against hamas. thousands of people flee the north of gaza following israeli evacuation orders as the humanitarian crisis in the territory deepens. every time i have the thought of me dying of a bomb in gaza. like, it is not a good thing. and president biden speaks to the israeli and palestinian leaders as the us steps up efforts to contain the escalating conflict. the israeli military says it's planning an attack on gaza by air, sea and land as the country's prime minister warns the next stage of the war with hamas is coming.

in a statement, a spokesperson said the goal of the operation was to, "completely destroy the governing and military capabilities of hamas. " it comes a week after hamas — which is listed as a a terrorist group by many western governments, including the us and uk — killed more than 1300 people in israel and took dozens of hostage. we can show you these live pictures of gaza city right now, where it'sjust gone 7:00 in the morning. the israeli military said on saturday that it has killed a hamas commander who led part of the assault on israel in a drone strike. ali qadhi is the second hamas chief to have been killed in a day. meanwhile, on the ground in gaza, thousands of civilians are on the move after israel warned more thani million living in the north to move south beyond the wadi gaza river here. the world health organization has described that order as a death sentence for those needing hospital treatment. the authorities in gaza say

more than 2,200 people have been killed in retaliatory israeli bombing, including children, while attempting to leave the area via designated safe routes. earlier on saturday, israel's prime minister visited an army post, and asked troops whether they were ready for the next stage. 0ur correspondent, lucy williamson, reports. every day, hamas sends rockets into israel, and waits for israel's response. after last weekend's attack, israel says these air strikes are just the beginning, and that people living in the north of gaza should leave now. gaza's salahadin road has been marked as a humanitarian corridor. it is supposed to be safe. not always. a strike here yesterday

killed at least 12 people. the bbc has verified the location. women and children under five among the casualties. israel says it's investigating. israel's prime minister, benjamin netanyahu, visited the troops gathered at gaza's borders. "the next stage is coming," he told them. "are you ready?" the israeli army has been pounding gaza from here across the border and also from the air. israel says it doesn't deliberately target civilians and that this is directed at the people who do. israel said it had killed the organiser of last weekend's attack. ali qadi was released from an israeli jail more than a decade ago in a prisoner exchange deal with hamas. israel says it was he who planned the attacks

on communities like be�*eri. gunmen arrived there last saturday, caught on a security camera relaxed, unhurried and well—prepared. they brought everything they needed to kill and kidnap — grenades, gaffertape, plastic cable ties. three members of the gat family are still missing. among them, carmel and her sister—in—law. their family home, shattered. it looks like indiscriminate violence, but it wasn't. this was a targeted attack. some of the people who lived here are now thought to be just a few miles away inside gaza — a different world. be�*eri has lived for years with occasional rockets

or infiltrations, but destruction like this signals a different kind of vulnerability, and the build—up of israeli forces here, a different kind of response. but what will that response mean for hostages inside gaza? i don't know the effort, i don't know the intelligence, i don't know anything. they don't tell us anything. they don't tell us afterwards. nobody calls me to say there is negotiation for them. frankly, nobody really knows if they are taken or not. you're angry about that? i am very angry. there is not even a place for sad, to be sad for me. israel's soldiers are now massing at gaza's borders, their weapons pointing towards both hamas and their hostages. for the army that failed to protect its people at home, how much harder will it be to protect them there? lucy williamson, bbc news, southern israel.

the us secretary of state will visit egypt today as part of a tour of arab countries. while in cairo, antony blinken is expected to focus on restarting negotiations for humanitarian aid to enter gaza through the border crossing with egypt and for foreigners to be allowed to leave. mr blinken is also expected to ask us allies in the middle east to put pressure on iran and groups such as hezbollah in lebanon to stay out of the conflict. live to washington and mark dubowitz, the chief executive of the foundation for defence of democracies, a nonpartisan think tank seeking a resolution to the israeli—palestinian conflict that advances american interests and protects israeli security. thank you very much for being with us. what do you make of antony blinken�*s visit to egypt? what can come out of this? �* ,., ., , this? an important visit because _ this? an important visit because as _ this? an important visit because as you - this? an important visit because as you may - this? an important visit. because as you may know, this? an important visit - because as you may know, there is a border between gaza and egypt and they are trying to convince the border to be open to the palestinians can be

allowed to go into that into the sinai, a large part of play is uninhabited and also to the red sea where palestinians can board boats and hopefully go to countries that have done the most is to support her mouth, qatar, tokyo, indonesia, countries that have been weaponised and forced should be forced to take him israelis thing have for so much of this destruction. i5 thing have for so much of this destruction.— destruction. is the us doing enou:h destruction. is the us doing enough on _ destruction. is the us doing enough on the _ destruction. is the us doing enough on the diplomatic. destruction. is the us doing i enough on the diplomatic front to get these sites talking to each other? i to get these sites talking to each other?— to get these sites talking to each other? i think the us is doinu a each other? i think the us is doing a lot- _ each other? i think the us is doing a lot. i— each other? i think the us is doing a lot. i think— each other? i think the us is doing a lot. i think the - each other? i think the us is doing a lot. i think the first i doing a lot. i think the first party for the us is not to get the two sides to talk to each other but to provide as president biden said unwavering support to israel which was viciously attacked a week ago and lost 1300 of its citizens and lost 1300 of its citizens and provide israelis with the

support they need to destroy this terrorist organisation. that is in american interests and advances american security. chinese state media in the last few hours have said china will be sending a special envoy to the middle east to try to kickstart some sort of peace talks. what role do you think china could play moving forward?— china could play moving forward? . . ., , forward? china has certainly been complicit _ forward? china has certainly been complicit in _ forward? china has certainly been complicit in the - forward? china has certainly i been complicit in the violence because china has been a major supporter of the regime in iran which other terror masters that have weaponised and terrorised hamas. china will not be considered seriously by united states and the brits and certainly not by the israelis given the role is played in the army and financing are causing this level of destruction. fin this level of destruction. on the tonic — this level of destruction. on the tonic of _ this level of destruction. 0n the topic of arming and financing the level of destruction, various countries have the finger pointed at them including iran and hezbollah in lebanon, what role did these

countries have to play in the coming days?— countries have to play in the coming days? you talking about the role of _ coming days? you talking about the role of iran? _ coming days? you talking about the role of iran? yes, _ coming days? you talking about the role of iran? yes, what- the role of iran? yes, what robert harward _ the role of iran? yes, what robert harward moving - the role of iran? yes, what- robert harward moving forward given its links with some ask. listen. this is where the stop by president biden was critical in wanting iran to stay out of it and not to unleash its terrorist proxy hezbollah on the northern border which will be an even more destructive front for israel because hezbollah has received almost $1 billion in financing from iran per year $1 billion in financing from iran peryearand $1 billion in financing from iran per year and hundreds and thousands of missiles, including precision missile that could inflict massive casualties on israel and could lead to significant escalation in the conflict and even regional war, for the message from the prime minister is —— president is serious and the message to iran is very serious and it would be to keep out of

it. ~ ., , ., and it would be to keep out of it. saudi arabia has recently been attempting _ it. saudi arabia has recently been attempting to - it. saudi arabia has recently i been attempting to normalise relations with israel and now says it will put that on hold given the current situation. how badly does that affect things in the middle east? the sureme things in the middle east? tue: supreme leader things in the middle east? tte: supreme leader of things in the middle east? "tt9 supreme leader of iran, things in the middle east? tt9 supreme leader of iran, this was his panel along, he saw the israelis and the saudis getting closer and realised there was an opportunity for peace between israelis and palestinians and israelis and he realised the piece was an existential threat to his revolutionary regime, bent on destruction in the middle east so we saw the piece coming and he needed to kill that piece. in its grip. to do that he literally unleashed hamas to kill babies in their cribs. thank you forjoining us.

the united nations says nearly a million palestinians have fled their homes in the gaza strip in the week since israel launched its military response to the killings and kidnappings by hamas. the entire enclave is being hit by israeli strikes from gaza city in the north to rafah in the south. the border crossing there with egypt has remained shut since the hamas attacks last weekend. crowds of palestinians and foreign nationals have been gathering at the crossing after news that an evacuation route may temporarily open. 0ur correspondent, jon donnison, sent this report. and a warning — that you might find some of the images in his report upsetting. outside the main hospital in rafah, ice cream trucks. the morgue is full. "some of the dead have been here for two days," this man tells us. "these freezers are meant forfood, not bodies." and this is right in the south of gaza where people are now being told to evacuate to.

hundreds of thousands are now heading in this direction. the question is — where do they go? at the border with egypt, hundreds of palestinians who are lucky enough to have foreign citizenship are hoping to get out. among them, clutching her british passport, is maryiam. i'm really in fear and every time ijust have to have the thought of me dying in a bomb in gaza. it's not a good thing. every place i go, i run away and ijust find bombs and ifind dead people. and maybe one day i will end up like them. it's a really scary thing for me. but egypt says it won't open the crossing, even for foreign nationals, until israel agrees to allow aid in. and hamas also controls this border

and has a say on who is allowed out. the nearby united nations school is packed with those seeking shelter, but it was already at full capacity before this latest evacuation order. "as palestinians, "what did we do for this to happen to us?" hanan asks. she tells us she ran out of the house barefoot with nothing when israel bombed her neighbourhood, and came straight to the school. at noon today, many were praying — one would think for better times. many of those here are children, still smiling despite it all. around half gaza's population is under 18, and some are old beyond their years. ramez is just 15. this is his fifth war. "i can barely stand it," he says,

"and look around you at all these kids. "ask them, �*do you want to live or not?�* "we just want to be secure," he goes on. "0ur dream is to live, that's all we want." jon donnison, bbc news. with more on this, let's speak now to our bbc arabic correspondent mohamed taha. what is the latest you and your colleagues are hearing?- colleagues are hearing? good morning- _ colleagues are hearing? good morning. yes, _ colleagues are hearing? good morning. yes, the _ colleagues are hearing? good morning. yes, the situation i colleagues are hearing? good| morning. yes, the situation in gaza borders of gaza is getting tense, day by day. by the second week of this war between hamas and israel, the situation is getting escalating so much, so on the israeli front, the build up to that land incursion is getting at its peak at the moment and israel are issuing this warning to the citizens to

leave the northern parts of gaza in preparation for that incursion. and on the other hand, the hamas militants are firing missiles, the last missiles went to tel aviv, and also, hamas said that they are ready for this ground incursion. we don't know what kind of capabilities that these militants are having, but we are expected to see a big fight if that incursion happens. israel also fighting a different front. they strike the airport in syria for hezbollah targets, also there were exchanges, normal exchanges between hezbollah and israel in the last hours that

resulted in two israelis killed in northern israel and one member of hezbollah was killed in the southern israel. so israel is fighting in many fronts, but of course, not as tense as the situation in gaza. the highlight also of the news is that the humanitarian situation in gaza, as many reports have suggested now, gaza has over 2 million inhabitants. if the us had 1 million people left their homes means that half of the size of gaza... it should occupy the whole population of gaza if you can imagine how the situation could be, parts of hospitals became rooms to accommodate people who left their homes and parts of schools, streets,

tents, and now, you know, they are out of food, nearly out of drinking water, and out of medications as well in hospitals. un says that the warning that israel issued to 20 hospitals in northern gaza to evacuate these hospitals like a death sentence on the patient�*s in these hospitals because some of them are using aid, equipment, some of them are babies, they need to stay in care. so the humanitarian situation in gaza is very, very serious, and with egypt not allowing to open the borders for security reasons, these people are really stuck, and if that ground attack started from the israeli side, that

situation will get worse and worse. there were kind of floods in tel aviv in the last hours, there were torrential rains that might delay the attack for some hours, but it looks like this attack is imminent.— looks like this attack is imminent. :, ,:, :, imminent. ok, our reporter from bbc arabic, _ imminent. ok, our reporter from bbc arabic, thank— imminent. ok, our reporter from bbc arabic, thank you _ imminent. ok, our reporter from bbc arabic, thank you very - bbc arabic, thank you very much. in the us, the pentagon has ordered a second aircraft carrier group to the eastern mediterranean. according to us officials, the uss eisenhower is part of american efforts to deter hostile actions against israel or any efforts toward widening the war. meanwhile, as we heard earlier, us presidentjoe biden spoke to both israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu and the palestinian authority president mahmoud abbas on saturday in another effort to de—escalate the violence. president biden also briefly addressed the violence at a national human rights campaign dinner in washington, dc.

in gaza, innocent palestinian families — and the vast majority have nothing to do with hamas... cheering and applause ..are being used as human shields! yesterday, i spoke for over an hour the family members of those americans who are still unaccounted for on a zoom call. they've endured an agony of not knowing what's happened. 0ur north america correspondent shingai nyoka gave us this update about the us response. well, they were very important conversations, two really, key conversations with two parties that are on either side of this conflict. the white house said that his conversation with his israeli counterpart was to reiterate that unwavering support — this, as you spoke about earlier, as the pentagon announced that a second us carrier is on its way to the eastern mediterranean.

with president mahmoud abbas, he spoke about the need to condemn hamas — it's something that he has reiterated over and over again with the arab states and something which many of them have failed — fallen short to do. and he also — to both of the leaders — spoke about the need to ensure that this war is conducted according to international laws and that there's safe passage for palestinian civilians — and this has increasingly been his emphasis, even as he expresses this unwavering support for israel. he also emphasises the point that the israelis need to ensure that there is no indiscriminate attacks on palestinian civilians. 0ur north america correspondent shingai nyoka reporting there for us. in the last few minutes coming into us, a us officials saying the secretary of state antony

blinken will meet with the saudi crown prince mohammed build self on —— mohammad bin salman late on sunday. thousands of people are attending pro—palestinian rallies in australia despite police threats to curb them amid high tensions. 0ne police threats to curb them amid high tensions. one of the largest rallies was in sydney where they said around 5000 people attended. many rally —goers waved palestine flags and chanted free, free palestine. 0ne and chanted free, free palestine. one of them is taking place in sydney. the bbc�*s phil mercer is there. tell us about the process in sydney and across the country today. sydney and across the country toda . , :, , :, today. the tensions, the anger and the fears _ today. the tensions, the anger and the fears of— today. the tensions, the anger and the fears of people - today. the tensions, the anger and the fears of people in - today. the tensions, the anger and the fears of people in the l and the fears of people in the middle east have been highlighted by other communities in many other parts of the world, and those fears and frustrations have been

expressed by communities on both sides of the divide, if you like, airand both sides of the divide, if you like, air and sydney. we have seen thousands of pro—palestinian demonstrators take to the streets in melbourne and also here in sydney. earlierthis melbourne and also here in sydney. earlier this week we saw thousands ofjewish groups and pro— israeli supporters also gather in sydney to show their solidarity to the israeli people. so, certainly, the divisions and the fears of people right around the world are being expressed here in australia. in sydney, it is estimated between 5000 and 6000 people have attended this pro—palestinian rally in the centre of one of australia's biggest cities. in the police didn't want this rally to go ahead, there was a smaller rally on the steps of the sydney opera house in the last weekend their anti—semitic chance were heard and an israeli flag was burnt —— chants. the police wanted to

stop this rally going ahead. they were unsuccessful, but safe to say the authorities believe that this rally shouldn't have gone ahead because they believe that these sorts of demonstrations have the prospect of destabilising australia's multicultural cohesion.— australia's multicultural cohesion. :, , , :, cohesion. for people trying to net their cohesion. for people trying to get their head _ cohesion. for people trying to get their head around - cohesion. for people trying to get their head around the - get their head around the bigger picture around this story, what is the australian government position when it comes to israel and the palestinians?— comes to israel and the palestinians? , :, :, :, palestinians? australia has had dilomatic palestinians? australia has had diplomatic relations _ palestinians? australia has had diplomatic relations with - diplomatic relations with israel for a very long time, and the government of anthony albanese leads a left—leaning labour government in this country. it is very firmly in support of israel, and has condemned the militant attacks of a week ago, and safe to say the news agenda in this country has been dominated by events in the middle east, even though we have had a constitutional referendum in this country. the

events in israel have been widely covered here, and of course, many australians regardless of their views on the situation are looking with extreme anxiety about what might happen next in terms of military operations and the humanitarian consequences. and thatis humanitarian consequences. and that is very much the feeling of demonstrators at these pro—palestinian rallies in melbourne and sydney today, very concerned of course about what might happen in gaza in the next 2a hours or so. so this is a country that is an awful long way from the middle east but those fears and frustrations of people on both sides of the debate are felled very keenly here. phil sides of the debate are felled very keenly here.— very keenly here. phil mercer there in sydney _ very keenly here. phil mercer there in sydney for _ very keenly here. phil mercer there in sydney for us, - very keenly here. phil mercer there in sydney for us, thank| there in sydney for us, thank you very much. tens of thousands of people gathered for pro—palestinian demonstrations across the uk amid growing international concern over the situation in israel and gaza. marchers filled the streets of central london on saturday as thousands also gathered in manchester, liverpool,

edinburgh and other parts of the uk. in california, thousands of protestors also took to the streets of los angeles in support of palestinians. you can see the pictures there are people gathering with their flags and signs and calling for palestine to be free. let us take a look at the live shot of gaza now where it is just coming up to 7:30am. as we mentioned earlier the israeli military has said it is planning an invasion by land, sea and air in its mission to eradicate us. we will bring you much more on this story as it unfolds. please, do stick with us here on bbc news. hello. sunday will be getting off to a cold start in most places

and it promises to be a rather chilly day, but it won't be as windy as it was on saturday and there won't be as many showers. high pressure building its way in from the west. notice the isobars still quite tightly packed across northern and eastern parts of scotland, still quite windy here — and a weak frontal system bringing cloud and some showery rain into the north of scotland. something wintry for a time up over high ground, although much of that will turn back to rain. southern scotland, northern ireland, england and wales having a fine day after what will be a cold and, in places, frosty start. long spells of sunshine. just a few showers around the coasts. still quite blustery in the north—east of scotland, but lighter winds elsewhere. temperatures — 7 degrees in lerwick, 1a for st helier. elsewhere, generally 10—13 degrees. now, sunday night will be another cold one. light winds in most places. some mist and fog patches could well develop. a little bit breezy in the south and in the north. just the odd shower in the north of scotland and also, perhaps,

in the southeast of england. but in between, temperatures dropping close to or even below freezing with our area of high pressure still with us, but low pressure trying to squeeze in from the south and also from the north. so, it is northern and southern parts that will turn a little bit windy as we go through the day on monday. in between, light winds, early mist and fog clearing, some good spells of sunshine but brisk winds in the north of scotland, maybe the odd shower here. also maybe the odd shower in southern england, where it will also turn quite windy. that strong wind also affecting the channel islands. temperatures generally 11, 12 or 13 degrees in most places. now, on tuesday, i think the winds will ease a little bit in the north but, conversely, they'll pick up across the south. turning breezy across more of england and wales and some showery rain, perhaps, across the channel islands, the southwest of england, but notice temperatures rising a little bit — up to around 15 or 16 degrees. a sign of things to come. it is going to turn much more

unsettled through midweek. weather systems pushing up from the south. some potentially quite heavy bursts of rain, but with southerly winds, temperatures climbing easily to around 16 degrees. it could get a little warmer than that in some places, but we will see some outbreaks of quite heavy rain.

this is bbc news, the headlines: israel is massing troops near gaza as it prepares for the next phase of its military operation, planning an attack from air, land and sea to "wipe out hamas." the operation is in retaliation for hamas attacks on israeli communities last week, shooting dead civilians and taking hostages. thousands of people are fleeing the north of gaza, following israeli evacuation orders as the humanitarian crisis in the territory deepens. the un estimates nearly a million palestinians there have now been displaced. and president biden has spoken to the israeli and palestinian leaders as the us steps up efforts to contain the escalating conflict. mr biden urged israel to provide safety for palestinian civilians and to issue a condemnation of hamas. and the us secretary of state will visit egypt today. now on bbc news, click.