . El arish and rafah. And we would have a tented serie city. Any maor movement have a tented serie city. Any maor movement d have a tented serie city. Any maor movement of egyptian i have a tented serie city. Any maor movement of Egyptian Forces in h have a tented serie city. Any major| movement of Egyptian Forces in the Sinai Peninsula is subject to is approval so whatever the egyptians do in this regard, it will likely be in coordination with israelis. Of course egyptians working hard to broadcast under current circumstances that is in fact the case. ~. , circumstances that is in fact the case. ,. , circumstances that is in fact the case. I. , ~ circumstances that is in fact the case. ,~. , case. What did you make going back to my introduction case. What did you make going back to my introduction about case. What did you make going back to my introduction about the to my introduction about the fact that Secretary Blinking was kept waiting and re add, and diplomatic terms in a crisis, that is tantamount to a snub, is it not . Is on brand for the crown prince when he wants to make a point, he will likely make people wait and often wait for hours. Anyone who has spent any time in saudi arabia understands thatis any time in saudi arabia understands that is a way in which the saudis try to send a message. But they themselves are in a difficult position. Over the course of the last eight or nine months, they have been inching ever closer to normalising relations with the israelis. Now is the israelis are engaged in this onslaught on the gaza strip, the saudis now need to walk much of that Normalisation Back thus they refused to condemn the hamas Terrorist Attack of innocent civilians, they are snubbing the american Secretary Of State and in general, from the perspective of the biting administration not being terribly constructive in this crisis. ,. ,. , terribly constructive in this crisis. ,. , join us and just one line to bring you from the leader of the political wing of hamas saying that hamas is around 200 is really captives the rest are being held by other armed factions he puts the number, the total number between 200 300 50 but as tom was saying earlier we need to verify some of those figures. Everything that hamas says cannot of course be trusted. One of their breaking line of news that we are getting in the last few minutes. From brussels relating to a shooting in the city police in belgium say to Swedish Nationals have been shot dead, one Person Injured in an attack in the capital brussels. Police are saying that it is being classified as an Act Of Terror and the suspect is still at large site developing situation in brussels this evening. To Swedish Nationals killed, detail still coming in and we will of course bring you news is that as and when we get it. Around the world and across the uk. This is bbc news. Lets look at some other stories making news. Further School Strikes are due to take place in scotland after a union voted to reject the latest pay offer for support staff. Unison, the union that represents administrators, Catering Assistants and janitors, said a Rolling Programme of strikes in schools and nurseries will take place in the coming weeks with dates announced within days. Parliaments Behaviour Watchdog has recommended that conservative mp peter bone be suspended for six weeks for bullying and sexual misconduct. It follows a complaint made by a former member of staff, over behaviour which allegedly happened more than 10 years ago. The suspension will have to be voted on by the House Of Commons to be approved. More foreign prisoners are to be deported to their home countries under plans to tackle overcrowding injails. Justice secretary, alex chalk is due to set out plans in the commons today for reducing the Prison Population in england and wales. Figures show thatjails are approaching full capacity with the number of inmates at an all time high. Youre live with bbc news. There are, in northern gaza, 22 hospitals treating more than 2,000 inpatients. The World Health Organization said this afternoon they now have under 2a hours of water, electricity and fuel left. The doctors at the Kamal Adwan Hospital are refusing to leave while caring for babies that are unable to survive without the help of medical equipment. But that equipment can only run if there is fuel for the generators. Translation in this war, as you can see, there are children attached to ventilators, and now we have been asked to evacuate these hospitals. Where should we evacuate these children to . They are attached to ventilators. They are completely dependent upon them, and it is impossible to move them. If you want to kill us, kill us while we continue to work here. We will not leave. We need days, weeks to secure another place. There are no empty nurseries. If you want to know what will happen, i will tell you. Transferring these children from this place means handing them a death sentence. They will die. This equipment only operates with electricity and oxygen. Joining me now is consultant surgeon nick maynard, who makes regular trips to gaza to train surgeons there. We spoke last night about the dire situation at the hospital mac, have you managed to contact Doctors Today . You managed to contact doctors toda . ,. , you managed to contact doctors toda . ~ , you managed to contact doctors toda . , ~ i. , you managed to contact doctors toda . ,. , today . Thank you very much for askin today . Thank you very much for asking me today . Thank you very much for asking me on today . Thank you very much for asking me on again today . Thank you very much for asking me on again i today . Thank you very much for asking me on again i have today . Thank you very much for asking me on again i have been| today . Thank you very much for. Asking me on again i have been in contact this morning, but not this afternoon. The situation has deteriorated overnight. They are very frightened, the fuel will burn out in generators today or tomorrow and that will have devastating consequences, of course. We have seen the doctor consequences, of course. We have seen the doctor they consequences, of course. We have seen the doctor they at consequences, of course. We have seen the doctor they at the consequences, of course. We have | seen the doctor they at the hospital in the neonatal wing and, if the power runs the generator runs of fuel, then those babies will not survive, will they . Fuel, then those babies will not survive, will they . Absolutely. It will be catastrophic. Survive, will they . Absolutely. It will be catastrophic. Many survive, will they . Absolutely. It will be catastrophic. Many of survive, will they . Absolutely. It will be catastrophic. Many of thej will be catastrophic. Many of the trauma victims, adults as well will be on ventilators. It will be very difficult to run any Operating Theatres without any electricity at all. So they will effectively be unable to treat the vast majority of their patients. It unable to treat the vast maority of their patients. � their patients. It must be so difficult for their patients. It must be so difficult for the their patients. It must be so difficult for the doctors their patients. It must be so difficult for the doctors to i their patients. It must be so i difficult for the doctors to plan their patients. It must be so difficult for the doctors to plan or make any contingencies here because there has been reporting today, for instance, that six oil thinkers had crossed the border of the un agency saying that was not the case so people no idea whetherfuel or as coming or not. Do you know whether there are any plans to move patients . Are they turning new patients . Are they turning new patients away from the hospital . Ida. Patients away from the hospital . No, the cannot patients away from the hospital . Iirr, they cannot turn patients away because there is nowhere else for them to go. In all shifa where i have most of my contacts al shifa will feel it is impossible to move patients. Most of the access roads to the road have been bombed so ambulances struggled to get there. They will not be able to move these patients because there is nowhere to go. So they feel utterly helpless to do anything more to do with the patients. {iii do anything more to do with the atients. , , patients. Of course then there is the psychological patients. Of course then there is the psychological impact patients. Of course then there is the psychological impact on patients. Of course then there is the psychological impact on all l patients. Of course then there is | the psychological impact on all of his own doctors, i saw one who was working 20 47 in the hospital who suddenly learned that his father and brother had been killed in an israeli attack. How many of the people that you are speaking to have lost people, lost touch with their families, what can you tell us about that . , families, what can you tell us about that . Y ,. ,. , that . Every single one that i in my colleagues that . Every single one that i in my colleagues have that . Every single one that i in my colleagues have been that . Every single one that i in my colleagues have been in that . Every single one that i in my colleagues have been in contact i that . Every single one that i in my l colleagues have been in contact with have lost loved ones or good friends. I was talking this morning to a very close friend of mine who is a female surgeon in gaza who was working in between cases. She had not been able to get a hold of her family, they had been displaced and were living in an area oh which she then heard had been bombed. She still has not heard as to whether they are ok or not, but every single doctor or nurse that we have been in contact with has been affected by this. ,. ,. , , contact with has been affected by this. ,. , this. Goodness me, dreadful. Iwill hoe ou this. Goodness me, dreadful. Iwill hope you will this. Goodness me, dreadful. Iwill hope you will continue this. Goodness me, dreadful. Iwill hope you will continue to this. Goodness me, dreadful. Iwill hope you will continue to come this. Goodness me, dreadful. Iwill hope you will continue to come on | hope you will continue to come on and keep us informed but thank you for your time this evening. President biden was supposed to be campaigning in colorado today but cancelled that trip in favour of a National Security meeting at the white house. Two strike groups, the Uss Eisenhower and the uss gerald ford, are being re positioned in the east mediterranean. And there reports tonight that the president is himself weighing a trip to israel later in the week, depending on the Security Situation and the state of the war. In Foreign Policy terms, there are many in washington who think this has been the president s strongest weeks in office, that he has been clear eyed about the threat, and immediate in his response. The most important thing is ending this brutality and to hold those who committed it accountable. By contrast, people will point to the dysfunction in the house, where republicans are struggling to respond and appoint a speaker. Its two weeks since Kevin Mccarthy was deposed, and still the speakers chair remains unfilled. David makovsky is the director of the Koret Project On Arab Israel Relations at the Washington Institute for near east policy. Thank you for coming on to the programme. The president has backed israel to the hilt and dispatched forces as a Deterrent Earning and points at home but is there a risk if the war explains to the north that the United States gets dragged in . I that the United States gets dragged in . , that the United States gets dragged in . ~ ,. , that the United States gets dragged in . ~ ,. , ~ �. , in . I think there is a risk. Im not sure the two in . I think there is a risk. Im not sure the two aircraft in . I think there is a risk. Im not sure the two Aircraft Deterrence l sure the two Aircraft Deterrence will save the whole time, one may be rotating the other one out, but i think if hezbollah starts a second front which is in the lebanon border into israel, from what i hearfrom my defence sources, the us will want an assessment from the israelis if they feel they can handle it alone, but there could be times where the us may come in. Above all, the goal is deterrence to try publicly and privately message that the president means it when he says, he tells countries, dont. Meaning do not exploit this tragedy. But also is going on to say superpowers cannot bluff. He said that many times and i think if needed, i think there is a chance that the us may have to respond to hezbollah, i dont think that it respond to hezbollah, i dont Think Thatitis respond to hezbollah, i dont think that it is the preference of israel and like to fight by itself or itself so i think that is its default approach, but we will see. If it is a two front war and could expand if iran wants to regionalised the conflict but the Secretary Of State lincoln was clear that the us firmly remains that it remains a israel hamas war. The interesting thin. Israel hamas war. The interesting thin here israel hamas war. The interesting thing here is israel hamas war. The interesting thing here is that israel hamas war. The interesting thing here is that the israel hamas war. The interesting thing here is that the president i israel hamas war. The interesting l thing here is that the president has been very pro israel and said he is pro zionist and he is taking his grandchildren there to educate them about the holocaust but that does not mean is a big fan of Prime Minister netanyahu. What you think is being weighed up in the white house about a Visit To Jerusalem is being weighed up in the white house about a visit tojerusalem at house about a Visit To Jerusalem at this house about a visit tojerusalem at this moment in time . I house about a Visit To Jerusalem at this moment in time . This moment in time . I think it is very possible this moment in time . I think it is very possible. Because this moment in time . I think it is very possible. Because like this moment in time . I think it is very possible. Because like you l very possible. Because like you said, he is very proud and he has got a lot of credit for the moral clarity in responding to this barbarism and has also the sense of empathy with the people who suffer that comes easy to him. He draws on his own experiences and he has been connected to being supportive israel now for 50 years talking about how he dealt with the Prime Minister in 1973. There are many sides to this, but in terms and going there, he would see it as this is my ability to identify with the people in a time of crisis was like he is very aware of american hostages being held in gaza. It may also be an element of buying more time, frankly. Tony lincoln and the Secretary Of State in the arab world is to partly, a, the agenda is clear which is do not regionalised this war and i which is do not regionalised this warand i think which is do not regionalised this war and i think all of the arabs agree with Secretary Of State blinking on this second is to figure out a humanitarian cord or to minimise suffering and the third is theissue minimise suffering and the third is the issue of getting hostages out all of these things you could do before the ground war starts once it begins, you dont have that same kind of control. So having the president go to the region i think in his room or is the mystique at a arab gathering, that is not confirmed, there would be time to gain more time until a lot of these strands fall into place. Strands fall into place. Thank you very much strands fall into place. Thank you very much for strands fall into place. Thank you very much for your strands fall into place. Thank you very much for your time, strands fall into place. Thank you very much for your time, david. I very much for your time, david. Sorry to press you but we have these live pictures coming in from brussels. Two people shot in the belgian capital this evening. We are told by Brussels Police the gunman is still as large in the video has been seen and verified by the bbc which is circulating on social media shows a man speaking in arabic says he is the author of the attack and says he is done in the name of god. Two dead, when injured we will see to our correspondent very shortly from brussels. One injured. Hello. Monday brought us a fairly crisp autumn day with some sunshine, be it a little bit hazy, but its going to be all change. Next day or so, still largely dry with sunny spells and some frost around. But midweek onwards, a real change to increasingly windy weather with some heavy rain as well. And thats all courtesy of our second named storm of the season, storm babet, which has formed close to the canary islands. Its pushing its way now you can see on the Satellite Image towards the bay of biscay. And as we head through the middle of the week, this low Pressure System merging with another one from the atlantic is going to bring increasingly wet and windy weather, especially across parts of scotland. But were all going to be seeing some heavy rain widely between about 30 50 millimetres, but its this zone across central and eastern scotland, you can see on the Rainfall Accumulation Map here, we could see between 150 200 millimetres of rain from wednesday to saturday, enough to cause some flooding issues, therell also be strong winds and big waves, too. Now for the rest of the evening and overnight, then, most of us looking dry, perhaps a few showers close to lincolnshire, norfolk as well. Clearer skies across the northern half of the uk where well see a frost again. But further south, not as cold as last night because weve got more cloud around and slightly milder air too. A bit of rain Tuesday Morning for the likes of cornwall, devon pushing into pembrokeshire as well. Most other areas looking dry. Plenty of sunshine for scotland, northern and Eastern England after any morning mist clears away. Sunny spells for belfast, i think 11t celsius here. But that rain will push across northern ireland. Through into the evening hours and overnight into wednesday, wet weather sweeps up across central parts of scotland, and more showers start to arrive from the south. Itll be a milder night, so temperatures certainly frost free, between about 8 15 celsius, i think, first thing wednesday. So, yes, some mild air with us, but you can see the proximity of the isobars. That means the winds are starting to pick up, and the rain is starting to arrive as well. So wednesday then initially a bit of rain for scotland, looks like well see more rain into parts of southern england. Some of this potentially heavy, could be thundery, and the winds are rotating around that area of low pressure. So gusts widely between about 35 1t5mph on wednesday. Itll be a bit milder compared to monday and tuesday, so highs between about 10 celsius in the north, still chilly there, to about 17 celsius towards the south. And then its thursday into friday that we see the persistent, at times heavy rain and the strong winds, which are likely to cause some disruption. Bye bye. Hello, im cristian fraser, youre watching the context on bbc news. Israel now believes nearly 200 hostages are being held in gaza. Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu promises to bring them home. We will look atjust how difficult that could be. I want to bring up to date with events in brussels this evening. Two people have been shot dead, both thought to be Swedish Nationals. The Swedish NationalFootball Team are playing in belgium tonight in a euro qualifier. We are not certain if they were in the city for that match. Spokesperson said they are still looking for the gunmen. There is some detail because of a Social Media Video which is circulating. We see a man speaking in arabic who says he was behind the attack and he did it in the name of god