white while we've been on air. the white house intelligence chief says iran is complicit in this attack but there is no direct evidence that they know of at this moment, tying it to attacks put up a report in wall streetjournal reporting there wall street journal reporting there was wall streetjournal reporting there was a meeting between hamas and iran security officials from iran last week. at the moment the white house a no direct link. the other interesting line is crown prince mohammed bin solomont have spoken calling for a voice of reason to prevail in the on going to war. we will get to both of those issues over the course of the next 20 minutes. let's get a little bit more on today's fighting. this is the scene now live in gaza. we have intermittently seen missiles lighting up the night sky tonight. all quiet at the moment. we will keep on eye on that throughout the program. here's the latest from the

ground. jonathan peel is in ashkelon and said this response. israel's military operation to eliminate the threat inside its own territory still isn't over. this afternoon, near the border with gaza, more israeli troops being sent in to clear out pockets of hamas fighters. their surprise attack that shattered any image of israel's invincibility. up to 1000 palestinian militants broke through the fences and barriers supposed to contain them. on this road, evidence that many have now been killed. but three days on, and some are still fighting. this road is littered with the bodies of hamas fighters and burnt—out, smashed—up vehicles like this that they were using when they infiltrated across the border. gunfire. you can hear gunfire still going on here.

they are still clearing the area, the israeli forces. smoke rising in the distance, apaches overhead. this clear—up operation is still not over. you cannot be here. it's dangerous for you. the military block access to no—go areas. and still, regularly coming under attack... ..by mortar and rocket fire. checkpoints turning back vehicles. and anxious locals still shocked by what's happened. translation: they slaughtered children and the elderly. - people who can't defend themselves. they're not fighting for anything other than to kill. this, the aftermath afterjust one hamas massacre. the place where hundreds of young people who'd come to party in the desert were murdered. the scale, even for israel, which has experienced plenty

of violence, 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're 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. israeli jets have already conducted hundreds of retaliatory strikes inside gaza. the small palestinian enclave home to more than 2 million people. they, too, now caught up in this war. this woman screaming, "they're destroying us!", after an israeli bomb hit a mosque nearby.

and this mayjust be the prelude of worse to come. israel's already tightening the noose around gaza. translation: we are - imposing a complete siege on the city of gaza. there'll be no food, no water, no fuel. everything is closed. we are fighting human animals and are acting accordingly. israel is also massing its forces. tanks, armoured vehicles and troops. 0vernight, israel has been building up its forces here, near the border with gaza, in what looks like preparations for a potential major military operation inside gaza itself. israel's response will reverberate around the region. what it does next will have an impact way beyond gaza's border. jonathan beale, bbc news, southern israel.

no comfort men shared from benjamin netanyahu that there will be a ground offensive. —— no confirmation. there is a build—up of the heavy weaponry. the tanks ready in preparation for a ground incursion. justice statement from hamas saying they will not negotiate over the israeli captives while under fire. over the israeli captives while underfire. some earlier statements under fire. some earlier statements from underfire. some earlier statements from the armed military wing of hamas earlier today saying they would start killing hostages if the israelis continue to target civilians inside gaza. let's talk about the liner brought you a few minutes from the white house, john kirby on the intelligence i'd say they do not see any direct evidence of iran's involvement at that moment. as ron, israel sworn enemies. no secret that surround armed finances, should come as no surprise serious questions are being asked and what role iran has played

in this attack. the wall street journal reported today that last monday iran security officials met hamas leaders in beirut for the and gave the group the green light. the iranian mission to the un denied any knowledge of what hamas was planning. the iranian mission to the un has today denied any knowledge of what hamas was planning, though iran's president, ebrahim raisi, has publicly congratulated the hamas militants and called on other islamic nations to join the fight. hussein ibish is a senior resident scholar with the arab gulf states institute in washington. what do you make of that statement from the white house and given what we have from the wall streetjournal earlier in the day? i we have from the wall street journal earlier in the day?— earlier in the day? i don't think there's any _ earlier in the day? i don't think there's any doubt _ earlier in the day? i don't think there's any doubt among - earlier in the day? i don't think - there's any doubt among analytical thinkers who followed me are events that hamas was heavily influenced by iran. they were probably commanders or advisers in gaza helping to plan this since the summer. i think the wall street journals story about a

series of meetings in beirut and a final decision to go ahead and august makes perfect sense. it all scans with everything we know. hamas broke with iran during the decade of the arab spring uprising between 2010 and about 2019 when there was a secretary and split throughout the region. since 2019 or so it has been much easierfor hamas region. since 2019 or so it has been much easier for hamas to really get back into the iranian orbit. i think one of the many goals here is for iran to resurrect what it used to call the attics of resistance that included group such hamas by shi'ite groups like hezbollah, the syrian government and all other iranian umbrella. i think this is one of the goals. —— underthe umbrella. i think this is one of the goals. —— under the iranian umbrella. fix, goals. -- under the iranian umbrella-— goals. -- under the iranian umbrella. �* ., ., ., , umbrella. a ma'or factor in this, iran. the _ umbrella. a major factor in this, iran. the negotiation _ umbrella. a major factor in this,

iran. the negotiation with - umbrella. a major factor in this, iran. the negotiation with the i iran. the negotiation with the salaries is ongoing... it’s iran. the negotiation with the salaries is ongoing. . .- iran. the negotiation with the salaries is ongoing... it's the main motivation — salaries is ongoing... it's the main motivation for _ salaries is ongoing... it's the main motivation for iranians. _ salaries is ongoing... it's the main motivation for iranians. john - salaries is ongoing... it's the main motivation for iranians. john kirby| motivation for iranians. john kirby sa in: motivation for iranians. john kirby saying tonight _ motivation for iranians. john kirby saying tonight he _ motivation for iranians. john kirby saying tonight he doesn't - motivation for iranians. john kirby saying tonight he doesn't deny - motivation for iranians. john kirby| saying tonight he doesn't deny that iran is complicit because we know how close the links are. he's just not seeing direct evidence at the moment. i'm wondering if you are concerned there is a portion on the right to blame iran we the followed of that would be for that if turnaround was under pressure they would activate their other proxy in his brother to the north in lebanon. i don't think criticism or rhetoric is going to drive around to do that. it's a real threat. i think the hamas attack is kind of designed to create a cascading series of events that could lead to such an eventuality. what they are hoping for in the short run is for the violence to spread into the west bank and eastjerusalem to inspire people, whoever it is in the west bank or in gaza with arms, with the

capability of striking at israel to do that. i think they are hoping that israel's overreaction, that the proportionality is going to kick in and they're going to commit all kinds of atrocities in gaza, both from the air and on the ground. and this will inspire outrage in the west bank and solidarity and they will be violence there too. at that point it becomes easier for his brother to step in and say they are defending eastjerusalem, the holy places there. it's all baked in. hamas is already branded there's as the flood or operation. they are already trying to link this entirely gaza base and some israel based violence to jerusalem. gaza base and some israel based violence tojerusalem. why? because it tugs at the heartstrings of muslims all the way to indonesia and nigeria. they want to create the

conditions where his brother can intervene, firing missiles with some kind ofjustification to other lebanese and i could plunge israel into a multi—front war, fighting as minis to the south, east and north. at that point —— fighting enemies. and strike directly at our run. this cascading series of events is potentially extremely dangerous. o, potentially extremely dangerous. a battle group brought into the region, general ford strike group is now heading towards that part of the mediterranean. what will the message be from the white house from the administration this evening? there obviously in close collaboration with the israelis. they will not want to conflagration that drags on. not at all. in addition to that military augmentation, that naval, sort of intensification with that

deployment, which is aimed at hezbollah. it's aimed at warning his brother not to act. it's not at hamas, it's aimed at hezbollah. in addition to that there is going to be a loto of working foes. i think the administration is talking to egypt which has a dialogue, it talking to qatar, which are as warm ties with hamas and pays the bills in gaza. it pays the employees of the gaza local government, which is hamas payroll. it's not military payroll but the people who work for the government, the de facto government they run. and others you can talk to hamas and his brother and say look, this is a very dangerous situation for the we taking this seriously, we hear militarily and you have to exercise, or you'll deal with us. as such is the israelis, the united states is

here and we have their back. that's part of the message.— part of the message. really interesting. _ thank you forjoining us this evening. make no mistake, this is having an enormously destabilising effect in neighbouring countries, particularly those bordering israel — egypt, lebanon and jordan. the egyptian president is in election mode right now, bidding for a third term in december, and he will know what anger and resentment this will stir in his country, where the muslim brotherhood were previously a force. on sunday, a policeman shot dead two israelis and their egyptian guide at a tourist site in the egyptian city of alexandria. and there have been several protests this weekend in thejordan valley, close to the palestinian territories. it tends to be the governments that call for calm while the people call for a response. so how long can president sisi keep the gates at rafah closed as the hospitals in gaza fill up, the israeli blockade tightens and the refugee pressure at the border begins to mount? steven cook is senior fellow for the middle east and africa studies institute at the council on foreign relations

and joins me now from washington. thank you for being with us this evening. president sisi will see the riskiness, wouldn't he? they are aligned with hamas for the bill be a lot of anger particularly in the peninsula. what's happening in their border? ., , ., peninsula. what's happening in their border? ., ., ., ., border? there are risks all around for president _ border? there are risks all around for president sisi _ border? there are risks all around for president sisi as _ border? there are risks all around for president sisi as you _ border? there are risks all around for president sisi as you pointed l for president sisi as you pointed out is standing for election such as they are in egypt. he has to be very careful in the way he positions himself on this. that's why you see the egyptians once again offering services to mediate for them it's been a traditional role for them to go into the gaza strip and work with hamas and put pressure on hamas. at the same time other organs of the state are engaged in all kinds of propaganda culminating against the

israelis. in the early to thousands, around that time palestinians solidarity groups emerge all over egypt. those groups eventually morphed into the groups that became those who instigated the uprising in february 2011. there is only so much that sisi can feel he can allow for popular anger and protesting against but the air israelis are doing well at the same time trying to be constructive in the gaza strip. when i was in the — constructive in the gaza strip. when i was in the egyptian _ constructive in the gaza strip. when i was in the egyptian side _ constructive in the gaza strip. when i was in the egyptian side there are a lot of ambulance came through as the hospitals overflowed, the nearby town was taking the children, the most seriously injured children. there was aid flowing the other way. i've heard israelis saying today we want to finish gaza altogether. sisi should open the borders and let the

refugees flow through. that's not likely to happen, is it? know the egyptians live in fear that the israelis are going to dump gaza on their lap. may be viewers who don't remember that gaza is to be egyptian occupied territory until the 67 war. israelis describe it as the poisoned chalice of the victory and they've been trying to give it away for decades. they went so far is trying to give it to yasir arafat, their arch enemy. 0ver to give it to yasir arafat, their arch enemy. over time they have said gaza is an error problem. in cairo that raises alarm bells that the israelis are trying to dump gaza on them. that's why in the face of a humanitarian disaster and the significant number of housing in civilian cal two casualties egyptians are going to be reluctant

to swing the gates open. they fear they will never closing gaza will pick calm their problems. and they will be able to wash the hands of it. the big powers tonight egypt and crown prince sisi has spoken. they talked about a voice of reason prevailing in the region. it is not any sign of that from netanyahu tonight who is talking about a long campaign. how much risk is that pose between what washington wanted to achieve in this bilateral agreement? is there a risk that it is now dead and buried? i is there a risk that it is now dead and buried?— and buried? i think reason is in short suoply- — and buried? i think reason is in short suoply- it _ and buried? i think reason is in short supply. it begins - and buried? i think reason is in short supply. it begins with - and buried? i think reason is in - short supply. it begins with hamas and the military leader who when he talks about the longest occupation in the world isn't talking about the occupation and the gaza strip is talking about liberating all palestine is as fantastical as that may sound. there's not a lot of reason in tehran. the israelis are obviously wounded and hurt and vegetable right now. yes, broadly

speaking there isn't a lot of going on. that's why whatever the crown prince and president sisi might want to do, whatever offers there are to de—escalate, whatever the tertius government says about the peace process, that's not likely to gain any traction —— turkey government. everybody should prepare themselves with what the is really day is likely to be a long hard—fought battle. likely to be a long hard-fought battle. , ., ., battle. the question with a long-haul _ battle. the question with a long-haul battle _ battle. the question with a long-haul battle is - battle. the question with a long-haul battle is to - battle. the question with a long-haul battle is to whatj battle. the question with a - long-haul battle is to what end and long—haul battle is to what end and how do you replace hamas? it really brings me to my other question, where does this leave fatah in the west bank? corrupt, not trusted by the palestinians living in the west bank, not really an alternative to hamas. where the palestinian leadership if you behead hamas and take control of gaza?—

take control of gaza? certainly the fatah leadership _ take control of gaza? certainly the fatah leadership and _ take control of gaza? certainly the fatah leadership and palestinian i fatah leadership and palestinian authority has become essentially irrelevant. that is part of the problem. that is also on the israelis who spent years in years undermining the palestinian authority. when it comes to gaza, do are no easy answers to do beyond hamas. it's clear that they are no longer prepared to live with hamas. the difference between now in a decade ago, a 49 day battle when the egyptians were encouraging to destroy and they said with fear what comes next and they didn't want to become responsible. after the large number of israeli casualties, go back to 1973 to find anything of the israeli casualty in 2a hours. it was all soldiers. now on saturday, sunday it was soldiers as well as

civilians killed. 700 of them, which is a huge number in israel. leaders had made it clear that they no longer want to abide by rules. what comes next, that is quite worrying because it is not clear because they have thought through but that is. i suspect that this is gonna be difficult and remains the strategic goal, they can find themselves in a place where they don't want to be, which is back in gaza for a longer period of time that they may intend. yes, they left that well alone in 2005. i don't think they want to be the occupiers again. thank you for coming on the program. while all this is happening the us house of representatives is paralysed without a speaker. we asked the question on this programme last week, what happens if there is a crisis? well, here is the crisis. currently there's no vote scheduled to replace the speaker, which means extra military aid for israel can't be approved

and sent as quickly as tel aviv would like. then there's the notable lack of diplomatic presence on the ground. because of the now broken confirmation process, the us is currently without an ambassador in israel, egypt, lebanon, 0man, kuwait. there is no state department coordinator for terrorism. the united states may be promising a forceful response through the pentagon, but diplomatically in the region, they are under strength. and that is the result of the poisonous atmosphere in washington. let's go live now to washington and talk with leigh ann caldwell from the washington post and robbie gramer, national security reporter for the foreign policy magazine. good to see you. thanks for coming on. i've been watching kevin mccarthy on and off today talking about the situation. i suppose he would say this because he was deposed but he did warn that something like this might happen. and here they are stuck without a speaker.

and here they are stuck without a seaker. , ., �*, , speaker. yes, that's absolutely ri . ht. speaker. yes, that's absolutely right. without _ speaker. yes, that's absolutely right. without a _ speaker. yes, that's absolutely right. without a speaker- speaker. yes, that's absolutely right. without a speaker the i speaker. yes, that's absolutely - right. without a speaker the house of representatives can't really do much for that there's also no president, there's not a lot of rules that have been written —— no precedent. there are some that think they should ignore the fact there is no speaker and move anyway. but we will see. all of this is currently being discussed. kevin mccarthy, what is doing is perhaps even using this crisis as a reason to say why he should be reinstated as speaker. it's going to be a top level of discussion this week on who the next speaker of the house is going to be. a lot of people are using this crisis in israel as a reason that people should act expeditiously. we're not talking hours we're talking days. we're not talking hours we're talking days-— we're not talking hours we're talking days. yes, absolutely, expeditiously _ talking days. yes, absolutely, expeditiously means - talking days. yes, absolutely, expeditiously means the - talking days. yes, absolutely, i expeditiously means the earliest they could do is wednesday. let's

take a step back about the house of representatives in congress and the immediate sense, there's not a lot for them to do. there is a briefing with top lawmakers on capitol hill last night, it was unclassified. the administration is saying they still have 100 million drawdown potential to give to the israelis if they needed. there will be a supplemental request coming they think in days, maybe early next week. the administration is trying to figure out what that is. if the speaker fight drags out into next week, that's when he gets really complicated. that's when it can be extremely damaging. the administration and congress thinks they can get through this week but any longer there are lots of questions. any longer there are lots of questions-— any longer there are lots of cuestions. ., , , , ., questions. robbie, your tweet remind me how poorly _ questions. robbie, your tweet remind me how poorly represented _ questions. robbie, your tweet remind i me how poorly represented washington is right now in the region. it speaks more broadly about the way they take in their eye off the middle east in general, doesn't it?

how understrength are they and why is that relevant? it how understrength are they and why is that relevant?— is that relevant? it 'ust goes to show that the i is that relevant? itjust goes to show that the united _ is that relevant? itjust goes to show that the united states i is that relevant? it just goes to i show that the united states keeps trying _ show that the united states keeps trying to— show that the united states keeps trying to quit the middle east but that won't let the united states quit _ that won't let the united states quit it — that won't let the united states quit. it comes at a time with the biting _ quit. it comes at a time with the biting administration is trying to extricate — biting administration is trying to extricate itself from the region and focus _ extricate itself from the region and focus on _ extricate itself from the region and focus on competing with china, russia — focus on competing with china, russia and the war in ukraine. they were _ russia and the war in ukraine. they were caught — russia and the war in ukraine. they were caught flat—footed as well as their allies with this massive attack~ — their allies with this massive attack. they have a thin bench of senior— attack. they have a thin bench of senior presidentially nominated senate — senior presidentially nominated senate confirm positions in the region. — senate confirm positions in the region. as _ senate confirm positions in the region, as you mentioned. no ambassadors and key capitals including, top care of very envoy for that— including, top care of very envoy for that this is because a new sweeping _ for that this is because a new sweeping blockade of nominees by certain— sweeping blockade of nominees by certain republican lawmakers in the senate _ certain republican lawmakers in the senate today that are pumping the breaks _ senate today that are pumping the breaks on— senate today that are pumping the breaks on getting all of these senior— breaks on getting all of these senior national security positions fitted _ senior national security positions fitted and — senior national security positions filled and out there at a time when

it's really— filled and out there at a time when it's really needed. in filled and out there at a time when it's really needed.— it's really needed. in terms of the battle group _ it's really needed. in terms of the battle group on — it's really needed. in terms of the battle group on the _ it's really needed. in terms of the battle group on the way. - it's really needed. in terms of the battle group on the way. from i it's really needed. in terms of the| battle group on the way. from the pentagon perspective they want to rearm israel so they can keep operating systems. i presume be psi ops covered from the aircraft on board the general ford. are they fulfilling a gap in israeli intelligence or israeli capability at the medic? i intelligence or israeli capability at the medic?— at the medic? i think it's too stron: at the medic? i think it's too strong to — at the medic? i think it's too strong to tell _ at the medic? i think it's too strong to tell for _ at the medic? i think it's too strong to tell for the - at the medic? i think it's too strong to tell for the update | at the medic? i think it's too i strong to tell for the update did not everyone is still in scramble mode — not everyone is still in scramble mode in— not everyone is still in scramble mode. in washington there seems to be too _ mode. in washington there seems to be too focuses for the biting administration. the first is delivering as much support to israel as possible. as we discussed such realty _ as possible. as we discussed such really difficult without a house speaker. — really difficult without a house speaker, and clear the path funding forward _ speaker, and clear the path funding forward. getting a strike group out there _ forward. getting a strike group out there the — forward. getting a strike group out there. the second is making sure this doesn't — there. the second is making sure this doesn't spiral into a full—scale war, including his brother, _ full—scale war, including his brother, iran or syria. that's where the senior— brother, iran or syria. that's where the senior diplomats can really be

used~ _ the senior diplomats can really be used. , the senior diplomats can really be used, , ., , ,., the senior diplomats can really be used. , ., , ., ,, used. sorry to squeeze you, thank ou both used. sorry to squeeze you, thank you both very _ used. sorry to squeeze you, thank you both very much. _ used. sorry to squeeze you, thank you both very much. we're - used. sorry to squeeze you, thank you both very much. we're going i used. sorry to squeeze you, thank. you both very much. we're going to go to a short break for the we have our panel with plenty more on that situation. stay with us. hello. it's been another warm day in the south, but a drier day, notably for scotland, however, still, we've had numerous flood warnings in for severe flood warnings as well across parts of scotland. the sepa, which is the scottish environment protection agency, has got more on those flood warnings and also on the weather website. there's another warning in force actually, because although it's been drier today, this weather front still draped across from scotland to northern england will start to pep up again. so another pulse of heavy rain is due in during tonight and tomorrow. for the meantime, the weather front that we do have is pushing back northwards. that will bring some rain across the northern isles, but it trails back in across the west and invigorates overnight.

so we are talking another 15 to 25 millimetres to come from that, possibly a0 to 50 over the hills through the course of tuesday. so it's going to be mild because the breeze picks up. it's going to be mild in the south because it will fill in with mist and low cloud and some fog under this ridge of high pressure, which will mean quite light winds. first things that fogs with us through the rush hour. stronger winds, though, picking up with this rain further north. the rain, though, the main story because it's falling on saturated ground into rivers that are still full and still coming. the rain still coming down from the mountains as well. so we are anticipating further issues with flooding. now, further south, we will see some of that rain in northern ireland's not quite as warm here as today, but it will feel warmer further south. there could be some showers, actually, northern england, northwest. and there's a brisk wind, as you can see tomorrow. now, that brisk wind turns to the northwest as we get through tomorrow night and into wednesday, just pushing our weather front further south. so for some parts, wednesday into thursday, we'll see the first rain that we've seen all 0ctober, not altogether dry. further north, but a fresh start.

a brighter start and a scattering of showers on that brisk wind, 12 to 1a. quite a dip in temperatures still warm even with the rain further south, which hangs around that rain, albeit rather a weak affair on thursday. this weather front here, starts to pep up again on friday with low pressure driving in from the south. another went the front, driving in from the north. so we've got low pressure in charge by the end of the week, which for one reason or another does look as if we'll see some unsettled weather and we'll see some rain, perhaps the first this month for some towns and cities further south. as ever, you can keep up to date on the warnings and the flood warnings online.

hello, i'm christian fraser. you're watching the context on bbc news. translation: we're enforcing a total blockade on gaza. i no electricity, no food, no gas, it's all closed. we're fighting beastly people and are acting accordingly. israeli fighterjets are flying overhead and the israeli air strike continues since last night. gaza has never seen this scale and intensity of shelling and air strikes i think ever. this is unreal and unhuman. we need help to stop that, we need help to bring the civilians back home.

there's a huge barrage overhead. we have taken cover. going to find somewhere that is slightly— going to find somewhere that is slightly safer. the israeli government says "enormous force" will be used to shut down hamas and their operations in the gaza strip. prime minister benjamin netanyahu says the retaliation has only just begun. inside gaza, carnage today — at least 2,400 hamas targets were hit, that is double the number we saw over the weekend. but still the rockets are coming the other way. today the funeral of british man nathanel young interrupted by the air raid sirens, as his sister gave the eulogy we will bring you every development tonight. and as usual reaction from our panel. joining us from the labour party conference in liverpool, the former

policy director forjeremy corbyn andrew fisher ? and from