he live from london. this is bbc news. a new barrage of rockets is fired from gaza to israel. israel's death toll since saturday passes 1,000, as soldiers reach the dead in southern communities. gaza remains under constant bombardment. the health ministry says 830 palestinianians have been killed since saturday. more than 4,000 are injured. hamas says it'll kill hostages if air strikes are launched without warning. it refuses to negotiate their release. in all honesty, i try not to imagine, because it's just too difficult. there are times i break,

and i don't want to break right now, because i want to keep pushing for the release of my mum and the release of my brother. hello, i'm matthew amroliwala. welcome to verified live, three hours of breaking israel has continued its campaign of air strikes on gaza for the fourth day. un aid agencies have warned of the severe consequences of israel's seizure on the territory. the world health organization has called for a humanitarian corridor to be opened into the area. the families of israelis taken hostage are speaking

about their agony today, at least 123 israeli soldiers have been killed since saturday. coming up in the next hour, we'll hear from our correspondents on the ground in ashkelon, on the humanitarian situation in gaza; and more on israel's military strategy. but first, let's focus on the situation in ashkelon , our reporter anna foster is there. the sirens went immediately. actually, i was just about to take you up upstairs and out of the shelter because we thought there was the all clear, but again i can hear coming from upstairs the sound of the sirens once again here in ashkelon. you can see there are people around me. i should just tell you a little bit more about where we are actually. this is the centre of ashkelon, a shopping centre and it'sjust after 5pm on a tuesday here in israel and it would be really busy.

one of our local producers, the words he used were you wouldn't be able to breathe in this place at this time on a normal weekday. it would be wall—to—wall, packed with people who had just finished work and who were out for the evening. but instead all of the shops up there are shut. you can see people drifting down. this is basically an underground shelter. if you wouldn't mind coming around here, they are already well marked, so if you come into these areas you know where you have to go. you we were just outside when the sirens started and we came down the stairwell. there was a shelter right underground. i am just going to take you to this corner and you can see up the stairs. remember, people who live in these areas are used to rocket attacks coming from gazza. attacks coming from gaza. this is not something they haven't experienced before. i wouldn't say they were relaxed about it, but they have done this many times. so they come into a place of safety

where they get underground. you can see them starting to move out again. right here, because we are so close to the perimeter fence from gaza, this is an area that is within reach for hamas rockets essentially. so what they do is they send them right around this area of southern israel and the military wing of hamas put out this warning earlier today asking people in ashkelon, to leave by 1700 local time. as i was just explaining to you, at 1700 we were just outside and the sirens started straightaway. ten minutes ago. we've had the sirens twice. i just want to show you, we lost the signal a little bit because we were downstairs in that shelter. this would normally be so busy on a tuesday afternoon. the shops are all shut, there is nobody here. i'm just going to take you outside. you can see how quiet this place is right now.

a lot of people are choosing to stay at home. some have left altogether. a lot of people are choosing to stay at home and stay indoors and stay places where there are shelters, where they know they can be safe. itjust gives you an idea, if you look around here, it should be a car park packed with cars. it's a beautiful sunny evening here in ashkelon. less than ten kilometres from gaza. but people here are indoors in shelters, they are doing what they can to stay safe. the israeli military have taken journalists to a kibbutz, where soldiers have been removing the bodies of people killed by hamas. a warning — we're about to show some distressing images from the area. the small community has been destroyed, with bodies strewn across the area. troops were unable to remove the victims until now because of the fighting, and the need to disable booby traps. israeli combat soldiers are still deployed in the fields around the kibbutz.

0ur international editor jeremy bowen is there and sent this update. these are combat troops from elite units and there is a high state of readiness here. you can feel it. the confusion in the israeli army that followed the initial hamas attack has gone now as they've come in and regained control of these border areas. it was tough enough for the israelis to come in to recapture this area, the small border communities, it is a different military challenge to cross the wire to get into gaza, potentially to fight house—to—house at a time when hamas will have made its plans and will be waiting.

we seen this now for four days, strikes and retaliation from israel lighting up the skies, some strikes there, israel says on hamas positions. we know from authorities over 800 people have been confirmed deadin over 800 people have been confirmed dead in this area. let's bring in lease you set, day four of this and absolutely no let up, lease, in terms of the israeli response. the israeli response _ terms of the israeli response. tue israeli response and terms of the israeli response. tte israeli response and the terms of the israeli response. ttj: israeli response and the hamas response. we heard about... attacked the area of ashkelon and retaliation for israeli bombardment of gaza, and right on time, local time five o'clock, there was a rain of rockets

into ashkelon. you are reporting on them earlier in the programme, and israel's retaliation, last night was reported as the night of the most intense aerial bombardment of gaza, and now as the night draws in, it looks like it will be another night the same, last night israel said it hit 2400 the same, last night israel said it hit 21100 hamas targets, we note that they have said prime minister netanyahu has said they will hit everything to do with hamas, they want to try to degrade or destroy all of their infrastructure. we, our viewers will have seen the comments by our reporter in gaza, he has been there for 20 years, reporting from gaza, so that means he is reported on a lot of wars and he said last night was the most frightening night that he and his family, the families living in their building, had ever

lived through.— lived through. yes, it was a really ura - hic lived through. yes, it was a really graphic account _ lived through. yes, it was a really graphic account he _ lived through. yes, it was a really graphic account he gave - lived through. yes, it was a really graphic account he gave on - lived through. yes, it was a really graphic account he gave on the i lived through. yes, it was a really i graphic account he gave on the bbc lived through. yes, it was a really - graphic account he gave on the bbc a little earlier, he even filmed when he got outside, some of the damage in gaza, he described at one stage as looking like an earthquake had struck. now the prime ministers said around this time yesterday, it was only the beginning. in terms of options for the israelis, what is still available to them? b, options for the israelis, what is still available to them?- still available to them? a lot is available to — still available to them? a lot is available to them. _ still available to them? a lot is available to them. we - still available to them? a lot is available to them. we heard i still available to them? a lot is i available to them. we heard from the prime minister, prime minister benjamin netanyahu last night, israel's air strikes that we've been discussing, and viewers have seen in live shots from gaza, is only the beginning of a war he said israel was now engaging, nothing less than to ensure israel's survival. most of that activity over the past few days is centred around ashkelon, around the southern border, where it's

given that the israelis say they have recovered so far 1500 bodies of hamas fighters, those who managed to penetrate what was always regarded as an impenetrable fence, with so many high—tech sensors, drones, tea walls, watchtowers, meant to keep hamas away from firing rockets to enter, and of course hamas was able to overcome all of that. we heard from israel earlier today, they have secured that border with the gaza strip, although they admitted there may be some ways for hamas to penetrate. that once they have that area under control they will intensify the bombardment, try to diminish 10 1's capabilities in the gaza strip, all the while preparing for what is widely expected to be a highly dangerous, highly risky, but what israel now believes is highly

necessary, ground incursion of the kind they haven't undertaken since they pulled out their troops from gaza in 2005.— they pulled out their troops from gaza in 2005. �* , , , .., , gaza in 2005. briefly, lise, because we have been _ gaza in 2005. briefly, lise, because we have been hearing _ gaza in 2005. briefly, lise, because we have been hearing from - gaza in 2005. briefly, lise, because we have been hearing from some i gaza in 2005. briefly, lise, because we have been hearing from some of| we have been hearing from some of the families about loved ones taken hostage. how much real pressure is growing on benjamin netanyahu in terms of trying to get those citizens back?— terms of trying to get those citizens back? , , , , ., citizens back? huge pressure. israel also always— citizens back? huge pressure. israel also always regards _ citizens back? huge pressure. israel also always regards it _ citizens back? huge pressure. israel also always regards it as _ citizens back? huge pressure. israel also always regards it as absolutelyl also always regards it as absolutely vital to bring as free israeli home. they negotiated for five years to get one israeli soldier out of hamas hands. this time the situation is different. because of hamas' assault on israel, and so many lives lost, that may change the dynamics a bit but they'll do everything possible. but it is a process fraught with risk. ., , . risk. life from us in jerusalem, thank you _ risk. life from us in jerusalem, thank you very _ risk. life from us in jerusalem, thank you very much _ risk. life from us in jerusalem, thank you very much for i risk. life from us in jerusalem, thank you very much for that. i live now to ramallah to speak to dr sabri saidam,

a former minister in the palestinian authority and a member of the central committee of fatah. thank you so much for being with us here on bbc news. how alarmed are you by what we are seeing unfold? extremely alarmed. the situation is extremely terrible. the mood is not of sadness and disappointment, the word community is not coming to the rescue of the palestinian people ending this madness that's taking shape. the security existence and survival of israel lies in the hands of these militants. by giving palestine back to the palestinians, in terms of allowing the policy of live and let live exist, if the continuation of occupation continues, sadness will come every now and then and this scene we are witnessing today will come back in 2050 and we'll discuss another invasion and in other atrocities

will lie in the resolutions, ending the israeli occupation. you mentioned _ the israeli occupation. you mentioned the _ the israeli occupation. you mentioned the international community and i'll come back to that in a moment. do you contend what we saw on saturday, the hostage taking, the threats now to kill hostages, do you condemn all of that from buts, no clarification? t you condemn all of that from buts, no clarification?— you condemn all of that from buts, no clarification? i condemn any loss of life, innocence _ no clarification? i condemn any loss of life, innocence killed _ no clarification? i condemn any loss of life, innocence killed is— no clarification? i condemn any loss of life, innocence killed is not i of life, innocence killed is not something any palestinian would welcome, but we need to see a collective move on part of the international community to end this saga, this intervention, to fulfil the various resolutions they passed at the un to acknowledge international law, and to tell israel enough is enough. you cannot have the cake and eat it too, you have the cake and eat it too, you have to live and let live. so far this land has been turned into swiss

cheese like land, where israel gets the cheese and we get the holes. that's not a policy that you continue to exist, we should all collectively use this policy, i say this is a an opportunity for the entire international community to say we have to come together to end the israeli occupation. no sidestepping, and no hiding from reality that hits us all. continuation of occupation is the source, the source of the pain and anguish that exists. tn source, the source of the pain and anguish that exists.— source, the source of the pain and anguish that exists. in terms of all of those hostage _ anguish that exists. in terms of all of those hostage is _ anguish that exists. in terms of all of those hostage is taken, - anguish that exists. in terms of all of those hostage is taken, what i of those hostage is taken, what would you say to those in hamas who are holding those people, they are saying they won't negotiate until the end of the battle as they describe it, and that threat yesterday, that ominous threat of potential executions? t yesterday, that ominous threat of potential executions?— yesterday, that ominous threat of potential executions? i don't speak for hamas- — potential executions? i don't speak for hamas- l _ potential executions? i don't speak for hamas. i just _ potential executions? i don't speak for hamas. ijust said _ potential executions? i don't speak for hamas. ijust said that, - potential executions? i don't speak for hamas. ijust said that, i i potential executions? i don't speak for hamas. ijust said that, i am i potential executions? i don't speak for hamas. ijust said that, i am al for hamas. ijust said that, i am a representative here, and i want to

say this situation will escalate further if the bombardment of gaza continues. you will see more and more pain inflicted, just as i was about to go on air, i was told of a bombardment of a relative path —— relative's home, this continuation will not be the continuation of survival. the only policy is to allow the palestinians to establish their state and come back to the root cause of the issue which is again the continuation of occupation. i think we have a moral duty now, we have an international obligation to stop this killing. the raising of 10 one, has promised these people, has turned into ethnic cleansing of palestinians in gaza, bombing shelters, bombing schools, universities, hospitals, clinics and what have you. cutting the aid to

the palestinians, bombing the crossing, and also cutting electricity, water supplies and electricity. how on earth would this be a policy of punishing 10 one? this is nothing but the capital punishment of the entire palestinian population in gaza and beyond? we have to leave it there, but thank you so much forjoining us live. thank you so much for your time. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news. let's look at some other stories making news across the uk. the international monetary found says the uk faces another five years of high interest rates to stem rising prices. the organisation expects the uk to have the highest inflation and slowest growth next year of any g7 economy, including the us, france, germany,

canada, italy and japan. the home office says it's begun notifying asylum seekers they will be sent back to a migrant barge off england's south coast, after the vessel completed all necessary tests. 39 men were moved on to the vessel in august, but they were removed when the legionella bacteria was found onboard. luton borough council says it has received an "alarming number" of calls to tackle bedbugs, with fears that outbreaks in paris could spread to the uk. the council issued guidance on what people should do to prepare their homes for "treatment", but it warned there were not �*limitless resources�* to tackle the problem. you're live with bbc news. throughout the programme i have been talking about idf, i talked to lieutenant colonel pedal learner who

suffered for five years in the israeli defence forces. he told me the military is still unsure whether they have found all of the hamas inside of israel. t they have found all of the hamas inside of israel.— inside of israel. i think it's really important _ inside of israel. i think it's really important to - inside of israel. i think it's i really important to understand inside of israel. i think it's - really important to understand and highlight what we just seen. we've seen an unprecedented attack against israel by hamas, infiltrating and invading israeli communities across the border area, and if i'm confident there are no more terrorists on the ground, i don't know. we are continuing our activities. we have no life incidents as we speak right now, but there could be terrorists hiding out between the bushes, or inside a house, or in a cupboard. we are now in the afternoon of day four of this unprecedented attack against israel, and as you rightly said, over 900

deaths, murdered israelis that have been murdered at the hands of these terrorists. that is interesting that you still don't know if you've gotten all of the militants now. we've been showing you the pictures from gaza, you've been pounding targets in gaza, 200 or so, overnight. in terms of civilians in gaza, you know already that hundreds have been killed. where should ordinary palestinians go? tl} have been killed. where should ordinary palestinians go? 10 one is reaponsible — ordinary palestinians go? 10 one is responsible for _ ordinary palestinians go? 10 one is responsible for what _ ordinary palestinians go? 10 one is responsible for what is _ ordinary palestinians go? 10 one is responsible for what is going i ordinary palestinians go? 10 one is responsible for what is going on i ordinary palestinians go? 10 one is responsible for what is going on in | responsible for what is going on in the military, it is theirjob, it is their role. they cannot come into israeli territory under their instruction, and expect to live life as normal. instruction, and expect to live life as normal-— instruction, and expect to live life asnormal. �*, _ ~ , as normal. israel's by minister said they should — as normal. israel's by minister said they should get — as normal. israel's by minister said

they should get out. _ sure, but israel's prime minister said that those people should get out. i'm asking you just a simple question, where should they go? here's the simple answer, hamas needs to be held accountable to the people of gaza. the people of gaza need to ask where they should go by hamas because hamas brought this tragedy on their own people. we are responsible for israeli civilians and i am sure you are not implying that we let hamas come over our border, butcher our people just because they are hiding behind theirs. that's unacceptable. nobody would accept that and neither will we. i'm not suggesting that, but as the israelis have said, 1,500 bodies of the militants have been recovered in israel. do you accept that it was a fundamental failing of the intelligence services and the idf in terms of protecting your citizens? over the last couple of days we've heard from so many different israelis saying that they sat and they waited and they phoned, thinking, "where is the idf? "are they coming?", as they heard gunshot and killings all around them. there will be a time to review the failures of this outcome. clearly, over 900 israeli deaths is a tragedy and we will have to learn the lessons from this. now we are currently involved

in restoring security to the south of israel, to the cities of israel. we've had rockets just fired at us here in tel aviv in the last hour. but i would also say we are responsible and we expect the people abducted to be returned to israel immediately. we will not allow hamas to threaten us or kill us, kill our people as they did on saturday. very interesting, just in the last little while, a british palestinian doctor has been talking to the bbc, to the newsnight programme, saying the health system in gaza it will collapse within a week. the doctor

has been helping with the wounded, he says during seven conflicts since the first in the late 80s, he talked about hospitals being at capacity, the beds are full. this is the bloodiest assault we've seen in gaza since working there in a0 years. the size of the assault is staggering, the intensity, the ferocity, the number of wounded, the number of killed just in three days is mind—numbing. 0ne doctor speaking there to the bbc. live now to bushra khalidi, 0xfam's policy manager in the region. bushra is in ramallah but grew up in gaza and has family there. thank you so much for being here with us. i know you have family in gaza as well. in terms of what you're seeing on the ground and what you're seeing on the ground and what you're hearing, just give me your latest assessment. t you're hearing, just give me your latest assessment.— you're hearing, just give me your latest assessment. i mean, the way the doctor, — latest assessment. i mean, the way the doctor, i — latest assessment. i mean, the way the doctor, i don't _ latest assessment. i mean, the way the doctor, i don't know _ latest assessment. i mean, the way the doctor, i don't know what i latest assessment. i mean, the way the doctor, i don't know what his i the doctor, i don't know what his name is, he put it really well, we are terrified. we are numb, we are sad. the fast few days have been

really about monitoring the situation and the organisations and... provide as much information as possible. impose a full seizure on gaza putting completely water, electricity, the fuel, all materials including also mentioned, much—needed medical supplies. we are leaving this is you know going to lead to humanitarian catastrophe and nothing has been allowed in. phone and internet lines have been completely down. the situation is dire. and the decision to collectively punish an entire population of 2.2 million is cruel. particularly that half our children or almost half our children. i've been on calls to colleagues and my in—laws, they said really, this time around, the bombardments have been constant. much heavier than ever before and mentioned as well in the

previous report to mccauley, my nephews, all they've known in their young lives is a blockade and wars. this is just the current reality for people in gaza. and now ten times more intense. just people in gaza. and now ten times more intense-_ more intense. just in terms of that total siege. _ more intense. just in terms of that total siege. it _ more intense. just in terms of that total siege, it was _ more intense. just in terms of that total siege, it was interesting i total siege, it was interesting listening to the doctor talking about the health system collapsing. you thought within a week. how long and your assessment, can people keep going there without those basics of food, water, electricity. t going there without those basics of food, water, electricity.— food, water, electricity. i mean, i would say — food, water, electricity. i mean, i would say even — food, water, electricity. i mean, i would say even days. _ food, water, electricity. i mean, i would say even days. the - food, water, electricity. i mean, i would say even days. the waste l food, water, electricity. i mean, i- would say even days. the waste water treatment plant will be stopped in a couple days because of fuel supplies dwindling. meaning that raw sewage will be poured, pools of raw sewage will be poured, pools of raw sewage will be poured into the sea. in a matter of days. and you know this increases the risk of waterborne diseases. and, yeah. just increases the risk of waterborne diseases. and, yeah.— increases the risk of waterborne diseases. and, yeah. just a final thou~ht, diseases. and, yeah. just a final thought. we _ diseases. and, yeah. just a final

thought, we only _ diseases. and, yeah. just a final thought, we only have _ diseases. and, yeah. just a final thought, we only have about i diseases. and, yeah. just a final thought, we only have about a l diseases. and, yeah. just a final i thought, we only have about a minute left. sorry to cut across you. there've been calls from unicef to open a humanitarian corridor, are you able at 0xfam to get in anything at the moment or any sort of people out? �* , . , at the moment or any sort of people out? 3 ._ at the moment or any sort of people out? �*, .,y ., out? it's virtually impossible to reach affected _ out? it's virtually impossible to reach affected communities, i out? it's virtually impossible to l reach affected communities, the bombardment is near constant. we are calling for urgent humanitarian access to humanitarian relief. and for all the violence to cease and stop and also the root causes to be tackled. because again, this is the sixth escalation in the last ten years and gaza has 2.2 million people, half of the children living under blockade for the last ten years. under blockade for the last ten ears. �* , ., under blockade for the last ten ears.�* y under blockade for the last ten ears.�* , ., , under blockade for the last ten ears. , ., , , years. i'm so sorry to rush you, but thank you — years. i'm so sorry to rush you, but thank you for— years. i'm so sorry to rush you, but thank you for giving _ years. i'm so sorry to rush you, but thank you for giving us _ thank you for giving us that assessment as we see these life pictures from gaza. benjamin netanyahu inviting the head of the key opposition party for a meeting, that has just been reported, will

keep an eye on that of course a talk of a unity government. that's for the latest on the politics as you see the latest pictures from gaza city. hello. for the fourth consecutive day temperatures climbed above 25 celsius — the highest values in parts of eastern and south—eastern england. but it wasn't like that everywhere. further north and west, we had cloud. we had outbreaks of rain across parts of scotland, a bit of rain for northern ireland and northern england too. you can see a couple of different weather features here on our earlier satellite picture. it's this one that becomes the main weather—maker as it pushes southwards overnight — a band of rain, that rain actually pepping up again from the west. but to the south of it, we stay in the warm air. so overnight lows of 1a, 15, 16 degrees. to the north of our weather front, well, some parts of the highlands will get quite close to freezing. as we head into tomorrow this weather front continues to act as a dividing line, bringing some outbreaks of quite heavy rain across some central parts of the uk. that rain moving out of northern

england into wales, the midlands, parts of east anglia through the afternoon. to the north of that, sunny spells and scattered showers, quite a brisk wind. in fact, gales in the far north of scotland. to the south of our weather front, some sunny spells, just the odd shower and another warm day, temperatures again into the 20s, he whereas further north it is going to feel quite a lot colder, although only really feeling as we'd expect it to at this time of year. as we head through wednesday night into thursday, this weather front lingers across parts of southern england, south wales into the midlands, so some clouds, some splashes of rain at times here. further north, sunny spells a few showers in the far north—west and most of us into something cooler by this stage, but 19, 20, 21 for south—west england and the channel islands. friday looks set to start with some pretty wet weather across parts of england and wales. that then tending to pull away southwards through the day, but a brief resurgence of warmth into the south—east corner at 20 degrees, but further north and west 12 for aberdeen and for glasgow, 13 for belfast.

it's that that is a sign of things to come for the weekend because this weather system in the south finally pulls away southwards. in its wake, it leaves us with this north—westerly wind and some much colder air sinking its way southwards across all parts of the uk. we're looking at daytime temperatures between nine and 1a degrees at best. a lot of dry weather, a few showers and at night there could be some frosts.

this is bbc news. the headlines: a new barrage of rockets is fired from gaza to israel. the number of israelis killed since saturday passes 1,000, as soldiers reach the dead in southern communities. gaza remains under constant bombardment. the health ministry says 830 palestinianians have been killed since saturday. more than a,000 are injured. hamas says it'll kill hostages if air strikes are launched without warning. it refuses to negotiate their release. in all honesty, i try not to imagine because it's just too difficult. there are times i break, and i don't want to break right now,