as a shelter for displaced people. the hamas—run health ministry says at least 50 people were killed. it says at least 80 people were killed in the two blasts. the second blast the health ministry said 32 people from one family, including 19 children, were killed. we of course cannot confirm those figures, but we will shortly put those claims to a spokesman from the israeli defence forces. hundreds of people have been leaving gaza city's al—shifa hospital on foot, with doctors saying israeli forces had issued by loudspeaker an order to evacuate. the israeli military has denied this. it said it had agreed to expand and assist an evacuation, following a request by the hospital's director. we've just had these pictures in from central gaza. newsagency afp says they show palestinians evacuated from al—shifa hospital, heading south. you will see there in the background there tanks. we don't know how far this was recorded from the hospital. the israeli military says her hamas has a command centre in the tunnels below al—shifa. something that hamas has consistently denied. as well as patients had medical staff, large numbers of displaced people were sheltering in that hospital. 0ur middle east correspondent, tom bateman, has more from jerusalem. gaza's biggest hospital, al—shifa. a report from the scene said an evacuation of many remaining staff and patients was instructed this morning. the israeli military denies it's ordered people out, calling it a request from the hospital, but saying there is an expanded evacuation. israeli tanks surround the compound. the army claims it is a hamas command centre. it has yet to show evidence of this, but has shown pictures of some weapons it says it found this week. many inside, badly wounded, will not be able to move. a british surgeon who has worked frequently in gaza has had contact with doctors at al—shifa over recent weeks. they are working under the most appallingly hostile conditions. the patients that are being evacuated, it is almost inconceivable to me that they will survive. this notion that they will be evacuated to a safe area is a ludicrous notion, if you ask me. the roads are almost impassable, there are no functioning hospitals in gaza at the moment. near another hospital in northern gaza, bodies were gathered from what residents say was heavy israeli bombardment overnight. and in the south, supposedly safer, more scenes of destruction. at least 32 people were killed here in the city of khan younis, say doctors. now israel is warning parts of the city will become a new focus of its war with hamas, telling some of the displaced from the north to move again. people fear more devastation like that of last night. translation: their bodies are in pieces. three missiles hit the building. they had nothing to do with the militants and no militants were there. they were all children and girls. aid groups are worried about disease spreading now, with gaza's humanitarian crisis deepening. people desperate for bread. the un says they face the immediate possibility of starvation in gaza after the supply chain for aid collapsed. now, to get it moving again, two tankers of fuel a day will enter after us pressure on israel. but relief groups say it is still not enough. meanwhile, there are growing worries about the potential for a security collapse in gaza, with few signs of a plan after the fighting. the americans do not want israeli boots on the ground in the long term. there may have to be a transitional period where security is provided for gaza. that's something we have to look at. but when it comes to the future of gaza, in ourjudgment, it has to be under palestinian governance. an israeli leaflet drop took place over southern gaza. they offer incentives and protection for information about the hostages held by hamas. in israel, marchers reached jerusalem, demanding the return of nearly 240 captives, including children and the elderly. their destination is the office of prime minister benjamin netanyahu, who is under growing pressure. six weeks after the hamas attacks that sparked this war, the bloodshed and uncertainty only intensifies. i should stress again that we always put some caution around the numbers that we are reporting on here because we don't have independent eyesin because we don't have independent eyes in jabal because we don't have independent eyes injabal you. we are piecing together reports from various news agencies that are in gaza and reporting. 0ur correspondent tom bateman has been looking at the same report and gave us this update. remember that those un facilities had early on in the war become designated shelters for palestinians. they are not reinforced buildings, they are schools, but they are the designated shelters and supposed to be so—called the d conflicted. civilians were inside. what has happened over the past weeks is as the un has had to focus its operations on the south of the gaza strip because they know has become the operational focus of the fighting, and is effectively being split from the south of the gaza strip. the un had to abandon formerly its operations in the north of the strip. so it said it wasn't formally able to offer any services to those many tens of thousands of people sheltering in schools. this is one of those schools. it has had people sheltering in it and what appears to have happened is, as you say, we see images that are still being verified by the bbc that appear to show many casualties in one of those schools in the refugee camp. we were in contact this morning with a doctor at the indonesian hospital, which is very close by, he ate described in his words are hard attack by israeli forces in the area. they had many bodies coming in, so it seems that if this is the same event that there are many casualties, potentially, in the strike there. plenty of news lines coming in from gaza today. we will try to get a response from the israeli side on what we are hearing. live now to lt col peter lerner, a spokesman for the israel defense forces. thank you for coming in to talk to us. are reporting that we are looking at is that there were two strikes on schools in the area of the refugee camp. the figures are coming from the hamas run health ministry in gaza and they say that “p ministry in gaza and they say that up to 80 people have been killed. we are still trying to verify the videos that are being sent on social media. what can you tell us about the idf operation in those areas? thank you, christian. i cannot confirm this incident as the idf but we are seeing images like you are seeing images on social media and we are looking into it. i cannot confirm at this stage that faces idf, but we are looking into it. fair enough. let's talk about the al—shifa hospital. there conflicting reports today the director of the hospital says they were ordered by loudspeaker to evacuate, i have seen your statement that says you were responding to an evacuation request. how can you interpret those two contradictory statements? i how can you interpret those two contradictory statements? i think we need to listen _ contradictory statements? i think we need to listen to _ contradictory statements? i think we need to listen to what _ contradictory statements? i think we need to listen to what the _ need to listen to what the administrator was speaking. and i were statement we issued a recording of the conversation between our officer and the administration of the hospital that actually says very clearly we are asking to leave. so from our perspective, there is no question. we have been encouraging people to leave, the hospital premises for many weeks now. precisely to get them out of hands way. we have seen last night again when they said they would like to leave because of the military presence in the compound, we said we would coordinated for the morning and that is what we have been doing since this morning. it is important to get people out of hands way. that is what the idf has been trying to do since the beginning of this conflict. it is a huge challenge for any professional military operating in such a hostile environment where terrorists utilise tunnels to come out and launch rpg is and they do it from places like hospitals, like schools, like mosques. wherever they can take advantage of the humanitarian and civilian arena. clearly some patients cannot be moved. so serious are their injuries. we are told around 120 remain including premature babies. there are five medical staff. we have spoken to the world health organization in the last hour who said they have no details that the israel defense forces are providing support and medical care to those who are left behind. what can you tell us be cost effectively now, given that there has been this evacuation, you are responsible for those patients, are you not? the medical staff. — those patients, are you not? tue: medical staff, some those patients, are you not? tte: medical staff, some medical those patients, are you not? tt2 medical staff, some medical staff, have remained in the hospital to care for patients. i can say that of the last few days and including over last night we have maintained a flow of supplies and food supplies, medical supplies, of supplies and food supplies, medicalsupplies, into of supplies and food supplies, medical supplies, into the hospital to support those that are remaining. 0f to support those that are remaining. of course we have medical personnel also within our forces to facilitate if their needs be, but we have not been approached by the hospital staff. �* , ., ., ., staff. but you would lend that su ort staff. but you would lend that support if _ staff. but you would lend that support if it — staff. but you would lend that support if it was _ staff. but you would lend that support if it was asked - staff. but you would lend that support if it was asked for? i staff. but you would lend that i support if it was asked for? that staff. but you would lend that - support if it was asked for? that is the riaht support if it was asked for? that is the right thing _ support if it was asked for? that is the right thing to _ support if it was asked for? that is the right thing to do. _ support if it was asked for? that is the right thing to do. i _ support if it was asked for? that is the right thing to do. i can't - the right thing to do. i can't imagine we would do anything else. in terms of the operation, you have been there now for three or four daysin been there now for three or four days in the complex, we have seen pictures of the weapons that are lucy williamson who you took insight in the mri room, we have seen a tunnel in of the complex, you told us before that you had good intelligence there was a command centre beneath this hospital. why is it proving so difficult to show the world of the evidence? tt is it proving so difficult to show the world of the evidence?— world of the evidence? it is not difficult. world of the evidence? it is not difficult- it _ world of the evidence? it is not difficult. it is— world of the evidence? it is not difficult. it isjust _ world of the evidence? it is not difficult. it isjust a _ world of the evidence? it is not difficult. it isjust a timely - difficult. it is just a timely operation. the situation is that hamas had for the last 16 years been building its terrorist infrastructure in around and beneath hospitals. and what we are doing is being very cautious in order not to jeopardise ourforces being very cautious in order not to jeopardise our forces security. we don't want to rush into a tunnel that could be booby—trapped. we are revealing more and more of this infrastructure every day that goes by. we are seeing how deep into the belly of this war machine it goes. 0nce belly of this war machine it goes. once we have a safe access, once we have more visuals, we will of course reveal those to the world. i understand the need and the pressure and the understanding that the media want to see it now, immediately, but the matters of war and operational security sometimes aren't necessarily in sync with the need of the media battle space. this is a challenge that we face. the the media battle space. this is a challenge that we face.— the media battle space. this is a challenge that we face. the un w r communication _ challenge that we face. the un w r communication director _ challenge that we face. the un w r communication director said - challenge that we face. the un w r communication director said she - challenge that we face. the un w r | communication director said she has beenin communication director said she has been in touch with her staff inside gaza today when communications were restored and said they have no fuel this week to is redistribute the eight coming across. there is barely enough to pump the water and sewage. who is going to feed the 1.5 million people who are displaced if they are not? t people who are displaced if they are not? ., .,. ., , people who are displaced if they are not? ., ., , . people who are displaced if they are not? ., . , not? i am actually receiving reports ofthe not? i am actually receiving reports of the agency _ not? i am actually receiving reports of the agency bringing _ not? i am actually receiving reports of the agency bringing fuel - not? i am actually receiving reports of the agency bringing fuel trucks i of the agency bringing fuel trucks into gaza in order to be able to distribute food and humanitarian aid. , , , distribute food and humanitarian aid. , ,, , ., distribute food and humanitarian aid. , , ., ., , aid. they say they have none. she has civen aid. they say they have none. she has given us _ aid. they say they have none. she has given us an — aid. they say they have none. she has given us an interview- aid. they say they have none. she has given us an interview this - has given us an interview this morning saying that they have received no fuel in the past few daysin received no fuel in the past few days in order to be able to restore our operations. that days in order to be able to restore our operations.— our operations. that is really concerning. _ our operations. that is really concerning, because - our operations. that is really concerning, because fuel- our operations. that is reallyj concerning, because fuel has our operations. that is really - concerning, because fuel has gone in under the un banner, so that is concerning what you are saying to me. i will have to look into that. we know that we have been supplying fuel for the un in orderfor them to enable and conduct their food distribution capabilities in the south of gaza. so what you are saying to me is extra in the concerning. t saying to me is extra in the concerning-— saying to me is extra in the concerninu. ., ., , . concerning. i want to play were cut from an interview _ concerning. i want to play were cut from an interview i _ concerning. i want to play were cut from an interview i did _ concerning. i want to play were cut from an interviewl did like - from an interview i did like yesterday with the former director of operations for un w ra in the occupied texture territories. have a listen to this about what he foresees. he has good experience in the humanitarian situation if it is not improved. there's a dramatic risk that the pressure will build up to such an extent that people will simply break through the border with egypt, and we may see a mass forced displacement into egypt in the coming days or weeks. and with the changing weather, temperatures dropping, heavy rainfall, the situation will become truly, truly catastrophic. there are others who wonder if that is the strategy, to make things so miserable that the people leave, enabling you to finish the job. t enabling you to finish the job. i can tell you that in my early military cumbria as a young junior officer i was actually a humanitarian officer coordinating and liaising with organisations like the international committee of the red cross. the idf is operating on the ground in order to alleviate the humanitarian situation. we are doing it together with organisations like the red cross and the un w ra and we understand... i would say the humanitarian mission goes hand—in—hand with the operational mission, that it is important to understand the most important component of this war, that hamas never have the power ever again to govern the gaza strip as a staging ground for terrorism. it is then that brought this tragedy, the human tragedy, and precisely the tragedy that your interviewee yesterday pointed out. it is because of hamas and their actions that we are where we are today. the 7th of october can never be allowed to happen ever again. this is a reality. israel is determined to dismantle and destroy hamas as a terrorist organisation, and i would actually say that un and unrwa have to be part of the solution not part of the problem. fin solution not part of the problem. on that issue we are hugely concerned about the hostages. we spoke yesterday to a member of one family and you will be aware that the match is descending on a premise to netanyahu's office and will arrive tomorrow. the other royal theme of what they are saying is that they are not getting enough information and secondly that they don't believe that the military operation is going to bring back their loved ones. they think it is through negotiation. what would you say to those families who want a response from the idf and government?— government? families of 240 people in israel government? families of 240 people in israel have — government? families of 240 people in israel have been _ government? families of 240 people in israel have been torn _ government? families of 240 people in israel have been torn to _ government? families of 240 people in israel have been torn to pieces - in israel have been torn to pieces in israel have been torn to pieces in the last six weeks. i can't imagine what they are going through. i can't imagine that anybody could even relate to the pain of that they are feeling today in the reality of the realm of unknowing, of disbelief, of a constant sense of fear where family members were separated in their houses and one was left and one was taken. this is the pain that they are feeling under the pain that they are feeling under the idf is focused in the first of all of the families, the government has established its own authorities but we are also utilising the idf�*s means in order to embrace the families, but we are also utilising all of our other tools, including operational and intelligence capabilities in order to try to bring the hostages home safe and sound. at the end of the day, we need to understand that hamas decided to abduct people. hamas decided to abduct people. hamas decided to abduct people. hamas decided to hold them hostage. hamas must be held accountable for this action. we have demanded that the international committee of the red cross have access and can assess their well—being. that is something that hamas have not been willing to do. so while we are... the level of solidarity in israeli society for the families of the people who are really living in a state of confusion and unknowing and pain, we are conducting our operations in order to try to remedy that the best that we can. of course there is the operational actions that the idf is conducting come of it at the same time there is the diplomatic efforts that are ongoing as well. i am hopeful that we can bring them home. it is a top priority for the idf and one of our goals of this war effort. we will go to every length in order to do so. ., ., we will go to every length in order to do so. ., ., ., ., ~ to do so. peter lerner, good to talk to do so. peter lerner, good to talk to ou. to do so. peter lerner, good to talk to yon thank— to do so. peter lerner, good to talk to you. thank you _ t