faith leaders in london, including the archbishop of canterbury, call for peace in the middle east. belgium police shoot dead the man who killed two swedish football fans in brussels. and, india's supreme court rules against legalising same—sex marriage. hello, i'm maryam moshiri. welcome to bbc news now — three hours of fast—moving news, interviews and reaction. there's still no agreement to deliver relief to gaza this hour. that's despite the us secretary of state claiming a plan was being developed with israel to allow aid to cross the border. it's reported that trucks have arrived at gaza's southern border with egypt, which is outside israel's control, but so far they remain unable to enter. inside gaza, un agencies have warned

of a deepening humanitarian crisis. more than 2,800 people have been killed in israeli air strikes. president biden is expected in israel on wednesday. mr biden will be briefed on israel's aims and strategies in response to the attacks that killed moo people. and he could meet regional leaders as well. in its strongest warning yet, iran, which backs hamas, has said it could take pre—emptive action in the next few hours. faith leaders are among those calling for peace. in london, the archbishop of canterbury joined jewish and muslim clerics in making an appeal. this is the scene across gaza right now. through the morning there have been a number of missile strikes. the smoke since then has cleared, as you can see in the background, with

damaged buildings overlooking the harbour in gaza. we know that the siege of gaza is continuing and our bbc report on the ground has told us that gaza and the area around it is on the edge of catastrophe. let's go straight to southern israel and our chief international correspondent lyse doucet. what more can you tell us about what is happening right now in israel as the country await the arrival of the us president tomorrow? yes. the country await the arrival of the us president tomorrow?— the country await the arrival of the us president tomorrow? yes, a lot of antici ation us president tomorrow? yes, a lot of anticipation about _ us president tomorrow? yes, a lot of anticipation about the _ us president tomorrow? yes, a lot of anticipation about the visit, _ us president tomorrow? yes, a lot of anticipation about the visit, and - anticipation about the visit, and antony blinken, the top diplomat for the us, has been working around the clock, both travelling across the arab world, and then coming back here to israel with messages, and the main message he said he brought backis the main message he said he brought back is that all arab leaders he spoke to, and he spoke to six, said that their biggest concern was the need to protect civilians, to get

aid into gaza. we have been hearing today from the king ofjordan, who will also see president biden when he visits this region and he has been saying in a press conference in germany they will not be a single palestinian refugee intojordan, or into egypt. they know better than most that once palestinians leave their homes and take up temporary shelter elsewhere, they become permanent. there are thousands and thousands of palestinians living in jordan who went there from wars of 1948, i967 and jordan who went there from wars of 1948, 1967 and other tensions jordan who went there from wars of 19118, 1967 and other tensions since then, and they still have not returned to their homes. they don't want to see this depopulation. that message will be given to israel when presidentjoe biden comes, but israel �*s military preparations continue, too. that is its key focus. today, the israeli military spokesman was asked about the question that everyone has been asking, when is that land incursion going to take place? he said that's what you are all talking about, but

we may in fact do something different. note military will ever reveal its secrets, but we do know that hundreds of thousands of israeli troops are massed not far from where we are, we are less than a mile from the gaza border. there is heavy artillery and armour along the border. we have heard heavy artillery all day going out, and behind us is the outline of gaza city. the sky is clear now, but repeatedly throughout the day, the black plumes of smoke have been rising from an area under nonstop bombardment. we heard reports in the past hour that there has even been an air strike in the south, close to that key crossing into egypt, the rafah crossing. the south is meant to be the area where the people of gaza was supposed to be safe, but now they too are said to be at breaking point. so little food, water, electricity. it is a growing

catastrophe, to use the words of the united nations. let catastrophe, to use the words of the united nations.— united nations. let me ask you a little bit about _ united nations. let me ask you a little bit about the _ united nations. let me ask you a little bit about the regional - little bit about the regional implications of what is happening. of course, president biden and antony blinken keen to stop this from happening, and yet we have heard from iran threatening some sort of pre—emptive action, as it has called it, and getting involved potentially notjust by proxy in what is happening. with every word there is a war on the grounds and a war of words, and now the war of words is accelerating. in the same way that president biden is speaking to america �*s friends in the region, iran is speaking to its friends in the region. one has all been talking to the russian president vladimir putin —— iran. we heard from their supreme leader today, warning the united states. iran likes to see itself as the standard bearer for muslims worldwide, including the palestinians. it cannot be silent while there are these horrific

images of people from gaza on the run and under attack and the suffering we have seen across the border in the gaza strip. the big question is what more they do? i think once the military activity intensifies, then it will be a whole new game. for now, its chief proxy in the region, the well armed hezbollah has stationed along the border, the northern israeli border with lebanon.— border, the northern israeli border with lebanon. thank you very much indeed. the un says about a million palestinians who've fled their homes are in urgent need of food, water and fuel. many have fled south to the zone into which israel instructed palestinians to move because of the threat of a gaza ground offensive. our gaza correspondent rushdi abu alouf has more. tragedy stories are in every corner.

every person you meet, whether he is a doctor struggling to find a couple of hours to sleep, whether he is a businessman who left behind big business in gaza city and is now with his family, has to live in a shelter or a school. you go there and you find a very long queue of people just waiting for hours to get five pieces of bread. there's not enough for the people in theirfamily that they are evacuating with. i was told from the doctor in the hospital here, that they gave every person 300 millilitres of water every day because they don't know for long israel will keep their border crossing shut. yesterday, there was some hope, people were a bit optimistic when they heard that egypt when he opened the crossing to allow humanitarian aid to gaza, but very quickly, we went back to believing that this is not going to happen. at the hospital here, they said they are going to run

out of fuel tonight. at midnight and all the operations, this is the second biggest city, the second biggest hospital in the hospital which is supposed to be servicing two thirds of the population, will be shut down by midnight. an israeli military spokesman has denied there is a humanitarian crisis in gaza. in an interview with bbc newsnight, lieutenant colonel richard hecht insisted there was electricity and water in the territory. cutting off food, water, electricity may be considered actions that violate international law. do you accept that? we do not have the commitment to supply hamas electricity, people who have attacked us, they have been in control for multiple years already in the gaza strip, they have their electricity. i am seeing electricity in gaza. i also see water in the south of gaza where we asked people to move. there is no humanitarian crisis right now in gaza.

there is no humanitarian crisis right now in gaza? correct. can you explain what you mean? i am saying there is no humanitarian crisis. we have asked people to move. there is water and there is electricity. all the doctors that we have spoken to that we are seeing on the news constantly saying they have never witnessed scenes like this. bodies being brought in one after another, there is no water coming out of the taps, the fuel is about to run out. how can you not say that's a humanitarian crisis? right now, i'm focused on what happened to the israelis. you are running immediately to gaza. we had a national catastrophe here. they started this. they came in with flags and slaughtered pregnant women, killed babies and killed families. that is not what we do. the un human rights office says israel's evacuation order in gaza could amount to the international crime of "forcible transfer of civilians". spokesperson ravina shamdasani says...

ina in a little while we will talk to the former purdue minister of foreign affairs for iran. to stay with us to hear more from him. iran has warned that israel could soon face attack on other fronts, after another day of clashes on the israel—lebanon border. the israeli army has evacuated more than 20 towns and villages along its northern border with lebanon, because of threats of rocket fire from hezbollah, which like hamas, has been designated as a terror group, by the uk government. israel's military spokesman has accused iran, which backs hezbollah, of ordering recent attacks. anna foster reports from the israel—lebanon border. they sing. a family says goodbye to theirfallen soldier, murdered by hamas.

inab's grief at her nephew's death is still raw. and now, she's packing to leave home, too. it isn't safe here any more. translation: we can't stay here now, the bangs are very serious. _ it's really scary. i have to get out of here. i've prepared my suitcases and i'm ready. nearly 30 israeli towns and villages along the lebanese border are being evacuated. even the government doesn't know what lies ahead. mr gantz, bbc. you're concerned enough to move lots of people from the border, do you think there will be a war with hezbollah here in the north? i hope for them that not, but we do all of preparations needed. thank you very much. most people didn't wait for the order to leave. as the firing intensified, day after day, they fled. you can see how empty it is and that is why communities right along the northern border look like this now. all way from west to east, people

are being told they are not safe. that is why they are leaving in such big numbers. well, this is the playground. guy is one of the few that's left. in normal times during this hour, we should be packed, especially on vacation time. it's about lunchtime now, isn't it? there is nobody here at all. about 80 or 90% of people are left. it's a shame. it's heartbreaking to see this place like — see my place like this. even as tens of thousands of people are moved away, fierce exchanges of fire continue. and despite words of diplomacy, it's actions that will decide whether this border ignites. anna foster, bbc news, on the israel—lebanon border. let's ta ke let's take you back to the gaza

skyline. what we are hearing from the reporter on the ground is that the reporter on the ground is that the area is on the edge of catastrophe. you and aid agencies also say there is a dire need for aid, for water and for food, also say there is a dire need for aid, for water and forfood, and also say there is a dire need for aid, for water and for food, and for many hundreds of thousands of people who have been displaced from their homes in the north and moved to the south of gaza to try and get themselves to safety. the israeli military, as we heard earlier, is denying that there is a humanitarian crisis in the area, insisting there are supplies of water and electricity. our reporters on the ground are telling us something very different indeed. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. let's look at some other stories making news. uk wages are outstripping inflation for the first time in nearly two years, according to official figures. the office for national statistics said that regular earnings rose by a near record of 7.8% in the three months to august. that means that wages are now

rising faster than prices for the first time since october 2021. rolls—royce has announced plans to axe up to 2,500 jobs globally to create a "more efficient and effective" company. that's about 6% of its global workforce. the company, which makes engines for aircraft, is based in derby. it employs 42,000 people around the world with about half based in the uk. scotland's biggest offshore wind farm has begun operating at full capacity. seagreen, off the angus coast, can generate enough electricity to power two—thirds of scotland's households. the £3 billion project, comprising 114 giant turbines, has been more than a decade in the making and will displace more than two million tonnes of co2 each year. you're live with bbc news. the mother of french—israeli woman mia shem, held hostage by hamas militants in gaza,

has urged world leaders to free her, after a video showing mia receiving treatment for a wounded arm was released. let's hear what she has to say. yesterday, i saw my baby on television. i saw that she is alive. i saw that she was, i heard before rumours that she was shot in the shoulder or the like. —— in the leg. so i can see she was shot in his shoulder. i see she had an operation. she looks very terrified. she looks like she is in big pain. i can see that she is saying what they tell her to say, but i can see that she is stable. i can see she needs medical care. i didn't know if she was dead

or alive until yesterday. all i knew was that she might be kidnapped. i am begging the world to bring my baby back home. live now to our correspondent injerusalem, tom bateman. very difficult to watch a video like that, and to also think about the hostages are still being held by high mass militants potentially in gaza. that is still a huge issue for the israeli government —— hamas militants. how to get those hostages back safely. militants. how to get those hostages back safel . ~ , ., back safely. absolutely, and we were heafina back safely. absolutely, and we were hearing yesterday _ back safely. absolutely, and we were hearing yesterday that _ back safely. absolutely, and we were hearing yesterday that the _ back safely. absolutely, and we were hearing yesterday that the israeli - hearing yesterday that the israeli military has advised upwards to 199 the number of hostages they have confirmed, and they are in touch with each of those families. but of course, and you got a sense of out

there, this absolutely agonising period where there is little information, and at the same time the israeli military readying for a potential ground assault, which of course is going to completely change the dynamics. think for some of the families, the hope has been international efforts because historically there has been mediation, there has been the ability to try to negotiate to israel and hamas through other countries in the region, notably qatar and to some extent turkey. egypt has often been involved in that in the past. we don't have much of a clue as to what is going on. we know that yesterday the un �*s humanitarian affairs chief, martin griffiths, said there had been no movement whatsoever on the issue of trying to secure the release of the hostages. remember, you know, these include children and the elderly,

and we all saw those horrifying pictures of what happened on the day itself. so i think the visit by president biden tomorrow, you know, those questions will be asked again. antony blinken, the us secretary of state, has said that the issue of releasing hostages is one of his four main priorities. asjoe biden heads the following day to jordan to meet king abdullah and the palestinian authority president, and the president of egypt, they will of course be part of the discussions. absolutely, and those discussions are going to be key in trying, at least on the part of the americans, to prevent this from becoming a regional crisis.— to prevent this from becoming a regional crisis. yes. antony blinken had said that _ regional crisis. yes. antony blinken had said that that _ regional crisis. yes. antony blinken had said that that remains - regional crisis. yes. antony blinken had said that that remains one - regional crisis. yes. antony blinken had said that that remains one of l had said that that remains one of those key objectives. don't forget, there are now two aircraft carrier

ships of the mediterranean coast close to israel, and that is the seriousness with which the americans are taking this. that is supposed to be seen as a way of trying to deter iran from becoming involved in this. either by way of its proxy hezbollah, the group in lebanon, or by any direct involvement by lebanon. we heard the rhetoric really ramping up from the iranians, warning israel that if there is a ground invasion that this thing would escalate, and they were talking about potentially pre—emptive action in the coming hours. so i think that has really worried people. that's part of the reason president biden will be here so unexpectedly, and in such unprecedented circumstances tomorrow. tom, thank you. let's speak now to idan roll, israeli former deputy minister of foreign affairs. his group, yesh atid, the largest opposition party in israeli parliament,

hasn'tjoined the israeli unity government set up by prime minister benjamin netanyahu. i wanted to ask you about the hostage situation because we are hearing 199 hostages, and we heard a bit more detailfrom hearing 199 hostages, and we heard a bit more detail from tom there. is the israeli government, do you think, going to be willing to exchange palestinian prisoners for those hostages, if it comes to it? well, i think, those hostages, if it comes to it? well, ithink, i don't those hostages, if it comes to it? well, i think, i don't want to go into specifics, i think it is too soon for that, but i do think however that the international community that has been standing by us in our attempt to rescue our citizens, and to safeguard the citizens, and to safeguard the citizens of israel, we need to keep in mind that we are a law—abiding country, and we abide by the international law. you were talking before about gaza and our strikes, we give prior notice, even though

usually it makes our attacks less effective. this is how modern democracy works. on the other hand, there is a terror organisation, a brutal one, and so the world needs to stand by us to condemn hamas, and to stand by us to condemn hamas, and to make sure that they at least allow the red cross in, in order to check on the hostages and those kidnapped, which include by the way babies and elderly. holocaust survivors. people with disabilities. we need the world to understand that we are trying to do things with the highest morality, and we are facing a murderous terror organisation. apologies for interrupting. idf spokesman richard hecht said to the bbc "there is no humanitarian crisis in gaza". do you agree with him,

given what humanitarian groups are saying in the last few days. we given what humanitarian groups are saying in the last few days.- saying in the last few days. we are closely monitoring _ saying in the last few days. we are closely monitoring what _ saying in the last few days. we are closely monitoring what is - saying in the last few days. we are closely monitoring what is going i saying in the last few days. we are | closely monitoring what is going on in gaza, and i can tell you that we are doing everything we can in order to prevent a humanitarian crisis. even a week before this horrendous strike on israeli civilians we made all kinds of concessions in order to stabilise the crisis in gaza. so we will do the best of our abilities in order to stabilise it, but we have one goal, and it is to rescue our people and to safeguard our civilians. i have to tell you something that people often overlook. we left gaza in 2005. m3 macro —— hamas are in charge of gaza and they are the ones bringing the destruction of gaza. yes. and they are the ones bringing the destruction of gaza.— destruction of gaza. yes, and yet over the last _ destruction of gaza. yes, and yet over the last 18 _ destruction of gaza. yes, and yet over the last 18 or _ destruction of gaza. yes, and yet over the last 18 or so _ destruction of gaza. yes, and yet over the last 18 or so years - destruction of gaza. yes, and yet over the last 18 or so years since | over the last 18 or so years since you left gaza there have been

periods of relative peace and there have been flare—ups as well. so why in those periods of peace there was no political package agreed with at least the palestinian authority who do recognise israel customer why was politics not pursued during the time when you had that chance? i am a bit confused. you refer to the palestinian authority that was chased off by hamas in 2007? i’m chased off by hamas in 2007? i'm referrin: chased off by hamas in 2007? i'm referring to _ chased off by hamas in 2007? i'm referring to the fact that there has been any political package put forward by the israeli government needed to richard hecht nor to the palestinian authority in the last 18 years. so when there was a chance to pursue this through politics why was that opportunity not taken by the israeli government. i that opportunity not taken by the israeli government.— that opportunity not taken by the israeli government. i would like to differentiate. _ israeli government. i would like to differentiate. we _ israeli government. i would like to differentiate. we have _ israeli government. i would like to differentiate. we have reached - israeli government. i would like to j differentiate. we have reached out to the palestinian authority many times with different packages and different optional deals, and we got refused from the get go each time,

including when the donald trump administration was there, when the obama administration. as for hamas, i think the catastrophe we just experienced speaks for itself do you really think that we instead of israel can negotiate with hamas? the declared purpose is to annihilate israel. last week young girls were raped repeatedly and brutally until their body parts were torn apart. babies were set on fire. babies were shotin babies were set on fire. babies were shot in the head. people were shot and executed altogether. bodies were mutilated and paraded around gaza. we don't have anyone to make any type of arrangement with. the only thing that israel is responsible for doing, and will do, is to destroy hamas and make sure that this terror organisation can no longer threaten

the citizens of israel. it is not an organisation you can negotiate with. let it is not an organisation you can negotiate with.— negotiate with. let me ask you this... thank— negotiate with. let me ask you this... thank you _ negotiate with. let me ask you this... thank you for _ negotiate with. let me ask you| this... thank you for answering negotiate with. let me ask you - this... thank you for answering my question. the un human rights office has said that israel may be illegally forcing transfer of civilians right now, working outside the rule of law. how worried are you that some of the things happening in gaza are against the rule of law? how worried are you about that? i would like to share you with my personal experience as an army reserves officer. i was in the rooms where you had to make a decision whether or not you had to strike down a target, a terrorist, and i witnessed this was my own eyes sony times. when we aborted the operation because there was an uninvolved person down the road, down the

street. i don't see hamas doing that. we will always act in the most, with the highest moral is that we are giving prior notice to the people of the northern part of gaza. we do also have footage showing that hamas is blocking the ways and blocking them from evacuating. i think that any international human rights organisation should ask two questions. first, why does hamas not allow them to evacuate and save their lives? the second question is, why does hamas use schools, kindergartens, mosques and hospitals as shields on top of the metric system? i think there is a question is whether being asked. i do appreciate — is whether being asked. i do appreciate you _ is whether being asked. i do appreciate you taking the time to

answer our questions today on bbc news. thank you very much once again. thank you. stay with us on the bbc. hello again. it was a cold and frosty start to the day across northern areas this morning, but it will turn milder in the next few days. today essentially we are looking at hazy sunshine and a mainly dry day but as storm babet show its hand across our shores from tomorrow it's going to turn windier, there will be heavy rain and it will turn milder as well. so what's happening tuesday into wednesday, this is storm babet coming up from the bay of biscay, moving across our shores. you can see from the weather fronts and isobars it is bringing wet and windy conditions with it. this is the rainfall accumulation chart, it runs wednesday to saturday. there is going to be a lot of rain. the keys here, widely we're looking

at 30—50 millimetres. but where we see the whites across angus and the south—east grampians, the met office has a yellow weather warning out at the moment for as much as 200 millimetres of rainfall on higher ground that could lead to some disruption. today, though, a lot of dry weather, a lot of sunshine, albeit hazy. showers moving from south—west england into south—west wales, and temperatures 11—17 north to south. up a touch on yesterday. through this evening and overnight, the rain continues to advance through north wales, clipping north—west england, moving through northern ireland and getting into scotland. there will be some further heavy showers coming in across southern england and it will be a blustery night but it won't be a cold night. as we go through tomorrow, storm babet moves across our shores, look at the isobars, the winds picking up and rain particularly in the west and south will be heavy, but we have rain moving northwards across scotland which will clear and then some heavy downpours, some of which will be thundery, but still a lot of dry weather. the wind picking up, widely we are looking at gusts of between the low 30s and mid 405. temperature—wise, up a touch again, looking at ten in the north to 19 in the south.

as we move into thursday, some heavy rain coming in across north—east scotland in particular, some heavy rain across northern england. heavy downpours for the rest of england, wales and northern ireland, and it's also going to be windy. gales, even severe gales, across the far north of scotland. windy in areas adjacent to the north sea. even on friday, it's going to be wet and windy. the northern isles and the east coast seeing gales or severe gales, and also large waves, and then it turns cooler.