Just trying to seek shelter. John. Just trying to seek shelter. John, ust just trying to seek shelter. John, ust to just trying to seek shelter. John, just to reiterate, just trying to seek shelter. John, just to reiterate, no just trying to seek shelter. John, just to reiterate, no comment i just trying to seek shelter. John, | just to reiterate, no comment yet from the israeli authorities of the government there. Mat from the israeli authorities of the government there. Government there. Not that ive seen. I government there. Not that ive seen i think government there. Not that ive seen. Ithink Israel Government there. Not that ive seen. I think israel will government there. Not that ive seen. I think israel will say government there. Not that ive seen. I think israel will say it. Government there. Not that ive seen. I think israel will say it is| seen. I think israel will say it is investigating what happened. But we havent had confirmation that they carried out this strike. We havent had an explanation why they did it, if they did. What i would say is something you touched on earlier, it crossed the west bank. Were hearing that mosques are broadcasting from the minarets urging people to come out in the west bank and protest. Were beginning to see images of that happening. This could be a moment where really sparks this conflict, which is already inflamed really injuly. Conflict, which is already inflamed really in july really in july. 0k, john. We will come back really in july. 0k, john. We will come back to really in july. 0k, john. We will come back to you really in july. 0k, john. We will come back to you when really in july. 0k, john. We will come back to you when there i really in july. 0k, john. We will l come back to you when there any really in july. 0k, john. We will come back to you when there any new lines coming in. I want to make it clear to our view is that the scene were looking at is from a different hospital, the walnuts been hit in the past hour or so, this is Gaza Cities Hospital which is what 1. 5 km away from cities hospital which is what1. 5 km away from the hospital which was struck earlier. Confirmed reports that it struck earlier. Confirmed reports thatitis struck earlier. Confirmed reports that it is unconfirmed reports that it is unconfirmed reports that as a military, Israeli Military strike but the Hamas Health Ministry saying up to 1000 people have been killed or injured in that strike. James, wevejust killed or injured in that strike. James, weve just had killed or injured in that strike. James, wevejust had comment in from the canadian Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau who a short moment ago he said this strike on a hospital in gaza was horrific, absolutely unacceptable. Not acceptable to hit a hospital. He also was asked to comment on whether or not this could be a war crime. He suggested that if it is proved to be israel den it very much could be. What happens now diplomatically . Were waiting for confirmation of all the facts to come out. Itjust happened. But what will happen diplomatically given President Biden isjust hours away diplomatically given President Biden is just hours away from me arriving in israel . In isjust hours away from me arriving in israel . ,. ,. ,. , isjust hours away from me arriving in israel . ,. ,. , in israel . In terms of diplomacy can come at a worse in israel . In terms of diplomacy can come at a worse time. In israel . In terms of diplomacy can come at a worse time. The in israel . In terms of diplomacy can come at a worse time. The whole i in israel . In terms of diplomacy can i come at a worse time. The whole tone of the western intervention, united states, european leaders and others has been to say, we support israels right to defend itself. But increasingly in all their statements they have made clear that every measurement must be taken to protect civilians. President biden himself and said at one point that israel must follow the rules of war. It doesnt matter about the rules of war but International Laws say you dont target hospitals. For this to happen and as you say, were still in the early stages, we dont know. But for this to happen just as mr biden is arriving makes his trip hugely, hugely harder. Because the message that american diplomats had got from the whole region was low, everything needs to be dialled down for the one way of dialling this thing down is by getting humanitarian aid into gaza, about creating safe zones to protect civilians. Earlier today mr blinken said that he had reach some agreement with the israelis to create areas where civilians, to use his phrase would be out of harms way. Well, a lot of civilians went to hospitals and schools to be out of harms way. There were to un offices to be out of harms way. It appears that civilians in this particular hospital had been directly and harms way. That makes things very difficult for mr biden. Asjohn was saying there, the risk is this in flames tension and all those other part of the region where people have been looking nervously at the west bank. We forget sense the hamas attack on the 7th Of October 61 palestinians have died in the west bank of a knot in gaza but the west bank of a knot in gaza but the was painful to many more have been injured. The risk now is that becomes the next point of current flag ration. Theres violence between Israeli Settlers and palestinians. He is a really scary thought, what has happened, what were witnessing right now potentially becomes something that is used as a trigger by other bodies outside of israel, other countries, other militias, about armed groups and say actually, this is now the time to go all in and attack israel. And january two front is opened in this war. , and january two front is opened in this war. ,. ,. , this war. That is the warning we had from iran in this war. That is the warning we had from iran in the this war. That is the warning we had from iran in the past this war. That is the warning we had from iran in the past few this war. That is the warning we had from iran in the past few hours. I from iran in the past few hours. Exactly. Iranian spokesman, to varying degrees they dial it up and dial it down again but have been speaking of being unable to control they called forces of resistance. By that they mean militant groups like his brother in lebanon and other pro hezbollah. Around the region that they say look, if this carries on, this bombardment carries on day and they will be uncontrollable. They are quite controllable. Iran has pretty good control over them. That doesnt mean that these groups wont use this as a pretext. That is an open possibility. An open possibility. Looking at ictures an open possibility. Looking at pictures of an open possibility. Looking at pictures of the an open possibility. Looking at pictures of the scene. An open possibility. Looking at pictures of the scene. I an open possibility. Looking at pictures of the scene. I think. An open possibility. Looking at| pictures of the scene. I think is from the hospitaljust looking at those and the devastation. This is the hospital where they been taken following that attack. In the past few moments the spokesperson of Mahmoud Abbas said the israeli air strike, not confirmed yet certain by israel but that is what theyre calling it. The israeli air strike on the hospital is genocide. Hes calling it at humanitarian catastrophe. Already people out on the street of the bank. As you say from as soon as these attacks happen ljy from as soon as these attacks happen by hamas on is rich girl and they launch a retaliatory strikes on because of the west bank could become involved. Israeli. We were talking a short time ago but whether or not President Biden when he comes to the region to meet president netanyahu tomorrow, whether or not he would meet other leaders. I think we would probably agree that meeting president abbas now it would be at the top of his letters. He president abbas now it would be at the top of his letters. The top of his letters. He is due to see mr abbas the top of his letters. He is due to see mr abbas in the top of his letters. He is due to see mr abbas in jordan the top of his letters. He is due to see mr abbas in jordan for the top of his letters. He is due to see mr abbas in jordan for the i the top of his letters. He is due to | see mr abbas in jordan for the brief see mr Abbas Injordan for the brief trip. Also the president of egypt as well as the king ofjordan. As i said, this incident makes all of those meetings much, much harder because the bar has just got a lot higherfor an attempt at higher for an attempt at de escalation, higherfor an attempt at de escalation, and attempt to dial it down so theres a possibility of discussion. Weve been talking in recent days about the possibility of negotiations over some of the hostages being held by hamas. Weve been talking about may be a prisoner exchange. These kinds of things. Well, that sort of thing becomes. Seems far harder to talk about in this context. And far less likely for there to be any sense of ill we forget sometimes that arab nations, arab countries in the gulf have Public Opinion to deal with themselves. Fora Public Opinion to deal with themselves. For a long time some of themselves. For a long time some of the elites have said lets do a deal with israel, lets normalise relations so we can benefit from trade and security cooperation. In the palestinian issue is put to 1s side and many of the population have gone along with that. Well all of thatis gone along with that. Well all of that is out of the window now. The palestinian issue is now back front and center. This incident at this hospital makes it very, very hard for any government in the gulf, in the middle east to have much room for manoeuvre when it comes to doing deals with the israelis over trying to resolve things in gaza. I5 deals with the israelis over trying to resolve things in gaza. To resolve things in gaza. Is that in our to resolve things in gaza. Is that in your view to resolve things in gaza. Is that in your view what to resolve things in gaza. Is that in your view what hamas to resolve things in gaza. Is thatj in your view what hamas wanted to resolve things in gaza. Is that i in your view what hamas wanted at its iran wanted . To put this issue of the public two palestinians front and centre in the middle east . fine and centre in the middle east . One ofthe and centre in the middle east . One of the reasons. And centre in the middle east . Que of the reasons. Hamas and centre in the middle east . Ole of the reasons. Hamas is and centre in the middle east . me of the reasons. Hamas is ever and centre in the middle east . he of the reasons. Hamas is ever felt that its case was being ignored by the arab spring, as its known. Iran was keen to drive a wedge between israel and all its new potential Sunni Arab Allies in the region. Its all the Abraham Accords agreed in countries like the iraqis and others started doing deals with israel and there had been before this hamas attack conversations between the salaries for normalising relations. In the face of this, all of that is in the past now. James, thank yom of that is in the past now. James, thank you. The of that is in the past now. James, thank you. The british thank you. The british Palestinian Surgeon currently working in gaza spoke to the bbc shortly after the missile strike. A plastic and reconstructive surgeon from london said it hit while he was operating. He described the scene moments afterwards. He described the scene moments afterwards afterwards. Parts of the hospital are on fire afterwards. Parts of the hospital are on fire. I afterwards. Parts of the hospital are on fire. I dont afterwards. Parts of the hospital are on fire. I dont know afterwards. Parts of the hospital are on fire. I dont know if i afterwards. Parts of the hospital are on fire. I dont know if its i are on fire. I dont know if its the emergency department. Part of the emergency department. Part of the roof has fallen in. This broken glass everywhere. There are a lot of people taking refuge in the hospital now. ,. ,. , people taking refuge in the hospital now. ,. ,. , now. You can hear the panic there as that situation now. You can hear the panic there as that situation developed now. You can hear the panic there as that situation developed from now. You can hear the panic there as that situation developed from the i that situation developed from the professor. Robert platt asher is in washington. As weve been talking, this strike, if it is confirmed to be an israeli strike in which it looks like many hundreds of palestinians have been killed just hours before that visit by President Biden for them and while the us Secretary Of StateAntony Blinken is in the country and actually was due to hold a News Conference with Mahmoud Abbas to shortly. Horrible thin to Mahmoud Abbas to shortly. Horrible thing to happen Mahmoud Abbas to shortly. Horrible thing to happen. As Mahmoud Abbas to shortly. Horrible thing to happen. As you Mahmoud Abbas to shortly. Horrible thing to happen. As you said, i Mahmoud Abbas to shortly. Horrible thing to happen. As you said, it i thing to happen. As you said, it needs to be confirmed that it was an israeli airstrike. But the number of casualties as reporting are a norm is and could grow. It was a hospital, a place where there are people who are sick but also a place where people were sheltering, which is the neck they have been doing a hospitals thinking that would be a safe zone, they would not be hit that way. It is really one of the worst things that couldve happened before President Bidens trip and will obviously complicate mr blinken said efforts as well. Because it is going to throw the spotlight on the humanitarian crisis and the civilian casualties and the operation in gaza against hamas in how civilians are being endangered because of it. That is something that the americans have been addressing more and more. They continue to say they support the israeli right and duty and so on to eliminate hamas, to strike a forceful blow against it but very much wanted that to be done with his little civilian harm as possible and that built up strip. This is going to add to the pressures around those efforts. Also, theres always been a gamble with mr biden deciding to go to israel at this time. While the israeli air strikes are going on in the humanitarian situation is already bad with the thought that it could get worse if they do this ground invasion, that he is going to basically very publicly be standing with israel at this time and be identified with the bloodshed in gaza. He also been stressing very much, officials stressing their Working Overtime to try to deal with the humanitarian mr blinken is meeting with Palestinian AuthorityMahmoud Abbas and mr biden will meet with him and others as well. They havent very much emphasising the need to deal with this. They have emphasised. Putting it very much in focus and complicate the trip. Ihlo focus and complicate the trip. No doubt hes going to be asked for a response, President Biden for that the canadian Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau has already been asked to comment. Hes going to have to Say Something before he arrives there, isnt he . ~ �. , something before he arrives there, isnt he . ~ �. ~ isnt he . Weve asked the white house for. Isnt he . Weve asked the white house for, and isnt he . Weve asked the white house for, and havent isnt he . Weve asked the white house for, and havent received| isnt he . Weve asked the white i house for, and havent received one yet. I think they are waiting to get more details about what exactly has happened to the extent that they can. The palestinian Health Ministry, the gaza Health Ministry has said it was an israeli air strike for the Palestinian Authority has a call for three days of mourning. Israelis have said they dont have details about what happened and theyre looking into it. I expect the americans are also waiting to see more details about what caused this explosion. I think from people watching the israeli counter offensive, especially palestinians and especially those on the ground it is too damn obvious that it was an israeli airstrike. We will have to see. I think the americans will come out with some sort of response at some point but they are trying to get more details, probably. They are trying to get more details, robabl. ,. ,. ,. , probably. How much more important because his probably. How much more important because his visit probably. How much more important because his visit now probably. How much more important because his visit now become probably. How much more important because his visit now become by i because his visit now become by President Biden tomorrow . I think, as i said before, President Biden tomorrow . I think, as i said before, it President Biden tomorrow . I think, as i said before, it heightens i President Biden tomorrow . I think, as i said before, it heightens the i as i said before, it heightens the focus on the humanitarian and protection of civilians side of things. 0bviously, what weve seen from the american so far as weve been reporting is that they very much stood beside israel right to a forceful response. They said hamas should not be seen