Darkest moment in our history. [30 darkest moment in our history. Do ou darkest moment in our history. Do you have any more information about numbers in terms of those who have been taken hostage by hamas militants . Irate been taken hostage by hamas militants . ~ ~. Been taken hostage by hamas militants . Militants . We know that it is dozens. The militants . We know that it is dozens. The numbers militants . We know that it is dozens. The numbers are militants . We know that it is| dozens. The numbers are not militants . We know that it is dozens. The numbers are not clear yet. Dozens. The numbers are not clear et. �. Dozens. The numbers are not clear et. , ~ , yet. But dozens of people. And is the israeli yet. But dozens of people. And is the Israeli Government yet. But dozens of people. And is the Israeli Government willing yet. But dozens of people. And is the Israeli Government willing to | the Israeli Government willing to negotiate for those hostages . I dont know that. Negotiate for those hostages . I dont know that. Lets negotiate for those hostages . I dont know that. Lets talk negotiate for those hostages . I | dont know that. Lets talk more about what dont know that. Lets talk more about what is dont know that. Lets talk more about what is happening dont know that. Lets talk more about what is happening from i dont know that. Lets talk more | about what is happening from the International Community. Lets talk about neighbouring countries. What support you expecting that israel was moving closer towards these countries in recent times. We have full suoport countries in recent times. We have full suoport of countries in recent times. We have full support of president countries in recent times. We have full support of President Biden,. Countries in recent times. We have full support of President Biden, mr rishi sunak. We have full support from the International Community. We are hoping that the International Community will keep on supporting us. We need that support. We need them to realise who we are dealing with, it is notjust another country, it is terrorists that are murdering us by directly. Wejust hope it will end as soon as possible. Hope it will end as soon as possible hope it will end as soon as ossible. ,. , possible. 0k. It has been really aood to possible. 0k. It has been really good to talk possible. 0k. It has been really good to talk to possible. 0k. It has been really good to talk to you. Possible. 0k. It has been really good to talk to you. I possible. 0k. It has been really good to talk to you. I really good to talk to you. I really appreciate you coming here and answering our questions on bbc news. Thank you so much. You are watching bbc news. We are talking about numbers. The total number that has risen to more than a thousand day after hamas militants stormed israel. Here are some of the Key Developments as our. Israeli tv is now putting the number of israelis dead at more than 700. The Minister Of Health has put more than 300 palestinians being held in and strikes in gaza. More than 400 Palestinian Militants have been killed after infiltrating Southern Israel with dozens more captured. Israel with dozens more captured. Israel says it still trying to regain full control of areas where hamas militants have infiltrated. The numbers of. We hearfrom spokesperson the embassy in london that it could be more than a dozen. We know there are hostages taken by hamas militants. In northern israel, hezbollah rockets targeted military positions. It was responded to with marriages and artillery into southern lebanon. Barrage is. Biden has given rock solid support to israel. The Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu has spoken again to the president to assure support. We have the very latest now. A devastating bombardment, they promised overnight that they would pay the price for the unprecedented attack. And in gaza, this was the result. Translation what happened to as completely destruction, there were 150 people that lived destruction, there were 150 people that lived in this building and we cant that lived in this building and we cant live that lived in this building and we cant live there now. But that lived in this building and we cant live there now. That lived in this building and we cant live there now. But today in israel, cant live there now. But today in israel. More cant live there now. But today in israel, more gunfights cant live there now. But today in israel, more gunfights as cant live there now. But today in israel, more gunfights as israeli | israel, more gunfights as Israeli Security forces pursued people that infiltrated a day ago. Here they chased militants in a stolen car and killed them. And here, the shocking result of the earlier mass assault. The bodies of an israeli family shot dead, waiting to be taken for identification and burial. 0ver dead, waiting to be taken for identification and burial. Over here you have another one of the body bags and disturbingly enough, you find them by the roadsides of Southern Israel right now. Here, we are not very far from Israeli Military base that was overrun by hamas militants and has since been recaptured. And it is now known among the dead, there was a 20 year old british man, nathanial lung young. He had signed up to join. His brothersaid. For many, the fate of their loved ones are still unknown. 0utside for many, the fate of their loved ones are still unknown. Outside the main hospital in ashkelon, this woman berated an mp. I want you to try and find my boy and his girlfriend naomi, aged 24 and 23, she tells him, distraught. This hospital has been overwhelmed. Treating some 400 people, soldiers and civilians, some shot and some injured with continuing rocket fire. It was very difficult. A lot of casualties have been brought, one after one, one after one, very quickly. After one, one after one, very ruickl. , quickly. There was a reminder today at the potential quickly. There was a reminder today at the potential for quickly. There was a reminder today at the potential for this quickly. There was a reminder today at the potential for this conflict at the potential for this conflict to widen. The Israeli Military carried out artillery strikes and sudden lebanon after mortars were fired towards israeli positions. Gazais fired towards israeli positions. Gaza is still the main focus. It is believed that dozens of israeli hostages, including Women And Children are now being held there. We will not forget. Hamas terrorists target israeli civilians. Israel will target hamas and islamichhad terrorists wherever they may be in gaza. ,. ,. ,. , gaza. The israelis and palestinians, there is worrying gaza. The israelis and palestinians, there is worrying signs gaza. The israelis and palestinians, there is worrying signs of gaza. The israelis and palestinians, there is worrying signs of a gaza. The israelis and palestinians, there is worrying signs of a long there is worrying signs of a long war ahead. And you are watching bbc news. I have taken over and i will be with you for the next couple of hours. I want to take you now to ashkelon. 0ur Correspondent is live there. Its pretty dark there. There are Flashing Lights behind you. Talk us through what you can about where you are and what has been happening. Behind me, these Flashing Lights are where the road has been closed off. This has been almost a staging post in the last few hours, we have watched ambulances coming in and helicopters landing on the road, it looked like they were evacuating casualties out of the area. You are right, it is particularly dark now, but the skies have been regularly lighting up in the last few hours because there has been a regular barrage of missiles being fired from gaza and when they come, easy Points Of Light Shooting into the sky and you see the intercepted by the Iron Dome System which really catches most of the missiles are coming, but the sound, when that happens, some really loud booms that you can feel it shaking for your whole body and sometimes, people around here will jump sometimes, people around here will jump when that happens, even though it is something they are quite used to now. What is also worth mentioning is the amount of Israeli Military equipment and hardware that is starting to move into this area here. A lot of attacks are starting to come into Southern Israel and a lot of the priorities of the idf were securing that sudden israeli communities after they were infiltrated by hamas militants that broke through the fence yesterday morning. The question is what they will do once they feel they have secured the area. You can see, you know, all the time what is going on, you can see flashes in the background behind me, i can hear a plane going overhead, some time to get the sound of a drone as well. They are very distinctively different, you can hear the plane sort of shooting over, the drone is a very consistent, whining sound. Again, you can hear the booms that are going on. It has been constant, actually, lewis, for the last few hours and it really shows you that this conflict, as it is, certainly the escalation that we have seen in the escalation that we have seen in the last 48 hours or so is really an early indication i would say of what is likely to happen in the next few days and potentially the next few weeks. � �. Days and potentially the next few weeks. � ~. , days and potentially the next few weeks. � �. ,. ~ , weeks. And, anna, ust talk us throu~h weeks. And, anna, ust talk us through roughly weeks. And, anna, ust talk us through roughly if weeks. And, anna, just talk us through roughly if you weeks. And, anna, just talk us through roughly if you can, weeks. And, anna, just talk us | through roughly if you can, give us a sense of the geography of how far you are from gaza and other key points around you. You are from gaza and other key points around you. Gaza is less than ten kilometres points around you. Gaza is less than ten kilometres over points around you. Gaza is less than ten kilometres over here. Points around you. Gaza is less than i ten kilometres over here. Sometimes, when you are seeing those flashes that you will occasionally get on the horizon now, gaza is really close and that is something that the Southern Israeli communities have been dealing with, had been living with for quite a long time because hes missile attacks, which we are seeing an awful lot of Yesterday And Today are a regular feature of life here. Certainly, when you go down the coast in ashkelon, but when you go down a little bit to sderot, there are people in Apartment Buildings when you look out to gaza, on this trip, these two areas really do rub shoulder to shoulder and i think thats perhaps one of the reasons why hamas were able to carry out what was a Surprise Attack yesterday morning. The tension and increasing tension as no surprise. The way they were able to break through the fence and infiltrate using paragliders to end the trade by sea with very little warning certainly from the Israeli Security services who said that this was likely to happen, and the us of course who are one of israels largest allies, no one realised it was about to happen along with the shock that is going on here, stun community, there are also questions being asked about why intelligence didnt pick up such an imminent large attack. Didnt pick up such an imminent large attack didnt pick up such an imminent large attack. And looking ahead, anna, i large attack. And looking ahead, anna. I getting large attack. And looking ahead, anna, i getting any large attack. And looking ahead, anna, i getting any sense large attack. And looking ahead, anna, i getting any sense of large attack. And looking ahead, | anna, i getting any sense of what will happen the night . It is will happen the night . It is difficult to will happen the night . It is difficult to know. Will happen the night . It is difficult to know. We will happen the night . It 3 difficult to know. We have been talking about the potential Israeli Ground incursion into gaza because thatis ground incursion into gaza because that is something that is crucial, really. When we saw the israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu talking in the early hours after the attacks yesterday, you promised a substantial response and that would certainly take the form of a ground operation, but of course, you have a lot of civilians, palestinian, Civilian In Gaza and i was there about 18 months ago, most recently, it is very tightly packed. Its not very easy to escape. Israel controls the edge of the strip, its very difficult for people to move away from an operation it might be lunch. But also dont forget, the hostages, the videos we saw on social media yesterday, of israeli hostages being taken by hamas militants and taken potentially back into gaza. That will be something again that is at play when the idf are trying to decide how to respond to that. There are israeli civilians being held hostage in gaza in the belief is thatis hostage in gaza in the belief is that is the case, perhaps as many as 100, but enormously difficult to tell at this stage. All of these things will have to be considered as israel planned its next move. Qm. Israel planned its next move. 0k, anna, we israel planned its next move. 0k, anna. We must israel planned its next move. 0k, anna, we must leave israel planned its next move. 0k, anna, we must leave you there. Thank you so much for your expertise there in ashkelon, we were coming back to anna later. We mention that the hostages. It seems to be coming increasingly likely that a significant number of those killed and captured by hamas where young people attending a Music Festival in the Southern Israeli desert. Social media pictures showed Hundreds Fleeing The Nova Festival Which was held near the small settlement of reim a kibbutz near the border with gaza as Caroline Hawley reports. Moments before at a festival that brought together young people across israel. A carefree crowd with no idea of the hall are about to erupt. Images posted on social media show people running for their lives. Witnesses say that the rockets were fired, palestinian gunmen began attacking from several directions. Dont kill me, she pleads, as she and her boyfriend are taken captive. Both the still missing, thought to have been taken into gaza. Today, her father spoke through his anguish to israeli media. Translation i asked to see that video and then i saw that it was definitely her. She was so scared, so frightened. I always protected her and at this very moment, i couldnt. She always protected her and at this very moment, i couldnt. Always protected her and at this very moment, i couldnt. She is 25 with a passion very moment, i couldnt. She is 25 with a passion for very moment, i couldnt. She is 25 with a passion for travel. Very moment, i couldnt. She is 25 with a passion for travel. She very moment, i couldnt. She is 25 with a passion for travel. She had| with a passion for travel. She had been messaging a friend just before she was kidnapped and then the live location ended. It is she was kidnapped and then the live location ended. Location ended. It is ust us, waitin location ended. It is ust us, waiting and hoping, location ended. It isjust us, waiting and hoping, really. Location ended. It isjust us, waiting and hoping, really hoping and praying that everything is good. That she and praying that everything is good. That she will come home safely. Her and her that she will come home safely. Her and her boyfriend and everyone. Everyone and her boyfriend and everyone. Everyone in captivity right now. Jake everyone in captivity right now. Jake marlos family and friends are also desperate for news. Hes a 20 year old british man working at the festival. He is reported to have told her mother he loved her and promised to keep her updated as his fame began running at ringing out. The aftermath. Phone. We dont know whats happened to other people that came in the cars to celebrate at the party. Shell shocked reunions with those who survived. The brutality of the attack, the terror of it, it will now be seared into the psyche a nation. Taking you to the psyche a nation. Taking you to the new 5 us right now. Talking about the events. This is what Antony Blinken said. This about the events. This is what Antony Blinken said. About the events. This is what Antony Blinken said. This is the worst attack Antony Blinken said. This is the worst attack on Antony Blinken said. This is the worst attack on israel Antony Blinken said. This is the worst attack on israel since Antony Blinken said. This is the worst attack on israel since the | Antony Blinken said. This is the worst attack on israel since the Yom Kippur War war, almost exactly 50 years ago. There is a big difference. That is a state on state conflict, army against army with clear front lines. Conflict, army against army with clearfront lines. This is a massive Terrorist Attack targeting isr