Clear the backlog in the asylum system . System . Mps say that the current plans are incomplete and unrealistic. Unrealistic. Plus, were tackling rugby ahead of englands third place play ahead of englands third place play off against argentina in the world cup and that clash of titans in the final. The all titans in the final. The all blacks and the springboks crouch bind and set. Blacks and the springboks crouch bind and set. First, heres all your headlines with tatiana. Pippa. Thank you very much and good afternoon. Just after midday , afternoon. Just after midday, this is the latest from the newsroom. Mps are warning newsroom. Mps are warning Vulnerable People are being put at risk over plans to clear the asylum backlog. The public asylum backlog. The Public Accounts Committee says the home office proposals to reform the system are incomplete and unrealistic. At the end of june, there were almost 68,000 cases awaiting a decision. Shadow environment secretary steve reed says the government has lost control of the situation , taking control of the situation, taking immense amount of time to deal with individual cases. While those cases are being while people are waiting for their cases to be dealt with, theyre being put up in hotels at a staggering cost of £8 million a day. Its shocking what labour would do is instead of using that money on hotel bills, we would use it to recruit 1000 additional Civil Servants to deal with these cases faster. That would reduce the hotel bill. The scheme would pay the hotel bill. The scheme would pay for itself and then you would get the cases processed much faster. Education secretary Gillian Keegan says a serious effort is being made to address the problem. Problem. We have got tough on immigration. We were the people who have introduced new legislation because obviously you have to have the law behind you. Weve also obviously had the rwanda policy, which is still in the courts, but that is part of the policy. And weve also got returns agreements now with a number of countries and a new agreement with france as well. Were also looking at well. Were also looking at alternatives to hotels to bring that bill down to the taxpayer. So we are the ones taking all of the actions. But there is no doubt that this is a huge problem doubt that this is a huge pro hamas says israels bombing hamas says israels bombing of gaza has killed 50 hostages. Thats as israels Defence Forces confirmed another 250 airstrikes were carried out over the past 24 hours, targeting hamas. The number of hostages being held by the terrorists stands at 229. Hamas says it cant and wont release them until a ceasefire is agreed. Until a ceasefire is agreed. Here the governments working to help british citizens trapped in gaza. Help british citizens trapped in gaza. The Prime Minister has gaza. The Prime Minister has been pushing for a humanitarian pause in fighting to allow aid in, but hes under growing pressure to call for a full ceasefire. Hundreds of lawyers ceasefire. Hundreds of lawyers have signed an open letter urging rishi sunak to change his position on saying the uk needs to follow International Law. The to follow International Law. The rafah crossing on the border with egypt has reportedly been reopened this morning with a palestinian official saying a medical team in ten aid trucks were allowed to enter the strip in the United States, the search for a gunman has continued. Its in its second day after 18 people were killed in the state of maine. That manhunt has of maine. That manhunt has expanded as Police Continue to search for 40 year old robert cod, who is thought to be armed and dangerous. He has a history and dangerous. He has a history of Mental Illness that gunman opened fire at the Bowling Alley and at a bar in the city of lewiston. Eight of those who were injured , three of them are were injured, three of them are thought to be in a critical condition. The natwest groups decision to shut down Nigel Farages account showed serious failings. According to the findings of an independent review , it said the bank failed review, it said the bank failed to communicate its decision properly and showed failures of how it treated the gb news presenters confidential information. However, the report information. However, the report said the closure was lawful and mainly on commercial reasons. Mr farage has previously said that coutts had moved to shut down his account because his political beliefs did not align with the bank. The education secretary says there are no cultural problems within her party after a senior mp was arrested on suspicion of rape and the possession of controlled substances. Gillian keegan told substances. Gillian keegan told gb news most of her colleagues act with integrity. Crispin blunt was detained by Surrey Police yesterday and then released on conditional bail. Released on conditional bail. Hes been removed from the party and asked to stay away from parliament. The mp says hell cooperate fully with the Ongoing Investigation and he says hes confident he wont be charged and nhs waiting list could top 8 million by next summer, even if strike action doesnt continue. The Health Foundation says the number will peak by august before starting to come down. But if strikes were to continue, that list could be 180,000 higher or more than 7. 5 Million People were waiting for treatment last month. But the nhs says its making progress, claiming theyve more than halved waits of more than 65 weeks. And plans have been weeks. And plans have been approved by Merton Council to expand the all england tennis club. The decision followed a club. The decision followed a lengthy Planning Committee meeting which concluded late last night the grounds will almost triple in size and allow wimbledon to host the qualifying tournaments completion is projected for 2030 and will see an increase in the capacity of the championships from 42 to 50,000. This is gb news across the uk on tv in your car on Digital Radio and on your Smart Speaker by saying play gb news now its back to mark and. Pip now its back to mark and. Pip tatiana , thanks very much indeed tatiana, thanks very much indeed and welcome back to the live desk now. Israels military has said it struck numerous terror targets, including anti tank Missile Launch systems, in overnight raids into central gaza. These raids into central gaza. These are the latest pictures were getting live from the border between israel and gaza itself. The conflict continues to escalate regionally, too, with two us fighter jets hitting weapons and ammunition dumps in syria. Washington says its in relation for attacks by iranian backed militia. We are also backed militia. We are also heanng backed militia. We are also hearing in the last few moments that the un says that another eight trucks carrying food, medicine and water are expected to cross into the gaza strip today. The un is saying that , today. The un is saying that, well, weve been reporting this all week that technical, political and Security Issues have been hindering deliveries , have been hindering deliveries, but detailed negotiations are taking place with israel in a bid to secure more humanitarian and more humanitarian crossings. Reuters is quoting a palestinian official there , palestinian official there, saying that in addition to the trucks , the lorries. There is trucks, the lorries. There is a medical team, he says of ten foreign doctors as hes described them. Thats coming into help with the situation. But of course, we did have the uns assessment earlier. The un relief and works chief saying that aid trucks going through so far had provided only crumbs to those people in gaza. But we those people in gaza. But we i think, can now speak to our correspondent mark white, our security editor in tel aviv, whos had to take cover because mark, i gather, been yet more rockets barrages there as there have been two in southern israel in this morning. Yeah we had a lull of about 15 hours since a big barrage of rockets into tel aviv last night. So and then just literally about five minutes ago, the sirens went off here. So weve had to head to the shelter. Its very quick , though. I mean, its very quick, though. I mean, its an incredible system that they have here. You really only in the shelter for a few minutes until the iron door missiles take out those rockets fired at your location. If more come this way, therell be another alert. But for the time being, were back here slightly breathless because we just had to dash back up the corridor to our location. Up the corridor to our location. But yes, some also rockets fired into the area. They called the gaza envelope as well. Just these communities is around the gaza strip. But this the first gaza strip. But this the first one of the day weve had previous to this for large rocket barrages into tel aviv in the past 24 hours, a couple of those rockets got through and damaged buildings with four report injuries. No word as to report injuries. No word as to whether any rockets in the last barrage got through or not. But yes, fast moving developments again today. There are constant lee every hour, new things to report , the latest being those report, the latest being those aid trucks. Very welcome down in the gaza strip. 8 to 10 trucks the gaza strip. 8 to 10 trucks that have come through. So so far, the hope is, of course, they can build on that, get more aid trucks in. There are some doctors there very bravely, ten doctors there very bravely, ten doctors who have agreed to come into the gaza strip to try to help the injured there in that area. Area. And mark, i think were now on day 20 of this war. And the Israeli Military says it hit more than 250 targets in 24 hours in gaza. And it did kill a hamas commander and targeted tunnels and dozens of hamas fighters. It says it has killed as well. As well. Yeah, easy to lose count , as well. Yeah, easy to lose count, but its actually now day 21 of the war again against hamas. And there was a very significant ground incursion overnight against central gaza that was targeted. This time, dozens of tanks and bulldozers took down that border fence to allow that incursion to take place. There were strikes as well on a number of hamas positions that the israelis said were positions with anti tank missiles and other traps awaiting that inevitable ground force invasion. When it happens. And in addition to that, of course, as you were saying there, pip, over the past 24 hours, 250 air strikes again aimed according to the idf at hamas positions. Strikes again aimed according to the idf at hamas positions. But they are up against this age old issue, which is the hamas policy of putting their launchers and other terrorist infrastructure right in and amongst the civilian community. And as a consequence , theres a very consequence, theres a very heavy toll on that civilian community. Weve been concentrating, of course, for obvious reasons on gaza. But lets reflect now that weve had a us air strike on a syrian installation. We believe its an arms and ammunition dump and of course, this is, i think, the tinder box is this phrase used by one former white house official as to what could happen as this spreads regionally. He as this spreads regionally. He yeah, mark, this is a very worrying development. Worrying development. It was a decision that was given the go ahead by President Biden to take out two positions, position us that are linked to the Iranian Revolutionary guard and their proxies in eastern syria, positions that the us said were responsible for launching drone and missiles strikes over the last ten days. Significant numbers of strikes that have injured at least two dozen us service personnel. And clearly the us wants to send a message to iran and its proxies that it will not tolerate this in addition to what the us has been doing and quite separately, the us are stressing that this was unilaterally taken , this was unilaterally taken, this decision. Nothing to do with israel or indeed they see the conflict in gaza, although of course it has to be linked in the round. Israel has also attacked positions in syria that they say have been firing rockets and missiles into to israel as well. And in addition to this, weve also had a drone that was intercepted going into an egyptian tourist resort on the red sea. Now, the israeli the red sea. Now, the israeli intent Science Services believe that that drone was intended for eilat in southern israel , but eilat in southern israel, but veered off hit that resort in egypt instead. But again, a worrying development. And all the while , the potential for the while, the potential for this widening conflict mark, we also just want to update our viewers and listeners with the situation regarding the hostage is, of course, it is three weeks tomorrow since this terrorist atrocity took place in southern israel. The number of hostages, we now understand, kidnapped it has risen to 229. Yes risen to 229. Yes and this happens every 2 or 3 days or so when the Israeli Intelligence and idf managed to ascertain whether someone is being held as a hostage or perhaps they are just missing or they have been killed, but their bodies have not been recovered. So its gone up five from the total of 224, just a couple of days ago. Now up to 229. We know as well, controversially, that a delegation of hamas officials were invited to moscow by the russian leader, vladimir putin. Israel is absolutely incandescent that this took place because remember, israel has good relations with russia. Well theyve taken a real dent over this. Israel saying of course, that this these leaders is from hamas have blood , the is from hamas have blood, the blood of 1400 people who were slaughtered on the 7th of october on their hands. And its hard to see what this delegation has actually achieved because theyve come away from this meeting making public statements that there will be no more hostage releases until theres a ceasefire. Lets see what happens. We know that occasionally hostages have been sort of dripped out 1 or 2 at a time, a mark. Thanks very much for updating us there. And of course, back to you throughout the afternoon to get the very latest. Thank you. Well, mark was talking about the 229 hostages is believed to be held by hamas and an installation of an empty shabbat table is seeking to raise awareness of their situation when it opened today in london as well. A london reporter, lisa hartle joins us there now live for what is a very poignant and powerful image behind you there, lisa. Hello yes, indeed. And if i just move out of the way, you can see just how powerful that is. Theres over 200 places. Is that have been set, each one to represent one of the people that are being held hostage on the back of each chair. You can see a photograph of each hostage along with their name and their age. Weve got the childrens places. Weve got high chairs places. Weve got high chairs with a bottle , and then thats with a bottle, and then thats for nine month old kofi. Its for nine month old kofi. Its just a really when you stand in front of it, its to imagine an over 200 people that are missing this just really does bring it home. And just to explain a bit more about this, im joined with by oliver, whos one of the organisers of the installation. Oliver, thank you so much for joining us. Now, this is this isnt just set out for a normal dinner is it for anyone whos not in the Jewish Community . Can you explain what this represents . Yes. So every week, starting on friday night, a saturday night shabbat. Its the night is shabbat. Its the sabbath. Rest time for sabbath. The rest time for jewish people and jews around the world. On friday night come together and have a friday night dinner. They they do blessings over wine and bread. And most importantly , theyre with family importantly, theyre with family and they eat. And its supposed to be a joyful time. And this is really to remind us that there are more than 200 people who wont be at their friday night dinners week. Theyll be dinners this week. Theyll be empty chairs waiting for them because they are currently held hostage. Hostage. And you were telling me earlier that the point this earlier that the point of this is to keep the hostages in the minds the public. Yes. Minds of the public. Yes. Yes, very much so. So its been a very long two weeks. And obviously, people his thoughts and the news go elsewhere. And its really important to remember that these more than 200 people are still being held hostage. And its a very long time for us. And its an even longer time for them. So were making sure that the word spreads as far and wide and people continue remember that people continue to remember that theyre and earlier theyre being held and earlier we heard one of the people that was speaking was chief rabbi. You that was you said that there was a particular prayer that hes written for the hostages. So on tomorrow , on yes. So on tomorrow, on sabbath, people will be going to their synagogues. Theyll be doing their kind of usual Shabbat Services, which havent changed for a very, very long time. And the chief rabbi has written a specific prayer that he sent out to the congregations for them to say so that as a unified voice, we can pray for those people to be brought home as quickly as possible. And one of the messages that was put across earlier was that its your were stronger together. Yes, very much so. So at times like this, especially when there are crises in the middle east, but people people on the fringes will try and drive a wedge between british jews and british muslims, especially. And right muslims, especially. And right now, its really important to remember that that shouldnt happen. That in britain, as a community, were a welcoming and open place and that we need to stay together. And there are people who are going to try and drive apart. But actually to drive us apart. But actually to overcome this, we need to stay together. And its events like this its places like here together. And its events like thiw3 its places like here togeth