gaza health officials said many civilians were killed in an israeli strike on houses near khan younis. to the north, israeli forces are surrounding the jabalia refugee camp, which israel says is being used as a base by hamas. amid growing international criticism of the high palestinian civilian death toll, the israeli prime minister, benjamin netanyahu, has pushed back against those he says are trying to pressure israel's tactics in gaza. he said the only way to finish the job was to use crushing force against hamas. live now to jerusalem and our correspondent yolande knell. yolande, what can you tell us about the activities of the israeli forces in south gaza? 50 the activities of the israeli forces in south gaza?— the activities of the israeli forces in south gaza? so khan younis, the second biggest _ in south gaza? so khan younis, the second biggest city _ in south gaza? so khan younis, the second biggest city in _ in south gaza? so khan younis, the second biggest city in the _ in south gaza? so khan younis, the second biggest city in the gaza - second biggest city in the gaza strip, remains the focus of israel's southern offensive. we know they have said they have entered into the heart of the city, that they have their troops on the ground, a lot of fighting is still taking place on the outskirts of khan younis. tens of thousands of people have been fleeing from the east of the city trying to head down towards rough close to the egyptian border, closer to the mediterranean sea in the past few days particularly as fighting has intensified. —— rafah. there is a humanitarian pause for a few hours, a limited pause, allowing people supposedly to move more safety and also allowing some aid distribution to take place because the un has been complaining that really it has not been possible to effectively distribute aid beyond a small pocket right down there close to the rafah border crossing around the rafa area because of the ongoing fighting. that has also made it very difficult to access places in the sense of the gaza strip which we now have also been hit by this fierce bombardment by israel in the past couple of days with many people killed. it has not been possible, the un says, to get aid deliveries to the north of the gaza strip since that seven—day truce between israel and hamas broke down. what that seven-day truce between israel and hamas broke down.— and hamas broke down. what is the israeli government _ and hamas broke down. what is the israeli government saying _ and hamas broke down. what is the israeli government saying about - and hamas broke down. what is the| israeli government saying about how close it is to meeting its objectives?— close it is to meeting its objectives? close it is to meeting its ob'ectives? . , , objectives? really with the rising civilian death _ objectives? really with the rising civilian death toll— objectives? really with the rising civilian death toll and _ objectives? really with the rising civilian death toll and this - civilian death toll and this humanitarian situation there is a lot of international pressure mounting on israel, including from its close ally the us. to try to wind up this war more quickly, to try to take more care to protect civilians. the israeli prime minister seems to be answering some of those criticisms when he spoke last night. he was saying that the only way for the water and was ready to use overwhelming force against hamas, basically saying that is what is happening right now. there have been more reports on israeli radio this morning, also some of the american networks quoting us officials briefed by israel, saying that they are expecting the state of the ground offensive in the south really to continue through to the end of the year to the beginning of next year which tallies with previous official comments made by israel's defence minister, and that beyond that they are looking to a lower intensity of fighting that could be more specific targeting hamas leaders, for example. yolande knell, thank— hamas leaders, for example. yolande knell. thank you _ hamas leaders, for example. yolande knell, thank you for _ hamas leaders, for example. yolande knell, thank you forjoining _ hamas leaders, for example. yolande knell, thank you forjoining us - hamas leaders, for example. yolande knell, thank you forjoining us from i knell, thank you forjoining us from jerusalem. let's pick up on a couple of the concerns that are being expressed by many members of the international community and hear from doctor nathalie roberts, executive director of doctors without borders. welcome to the programme. what can you tell us about the humanitarian situation in gaza? it about the humanitarian situation in gaza? , . , , about the humanitarian situation in gaza? , . . gaza? it is incredibly catastrophic. the level of _ gaza? it is incredibly catastrophic. the level of fighting _ gaza? it is incredibly catastrophic. the level of fighting and _ gaza? it is incredibly catastrophic. the level of fighting and the - the level of fighting and the intensity of attacks from the israeli military have escalated over the last few days after a very brief pause we had. now we are seeing enormous numbers of wounded patients overwhelming the hospitals which were already full any of wounded sick people. as we had before there are patients lying on the floor. a hospital and medical staff are unable to deal with the quantity of patients arriving to them and at the same time they are trying to do this without really access to fuel, medical supplies, because gaza has now been under almost a complete siege for a couple of months and very little aid is trickling in. we know the israeli defence forces say hamas operates everywhere, including iran hospitals presumably meaning no hospital is safe?— hospital is safe? this is the messaging _ hospital is safe? this is the messaging we _ hospital is safe? this is the messaging we keep - hospital is safe? this is the | messaging we keep hearing hospital is safe? this is the - messaging we keep hearing from the israeli military of, oh, you know, we are targeting the hospitals and they are now specifically targeting hospitals because they claim hammers are based there. that really doesn't fit with their international obligations to try and avoid civilian harm. these are protected spaces, hospitals, medical facilities are protected spaces. we have colleagues, msf has more than 300 staff, international and palestinian, working in gaza, working in these hospitals and it is a terrifying situation to know they are not protected, they are not safe and unable to deliver medical care when they are constantly under threat of attack. find when they are constantly under threat of attack.— when they are constantly under threat of attack. and no doubt as this operation _ threat of attack. and no doubt as this operation continues - threat of attack. and no doubt as this operation continues it - threat of attack. and no doubt as this operation continues it will. threat of attack. and no doubt asj this operation continues it will be impossible for people to bridge areas to get to hospitals, right now they are moving from one parellis area to another. we they are moving from one parellis area to another.— they are moving from one parellis area to another. we already saw the situation in — area to another. we already saw the situation in the _ area to another. we already saw the situation in the north _ area to another. we already saw the situation in the north where - area to another. we already saw the situation in the north where the - situation in the north where the israeli government told the population north of gaza to move south for their own safety and now they are being attacked in the south. now khan younis, which is a major city, msf is working in nasser hospital in khan younis. we are realising people are struggling to get to us and our team is going to struggle to get out to them. there is nowhere safe, no way of even accessing medical care today and no way of our team is getting to them to provide the medical care they need. , ., to provide the medical care they need. , . ~ , ., ., need. given what the australian government _ need. given what the australian government has _ need. given what the australian government has said _ need. given what the australian government has said about - need. given what the australian government has said about its l government has said about its objectives, what would your message be in terms of trying to protect civilian life? —— israeli government. civilian life? -- israeli government.- civilian life? -- israeli government. civilian life? -- israeli covernment. ., , . ., government. msf, doctors without borders government. msf, doctors without itoniers have _ government. msf, doctors without borders have written _ government. msf, doctors without borders have written to _ government. msf, doctors without borders have written to the - government. msf, doctors without borders have written to the us - borders have written to the us government, the un security council, asking them to support an immediate ceasefire. it isjust asking them to support an immediate ceasefire. it is just not possible to stop it cannot continue like this. whatever the israeli military objectives are, the strategy cannot incorporate this level of civilian harm, the sheer thousands of people being killed and thousands of more being killed and thousands of more being injured. it is not an acceptable military strategy. given where the hospitals _ acceptable military strategy. given where the hospitals are, _ acceptable military strategy. given where the hospitals are, is - acceptable military strategy. given where the hospitals are, is there any way medical supplies can access the gaza strip? if any way medical supplies can access the gaza strip?— the gaza strip? if medical supplies do manaue the gaza strip? if medical supplies do manage to _ the gaza strip? if medical supplies do manage to get _ the gaza strip? if medical supplies do manage to get into _ the gaza strip? if medical supplies do manage to get into the - the gaza strip? if medical supplies do manage to get into the gaza . do manage to get into the gaza strip, which very few of them are,, just for people to be aware, the israeli authorities to screen all supplies entering gaza even through the rafah crossing so some medical supplies are taken out of the trucks, some essential medical supplies are not able to enter gaza today. the supplies entering our very small quantities, and again because now the roads are cut, there is no way of distributing those supplies to hospitals. 0nce is no way of distributing those supplies to hospitals. once they cross into gaza we are not able to get them to places we need them to go. get them to places we need them to i o, ., ~' get them to places we need them to to. ., " , ., get them to places we need them to to. . ~ i. ., ., get them to places we need them to to. . ., ., , back in the uk, the former british prime minister boris johnson faces two days of tough questioning when he appears before the independent public inquiry set up to examine his government's response to the covid—i9 pandemic. it's thought he may apologise for some mistakes during the pandemic but suggest the speedy vaccine roll—out saved many lives. he's also expected to say he was following advice in delaying the initial lockdown. surrounding which there was criticism from some quarters that it came too late. live now to our correspondent — ellie price. is that the liftoff point, as it were, but the question surrounding the first lockdown? i were, but the question surrounding the first lockdown?— the first lockdown? i mean, who knows? there _ the first lockdown? i mean, who knows? there are _ the first lockdown? i mean, who knows? there are so _ the first lockdown? i mean, who knows? there are so many - the first lockdown? i mean, who - knows? there are so many questions for borisjohnson to answer, aren't there? he was ultimately, as prime minister, the main man making the decisions. we have heard over the last few weeks from scientists, from aides, from civil servants, from all the advisers who fed into the decision—making process, and in the end it was borisjohnson who had to make those decisions. i think, where do you liftoff? there will be questions certainly by the first two knockdowns, whether they were too late, we have heard that from scientists and other politicians admitting that that could have come sooner here in the uk. i'm sure we will hear plenty about the atmosphere and working culture with the number 10, we have heard plenty about how it was a toxic atmosphere, but also how boris johnson about how it was a toxic atmosphere, but also how borisjohnson had a chaotic means of making decisions so no doubt there will be questions about that. there will be this issue of partygate about that. there will be this issue of pa rtygate were a about that. there will be this issue of partygate were a number of senior politicians, including the former prime minister, were fined for breaking restrictions, breaking the rules they had set while the rest of us were expected to follow them. borisjohnson ultimately, that us were expected to follow them. boris johnson ultimately, that was the main reason for his demise as prime minister. recently he had to resign because essentially confidence was lost in him. so there are so many areas he'll be questioned on. part of the hearing will go on for two days. i think you can see behind me there are a number of protesters here as well. many of them have travelled hundreds of miles to be here. most of them even get inside the inquiry so it is a ticketed affair and there's only so space inside it. i think you can sketch a sense of the strength of feeling here in central london ahead of this pretty momentous day. there are some questions _ of this pretty momentous day. there are some questions also _ of this pretty momentous day. there are some questions also around - of this pretty momentous day. there are some questions also around the evidence borisjohnson has submitted to the inquiry, or rather not come in terms of whatsapp messages. yes. in terms of whatsapp messages. yes, there has been — in terms of whatsapp messages. yes, there has been some _ in terms of whatsapp messages. yes there has been some question about certain whatsapp messages over a number of months that haven't been submitted. his case is he basically couldn't get them off an old phone, the ikidi station being, why couldn't you and are you trying to cover something up? there are thousands and thousands of pages of evidence to go through —— the accusation be in. whatsapp messages are very important and we have seen how important they are because they have contained key evidence we have heard from whatsapp messages but they are two ways so you might not get them from borisjohnson's part of the conversation but he might get them from the other end. that's been certainly the argument of the counsel at the inquiry. boris johnson himself is said to have submitted a witnessed a bit of 200 pages. there are thousands and thousands of pages worth of documents that have gone through whatsapp messages, official documents from the time, e—mails. what is really quite telling that we have seen over the last few weeks is the tone of some of these documents. you get the official stuff, if you like, but also the informal conversations that were had on whatsapp. that some of the more embarrassing stuff for some of the witnesses and will be again for the prime minister today because some of the conversations that were had were obviously very important and obviously very important and obviously not meant to be heard by other people. i think it has been defended in the past over the past few weeks that it was gallows humour, that it was black humour trying to in effect make light of the situation because the situation was so appalling. that is something that i'm sure will come as a bit of an embarrassment to data boris johnson when it is put to him. but now doubt the defence will be that this stuff was never meant to be heard by a wider audience. ellie price, thank you. _ heard by a wider audience. ellie price, thank you. we _ heard by a wider audience. ellie price, thank you. we will keep you up—to—date with the covid inquiry. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. let's look at some of the other stories making news today. then as �*s president nicolas maduro has ordered the state oil company to issue extraction licenses in the oil—rich region. he has proposed incorporating it into venezuela but in neighbouring guyana said it will ask the un security council to intervene. tributes have been paid to denny laine the founder and lead singer of the legendary 60's band the moody blues who died at the age of 79. he also started the group wings with sir paul mccartney co—writing mull of kintyre which famously outsold any beatles single in the uk. saudi arabia has announced long—term tax incentives to foreign firms that locate their regional headquarters there. firms will receive benefits including a thirty—year exemption firms will receive benefits including a 30—year exemption from corporate income tax. the country's finance minister said the measure would give multinationals greater stability. the world's biggest oil exporter wants to become a business hub with a more diverse economy. this is bbc news. now to ukraine — where president zelensky has unexpectedly cancelled his planned address to us senators via video—link. no explanation has been given. he was expected to make a last—ditch appeal for more funding from the us to help in the fight against russia's invasion. the senate is due to vote today on president biden's emergency aid package — worth more than $60 billion. live now to michael bociurkiw in kyiv, who is a seniorfellow at the washington dc—based atlantic council think—tank. welcome to the programme. why do you think president zelensky has cancelled this address? good to be with ou. i cancelled this address? good to be with you. i think _ cancelled this address? good to be with you. i think the _ cancelled this address? good to be with you. i think the toxicity - cancelled this address? good to be with you. i think the toxicity of - with you. i think the toxicity of politics on capitol hill was just too overwhelming and too risky for the zelensky administration to insert themselves in there. there is also a growing realisation in kyiv that some of his magic, some of his charisma is wearing off and perhaps he doesn't have the kind of powers of persuasion that he used to. it is happening, it appears more and more that domestic politics is interfering with aid to ukraine. in my home country of canada there is a canada ukraine free trade agreement there has also been caught up in politics. probably they are going to have to do these calculations more and more and try and lobby in other ways to try and get this aid through. do you think he is also concerned that the conflict in gaza is also affecting the picture? absolutely, not only in terms of aid, $61 billion of aid to ukraine is part of a package of aid to israel as well. so there is a realisation that they have to probably work a lot harder to lobby for aid and also a lot harder to get the ukrainian narrative across because a lot of news coverage has shifted from ukraine to gaza. but the main message they are making, and i certainly support this, is that if mr putin is not pushed back, if this dictator who is at war with the rules —based international order is not stopped then this conflict will become much more costly in terms of instability, higher food and fuel prices and migration. so hopefully that message will get to the ears o