people have been trapped in gaza since israel tightened its siegejust over three weeks ago, after it was attacked by hamas, which is classed as a terrorist organisation by the uk and other governments. and in northern gaza, there's been another air strike onjabalia, a day after an israeli attack killed dozens of people at the refugee camp there. israel says its forces killed another hamas commander in the latest strike, but un human rights officials say it could be a war crime. our international editor jeremy bowen has our first report, which contains material you may find upsetting. at last, the gates of the rafah crossing were opened. some foreign citizens were allowed to leave gaza for egypt. for the first time, since israel imposed its siege. convoys of aid trucks are moving into gaza, though not nearly as many as the un and aid agencies say are necessary. ambulances went in for the seriously wounded. injabalia, at the opposite end of the gaza strip, more israeli raids. this time they said the target was a command centre. the un said gaza's civilians were being starved, traumatised and bombed to death. on the other side of the border wire, israelis are still in shock over the october 7 attacks. this is kibbutz nirim directly facing gaza. for the first time, adele was back to grab a few things. her hopes of peace with her neighbours in gaza gone forever. stopping anything like this happening again is powering israel's determination to see this fight through to the end. adele showed me in place where he son—in—law saved her three granddaughters, all under the age of ten. tell me what happened here? that's their safe room. that's where he shot the terrorist. as it was under attack, hamas radio messages were intercepted, and the israeli army gave us this excerpt. the fence has been fixed, israel's security has not. so there's no doubt there was a lot of complacency about the risks that hamas posed to israel. and after the war, there's going to be an inquiry. but, even now, the prime minister, binyamin netanyahu, is under a lot of pressure about his responsibility for the security lapses that led to hamas breaching the border. i took my pistol... that day, a retired israeli general drove down from tel aviv to rescue his son's family from hamas. as the hamas gunman surged forward, his mission was successful. he took a rifle from a dead israeli soldier and, with others, fought his way in. i saw one terrorist, i pointed on him, i killed him. i saw another one, i think i wound him or killed him. who do you hold responsible for what happened? this is the biggest failure in the history of the state of israel. it was a military failure, it was an intelligence failure. and it was a failure of the government. but i think the one that really in charge, and all the blame is on him, is prime minister binyamin netanyahu. this was the funeral of 20—year—old lavi lipshitz. killed in combat in gaza. israelis are behind their troops, but increasingly they want to know how so much went wrong, and the pressure on the prime minister is going to increase. well, our correspondent inside gaza has spent the day at the rafah crossing. reporting from there is extremely difficult, but he started by explaining that while hundreds of people had gathered, only a small proportion were actually allowed to cross. it was chaotic in the morning. they realised it wasn't open for everybody, just people on the list — a list sent by the egyptians. they put it on a wall, and everybody should find their name and people in the crossing will check the passports and make sure that the name matches the list, and then they were crossed. i was spending all day talking to people there — people like — really, some of them were happy because they are crossing, but they are really sad at the same time, because they left families behind here and they don't know what's going to happen to them. but, overall, it's significant that the crossing was open today — not only for the citizens who are dual nationals, but for hundreds of people — patients who are waiting in this hospital to be treated outside. because the hospital is overwhelmed by the number of people with serious injuries, huge pain, people with very severe injuries — they are waiting for their turn to go and be treated in egypt, not only their national citizens. you've been with me is mohamed taha from bbc arabic. i think this war�*s reached one of its peaks now. the israeli troops are advancing towards the heart of gaza. the idf are saying that they managed to cross the first defence line of hamas fighters. on the contrary, hamas is saying that they are fighting with israeli troops and they managed to hit some israeli armour — some of the drones used in these attacks. israelis are also saying that they are shelling gaza with 10,000 shellings over the last few hours. the amounts that the israelis announced that the israelis announced that there are 16 soldiers killed last week. on the contrary, the hamas authorities saying that two of the casualties reached 8,769 — more than 3,600 children amongst them. the israelis also are saying that they are continuing a shelling at a camp, thinking that there are more hamas leaders in there amongst the biggest condemnation. as you said earlier, the un human rights said what happened in jabalia could amount to war crimes. hamas announced that the number of people killed in jabalia reached 195, and there are 120 missing injabalia. 0k. are 120 missing in jabalia. 0k. let me ask — are 120 missing in jabalia. 0k. let me ask you _ are 120 missing in jabalia. 0k. let me ask you about - are 120 missing injabalia. 0k. let me ask you about president biden. not long ago in the united states, he was responding to a question and he suggested that he thinks it is time for a humanitarian pause — not a ceasefire but specifically aimed at getting the significant number of israeli hostages — more than 200 - israeli hostages — more than 200 — out of gaza? israeli hostages - more than 200 - out of gaza?— israeli hostages - more than 200 - out of gaza? yes, indeed. and americans _ 200 - out of gaza? yes, indeed. and americans amongst - 200 - out of gaza? yes, indeed. and americans amongst these . and americans amongst these hostages as well — so biden is really interested at the moment to have this pause for both the humanitarian efforts and for the release of the hostages, and giving a chance for the talks that are undergoing to let this happen. and i think he was encouraged by the mediation that happened by qatar that allowed the rafah crossing to be opened and more than 500 people crossing that border. we can see in the pictures now the rafah crossing and people getting out of that. so these images encouraged president biden to call for that pause. also, egypt allowed 70—odd injured people from gaza to go to egyptian hospitals. this is also a good sign of the good effect if this pause would happen. effect if this pause would ha en. ., ~ effect if this pause would hauen. . ~' , effect if this pause would hauen. . ~ , . happen. 0k. thank you very much for updating _ happen. 0k. thank you very much for updating us. _ happen. ok. thank you very much for updating us. thank— happen. 0k. thank you very much for updating us. thank you. - for updating us. thank you. thank you. there are believed to be more than 200 hostages still being held by hamas in gaza. among their number are two young israeli sisters — dafna, who's 15, and ella, who's eight. they were staying with their father in a kibbutz near the boundary with gaza when hamas began its attack. we can speak now to the mother's cousin, gil zimmermann. he'sjoining us zimmermann. he's joining us from zimmermann. he'sjoining us from austin, texas. welcome to you, gil. tell us more about what happened to these little girls — what you understand has happened. hi. girls - what you understand has happened-— girls - what you understand has ha ened. ., happened. hi, good morning. so what we know— happened. hi, good morning. so what we know is _ happened. hi, good morning. so what we know is that, _ happened. hi, good morning. so what we know is that, on - happened. hi, good morning. so what we know is that, on the - what we know is that, on the morning of october 7, hamas terrorists took over the kibbutz of nahal ouz, not too farfrom the kibbutz of nahal ouz, not too far from the gaza border. we now know that they came by the hundreds. we know that ella and daphne and their family hundreds. we know that ella and daphne and theirfamily — their father, his partner, and her son — toniel — the family was abducted. and we know this because they took a phone and livestreamed the whole event to facebook. my cousin started getting phone calls. no—one was answering. and in the livestream — which we have some clips of — you can see that their father, clips of — you can see that theirfather, nom, has been shotin theirfather, nom, has been shot in the leg. you can see ella, who's eight years old, being held, tearfailed to. and you can see dafna just bawling in fear. soon thereafter, we know that ella and dafna were taken across the gaza border. again, we know this because we found images of them taken by the terrorists that were posted to telegram and such, celebrating the capture of this 8- celebrating the capture of this 8— and 15—year—old girl. we later found out, 8— and 15—year—old girl. we laterfound out, about a 8— and 15—year—old girl. we later found out, about a week thereafter, that the family was informed that the bodies of mom, the father, his partner nom, the father, his partner decla, and her son tonil, who is 17 — their bodies were discovered in nahoroz, murdered. discovered in nahoroz, murdered-— discovered in nahoroz, murdered. ., ., ~ ., ., murdered. what do we know of the uirls murdered. what do we know of the girls themselves, - murdered. what do we know of the girls themselves, gil? - murdered. what do we know of the girls themselves, gil? we l the girls themselves, gil? we only know _ the girls themselves, gil? - only know that they are in gaza, or at least they were just after the kidnapping. we haven't heard anything since. we don't know if they are alive. we don't know if they are well. first if heir healthy. we know that, in the pictures, we can see some bruising on dafna and injury to ella and her hand. but we haven't heard from them in weeks. we don't know if they're sick or healthy. we don't know if they've been abused or not. we have lots of fear and lots of hope. we have lots of fear and lots of ho e. �* we have lots of fear and lots of hoe. �* ,,�* we have lots of fear and lots ofhoe.�* �* of hope. and you're in close touch with _ of hope. and you're in close touch with your— of hope. and you're in close touch with your cousin, - of hope. and you're in close touch with your cousin, the | touch with your cousin, the girl's mother mayan. how is she? how could she possibly be managing in the most horrendous of circumstances?— of circumstances? we're doing whatever we — of circumstances? we're doing whatever we can, _ of circumstances? we're doing whatever we can, including - whatever we can, including mayan — she's been incredible. she's been questioning everything that there is to push, taking interviews, speaking to the public, doing anything to empower people who hear the story to speak to their leadership, to put pressure on hamas as much as possible to release these girls and all the other hostages. this and all the other hostages. as i wasjust mentioning a short i was just mentioning a short time ago, president biden has spoken and has said that he thinks it is time for a humanitarian pause to allow the hostages to be released. what are your thoughts about that? do you agree with them? i’m are your thoughts about that? do you agree with them? i'm not a strategist. _ do you agree with them? i'm not a strategist, nor— do you agree with them? i'm not a strategist, nor am _ do you agree with them? i'm not a strategist, nor am a _ a strategist, nor am a politician, but i see the immediate necessity to release the hostages, and i'm very encouraged by the fact that a handful of hostages have been released or freed handful of hostages have been released orfreed — but that's just a slow trickle, and there are hundreds left. so whatever needs to be done should be done immediately. needs to be done should be done immediately-— immediately. what are your thoughts. — immediately. what are your thoughts, and _ immediately. what are your thoughts, and the - immediately. what are your thoughts, and the family's i thoughts, and the family's thoughts, and the family's thoughts, about the military campaign as they strike further into gaza to try and destroy this group — and what that could mean for these more than 200 hostages still being held there? ~ , , , ., there? we witnessed first-hand what they do — there? we witnessed first-hand what they do when _ there? we witnessed first-hand what they do when they - there? we witnessed first-hand what they do when they have i there? we witnessed first-hand | what they do when they have the capability, and because of that, they put israelis and palestinians at risk. that being said, i am not a strategist and not a politician, and so, again, the intention here is to do whatever needs to be done in order to bring the hostages back home safely. 0k. order to bring the hostages back home safely. 0k. thank you for tellin: back home safely. 0k. thank you for telling us _ back home safely. 0k. thank you for telling us more _ back home safely. 0k. thank you for telling us more about - back home safely. 0k. thank you for telling us more about these . for telling us more about these two little girls taken by hamas and being held hostage in gaza. thank you. and being held hostage in gaza. thank yon-— and being held hostage in gaza. thank ou. ., ~ , . around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. let's look at some other stories making news. a new study has suggested that living through the covid pandemic may have taken a lasting toll on the brain health of people over the age of 50. the results, published in the lancet healthy longevity, revealed a decline in cognitive function and working memory regardless of whether or not people were infected with covid—19. experts say a meeting of the bank of england's monetary policy committee will likely end with interest rates unchanged. the base rate is currently at 5.25%. money markets have placed a 92% chance that rates will be held. rates had been hiked previously in bid to slow the pace of price rises. the announcement is expected at noon. less than two weeks after the release of their latest album, hackney diamonds, the rolling stones have set a new chart record in the united states. the veteran group has become the first act to reach the top ten with new albums in every decade since the 1960s. you're live with bbc news. people in several parts of the uk and the channel islands are being warned of severe wind and rain as storm ciaran batters the country. the met office has issued yellow and amber warnings in much of southern england and wales, northeast england and eastern scotland. aruna iyengar has the latest. waves crashing over the seawall at sidmouth in devon. this is penzance in cornwall. and is heavy rainfall and flooding across the country. areas of northern ireland have been flooded. this is the scene. storm ciaran is unleashing its power across the country. hampshire county council has declared a major incident for residence in hampshire and the isle of wight. many schools are putting safety first and will be shut in hampshire, southampton and devon. in the wind —— canberra wind warnings, the second highest level of alert, are in place for part of the south coast. gusts are expected to reach 70 to 80 miles an hour in the south and 20 to 30 millimetres of rain is expected to fall today. the storms struck the channel islands last night. jersey and guernsey have seen some of their worst storm conditions in decades. they were preparing yesterday. flood defences were put in place. schools across the islands are closed, lights are grounded at guernsey airport. people have been asked not to stockpile goods after supermarket shelves were stripped. national highways has issued a warning to drivers in the southeast, saying there are risks of cars being blown over. they are also warning about flooded roads. train and ferry companies are also warning of severe disruption to services. they are asking customers to check online before they travel. many areas were still getting over floods from last month's storm babet. storm kieran is affected to move off into the north sea by wednesday evening, but before that, the advice is to stay indoors unless you have to go out. aruna iyengar, bbc news. the prime minister, rishi sunak, will hold talks with the tech billionaire elon musk later on the final day of the first global summit on artificial intelligence, held at bletchley park. mr sunak has said he wants to ensure the technology develops in a "safe and responsible way" forfuture generations. here's our technology editor zoe kleinman. historic bletchley park was once home to the world war ii codebreakers. no doubt they'd have been very interested in what happened in their workplace today. delegates from around the world, including a member of the chinese government and, yup, elon musk, had agreed on one thing by lunchtime — keeping ai safe was the urgent priority. and here we are for the first time, really, in human history with something that's going to be far more intelligent than us. so, it's not clear to me we can actually control such a thing, but i think we can aspire to guide it in a direction that's beneficial to humanity. the prime minister wants the uk to be a global referee in making sure the tech is developed responsibly. is there a sense, though, that these big us tech giants who have their own commercial agenda are already exerting too much influence over these discussions? i think that's why it's important that countries are the ones in the driving seat. not only are we taking the lead, we really are developing the capability that we need to do all that testing of what these companies are doing so we can then make sure that people are kept safe. very simply, artificial intelligence is computers working things out in a similar way to the human brain. these tools aren't conscious like we are, but, like us, they're excellent at spotting patterns. it can be fed huge amounts of information about a particular subject — more books than a human could ever read, more than there are in this entire library. and it doesn't have to be words. it could be x—rays or data about the weather. and then they're able to identify at lightning speed what should come next when prompted, like the answer to a question. generative ai is the type of the tech that produces content, like text, pictures, music and video, and makes me look like this. some delegates feared the ai summit had the wrong focus. it's important to also ask who is talking about this existential threat, because people who actually work with people in communities are not concerned about that. we're more concerned about whether ai will deny people pensions. this time last year, few people had even heard of the ai chat bot chatgpt. there'll be more dramatic milestones to come. time will tell if the bletchley crowd got it right. zoe kleinman, bbc news. the extraordinary efforts an actress makes to explore the life of a woman she's portraying is the subject of dark comedy may december starring natalie portman and julianne moore. the film comes from oscar—nominated american director todd haynes who told emma jones that even with its big—name cast, the female—cent