From Central Maine Medical Centre in lewiston and a large number of casualties they following the shootings in lewiston in maine, we will bring you up to date with that as and when we get the details. The israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu has insisted his country will be launching a Ground Invasion of the gaza strip after receiving domestic criticism over its apparent delay. Speaking on prime time television, he said troops were preparing to enter the besieged territory, saying the timing of the offensive would be reached by consensus. Translation we are in the midst of a campaign | for our existence. We have set two goals for the war to eliminate hamas by destroying its military and governmental capabilities and do Everything Possible to bring our hostages home. In gaza, hospitals are stopping all but Emergency Services as fuel runs out. Israel has been blocking fuel from reaching gaza, accusing hamas of stockpiling it for military purposes. The Hamas Run Health Ministry says almost israeli strikes have killed 6,500 gazans since the 7th of october. The bbc� s special correspondent fergal keane is injerusalem and reporting on humanitarian teams on the ground in gaza. He sent us this report. Each climbing cloud a marker of destruction. Relentless airstrikes. Thousands of bombs dropped. Hamas started this war. Israel responds with devastating force. It is a story of stunned aftermath and desperate searching. The man was away from his home when the bomb fell. He speaks to his lost loved ones. I wish wed stayed with you. And then a child who survived. Theyre all gone, he tells her. Bbc cameras in gaza captured medics collecting the wounded. The man shouts, nasser his head is open, speaking of the child in his arms. Mahmoud badawi daily faces the killing inflicted from the skies. But there isnt time to stop, much less show his feelings. From one scene of carnage to another. There are the survivors to care for. Translation there are many hard situations. As an ambulance driver, you get accustomed to whats happening, whether its hands, heads or bodies that are cut. In many families now, theres the need to familiarise their children with the morbid practicalities of life in a warzone. Translation i have seen bodies blown apart. You cant identify anyone. So, in case anything happened and they were blown up, i would know them from this bracelet and i can collect their bodies. It is not knowledge any parent wants to impart. Sometimes in the heart of it all there is good news. She is ok but she is scared. Her father has been freed from the rubble. First the names, then the medic� s reassurance. They are all out, i swear. The Emergency Workers like mahmoud are overstretched, exhausted, knowing that however much they do, in gaza now, it cannot be enough. Fergal keane, bbc news, jerusalem. Ive been speaking about the situation and the humanitarian situation and the humanitarian situation with the Executive Director of the United NationsPalestinian Refugee agency here in the us. Your colleagues warned yesterday they were going to run out of fuel today, that they wouldnt be able to carry on their operations after today, has that happened . We are hearing exactly that, today was the last day they had enough fuel to carry on essential operations, including running hospitals, desalinated water, actually the fuel that would power the tracks that would take all the goods that are coming through the border the shelters were 600,000 internally displaced people need them unfortunately, they will not be enough fuel to operate tomorrow if it doesnt come in. Have you been speaking to colleagues, do you know whether that has happened yet . I have heard there are a couple hours left a feel and by tomorrow morning there will be none. A couple of hours of fuel. What will that mean in real time . , what will that mean in real time . , time . This is disastrous upon the human time . This is disastrous upon the Human Tragedy time . This is disastrous upon the Human Tragedy that time . This is disastrous upon the Human Tragedy that has l the Human Tragedy that has already unfolded in front of our eyes with 5800 people who have been killed, half of those children, roughly half of those. About 60 women and children. Now the whole Hospital System has collapsed because theres not enough fuel to power the generator is the will power the hospitals without electricity. Theres not enough water or food, we are talking about the loss of civilian life at a scale we have not seen right now. We must have fuel, for it to be able to make its way into gaza to make sure that the hospitals are running on that people have clean water. Clean water. Israel maintains that hamas clean water. Israel maintains that hamas has clean water. Israel maintains that hamas has got clean water. Israel maintains | that hamas has got fuel tanks in gaza but it is not sharing with you, based on what you have said, but the United Nations, have they made any approach to hamas to try and stand up that claim . I approach to hamas to try and stand up that claim . Approach to hamas to try and stand up that claim . I have no idea. I know stand up that claim . I have no idea. I know nothing stand up that claim . I have no idea. I know nothing about. Idea. I know nothing about whether hamas has fuelled or not. But i know under what has not. But i know under what has no access are to today. In terms of no access are to today. In terms of who or what is waiting at the crossing to get to you, how quickly could keep the operations running if more aid is allowed . Operations running if more aid is allowed . ~. , is allowed . With more fuel came in we could is allowed . With more fuel came in we could assist is allowed . With more fuel came in we could assist those in we could assist those hospitals that dont have power but we are talking about 160,000 litres a day of fuel needed just a function, just to make sure that there isnt more rampant deaths among the civilian population. Rampant deaths among the civilian population. Thank you very much civilian population. Thank you very much for civilian population. Thank you very much forjoining civilian population. Thank you very much forjoining us. Civilian population. Thank you very much forjoining us. Wel very much forjoining us. We return to the breaking news from lewiston in maine, reports of multiple casualties from a Mass Shooting. 0ur Correspondent is with us now. What can you tell us . This correspondent is with us now. What can you tell us . What can you tell us . This is an evolving what can you tell us . This is an evolving situation. An evolving situation. Lewiston, community of around 37,000 people, turn out to those people are being told to remain inside because the shooter, the suspect in this remains at large, according to local authorities. The confirmation we have had in terms of casualties is that this is a Mass Casualty event, we are talking about 16 people so far confirmed to have been killed. We are hearing of dozens more entries are being treated for as well. We understand this Shooting Take place at multiple places across that community and our photos being released of the suspect who has mentioned remains at large and photos being released of his car tonight as well. Here you can see him standing with an Assault Style rifle. I just want to bring you some details we have coming out from different authorities. The medical centre has been reacting to what it is calling a Mass Casualty event. It said at this time it has no specifics to share the number of casualties but a Crucial Detail here is that they have said they are coordinating with area hospitals, taking patients. So perhaps indicating that we are seeing a significant number of people who have been injured in this. We are also seeing reaction coming in politically. Its been posted on x formerly known as twitter. Biggest ever reading you something from a congressman who has said, like all people of maine i am horrified by the events in lewiston tonight, this is my hometown. Right now all of us are looking to local Law Enforcement as they gain control of the situation and gather information. Our hearts break for those affected, we encourage everyone to follow the directions of the authorities as they conduct their work. Talking of authorities who are conducting their work, already this has been elevated past local Law Enforcement, the fbi are also now involved and of course President Biden has been briefed on the situation. We are also hearing from angus king, the us Senatorfrom Maine in the statement reads, senator king is deeply sad for the city of lewiston and all those worried about their family, and neighbours. He is receiving regular updates and awaits further details from local authorities and will be headed directly home to maine once the senates vote is tomorrow afternoon. Given the shelter in place is currently under way, he says First Responders should be allowed to address the situation and people should stay indoors and report any suspicious behaviour to local authorities. Sojust suspicious behaviour to local authorities. So just to give you some context we are seeing 16 casualties so far, the worst Mass Shooting since the one in las vegas. We Mass Shooting since the one in Las Vegas Las vegas. We are waiting in a ress las vegas. We are waiting in a Press Conference las vegas. We are waiting in a Press Conference that las vegas. We are waiting in a Press Conference that the Press Conference that the authorities in lewiston are going to hold. City hall set up there with a podium that we are keeping an iron and we will keeping an iron and we will keep but we will go back to that as soon as possible. In the meantime the Police Department of lewiston has been posting some information on its Facebook Page and other social Media Outlets around the locations where this happened and the time frame. What can you tell us about that . They have been you tell us about that . They have been posting you tell us about that . They have been Posting Updates. You tell us about that . Tue have been Posting Updates on facebook my facebook and x, you can see the photo of the Bowling Alley is one of the locations. That is one of the places where it is believed to have sick taken place. As such to do that, people are being asked to stay clear of the area to allow Emergency Responders to allow Emergency Responders to gain access to that site and we are also hearing it has been taking place in other points in that area as well. Lewiston, community of around 37,000 people, we believe this was happening in the early evening, a time when many people would have been out enjoying some recreation, enjoying some relaxation essentially, particularly at that Bowling Alley and as thats and as such sources are saying 16 people were killed but we know many more are injured. So there is the potential for that death toll to rise. And lewiston is a big city in maine, the biggest being portland, but lewiston is just about 35 miles, 56 kilometres or so north of portland. Kilometres or so north of portland kilometres or so north of portland. ,. , portland. So hospitals in the area are coordinating portland. So hospitals in the area are coordinating to area are coordinating to take care of the victims, the injured people who are coming from these shootings. And very much still an active situation insofar as the latest information that we have. Absolutely anything that underscores the potential gravity of what authorities are dealing with, the fact that already the Maine Medical Centre has come out saying they are coordinating with other hospitals in order to treat these casualties, number of around 50 to 60 other people believed to have been injured in the shooting event and local authorities quickly coordinating with the fbi as well. At this stage, as you mentioned, this is an active shooter investigation, people very much being warned to stay inside because although authorities have already been able to release pictures of fat suspect, that is very much due to the fact that he still believed to be as large. End believed to be as large. And ust on believed to be as large. And just on that believed to be as large. And just on that note believed to be as large. And just on that note about the active gunman, we do have a statement from the state police, that reads that there is an active shooter in lewiston, it says, we ask people to shelter in place, please stay inside your home with the doors locked. More enforcement is currently investigating at multiple locations. So you can see there that that is a post on x, formerly known as twitter, from Maine State Police. All the Law Enforcement agencies coordinating there, and we have had other statements from the lewiston Police Department and other local authorities. We are keeping an eye on the scene there at city hall in lewiston, which is set up for a Press Conference that we are told will get under way shortly. We can see the live pictures coming to us from lewiston in maine. You can appreciate, there is a significant Media Presence and weve been watching for the last few minutes the various technical staff getting ready for the Press Conference. Us media saying the number of injured could be up to 50 or up to 60 in terms of those that have been killed had two or possibly three locations. The latest reports coming to our Editorial Partners is that it could be 16 individuals and as we saw, that latest statement from Maine State Police saying this is still very much an active situation, that the government is still at large and they are asking people to shelter in place. That information, the to stay indoors has been going for a few hours as the authorities are looking for this gunman. Absolutely. This must be a very alarming situation for people in the community of lewiston, knowing that this is a situation in which there have been mass casualties, multiple casualties are yet that shooter remains at large. As you can see in that picture, hes entering that premises with an Assault Style rifle, something President Biden has been calling on congress to bring further regulations and restrictions on coming at a time when in this country there has been 500 Mass Shootings. In 2023 alone, thats not the highest level, that was in 2021 but nevertheless a significant number of shootings in the United States right now. And as such, due to the high number of casualties in this particular incident, we are also seen here that the Attorney General has been briefed and we will continue to closely monitor the situation, and federal Law Enforcement is also involved. The fbi boston division, just reading here, continuing to coordinate with local state and federal Law Enforcement partners in maine. They say they stand by ready to assist with any available resources they need including evidence response, investigative and tactical support as well as victim assistance. The message going out to the public is to remain vigilant, report any and all suspicious activity to Law Enforcement immediately, and the reiteration here is that the reiteration here is that the situation is very fluid and they also say they have no further comment at this time and they are referring people to the Maine State Police but of course this is the situation they have at hand, a Mass Casualty situation must have a were also having to collect evidence and secure the scene for people who are in the community of lewiston in the state of maine, a community of around 37,000. We also know that in light of the situation, Public Schools will be closed tomorrow, according to the district superintendent. Us because, they are saying here, there just remains a lot of unknowns. Information is moving very quickly but not always accurately. Thats according to the police superintendent. They are saying they will continue to update everybody with the improved information and the next steps as appropriate. But here, is the superintendent has said, stay close to your loved ones, embrace them. Our prayers go out to lost someone tonight. Religious underscoring how awful this situation is. We also have awful this situation is. We also have a aw