Welcome to the programme, continuing coverage of the escalation of events announced by israel. A spokesperson for the idf the Israeli Defence force is confirming that there will be an increase in air strikes and attacks from the air and an increase and expansion of ground force operations tonight. Mobile phone services and internet in gaza have been cut off. Combined with little power to begin with. Showing you these Live Pictures, which are pretty dark, as i spoke, the power, electricity is low, so the buildings are not to let out. However, every few minutes or so, the sky is lit up by explosions, as you just saw that they are followed often by a cracking sound, that orange flash. We have been witnessing to me just pausing there for the sound, we been witnessing this over the last few hours now since just before the idf made that announcement confirming their operational changes, the increase in bombardment to the outcome of the expansion of Ground Forces. They say they are targeting hamas underground targets in gaza and targeting Terrorist Infrastructure, in their words. Lets take you live into gaza now. This is the south, the idf asking people to move from the north around gaza city to the south of gaza, but there have been air strikes here. This is outside the hospital. You can see the relative calm there right now, but only ten aid trucks have got into gaza, some medical supplies along with so many other supplies in short supply. Lets show you something israel now, Live Pictures, hamas claimed they are sending rockets from gaza into southern israel as well as, of course, the air strikes continue in the other direction. Lets give you a sense of where this is all happening and that geography and the layout. You can see the gaza strip they are, gaza city in the north, they are, gaza city in the north, the urban area in the south, and southern israel where we are seeing rockets firing in both directions, but a huge intensification of the rockets firing from israel into gaza. Showing you some pictures from earlier and now of the skyline over gaza. This gives you some idea of the intensity of what has been happening. These pictures found just before we got the confirmation. Our correspondence, our teams on the ground and southern israel noticed an intensification of the bombardment and we saw it with these pictures and then after that became the official announcement from the Israeli Defence forces. That expansion of operations on the grounds and in the air. Lets get the very latest now from our international editor, jeremy bowen. Not long after dark, the bombardment of gaza intensified. Israel called it expanding Ground Operations. Hamas said it was fighting an israeli incursion into the Northern Gaza strip, and fired salvos of rockets back into israel. The un secretary general� s pleas for a humanitarian ceasefire were drowned out. This is a moment of truth, he said. History willjudge us all. The day that led up to this had moments of quiet, though not of hope. In khan younis hospital in southern gaza, they stopped for the noon prayer, after another deadly night. Then israel released video of its naval commandos raiding targets on the gaza coast. Somewhere, hidden inside gaza, are more than 200 hostages taken by hamas. Talks to free at least some of them were said to be going well in the hours before israels new onslaught. Many palestinians believe israel wants to force them out of gaza for good. This lawyer was writing, my heart, my heartbeat, on the shroud of his baby, stillborn after his pregnant wife was killed. Like many other civilians, they stayed in Northern Gaza after israel ordered them to leave. Later, israel released video what it says was an attack on the hamas tunnel network. Was it a clue of what was coming . Israeli military commanders said again that hamas uses Palestinian Civilians as Human Shields, and they said hamas has bunkers under gaza citys main hospital. This is an illustration of shifa hospital, and the underground facilities. I want to repeat, this is only an illustration. We will not share here the true material. Terrorists move freely in shifa hospital, and other hospitals in gaza. We have concrete evidence that hundreds of terrorists flooded into the hospital to hide there, after the massacre of october 7th. About ten kilometres from gaza, in ashkelon, volunteers were signing up for duty with the israeli police. They were issued with brand new American Assault rifles by itamar ben gvir, Israels National Security minister. He has a conviction for inciting racism. Many israelis think he is a dangerous extremist. Ben gvir believes israel can eliminate hamas and destroy palestinian hopes for independence. But he was popular here at the police station. The volunteers believe his plan to arm civilians is the best way to protect their families. On the other side, they are not humans, they are monsters. We need to take gaza. Gaza belongs to us. We need to take gaza and then we can transfer it to the palestinian authorities. But first we need to take gaza. People sentimentally and emotionally, are back to � 45 � 48. We are pre state emotionally, we are no state economically and socially, and we have no answer what to do with the next door neighbour. So of course there is a need for a new call, for a new paradigm. Its a very, very difficult trauma. But a very promising renaissance. And every birth comes to the world with a lot of pain and blood. Before the chance of a Brighter Future comes a present that is grim and getting grimmer. A hamas rocket beat ashkelon� s defences in the last hours before the israeli offensive. And this evening. Explosions. In the dark night over gaza, israel is sending in wave after wave of strikes by heavy artillery and aircraft. Jeremy bowen, bbc news, jerusalem. Writes, To Washington Now Camara State Department is they are. Hi, barbara, just as we are talking, so you know and there is at home no, we will be putting some of the live feed that we are getting into the building, some of them are quite dark and quite black, but some of the feet that we keep across and monitoring here but what is happening in the region. Barbara, i just want to get your reaction, the us� s reaction to what has happened. Us� s reaction to what has happened. Us officials have not commented on the operation they basically said thatis the operation they basically said that is up to israel to talk about. It is up to israel to make its decisions, so they havent really given any information about our giving their opinion about this expanded military operation, what the white house spokesperson has mentioned, the administration supports animate as humanitarian process for getting it into gaza, including fuel and also if it would be helpful for getting including fuel and also if it would be helpfulfor getting humanitarian be helpful for getting humanitarian pauses be helpfulfor getting humanitarian pauses for Hostage Negotiations or releases. These are things that the administration has been focusing on very heavily in the last week or so to try to improve the humanitarian conditions and also to try to get the hostages out before a major Ground Invasion occurred, so if this is that invasion, then that window of opportunity it seems would you be closing at least somewhat. But the spokesman did say is that the americans fully supported israels right to respond to hamas and it was there a Security Assistance but was also asking hard questions about how it conducted the operation, about what its goals where, its strategies, what would be the end game . And those are the kinds of things the us has been pressing more and more as time has moved on from the attack and israel has been preparing this very heavy response to the hamas militants in gaza, and thatis to the hamas militants in gaza, and that is because although the us does support delivering a very forceful blow against hamas, it is worried that this could cause an escalation in the region, and that is something that has become very focused on in the past week. That has become very focused on in the past week that has become very focused on in the past week. Barbara. Thank you so much for that the past week. Barbara. Thank you so much for that. Keeping the past week. Barbara. Thank you so much for that. Keeping an the past week. Barbara. Thank you so much for that. Keeping an eye the past week. Barbara. Thank you so much for that. Keeping an eye on much for that. Keeping an eye on those Live Pictures there as we were talking to our correspondent. Right, at reaction from the United Nations because just as this escalation was being announced in israel, in new york, the Un General Assembly was voting on a resolution, and that resolution passed. The resolution had one piece and tends, the sentence reads, they are calling for an immediate durable and sustained humanitarian truths. Now, this boat is not binding, but does carry weight, moralweights, carry weight, moral weights, political weight carry weight, moralweights, political weight because, of course, it is the United Nations and that global body. Right. That is what has been happening in the un. There has been happening in the un. There has been international reaction, though, from Around The World, including here in the uk. The Foreign Secretary has put out a message on social media. Lets take a look at it. Writes, now to westminster, getting a bit more explanation on this. Talk as to the message. This more explanation on this. Talk as to the message the message. This is the Foreign Secretary. The message. This is the Foreign Secretary, james the message. This is the Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly the message. This is the Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly come l the message. This is the foreign l secretary, James Cleverly come as you have said, he has put out this message tonight in which he just pretty much says that israel is expanding the Military Campaign against hamas, that the uks top priority remains the safety of british nationals in gaza and the region which is something that uk government has been saying since the start of this war. He also goes on to say that uk supports israels right to self defense in line with International Law and continues to push for the protection of Palestinian Civilians. Again, things weve heard the government say before being reiterated tonight in response to this. Response to this. Thank you very much for that. Response to this. Thank you very much for that. Now response to this. Thank you very much for that. Now the response to this. Thank you very | much for that. Now the Response Response to this. Thank you very much for that. Now the response from the Israeli Government a little bit earlier. I began by asking him why we are seeing an escalation now. fin we are seeing an escalation now. Q� i october seven, hamas declared war against israel. Its a way that began with the horrific massacre that murdered moo people, injured 5000, took 230 people hostage and has continued with a thousand rockets. Ive had to run to a Bomb Shelter Twice today will stop it is a war that they are determined to win by totally defeating the hamas Regime Inside The gaza strip, just as the International Community closed ranks against isis. We have been very clear, we can no longer live with a Terror Enclave on our borders controlled by a jihadist organisation. Jihadist organisation sworn to a second genocide of the jews. And On October Seven, they burned, butchered, raped and tortured its way through southern israel. So i started this war. Its not aware that israel wanted. Its not aware that israel wanted. Its not aware that we started or expected, but it is a work that they are determined to win. Expected, but it is a work that they are determined to win. Warriors have rules, the international are determined to win. Warriors have rules, the International Community i rules, the International Community has been clear, loud and clear about that. Some of israels strongest allies have been clear on that. With this expansion of Ground Forces and air strikes. This expansion of Ground Forces and airstrikes. Do this expansion of Ground Forces and air strikes. Do you know how you could wipe out thomas and protect civilians at the same time . The . Civilians at the same time . They take this very civilians at the same time . They take this very seriously, civilians at the same time . Tue take this very seriously, thats civilians at the same time . He take this very seriously, thats why we are doing everything we can to minimise civilian casualties despite thomass best efforts to maximise them. For example can be correctly noted that they are Edging Civilians in the gaza strip to move south temporary for their own safety. The reason is that hamas has embedded itself with deep in civilian areas, building a network of tunnels in the gaza strip under homes, schools, hospitals can today, the idf released intelligence showing the, and bunker is situated under the hospital in the gaza strip, which is, of course, a workaround to civilians as Human Shields in that way. Israel is doing its best to get out of harms way. This is a way that hamas waged on us and we are fighting back against hamas, not against gaza, not against the palestinians, against hamas. We are urging civilians to get out of the way and we are continuing with our operations to a target amounts within the gaza strip because we will not go back to six in the morning On October Seven. We will not go back to a world in which edgy heidi regime on our borders can invade at will and burn whole families in their homes. That will not happen and thats where well and with the defeat of hamas. T5 and with the defeat of hamas. Is this tonight the start of this major Ground Incursion that has been previewed for a couple of weeks now . Israel has expanded Ground Operations in the gaza strip, but beyond that i will not comment on operational matters. To beyond that i will not comment on operational matters. Operational matters. To have a timescale operational matters. To have a timescale in operational matters. To have a timescale in this . Operational matters. To have a timescale in this . I operational matters. To have a timescale in this . I will operational matters. To have a timescale in this . I will not. Timescale in this . I will not speculate timescale in this . I will not speculate on timescale in this . I will not speculate on operational. Timescale in this . I will not speculate on operational matters, but israel is going to continue with its defence assets to destroy hamas in response to the October Seven Massacre and the continued barrage of rockets, the indiscriminate fire of rockets, the indiscriminate fire of rockets, the indiscriminate fire of rockets against our cities and civilian. ,. , of rockets against our cities and civilian. ,. a of rockets against our cities and civilian. ,. , a,. , civilian. Just ten aid trucks got into gaza civilian. Just ten aid trucks got into gaza today. Civilian. Just ten aid trucks got into gaza today. Is civilian. Just ten aid trucks got into gaza today. Is that civilian. Just ten aid trucks got i into gaza today. Is that enough . Civilian. Just ten aid trucks got into gaza today. Is that enough . We went to into gaza today. Is that enough . Went to see humanitarian aid reach the people of the gaza strip through the people of the gaza strip through the rafah crossing with egypt. The crossings at israel where of course destroyed in the October Seven Massacre, but how must took out power lines that were providing electricity and to the crossing and butchered everyone there. So the prospect of aid entering through the crossings that hamas destroyed On October Seven is not viable. We went to see it enter through egypt. We only have one condition, that the 999 only have one condition, that the egg not reach hamas, that hamas not to exploit those humanitarian corridor is in order to rearm, and Thatis Corridor is in order to rearm, and that is our right can impact our duty under the International Laws of war to facilitate humanitarian aid to the people of gaza as long as thatis to the people of gaza as long as that is not exploited by the enemy that is not exploited by the enemy that declared war on us On October Seven and continues to indiscriminately attack our people with barrages of rockets. Speaking to me ust with barrages of rockets. Speaking to me just a with barrages of rockets. Speaking to me just a little with barrages of rockets. Speaking to me Just A Little Bit with barrages of rockets. Speaking to me Just A Little Bit earlier. With barrages of rockets. Speaking to me Just A Little Bit earlier. We i to meJust A Little Bit earlier. We can speak now to the director of the middle east institute. Think of a much for coming on the programme. What does your response to what we are seeing right now . Tts what does your response to what we are seeing right now . Are seeing right now . Its still not clear whether are seeing right now . Its still not clear whether this are seeing right now . Its still not clear whether this is are seeing right now . Its still not clear whether this is the are seeing right now . Its still not clear whether this is the ground i clear whether this is the Ground Operation that everyone is anticipating. We have to remember that psychological warfare is a big factor. There is a total blackout happening in gaza imposed by israel right now, and this could be just psychological warfare or edge could be a larger operation than we have seen so far. I think we wont really know until the morning. It certainly, this shows that israel is continuing regardless of any vote that happened today in the Un General Assembly. That happened today in the Un General Assembly. Lets talk about the result they General Assembly. Lets talk about the result they are General Assembly. Lets talk about the result they are at General Assembly. Lets talk about the result they are at the General Assembly. Lets talk about the result they are at the un, the result they are at the un, passing that resolution. I went to get the exact words calling for immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truths. What do you think the chances of that are . Unfortunately, Un General Assembly decisions are nonbinding, so even if the General Assembly says there has to be an immediate cease fire, israel does not have to abide by it and israel is already saying we are not going to abide by it, in fact, earlier, one of the spokes people from the israeli authorities was say that they completely reject this resolution. That they completely reect this resolutiomfi that they completely reect this resolution. ~. ,. , ~. , resolution. What do you think that does than to resolution. What do you think that does than to the resolution. What do you think that does than to the credibility resolution. What do you think that does than to the credibility of resolution. What do you think that does than to the credibility of the | does than to the credibility of the un or the power of the International Community . Tit un or the power of the International Community . Community . In terms of the un, unfortunately. Community . In terms of the un, unfortunately, the community . In terms of the un, unfortunately, the only community . In terms of the un, unfortunately, the only entity. Community . In terms of the un, l unfortunately, the only entity that is able to enforce anything in the un in this regard is the Security Council and the Security Council, we have seen persistent vitae was happening. The us is vetoing any cause for a cease fire, but what we saw today is also the opposites, which is lots of countries, around 120, i believe, voted for a cease fire. This sends at least a moral message to the palestinians in particular, the Civilian Palestinians who are feeling alone in this world. At least they can see the majority of countries Around The World do want a cease fire. Just countries Around The World do want a ceasefire. ,. ,. , countries Around The World do want a ceasefire,. ,. , ~ ,. , ceasefire. Just going to keep an e e on ceasefire. Just going to keep an eye on these ceasefire. Just going to keep an eye on these live ceasefire. Just going to keep an eye on these Live Pictures ceasefire. Just going to keep an eye on these Live Pictures here i ceasefire. Just going to keep an | eye on these Live Pictures here of the gossett skyline. Thank you very much for coming into the studio and talking us through that. Thank you. The gaza strip skyline. Lets keep you across the live images that we are seeing some of the feeds that are coming into the bbc building here. Lets take a look at the next one. We havejust seen here. Lets take a look at the next one. We have just seen the gaza skyline there which is pretty black because of the time of day. These are the picture is, i believe, of the hospital in the south. So we have been keeping across the speed and these pictures, but i think these may have changed now. These may be different. Lets go to southern israel, how am i saying that they have been Firing Rockets from gaza into southern israel as well as intensification of those air strikes from southern israel into gaza. Lets get more analysis from aaron david miller, a former Us State Department official and adviser on arab israeli negotiations to both republican and democratic administrations. Thank you very much for coming on the programme. Thank you very much for coming on the programme thank you very much for coming on the programme. Thank you very much for havin the programme. Thank you very much for having me the programme. Thank you very much for having me. What the programme. Thank you very much for having me. What is the programme. Thank you very much for having me. What is your the programme. Thank you very much for having me. What is your analysis i for having me. What is your analysis of what we for having me. What is your analysis of what we are for having me. What is your analysis of what we are witnessing for having me. What is your analysis of what we are witnessing right for having me. What is your analysisl of what we are witnessing right now . I think it is really opaque. I have heard one report indicating that this is a fairly large phase one operation, thousands of Israeli Forces operating in the Northern Gaza strip, intensive air strikes, artillery strikes, and heavy smoke cover would suggest cover for ground troops, what the purpose of the israeli strike is is essentially the beginning of a larger ground campaign, impossible to know. Some others were reporting that one of the israeli retaliations with no progress on the hostages, and mixed reports about how those negotiations are going. The israelis assume that this is part of hamass psychological membrane and decided that they would launch three weeks to the day, i might add, of october seven, a pretty intense and extensive incursion as opposed to an invasion into gaza. The internet is down, the two major palestinian cell carriers, and i think those are down, and again, like the Hostage Negotiations are saying, this is so opaque. We really dont have a good read on the breadth and depth of what the israelis are trying to accomplish and how this fits into a broader ground campaign. Because the main question. Broader ground campaign. Because the main question, of broader ground campaign. Because the main question, of course broader ground campaign. Because the main question, of course is broader ground campaign. Because the main question, of course is is broader ground campaign. Because the main question, of course is is this main question, of course is is this the major Ground Incursion that we have been observing the preparations forfor have been observing the preparations for for weeks and the answer clearly right now is we simply dont know. We know it is an escalation from the air and from the ground, but beyond that, of course, we dont know. Give us an idea, if you can come of the challenges involved here for those israeli forest says, because they said in that briefing that they are going in, two specifics, for example, one, to attack the hamas Underground Network of those tunnels, and two, to attack hamas Terrorist Infrastructure in their words, which are aims that they clearly set out ever since october the 7th. How you do that physically whilst abiding by International Law is the challenge. Posing two separate questions. Number one, can the israelis operate effectively in a situation where you have 21,000 humans per square mile and a densely populated area where hamas has had months to prepare with booby traps, ie bees, snipers. Numbertwo, and international humanitarian, proportionality, avoiding this is going to be extremely. If the the israelis went to Great Lengths not to broaden their rules of engagement. It is going to be very difficult. Look at the last week or so with respect to israeli air strikes. You have thousands of palestinians who have been killed and many more injured in these strikes. And many more inured in these strikes. ~ ,. , strikes. Whether the israelis can achieve what strikes. Whether the israelis can achieve what it strikes. Whether the israelis can achieve what it is strikes. Whether the israelis can achieve what it is they strikes. Whether the israelis can achieve what it is they want strikes. Whether the israelis can achieve what it is they want to i strikes. Whether the israelis can | achieve what it is they want to do or at least what it is they said they have wanted to do, which is not just to retarder began their military capability, its essentially to eradicate hamass administrative and military structures and basically undermining its very sovereignty, its capacity to rule and to be sovereign, and that poses. That requires an enormous amount of effort over a period of weeks if not months. Tm period of weeks if not months. Im so sorry to period of weeks if not months. Im so sorry tojump in period of weeks if not months. Im so sorry to jump in there period of weeks if not months. Im so sorry tojump in there because we so sorry to jump in there because we are completely out of time, but we really appreciate your analysis. Thank you very much as always. Thank you for your company. Thank more continuous coverage coming. This is bbc news. Hello there. Its remaining unsettled this weekend with low pressure sticking close by. Well see showers or longer spells of rain, some sunshine as well. Its not going to be a complete wash out. The winds will be quite blustery, particularly close to the coast, thanks to this pretty vigorous area of low pressure which has been with us for a while now, and could to the west of ireland bringing all these showers, even longer spells of rain and stronger winds with little areas of low pressure running around it one such system moving across the country during saturday night. Saturday itself starts off with a fine note through the midlands, some low cloud and sunshine but showers in the south and the west, Spreading Northwards, with more persistent Rain Affecting Eastern Scotland with stronger winds and some brightness for Western Scotland with shelter from the easterly breeze. Temperatures 10 16. Later in the day, we will start to see one of these little areas of low pressure bringing wet and windy weather to Southern England and south wales, Spreading Northwards during the night ending up across parts of scotland and northern ireland, the north of it staying windy and quite blustery, for the second half of the night across england and wales with clear spells and scattered showers. Temperatures nowhere particularly cold, 9 11 degrees. Dont forget early on sunday morning, the clocks go back one hour, so for many of us, it is an extra hour in bed. But sunday does look unsettled, particularly scotland, northern ireland, where it will be wet with some of the heaviest of the rain towards eastern scotland. We could have some Flooding Issues here, strong winds as well. England and wales will have a mixture of sunny spells and showers, most of the showers towards the south and the west, some of them could be heavy and thundery. Temperatures a little bit cool across northern scotland, otherwise its the mid teens further south. Little change into monday, the low pressure begins to weaken, but its still close by enough to bring further unsettled weather, and i think for most, its going be a mixture of sunshine and showers again. Most of the showers towards the south and the west, where they could be quite heavy and blustery winds across the south and west. In northern and eastern scotland, rain over the tops of the cairngorms it will be chilly here. Further south, low to mid teens. Staying unsettled into the first week of november, with low Pressure Systems moving across the country, there is a chance towards the end of the new week we could see some severe gales, so stay tuned to the forecast. This is bbc news. The headlines explosions over gaza as the Israeli Military ramps up its air and Ground Operations. Translation the Ground Forces are spending this evening, acting forcefully in all die mentions to achieve the goals of the war. ,. , die mentions to achieve the goals of the war. ,. , die mentions to achieve the goals of the war. ,. ,. , , die mentions to achieve the goals of the war. ,. ,. , ,. , the war. Hamas has fired a series of rockets towards the war. Hamas has fired a series of rockets towards southern the war. Hamas has fired a series of rockets towards southern israel, rockets towards southern israel, too. This escalation comes as the Un General Assembly voted to adopt a resolution, put forward by arab countries,