We will bring you the latest from across the region tonight. From jerusalem our correspondent tom bateman. Our International Editor jeremy bowen is in southern israel. And on lebanon border we will bring you the latest from anna foster. Good evening. Hundreds of thousands of palestinians fled south over the weekend hoping to escape the bombardment. Many left without the provisions they had stored, and are now without food and limited water. Those who went all the way south to the raffah border with egypt are still not safe. The border remains closed and earlier today, the town was hit by israeli air strikes. Buildings destroyed. This footage has been verified this footage has been verified by this footage has been verified by the bbc close to Rafah Crossing. Dozens trapped under the rubble. For the innocents the nightmare continues, as israel prepares the ground for a major offensive. But still hamas continues to fire rockets from built up areas. Airraid sirens. Tonight Air Raid Sirens were triggered injerusalem and tel aviv. And the number of hostages they think were taken into gaza has been revised upwards to 199. That is thought to include two teenage sisters from the uk, whose mother was killed in the attack nine days ago. Lets get an update for our middle east correspondent tom bateman who is injerusalem for us tonight. Tom, on my screen here and seeing some news flashes from one of the leaders of hamas talking about the hostages that they have and speaking to the wider Arab Community in the region. To the wider Arab Community in the reuion. ,. , , to the wider Arab Community in the reuion. ,. , region. Yes, there has been a series of statements region. Yes, there has been a series of statements over region. Yes, there has been a series of statements over the region. Yes, there has been a series of statements over the course region. Yes, there has been a series of statements over the course of of statements over the course of the last week at various points about hostages, this leader, the hamas called in the head of the Diaspora Affairs but he is based in qatar as are some other senior hamas figures. Over the course of the last week there have been various things for example about the claims of the deaths of hostages and air strikes. The problem with a lot of this is it is impossible to verify. In terms of the weight we can give any of these statements is quite tricky, but certainly what we have heard today is a revision upwards of the numbers of confirmed hostages in terms of the families that have been told on this israeli side is think they have 199 families that their relatives are among those held captive in gaza. Of course we already know that among those are children in the elderly. And in israel theres a growing sense of anger frustration about some people say is a lack of information from the israeli authorities. We saw some scenes today, for example in tel aviv of protest outside the Ministry Of Defence and a pro Government Support going into really physical confrontation with the father of a woman missing. 50 what was already a political crisis in this country now merging into the Security Crisis and some pretty desperate scenes. Going back to this leader some pretty desperate scenes. Going back to this leader sang some pretty desperate scenes. Going back to this leader sang in some pretty desperate scenes. Going back to this leader sang in the last few minutes that is really captives include high ranking officers from the gaza divisions saying that there are 6000 male in female prisoners in israeli prisons but putting the focus on some of these high value targets but difficult to verify these details. But lets talk instead about the Air Raid Sirens because the Secretary Of StateAntony Blinken is in tel aviv tonight at a Military Base where he was talking to the war cabinet. It seems they were sent scurrying to Air Raid Shelters in the myths of conversations. Air raid shelters in the myths of conversations. Yes they spent five minutes or conversations. Yes they spent five minutes or so conversations. Yes they spent five minutes or so in conversations. Yes they spent five minutes or so in the conversations. Yes they spent five minutes or so in the bunker conversations. Yes they spent five minutes or so in the bunker as minutes or so in the bunker as sirens went off with at least two or maybe three incidents today where they have been that longer range rocket fire coming from gaza. Hamas sing this was in retaliation for the deaths of civilians with that very high civilian death toll in gaza we have been talking about. We had Rocket Sirens here injerusalem, sending people to shelters here and in tel aviv, as you say, Antony Blinken having to take cover along with senior israeli officials within Defence Minister and other senior officials getting a taste of what ordinary israelis have been experiencing first hand throughout this last week. Experiencing firsthand throughout this last week. Experiencing firsthand throughout this last week. Thank you very much indeed for that. On the egyptian side of the border, a convoy of trucks carrying humanitarian aid for the gaza strip is positioned in the city of el arish, about an hour from the rafah border crossing. There was hope over the weekend that foreign nationals would be allowed to leave gaza but there are things standing in the way. The israelis dont want supplies getting into the hands of hamas, the egyptians are trying to avoid an internal refugee crisis, so they want assurances that supplies will be allowed in, and notjust a limited amount of aid, and then theres hamas, who dont want people leaving at all. In the interim, the water has been restored in the south of the strip, that happened yesterday afernoon, and today at least six petrol tanks crossed, with fuel for the pumping stations. Suggestions at least. The un Agency Undressing tonight that that is not the case that no fuel has crossed the case that no fuel has crossed the last 2a hours unwra. But it is the generators that are powering the hospitals that are dangerously low on fuel. The Un Office For The Coordination Of Humanitarian Affairs has warned they might run out by tonight and called on israel not to attack the hospitals. Hospitals are running out of fuel, running out of supplies, up in the north, people cant move without help. If you have been watching you will be aware. Us Secretary Of StateAntony Blinken has visited six countries in the region and faced some resistance from the arab worlds leaders, including egypts president el sisi and the Saudi Arabian crown prince, mohammed bin salman. In fact, on his visit to riyadh, we are told the saudis kept blinken waiting several hours for a meeting that was supposed to happen in the evening but to which the crown prince only showed up for the next morning. Perhaps that is why twice in several days secretary blinken has been underlining the same message. We democracies distinguish ourselves from terrorist by striving for a different standard. Even when it is difficult. And holding ourselves to account when we fall short. Our humanity, the value that we place on human life and human dignity, thats what makes us who we are. And we count them among our greatest strength. That is why it is so important to take every possible precaution to avoid harming civilians. The way that israel does this matters. It needs to do it in a way that affirms the shared values that we have for human life and human dignity. Taking every possible precaution to avoid harming civilians. Is there anything the american� s could offer the egyptians to persuade them to open the Rafah Crossing . The economist reports that theres talk in washington and the region about trying to pay off egypt, which is facing a debt crisis, to host palestinians displaced by the war in gaza. Steven cook is a Senior Fellow for middle east and Africa Studies at the council on foreign relations. Its interesting this the main reason why el sisi is slow walking this and there is a precedent for debt relief, the americans did something similar back in the 90s Whenjoining The First something similar back in the 90s when joining the first gulf war. Thats exactly right. George h w bushin thats exactly right. George h w bush in 1991 offered egypt 100 million in debt relief and got the pack Paris Club Countries to essentially wipe out their debt and Intern Egyptians deployed 35,000 troops to the of saudi arabia as a part of Operation Desert Storm that is what people are thinking in these terms now, what is it that each of needs, they need debt relief the second largest debtor in the world next to ukraine so it gives you a sense of how desperate the situation is in egypt. So there is a potential formula for debt relief, the question is whether there is the will in washington and other places to do this. And whether the debt relief is worth it to the egyptians to risk something that they have trying to been avoided at all costs was just having a large refugee population in the Sinai Peninsula when theyre already coasting around through 2000 Sudanese Refugees who fled the civil war. Fled the civil war. There is deep opposition fled the civil war. There is deep opposition knots fled the civil war. There is deep opposition knots because fled the civil war. There is deep opposition knots because of fled the civil war. There is deep opposition knots because of thej opposition knots because of the short term implications, Security Implications for egypt but the longer term suggestions that if they leave because of the and the palestinians will not be able to return. Is there, a risk that the humanitarian situation gets so dire and because of that in the end of the egyptians have no option but to Open The Gates . I the egyptians have no option but to Open The Gates . Open the gates . I think that is likel the Open The Gates . I think that is likely the case Open The Gates . I think that is likely the case that Open The Gates . I think that is likely the case that if Open The Gates . I think that is likely the case that if it Open The Gates . I think that is l likely the case that if it does get as dire as some imagine it very well may get, that president el sisi for mostly political domestic reasons will be forced to open up those border gates, yet, it will likely continue to be under very stringent conditions. The egyptians took a principal situation that the situation in gaza is the responsibility of israel and if they do not want to become responsible for millions of Palestinian Refugees and they do not want israel to dump the gaza problem onto egypt. There is some reporting the gaza problem onto egypt. There is some reporting tonight, the gaza problem onto egypt. There is some reporting tonight, the is some reporting tonight, the Egyptian Army is creating this Buffer Zone Near Rafah Setting up barbed wire fences five km between el arish and rafah. And we would have a tented serie city. Than . El arish and rafah. And we would have a tented serie city. Any maor movement have a tented serie city. Any maor movement d have a tented serie city. Any maor movement of egyptian i have a tented serie city. Any maor movement of Egyptian Forces in h have a tented serie city. Any major| movement of Egyptian Forces in the Sinai Peninsula is subject to is approval so whatever the egyptians do in this regard, it will likely be in coordination with israelis. Of course egyptians working hard to broadcast under current circumstances that is in fact the case. ~. , circumstances that is in fact the case. ,. , circumstances that is in fact the case. I. , ~ circumstances that is in fact the case. ,~. , case. What did you make going back to my introduction case. What did you make going back to my introduction about case. What did you make going back to my introduction about the to my introduction about the fact that Secretary Blinking was kept waiting and re add, and diplomatic terms in a crisis, that is tantamount to a snub, is it not . Is on brand for the crown prince when he wants to make a point, he will likely make people wait and often wait for hours. Anyone who has spent any time in saudi arabia understands thatis any time in saudi arabia understands that is a way in which the saudis try to send a message. But they themselves are in a difficult position. Over the course of the last eight or nine months, they have been inching ever closer to normalising relations with the israelis. Now is the israelis are engaged in this onslaught on the gaza strip, the saudis now need to walk much of that Normalisation Back thus they refused to condemn the hamas Terrorist Attack of innocent civilians, they are snubbing the american Secretary Of State and in general, from the perspective of the biting administration not being terribly constructive in this crisis. ,. ,. , terribly constructive in this crisis. ,. , join us and just one line to bring you from the leader of the political wing of hamas saying that hamas is around 200 is really captives the rest are being held by other armed factions he puts the number, the total number between 200 300 50 but as tom was saying earlier we need to verify some of those figures. Everything that hamas says cannot of course be trusted. One of their breaking line of news that we are getting in the last few minutes. From brussels relating to a shooting in the city police in belgium say to Swedish Nationals have been shot dead, one Person Injured in an attack in the capital brussels. Police are saying that it is being classified as an Act Of Terror and the suspect is still at large site developing situation in brussels this evening. To Swedish Nationals killed, detail still coming in and we will of course bring you news is that as and when we get it. Around the world and across the uk. This is bbc news. Lets look at some other stories making news. Further School Strikes are due to take place in scotland after a union voted to reject the latest pay offer for support staff. Unison, the union that represents administrators, Catering Assistants and janitors, said a Rolling Programme of strikes in schools and nurseries will take place in the coming weeks with dates announced within days. Parliaments Behaviour Watchdog has recommended that conservative mp peter bone be suspended for six weeks for bullying and sexual misconduct. It follows a complaint made by a former member of staff, over behaviour which allegedly happened more than 10 years ago. The suspension will have to be voted on by the House Of Commons to be approved. More foreign prisoners are to be deported to their home countries under plans to tackle overcrowding injails. Justice secretary, alex chalk is due to set out plans in the commons today for reducing the Prison Population in england and wales. Figures show thatjails are approaching full capacity with the number of inmates at an all time high. Youre live with bbc news. There are, in northern gaza, 22 hospitals treating more than 2,000 inpatients. The World Health Organization said this afternoon they now have under 2a hours of water, electricity and fuel left. The doctors at the Kamal Adwan Hospital are refusing to leave while caring for babies that are unable to survive without the help of medical equipment. But that equipment can only run if there is fuel for the generators. Translation in this war, as you can see, there are children attached to ventilators, and now we have been asked to evacuate these hospitals. Where should we evacuate these children to . They are attached to ventilators. They are completely dependent upon them, and it is impossible to move them. If you want to kill us, kill us while we continue to work here. We will not leave. We need days, weeks to secure another place. There are no empty nurseries. If you want to know what will happen, i will tell you. Transferring these children from this place means handing them a death sentence. They will die. This equipment only operates with electricity and oxygen. Joining me now is consultant surgeon nick maynard, who makes regular trips to gaza to train surgeons there. We spoke last night about the dire situation at the hospital mac, have you managed to contact Doctors Today . You mana