live from southern israel, this is bbc news. israel steps up its air strikes on gaza. the army says it hit 150 hamas targets overnight, releasing video it says shows its tanks entering the territory. translation: the ground forces entered and continued expanding| the ground force operations. infantry, engineering and artillery are accompanied by heavy gunfire. this is the scene live in gaza. our correspondent there — rushdi abualouf — says it's been total chaos. a state of panic, fear and chaos. i have been driving through the city of khan younis this morning. less people, but more panic.

international aid agencies say they struggle to contact their teams inside gaza after most communication networks were cut overnight. and the families of some of the hostages being held in gaza call for the government to do more to bring their loved ones home. hello, i'm anna foster. this is bbc news. we're live in southern israel, and you can hear the continuing israeli bombardment of gaza, you can hear loud firing, gunfire, artillery fire and mortarfire going on through the morning which marks the intensification of israel's bombardment of gaza which started last night will stop with bright flashes and huge explosions lighting up the night sky above the territory.

the israeli army had said it was expanding its ground operations there. a spokesman for the israeli government would not confirm that this heralded the start of a much—anticipated ground offensive against hamas. the armed wing of hamas, which is a recognised terror organisation by the uk and the usa, has said it is involved in violent confrontations with israeli forces in northern and central gaza. there has also been rocket fire from the territory into southern israel. this is the scene live in gaza. the united nations has warned of what it described as an unprecedented avalanche of human suffering there — and the un general assembly called for an immediate humanitarian truce.

when you hear what is happening in the background of southern israel, the background of southern israel, the regular explosions, the bangs and crashes, a humanitarian truce looks a long way away from what is happening at the moment. let me bring you up—to—date with some of the latest of elements we've seen in the latest of elements we've seen in the last few hours. the israeli military so they hit hundred and 50 targets overnight and that might have been tunnels but it's not been specified in israel has not said how it carried out the attacks or if there were any casualties as a result. the israeli defence forces also say they carried out a targeted strike which killed a senior hamas military leader. hamas says its fighters have clashed with israeli troops into parts of gaza, once in the north—east and in the central area of the gaza strip.

and the palestinian red crescent says israeli bombardments have led to phone and internet services being cut off and rescue workers in gaza say hundreds of buildings were destroyed by overnight israeli air strikes. of course, that cut—off of communications has caused real problems for people living and working in gaza. our correspondence has described the scene as total chaos. saying there has been panic everywhere among the civilian population he has been seen. let's hear now from the israel defence forces, whose spokesperson daniel hagari has been talking to the media. translation: in gaza, we are l continuing with the objectives of the war. last night, the ground forces entered and continued expanding the ground force operations. infantry, engineering and artillery are accompanied by heavy gunfire. they're all participating.

this serves the objectives of the war. the idf is continuing with its evaluation in an ongoing way. continuing massively with air strikes and also the sea. during the night, our general security services and the idf targeted killing various senior members of hamas, including one who was a serious, senior official who was responsible for the preparation of the massacre and we have continued killing various brigade officers and others. they are literally the spearhead of the hamas operatives. and we see this as good progress for what we are aiming for against a much more weakened enemy.

live now to gaza, where we can speak to our correspondent rusdhi abualouf. i correspondent rusdhi abualouf. took no communit all, i took no communications. first of all, how are you? —— after a night of no communications. all, how are you? -- after a night of no communications.— of no communications. yes, it's about 13 or— of no communications. yes, it's about 13 or 14 _ of no communications. yes, it's about 13 or 14 hours _ of no communications. yes, it's about 13 or 14 hours that - of no communications. yes, it's about 13 or 14 hours that gaza l of no communications. yes, it's l about 13 or 14 hours that gaza has been without communication, internet or mobile signal. the palestinian health ministerjust issued a statement saying about 400 people were killed overnight in the israeli air strikes in the north. israel say they have expanded their operation, especially in gaza city and in the north here, there were many air strikes overnight with about 20 people killed and about 15 targets around the area. people are really worried since israel has cut all

communication. people cannot communicate with their relatives and their friends communicate with their relatives and theirfriends in communicate with their relatives and their friends in gaza communicate with their relatives and theirfriends in gaza city communicate with their relatives and their friends in gaza city on the north. people are really in panic. i saw people in the streets today, less people in the streets than yesterday and people are afraid of the next stage of the operation and they believe that cutting the communication, this is the first time ever since hamas took over gaza. we have not seen them completely cut the communication with gaza. the humanitarian situation is getting worse and worse with israel not allowing food and medicine and i saw people struggling to find the water and to have to try to find the water and to have to try to find the water and to have to try to find generators to work in the hospital. the medical crews are struggling, the ambulance service has almost shut down since the

morning, since we don't know where to go and communicate with the people after an air strike where they went for the news of people on they went for the news of people on the ground and then they moved quickly to the scene and to the hospitals, so it's a really catastrophic situation. i hospitals, so it's a really catastrophic situation. i am hoping ou can catastrophic situation. i am hoping you can still _ catastrophic situation. i am hoping you can still hear _ catastrophic situation. i am hoping you can still hear me. _ catastrophic situation. i am hoping you can still hear me. i _ catastrophic situation. i am hoping you can still hear me. i know- catastrophic situation. i am hoping you can still hear me. i know you | you can still hear me. i know you are using a satellite phone to hear the questions. how are you managing to find out what is going on in the strip, because we are at the northern end on the israeli side, and we can hear continuing bombardment going on through the morning. what are you hearing about the intensification are the impact it is having on gaza? —— and the impact. communication is extremely difficult. , ., ., , difficult. getting confirmation is extremely difficult. _ difficult. getting confirmation is extremely difficult. there - difficult. getting confirmation is extremely difficult. there is - difficult. getting confirmation is extremely difficult. there is a i difficult. getting confirmation is| extremely difficult. there is a lot of conflicting reporting about what

has happened but we are sure from different sources in the area that there are still some people who who have israeli mobile numbers who could still communicate. i managed to get some information from people in the north—east and the west, the area where israel is expanding the operation. they said they were not aware of any tanks, for the residents are highly populated areas, so most likely the tanks are operating in the border area, 1.5 kilometres from the border area, but what people are noticing is that nonstop israeli air strikes in the area, this but that they have seen this of explosions. huge black and huge fire in the sky. someone told local radio stations here and i was listening to a local radio station someone said it is like hell what happened last night in the north in

gaza. , , . , happened last night in the north in gaza. , ., , ., ., ., ., gaza. just finally for now, how are families like _ gaza. just finally for now, how are families like yours _ gaza. just finally for now, how are families like yours coping? - gaza. just finally for now, how are families like yours coping? as - gaza. just finally for now, how are families like yours coping? as you i families like yours coping? as you have been describing through the conflict, you are not only doing your vital and important reporting for us, but you are there looking after your family and your wife and children as well. how are families like yours coping? sounds like the line... we have lost him there. you can see the phone he is holding to his ear, he was saying there is no indication at all and it is so difficult to actually get communications in gaza at the moment, so you could see him using that satellite phone to hear the conversation, but as we were hearing, he and his colleagues who continue to have that presence in gaza and let us know the vital information about what is continuing to go on there, let's talk about the

situation with the hostages, vitally important in all of this. more than 220 hostages, many of them israeli but various nationalities around the world who are still being held inside gaza at the moment. an enormously typical situation for them and many other families have gathered in tel aviv this morning as well, saying they've spent the night in great anxiety and have a short statement saying that this night was the most terrible of all nights and a long and sleepless night against the backdrop of the major idf operation in the strip and absolute uncertainty regarding the fate of the hostages held there who are also subject to the heavy bombings. and when you see and hear, as we keep referring to the sound of the constant explosions happening here, those families, and friends are enormously concerned about the safety of the hostages and the

safety of the hostages and the safety of the hostages and the safety of their loved ones. they also want, with some urgency, a meeting with the israeli government and they want to meet the israeli prime minister and they have called for a face to face meeting where they want to talk about what is being done to try and secure the release of those hostages. here's noam ben noon, a friend of one of the hostages, 21—year old jonathan samerano, on what he hopes the protest will achieve. we are here today because yesterday's attack by the idf that invaded gaza, and no one is talking to us. we want answers, we want to ask questions of the government. we are afraid for our hostages, ourfamily. we want to bring them home alive. inaudible question in a few hours we expect someone, the prime minister or someone from them, to come and speak

to us, to talk to us, to look at our eyes and answer our questions. and if it won't happen we are going to block the streets and everyone will go out of their houses and we will do a big mess here because this is our only solution for now. nobody from the government talked to you? no—one, we are 21 days here and no one is talking to us, no one is answering questions, no one is explaining anything. we are hopeless for now. i spoke to our correspondence in jerusalem who broke to us up—to—date on the intensification of the israeli bombing campaign in gaza. there no apology for israel as they want to do well to remember what happened as those gunmen stormed over several places in the border fence and kills 1400 people,

sometimes in the most horrific of circumstances which is why israel is doing what it is doing now. this is notjust a military operation against hamas, this is a war against hamas where the end aim is to crush them completely, certainly militarily. no suggestion from his wail that they will take their foot off the pedal. we've seen limited land incursions in the last week and one from the sea —— no suggestion from israel. a small number of israeli troops and vehicles have perhaps gone in for a specific objective and then come out again. what we saw last night was very different, notjust from the air but also on the ground and there is a video that's been released by the israeli army and i don't know if we've seen it yet, but we will see it in the current hours which slows large number of tanks on the ground and heavy armoured support vehicles going in achieve these objectives that the israelis say are again specific hamas targets. there are two interesting points from the briefing. 0ne two interesting points from the briefing. one is that troops are still in the field and continuing the war. does that mean israeli

soldiers are still on the ground inside gaza? perhaps they are establishing advanced bases when more heavy armour comes in and perhaps they are clearing up after what happened last night. both sides, sunny hamas are saying, they inflicted casualties on the israelis and we know from the israeli perspective that they killed, eliminated, i quote, several hamas commanders. and this is part of the israeli narrative that they are targeting specific command structures like the tunnels and hundreds of channels they say and specific hamas leaders. of course the impact of that is in such a densely populated area like gaza, there is considerable collateral damage and huge neighbourhoods completely flattened. thousands of casualties, unofficially now, according to our correspondence, nearly 8000 deaths in gaza, nearly 8000 killed as a result of the israeli operation but we are going to see even more, until the eventual israeli aim of completely crushing hamas as a military force is

achieved. hamas as a military force is achieved-— hamas as a military force is achieved. ~ . , ., , ., achieved. what is the latest on the humanitarian _ achieved. what is the latest on the humanitarian situation? _ achieved. what is the latest on the humanitarian situation? that - humanitarian situation? that statement we got this morning from the idf suggested there would be more aid allowed in this morning but as you touch on there, it's not as much as people in gaza need right now. ., ., ., , much as people in gaza need right now. ., ., .,, ., much as people in gaza need right now. ., ., ., ., now. no, that was almost a footnote to the statement _ now. no, that was almost a footnote to the statement from _ now. no, that was almost a footnote to the statement from the _ now. no, that was almost a footnote to the statement from the israeli - to the statement from the israeli military. they say they are working towards allowing more humanitarian aid in but any suggestion there will be a ceasefire or even a lull in the fighting has been completely rejected by israel. that call—out was made by some countries at the un general assembly, to allow more aid in and open a humanitarian corridor but there is no indication from the israeli side that that is going to be agreed upon and we've heard from the un this morning that 600,000 people are internally displaced in gaza, people told by the israelis to move from their homes in the north towards the southern parts of gaza,

but they are also being bombed and in some cases killed in the israeli shelling and we heard from our correspondent in gaza, and this was definitely, and it's as welcome as a surprise to anybody that this is night of bombing and shelling so far, so the un have found it very difficult to maintain lines of communication with their staff in gaza and the united nations age agency for palestinian refugees which operates in gaza, they normally run schools and hospitals and other facilities but they've lost a lot of their own staff who have been killed so far in this operation and they are really struggling to keep the operations going. struggling to keep the operations anoin. . going. our correspondence with the latest from jerusalem. _ going. our correspondence with the latest from jerusalem. i _ going. our correspondence with the latest from jerusalem. i want - going. our correspondence with the latest from jerusalem. i want to - latest from jerusalem. i want to take you to central london and live pictures of a pro—palestinian protest happening in central london around the area of embankment by the

river thames, around the area of embankment by the riverthames, if around the area of embankment by the river thames, if you know the area. you can see large crowds gathering their and placards and posters and you can see a police presence as well who are in place to accompany that protest, a pro—palestinian protest which is happening in central london at the moment, and similar is planned for the us later, and we have seen similar protests around the arab world as well. people in this region, in the middle east, gathering in support of the palestinian cause. 0ne east, gathering in support of the palestinian cause. one particular note worth mentioning is we've been talking about the humanitarian situation, particularly for civilians in gaza and the international committee of the red cross have released some new pictures this morning and they have said summeraid pictures this morning and they have said summer aid has arrived this morning and we heard from the israel defence forces when they did the morning briefing that aid would be coming through and these are the pictures we see shot at the rafah

crossing this morning which links gaza with egypt, and the red cross sent these pictures through this morning. live now to nibal farsakh, spokesperson for the palestine red crescent society. thank you so much forjoining us. we are seeing pictures there of aid, small amounts of aid arriving in gaza at the moment. i was going to say, what is happening with your operations, but first of all are you able to contact your staff at the moment with these communication blackouts? . ., ., ., blackouts? thanks for having me. for over 18 hours — blackouts? thanks for having me. for over 18 hours now— blackouts? thanks for having me. for over 18 hours now their _ blackouts? thanks for having me. for over 18 hours now their palestine - over 18 hours now their palestine red crescent has been unable to communicate with our colleagues in gaza, even with our operation rooms, ambulance centres as well as our hospitals due to the complete cut of communications, cellularand hospitals due to the complete cut of communications, cellular and line communications, cellular and line communication as well as the internet connection will stop that's why we are extremely worried about

the safety of our medical teams there, our staff there who are obviously conducting their humanitarian role under this intensive bombardment that is taking place all over gaza. what intensive bombardment that is taking place all over gaza.— place all over gaza. what you know, and is course. _ place all over gaza. what you know, and is course, as _ place all over gaza. what you know, and is course, as you _ place all over gaza. what you know, and is course, as you said, - place all over gaza. what you know, and is course, as you said, it's - and is course, as you said, it's been more than 18 hours since you had contact, but the last time you were speaking, what do they have in terms of the resources and equipment they need, because clearly now they will be running short.— will be running short. absolutely. the last thing _ will be running short. absolutely. the last thing they _ will be running short. absolutely. the last thing they mentioned - will be running short. absolutely. the last thing they mentioned is. the last thing they mentioned is that they were extremely worried regarding how much time was left for them to be able to to continue providing life—saving services. they were expecting to run completely out of fuel in the upcoming hours which means we will be completely running out of fuel that we depend on to operate our ambulance services and we also have two hospitals in gaza

and we obviously need to have the city in order to continue operating provide life—saving services for our patients there and we have the patience in the intensive care unit who are connected to life—support machines and those are unfortunately, there are those that will lose their life in the upcoming hours if fuel has not been allowed to get into gaza, because we are literally running out of the fuel which is extremely needed in order to continue providing a magical emergency —— medical services as well as medical services in hospitals, and right now there is great concern regarding our team and how they are able to continue providing emergency medical services in gaza because of this communication that people are now unable to call ambulance services in

gaza, so patients are unable to communicate with the ambulance service and i assumed my team now are working in the traditional way, trying to follow the sound of bombardments to reach the wounded people as fast as they can. obviously this cut of communication obviously this cut of communication is hindering their response time and making it harderfor them to reach wounded people. let's please remember that there are many emergency cases, we are talking about 5500 women who are expecting to give birth this month and if they need to call an ambulance service, they are now unable to do that and that obviously will put their life at risk due to this intense bombardment taking place all over gaza, and obviously they are unable to communicate.— gaza, and obviously they are unable to communicate. thank you so much. i really appreciate _ to communicate. thank you so much. i really appreciate you _

to communicate. thank you so much. i really appreciate you joining _ to communicate. thank you so much. i really appreciate you joining us, - really appreciate you joining us, from the palestine red crescent society. i wanted to make sure we also had time to talk more about the situation for charity and support workers in gaza. tanya haj—hassan is a paediatric intensive care and humanitarian doctor with medecins sans frontieres. i know you have been in contact regularly with colleagues there and you are also out of touch with them now. ., , . you are also out of touch with them now. . , . ., . , you are also out of touch with them now. . , . h, now. that is correct. there is a complete _ now. that is correct. there is a complete blackout _ now. that is correct. there is a complete blackout in _ now. that is correct. there is a complete blackout in the - now. that is correct. there is a complete blackout in the gaza | now. that is correct. there is a - complete blackout in the gaza strip. we were unable to communicate with any of the medical professionals there since about 615 or so uk time yesterday and it is very concerning. we were hearing their about the problem is that a lack of communication causes as well when it comes to medical care and how vital thatis, comes to medical care and how vital that is, to be able to know what is going on and find people who need to know what is going on and find people who need you. let

know what is going on and find people who need you.- know what is going on and find people who need you. let me 'ust settle some fl people who need you. let me 'ust settle some context i people who need you. let me 'ust settle some context here. i people who need you. let me 'ust settle some context here. web people who need you. let me just - settle some context here. we started going to the gaza strip over ten years ago, a group of medics in the uk, and we went because we recognised it was a medical community that was already cut off from the rest of the medical world as a consequence of this 16 year long siege and 75 year long occupation. what we have witnessed in the last three weeks is a gradual isolation of a population that is already suffocating and struggling to access basic needs of food, health care and medical supplies, even prior to october the 8th, and what we are seeing today, as of yesterday, is a complete blackout with the exception of an illuminated sky with intense, indiscriminate and heavy bombardment of one of the most densely populated areas on earth. we know at least 50% of the population

are children, and we know at least 68%, according to the coordinator of humanitarian affairs from the un are of those dead, of those killed in the gaza strip, are women and children. we know there are at least 3000 names of children and bodies of children that have been killed and so far the statistics have not been updated because there is a complete blackout and we cannot even account for these atrocities as of last night, and that excludes over 900 children in that figure.— children in that figure. thank you so much for— children in that figure. thank you so much forjoining _ children in that figure. thank you so much forjoining us. _ children in that figure. thank you so much forjoining us. i'm - children in that figure. thank you so much forjoining us. i'm so - so much forjoining us. i'm so sorry. we are out of time, i'm so, sorry. we are out of time, i'm so, so sorry but thank you forjoining us. we will continue to follow this story throughout the day on bbc

news. hello there. it is a story we have heard many times before in this october, but the unsettled theme is set to continue. yes, we are likely to see showers are longer spells of rain as we move through the weekend, and it will be quite blustery at times. so, let's take a look at the culprit. still low pressure anchored out to the west, with more of an organised frontal system pushing in to the south—west later on today. that is going to bring some heavy, persistent rain and some gale force gusts of wind on the exposed coast. so, the brighter colours denoting the intensity of that rainfall as it moves its way into south wales, across parts of dorset, up into the south midlands, and towards the capital by the end of the afternoon. elsewhere, it is a case of sunny spells and scattered showers. some of those showers quite persistent to the east of northern ireland and once again into eastern scotland. it is going to be a blustery afternoon as well for many of us,

with gusts of wind to 30, possibly 40 mph at times this afternoon. that easterly wind continuing to feed in the rain off the east coast of scotland. top temperatures, 10—16 at the very best. now, through the night tonight, that rain in the south—west is going to continue to drive its way steadily northwards. a blanket of cloud with it, as well, so the temperatures are going to hold up, but there will be some persistent rain moving through northern ireland, northern england, grinding to a halt across southern scotland for a time. so, on sunday, the next area of concern once again will be across eastern scotland as we continue to see this relentless conveyor belt of wet weather pushing in off the north sea. behind it, a case of sunny spells and scattered showers. most frequent showers perhaps into northern ireland and south and west facing coasts. another blustery day, gusts of winds once again to around 40, possibly 50 mph in the far north—west of scotland. temperatures just above where

they should be for the time of year, but with the showers or the rain around, fairly academic. now, as we move into next week, a little bit of a breather for the beginning of the week before yet more wet weather moves in on wednesday. and then thatjust allows the floodgates to open once again with areas of low pressure waiting in the wings. so, it is going to stay pretty unsettled as we close out october and we start the new month of november. take care.

the deadliest assault in israel's history. shouting and gunfire. so many people are dead and are kidnapped and are hurt that i think israel will never be the same. loud explosion. and the brutal response to hamas and its murderous attack. explosion. israel is stunned by its security failure. this was a mass attack, well—planned, well—equipped. and we failed. we failed to protect our people. siren. in gaza, a growing humanitarian crisis. we are talking about a very disaster situation.