by the islamichhad armed militant group. the huge number of deaths at the hospital triggered angry street protests in palestinian cities in the west bank and across the arab world. president biden has been visiting. president biden had been hoping to attend a summit of arab leaders injordan after visiting israel but that has been cancelled after the president of the palestinian authority pulled out following the hospital explosion — declaring three days of mourning for the men, women and children killed. the palestinian health minister said the number of people killed in gaza over the last 10 or ii the number of people killed in gaza over the last 10 or 11 days is now at least three and a half thousand. with more than 13,000 wounded. the director—general gave this reaction to what happened. it is shocking. it is horrified. 0ur colleagues are totally horrified, especially that our hospital has received has received a number of threats. we have issued days and days before a warning that if this continues, people are going to die. we have patients, we have people who are sheltering. so our colleagues who are in the ospital are really today thinking about what if another bomb, another bombardment of the hospital as we have been threatened and as the israeli occupation army told us that it will be your responsibility if you don't move your patients, they are really in a very, very difficult situation. they are also transporting and rescuing those people who have been injured and who have been killed. we have already transported about 73 people. 37 of them were killed. so it is a horrifying, shocking situation, especially that we have been warning the whole international community that this is, there must be some pressure on israel to stop this, to have a ceasefire. and the order to evacuate hospital is a death sentence in itself. margaret harris is from the world health organization. she gave some background as to who was being treated at this hospital. there were a large number of patients, at least 2000 patients in the hospitals of the northern side who were have got such severe injuries and such severe needs that they couldn't be moved. they're on ventilators or they were needing dialysis or they were babies in incubators, just people, patients that no doctor or nurse would be willing to move. i really am lost for words about this, and the only good outcome of any of this would be if the hostilities stopped right now and that the world just took a breath and said, "let's be humans. let humanity prevail. stop the anger. stop the hatred. be human." i mean, when i was a junior doctor, our biggest fear was a bus crash. this is like... like 100 buses crashing. and at a time when your hospital doesn't have the people, doesn't have the equipment, has run out of notjust fuel, but the bandages, the trauma supplies, all the things that are sitting in our trucks on the other side of the border have run out in these hospitals. we have been talking about reaction to this explosion in gaza that has got so many lies at the hospital yesterday. israeland got so many lies at the hospital yesterday. israel and the palestinians accuse each other of triggering that explosion. there has been enormous and deep reaction to that event across the region. i am nowjoined by bbc monitoring middle east specialist hesham shawish. thank you forjoining us. there was almost an immediate reaction, wasn't there? on social media, as the horrific pictures were coming out of that hospital as we were hearing the news. .. ., .. .,,, news. huge reaction right across the reaion, on news. huge reaction right across the region, on social— news. huge reaction right across the region, on social media, _ news. huge reaction right across the region, on social media, unofficial. region, on social media, unofficial media channels. there was a press conference following an emergency meeting, un, arab ambassadors. they were condemning israel and calling for an emergency un meeting, this morning, and arab media outlets have been leading with the aftermath, thatis been leading with the aftermath, that is pretty monitoring situation in gaza. a lot of presenters have been wearing black as well. in terms of media coverage of the saudi owned tv channel, the qatar aljazeera channel and sky news arabia, the main pan— arab channels, i've been airing quite graphic footage of the aftermath, body bags, bodies being recovered, and rescue efforts. they have been calling it a bloody day, reporting gaza is being destroyed and also reporting that guzzles morning is on renewed israeli bombardment. in terms of israeli media coverage they have been widely reporting the israeli army's denial of responsibility over the blast. the israeli army has said the palestinian islamicjihad was palestinian islamic jihad was responsible palestinian islamicjihad was responsible for what it said was a failed rocket barrage and the pi] have denied that. they said with their third telegram channel said thatis their third telegram channel said that is at israel was fabricating lies and trying to evade its responsibility and the palestinian militant group hamas is also accused israel. in terms of the important regional countries like saudi arabia, jordan, the uae, neighbouring jordan which signed a peace deal with israel in 1984 and is custodian ofjerusalem's christian is holy sites takes a special interest in publishing, over half of the population there has palestinian roots, so the mediator has dedicated excessive coverage to the situation. last night's channels were showing large crowds of people trying to break through to the israeli embassy. police to persuade us crowds. also in lebanon media there were showing large crowds of people outside yosemite throwing stones and trying to break through so there's a lot of anger being expressed across the region. this is on the eve of president biden pulls �*s visit. the uae which is a very important country which organised... as you were saying, it is interesting that before that attack by armed palestinian groups into israel in which they massacred 1400 israelis and took 200 people hostage, including the elderly and young children and israel's reaction after that bombardment of the gaza strip, there had been talk of normalising relations, hadn't there, between saudi arabia and israel, which was hotly discussed in the middle east. there have been divisions between countries in the region as to what relations they could or should have with israel. in reaction, though, to what we saw, the explosion at the hospital and generally over the last days and the humanitarian situation in gaza, there doesn't seem to be that division at the moment. in there doesn't seem to be that division at the moment. in terms of saudi media — division at the moment. in terms of saudi media this _ division at the moment. in terms of saudi media this morning _ division at the moment. in terms of saudi media this morning they - division at the moment. in terms of saudi media this morning they have been reporting on the humanitarian situation in gaza. the response from saudi media has been a lot more muted than other channels like al jazeera and sky news arabia. 0ne muted than other channels like al jazeera and sky news arabia. one of the most prominent newspapers is based in london and has been quoting official reaction. it has been leading this morning with the egyptian president's suggestion that the palestinians seeking safety would be transferred to the mega desert rather than the sinai. he said the transfer of all sentience to sign i would just transfer the conflict there. saudi outlets from what i have observed have been airing the hope official reaction and you mathurin situation in gaza more than condemning israel. for its actions, for the air strikes on the gaza strip. so there has been quite a different, quite a varied media coverage. around the region. although concerted concern for the humanitarian situation as you say. what about reaction and expectation for the visit by us presidentjoe biden to the region that has caused, at the moment he is in israel, but he had been planning a summit then in amman injordan with arab leaders which was then cancelled because of the explosion in the gaza hospital yesterday. the explosion in the gaza hospital esterda . ., , , the explosion in the gaza hospital esterda . . , , ., , ., yesterday. there has been fairly low coveraue yesterday. there has been fairly low coverage of— yesterday. there has been fairly low coverage of the _ yesterday. there has been fairly low coverage of the visit. _ yesterday. there has been fairly low coverage of the visit. the _ yesterday. there has been fairly low coverage of the visit. the media - coverage of the visit. the media regionally still have been very preoccupied with the humanitarian situation and the aftermath of the blast. but they have been relaying for cancellation byjordan of the planned meeting which was supposed to be attended by the egyptian president and the palestinian president and the agender there was supposed to be focused on the humanitarian situation and getting humanitarian situation and getting humanitarian assistance into gaza. we have seen quite a strongly worded statement being issued by the jordanian foreign ministry. they said the meeting would be held when the parties can agree to, quote, end the parties can agree to, quote, end the war and the massacre is palestinians. it has blamed israel for its military campaign and for what it said was pushing the region to the brink of the abyss. we are seeing a very tense diplomatic situation and that is despite the shuttle diplomacy we saw by the us secretary of state antony blinken earlier this week. we will continue to talk about those tensions. thank you. there are tensions. thank you. there are tensions around the gaza strip, but the situation is also dense in northern israel near the border with lebanon. parts of the lebanese side of the border are controlled by hezbollah, a militant organisation which like a mass has close links to iran. 0n which like a mass has close links to iran. on tuesday israeli forces killed at least four of the group who they said were trying to cross the border to plant explosives. israel has established why buffer zone near the border, evacuating villagers for what it says are security regions and that has raised concerns that that area could be heating up. joining us from beirut to discuss that is a former general in the lebanese army. hello to you. hello. figs in the lebanese army. hello to you. hello. �* , ., , in the lebanese army. hello to you. hello. �* , . , , hello. as we have been seeing in the ast hello. as we have been seeing in the past couale — hello. as we have been seeing in the past couale of _ hello. as we have been seeing in the past couple of hours, _ hello. as we have been seeing in the past couple of hours, president - past couple of hours, president biden has arrived here in israel for talks with israel's government. he had then been planning to go on to jordan for a summit and to talk to arab leaders, the hope being to calm the situation and also allow a humanitarian corridor and supplies into gaza, in order to calm the wider region. but does the northern region feel come to you right now? the northern region is closely linked to what is happening in gaza and the like is iran. everyone knows that. the lebanese government doesn't control anything unfortunately. hezbollah now is the principal actor in south lebanon. the clashes all along the border started 10 days ago. we are still within the control, controllable situation because israel and hezbollah during the 15 years were playing in the rule of engagement, sheu playing in the rule of engagement, shell against another shell, a killed person against another killed person. 0pposition against opposition, but surely pressure these 10 days, the intensity of these 10 days, the intensity of these crashes increased in a very significant way. it may slip and go out of control. the visit of president biden in israel before the problem, the bombing of the hospital in gaza. intended first of all to limit the conflict to gaza. and to avoid extending it to lebanon. what we heard from the iranian foreign affairs minister yesterday was a warning to israel at to the united states that hezbollah may undertake pre—emptive actions because hezbollah is not sure that israel will not finish with gaza and then turns to lebanon in a large—scale operation. we are talking about water here and not about questions that we are hearing along the border during the past 10 days. president biden doesn't want to involve the us forces despite the fact that during the past 15 years the united states tried to extract itself from the middle east in order to focus on russia, on china, on other issues, but the middle east is not a distraction and it called back the american diplomacy and american forces. 0ne american diplomacy and american forces. one third of the american power is here. we have two aircraft carriers with the carrier strike group, and this is a huge force with huge firepower that is not intending to support israel only, but to dissuade iran from getting involved and to dissuade hezbollah. the us doesn't want to get involved in this conflict. , ., , doesn't want to get involved in this conflict. , . , ., doesn't want to get involved in this conflict-_ yes- i conflict. yes, that is what... yes. as i was — conflict. yes, that is what... yes. as i was saying. _ conflict. yes, that is what... yes. as i was saying, the _ conflict. yes, that is what... yes. as i was saying, the us _ conflict. yes, that is what... yes. as i was saying, the us sad - conflict. yes, that is what... yes. as i was saying, the us sad that i conflict. yes, that is what... yes. | as i was saying, the us sad that it is carriers of their as a deterrent in the region. that as the declared aim of it, a deterrent to iran and hezbollah. but what could be just about deciding factor? because we heard from hezbollah, it warned that if the humanitarian situation continued to get worse and worse inside gaza, it would feel it had to take action, after the explosion at the hospital in gaza yesterday which israel says it was not responsible for, but hamas, governing gaza, says it was. hezbollah called for a day of rage. what could be a deciding factor, hezbollah is an armed organisation, massively armed but it also has interests in government in lebanon, doesn't it, which is suffering an economic crisis, so if you look at lebanon and to thank the people of lebanon can't afford a world right now, or might it feel compelled to take action in this very tense situation? == compelled to take action in this very tense situation?— very tense situation? -- can't afford a war. _ very tense situation? -- can't afford a war. lebanon - very tense situation? -- can't afford a war. lebanon can't i very tense situation? -- can't - afford a war. lebanon can't afford to be the theatre of a new war. the last one occurred in 2006. 7500 tonnes of ammunitions. we had 73 bridges destroyed. some infrastructure destroyed and other infrastructure destroyed and other infrastructure was spared because of the american and french and european efforts, in order to spare this. but i think if there is a larger scale total war on the lebanese soul, no infrastructure will be spared. this is a dramatic situation. i don't think the international community, neither the arab community, can afford to turn lebanon into the new gaza, where chaos and no control for no one, i think this is mad and crazy, but now let's focus on the principal point, try to rein in hezbollah. the lebanese government can't do anything but the international community, and with the contacts with iran and we know there are back channels functioning full speed now, either through catarrh or other channels between the united states and the iranian order, to rein in the situation. but there is somewhere, unknown factors that could deteriorate the situation. first about what will hezbollah decide. this is first question. of course whatever they decide, iran should give the green light. this is the first thing. the second thing, the situation in gaza is very fluid, but if israel undergoes an operation, large scale, in gaza and wins in a short time, there are risks for hezbollah to see israel returning and coming and finishing with hezbollah or opening a large—scale with hezbollah. this situation if his brother is they might start themselves as war. but to return back to your question, lebanon does not afford a war. a lot of lebanese, and the majority, including the public that supports hezbollah, they don't want a war on their soil but hezbollah is trapped now with the positions they are taking, pro—iranian, and talking during the past six months of the unity of the theatres between palestinian, lebanon, the west bank, syria and so on. this scenario is not seeing serious involvement, even though you are talking and everyone is saying that the clashes are getting more intense across the border but the situation is still under control inside lebanon. there are no signs that hezbollah until now is preparing for a large—scale war. there are no signs that israel wants to enlarge the theatre of operation. no israeli air force was seenin operation. no israeli air force was seen in the lebanese air space, no israeli missiles went beyond south lebanon, so the situation seems to be still under control, but there are very high risks that it could deteriorate somewhere going beyond any control, and this is the case of the majority of wars. you can take the majority of wars. you can take the first world war, no one wanted it and it went away with 25 million people killed. so this is my assessment of the situation. thank ou ve assessment of the situation. thank you very much- _ assessment of the situation. thank you very much- a _ assessment of the situation. thank you very much. a former— assessment of the situation. thank you very much. a former general. assessment of the situation. thankj you very much. a former general in the lebanese army, talking about the huge tensions across the wider region. notjust in the south. israel's boundary with gaza. but in the north also with the armed militia hezbollah in lebanon as well. the risks for escalation, which is whyjoe biden says it is important in the region. he has hope to come here and he is here right now in israel meeting with the israeli government, had been hoping to hold a summit with arab leaders afterwards injordan. that was cancelled because of an explosion and the deaths of hundreds at a gaza hospital yesterday, although he will be speaking we are told with arab leaders by phone later today. there has been international outrage over the explosion at the gaza hospital. the explosion that happened yesterday. and the wider region has been reacting to the loss of life there. the un secretary—general has led global condemnation of the incident in which women and children were amongst the many dead. hamas says they were killed by an israeli air strike, says they were killed by an israeli airstrike, israel says says they were killed by an israeli air strike, israel says a palestinian rocket was to blame. nomi bar—yaacov is an associate fellow in the international security programme at chatham house and she gave her reaction to president biden�*s comments on the explosion and the wider situation after arriving in israel. yes, he spent an awful lot of time on solidarity and maybe not enough time on the dire humanitarian situation and the urgent need to have a humanitarian ceasefire and let aid in. he didn't make any public statements about the efforts going on behind the scenes to try to release hostages. he made no mention of the efforts of qatar and turkey yesterday, the foreign minister of turkey spoke to ismail haniyeh, the leader of hamas. it would have been i think somewhat, it is important to try to work out how to end this. it is very clear he empathises with israel. it is very clear, to use his term, that there was a slaughter, a very brutal slaughter on the 7th of october, but i think we need to move on and think about how we resolve the situation and get all of the key arab states in the region involved. as well as the us, and some european states, try to work out how to get out of this quagmire. that was nomi bar—yaacov of chatham house talking to us there about the explosion at the gaza hospital yesterday in which hundreds are said to have died. an explosion that israel has blamed on the palestinian armed group islamicjihad, saying it was the misfiring of a rocket the group had aimed at israel. the palestinian authorities have blamed the explosion squarely on israel. this when joe the explosion squarely on israel. this whenjoe biden comes to the region to try and calm the situation. we see him there arriving in israel this morning. hello again. we've got some heavy rain and strong winds on the cards, notjust today, but as we go through the rest of this week. it's only through the weekend it gradually starts to turn drier, less windy and chillier. but at times across the north and also the east, we could have gusts of wind to gale force, even severe gales. now, storm bebet�*s coming our way today, pushing northwards as we go through tonight and tomorrow. we've got this next area of low pressure which could affect southern areas during the course of friday. but it's going to be windy throughout this period. so to take a look, first of all, at how much rainfall we're expecting, the key is up here. we've got lots of blues in the charts. so you can see we're looking at between 30 and 50 millimetres of rainfall quite widely. but we also have some whites indicating 100 millimetres or more of rainfall. so the met office has an amber weather warning out for the north—east of scotland thursday and friday where we could have up to 200 millimetres of rainfall. now, that's largely on higher ground, but it's falling on saturated ground, could lead to some flooding and disruption. today, though, we've got some heavy and persistent rain across the south and also the west. a lot of dry but cloudy weather around. these black circles represent the strength of the wind gusts, so the wind picking up everywhere as we go through the course of the day. but especially windy across the far north of scotland. temperatures 10 to 19 degrees. this evening and overnight, the heavy and persistent rain continues to advance northwards. it will remain dry, but strengthening winds across the north—east of scotland and some heavy, potentially thundery showers coming in across the south of england. so as a result of all of this, it's not going to be a cold night. tomorrow, then, storm babet pulls out of northern england and stalls across north—east scotland. this is where we've got the amber weather warning. so after heavy rain, it will dry up across northern england through the day, but continue to rain across northern scotland where the totals will really be mounting. for northern ireland, the rest of england and wales, it's a day of sunshine and showers, but some of those showers could be heavy and thundery. and we're looking at gales, even severe gales across the far north and north—east. into friday, that low pressure i was showing you is sliding along the near continent and could bring some heavy rain in across the south—east. there'll be showers around, but the rain easing across scotland, but still very windy with gales in the north and also the east. live from jerusalem, this is bbc news. joe biden is in israel for talks with benjamin netanyahu's government — as jordan cancels a planned summit with arab leaders. his trip comes as israel and hamas blame each other —— for an explosion at a hospital in gaza —— that's said to have killed hundreds. president biden refused ro say israel was at fault. doubly saddened and outraged by the explosion at the hospital in gaza yesterday and based on what i have seen, it appears as though it was done by the other team. the israeli army has tonight responsability for the explosion, blaming a failed rocket launch by palestinian islamichhad. the blast sent shock waves through the region, with palestinians staging protests across the west bank. hello and welcome to our viewers around the world and those in the uk, i'm katya adler and we're broadcasting live from jerusalem from this region gripped by violence and death with fears the situation could well escalate. the us presidentjoe biden has arrived in israel.