for an explosion at a hospital in gaza — that's said to have killed hundreds of people. based on what i have seen it appears it was done by the other team and not you. the israeli army denies responsibility for the explosion, blaming a failed rocket launch by palestinian islamichhad. the blast sent shock waves through the region, with palestinians staging protests in the west bank. hello, and welcome to our viewers around the world and those in the uk. i'm katya adler — and we're broadcasting

live from jerusalem, from this region gripped by violence and death — with fears the situation could well escalate. the us presidentjoe biden has arrived in israel. this was always a diplomatically risky visit — a us president arriving in the middle of a fast—paced war but his role here and what he can hope to achieve today has been hugely complicated by the devastating deaths last night of hundreds of civilians in gaza in an explosion in an overcrowded hospital. president biden has already begun the meeting with the israel prime minister benjamin netanyahu. the two had these comments before they went and for talks behind closed doors. i want to thank you all today and for the unequivocal support you have given israel through these trying times. as a port that reflects the overwhelming will of the american

people. i have seen your support every day in the depth and breadth of cooperation that we have had since the beginning of this war. a level of cooperation that is truly unprecedented in the history of the great alliance between our two nations. we see that support in your steadfast commitment to provide israel with the tools we need to defend ourselves. we see that supporting the clear message you have sent our enemies not to test our resolve, and in the two american carrier battle groups that you sent to the region to back up those words with action. but above all, mr president, the world sees that support, and the more clarity that you have demonstrated from the moment israel was attacked. i am dee -l moment israel was attacked. i am deeply saddened _ moment israel was attacked. i am deeply saddened and _ moment israel was attacked. i am deeply saddened and outraged by the explosion— deeply saddened and outraged by the explosion at a hospital in glasgow yesterday. and from what i have

seen, _ yesterday. and from what i have seen. it — yesterday. and from what i have seen, it appears as though it was done _ seen, it appears as though it was done by— seen, it appears as though it was done by the other team and not you, but there _ done by the other team and not you, but there are a lot of people out there _ but there are a lot of people out there that — but there are a lot of people out there that are not sure so we are going _ there that are not sure so we are going to — there that are not sure so we are going to have to overcome a lot of things _ going to have to overcome a lot of things. they encourage the life—saving capacity to help the palestinians who are innocent caught in the _ palestinians who are innocent caught in the middle of this, and anyway, that's— in the middle of this, and anyway, that's who — in the middle of this, and anyway, that's who we are. not just in the middle of this, and anyway, that's who we are. notjust me, that's— that's who we are. notjust me, that's who — that's who we are. notjust me, that's who the united states is. and this is_ that's who the united states is. and this is hot— that's who the united states is. and this is not the example our powers that power— this is not the example our powers that power our example is almost as important _ that power our example is almost as important. the world is looking. israei— important. the world is looking. israet has — important. the world is looking. israet has a _ important. the world is looking. israel has a value set like the united — israel has a value set like the united states does and other democracies. and are looking to see what we _ democracies. and are looking to see what we are — democracies. and are looking to see what we are going to do. we democracies. and are looking to see what we are going to do.— what we are going to do. we were 'ust what we are going to do. we were just watching _ what we are going to do. we were just watching comments - what we are going to do. we were just watching comments not - what we are going to do. we were just watching comments not long | what we are going to do. we were i just watching comments not long ago made byjoe biden, the us president who has arrived in israel for talks

today. the first time israel's by minister pointed out sitting next to him that a us president has come to israel and the time of war. to have a look at the public statements made by the two leaders, we can chat to our chief international correspondent who is on the israel — gaza boundary at the moment. you are of course watching and listening carefully. did anything surprise you have those comments. we have been speaking earlier about how president biden was expected to express his solidarity as he always does with israel, but also to be quite outspoken of the need to do something about the increasingly dire humanitarian situation in gaza. every word, every step of the american president is being watched around the world, and watch closely of course in israel. watched across

the arab world. that image of him landing on the tarmac, no red carpet. it is a time of war, but warm hugs with and the israeli prime minister and president. and now, his first public comments in this highly combustible situation. i think there will be some surprise. perhaps it is joe biden�*s folksy way of speaking, but for him to say that from what he has seen so far he thinks it is the other team who carried out the attack, in other words, that he has seen so far some talking and analysing to do both with the israeli and american experts, that he does seem to accept israel's case that this was not the work of an israeli air strike, the carnage and chaos that went round the world last night from the hospital in gaza city. but he said he had a lot of work to convince the rest of the

world that it was the case. that really does, in a euphemistic way, underlines what really is the main... there are many problems. so this is one of the many problems in this. we have been describing it as a vicious and volatile cycle of claim and counterclaim. the rest of the arab region has made up its mind and it has heard israel making cases before that have turned out not to before that have turned out not to be true, and therefore they do not trust israel's version and they have therefore rejected it outright. the islamicjihad has been blamed by israel and it has already been said that these are lies by israel. joe biden says that more time on the ground. his other comment was that he underlined that israel has the same value set as he put it of a democracy of... same value set as he put it of a democracy of. . ._ same value set as he put it of a democracy of... sorry to interrupt ou democracy of... sorry to interrupt you there- — democracy of... sorry to interrupt you there- sorry. _ democracy of. .. sorry to interrupt you there. sorry, it— democracy of... sorry to interrupt you there. sorry, it was _ democracy of... sorry to interrupt you there. sorry, it wasjust - democracy of... sorry to interrupt you there. sorry, it wasjust to . you there. sorry, it was just to remind our viewers about that attack

that you were talking about there. it is an explosion at a very overcrowded gaza hospital that has very much complicated joe biden�*s already difficult visit to the region today as he was setting off from the us on air force one, news and shocking pictures started coming in of an explosion at the hospital, in of an explosion at the hospital, in which hundreds of palestinian civilians are said to have died. and as you say, israel says it was not to blame. it has been carrying out aerial bombardment of gaza daily for the past ten days, but it says that that was not an attack by israel. it has blamed the militant group islamicjihad and the palestinian authorities have very squarely blamed israel. joe biden said that he presented evidence by israel, as

you say in a folksy way, that it appeared that israel were not to blame in that. as you said, whatever the president might say or israel might say, the feeling is that many in this region across the middle east have already made up their mind about that event, and might look at the precedent here by israel's and say you are not a neutral observer here at all. it say you are not a neutral observer here at all-— here at all. it isn't today that man in here at all. it isn't today that many in the _ here at all. it isn't today that many in the arab _ here at all. it isn't today that many in the arab world, - here at all. it isn't today that - many in the arab world, including the palestinians, will say that you are not an honest broker. it has been an accusation in the region for a very long time, that america takes sides. yes, it talks about trying to find solutions for, in this case, to resolve the israeli—palestinian conflict, but it is above all a friend of israel, and makes play

with the israel being the biggest recipient of —— a major recipient of aid and military aid every year. but just this visit will send a message across the arab world. but his team has said that while he is not going to see the leaders injordan, the president of egypt, the king of jordan, the president of the palestinian authority, he will have, or what we have seen so far is planning to have a conversation on the plane with egypt and with the palestinian leader and has already had conversations with the king of jordan. he will want to share with them what he hears on this visit, that he knows and they know most of all that this is not the time for them to be standing shoulder to shoulder with the united states, when there was such an explosive mood on their own streets and much less a catastrophic situation in the gaza strip.

less a catastrophic situation in the gaza stri. �* less a catastrophic situation in the gaza stri -. . ., ,., less a catastrophic situation in the gaza stri. . ., , ., less a catastrophic situation in the gaza stri.�* ., ., �* less a catastrophic situation in the gaza stri. . ., ., �* ., gaza strip. and also joe biden and ben'amin gaza strip. and also joe biden and benjamin netanyahu _ gaza strip. and also joe biden and benjamin netanyahu talking - gaza strip. and also joe biden and benjamin netanyahu talking about morality in the region. the us president spoke... i can't remember the exact words, forgive me, but about israel and the us sharing the same values more or less is what he was saying there. of course, in this area of conflict, decades of conflict, talk about morality by israel or talk about morality by the palestinians, it is one of those subjects that inflames patients again and very starkly different views here. again and very starkly different views here-— again and very starkly different views here. , , , ., , views here. yes, he used the phrase value set that _ views here. yes, he used the phrase value set that israel _ views here. yes, he used the phrase value set that israel and _ views here. yes, he used the phrase value set that israel and the united | value set that israel and the united states have the same value sets and democratic principles, making it again clear that america and israel

are in lockstep. while he still has some tough questions, and some very tough demands for israel right now. israel has often described itself as the only democracy in the middle east. as you know from your time here, this is something that makes other arab states bristle, even though questions can be raised about some of the lack of democracy in some of the lack of democracy in some states across the region. but it offends and angers when one side or the other tries to take the moral high ground. again, that is happening today. it lies behind these claims and counter claims of who was to blame for yet another atrocity, yet another massacre. from what we have seen so far, hundreds are feared dead in that explosion at that hospital, and yes, morality, politics security, there is so much in this mix at the moment and it is at this moment are truly combustible

mix. fin at this moment are truly combustible mix. . . at this moment are truly combustible mix. , ., ., ,., mix. on the israel gaza border there. thank _ mix. on the israel gaza border there. thank you _ mix. on the israel gaza border there. thank you very - mix. on the israel gaza border there. thank you very much i mix. on the israel gaza border| there. thank you very much for joining us there. we were talking about the explosion at that gaza hospital. palestinian officials have directly blamed israel. israel has been bombarding the gaza strip with air raids since the massacre by hamas of moo israelis inside israel 10 days ago. but israel blames last night's deadly hospital explosion on a malfunction of a rocket intended to be aimed at israel by the islamicjihad armed militant group. following the huge number of deaths at the hospital there have been angry street protest in palestinian cities in the west bank and across the arab world. president biden had been hoping to attend a summit of arab leaders

injordan after visiting israel but that has been cancelled after the president of the palestinain authority pulled out after the hospital explosion — declaring 3 days of mourning for the men women and children killed. our correspondent rushdi abu alouf is in gaza — and has managed to reach the al—ahli hospital. he sent us this update from outside the building. people are still collecting body pieces from on the ground. people are still in panic. people are still trying to understand what is happening. i was talking to one of the people who witnessed this, what the palestinians are calling a massacre. he said that they were just sitting in their garden peacefully, and suddenly a huge explosion rocked this area, and he said he started to collect people from all around

the gaza strip who could arrive to the hospital. they came and tried to help. he said, "we collected bodies, injured people, we evacuated serious injuries using motorcycle." some people evacuated on foot, he said, from here to the hospital. let's take in some international reaction now. the president of the european commission, ursula von der leyen, had this to say about the explosion at the hospital in gaza. last night, a senseless tragedy has shocked us all. a hospital in gaza, sheltering hundreds of wounded people, was turned into a hell of fire. the scenes from al—ahli hospital are horrifying and distressing. there is no excuse for hitting a hospital full of civilians.

all facts need to be established and those responsible must be held accountable. in this tragic hour, we must all redouble our efforts to protect civilians from the fury of this war. she is the president of the european commission speaking about the explosion at the gaza hospital that is because so many lives, hundreds of lives yesterday. we can talk natalie tennant colonel peter lerner. he is an idf spokesperson. hello. hi. we heard today a long hello. h . we heard today a long press conference from the idf and the israeli defence forces presenting what you say is evidence to say that israel was not behind

the explosion and blaming it on the islamicjihad militant group inside gaza. . islamicjihad militant group inside gaza. , ., ., gaza. yes, indeed, in the aftermath of what appeared — gaza. yes, indeed, in the aftermath of what appeared on _ gaza. yes, indeed, in the aftermath of what appeared on social - gaza. yes, indeed, in the aftermath of what appeared on social media i gaza. yes, indeed, in the aftermath i of what appeared on social media and afterwards the media reports, we initiated a high level investigation initiated a high level investigation in order to understand who was responsible for that attack. i can say unequivocally that it is hamas and islamicjihad who have been firing rockets. i can say that last night it was palestinian yen islamic she had that launch one of the rockets that landed on the hospital. last night, we determined that there were no israeli defence force operations, not by air, ground force or a neighbourforces. secondly, we do conducted an investigation on our

radar and technological capabilities and identified the trajectory of the rockets, where they were launched from and what was their battle path. where they were intended to go, and indeed, they were all headed over the trajectory of the hospital, and finally, we act intercepted a conversation between two hamas terrorists that were talking openly about it, and they mentioned that palestinian islamicjihad had launched one of the rockets and hit the hospital and mentioned it by name. this isjust our investigation and some people are raising eyebrows and some people are raising eyebrows and trying to get some clarification, but really, we don't need to go so extensively into these details because aljazeera broadcasted it last night. they were broadcasting it live. this is at seven o'clock, and this is the rocket that you see impacts into gaza. while people are raising

questions, and a lot of the media coverage led by hamas's manipulation and led to the prematurejudgment coverage led by hamas's manipulation and led to the premature judgment of israel conducting the strike and created a huge amount of unrest throughout the region, because israel wasjudged throughout the region, because israel was judged and tried and sentenced in that event, the facts are different. we understand the situation. we are a serious business. we take our military operations very seriously. sorry, if i can 'ust operations very seriously. sorry, if i can just interrupt _ operations very seriously. sorry, if i can just interrupt you _ operations very seriously. sorry, if i can just interrupt you there. - operations very seriously. sorry, if i can just interrupt you there. you | i can just interrupt you there. you say, well, you said many things, but when you say that hamas and others, other palestinian groups and authorities blame this on israel, you have evidence to say that it wasn't israel. we have been here before, haven't we, weather has been a loss of life, sometimes huge loss of life, for example in the gaza strip, where israel says it wasn't

to blame? there is finger—pointing on both sides and israel said categorically it was not israel and in the end it has turned out to be israel. so, there is suspicion in the region. when you say there are no israeli air strikes, israel has been bombing gaza from the sky repeatedly for the last ten days since militants left gaza and killed 1400 since militants left gaza and killed moo israelis since militants left gaza and killed m00 israelis and took 200 more hostage. so there have been aerial bombardment is a plenty on gaza. i completely understand what you are saying. i have been around the block in the military for several years and have faced several instances like this. i can say, from my personal experience, i have never seen the idf mobilised to get to the fact that such a fast pace at such a high level to understand exactly what happened. this is an extraordinary incident and it is a

human tragedy that we are seeing develop, but we need to be very cautious. you will question me and cross check and double check and double answer me, but when hamas announced it was an israeli strike that hit the hospital, you take it at face value. i'm just saying we need to be very cautious and put a serious? on the people who are willing to butcher babies, but weather and military is conducting, a professional militant tree army... like the uk, we do not target civilians or hospitals. they can be accidental damage and accidental dumb loss of life, but we do not bombard gazza. we are targeting hamas. this is a terrorist organisation that has no regard for life. .., organisation that has no regard for life. .. _ ., organisation that has no regard for life. ., i. organisation that has no regard for life. ., life. peter, can i say that you say that ou life. peter, can i say that you say that you are _ life. peter, can i say that you say that you are targeting _ life. peter, can i say that you say that you are targeting hamas - life. peter, can i say that you say| that you are targeting hamas and life. peter, can i say that you say - that you are targeting hamas and the gaza strip, but of course the world is seeing the images of the gaza strip known as an extremely crowded place that is sealed at one end by

israel and at the other by egypt, and there has been a heavy bombardment that has levelled whole areas of the gaza strip that includes buildings that have residential buildings, the number of dead amongst the palestinians, israel says it has gone in there to target armed groups who have taken israeli lives and israeli hostages, but the civilian count on the israeli side, the deaths and injuries, include so many women and children. as you say, you have been around for a long time. you know this very well. inside gaza, almost 50% of people in gaza are under the age of 18. in an area like this, the civilian casualties so high, the whole world is watching this on the whole world is watching this on the whole world is watching this on the whole world is watching israel. that is recisel whole world is watching israel. that is precisely why _ whole world is watching israel. that is precisely why we _ whole world is watching israel. trust is precisely why we need to be very cautious in listening to what hamas is saying about civilian casualties

and so on. when the minister of health in gaza speaks he is speaking on behalf of a terrorist organisation hamas that butchers babies. they have no problem lying to gaza. i appreciate what you're saying on the line of inquiry and what you are trying to get to hear. when hamas operates and operates explosive drains on top of houses, its rockets in the basements of schools and shopping centres, they arejeopardising schools and shopping centres, they are jeopardising the civilian population. what we are doing is locating them. asking people to evacuate specific areas where we intend to strike, precisely because we want to keep them out of harms way. on one side, we have a strange equation where one side is trying to minimise civilian casualties, and the other side is trying to maximise. the absurd situation where we are trying to call people in a certain area where people are trying to strike in the northern gaza strip

and hamas are saying stay put. who does that? i take you do is this that, people who have no problem butchering babies in their bedroom. peter lerner, spokesman for the idf, the israeli defence forces. thank you forjoining us now. we are talking to people across the region about the conflict at the moment between israel and hamas in gaza. hamas labelled a terrorist organisation by israel, the us and many other, the uk, many other western governments as well. there is death, trauma on both sides, and the situation threatens to escalate. we have been looking at the explosion at the hospital yesterday in gaza that because so many lives and has fuelled anger across the middle east region. our correspondentjohn donnison has more.

fury in the west bank. in ramallah, youths battled with palestinian security forces, who responded with tear gas and sound grenades. as reports of the hospital strike came in from gaza, thousands took to the streets in protest. there is anger directed at israel, but also at president mahmoud abbas and his palestinian authority, which many perceive as weak and lacking legitimacy. mr abbas announced he was cancelling a meeting with president biden injordan and was flying home. there were mass protests there this evening too, and clashes outside the israeli embassy in amman. translation: during the foundation of israel when it occupied this - area, they are breaching international humanitarian law. geneva agreement is obvious in this regard. medical centres or hospitals should not be touched. in turkey also, thousands rallied against israel. as the war in gaza escalates

it is a dangerous moment for the wider region. jon donnison, bbc news. and we are bringing new bbc news live from jerusalem. do stay with bbc news as we keep you up—to—date with joe bbc news as we keep you up—to—date withjoe biden's visit bbc news as we keep you up—to—date with joe biden's visit the bbc news as we keep you up—to—date withjoe biden's visit the region. hello again. we've got some heavy rain and strong winds on the cards, notjust today,

but as we go through the rest of this week. it's only through the weekend it gradually starts to turn drier, less windy and chillier. but at times across the north and also the east, we could have gusts of wind to gale force, even severe gales. now, storm bebet�*s coming our way today, pushing northwards as we go through tonight and tomorrow. we've got this next area of low pressure which could affect southern areas during the course of friday. but it's going to be windy throughout this period. so to take a look, first of all, at how much rainfall we're expecting, the key is up here. we've got lots of blues in the charts. so you can see we're looking at between 30 and 50 millimetres of rainfall quite widely. but we also have some whites indicating 100 millimetres or more of rainfall. so the met office has an amber weather warning out for the north—east of scotland thursday and friday where we could have up to 200 millimetres of rainfall. now, that's largely on higher ground, but it's falling on saturated ground, could lead to some flooding and disruption. today, though, we've got some heavy and persistent rain across the south and also the west. a lot of dry but cloudy weather around. these black circles represent the strength of the wind gusts, so the wind picking up everywhere as we go through the course of the day.

but especially windy across the far north of scotland. temperatures 10 to 19 degrees. this evening and overnight, the heavy and persistent rain continues to advance northwards. it will remain dry, but strengthening winds across the north—east of scotland and some heavy, potentially thundery showers coming in across the south of england. so as a result of all of this, it's not going to be a cold night. tomorrow, then, storm babet pulls out of northern england and stalls across north—east scotland. this is where we've got the amber weather warning. so after heavy rain, it will dry up across northern england through the day, but continue to rain across northern scotland where the totals will really be mounting. for northern ireland, the rest of england and wales, it's a day of sunshine and showers, but some of those showers could be heavy and thundery. and we're looking at gales, even severe gales across the far north and north—east. into friday, that low pressure i was showing you is sliding along the near continent and could bring some heavy rain in across the south—east. there'll be showers around, but the rain easing across scotland, but still very windy with gales

in the north and also the east.

this is bbc news. joe biden arrives in israel for talks with benjamin netanyahu's government — asjordan cancels a planned summit with arab leaders.

his arrival comes it have killed thousands. the blessed... we are speaking. as we've been mentioning palestinian officials have directly blamed israel for striking a hospital. but israel blames last night's deadly hospital explosion on a malfunction of a rocket intended to be aimed at israel

by the islamichhad armed militant group.