To releases the hostages. 199 are being held, including two british teenagers whose mother was killed nine days ago. On the panel tonight, the former British Ambassador to the us, lord kim darroch, who once served as the uks National Security adviser, and from washington, formerfederal prosecutorjoe moreno. Good evening. The sirens sounded tonight in tel aviv while the us Secretary Of State was meeting at a Military Base with Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu and his war cabinet. In spite of ten days of bombardment in gaza, hamas is still able to fire rockets into israel, which tonight sent mr blinken and the Prime Minister scurrying into a shelter. Nonetheless, the punishment for hamas is unreleting. More so for the innocent palestinians who are trapped in gaza. The United Nations says israels siege is causing a deepening humanitarian crisis, which could come to a head in the next 2a hours as the hospitals run out of fuel to power the generators. The destruction in some parts of the strip is total. These are pictures from the jabalia refugee camp, once home to 120,000 people. It was one of the worlds most densely populated neighbourhoods, now in ruins, and those who stayed are clinging on. We will not leave, we cant. Even if they destroy our homes, where will be go with a family of five or six . Meanwhile, the half a million palestinians who the un says did head south are without food and limited water. Foreign nationals were hoping to Cross Into Egypt today but the border remains closed. The us says its working hard to convince the egyptians to open the crossings, so far without success. Contrary to earlier reports on other networks, the un agency in gaza, unrwa, say no fuel has crossed into gaza today. In fact, the areas close to the rafah crossing are coming under attack. These are medics excavating bodies under the rubble after one of the recent israeli air strikes. From southern israel, our international editor, jeremy bowen, sent this report. Another war of words has started over who is responsible for the suffering of Palestinian Civilians in gaza. Israel is dropping the bombs. It says blame hamas for killing and kidnapping and, says israel, hiding behind civilians. Gazans crowded into un schools after israel told them to move south towards the egyptian border. They are supposed to be protected by the laws of war. America has felt it necessary to deliver repeated reminders of that to israel, along with military aid. This grandmother blames israel, then speaks of tragedy, hunger, death, fear, horror and destruction. In rafah, at the closed border with egypt, palestinians with foreign passports are hoping to get out, to escape the pressure israel has imposed on civilians, despite its legal obligations. You cannot ask people to move out of harms way without assisting them to do it, to go to places of their choice where they want to be safe and where the humanitarian aid that they need to make that journey safely. And right now the movement that has happened has not had those provisions. Antony blinken, us Secretary Of State, returned to israel after a rapid tour of americas arab allies. The us is giving israel all the military aid it wants. But it is trying to stop the war spreading. Injerusalem in the parliament, Benjamin Netanyahu, israels Prime Minister, delivered another warning. He told iran and its lebanese ally hezbollah not to test israel. Ehud 0lmert, Prime Minister when israel last fought hezbollah, in 2006, was scathing about mr netanyahu for Mishandling Relations with the palestinians, for weakening the rivals of hamas, and said israel should have two objectives. One is to fight hamas. The other is to recognise the Palestinian Authority and try and uplift the Palestinian Authority and start negotiating with them and say, there is a horizon of peace after war. In israel, there is unity about fighting hamas. The argument is about why hamas could break through israels defences, and how to deliver israelis and palestinians from another generation of bloodshed. Jeremy bowen, bbc news, southern israel. That is the point i have seen families on all sides of the conflict those murdered in israel last week and those of the hostages who i cannot imagine what they are going through and i Million People in gaza that are on the brink of the people im thinking about tonight, really, are the doctors in the hospitals. The Health Professionals who have taken an oath to do no harm and they are in an impossible situation because there are about to run out of fuel and they are caring for critically ill patients who will die without that life support. It is an impossible situation. It life support. It is an impossible situation. , � , life support. It is an impossible situation. , � ,. Life support. It is an impossible situation. , � ,. , situation. It is. Its an appalling situation. It is. Its an appalling situation on situation. It is. Its an appalling situation on many situation. It is. Its an appalling situation on many levels. Situation. It is. Its an appalling situation on many levels. And | situation. It is. Its an appalling situation on many levels. And i | situation on many levels. And i think the israelis were in a strange position on what to do with the civilian population in gaza when they decided to, their leadership, to launch a ground operation. I think the thing, if i were to criticise what were going on or pin pinpoint would be the cutting off of Energy Supplies and water and medical supplies to the hospitals and to be civilians in gaza city. I know they have all been asked to leave, it is impossible to evacuate hospitals due to your patience and i wonder if that really had to be done because it is adding, as you say, immeasurable suffering there. You can understand, what the israelis are trying to do. They are trying to squeeze and squeeze such that they can force hamas to at least make a humanitarian gesture and release the women, children, elderly hostages in the tunnels at the moment in exchange for humanitarian aid, that seems to be the tactic. It exchange for humanitarian aid, that seems to be the tactic. Seems to be the tactic. It seems it will fall on seems to be the tactic. It seems it will fall on deaf seems to be the tactic. It seems it will fall on deaf ears, seems to be the tactic. It seems it will fall on deaf ears, noble seems to be the tactic. It seems it will fall on deaf ears, noble may. Seems to be the tactic. It seems it will fall on deaf ears, Noble May Itj will fall on deaf ears, noble may it be. Will fall on deaf ears, noble may it be it will fall on deaf ears, noble may it be it is will fall on deaf ears, noble may it be it is a will fall on deaf ears, noble may it be. It is a western concept, terrorist be. It is a western concept, Terrorist Groups not get that and in fact their Terrorist Groups not get that and in fact their use of terror is expressly contrary to the idea of war crimes expressly contrary to the idea of war crimes or atrocities so i think they war crimes or atrocities so i think they may war crimes or atrocities so i think they may shrug at an offer like that because they may shrug at an offer like that because they want suffering and they want the because they want suffering and they want the public spectacle which is the suffering which they will say is at the the suffering which they will say is at the hands of israel because they think at the hands of israel because they think it at the hands of israel because they think it feeds their cause. Sol hope think it feeds their cause. Sol hope these efforts work, but im scepticat hope these efforts work, but im sce tical. ~ ,. , hope these efforts work, but im scetical. ~ i. Hope these efforts work, but im scetical. ~. , sceptical. When you look at this as a prosecutor. Sceptical. When you look at this as a prosecutor, joe, sceptical. When you look at this as a prosecutor, joe, i sceptical. When you look at this as a prosecutor, joe, i know sceptical. When you look at this as a prosecutor, joe, i know you sceptical. When you look at this as a prosecutor, joe, i know you not. Sceptical. When you look at this as i a prosecutor, joe, i know you not an a prosecutor, joe, i know you not an expert on international law, but do you think israel is walking close to the line . Clearly hamas dont care One Way Or Another but is israel, as a State Operator in this, walking close to the line . I a State Operator in this, walking close to the line . A State Operator in this, walking close to the line . I understand that eo le close to the line . I understand that peeple keep close to the line . I understand that peeple keep saying close to the line . I understand that people keep saying that close to the line . I understand that people keep saying that israel close to the line . I understand that people keep saying that israel has l people keep saying that israel has to act people keep saying that israel has to Act Proportionally and that is a phrase to Act Proportionally and that is a phrase that is commonly used when isreet phrase that is commonly used when israel comes under attack and it has to respond. Israel comes under attack and it has to respond, but it cannot be held to a standard to respond, but it cannot be held to a standard of zero civilian casualties. Its awful, but unrealistic. The standard is to minimise unrealistic. The standard is to minimise the civilian casualties as necessary minimise the civilian casualties as necessary to obtain an achievable military necessary to obtain an achievable military objective. So urban combat is awful. Military objective. So urban combat is awful, there will be civilian casualties if this incursion continues as it appears it will. The responsibility of israel is to minimise casualties, but it will not be a minimise casualties, but it will not he a net minimise casualties, but it will not be a net sum of zero, it cannot happen be a net sum of zero, it cannot happen that way. We be a net sum of zero, it cannot happen that way. Be a net sum of zero, it cannot happen that way. We will talk plenty more on situation happen that way. We will talk plenty more on situation in happen that way. We will talk plenty more on situation in gaza. 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. Justice secretary, alex chalk is due to set 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. This is bbc news. President biden has cancelled all his appointments this week, as he concentrates on the National Security issues at hand. He has been invited by Prime Minister netanyahu to visit israel but there are some complex political and Security Issues to work through. The if he goes, then his trip could be interpreted as support for netanyahus military choices, but face to face he might have a better chance of influencing events on the ground. Biden and netanyahu, are uncomfortable allies in the best of times, in the past week they have joined forces but for years they have been at odds over the path forward in the middle east. And more recently over netenyahus political decisions. Last night the president gave a long interview to 60 minutes in which he outlined some of this thoughts. Were saying were going to do everything in our power to find those who are still alive and set them free. Everything in our power. And im not going to go into the detail of that. But theres were working like hell on that. Why do you feel so strongly about speaking to these families personally on zoom . Because i think they have to know that the president of the United States of america cares deeply about whats happened. Deeply. We have to communicate to the world this is critical. This is not even human behavior. Its pure barbarism. And were going to do everything in our power to get them home if we can find them. Israel is going after a group of people who engage in barbarism that is as consequential as the holocaust. And so i think israel has to respond. They have to go after hamas. Now, hamas is a bunch of cowards. Theyre hiding behind the civilians. They put their their headquarters where civilians are and buildings and the like. But to the extent that they can separate out and avoid conflict, the israelis are going to do everything in their power to avoid the killing of innocent civilians. What is your message to hezbollah and its backer, around . Iran dont. Dont, dont, dont, dont come across the border. Dont escalate this war. Thats right. Is iran behind the gaza war . I dont want to get into classified information, but to be very blunt with you, there is no clear evidence of that at this point. No evidence that iran is behind any of this. Correct. Now, iran constantly supports hamas. And hezbollah. But in terms of where they did, they have foreknowledge that they helped plan the attack. Theres no evidence of that at this point. Hamas and the extreme elements of hamas dont represent all the palestinian people. And i think that it would be a mistake to for israel to occupy gaza again, but to going in and taking out the extremist. The hezbollah of north, but hamas down south is a necessary requirement. Professor Stephen Biddle a member of the arnold a. Saltzman institute of war and peace studies. Us president s really trouble at the outset of conflict would you think is in the mind of President Biden and will be the value in going . I think establishing us support for an ally that was attacked unjustly, thatis ally that was attacked unjustly, that is important for israelis, important for americans. That is important for israelis, important foramericans. Secondly, i important for americans. Secondly, i think important foramericans. Secondly, i think he is trying to determine intervention from other parties in the region that showing that the United States is committed and if the United States is committed the costs of the intervention of iran if the us was on its Side Line Sol think it is trying to send a variety of different messages to different actors. He of different messages to different actors. ,. Actors. He told them there at the end that he actors. He told them there at the end that he is actors. He told them there at the end that he is not actors. He told them there at the end that he is not in actors. He told them there at the end that he is not in the actors. He told them there at the end that he is not in the favour. Actors. He told them there at the| end that he is not in the favour of the us occupying gaza, which i understand the focus right now and the strategic objective is to dismantle hamas, that is the imperative, but, once you are in there and you cannot do it without encircling gaza city, what do you do after . Do you think there is enough strategic thought being given to that . I strategic thought being given to that . , , � , strategic thought being given to that . , , � ,. , that . I hope there is, but its not an easy question that . I hope there is, but its not an easy question to that . I hope there is, but its not an easy question to answer. That . I hope there is, but its not an easy question to answer. The| an easy question to answer. The famous question on, tell me how this ends does not have an obvious answer here. You can topple hamas, if israel is willing to pay the price to do that in civilian casualties, what comes after is a much harder problem than getting rid of hamas. There is a lot of talk about the Palestinian Authority being instituted as the new government in gaza, but the legitimacy, if they do it, will be problematic. If they write in gaza on the back of israeli tanks, if not at all clear that they will command the loyalty of gazan posits the needs if that does not happen the viability of that government is negligible. There has also been talk of different gulf arab states collaborating to provide governments in gaza and other outside parties, there are a variety of ideas being batted around, i suspect an Israeli Government as well as elsewhere. None of them look like simple slam dunk solutions. If it is easy to identify problems in the shortcoming and difficulties in all that but its easy to identify problems and shortcomings in doing not