israel and hamas blame each other for the blast reported to have killed hundreds in a gaza hospital. israel says it was a misfire at rocket from the palestinian islamic jihad group. the massive loss of life triggers anger across the middle east, with protests outside the us embassy in beirut and other cities. just in the last few minutes, reports that the un middle east peace envoy says the risk of an expansion of this conflict is real, very real, and extremely dangerous. they go on to say that circumstances of the responsibility of the hospital blast still need to be clarified and fully investigated, so that bleak assessment from the middle east peace envoy saying the risk of the expansion of this

conflict is real, very real, and extremely dangerous. more on that, the story that is dominating the news agenda, but we will pose for the next few moments to catch up with some of the business headlines of the day. we are going to talk about what the us treasury is doing in response to the situation in the middle east. the us has imposed sanctions on what it described as ten key hamas operatives and facilitators. they said it was to prevent hamas being able to raise funds to carry out atrocities. we can cross live to new york and our business correspondent michelle fleury. what more do we know about this? at michelle fleury. what more do we know about this?— know about this? at the heart of this, this is _ know about this? at the heart of this, this is an _ know about this? at the heart of this, this is an effort _ know about this? at the heart of this, this is an effort by - know about this? at the heart of this, this is an effort by the - know about this? at the heart of this, this is an effort by the us l this, this is an effort by the us government to disrupt the ability of hamas, which is officially

designated in the us as a terrorist organisation, to raise money and finance attacks against israel. in total, ten individuals and entities, including a gaza —based exchange can —— company which trades in bitcoin, are subject to these new sanctions. there are also targeting sudan, turkey, algeria and qatar, trying to cut off the flow of funds. they are targeting what they describe as a secret hamas investment portfolio. let me read you what treasury secretary said in a statement. the us treasury has a long history of effectively disrupting terror finance and we will not hesitate to use our tools against hamas. we will continue to take all takes steps necessary to prevent hamas the ability to raise funds to carry out

atrocities. while hamas leaders don't actually have assets in the united states, the sanctions will increase pressure on some of the countries that host them. countries like qatar. the treasury department is saying this will be the first of more actions to come. find is saying this will be the first of more actions to come.- is saying this will be the first of more actions to come. and it is not the first time _ more actions to come. and it is not the first time the _ more actions to come. and it is not the first time the treasury - the first time the treasury department has imposed sanctions when there has been a war around the world. that tends to be the standard response from the us and europe. we have response from the us and europe. - have seen it in the case of the war between ukraine and russia. that was one of the things that the treasury department has worked very hard, part of their toolkit is using sanctions on russia, to stop it benefiting from oil revenues. we are seeing with hamas, which because of that terrorist organisation designation, has had sanctions against it for a while, but they are trying to see if there is more to be done. if you look back recently,

there were reports in the wall street journal suggesting there were reports in the wall streetjournal suggesting hamas was able to get funding through crypto currency, hence that mention that they are targeting, you know, a bitcoin wallet involved in all of this. it is trying to enforce existing sanctions but also execute new ones. and in fact, we have heard from the deputy within the treasury, basically saying that this is the start of what they hope will be a multinational coalition to try and address this.— multinational coalition to try and address this. ., ~ , ., , . china have released their latest growth numbers, showing the world's second largest economy grew by 4.9% in the three months to september. beating many expectations but it is still less than the official gowth target. this comes as china grapples with a property crisis that has hit spending and businesses in the country. china's biggest private property developer, country garden, is also believed to have become the latest property giant to default on its overseas debt.

here's the view of julian evans—pritchard, head of china economics for the capital economics consultancy in singapore. we have a feed through from the chinese economy to the rest of the world through chinese investment, particularly property investment and infrastructure investment, and the news on that front is not quite so positive yet. we are still seeing relatively sluggish investment in those areas. a lot of the recent improvement has actually come from the consumer sector, which is a good thing for china's economy, where we are seeing some rebalancing away from investment, but in terms of chinese demand for what the rest of the world produces, it is not quite as positive a development. having said that, despite the continued weakness in the property sector, there were some green shoots in the data today. i think we could see a bit of relief for the housing market over the next

few quarters and that definitely will be a positive for the rest of the world as well. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. lunchtime in bristol city centre and you would think this is the only sandwich shop in town. business is brisk and they are queueing out of the door. it is not hard to see why. it is so good. value for money wise, what is that? a pound for a sandwich like that. you can't go wrong. itla like that. you can't go wrong. no one in this queue needs convincing about the sandwiches but in case it did, this business is officially the best, crowned the winner of the uber eats restaurant of the year award.

it was fantastic. watching them on the tv— it was fantastic. watching them on the tv when i was younger, i am only 23 years— the tv when i was younger, i am only 23 years of— the tv when i was younger, i am only 23 years of age now, everyone was so welcoming, _ 23 years of age now, everyone was so welcoming, so lovely. at 23 years of age now, everyone was so welcoming, so lovely. fit a 23 years of age now, everyone was so welcoming, so lovely.— welcoming, so lovely. at a time when welcoming, so lovely. at a time when we are mainly — welcoming, so lovely. at a time when we are mainly reporting _ welcoming, so lovely. at a time when we are mainly reporting closures - welcoming, so lovely. at a time when we are mainly reporting closures in i we are mainly reporting closures in the hospitality industry, this is a refreshing change. you're live with bbc news: as we heard earlier president biden has said he's been shown pentagon data which suggests that an explosion at a hosptial in gaza was caused by a palestinian group. during a speech in israel mr biden also said the palestinians were suffering too. we mourn the loss of innocent palestinian lives like the entire world. i was outraged and saddened by the enormous loss of life

yesterday in the hospital in gaza. based on the information we received today, it appears it was the result of an errant rocket fired by a terrorist group in gaza. the united states unequivocally stands for the protection of civilian life during conflict and i agree, i truly grieved for the family is killed and wounded by this tragedy. the people of gaza need food, water, medicine, shelter. today i asked the israeli cabinet to agree to the delivery of life—saving humanitarian assistance to civilians in gaza based on the understanding there will be inspections and that they should go to civilians, not hamas. israel agreed the humanitarian assistance can begin to move from egypt to gaza. let me be clear, if hamas diverts or steals the assistance, they will have demonstrated again they will have demonstrated again they have no care for the palestinian people. as a practical

matter, it will stop the international community being to able to provide this aid. we need to get trucks moving across the border as soon as possible will stop separately, i ask israel that the international red cross be able to visit hostages. i demand that the united states fully supports. today, i am also announcing $100 million in new us funding for humanitarian assistance in both gaza and the west bank. the un middle east peace envoy, more comments from him, saying it appears we are on the brink of a deep, dangerous a base which could change the trajectory of the conflict, if not the middle east as a whole. a dire warning coming in.

there is still a realfear that dire warning coming in. there is still a real fear that this could escalate well beyond the boundaries of israel and the palestinian territories. that is a very big fear for the us. palestinian territories. that is a very big fearfor the us. now, some would say that the presence of two us aircraft carriers just offshore in the eastern mediterranean is provocative. 0thers in the eastern mediterranean is provocative. others would say that is a reassurance to israel. but it is a reassurance to israel. but it is meant to be a deterrent to iran and its proxies from joining in this. it is a really delicate situation, asjeremy bowen refer to last night, because already, before this hospital explosion, which the rest of the region outside israel has no doubt in their minds it was israel to blame, although israel and its friends, the united states, israel is saying it is the palestinian islamicjihad that did it, but already before that happened, the region was tense and

iran had issued two warnings coming from its foreign minister and its supreme leader, that it would not stand idly by while palestinians are killed in gaza. remember, israel has not even gone into gaza yet. things could get even worse in terms of the humanitarian picture and in terms of the regional tension. what do we mean? hezbollah is the main one, which is in lebanon with around 150,000 rockets and missiles at its disposal. it is an ally of iran, it is funded, trained and armed by iran. it is not particularly want to get into a war at this time, but if things go on, it will feel it has to do something to support its partners in hamas. stand do something to support its partners in hamas. �* ,, do something to support its partners in hamas. �* i. . in hamas. and you referenced the american carrier _ in hamas. and you referenced the american carrier group, _ in hamas. and you referenced the american carrier group, the - in hamas. and you referenced the. american carrier group, the various efforts put in place to deter any sort of actorjoining this, but are you hearing, or is there any

intelligence, of seeing anything moving on the ground?- intelligence, of seeing anything moving on the ground? there are re orts moving on the ground? there are reports that _ moving on the ground? there are reports that some _ moving on the ground? there are reports that some militia, - moving on the ground? there are reports that some militia, iranian j reports that some militia, iranian backed militia, have moved into 11 on, across syria, so from iraq, through syria, into lebanon. there is an unconfirmed report that one group, which is the same group in iraq, and iranians backed group, that kidnapped five britons years ago from a ministry in baghdad, and four were killed and one survived. peter moore, the it technician. the reason i am saying this is because iran doesn'tjust have hezbollah, there are a number of iranians backed militias, many of which have been fighting in syria in support of the syrian government against rebels, and they are battle hardened. so israel has a real problem if they start to enter on the northern front. it would be fighting on two fronts. that is one

of the reasons why the us is trying to de—escalate this, in the first way to do that is to lower the tension, lowerthe fighting, get humanitarian aid in. and yet over the last 2a hours, we have seen almost the opposite in terms of direction of travel.— direction of travel. back to president _ direction of travel. back to president biden, - direction of travel. back to president biden, even - direction of travel. back to i president biden, even before yesterday's hospital blast, the diplomatic path was so narrow, and then after that hospital explosion, it is even narrower, isn't it? it it is even narrower, isn't it? it is, it is even narrower, isn't it? it is, and the thing is, eventually, there will be verifiable evidence that comes out one way or the other, because both sides think the other is lying. and i don't think either is lying. and i don't think either is going to believe that the version they don't like. this is very similar to ten years ago when there was that dreadful nerve gas attack in syria and the rebels accuse the syrian government of doing it and vice versa. eventually, inspectors went in, but it took years before finally it was proved it was the syrian government that did it. frank

gardner. hamas continues to hold almost 200 people hostage in gaza. earlier i spoke with iris weinstein haggee. her parentsjudi and gad — who are in their seventies — are missing. they disappeared in the fields near their kibbutz on the 7th of october. iris explained how that day unfolded for them. my my parents take their morning walks every day for 30 years together and they are very into health, fitness, they are very into health, fitness, they do anything they can do not be depending on medicine and other people. so that is what they did that day. i live in singapore and i noticed that they had red alert in that area, which means they have to go and find a bomb shelter that they can hide in. i asked them in the whatsapp group, what is going on? is everything 0k? whatsapp group, what is going on? is everything ok? my mother normally is a very nonchalant, because unfortunately in that area, rockets

and gunshots are common. it happens and gunshots are common. it happens a lot. but this time she told me, not good, we are laying face down and we see hundreds of rockets. this was 6:50am on saturday. i asked her how far she is from home, she said two kilometres. i told her to call me when they get home. meanwhile, speaking to my friend, i grew up there, i know everybody there, i know all the people who were kidnapped, murdered, igrew know all the people who were kidnapped, murdered, i grew up with them. so i ask them what is going on, are they 0k? during that time, they don't know much, all they know is there is a red alert. i noticed at 7:20am, nobody called me. i called my parents, nobody answers. at 7:30am, one of my friends says that the kibbutz is full of terrorists, they are going door to door, they are burning their kids, they are setting houses on fire, they are setting houses on fire, they are setting houses on fire, they are murdering whole families.

honestly, my mind could not even comprehend, even when i am telling you now, it is like a bad, bad script. you now, it is like a bad, bad scrit. �* script. and i said in the introduction _ script. and i said in the introduction that - script. and i said in the introduction that your | script. and i said in the - introduction that your parents script. and i said in the _ introduction that your parents are missing. when did you realise in terms of what had actually happened to them? i terms of what had actually happened to them? , ., �* ., , ~ ., to them? i still don't really know, to them? i still don't really know, to be honest. _ to them? i still don't really know, to be honest. i— to them? i still don't really know, to be honest. i do _ to them? i still don't really know, to be honest. i do know— to them? i still don't really know, to be honest. i do know that- to them? i still don't really know, to be honest. i do know that the l to them? i still don't really know, i to be honest. i do know that the day afterwards i tried to find out information and i spoke to the kibbutz paramedic, who lives in the kibbutz, i have known him my whole life, and he says my mother called him at 7:04am, he said a motorcycle drove by and shot both my mother and father, and my father was wounded really bad, and she needs medical help. he tried to get her the ambulance, but he noticed that the terrorist shot the wheels of the ambulance, so he could not do anything and he lost contact with my mother. and that is the last i know of her. a few days ago, the army

contacted me, finally, and they said that they consider it my parents kidnapped, because their phones were located in gaza. 50 kidnapped, because their phones were located in gaza.— located in gaza. so that is how you have pieced _ located in gaza. so that is how you have pieced it _ located in gaza. so that is how you have pieced it together. _ located in gaza. so that is how you have pieced it together. can - located in gaza. so that is how you have pieced it together. can i - located in gaza. so that is how you have pieced it together. can i ask. have pieced it together. can i ask you, when you have watched the events of the last 2a hours, when you have seen also the build—up on the gaza border with the prospect of a ground invasion, what are your thoughts as you watch those developments day to day? i am developments day to day? i am terrified. developments day to day? i am terrified- i— developments day to day? i am terrified. i am _ developments day to day? i am terrified. i am terrified - developments day to day? i am terrified. i am terrified for - developments day to day? i —n terrified. i am terrified for the jewish people, i am terrified for this world. i am terrified that haight is taking over. i am so disappointed in all the governments who were keeping their eyes shut to a terrorist group... i mean, this is not a government who wants to make the palestinian lives better. this

is a terrorist group, a criminal gang, and all they care about is getting power, basically. if they wanted to make the palestinian people's lives better, they could have made gaza a heaven by now. find have made gaza a heaven by now. and et we have made gaza a heaven by now. and yet we have — have made gaza a heaven by now. and yet we have seen what they have said about that day and we heard president biden say it was the worst loss of life for israel since the holocaust. 0ne loss of life for israel since the holocaust. one thing you did not say there as you made the list of things that terrify you, the prospect of a potential ground war with your parents somewhere in gaza. i mean, it is obvious, that must be absolutely terrifying. it is absolutely terrifying. it is unfathomable. _ absolutely terrifying. it is unfathomable. people i absolutely terrifying. it 3 unfathomable. people ask me, you must be glad they are kidnapped and not dead. and, honestly, i don't even want to cry because my dad dying is my biggest fear. but i feel like dying could be better in this

situation, i imagine my mother's little, tiny body, thrown somewhere, with somebody torturing her, along with somebody torturing her, along with the other 80 people that i know and i grew up with, little children. we found out on tick—tock that my friend and her two babies were kidnapped. that is how we found out they were kidnapped. expert; kidnapped. that is how we found out they were kidnapped.— they were kidnapped. every detail, exactl as they were kidnapped. every detail, exactly as you _ they were kidnapped. every detail, exactly as you say. _ they were kidnapped. every detail, exactly as you say, is _ they were kidnapped. every detail, exactly as you say, is excruciating | exactly as you say, is excruciating and unfathomable. in terms of contact, i know that president biden has spoken to many of the families and... i has spoken to many of the families and... ,, ., has spoken to many of the families and- - -_ give - has spoken to many of the families and..._ give me i has spoken to many of the families and..._ give me anl and... i spoke to him. give me an idea of what— and... i spoke to him. give me an idea of what he _ and... i spoke to him. give me an idea of what he said _ and... i spoke to him. give me an idea of what he said to _ and... i spoke to him. give me an idea of what he said to you. it i and... i spoke to him. give me an idea of what he said to you. it is l idea of what he said to you. it is interesting that many of the families in israel have complained of not being contacted by israel's prime minister or the authorities, but what did joe biden say to you? i feel it is very... you cannot compare this chaos that never happened in israel to 1a families

who have american citizenship. it is not fair to do that. but at the same time, president biden, his message was the same. he told him, we are here for you, we are supporting you, anything you need to speak to us, you have our full support, anything you need to speak to us, you have ourfull support, but anything you need to speak to us, you have our full support, but he also made it very clear that this is israel's soil, we cannot do whatever we want. you know, there are people involved, 200 kidnapped. this is very delicate. and it is such a complicated situation. honestly, it has been almost two weeks, which is ridiculous. two weeks, we don't even know who is kidnapped for sure. we don't know who was murdered for sure. just as i was about to speak to you, i read on what's apt that two of the people i grew up with are

confirmed murdered, and they were considered kidnapped. that was my risk talking to me a little earlier on bbc news. —— i risk. president biden talking to reporters before he left israel but benjamin netanyahu's office said israel will not let any aid into gaza from its territory until the hostages are returned, but it will not blockade going in from egypt. the un agency is on the ground in the gaza strip. its director of communications talk to me earlier about aid that is desperately needed, but also her reaction to the events at the hospital in the last 2a hours. the hospital in the last 24 hours. the attack on the _ hospital in the last 24 hours. tie: attack on the hospital was horrendous. i worked attack on the hospital was horrendous. iworked un secretary—general condemned it last

night. civilians should be protected. civilians are not safe anywhere in gaza. no place is safe in gaza. a few hours before that, one of our schools that is a sheltering displaced families was also hit during israeli air strikes and bombardments. the loss of life continues. the loss of civilian life continues. the loss of civilian life continues. and that has got to stop. this is why it is absolutely critical that there is a ceasefire right away, so that civilians are protected so that we don't continue to lose civilians totally i necessarily like we have been for the past 11 days. we necessarily like we have been for the past 11 days.— the past 11 days. we were 'ust listenini the past 11 days. we were 'ust listening mi the past 11 days. we were 'ust listening to the i the past 11 days. we were 'ust listening to the us i the past 11 days. we were just listening to the us president. | the past 11 days. we were just i listening to the us president. he said he had tough questions and conversations with israelis in those

meetings will stop when you heard him say that the people of gaza that need food, water, power and they are asking for humanitarian assistance to be allowed in, you must be heartened by that. are you hearing anything on the ground about practically how and when that might happen? hat practically how and when that might ha en? ., , , practically how and when that might hauen? ., , , ., , , happen? not 'ust yet, not 'ust yet. the sieie happen? not 'ust yet, not 'ust yet. the siege on i happen? notjust yet, not 'ust yet. the siege on the i happen? notjust yet, not 'ust yet. the siege on the gaza i happen? notjust yet, notjust yet. the siege on the gaza strip - the siege on the gaza strip continues for the 11th day and the siege on the gaza strip must be lifted so that we are able to bring in humanitarian supplies. and all that humanitarian agencies who work in gaza. we would like to ask for the siege to be lifted. we are urging for the siege to be lifted so that we can bring in much—needed supplies, including fuel, so that water runs back into gaza. 2 million people do not have water in gaza.

and they are resorting to unsafe drinking water. we are going to have a health disaster soon in gaza if we do not have our managerial supplies go into gaza for people who need it most. , ., , ., ~ most. the president was making the oint that most. the president was making the point that perhaps _ most. the president was making the point that perhaps inspections i most. the president was making the point that perhaps inspections would have to be done there on the border in terms of staff crossing the borders. he said none of this must go to hamas. he your view and in your experience, are those things that can be sorted out relatively quickly or are those things that they quite a lot of time?- quickly or are those things that they quite a lot of time? when it comes to ice. — they quite a lot of time? when it comes to ice, we _ they quite a lot of time? when it comes to ice, we will _ they quite a lot of time? when it comes to ice, we will bring i they quite a lot of time? when it comes to ice, we will bring in i they quite a lot of time? when it| comes to ice, we will bring in the supplies ourselves. 0ur comes to ice, we will bring in the supplies ourselves. our own un teams on the ground will distribute it to those in need. we have been doing this for many, many years. these are human staff, they are accountable to serve the communities in need and they will ensure that assistance will get you people who need it

most, to civilians who need it most. that was the latest as president biden has said israel has agreed to humanitarian assistance beginning to move in from egypt into gaza, so thatis move in from egypt into gaza, so that is a significant glimpse of progress. we are back in a moment or two. we will have more from the ground in southern israel. but the main developments of the day, now we will catch up with the weather details. storm babet will be lashing the uk before long, and let's focus on the rain. a rare red warning in force,

thursday into friday, for specifically angus and southern parts of aberdeenshire, and the met office warning of danger to life. 0ffice warning of danger to life. let's look at the rainfall across the whole of the uk. this is the rainfall accumulation as the days go by. you can see, around eastern scotland and the north—east of england, potentially well in excess of 100 millimetres of rain. here is the forecast through the night. rain front associated with storm babet making itsjourney front associated with storm babet making its journey towards the north. after a soaking evening across seven parts of the uk, the sky is made clearfor a time, before further showers return. it is going to be relatively mild, 15 degrees in the south, 10 degrees in the north. now, through the course of thursday, that rain really starts to turn very persistent across eastern scotland. it is the south—easterly gale that

develops which will keep pushing the rain clouds towards eastern parts of scotland like a conveyor belt. the rain will be falling in the same place all the time. here is the amber warning, place all the time. here is the amberwarning, because place all the time. here is the amber warning, because there are other warnings in force for other parts of scotland. in the north, we could have 100 millimetres of rain also. this overlapping rain warning is for the severe gale on the coast of eastern scotland. gusts of around 70 mph. and then the red warning focusing on angus and aberdeenshire. extensive flooding is possible. here is the forecast for friday. still that easterly wind pushing in the rain clouds but notice that the concentration of heavy rain will now be across a more central, and southern parts of england. actually, across the north and east of scotland, that rain should start to ease. but it may return by the time we get to saturday. take care.

live from london. this is bbc news. president biden leaves israel after pledging "unwavering" american support on a brief visit to israel, 11 days after the hamas attacks — but warns it not to act on rage. i caution this, whilst you feel that

rage, don't be consumed by it. after 911 we were enraged in the united states, whilst we soughtjustice and got justice we also made mistakes. joe biden also said israel has agreed humanitarian assistant can begin to move from egypt into gaza. israel and hamas blame each other for the blast that killed hundreds at a gaza hospital. in the last hour at the white house says israel was not responsible. anger across the middle east — with protests outside the us embassy in beirut and in other cities. we'll bring you the latest from our teams across the region. i lyse doucet in southern israel. throughout the day israel has continued its air strikes against the gaza strip. in preparation for what's widely expected to be a

ground attack.