�* populated this is the densely populated bowling. the area's health ministry says 560 people in the territory are dead. this is the scene live in gaza. israel's prime minister says his country's response will change the middle east. hello and welcome to verified live. israel's defence minister says he's ordered a "full siege" of the gaza strip. he's ordered a "full after israel's biggest loss of life in generations, yoav gallant said there would be "no power, no food, no fuel" and that everything would be closed down. in the last 15 minutes, the european commission has also announced an immediate suspension of all age to palestinians. meanwhile... israel has also intensified their attacks on hamas. explosions

these are some of the recent pictures. military military officials say israel struck over 500 targets overnight in gaza, with over 500 palestinians reported dead. a hamas spokesman claimed that four israelis who'd been taken hostage had been killed by the air strikes, a claim that hasn't been verified. the israeli military says it's regained control of all southern communities attacked by palestinian militants — though it warned isolated pockets of fighters could still remain. hamas has continued to fire missiles into israel, targeting jerusalem, ben gurion airport near tel aviv, and ashkelon. israel's iron dome defence system has intercepted many of the rockets. at least 700 israelis have been killed, including at least 260 at a music festival. it's believed around 100 israelis are being held hostage in gaza. there are reports that mediators from qatar have held contact with hamas officials to try to negotiate the release of israeli women

and children taken into gaza. an unnamed israeli official has told reuters that there are no negotiations going on. palestinian health officials say that at least 15 people have been killed by an israeli attack on the densely populated jabalia refugee camp in gaza. the united nations says that more than 120,000 people in gaza have now been displaced from their homes. let me show you some of the live pictures because we have seen a relentless bombardment in gaza from the israeli military in the last hours. you can see here in the live pictures so many pockets of smoke billowing on the skyline. meanwhile, israel is amassing its forces around the gaza strip and says it has called up thousands of reservists. in just a moment we will hear from israelis as they struggle to comprehend the scale of this attack and we will have more on that eu decision to suspend aid to palestinians, including from the united asian blue united nations

agency, which works with palestinian refugees, but let's start this coverage of this are with this report from our correspondence, yolande knell. explosions. the heavy bombardment continues, volleys of palestinian rockets being fired from gaza. and israel is hitting back hard, saying hamas will pay the price for its surprise attack, the most deadly day the country has ever known. i'm really sorry that you have to go through this. for ido, the horror has been playing out on his family's whatsapp group. his relatives live next to gaza and on saturday his cousin hid from hamas gunmen in her home. i'm saying goodbye. she is sending this heart. and she is saying that... .."i'm not sure we're going to survive this." she did survive, but five members of the family are now missing, including her 80—year—old mother and children. they are thought to be among 100

hostages now being held in gaza. this video appears to show this boy, who is nine, being snatched. ido wants them released. just get them out of this confrontation. it is not for kids, it is not for other people. i don't think there is any war ethics that were not violated here. even war has rules and ethics, limits. untiltoday, israel's security forces have been fighting militants holding out in the south of the country. this infiltration and its bloody aftermath are unprecedented. it is, by far, the worst day in israeli history. never before have so many israelis been killed by one single thing, let alone enemy activity on one day. and if you are americans and want to compare this to

something in american history, then this could be a 9/11 and a pearl harbor wrapped into one. and in gaza, which has seen repeated rounds of deadly fighting with israel since hamas took over 16 years ago, this conflict feels dangerously intense. translation: now they are destroying homes without warning while people - are sleeping, with the aim to displace and destroy, and to uproot them from this land. however, we refuse to be uprooted. we have firm roots in this land. hamas now says that the latest air strikes here have killed several hostages, but there is no sign of a letup in the exchange of fire. the human toll here is immense. yolande knell, bbc news, tel aviv. let's turn to the issue of hostages because it is feared up to 100 hostages taken by hamas and taken

back into gaza and in the last little while there was a report from the reuters news agency saying that hamas officials in qatar had been looking at potential prisoner swaps. it is worth just repeating what the israeli officials have talked to reuters about because they have said that there are no negotiations under way. that is an israeli official speaking on the condition of anonymity to reuters. but certainly not giving any detail that suggests those initial reports were right. but certainly, that is an issue, the whole issue around hostages that is dominating so much of the focus in israel as they weigh up just how to respond. this, of course, is one of the responses, the military action on the ground, we have seen, of course, the build—up of israeli reservists and military on the borders. but of course a lot of

strategy potentially hampered by that issue of hostages. there is disbelief in israel that hamas did manage to seize so many hostages. let's get the latest on that aspect with our security correspondent, gordon correra. a music festival in the desert that turned into a scene of slaughter. as many as 260 people are thought to have been killed here on saturday morning. and some others taken. this footage shows a hamas gunman who appears to lead away a hostage. the exact number of hostages seized across israel is unknown, but estimates put it at around 100. amongst them are thought to be this woman, thought to have been taken from a kibbutz on saturday, as her son told the bbc. 0ur saturday, as her son told the bbc. our understanding is that she is kidnapped. you know, we didn't identify her yet on the other side and no one contacted us to say, hey,

we have your mum. let's talk. that didn't happen. we have your mum. let's talk. that didn't happen-— we have your mum. let's talk. that didn't happen. hamas headquarters in gaza has already _ didn't happen. hamas headquarters in gaza has already been _ didn't happen. hamas headquarters in gaza has already been destroyed - didn't happen. hamas headquarters in gaza has already been destroyed by i gaza has already been destroyed by israel, but the hostages will have been disbursed in panels and hideouts. they are an important bargaining chip and in the past they have been used to negotiate the freeing of hamas prisoners from jails. and their presence may also complicate israeli military plans. israeli tanks have been massing near gaza. reservists called up. and now the question is whether israeli forces will now enter the densely populated territory. we forces will now enter the densely populated territory.— forces will now enter the densely populated territory. we already seen a mass of israeli _ populated territory. we already seen a mass of israeli military _ populated territory. we already seen a mass of israeli military response i a mass of israeli military response to this attack. i think we will see more over the coming days. they will be a big question around a ground invasion of the gaza strip. that would, of course, be incredibly costly and probably very bloody. a costly and probably very bloody. a number of hostages in gaza makes a

special forces raid to free them nearly impossible and it would require the type of intelligence that israel seemed to lack when it was caught by surprise, leaving few options. gordon correra, bbc news. well, as well as all of the action on the ground, we've been seeing the military action. israel is also imposing a full siege on the gaza strip, but that announcement came a little earlier in the day and it came from the defence minister. have a listen. translation: we came from the defence minister. have a listen. translation:— a listen. translation: we are enforcin: a listen. translation: we are enforcing a _ a listen. translation: we are enforcing a total _ a listen. translation: we are enforcing a total blockade - a listen. translation: we are enforcing a total blockade on i a listen. translation: we are - enforcing a total blockade on gaza. no electricity, no food, no water, no gas. it is all closed. we are fighting beastly people and are acting accordingly. that fighting beastly people and are acting accordingly.— fighting beastly people and are acting accordingly. that was the announcement _ acting accordingly. that was the announcement of _ acting accordingly. that was the announcement of the _ acting accordingly. that was the announcement of the siege. - acting accordingly. that was the announcement of the siege. no | acting accordingly. that was the - announcement of the siege. no power, no water, no food getting in. that is what the minister was saying. let me show you some of the pictures from gaza, the impact some of the israeli response has had. there you

see some of the flattened buildings and of course the palestinian authorities saying more than people now have died in the various israeli strikes, 560 is the number that they are telling us and just some of the wreckage, just some of the aftermath. the israelis say they send out sms messages before, they don't target civilians, but this is the impact of on the ground of some of their action. we have been watching even in the last hour of this programmejust watching even in the last hour of this programme just the relentless strikes on gaza city. as we continue to watch these pictures, let me bring in tamara, who is director of external relations and spokesperson for the united relations relief and works agency for the refugees in the east. thank you so much for being here with us. your assessment in terms of what we are currently seeing play out? ~ . ~ , ,

what we are currently seeing play out? . . i, out? we are currently seeing playing out? we are currently seeing playing out mostly a — out? we are currently seeing playing out mostly a very — out? we are currently seeing playing out mostly a very large _ out? we are currently seeing playing j out mostly a very large displacement of people in gaza into... just for some background, the un agency for palestine refugees, operates a network of schools, health centres and other basic services in buildings and installations across the gaza strip. in terms of conflicts, and sadly the gaza strip witnesses conflicts regularly, this is the sixth or seventh conflict since the 2008, in these times everyone makes schools available as shelters for people who want to search for safety for themselves and their families. search for safety for themselves and theirfamilies. so, as of this afternoon, my colleague told me that “p afternoon, my colleague told me that up to 137,000 people are housed in 83 schools. again, for background, a school can be turned into a shelter if it is prepared to receive people

with availability of desalinated water, mobile toilets and showers and the availability of food and essential items such as blankets or mattresses. this is a huge humanitarian operation unfolded now. just tell me the practicalities of how this works on the ground for someone like yourself. is there any communication with the israelis to identify where these schools actually are? there was one report earlier in the day that a school had been hit. tell me more about that and tell me more about how you try to relay information so there are not schools that have these civilians inside that end up becoming a target.- civilians inside that end up becoming a target. like any un auen in becoming a target. like any un agency in a _ becoming a target. like any un agency in a context _ becoming a target. like any un agency in a context where - becoming a target. like any un | agency in a context where there becoming a target. like any un i agency in a context where there is becoming a target. like any un - agency in a context where there is a conflict, they communicates the buildings and installations to the

warring parties, precisely to reiterate that these are protected installations. the blue flag is what people, civilians look for for protection and this is why situations of conflict like the one now in gaza, people do come into our schools because they fear that where they live in their apartment blocks in the buildings they might be under attack. sadly, 1a of our buildings and assets have already sustained damage, including one about schools yesterday, but fortunately no one got killed in these attacks. however, three children, boys that go to schools in gaza tragically lost their lives already and one of my colleagues works in the design and construction department in gaza also lost his life yesterday when a building near his house collapsed and collapsed on his own house. his family is injured and in hospital,

so situation can touch anyone, we are in constant contact with our colleagues in gaza, we worry about them, but the most important thing for us now is to make sure that our installations are safe and they can provide a safe haven to those who are seeking refuge and safety. my sympathies in terms of you losing colleagues in this conflict with the last couple of days as we continue to see the live pictures in another huge plume of smoke. wejust to see the live pictures in another huge plume of smoke. we just played the defence minister describing the siege that israel has now imposed on the gaza strip. your response to that, as a topline, this notion that everything is going to be cut off? there is something called humanitarian response and humanitarian response and humanitarian access, even in situations of conflict, where humanitarian agencies like the un, unrwa and even the international community of the red cross movement should be allowed access, they

should be allowed access, they should be allowed access, they should be allowed access to people who are, in order to evacuate them, take them to hospitals and we all as humanitarians should be allowed to do ourjob and to support those civilians who are in gaza, including through the distribution of food, but also the provision of basic services and health centres and hospitals and even in schools, if it is possible to open the schools. figs is possible to open the schools. as you are talking, i am looking at a picture of the skyline of gaza city and i can count eight different massive plumes of smoke overjust the skyline of the picture that we are showing. israel's prime minister has said two people to get out. in terms of the practicalities of getting out, is that possible? it is alread getting out, is that possible? it 3 already extremely difficult getting out, is that possible? it 1 already extremely difficult under normal circumstances for gaza people to get out. there are two crossings into and out of gaza that they can use, that some of them can use. one

is into egypt and for context, there are 2.2 million people living on the strip. it is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. 1.7 million of them are palestine refugees and these are our beneficiaries, people who use the services of unrwa. currently there are around 150,000 of them in 88 unrwa schools, so it is very difficult for a dozen to get out or to flee. . r' difficult for a dozen to get out or to flee. ., i. difficult for a dozen to get out or to flee. . n' ,, ,, to flee. let me ask you if your reaction to — to flee. let me ask you if your reaction to the _ to flee. let me ask you if your reaction to the news - to flee. let me ask you if your reaction to the news we - to flee. let me ask you if your reaction to the news we have | to flee. let me ask you if your. reaction to the news we have just heard in the last half hour or so from the european commission, the suspension of eu aid to palestinians. your thoughts about that announcement? fiur palestinians. your thoughts about that announcement? our thoughts are that announcement? our thoughts are that we at unrwa — that announcement? our thoughts are that we at unrwa are _ that announcement? our thoughts are that we at unrwa are a _ that announcement? our thoughts are that we at unrwa are a un _ that announcement? our thoughts are that we at unrwa are a un agency. i that announcement? our thoughts are l that we at unrwa are a un agency. we operate with a mandate from the un general assembly, so we execute what

the international community, including the eu and un member states, governments, countries tell us and what they have told us so far is as long as there is no solution to the israel— palestine conflict, unrwa must be able to continue running its network of 700 schools, 145 health centres and so much more, including social protection, across the region. so we do hope that any government positions throughout any of the countries that support the palestinians do consider unrwa to be a un agency and continue to enable it to play its role with funding, without funding, we would not be able to continue our services. yes. a final thought _ able to continue our services. yes. a final thought because _ able to continue our services. yes. a final thought because you will have seen flare—ups in this conflict over the decades, but in terms of the magnitude of this, the seams unlike anything we have seen in

recent times. how worried are you about what might lie ahead? titer? about what might lie ahead? very worried because _ about what might lie ahead? very worried because what _ about what might lie ahead? - worried because what we have seen in two days exceeds what we have seen in previous conflicts will stop all of them have been damaging and devastating. so we are worried. there we have to leave it, thanks so much for your time and forjoining us here on bbc news, thank you, tamara alrifai.— us here on bbc news, thank you, | tamara alrifai._ around tamara alrifai. thank you. around the world and _ tamara alrifai. thank you. around the world and across _ tamara alrifai. thank you. around the world and across the - tamara alrifai. thank you. around the world and across the uk, - tamara alrifai. thank you. around | the world and across the uk, you're watching bbc news. but stay with a couple of the other stories making headlines. china's president xijinping has met the us senate majority leader chuck schumer as part of the latest high—level american visit to beijing. senator schumer is leading a bipartisan delegation intended to de—escalate tension. he earlier criticised china's response to the hamas attack on israel, saying he was disappointed by a lack of sympathy and support for the israelis. the uk's supreme court has begun hearing the government's challenge to a ruling which said the policy of sending some asylum seekers to rwanda was unlawful. under the plan, which had been

blocked by the court of appeal, asylum seekers would be sent to the african country, where their cases would be determined. the nobel prize for economics has gone to claudia goldin from the united states. the royal swedish academy of sciences said the harvard university professor had advanced the understanding of how women impact labour markets. she is only the third woman to become a nobel economics laureate. you're live with bbc news. let me take you back to those life pictures in gaza city because there we see these scenes there and this has been what we have seen overnight and through the course of today, a multipronged response from israel to those dreadful events of the weekend and of course we have those military

strikes that have gone on right through the course of the night and through the course of the night and through the course of the night and through the course of today on the border with the gaza strip. we have seen reservists put into place, a lot of armoury also in full view as they consider, in terms of what they do next, any sort of ground invasion or all of those things being considered, no particular pointers from israeli authorities, but the prime minister has been saying recently those events that we saw over the weekend and israel's response would, change the middle east. so we wait to see exactly what that means in practice. but those are some of the life pictures that we are seeing coming into the building. we are nowjoined by dr yael berda — she is an associate professor of sociology and anthropology at the hebrew university ofjerusalem. she has written and researched extensively on the situation in israel and palestine. thank you so much for being here on

the programme. i want to ask you first of all before we get to the issueis first of all before we get to the issue is what it is like where you are and the impact those events of the last 48 hours plus has had on you west we are seeing some of the darkest days that we have seen. it seems like over 800 israelis have been killed and we understand that the toll in gaza for gaza civilians is over 500 already, of civilians. there was a massive massacre and war crimes committed by hamas operatives that overran the southern part of israel. and one of the most worrying aspects is that there is over 120 captives, including children and the elderly and injured. and one of the

most worrying aspects is that the bombing has begun, but we as of yet don't know about efforts to create a humanitarian corridor to get the civilians that have been kidnapped out in some sort of, you know, brokerage of a deal of some sort and we find that incredibly worrying for the families here.— the families here. there is... in terms of _ the families here. there is... in terms of the — the families here. there is... in terms of the focus, _ the families here. there is... in terms of the focus, clearly - the families here. there is... in | terms of the focus, clearly there the families here. there is... in i terms of the focus, clearly there is a national trauma that people are feeling, but you talk about the hostages, how much in terms of what the public are talking about, what is on the media, how much of that is dominated at the moment by what to dominated at the moment by what to do about the hostage situation? 50. do about the hostage situation? so, it is not do about the hostage situation? 55>, it is not being talked do about the hostage situation? 55.3, it is not being talked about do about the hostage situation? 553, it is not being talked about by the government at all. actually, there is a big rift. some of you may know

that there is an ongoing huge internal domestic conflict inside israel against netanyahu's government, an authoritarian regime change. and actually, most of the civilian networks that are working right now to help with logistics and organisation are civilian networks. and the government has not been involved in any of the efforts. so something, you know, there is a lot of uncertainty right now on the ground, a lot of fear and a huge sense of insecurity, not only regarding hamas and the war crimes, but also regarding the current security and what is going to happen in the next coming days. i think

there is over 300,000 reservists that have, that are... that have been called up. i think that is the largest number ever in the history of the state. and one very worrying aspect is that what hearing from the government is about revenge. and what we see in gaza is the statement that are saying, you know, destroy girls or... to teach a lesson that they will never forget, and all these different things and... i think it's important to know that there are those of us who disagree and think that revenge is not a policy. and that crimes committed on saturday do notjustify more war crimes against innocent lives. against innocent people. and what are the things that, sorry... if i could, are the things that, sorry... if i could. the _ are the things that, sorry... if i could, the israeli government would

argue they are not targeting civilians, they are targeting hamas directly. in a sense, they have tried containment and that hasn't worked and we saw the dreadful events of the weekend. and now they are going after hamas in terms of trying to actually wipe it out as an entity. trying to actually wipe it out as an enti . ~ ~ ., ,., entity. well, i think that something very important _ entity. well, i think that something very important to — entity. well, i think that something very important to remember... - entity. well, i think that something j very important to remember... and while one has to condemn the venus massacre and war crimes that took place by hamas operatives, —— venus massacre. these do notjustify war crimes in terms of cutting off food and water, nothing justifies this. one thing we have to understand is there is no military solution for gaza. there are very extreme elements in today's is really government that would like to conquer gaza again. but we know there is no military solution for gaza. and what we need to demand is

from the international community to push a political solution immediately. that is the biggest help you can give us here to civilians in israel on the ground. apologies to try to cut across you, but we're out of time, thank you very much your time. hello. it was a real weekend of contrast. some exceptionally wet weather across scotland, in fact the wettest spot having nearly 180 millimetres of rain. so, there are still some flood warnings in force — that means danger to life. details on the website, including numerous other flood warnings. and there are more weather warnings out for tomorrow, but for today the weather front is still with us, but it's a weak affair, so a respite from the rain for many parts of scotland, just dribs and drabs on this weather front remaining. it will tend to pep up as it pushes north later. but for most other parts it is largely dry,

bright and sunny spells, quite warm, temperatures again knocking on the door of what we saw on sunday for northern ireland, england and wales. but overnight temperatures not falling back much, but the misty low cloud around the coasts will creep inland, one band of rain pushes into the northern isles and we will see another following suit. this is the warning in time for tomorrow, really, across western scotland. but given all the cloud again tonight, it will be a mild one for all. a ridge of high pressure close to the south means another fine and dry day for most of england and wales. cloudier skies coming into northern ireland eventually, but again most of the rainfall — 15—20 millimetres quite widely, but as much as 40 or 50 millimetres could fall over hills and again that is a concern as the ground is saturated, the rivers are full and cannot take any more at the moment, so we need to be aware there could be further flooding as we go through into tuesday as well, but further south it is a very different story and some places haven't had any rain at all so far this october. as we go through tuesday night

and into wednesday, it is likely some areas further south will see some rain — heavy rain, potentially — pushing through wales into the midlands and then easing further southwards, which means drier weather on wednesday for scotland, drier and clearer with sunshine across northern ireland and northern england. a fresher feel here, though, still quite warm, despite the increased cloud and some rain further south. that weather front hangs around in the south through thursday, potentially peps up through friday, joining forces with low pressure to the south, low pressure to the north as well, so overall an unsettled picture towards the end of the week as well, and looking to get fresher, even in the south, this weekend.

this is bbc news. the headlines: israel orders a "complete siege" of the hamas—controlled gaza strip, that announcement made a little earlier. the european commission also suspends all palestinian aid. israel describes saturday's assault as its 9/11. at least 700 israelis are dead, including 260 at a music festival. rocket attacks from gaza continue, with explosions heard injerusalem. the uk and us confirm they have citizens dead or missing. explosions gaza is under frequent bombardment.

this is the densely populated jabalia refugee camp.