bbc news now. gaza's only power plant has stopped working after running out of fuel, as israel continues its deadly bombardment for a fifth day. israeli troops are massing near the gaza border in preparation for what could be a ground invasion of the territory, as israel responds to saturday's brutal attacks by hamas militants. these are the key developments this hour. israel says that more than 1,200 israelis are now known to have been killed, since hamas launched attacks on saturday. 169 of those killed were soldiers. the bbc understands 17 british nationals are dead or missing. palestinian sources say that more than 1,055 people have been killed by israel's bombardment of gaza, where entire neighbourhoods have been flattened. food and medical supplies are dwindling, after israel sealed all crossings into the territory. both sides have accused the other of war crimes in the attacks, which began on saturday. strikes against gaza have continued. we canjust we can just show you this. this gives you a sense of the bombardment, a series of blasts a short while ago at gaza's port, smoke billowing right up into the sky there. 0ur correspondent nick beake has been following developments from tel aviv. the missiles rained down on gaza for another night. israel said itsjets hit 200 targets in one specific part of the city which it claimed was home to those behind hamas�*s attack at the weekend. sirens wail many civilians were on the receiving end. taken to hospitals which were already said to be full. palestinian officials said half of the dead in gaza are women and children. killed as shops and homes were levelled. translation: children are now playing here, where they should be sleeping. what is this? this is not a life. we are living here, surrounded by rubble. gaza is destroyed. everything is destroyed. israel's intensified attack came after the discovery of a massacre, in the southern city of kfar aza. israeli soldiers recapturing areas from hamas, said mothers and children were among those who had been murdered in their homes. they have justjihad machine to kill everybody. without weapons, without nothing. just normal citizens, that want to take their breakfast and that's all. and it's a dreadful thing to see. it is very difficult to see it but we must remember who is the enemy and what is our mission. our mission is the justice, we're in the right side and all the world needs to be behind us. an official uk source has told the bbc there are now 17 british nationals who are either dead or missing, following hamas�* attack in israel. children are among them. many of these victims have not yet been named. israeli troops are gathering on the edge of gaza, in ever greater numbers. preparing for a much bigger battle. a ground operation into the heart of hamas controlled territory. here at israel's ministry of defence, they say they're preparing to carry out their mission, to make sure that hamas will not be able to kill israeli civilians in the future. but any advancing forces are likely to encounter fierce resistance from the hamas fighters. it's feared the bloodshed of the past few days will only intensify. nick beake, bbc news, tel aviv. now back to our correspondent nick beake in tel aviv. we are at the ministry of defence. at the moment. they say the plans are continuing, that thousands of troops, hundreds of thousands of troops, hundreds of thousands of troops are now making their way towards gaza. and if you listen to top officials, if you listen to the defence minister here, he says it is not a question of if they go into gaza but when. and so these preparations are under way. the top military generals, the commanders say they had been given this mission by the government and in their word thatis by the government and in their word that is a mission to make sure that hamas is unable to harm or kill israeli civilians in the future. so thatis israeli civilians in the future. so that is the words coming out of the israeli ministry of defence. of course, at the same time, there are concerns, deep concerns about what a ground invasion, a ground operation would mean for lots and lots of people, but certainly that is what we are hearing from the top israeli generals, that it is a matter of time. . ~ ., generals, that it is a matter of time. u ., generals, that it is a matter of time. ., time. nick, given that so many israelis of _ time. nick, given that so many israelis of course _ time. nick, given that so many israelis of course are _ time. nick, given that so many israelis of course are still- israelis of course are still reeling, are still shocked and so traumatised by what has happened, what is your sense of how united or in fact divided people when it comes to this next bit of military action by israel? to this next bit of military action b israel? , , ., , to this next bit of military action b israel? , , ., by israel? this is a country of course where _ by israel? this is a country of course where people - by israel? this is a country of course where people have . by israel? this is a country of course where people have to| by israel? this is a country of. course where people have to do military service, so there is that connection, that relationship. so people who may not be on active service at the moment, they have been called out or they are certainly waiting to. we have spoken to people who have been saying they have been ringing up, asking to go and serve. 0ne local peasant helping us yesterday, driving us wrong, he said he was called up. —— local person. we spoke to some people last night who spent the past ten months orso night who spent the past ten months or so preparing demonstrations against the benjamin netanyahu government. they don't like the direction the country is being taken in. they say for now that is on poles and they were getting glued together to send out to front—line troops. so that is the reaction from a lot of people. not everyone within israel but the attacks at the weekend certainly shocked and stunned people are now there is this sense of a ground operation happening in gaza and people here will be watching that. all the while, in gaza itself, those civilians who are stuck there, and we know that many, many people have had to leave their homes, they will be waiting to see what further bombardment there will be of the place that they call home and as you have been reporting on the programme today, the bombardment continues. in the past 2a hours, a50 israeli air strikes have taken place. they tell us here at the ministry of defence that 200 of those were focused on a very specific part of gaza city where the generals claimed that a lot of people from hamas had been housed and were able to plan the attacks of the weekend. we housed and were able to plan the attacks of the weekend.— housed and were able to plan the attacks of the weekend. we can show ou some attacks of the weekend. we can show you some drone _ attacks of the weekend. we can show you some drone pictures _ attacks of the weekend. we can show you some drone pictures that - attacks of the weekend. we can show you some drone pictures that show i you some drone pictures that show you some drone pictures that show you the scale of destruction in gaza from those air strikes. as you can see, the damage is immense with entire buildings reduced to rubble. the red crescent has said four palestinian medics have been killed in israeli strikes today. the aid group says three died when an ambulance was "directly targeted". 0urteam our team has been looking at some of the main targets which include schools and mosques. here is frank gardner. israel's bombardment of gaza shows no let—up, following the deadly hamas raid on saturday. this is what parts of the city looked like before those israeli air strikes, and this is what it looks like now, after being pulverised from the air. so let's try to put all this into context, with this map of gaza. it's one of the most densely populated places in the world. 2.3 million people crammed into a narrow coastal strip measuring just a1 kilometres, or 25 miles long. currently, the borders are closed, meaning that nobody can get in or out. here are some of the neighbourhoods which have been hit according to our monitoring of palestinian and israeli media reports. 0ur correspondent rushdi abu alouf is in gaza. it's the heaviest, i think, ever air strikes i've ever seen in my life and in my 25 years of working as a journalist. i was in a residential building with about 20 families. the whole building was shaking all night, kids were screaming, people were calling for appeal. we've been looking at some of the buildings that have been targeted in recent days, including this one, the islamic university of gaza. we're able to locate it using the shapes of nearby buildings. we compare that with what it looked like before and then after last night's air strike. the israel defence force said they targeted it because it was being used as a training camp for weapons development. another prominent building struck is this one, the palestine tower. the idf, that's the israel defence force, said it housed hamas radio stations and that they warned occupants to evacuate before their attack. it was hit on the weekend. the moment of impact was caught on camera by a bbc journalist filming nearby. next, let's take a look at this, it's a northern part of gaza called al rimaal, the sands. as you can see, the housing is very densely packed and here it is getting hit by an israeli air strike. again, we're able to locate the area using the position of the buildings and the road patterns — and this is what it looks like now. the israeli air force says it was a terrorist hub being used to launch attacks on israel. and finally, places of worship have also been hit. this is the al gharbi mosque before the attacks — and now after. the israelis have targeted a number of masks because they say hamas has been using them to hide weapons in. this all gives you just some idea of the sheer scale of the destruction we've been witnessing across gaza. hundreds have been killed, as israel presses on with its plan to destroy the hamas leadership, which in turn seeks the destruction of israel. frank gardner there. hamas rockets are also continuing to be fired into israel. these are the latest pictures from ashkelon and what you can see is the iron dome defence system. it intercepts those rockets that are launched from gaza. it is always remarkable to watch this happening. just to update you on the united states, they have vowed rock—solid and unwavering support for israel. president biden his promising missiles for this exact thing we are seeing, the iron dome interceptor system. we can talk more now about the response from the us as we look at these pictures. live now to washington dc to speak to our north america correspondent nomia iqbal. the secretary of state is on his way to the region, where is he going? he is to the region, where is he going? he: is going to israel. he is expected to arrive there tomorrow, as you said. he is going there to show this rock—solid support for israel. he is essentially delivering that very impassioned and forceful speech we heard from president biden yesterday to the israelis in person. you mention the military systems they are giving. we understand the aircraft carrier has arrived, has reached the eastern mediterranean sea and there will be more military assistance that the americans will be sending to israel. also, antony blinken is expected to go tojordan as part of his trip as well. find as part of his trip as well. and what is the — as part of his trip as well. and what is the latest _ as part of his trip as well. and what is the latest on - as part of his trip as well. and what is the latest on israeli americans who have been killed or taken hostage? we americans who have been killed or taken hostage?— americans who have been killed or taken hostage? we do not know the full details yet _ taken hostage? we do not know the full details yet on _ taken hostage? we do not know the full details yet on the _ taken hostage? we do not know the full details yet on the hostages, - full details yet on the hostages, the numbers. president biden did confirm that yesterday. we don't know the full details on that, however, and we don't know their names yet, either of those that are killed. i want to add another point about antony blinken�*s trip and what it means for the us. the last time antony blinken was in israel was in january 2023 and he went there when there was a spike of violence in the occupied west bank, 35 palestinians and eight israelis were killed. he had gone to try and de—escalate tensions but also establish relations between the israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu and at that time his new very far right government. the americans walked away feeling that the outcome wasn't as fruitful as they had hoped it would be. but this is obviously a whole new situation, uncharted territory, as we've been seeing, that mr blinken will be going to. jordan has a peace treaty with israel and he will be going there so thatis israel and he will be going there so that is an incredibly important trip for mr blinken. ultimately what the americans will be doing when they get there is showing that unequivocal support for israel. president biden describing the strikes on saturday as an act of sheer evil. can you give us an idea of the coverage there has been in the us since saturday on what is happening in the middle east, how people are responding? the coverage has been huge- _ people are responding? the coverage has been huge. it's _ people are responding? the coverage has been huge. it's been _ people are responding? the coverage has been huge. it's been almost - has been huge. it's been almost wall—to—wall. notjust on the cable network tv shows but also on social media. there has been so many celebrities as well who have been giving their views. this is something that is so unprecedented, as we know, but also a really crucial moment for the us and president biden in terms of testing his relationship with israel, but also just in terms of what kind of diplomacy he can deliver. right now, he is very much standing shoulder to shoulder with israel. there are members of his democratic party, more on the progressive side, who have expressed support for the palestinian calls and they our voices that could be considered fringe but as this war continues on as we see the conflict escalates and the images will be coming out of gaza once the response gets under way by israel, i imagine those voices will become louder and that is something president biden will be conscious of. but for now, the position of america is crystal clear, to quote resident biden, whatever israel wants, america will deliver it to them. that is essentially the message the secretary of state will be delivering when he arrives in israel tomorrow. . ., delivering when he arrives in israel tomorrow. ., ~ , ., delivering when he arrives in israel tomorrow. . ~' �* ., tomorrow. thank you. around the world and across _ tomorrow. thank you. around the world and across the _ tomorrow. thank you. around the world and across the uk, - tomorrow. thank you. around the world and across the uk, this - tomorrow. thank you. around the world and across the uk, this is l tomorrow. thank you. around the i world and across the uk, this is bbc news. let's look at some other stories making news. flights are expected to begin departing from luton airport at 3pm bst after all flights were suspended. a large fire caused the partial strucutral collapse of a multistorey car park at one of the airport's terminals. four firefighters and a staff member were treated for smoke inhalation. around half of the flights scheduled to depart today have been cancelled. the labour leader sir keir starmer has pledged to �*get tough�* with with any of his own mps who stand in the way of his plans to remove red tape around planning rules if he wins the next election. he told the bbc he'd take on mps and local councils to build more new homes. a watchdog report has found wandsworth prison in southwest london is �*unsafe and inhumane' — blaming years of underinvestment in the site. the independent monitoring board said the findings reflected the failures of the prison system as a whole. the report was written before the alleged escape of the prisoner daniel khalife last month. you're live with bbc news. there has been another large earthquake in western afghanistan after a 6.3 magnitude quake in the same region killed more than 1000 people. the new quake — of the same magnitude — has struck 28 kilometres north of the city of herat at a depth of ten kilometres. this is a second outbreak of a similar magnitude to hit the region in the last five days. according to local health officials, more than 100 people have been injured. remember, this is an area that is still recovering from a deadly quake on saturday. more than 1000 people are reported dead and dozens and dozens of buildings have been reduced to rubble. according to aid organisations, they are lacking blankets, food and basic supplies. many people were already sleeping under the open air, i therefore fear of aftershocks or because their homes were destroyed. the bbc spoke to one eyewitness who said that she had neverfelt to one eyewitness who said that she had never felt so scared for her life, neverfelt had never felt so scared for her life, never felt so close to death, that as she was running from the building she was sleeping in, she didn't want to turn around and look behind herforfear that her home would be crumbling and she would see people being buried alive. back to the war between israel and hamas. an update for you on the hostages. israel saying up to 100 people were taken captive when hamas launched its surprise attack on the 7th of october. hamas has said it has hidden them in "safe places and tunnels" within gaza, and threatened to kill hostages if civilian homes are bombed by israel without warning. the bbc has a team ofjournalists looking at what the situation is like now and who the hostages could be. frankie mccamley has this analysis. it is thought up to 150 people were taken hostage when hamas launched its attack. we are trying to verify these numbers by using videos that have been posted online. this video is thought to show a 30—year—old who is thought to show a 30—year—old who is believed to have been taken hostage with her two young children. in this video, you can just about see her young nine—month—old baby in her arms. see her young nine—month—old baby in herarms. it see her young nine—month—old baby in her arms. it is understood her husband as well was taken hostage. the bbc has managed to speak to her cousin about the hostage situation. babies torn out from their bed at 6am _ babies torn out from their bed at 6am on — babies torn out from their bed at 6am on saturday morning on a holiday in israeb _ 6am on saturday morning on a holiday in israel. they were asleep in their beds _ in israel. they were asleep in their beds 8?— in israel. they were asleep in their beds. j ,, a' in israel. they were asleep in their beds. j , , ., ~ ., in israel. they were asleep in their beds. j ,, .,~ ., ., , in israel. they were asleep in their beds. j ,, .,~ ., ., beds. by speaking to families and watchin: beds. by speaking to families and watching footage _ beds. by speaking to families and watching footage like _ beds. by speaking to families and watching footage like this - beds. by speaking to families and watching footage like this that - beds. by speaking to families and | watching footage like this that had been posted online, bothjournalists and the authorities are still trying to work out exactly who has been taken and some of this footage really quite disturbing. 0ne danish mother sent this footage to danish television, claiming this is her eight—year—old daughter who is being held hostage and this her 15—year—old. she had this message for them. 15-year-old. she had this message for them. �* ,, �* 15-year-old. she had this message for them-_ i - 15-year-old. she had this message for them._ i will - 15-year-old. she had this message for them._ i will do | for them. translation: i will do an hina. for them. translation: i will do anything- we _ for them. translation: i will do anything. we will— for them. translation: i will do anything. we will do _ for them. translation: i will do anything. we will do anything - for them. translation: i will do anything. we will do anything to i for them. translation: | will do l anything. we will do anything to get you back _ anything. we will do anything to get you back. do what your hostage—takers tell you. be strong. you are _ hostage—takers tell you. be strong. you are heroes. the whole country is with you _ you are heroes. the whole country is with you and — you are heroes. the whole country is with you and everyone else who is being _ with you and everyone else who is being held — with you and everyone else who is being held hostage.— with you and everyone else who is being held hostage. everybody loves ou. you. another family we are finding more information about is this family, quad members —— four members taken, including a 12 and 16—year—old and their mother spoke to them just before they were taken and she has spoken to the bbc. those barbarians took hits out of their_ those barbarians took hits out of their houses and out of their beds. and just _ their houses and out of their beds. and just kidnapped them and are keeping — and just kidnapped them and are keeping them hostage. this— keeping them hostage. this video posted online appears to show her children in the hands of militants. as you can see, it is very blurry. and it is also important to say when videos like this emerge, when we can see people in the back of trucks, we don't know where they are being taken and we don't know what condition they are in following on from these videos. i think the complexity of the situation has been highlighted in the case of a german tattoo artist here. many after seeing this video that appeared to show her body in the back of this truck going through the streets reported that she had been killed. however, her mother has since spoken to german media and released this video to say she thinks her daughter is still alive. frankie mccamley there. 0ne one of the other strands to bring you up—to—date with as to what is happening in southern lebanon. there is real nervousness in israel are in israel and around the world. israel has attacked an observation post inside neighbouring lebanon belonging to the militant group hezbollah. israel says it's in response to a fresh rocket attack from accross the border. i've been speaking to our correspondent anna foster who's in northern israel on the lebanon border. you can perhaps see on the hill line, it looks like a faint grey stripe. it is actually a high wall that marks the border between israel and lebanon. this is a village that was divided in half, half of it stayed in israel, half of it is now in lebanon. i also want to show you over here, there is a hill you can seejust behind me over here, there is a hill you can see just behind me over there. over here, there is a hill you can seejust behind me over there. you can see a hezbollah observation point sticking out at the top of the trees. locals here were showing me video of what happened here yesterday, because they had hezbollah infiltration over the border just hezbollah infiltration over the borderjust here and on the video you could hear the sounds of gunfire. you could see men on the hillside there. it is worth saying, that was a serious moment because three israel defence force soldiers were killed, one of them very senior, a deputy battalion commander. it is small incidents like this here on this border that are causing really serious anxiety right now. even this morning, hezbollah fired an anti—tank missile into israel. again, the israel defence forces responded, thereby to get targeted hezbollah positions inside there. a lot of the focus at the moment is on gaza and the perimeter of gaza and what is likely to happen there but there is really worldwide concern that if there were something here that were to suddenly escalate, you are then getting into a huge, potentially regional war. you will remember back in 2006 when israel and lebanon fought a devastating war over a month or so and i think particularly if you look to the us, they have moved ships into this region, moved an aircraft carrier into the mediterranean. a lot of that is to do with what is happening in gaza but a lot of it is to do with the fear that a new front could open up here. there were also overnight missiles fired from syrian territory and these are a lot of the things that may be are not the first things that may be are not the first thing we are talking about at the moment but they are really serious underlying issues. anna a n na foster anna foster there. wejust have anna foster there. we just have some pictures into show you from lebanon from the south. you can see damage done to a village there by the israeli army that we know is shelling this area in response to anti—tank fire from across the border as were saying, it's the latest in a series of clashes on israel's northern border since hamas launched its assault on israel on saturday. palestinian armed groups based in lebanon have said they are responsible for most of the attacks but this is an area that is controlled mostly controlled by hezbollah. several members we understand of hezbollah, the israelis are saying, have been killed in this recent violence. what you are seeing here is damage to a village in lebanon, in southern lebanon after the israeli army has been shelling this particular area. so real concern of course that the new northern front may open up in this war. israel also anticipating possible attacks from armed groups in syria, too. this is gaza, which we are keeping an eye on as well, with news that electricity has been cut there because the only power station in gaza has now run out of fuel. israel had announced earlier in the week that it was cutting supplies of electricity, fuel and water and that means that just a few electricity, fuel and water and that means thatjust a few generators will be the source of electricity for many, many people. egypt's top diplomat has been holding talks with the head of the un agency for palestinian refugees about how they can help civilians in gaza with the borders shut that is a very difficult thing to do right now. do stay with us. hello. for some of us over the last few days, it has felt as if summer has been trying to cling on deep into 0ctober. but autumn is going to be arriving over the next few days. in fact, already feeling quite autumnal in the northern half of the uk. here some sunshine, but some rather cool air working its way in from the north—west. conversely, south—westerly winds bringing warm and muggy air down towards the south, and the dividing line between those air masses is this weather front bringing some outbreaks of rain across parts of wales, the midlands, into east anglia and lincolnshire. particularly heavy rain i think across parts of west wales with the risk of some flooding and some disruption. to the south of that, often quite murky but warm and humid. further north, something cooler and fresher. 12 degrees, for example, in aberdeen and glasgow. some sunshine, scattering of showers, the winda —— winds slowly easing a little bit in the north of scotland. now, overnight, ourweatherfront moves a little bit further southwards and then tends to stall across southern counties of england, parts of wales and the midlands, very mild here, 16 degrees in plymouth overnight. compare that with two or three degrees for many spots further north. but here, we will see some sunshine to take us into tomorrow morning. a scattering of showers, particularly in the north—west of scotland. this band of cloud never really clearing the south of england or south wales. we could see some pockets of rain and drizzle at times. some warmth trying to cling on here, but for most a cooler feel. 17 degrees there for london, 13 for belfast, 12 degrees in glasgow. but instead of clearing through, that weather front actually tries to push northwards again during thursday night into friday, looking very wet for parts of england and wales. at the same time, this cold front pushes its way into scotland and northern ireland. so quite a complex look to the weather chart on friday, but we will see some outbreaks of rain, particularly across england and wales. but across scotland and northern ireland we see sunny spells and some showers. some of those showers could start to turn wintry over the very highest ground as some colder air starts to dig its way in. and that's the story for the weekend. we finally lose all of these weather fronts, all of us get into this cold north—westerly wind. if anything, temperatures by day will be a touch below the average for the time of year. and at night, we've got the chance for quite a widespread grass frost. bye for now. the fallout of war — the us treasury secretary says the economy remains on track, despite the geopolitical shock. and inside the murky world of online loans — a bbc investigation exposes how scammers entrap people using bogus apps in india. welcome to world business report. iron ben thompson. economies around the world are assessing the potential fallout of the conflict between israel and gaza. first up, the us treasury secretary janet yellen. she says she continues to expect the us economy to have a soft landing, even though the fighting poses significant additional risks.