of a wider conflict. it's mr blinken�*s second visit since the war began. he's thought to be talking to israeli officials about how to pursue their military and security goals in gaza while limiting civilian casualties. meanwhile, the israeli military says its ongoing ground offensive has now "completed the encirclement of gaza city", the most densely populated part of the palestinian territory before the war began last month. the israel defense forces says close—quarter combat has seen fighting with gunmen as they target outposts, headquarters and other hamas infrastructure. with the fighting intensifying there's been strongly worded criticism of the humanitarian situation emerging from the united nations. seven human rights experts have said that they believe that the palestinian people in gaza are at risk of genocide, and that time is running out to prevent this. israel accused them of repeating hamas propaganda. and people across the region are waiting to hear from the leader of the lebanese islamist group, hezbollah. his speech in the coming hours will be closely watched and could have huge consequences for the conflict. we'll keep you across all these different aspects. but first this report on the situation from joe inwood. israel says it has gaza city surrounded. its ground forces, supported by heavy armour, are pushing into the crowded urban centre of the strip. but no one thinks this will be quick or easy. they are on hamas�* territory. the group put out their own footage showing an attack on an israeli tank. they said they would make gaza a cursed place for israel. caught in the middle are ordinary palestinians. the un human rights office has said so many civilians have been killed and wounded in israeli air strikes, it has serious concerns that these are disproportionate attacks that could be war crimes. israel blames hamas, designated terrorists by many governments, including the uk, saying they are using civilians as human shields. the only way out of gaza is through the rafah crossing into egypt. but that has only opened to a few dozen severely injured palestinians, and a few hundred with foreign passports. susan made it out on her fifth attempt. i'm not even excited to leave gaza because we have so many people that we love and care about, we love and care about. so right now, i'm between ice and fire. i don't know if i'm ever going to be able to see the family that i left behind, or the friends that i left behind. people are dying. for many in israel, the anger over the massacre of october the 7th is undimmed, as is the determination to get back the more than 240 hostages taken by hamas. i have uncles and sisters of my friends. we need them home now. those demands for the release of hostages have the full backing of israel's allies. for now, this war is mostly confined to gaza. as israel's assault continues and the death toll rises, there are growing fears that could soon change. joe inwood, bbc news. our gaza correspondent rushdi abualouf gave us the latest from on the ground. the fighting is in five different areas in gaza city and the north, where the israeli ground operation has been expanding yesterday for a bit. and fighting is going on in the north west part of gaza, where the biggest incursion is going on about five, six kilometres. the israeli army is engaging with guns, but with gunfire and from air, sea and land with the hamas militants. the group has issued statement by statement since yesterday saying that they are fighting the israeli army using anti—tank missiles. also, the air were continue overnight, especially around the al-quds hospital in the neighborhood called tel al—hawa. it's south west of gaza city, where the israeli army keep calling the people inside. about 14,000 people who are taking the hospital as shelter. they ask them to leave the area as well as 100 patients like the hospital said eight of them were connected to the life—saving machine and they said it's impossible to move them because most of the road around the hospital is damaged. and also the area where the hospital is is now one of the five areas that has experienced heavy fighting with the hamas militants with about 500 metres away from the from the hospital. and israel is in control of both lines. the salahadin road, which the main access to gaza and the north, and the al—rasheed road, which is also known as the coastal road. so access in and out of gaza extremely difficult. sometimes people are risking their life to leave this area to the southern area. i saw footage yesterday filmed by an ambulance driver in the area. cars were burned behind the road. buildings were collapsing. heavy gunfire in the area. real, real war in this area in the coastal side of gaza city. just some breaking news to bring you... the scottish first minister, humza yousaf�*s mother—in—law and father—in—law are on the list of foreign nationals who have been granted permission to leave gaza today. elizabeth and maged el—nakla have been trapped in the territory since the deadly attacks by hamas in israel. in recent days being on the list has not been a guarantee that people have been able to leave. the bbc is continuing to monitor whether the couple are able to make it through the rafah crossing and into egypt. each day, we see near one of those lists published and it looks like they are on a day. that is another strand of the story that will continue to follow for you. we have also been talking about the us secretary of state. he is making his second visit to israel since hamas launch those attacks on the 7th of october. ahead of his departure, blinken said he would seek "concrete measures" from israel to ensure that harm to palestinian civilians is reduced, as us presidentjoe biden also called for humanitarian pauses in the conflict. blinken will also hold talks injordan. our north america correspondent, anthony zurcher, is travelling with the secretary of state and earlier told me about the plans and conversations he will having today. antony blinken is in the midst of a series of meetings with israeli officials. he met with prime minister benjamin netanyahu for about an hour. that meeting concluded about 30 minutes ago. he is currently meeting with the entire israeli war cabinet, and after that he is going to have a meeting with isaac hertzog, the israeli president. i think throughout these meetings, mr blinken has told us that he is going to be stressing first of all his support for israel but also that israel needs to take responsible steps, concrete steps, to limit civilian casualties in gaza. he is also working on ensuring that american hostages are released, and americans in gaza who want to leave can. and he says he wants to try to lay out a framework with the israelis and their partners that he is going to meet tomorrow and on sunday, a framework for a lasting and durable peace, beyond just the immediate conflict, that there has to be some sort of pathway from where we are now to a two—state solution, and insurances that this sort of violence doesn't happen again. attempts are continuing to get as much food and aid as possible into gaza. trucks carrying food and medicine are entering via the rafah crossing. earlier i spoke to sam bloch from world central kitchen, who told me about the work they're doing on the ground. joining me now is mike noyes, head of humanitarian response at the charity action aid — which works with women and girls living in poverty. thank you forjoining us here on bbc news. what are you finding in particular that those women and girls are needing right now in gaza that they are unable to get? the first thing they _ that they are unable to get? tue: first thing they are that they are unable to get? tte: first thing they are needing that they are unable to get is a ceasefire. the first thing that the people, the ordinary people in gaza, are telling us isjust people, the ordinary people in gaza, are telling us is just the amount of suffering that is going on because of the level of bombing, because of the level of violence. the first thing those people are telling us is an event —— an end to the fighting and a ceasefire. it is great as the antony blinken out there talking about a humanitarian cause. that will be a start. but a longer lasting ceasefire is what people need first of all. in terms of immediate needs, the issue of water and electricity continues to come up in every conversation we have. the water supply system is completely gone, many people are drinking and have been drinking for weeks now very dirty water. even salty water from wells. that is starting to have health effects on many people, the lack of power is continuing to affect... the number of hospitals we work with who are now telling us they have stopped functioning or that they are only left with just basically dialysis patients and babies in incubators and all other services have stopped in order to maintain power. there are a lot of things that people need right now. and of course, as you were touching on there, the problem is actually getting those supplies through, because what would go through in normal times, because what would go through in normaltimes, onlyjust because what would go through in normal times, onlyjust meets the humanitarian need, and that is far greater now with so many people displaced. greater now with so many people dislaced. , �* displaced. indeed, it is. and in the last coume — displaced. indeed, it is. and in the last coume of— displaced. indeed, it is. and in the last couple of days, _ displaced. indeed, it is. and in the last couple of days, we _ displaced. indeed, it is. and in the last couple of days, we have - displaced. indeed, it is. and in the last couple of days, we have had i last couple of days, we have had plans in place down in the south to do some distribution of some urgently needed items, materials to manage their periods, as well as food but we had to cancel out because the store in which those items were capped was bombed and everything was destroyed. we're now looking at alternatives to see how we can do that. this is why an end to the violence is the most important thing right now. find to the violence is the most important thing right now. and as we said at the start, _ important thing right now. and as we said at the start, actionaid _ important thing right now. and as we said at the start, actionaid works - said at the start, actionaid works with women and girls who are not competence in this, they are often people who found themselves swept up in the circumstances around. what about psychological help and assistance? is that in else you are able to provide at the moment? tt is able to provide at the moment? it is somethin: able to provide at the moment? it is something we _ able to provide at the moment? tit 3 something we always try able to provide at the moment? tit 1 something we always try to providing the circumstances was it is something we are trying to provide right now. frankly, first of all, we are having to provide it to our own staff and partners who are living through this, our own staff and partners, ordinary people in gaza, like others, some of them have lost family members, some of them have lost homes. and they are struggling to come on kid with the outside world, with power down, and with internet outages. —— communicate. we are doing what we can in terms of helping people. but again, it comes back to the best way of managing this is preventing it and that means an end to the violence.— this is preventing it and that means an end to the violence. thank you so much forjoining _ an end to the violence. thank you so much forjoining us _ an end to the violence. thank you so much forjoining us here _ an end to the violence. thank you so much forjoining us here on - an end to the violence. thank you so much forjoining us here on bbc - much forjoining us here on bbc news. around the world and across the uk, you alive with bbc news. the may of the —— the mayor of the city of kharkiv has reported an attack. the un says more than 35,000 people have been displaced in myanmar. reports suggest dozens of military outposts have fallen. the three rebel groups say there aim is to overthrow the military dictatorship. at least one person has been killed in flooding in northern italy. the tuscany region was badly hit by storm ciaran, which swept through north west europe on thursday. the storm brought strong winds and driving rain. you're live with bbc news. the leader of the lebanese shia islamist group hezbollah, is expected to address his followers on friday, his first public comments since the israel—hamas war broke out. hassan nasrallah's speech is likely to indicate the group's next moves, as its fighters and the israeli army are engaged in intense attacks on the lebanon—israel border. this has raised fears the area could become another front in the conflict. antony blinken, you can see these live pictures, is arriving for those meetings, those discussions, he is here talking to the israeli president. let's have a listen. find president. let's have a listen. and of course. — president. let's have a listen. and of course. as _ president. let's have a listen. and of course, as to _ president. let's have a listen. and of course, as to the _ president. let's have a listen. fich of course, as to the inherent right of course, as to the inherent right of the israelis to defend themselves and we are hearing from the outside, the demonstration of the families. our heart goes out to them, we understand it. and finally, i want to say something with your respect as to the humanitarian and international law—abiding by the state of israel. this is a leaflet, which we are sending overi million leaflets to the citizens of gaza, we have carried out 6 million text messages and 4 million phone calls to the citizens of gaza both according to the rules of international law, where we alert the citizens in advance, including before the previous attack, please move out, because we have the right of self—defence and we want you go out of the premises from where missiles and guns and bombs and mortars are shall that our people and from where the horrendous attacks went out, so you move out, so we can go in, according to international law and defend our people. 6 million text messages and 4 million phone calls and 1.2 million pamphlets and phone calls in addition to all of that, speaks for itself, as we protect the civilians moving out into a safe zone and give them —— giving them humanitarian aid and allowing ourselves to defend ourselves. thank you, mr secretary. it is always good to be in israel. these _ it is always good to be in israel. these are — it is always good to be in israel. these are difficulties but we are here, _ these are difficulties but we are here, as — these are difficulties but we are here, as we have been and as we will remain, _ here, as we have been and as we will remain, in_ here, as we have been and as we will remain, in solidarity with israel. we stand — remain, in solidarity with israel. we stand strongly for the proposition that israel has not only the right— proposition that israel has not only the right but the obligation to defend — the right but the obligation to defend itself and to do everything possible _ defend itself and to do everything possible to make sure that this october— possible to make sure that this october seven can never happen again _ october seven can never happen again and — october seven can never happen again. and at the same time, as you have _ again. and at the same time, as you have just _ again. and at the same time, as you have just made clear, how israel does _ have just made clear, how israel does this— have just made clear, how israel does this matter is, and it is very important — does this matter is, and it is very important that when it comes to the protection _ important that when it comes to the protection of civilians who are caught— protection of civilians who are caught in— protection of civilians who are caught in crossfire of hamas's making, — caught in crossfire of hamas's making, that everything can be done to protect _ making, that everything can be done to protect them and bring assistance to protect them and bring assistance to those _ to protect them and bring assistance to those who desperately need it and anna wade responsible for what happened on the 7th of october —— in no way— happened on the 7th of october —— in no way responsible. we have a shared determination and a determination will not _ determination and a determination will not wane we also are thinking everything — will not wane we also are thinking everything a moment of our hostages. so many— everything a moment of our hostages. so many israelis, americans, the nationals — so many israelis, americans, the nationals. and we are determined to do everything that we can to bring them _ do everything that we can to bring them back— do everything that we can to bring them back safely, to bring them back to be with _ them back safely, to bring them back to be with their families.— to be with their families. thank ou. those were some live remarks, shaking hands for the cameras, it does not look like they are going to take any questions. they are walking away from the cameras now, us secretary of state antony blinken and the israeli president. part of what antony blinken is here to do is to tread that delicate line between endorsing israel's right to self—defence and self attraction, while also ensuring that civilians in gaza, as he was saying, who have no part in this conflict and have no part in the attacks of the 7th of october, are protected while that military action goes on. that is right at the heart of the discussions that the us secretary of state is having with various senior israeli figures in the next few hours while he is on the ground in israel. we were talking just before that about the situation on israel apostasy is northern border and that speech that hezbollah is making in the next couple of hours, a speech that could have —— could have significant repercussions on what happens next in this conflict and whether or not hezbollah in lebanon choose to get involved and open up this new northern front in israel. i have been speaking with our correspondence in beirut. he told me why this speech is important in this conflict. i think a lot of people will be closely monitoring this speech to see any kind of sign, any indication of what hezbollah is going to do next. we've seen that, over the last few weeks, those cross—border attacks between hezbollah here in lebanon and the israeli military have intensified. thousands of people have left those villages and towns along the border, not not only here in lebanon, but also in israel. so i think there is a lot of concern that if those attacks escalate, lebanon could be dragged into this conflict. i think we're looking at perhaps two main possibilities here. one, first, that hezbollah could declare war and this is the worst case scenario. i think this is unlikely to be the case. the second possibility is that we are going to see a very strong speech by hassan nasrallah against israel, probably against the americans, as well, who have been supporting israel in this war. that could lead to an escalation of the violence there along the border. i think this is perhaps the most likely possibility. this is according to people who know hezbollah, who have been talking to experts who have some contact and some knowledge about what hezbollah is planning to do. i think what is interesting also is that yesterday hezbollah claimed that it had launched 19 simultaneous attacks on israeli targets. we haven't had independent confirmation of that, but if this is the case, this marks the most intens