hello, i'm anna foster. this is bbc news live from jerusalem. the diplomatic efforts to relieve the humanitarian crisis in gaza step up again today. the us secretary of state antony blinken is meeting leaders from lebanon, qatar and jordan in amman. he is pushing for pauses for the fighting in gaza but benjamin netanyahu insists there will be no temporary ceasefire until all hostages are released. an official from the un says there is less and less they can do. around moo israelis were killed in the hamas attacks on the 7th of october. the health ministry also says at least 12 people sheltering in a school were killed in an explosion there on friday night. hamas says it was bombed by israel. there has been no comments yet from the israel defence forces. the un secretary—general and the world health organization have both condemned israel's attack on an ambulance in gaza on friday. the israel defence forces admitted striking tablets but said the vehicle was being used by hamas to transport fighters. the states states states it believes the war between israel and hamas is being contained and any broader regional conflict has been deterred. the comments from the pentagon followed the first public remarks from the leader of the iranian—backed hezbollah group who didn't commit his thousands of fighters to enter the conflict. our correspondent mark lowen sent this report. in times of peace, a medical refuge. but after four weeks of war, an ambulance is a target, too. outside gaza's main al—shifa hospital, one was struck by israeli aircraft, killing 15, say hamas authorities, and injuring 60. israel says it was being used by a hamas terrorist cell whose command centres run beneath the hospital. hamas called that "baseless" and "zionist nazi terror". the head of the world health organization spoke of his shock at the attack, adding that patients, health workers, facilities and ambulances must be protected at all times. but a lifeline has become a battle zone for tens of thousands who have been sheltering at al—shifa, and israel has urged their evacuation south. further north across the border in lebanon, huge crowds rallied to hear hezbollah's leader warn the war could spread. "american intervention", he said, "could spark a wider conflict". and he praised hamas�*s actions. but the speech was fiery without calling for all out war with hezbollah. there's little appetite in lebanon for it. and little sign, in his words, of imminent escalation. relief for now among many, including the us. we do see that, broadly speaking, a broader regional conflict has been deterred and so we'll continue to do that. we do not seek any conflict with iran. we do not seek to have conflict across the region. ourfocus here is on containing this and getting back to a stable and secure region as quickly as possible. america's top diplomat is in jordan today with arab leaders. his calls in israel yesterday for humanitarian pauses were rebuffed by the israeli prime minister unless hostages are released. the us said dozens more of its nationals have left gaza. more british passport holders too have got out through the rafah crossing into egypt. but for those who can't leave, gaza's nightmare worsens. israeli soldiers encircling the city, facing mines and booby traps as they press on with their goal of crushing hamas. and then what? mark lowen, bbc news, jerusalem. we arejust seeing we are just seeing some news from gaza that the israeli military have said that they will allow traffic on one of only two main roads in gaza for three hour period starting around about now. so residents can continue to move from the north to the south. there are only two roads that link the north and south of gaza and we know thou that gaza city has been encircled by the israeli military said this would seem to be a brief moment where some of those residents who in the north or returned again would be able to move south once again. the message, which was delivered in arabic on social media, said that the hamas leadership were taken care to protect themselves, this is what israel says, and urged civilians do the same by heeding their instructions to move south. we will keep you up—to—date with developments in gaza and also in jordan today. the us secretary of state antony blinken has meetings with various leaders in the middle east. this is a lengthy list of talks, isn't it?— east. this is a lengthy list of talks, isn'tit? , ~ ., ,�* ~ talks, isn't it? yes, antony blinken is talkin: talks, isn't it? yes, antony blinken is talking to — talks, isn't it? yes, antony blinken is talking to foreign _ talks, isn't it? yes, antony blinken is talking to foreign ministers - talks, isn't it? yes, antony blinken is talking to foreign ministers of. is talking to foreign ministers of jordan, the uae, saudi arabia, egypt. these are countries that have vociferously condemned the israeli strikes and continuing war effort in gaza. remember, some of them, saudi arabia for example, israel was on a path to normalisation with saudi arabia before this all erupted four weeks ago. that has been suspended now but there has been universal condemnation in the arab world of israel's actions. so, antony blinken is going to be hearing that from them but he is also going to be trying to talk to them about what can be done to deliver more aid to those absolutely, catastrophic situations and the disaster that civilians are facing in gaza. but he comes having been rebuffed by the israeli prime minister who refused his calls for a humanitarian pause in the war to allow more aid to come in the war to allow more aid to come in and to allowed more negotiations on those hostages releases. the israelis, for example, are saying that they have evidence that some feel that has been going into gaza has been siphoned off by hamas and so they have stopped all future deliveries into gaza, despite the fact that many hospitals in gaza report that they have no more fuel so they are having to close. it's a very difficult balancing act for antony blinken. he wants to show that the us remains steadfastly behind israel and israel's right to defend itself in the words of the americans, but also to show that the us is alive to the suffering of the people of gaza and to try and also stop it from spiralling into wider conflagration and a wider regional war. he will be heartened by the fact that the leader of hezbollah has not signalled an escalation into an all—out war but this is a region thatis an all—out war but this is a region that is on a tinderbox at the moment and he is going to try to calm tempers there injordan because, of course, as gaza smoulders, so does arab anger. course, as gaza smoulders, so does arab anger-— arab anger. mark, thank you very much indeed. _ arab anger. mark, thank you very much indeed. as _ arab anger. mark, thank you very much indeed. as mark _ arab anger. mark, thank you very much indeed. as mark was - arab anger. mark, thank you very . much indeed. as mark was reflecting on there, the us secretary of state, antony blinken, is facing demands for an immediate ceasefire in gaza as he meets representatives of arab nations in the jordanian capital, amman. he spoke shortly before they started. he had been in a meeting with the un relief and works agency that looks after palestinian refugees. it's both a pleasure and important to be here at unwra, which is doing extraordinary work every single day as a lifeline to palestinians in gaza and at great cost. more than 70 members of unwra have lost their lives. thousands are putting their lives on the line every single day to show up at work to help people. i have extraordinary admiration for the courage that they're showing. and we're here to hear about the efforts, the ongoing efforts to be able to talk to people in the field and to express our own ongoing support for unrwa's work, including through the assistance that the united states has dedicated to unwra over the last three years. so let me just say again, our condolences to those who've lost their lives in trying to help others, and our admiration for those who continue this vital work. as the us secretary of state speaking and a man earlier. the situation on israel's northern border continues to be extremely problematic with leben on, the iran backed haswell a khankendi group, has been exchanging regularfire along the border with israeli forces since the attacks on the 7th of october that were launched by ham as smack —— hamas. i spoke earlier to hugo bachega. i think a lot of people here in lebanon and israel and washington are relieved after the speech yesterday. the first time the influential leader of hezbollah made a public speech since the beginning of the war between israel and hamas and four weeks we had been talking about fighting along the border between lebanon and israel and fear that violence could escalate and lebanon could be dragged into the conflict so a lot of people were watching the speech yesterday and i think the most important thing that came out of the speech was he did not announce any intention to escalate those attacks, step up the campaign by hezbollah against the israeli military. he did leave the door open for more attacks, he said all options were on the table and he said the actions of hezbollah will be determined by what happened in gaza and by the actions of the struggle towards lebanon and hezbollah and he said the only way to prevent the conflict from spreading across the middle east was to stop the war in gaza. i think it was also important that he described those attacks that have been carried out by hezbollah is significant because he said this was forcing israel to deploy a large number of troops to its border with lebanon but again, there was no indication that hezbollah would be stepping up its attacks against the israeli military and i think the reaction that we have had from the biden administration is that they believe the possibility of an escalation of the crisis has been contained and that a wider conflict has been deterred, at least for now. asi as i have travelled around israel in the four weeks since this war began, on the norther border i spoke to orne. she has evacuated from her tan very close for the first time in her life and she told me how she was coping with the current violence. we are organised and we know when shooting is about to begin or when shooting starts, we know exactly what to do. and we get orders in our systems in all kinds of ways. we get alarms and we know that we should take cover and everything. and the intensity is the blast that you hear closer. and also the number of times a day when all the roads are blocked and you cannot go in and out and when you have to to stay in a bomb shelter or in a different kind of shelter for longer periods of time. and it happens more and more often. and tell me you left, but you haven't gone too far away? no, i... i need to be close by. i'm not used to leaving my home. i'm used to being in a war zone sometimes in my life, many times in my life. and i know exactly what to do in these situations. but i hate coming out of my community in these situations. and in fact, it's the first time — i'm 57 now — it's the first time since i've been an adult that i have been evacuated. i always stayed, even in the worst situations. does it feel different to you this time? it is. first of all, it's heartbreaking. it's really horrendous. i don't think there's a single person in israel, a single israeli, who did not get awful news about acquaintances who had not been to a shiva or to a funeral or to give their condolences to people hurt. everyone are involved in this and our children are involved in this. those who are older are drafted and they're on the borders. and the fear is unusual. people who i'm not used to to seeing them this way are intimidated because. it's not only war. these atrocities that we know of are beyond words. that was all know who i met close to her evacuated border town in northern israel near the border with lebanon. in gaza, a british—based doctor who had been trapped there since the conflict broke out has now arrived back in the uk. dr abdelkader hammad — who's a surgeon in liverpool — had been volunteering at the al shifa hospital in gaza city. he was able to use the rafah crossing into egypt on thursday. our reporter sam harrison was at heathrow as he became one of the first uk nationals to arrived home last night. a moment to savour. the relief of a man back from a war zone and back with his family. dr abdul qadir hammad, a surgeon at the royal liverpool hospital who's visited gaza for the last ten years. let's get you home. his work largely revolved around training doctors at gaza city's biggest hospital, al—shifa. his latest trip began just a day before last month's cross—border attacks by hamas gunmen. but finally, he's safe. big, big relief to see my wife and my sons here. i mean, it's been four weeks waiting for this moment really to happen. and, i mean, at some stage, i wasn't sure that this will happen, really. but thank god i'm here. it was this, the rafah border crossing, which dr hammad was able to pass through in order to reach egypt. as he found, though, his exit wasn't smooth. we went twice to the crossing, the first time we were turned back because the crossing closed. it was chaotic. and the second time we were lucky to get out. i mean, even on that day, some people have been turned back. the journey back to the uk is a long one and it's one that others are hoping to make. and with more people expected to cross from gaza into egypt over the coming days, there's hope more reunions like this one will take place. a lot of times we're wondering, are we going to get this moment because it's been so long and so many ups and downs. and you sometimes feel a bit guilty about, you know, being lucky to be able to get out. a family reunited at last. but for others, the agonising wait continues. sam harrison, bbc news, at heathrow. we just want to show you some live pictures of the area between southern israel and gaza just now. as you've been watching bbc news over the last week or so, you will recognise this area, this is where we have been broadcasting from. you can see there there is the sign of some israeli military movement, some tanks in that area. this is something we have seen a couple of times over the last week or so because, obviously, that's part of southern israel is so very close to gaza, you are right along the perimeter fence there, and we have seen once or twice these israeli military movements coming a little closer to the fence and we have seen them on the horizon as they move towards gaza city. this is the north—eastern part of gaza that you can see in these live pictures here, really showing that those israeli military movements are continuing throughout. we would hear regular outgoing fire, regular rocket attacks as well, coming in from gaza. one close to that area just last night as well. as the israel defence forces say, it is an ongoing operation which is far more intense thanit operation which is far more intense than it wasjust operation which is far more intense than it was just a week ago. of course, in gaza, the situation for civilians there under this bombardment remains dire and i spoke a little earlier to someone from the world health organization. the hos - itals world health organization. tue: hospitals which world health organization. tte: hospitals which were world health organization. "tte: hospitals which were used world health organization. tte: hospitals which were used as safe spaces for many that have been sheltering in the hospitals are not safe spaces. they are being attacked. the roads are not safe. the unrwa schools which were used for any attack in the past also as shelters are also not safe. the south doesn't seem safe either and the passage to the south wouldn't seem safe either. so you are right, there is no safe place to go. desperate pleas and desperate shouts from people and colleagues saying there is no youths to move to the south or anywhere because we could get killed in our house. that, really, is a desperate situation and this full attack on civilian population is unbearable. it is the brunt of the conflict is borne by women and children. the staggering figures that 70% of the victims in this conflict, more than 9000 deaths, are women and children. interestingly, in israel, with 1405 deaths counted in israel, also 70% of women and children. it shows you that whatever conflict we have, it's the women and the children who bear the women and the children who bear the brunt of this conflict and that's just unacceptable and we should do better. we that'sjust unacceptable and we should do better.— that'sjust unacceptable and we should do better. ~ ., , , should do better. we know yesterday that the us once _ should do better. we know yesterday that the us once again _ should do better. we know yesterday that the us once again pressed - that the us once again pressed israel first some kind of humanitarian pause or cease fire and israel are very clear that that will not happen until they have removed hamas entirely from gaza. what answers do you think there could be in terms of protecting the civilian population in gaza while this goes on? . , population in gaza while this goes on? ., , , population in gaza while this goes on? . , , ., , population in gaza while this goes on? ., , , ., , ., on? yeah, this is nearly the end of the line. on? yeah, this is nearly the end of the line- if— on? yeah, this is nearly the end of the line. if there _ on? yeah, this is nearly the end of the line. if there is _ on? yeah, this is nearly the end of the line. if there is no _ on? yeah, this is nearly the end of the line. if there is no access - on? yeah, this is nearly the end of the line. if there is no access in . the line. if there is no access in any way for any humanitarian intervention for even water and food, let's not forget the freshwater is absolutely scarce. it is only 5%, 6% fresh water supplies available, the rest is silently did water. when even something like hospital ships are not possible to come close to the shore and wounded cannot be evacuated when people have absolutely no lifeline, that is basically starving to death a population which is actually supposedly by the occupying force. is christian from the world health organization. just leave you out with more of those live pictures of gaza, seen from southern israel. you can see, often very misty in that area, but those tanker movements very close to the fence are kicking up very close to the fence are kicking up even more dirt and dust and it shows you really the intensity of that israeli military operation which continues, as the idf say they have now encircled gaza city and are continuing to push inwards towards hamas targets there. that is all for now here injerusalem. let's go back to london for the rest of the day's news. thank you, anna. anna foster injerusalem. at least 140 people are reported to have been killed in an earthquake in western nepal. the shallow quake of magnitude five point six hit the remote hill district of jajarkot, 500 kilometres west of kathmandu. strong tremors were felt in the capital and in indian cities including delhi. hospital officials in jajarkot said they were treating more than 40 injured people rescued from the rubble of their homes. our nepal correspondent is in kathmandu and updated us on the quake. details are still emerging. home minister a couple of hours ago spoke with the press and he informed us that 136 people have died and 161 people have been injured. but some of the local officials that we have spoken with have said the number could be a bit higher, around 150. but those details will be emerging as we go through this day. it's quite a remote location and the epicentre is almost 500 kilometres west of kathmandu. and how is the damage affecting people who live there? ~ . , damage affecting people who live there? . , , ., there? well, many people have lost their homes- _ there? well, many people have lost their homes. their _ there? well, many people have lost their homes. their houses - there? well, many people have lost their homes. their houses have - there? well, many people have lost| their homes. their houses have been turned into rubble. most of the houses that have been damaged are mud houses and it all happened in the night so most of the people were caught unaware in their sleep and they had to rush out side and they have lost almost thousands of houses might have been damaged. so have lost almost thousands of houses might have been damaged.— might have been damaged. so how common are _ might have been damaged. so how common are these _ might have been damaged. so how common are these kinds _ might have been damaged. so how common are these kinds of - common are these kinds of earthquakes in this area? well, earthquakes — earthquakes in this area? well, earthquakes are _ earthquakes in this area? well, earthquakes are fairly - earthquakes in this area? well, earthquakes are fairly common | earthquakes in this area? well, i earthquakes are fairly common in nepal. paulsits earthquakes are fairly common in nepal. paul sits on an active seismic belt and last month, also, there was a magnitude 6.3 earthquake that hit another western district, but luckily there were no deaths reported at that time. last year in november, six people died when another 5.6 magnitude earthquake hit another 5.6 magnitude earthquake hit another district and these are earthquakes, they all bring back the memories of 2015 earthquake that hit central nepal and devastating consequences with around 9000 deaths. ,., ,., deaths. our reporter reporting there from kathmandu. _ the british actor and comedian russell brand, faces a further accusation of sexual assault. a woman claims he assaulted her when she was an extra in filming of the film after 13 years ago. russell brand is yet to respond to the lawsuit but has previously denied allegations of sexual assault between 2006 and 2013 which were made by four women. do stay with us here on bbc news, there is plenty on our website. we have a live page with all of the news of the day. you can see there, the us says up to 400,000 people remain in north gaza as the ground offensive goes on. and all the content that you see here on the bbc news channel, you can access there. we have reporters throughout israel and in gaza and we are bringing you the latest. so do stay with us, you are watching bbc news. hello again. we have had some very heavy rainfall across southern areas of the uk this morning. some gusty winds to go with that, as well. that rain has cleared northward and we are starting to see now some sunny spells developing around southern areas. we are continuing with some showers in the south, with the rain moving northward, and there will be some sunny spells further north across scotland and northern ireland. we have got this fairly deep area of low pressure moving its way in. gusty winds around southern coastal counties. and with that rain moving its way further northwards through this afternoon into north wales, the north midlands, into eastern england. showers that will turn heavy and thundery around southern areas this afternoon, accompanied by that strong and gusty wind, gusts of 50—60 mph. further north, though, in scotland and northern ireland, some sunny spells here with the winds much lighter. fairly quiet conditions, really. a maximum temperature getting up to around 9—13. now, through this evening, you may be heading out to a bonfire or fireworks display. it is looking largely dry for most of us, certainly across scotland there will be some clear spells, just one or two showers dotted around across eastern areas. the same goes also for northern ireland. but come into northern parts of england, north wales, the north midlands, this is where we have got this band of cloud, showery outbreaks of rain, some clear spells in between. further heavy and thundery showers in the far south—east of england. those will generally clear away, we might start to see some showers around the far east into the early hours of sunday morning. elsewhere, with some clear spells, temperatures getting down close to freezing in central areas of scotland. six or seven celsius elsewhere. now then, during sunday, those showers around eastern parts will clear and showers will come in across western areas through the day. some sunny spells. saying largely driver central and eastern parts so perhaps a better, drier, sunnier day for many and temperature is about ten to 13 degrees. but again, for bonfire night, if you are heading out and about, those showers in the west will continue to move their way in. the clearest of the weather further north and east. into the rest of the week, tuesday will see ridge of high pressure, some fine weather here but by wednesday onwards, we'll start to see some weather fronts starting to move in. that means we are us going to see some more unsettled conditions from wednesday onwards but for monday and tuesday, looking largely dry with some sunny spells and temperature is about average for the time of year. bye—bye. this is bbc news. the headlines. the un declares there is little it can do to protect the people of gaza sheltering from fighting saying there are no safe spaces. for the sake of civilians, _ there are no safe spaces. for the sake of civilians, where - there are no safe spaces. for the sake of civilians, where ever- there are no safe spaces. for the| sake of civilians, where ever they are, and for the sake of humanity, this has got to stop, and it has to stop now. this has got to stop, and it has to sto now. ., ., , , stop now. the pentagon believes hezbollah will _ stop now. the pentagon believes hezbollah will not _ stop now. the pentagon believes hezbollah will not join _ stop now. the pentagon believes hezbollah will not join the - stop now. the pentagon believes hezbollah will not join the war. hezbollah will notjoin the war saying the conflict is being contained to israel and hamas. broadly speaking, a broader regional conflict has been deterred, so we will continue to do that and we do not seek any conflict with iran. we do not seek to have conflict across the region. em do not seek to have conflict across the region-— do not seek to have conflict across the reuion. �* . . ~' , the region. an earthquake in western neal has the region. an earthquake in western nepal has killed _ the region. an earthquake in western nepal has killed at _ the region. an earthquake in western nepal has killed at least _ the region. an earthquake in western nepal has killed at least 140 - nepal has killed at least 140 people. houses are destroyed and people. houses are destroyed and people are digging through rubble to rescue others. and russell brand faces fresh allegation of sexual assault. the claim is made in a civil lawsuit filed in new york dating back to 2010.