here with you in israel's darkest hour as your friend. we will stand with you in solidarity. we will stand with your people. this is not merely our battle. it's the battle of the entire civilised world. aid agencies warn gaza needs far more help than that promised so far. the un humanitarian chief says about 100 lorries will be required every day. a us plane carrying armoured vehicles lands in tel aviv. president biden says he would ask congress this week for "unprecedented" aid for israel. as we were just saying... uk prime minister rishi sunak has been in saudi arabia, where he's held talks with the crown prince, mohammed bin salman, to try to prevent the crisis

in the middle east from spreading. earlier, the prime minister spoke to his israeli counterpart in jerusalem, benjamin netanyahu, where he stressed that britain would stand by the country as it prepares for a possible ground offensive into gaza. for more on that ground offensive, dr ahron bregman — a professor at the department of war studies at kings college who served with the israeli defence force in 1982 as an artillery officer in lebanon — joins me now. in 1982 as an artillery officer thank in 1982 as an artillery officer you very much forjoin here thank you very much forjoining us here on bbc news. let'sjust thank you very much forjoining us here on bbc news. let's just first ask you about your first—hand experience, away from being an academic, perhaps, and what people must be thinking, those who are signed up, ready to fight right now, as they wait to hear from prime minister benjamin netanyahu in israel. minister ben'amin netanyahu in israel. , . ., , minister ben'amin netanyahu in israel. ., , ., ., israel. they are ready to move in and they are _ israel. they are ready to move in and they are very _ israel. they are ready to move in and they are very full— israel. they are ready to move in and they are very full of- israel. they are ready to move in and they are very full of energy, | and they are very full of energy, etc, but they will move in and they will realise how difficult and tough it is. it is going to be a very difficult and tough war inside the

gaza strip, where there are about 40,000 hamas gunmen and fighters, if you want, waiting for them in tunnels which are built under gaza. and so what challenges are the is —— israeli military trying to overcome as they prepare to go in? they have to make sure, and this is what they are trying to do, that there are not too many gazan civilians in the areas where they are going to fight, in the northern part of the gaza strip. therefore, they are encouraging the people of gaza living in the northern part of the gaza strip to move to the south, and if the area is empty of people, or relatively empty of people, that it is easier for them to fight them

in this area. idr it is easier for them to fight them in this area-— it is easier for them to fight them in this area. , �* ., ., _, , in this area. dr bregman, of course, it is one of — in this area. dr bregman, of course, it is one of the most _ in this area. dr bregman, of course, it is one of the most densely - it is one of the most densely populated areas in the world, we have seen the pictures, we have seen people struggling to move, and of course there is a humanitarian crisis that continues on in gaza as well, so that is why it is so challenging. it well, so that is why it is so challenging-— well, so that is why it is so challenging. well, so that is why it is so challenauin. , . . . challenging. it is challenging, and rishi sunak _ challenging. it is challenging, and rishi sunak in _ challenging. it is challenging, and rishi sunak in israel _ challenging. it is challenging, and rishi sunak in israel today - challenging. it is challenging, and rishi sunak in israel today and - rishi sunak in israel today and president biden yesterday encouraged, in fact demanded, that the israelis allow a few water and electricity —— fuel, water and electricity —— fuel, water and electricity to move into the gaza strip, so there is a lot of pressure on israel to allow this to happen. we havejust on israel to allow this to happen. we have just heard from the israeli defence minister, telling troops on the border with gaza that they will soon see the palestinian enclave from inside. this report here saying

that indicates israel it is readying itself for a ground incursion, so what do you make of those comments that have come in this evening to us from the israeli defence minister? and invasion is imminent, there is no question about it. the big question is, how long will it last? but they are going to move in, no doubt about it, and i expect them to doubt about it, and i expect them to do so in the coming days. find doubt about it, and i expect them to do so in the coming days.— do so in the coming days. and how concerned — do so in the coming days. and how concerned are _ do so in the coming days. and how concerned are you _ do so in the coming days. and how concerned are you that _ do so in the coming days. and how concerned are you that this - do so in the coming days. and howj concerned are you that this conflict will escalate beyond just the israel — gazan border but also perhaps to lebanon and the wider region? that’s lebanon and the wider region? that's the real fear. — lebanon and the wider region? that's the realfear, and _ lebanon and the wider region? that's the real fear, and we _ lebanon and the wider region? that's the real fear, and we already - lebanon and the wider region? that's the real fear, and we already have - the real fear, and we already have skirmishes between israelis and hezbollah and hamas forces along the israeli— lebanese border. the hope

is that hezbollah will keep out and iran too. president biden issued a very stark message to the irani and — you keep out, you don't enter —— interfere. i doubt iran will actually interfere, but hezbollah might decide tojoin actually interfere, but hezbollah might decide to join the war. a critical moment will be when the israelis move into the gaza strip. will hezbollah join in this israelis move into the gaza strip. will hezbollahjoin in this moment? it is hard to know. if they do, it will be a devastating regional war. indeed. we really don't know a lot about this, but thank you for sharing your thoughts on what we can say, dr bregman, professor in the department of four studies at king college. —— more studies.

the united states and british embassies in beirut have advised their citizens to leave lebanon while flights "remain available". border tensions between israel and the iranian—backed lebanese group hezbollah are intensifying. hezbollah and allied palestinian factions have been trading daily cross borderfire. hezbollah said two of its fighters were killed on wednesday and another was wounded. the border skirmishes have raised concerns in israel that it could face a two—front war. mia alberti, a freelance journalist in beirut, gave us details on the developments at the israel—lebanon border. well, as you mentioned, we've been seeing daily clashes, and today was not an exception. and we have seen hezbollah saying that it has fired some anti—tank missiles into these border regions on the other side of the border, in northern israel, and also hamas claiming the launch of 20 rockets into israeli territory. it appears that some of these rockets have hit, have caused actually injuries. according to the israeli ambulance services, three israelis have been

injured in these latest attacks. so again another day, it's now 12 days since hezbollah and israel have been almost nonstop exchanging this fire across the border. we have seen casualties on both sides. we have at least 13 hezbollah members so far confirmed by that group, and now again israeli civilians or idf members, we don't know yet, killed — excuse me, injured — in this attack. and so again another day of a lot of tension that for the lebanese, it's a huge risk. even a miscalculation could just bring the rest of the country into a war with israel. that's the real fear in lebanon at the moment. and, mia, that is the question. how much could things ratchet up at that border where you are? well, that's the million—dollar question, almost. i mean, this is what everyone is asking themselves, and this is what's weighing on people's minds, if they should leave

or if they should stay in lebanon. we just heard from the iranian ambassador in lebanon. he met with the french ambassador here in lebanon as well during thursday afternoon, and he said that the diplomatic efforts to stop the beginning of a new front in this war and "the entry of others" — this was a direct quote — actually should be diverted not to that but to stopping israel continuing to bomb gaza and taking next steps. that's what the iranian ambassador here in lebanon said, so again we see iran hinting that if israel continues to bomb gaza, if israel starts a land incursion into gaza, then iran might respond via hezbollah. now, there are two groups, two schools of thought here in lebanon. one does believe that, yes, hezbollah will attack, will have no choice but to attack if israel does continue this bombing and starts a land incursion into gaza, because, well, it is hezbollah's

identity, isn't it, to stop israeli attacks on palestinians? there is another school of thought that actually believes that iran has more to lose, that hezbollah will be very weakened by entering this war with israel. israel has said that it would attack like it has never before if hezbollah attacks its territories, so hezbollah will be weakened, which is bad for iran, obviously. and the school of thought is saying also that iran is already gaining from this without having to involve hezbollah. we're seeing israel losing its ties with the uae, losing its economic relationship with some of the countries in the arab region, which makes iran's hand stronger in the region as well. so, you see, there's these two very opposed opinions, and at the end of this line is the concern of lebanese on the ground. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. bbc news — bringing you different

stories from across the uk. on a glorious day in birmingham, archers of all ages and abilities are falling in love with the sport, which is exactly what jamila bea wanted to achieve when she set up the crescent arches a year ago. she's been overwhelmed by the response. it's been phenomenal. it has been really, really positive. we've had women who are in their 60s take part, which is absolutely fantastic. we've seen bonds form between relations, father and son, mother and daughter. and it's become a really—family oriented sport. they've been supported by archery gb and the commonwealth games legacy programme, but it's an established local club, andulas archers, who have beenjust as important for advice and support. the two clubs had come together for this session to raise funds for the victims of the moroccan earthquake. the rise of crescent archers is already impressive. spreading the word still further is their next target. for more stories from across the uk, head to the bbc news website.

you're live with bbc news. with the israel gaza war heading towards its third week, regional diplomatic efforts are continuing. the egyptian president abdul fattah al sisi is hosting king abdullah ofjordan to discuss the crisis. the countries, which have been at peace with israel for many years, there are pictures here of the two men embracing at the start of their meeting, which took place earlier today. two notable absences from that meeting, mahmoud abbas, the palestinian, and alsojoe biden, us president, who was at that summit following that strike on the hospital in gaza. the director of era politics at the washington institute for near east policy gave me his thoughts on the invocations

of president biden not taking part in the summit in person.- of president biden not taking part in the summit in person. yeah, it is not only president _ in the summit in person. yeah, it is not only president biden _ in the summit in person. yeah, it is not only president biden who - in the summit in person. yeah, it is not only president biden who was i not only president biden who was supposed to be there, it was also mahmoud abbas, the president of the palestinian authority, it is available that cannot happen. —— regrettable. in the sense when phone call, the president did secure one of the main objectives, which was the humanitarian convoy starting to move into gaza, but there still remains a number of issues to discuss, and there are great concerns about the popular foment, particularly injordan but also in egypt and throughout the arab world right now, and this is something to discuss when these leaders meat, how we can go forward and maintain our relationship and have them, these countries commit maintain their relationship with israel throughout this crisis, something that is

increasingly important. candid diloma increasingly important. candid diplomacy dampened - increasingly important. candid diplomacy dampened down . increasingly important. candid l diplomacy dampened down what increasingly important. candid - diplomacy dampened down what is expected escalation —— can diplomacy dampened down? i expected escalation -- can diplomacy dampened down?— dampened down? i don't think there is a chance for— dampened down? i don't think there is a chance for a _ dampened down? i don't think there is a chance for a de-escalation - is a chance for a de—escalation right now. this was an unprecedented attack on israel, 0ctober right now. this was an unprecedented attack on israel, october the 7th, and they have decided that they can no longer live next to hamas. it is just too dangerous. and they have to have said, eradicate hamas. i don't think that is going to be possible, but to a degrade the capabilities, what hamas could do, it surprised everyone, there is a real significant chance, however, that the conflict will broaden. we saw what happened after the blast at the hospital, popular outrage. iran wants to broaden this.

i am not sure they are willing to put their proxies like hezbollah all in, but the provocations are increasing on israel's northern border and we are getting closer and closer to something that is more regional. closer to something that is more reuional. , . ., i. regional. david, since we have you here, president _ regional. david, since we have you here, president biden _ regional. david, since we have you here, president biden is _ regional. david, since we have you here, president biden is due - regional. david, since we have you here, president biden is due to - here, president biden is due to address the nation later this evening in the us. why do you think he is doing that? is this part of the effort a year ahead of the election? ., ., �* ~' election? no, i don't think this wednesday — election? no, i don't think this wednesday or— election? no, i don't think this wednesday or loses _ election? no, i don't think this wednesday or loses him - election? no, i don't think this| wednesday or loses him points election? no, i don't think this - wednesday or loses him points with the american electorate. —— wins or loses him. i think he is going to try to have a serious talk with americans about the very raw feelings that so many americans are feelings that so many americans are feeling right now, whetherjewish, weather air american, feeling right now, whetherjewish, weatherairamerican, palestinian weather air american, palestinian american, and weatherairamerican, palestinian american, and talk about the need for us to all be americans and not resort to violence against one another, and this is been an incredibly divisive issue not only

incredibly divisive issue not only in the middle east but i think it is playing out certainly in the uk but also here in the united states —— arab americans. i think that is going to be a key message tonight. deed stories of what happened when the supernova music festival was attacked... one—man head for hours before being rescued. he told me what happened when he tried to escape. what happened when he tried to esca e. ~ ., what happened when he tried to escae, ~ ., ., ,, what happened when he tried to escae. ~ . ., ,, ., escape. what happened for me, as i said, it escape. what happened for me, as i said. it was — escape. what happened for me, as i said, it was like... _ escape. what happened for me, as i said, it was like... there _ escape. what happened for me, as i said, it was like... there was - escape. what happened for me, as i said, it was like... there was a - escape. what happened for me, as i said, it was like... there was a lot i said, it was like... there was a lot of traffic like a bottleneck. then they came to this bottleneck and started shooting everybody. all i could hear was... that is the point i want to stress. they were not

yelling, israelis or zionists or nothing of that sort, they were yelling a word which meansjews. maybe two minutes after, the whole area was flooded with hamas. i heard many shootings. they were shooting, it sounded like a war movie, like a clip from world war ii or something and, at, all i could hear was of the —— allahu akbar, shootings. not many people crying, because i guess they were hiding up until the point they were hiding up until the point they were found and instantly shot, but every time they would find someone,

i could hear them yelling a word which meansjew and shooting. i prayed i would get out of it, the doomsday scenario in israel. i did not know what is going on outside, so, and ijust prayed to have a quick death or to be saved, of course, but i was really sure there was no chance.— course, but i was really sure there was no chance. how are you saved, then, in was no chance. how are you saved, then. in the — was no chance. how are you saved, then, in the end? _ was no chance. how are you saved, then, in the end? how— was no chance. how are you saved, then, in the end? how did - was no chance. how are you saved, then, in the end? how did you getl then, in the end? how did you get out of that situation? i then, in the end? how did you get out of that situation?— out of that situation? i heard what i wished out of that situation? i heard what i wished for _ out of that situation? i heard what i wished for at _ out of that situation? i heard what i wished for at a _ out of that situation? i heard what i wished for at a certain _ out of that situation? i heard what i wished for at a certain point. - out of that situation? i heard what i wished for at a certain point. i i i wished for at a certain point. i heard hebrew and i heard people singing in hebrew, is there anyone here? so then i took the chance, because some of them also speak hebrew, but i had to take the chance, because there was so much noise, and ifi chance, because there was so much noise, and if i want to take the

chance someone is going to come for me, i got out of my hideout and i ran through the direction where i heard a voice, and fortunately i saw israeli soldiers. they got me out. and then there were no army vehicles to get us out of there. and my father, who is a real hero, he drove and arrived safely somehow, and he was there. that is how we were able to get me and five other survivors out of the area.— out of the area. magen, that must have been — out of the area. magen, that must have been such _ out of the area. magen, that must have been such a _ out of the area. magen, that must have been such a relief _ out of the area. magen, that must have been such a relief to - out of the area. magen, that must have been such a relief to see - out of the area. magen, that must| have been such a relief to see your father there at that moment? it was a relief, father there at that moment? it was a relief. but — father there at that moment? it was a relief, but it _ father there at that moment? it was a relief, but it was _ father there at that moment? it was a relief, but it was a _ father there at that moment? it was a relief, but it was a short _ father there at that moment? it was a relief, but it was a short relief, - a relief, but it was a short relief, because once i got in the car and started driving, i saw so many

bodies, so much destruction. i think i maybe saw more than 100 bodies laying on top of each other in a long line of cars, or the bottleneck was. it was a horrible scene. it is unimaginable. —— where the bottleneck was. the damage... there was so much damage... bottleneck was. the damage... there was so much damage. . ._ bottleneck was. the damage... there was so much damage... magen, how are ou doinu was so much damage... magen, how are you doing now? — was so much damage. .. magen, how are you doing now? it— was so much damage... magen, how are you doing now? it has _ was so much damage... magen, how are you doing now? it has been _ was so much damage... magen, how are you doing now? it has been nearly - you doing now? it has been nearly two weeks. it is still clearly very raw and there is still an ongoing conflict, so how are you doing, day to day? i conflict, so how are you doing, day to da ? ., , ., conflict, so how are you doing, day toda? ., to day? i hoped that once i get home, everything _ to day? i hoped that once i get home, everything would - to day? i hoped that once i get home, everything would be - to day? i hoped that once i get - home, everything would be normal, but then i found out that i was in

the event that started much bigger problem, and also so many people were slaughtered... actually, death was the best outcome. like, there were so many fades more horrible, so i feel like were so many fades more horrible, so ifeel like i am blessed were so many fades more horrible, so i feel like i am blessed and ifeel like i am blessed and god really saved me, and all i have to say is, thank you, to my god that none of my close friends died, i was not physically hurt, but so many of my friends and family members died

and friends... i met one guy that survived, it was his birthday, and he came with 30 friends and 28 died, all his friends in the world. what can you say to this man? there was nothing to be said, but it made me feel horrible stop now i feel i am really strong, but every day that passes, it is more difficult, i have to say. passes, it is more difficult, i have to sa . , ., , passes, it is more difficult, i have tosa. to say. magen, sharing his story of survival there. _ to say. magen, sharing his story of survival there. you _ to say. magen, sharing his story of survival there. you are _ to say. magen, sharing his story of survival there. you are watching i to say. magen, sharing his story of. survival there. you are watching bbc news. hundreds of people are being advised to leave their homes in parts of scotland as storm babet closes in bringing what is being described as exceptional rainfall. the met office has warned that some communities could be cut off for several days by severe flooding. heavy rain is already sweeping its way through parts of northern and eastern scotland and a red weather warning has just come into force — which means a risk to life.

the warning covers aberdeenshire and angus and will stay in place until midday tomorrow. around 350 residents living in the town of brechin have already been advised to leave their homes. 0ur correspondent fiona trott is in brechin for us this evening. the sea — sending a signal five hours before the red warning comes into effect. stonehaven is used to storms, but not like this. i think it's way over what it used to be. i don't remember this as much when i was young. i mean, i grew up here and it does seem to be a lot worse, these storms. and it almost every year, every year round about now, you get some big storm. we've seen some big storms but nothing with the froth like this. it's notjust here in stonehaven where they are protecting their property. here in brechin, it's a race against time for chris. it's bricks and mortar at the end of the day, somebody can't take it off you.

a river can take it off you. that can take it away from you. what's going through your mind knowing this might be happening in the next few hours? well, this was a retirement project. and i'mjusta bit... it'sjust not happening, is it? it's not happening. at paul and kim's house, just moments later, the official warning comes through. they are instructing people to leave their houses. i'm not going. are you going to? yeah, oh, aye. i'm not. i'm not leaving my dog, i i am not doing this again. no way! i'm not going. a tough conversation. and this isjust one family in one town. will they and others heed the advice? we are not going to be able to eliminate the disruption, i'm afraid there will be significant disruption given the amount of heavy rainfall that is likely to fall. but we want to first of all prioritise people's welfare, and the way people can do

that is listen to the advice, particularly in that red weather warning area, and the most important thing you can do is listen to the advice about travel. so if you are in the red warning area, do not travel. is this what they could be facing? parts of ireland have already been flooded. this is middleton in county cork yesterday, a town completely submerged. back here in brechin, they are bracing themselves. this road is already turning into a river and the red weather warning has onlyjust come into effect. fiona trott, bbc news, angus. before we leave you this hour, let's bring you the live pictures from gaza this evening. you can see gaza at night here. and let'sjust remind you of the latest news coming from the region. egyptian state media is reporting that the rafah crossing into gaza will be opened for several hours on friday, to allow the delivery of desperately needed aid.

that is coming from... meanwhile, israel's defence minister yoav gallant has told troops stationed on the border with gaza to be ready ahead of an expected ground offensive. christian is up next, but here is the weather with chris. hello. storm babet is bringing some extreme rainfall to the uk. the met office have issued a rare top level red weather warning for rain affecting aberdeenshire, angus, dundee, perth and kinross. it's for these areas that we'll probably see the most severe weather impacts. it's not the only place that babet will cause big problems. northern and eastern scotland, the cheviots, the peaks, the pennines, north wales, the rainfall accumulations — ie the rain building up over the next day or two — could also bring some severe flooding. now, babet essentially is this area of low pressure. it's getting blocked from moving by this blocking area of high pressure over scandinavia. the weather front�*s become stationary, bringing torrential rain, and in the lowest mile of the atmosphere, we've got a low level jet that's just slamming the rainfall into the eastern

mountains in scotland. so for communities within this amber weather warning area, there could be some severe flooding. but in this more concentrated zone, where we've got the red weather warning in force, well, the flooding may be so extreme that communities get completely cut off. and that's all thanks to up to 250 millimetres of rain. well, to put that in context, the scottish 24—hour rainfall record currently stands at 238. so this could be unprecedented rainfall for scotland. eitherway, overnight, the rain is going to be torrential in scotland, with impacts just increasing hour by hour. the rain getting a lot heavier as well for england, wales and for northern ireland, too. 0n into friday's forecast, very gradually, you should start seeing improvements in the weather across scotland, but even long after it's stopped raining, all of that water will still be coming down the river catchments, and so some communities, the flooding will get far worse before it gets better, even long after the rain has stopped. and then the focus starts to shift further southwards.

scottish borders, the cheviots, peaks, the pennines, north wales — these areas could see rainfall heavy enough to bring some locally severe flooding as well through friday, friday night and into the first part of saturday. so there will be further impacts as we look at the weather forecast into this weekend, thanks to storm babet. so, babet is going to be bringing some big weather impacts. we are going to see some flooding. it's quite likely to be severe, widespread in places, and disruption is expected to transport and power. keep up to date with the flood warnings online.

hello, i'm christian fraser. you're watching the context on bbc news. this is our darkest hour. it is the world's darkest hour. we need to stand together and we need to win. palestinians are victims of what hamas has done. it is important that we continue to provide humanitarian access.

and that this is the situation now that the... bunker, bunker! we're going to the... rockets are coming! go, go, go! rishi sunak says the uk stands with israel, but the war in gaza he says must follow international law. there are 20 trucks of much needed aid still waiting to cross from egypt. the un says gaza "is on the brink", with over 100 trucks needed every day, to support 2 million palestinians. the hospitals say they are overwhelmed, but without means to treat thousands of wounded patients. as anaesthetic, painkillers, and fuel runs out. meanwhile, israel is revising upwards the number of hostages held in gaza to 203. the defence minister said his troops today but they will soon see the

inside.