Significant development this evening. We heard from the Israel Defence forces spokesperson making a significant announcement, twofold, first, that the Ground Forces are expanding their operations tonight. Secondly Erica Intensification Of Airstrikes from israel into gaza. We have a number of live feeds, live cameras, pictures coming into us here at the building, there are three of them, lets start with this one. The darkness of gaza, you will know that fuel is in such short suppty, know that fuel is in such short supply, electricity, power, the light effectively there coming from the explosions of the strikes. Over the explosions of the strikes. Over the last couple of hours we have seen a real intensification of these airstrikes. With that comes things like a lack of communications in gaza. Weve heard from the head of the World Health Organization saying he has lost touch with his team, communications are down there in gaza. Next, lets go to the United Nations in new york, a significant moment there in the last 20 minutes, they have backed what they have passed a resolution put forward by jordan, it got the votes required, significantly, the wording is important, it condemns all acts of violence against palestinian and israeli civilians and it calls for an immediate humanitarian truce in gaza. We will be getting reaction to that. Our next live feed we have coming into us here is not new york, it is a Southern Israel, because we have heard from hamas today, from gaza, they are also firing missiles into Southern Israel. Of course, rockets are flying in the opposite direction, too. So, a fast developing situation tonight, i am joined by our panel. From washington, Political Commentator, democratic strategist Ameshia Cross and from london, paulwaugh, Political Editor of the i newspaper. I want to show you some pictures from earlier today in gaza. These are the explosions, this was the intensification that our teams were reporting on the ground in Southern Israel, they noticed the step change, and then after these pictures came the official announcement from the idf, the spokesperson from the Israel Defence forces, confirming then what we had been witnessing, what we have been seeing. Lets hear now a little bit of that statement from the idf. Translation over the last few hours, we have intensified our airstrikes in gaza. The iaf has extensively carried out raids to underground targets and terror infrastructure in a substantial manner. As a continuation of our offensive strikes over the last few days the Ground Forces are expanding their operations this evening, acting forcefully in all dimensions to achieve the goals of the war. Earlier on today we exposed to the world the Shifa Hospital with the underground expanse and how they have converted to hospital for terror activities. We revealed to the world hamass cynical use of the hospital, and we will continue to do so, we will continue Attacking Gaza and its surroundings, and again, south to the gaza river, there are better conditions, we have called upon them and reiterated the call to the people of gaza to move. Lets go to lucy williamson, our correspondent in Southern Israel. Lucy, just bring us up to date with the very latest, what is happening there . ~. ,. , there . Well, or evening here we have had significant there . Well, or evening here we have had significant bombardments there . Well, or evening here we have had significant bombardments of had significant bombardments of gaza. We have heard very loud explosions, aerial strikes inside gaza. And the idf has confirmed it has expanded widely attacking what it calls Terrorist Infrastructure and underground targets. But the question a lot of people are asking is what this aerial intensification might signify. Might it signify the beginnings of a Ground Offensive that israel has been preparing for . And on that it is much less clear what is happening, not only because we cant see whats happening on the ground, but the israeli army itself has not been completely clear on that. It said it is expanding its Ground Operations but didnt clarify exactly what that means and we know that in the past few days there have been targeted raids inside gaza, sometimes with tanks, the israeli army says, to destroy celsius, together information. So it is not clear weather this expansion of Ground Operations simpler means more of that or weather it means something much wider. On the other side, there is very Little Information or no information really coming out of the gaza strip at the moment because communications have been cut. The internet, the phone, whatsapp messages, we are told, not going through, either. Palestine red crescent and the World Health Organization both say they lost contact with their staff and partners. So, information about whats happening on the ground in gazais whats happening on the ground in gaza is almost non existent here tonight, even as we can still hear explosions from the air. Explosions from the air. Lutti, thank you explosions from the air. Lutti, thank you very explosions from the air. Lutti, thank you very much explosions from the air. Lutti, thank you very much for explosions from the air. Lutti, thank you very much for that i explosions from the air. Lutti, thank you very much for that update from Southern Israel. Lets bring in our panel, Political Commentator and democratic strategist Ameshia Cross and from london, paulwaugh, Political Editor at the i newspaper. A difficult couple of hours with this step change, paul, in what has been happening there . This step change, paul, in what has been happening there . Yeah, it does feel like we are been happening there . Yeah, it does feel like we are on been happening there . Yeah, it does feel like we are on the been happening there . Yeah, it does feel like we are on the edge been happening there . Yeah, it does feel like we are on the edge of feel like we are on the edge of something and something which could be potentially quite momentous not just for this conflict but for the wider region. It seems as though, we have yet to get confirmation but this does look like the preparatory stages of the actual Ground Offensive, and if that is the case, then there will be a lot of worries on both sides. Dont forget there will be a lot of it israeli family is worried for their trips who are going over the border, but also there will be lots of concern for Palestinian Civilians. Benjamin netanyahu, straight after those neta nyahu, straight after those atrocities netanyahu, straight after those atrocities on the 7th of october, said that every hamas member is a dead man. Now, it may well be that this offensive is aimed directly at disrupting and dismantling a lot of the Military Operations of hamas, but we will have to see how it plays outjust how but we will have to see how it plays out just how effective but we will have to see how it plays outjust how effective it is going to be. , ~ outjust how effective it is going to be. ~ , outjust how effective it is going to be. ~ i. , outjust how effective it is going to be. ~. ,. ,. , outjust how effective it is going tobe. ,. ,. ,. To be. Thank you for that, paul. We are keeping to be. Thank you for that, paul. We are keeping the to be. Thank you for that, paul. We are keeping the pictures to be. Thank you for that, paul. We are keeping the pictures up to be. Thank you for that, paul. We are keeping the pictures up on to be. Thank you for that, paul. We are keeping the pictures up on the l are keeping the pictures up on the screen, it is pretty black, because there is no power or electricity to light up buildings but we are seeing the flashes of those intensification is of airstrikes every couple of minutes or so you will see the flash of orange and usually a crackle that goes with it. Just to explain what we are monitoring and keeping across. Your thoughts, ameshia . This is a scary place across. Your thoughts, ameshia . This is a scary place to across. Your thoughts, ameshia . This is a scary place to be, i dont is a scary place to be, idont think is a scary place to be, i dont think it is a scary place to be, i dont think it is is a scary place to be, i dont think it is a is a scary place to be, i dont think it is a place that anyone wanted think it is a place that anyone wanted us to be. Specifically we have wanted us to be. Specifically we have seen wanted us to be. Specifically we have seen in the United States severat have seen in the United States several congresspeople call for a ceasefire several congresspeople call for a ceasefire. We see in this amplification, i think this is a strategy amplification, i think this is a strategy which has long term implications not only for the level tevetting implications not only for the Level Levelling of gaza and the many war crimes levelling of gaza and the many war crimes that we have seen that have come crimes that we have seen that have come out crimes that we have seen that have come out of crimes that we have seen that have come out of this since the start of this war. Come out of this since the start of this war, particularly more innocent billions this war, particularly more innocent billions that this war, particularly more innocent billions that reside in gaza, the Palestinian People are being hurt, and dont Palestinian People are being hurt, and dont really have a means of not only getting out of this but also a nreans only getting out of this but also a means of only getting out of this but also a means of protecting themselves and their families. Means of protecting themselves and theirfamilies. But in means of protecting themselves and their families. But in addition to that, their families. But in addition to that, the their families. But in addition to that, the greater fear i think is has been that, the greater fear i think is has been a that, the greater fear i think is has been a word back, the threat of greater has been a word back, the threat of greater violence across the middle east, greater violence across the middle east, ensuring that there can be a much east, ensuring that there can be a much longer war, and with that being said, much longer war, and with that being said. We much longer war, and with that being said. We are much longer war, and with that being said, we are in a very sticky place, we just said, we are in a very sticky place, we just saw said, we are in a very sticky place, we just saw the un break with President Biden and his assertions and we President Biden and his assertions and we are President Biden and his assertions and we are also watching in real time and we are also watching in real time what and we are also watching in real time what could be very, very devastating not only for the Palestinian People but also across the middle east and region as a whole the middle east and region as a whole. ,. , whole. Paul, the politics of this, the international whole. Paul, the politics of this, the international coalition, whole. Paul, the politics of this, the international coalition, we. Whole. Paul, the politics of this, i the international coalition, we have seen Head Of State after Head Of State arrive from countries like france, uk, us, steadfast support for israel, what do you think as these things developed now, what happens with that Political Support . I think you what you will see certainly in the initial stages is a real sense of demarcated support, i think you will see it is conditional, conditional in the sense that it will be guided by repeated pleas with the israelis to do Everything Possible to avoid innocent civilians being killed in this offensive. I think what has happened is that all of those western leaders went straight to israel to show immediate support for the country after those horrific killings on seventh october, which we cant get away from. President biden said thereafter that israel shouldnt substitute its desire for justice with the desire for anger. And i think he will be counselling throughout this that the israeli should do Everything Possible they can to make sure that civilians arent attacked, but obviously it is very, very difficult to do that in a densely populated area like this and certainly in terms of the uk it is often that the uk seems to be waiting for bidens lead on this. Only recently, just in the last few days did both rishi sunak and keir starmer change their position on the whole idea of humanitarian pauses. They both supported that biden idea but they have not gone for the full fledged ceasefire, which a lot of people do want. And of italy you have just seen that in the un vote tonight. Thank you both of you, speak to you again in just a moment. We can now speak to dr sabri saidam, Senior Member of fatah, a faction once led by yasser arafat, palestinian liberation organisation. Thank you for being on the programme. Rooms that what is your reaction to the intensification of the strikes tonight and potentially the strikes tonight and potentially the expansion of the Ground Operations . Well, shocked, horrified, dismayed, as a palestinian, that humanity can go this low. I cant believe this is a war against the palestinian faction, it is a war against the Palestinian People. Over it is a war against the Palestinian People. 0ver7000 it is a war against the Palestinian People. Over 7000 people have been killed, the majority are women and children and that exceeds 70 , half of the houses of gaza have been demolished. I dont think this is a war against a faction, if anything this is Ethnic Cleansing that israel is perpetrating. This is Ethnic Cleansing that israel is perpetrating this is Ethnic Cleansing that israel is perpetrating. Well, the israelis, the idf, are is perpetrating. Well, the israelis, the idf, are very is perpetrating. Well, the israelis, the idf, are very clear, is perpetrating. Well, the israelis, the idf, are very clear, they is perpetrating. Well, the israelis, the idf, are very clear, they say. The idf, are very clear, they say hamas carried out this attack and it is hamas they are going after, talking about targeting, in their words, Terrorist Infrastructure, targeting the tunnels of hamas and also talking about the fact in their eyes that hamas used places such as the hospital to operate out. In their eyes, they are attacking hamas . ~ ,. ,. ,. , hamas . Well, you are telling you that babies hamas . Well, you are telling you that babies that hamas . Well, you are telling you that babies that have hamas . Well, you are telling you that babies that have just hamas . Well, you are telling you that babies that have just been i hamas . Well, you are telling you i that babies that have just been born and young women and children are hamas supporters . This is nonsense. The majority being killed of the people of palestinians in gaza. That our women and children. I dont buy this argument. If anything, israel is trying to get away with this, with the support of some members of the International Community for but i think the vote that has been passed at the un, just passed at the un, is a manifestation of the will of the International Community to cease hostilities and push another, a different agenda that the world has to entertain. Cutting basic services, if you allow me to finish. The cutting water, electricity, telecommunications, shutting the only long, as it were, which allows food and medicine into gaza, through the rafah crossing, i dont know how on earth this is going to bring peace for the region and for the world at large. You talked about and for the world at large. You talked about that and for the world at large. You talked about that Un General Assembly resolution that has just passed in the last 20 minutes, half an hour, the line in it calls for an immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce. First of all, do you think that will happen, is there a chance of that happening . Itruieiii. You think that will happen, is there a chance of that happening . Well, we have seen israel a chance of that happening . Well, we have seen israel ignoring a chance of that happening . Well, we have seen israel ignoring the have seen israel ignoring the previous decisions that have been passed, resolutions that have been passed, resolutions that have been passed at the un. I am not at all optimistic, although i feel that there is a change of position and Change Of Heart on the part of britain and other members of the world community, seeing the suffering of palestinians. But as your guest in the earlier interview had said that britain has not pushed for a fully fledged ceasefire. This is what we need, we need sa