for a humanitarian pause in the fighting. i'm tanya beckett in london. also this hour... so—called crypto king sam bankman—fried is found guilty of fraud and money laundering. and rishi sunak sits down with tech billionaire elon musk to talk about the future of artificial intelligence. there will come a point where no job is needed. you can have a job if you want to have a job, for personal satisfaction, but the ai will be able to do everything. hello, i'm anna foster. this is bbc news live from jerusalem. the israeli military says its ongoing ground offensive has now "completed the encirclement of gaza city" — the most densely populated part of the palestinian territory before its war with hamas began last month. the israel defense forces says

close—quarter combat has seen fierce fighting with gunmen as they target outposts, headquarters and other hamas infrastructure. with the fighting intensifying there's been strongly worded criticism of the humanitarian situation emerging from the united nations. seven human rights experts have said that they believe that the palestinian people in gaza are at grave risk of genocide , and that time is running out to prevent this. israel accused them of repeating hamas propaganda. meanwhile the us secretary of state, antony blinken, is back in israel for his second visit to the region since the war began. he plans to talk to israeli officials about how to pursue their military and security goals in gaza while limiting civilian casualties. and people across the region are waiting to hear from the leader of the lebanese islamist group, hezbollah. his speech in the comming hours will be closely watched, and could have huge consiquences for the conflict. our gaza correspondent rushdi abualouf gave us

the latest from on the ground. the fighting is in five different areas in gaza city and the north, where the israeli ground operation has been expanding yesterday for a bit. and fighting is going on in the north west part of gaza, where the biggest incursion is going on about five, six kilometers. the israeli army is engaging with guns, but with gunfire and from air, sea and land with the hamas militants. the group has issued statement by statement since yesterday saying that they are fighting the israeli army using anti—tank missiles. also, the air were continue overnight, especially around the al-quds hospital in the neighborhood called tel al—hawa. it's south west of gaza city, where the israeli army keep calling the people inside. about 14,000 people who are taking the hospital as shelter. they ask them to leave the area

as well as 100 patients like the hospital said eight of them were connected to the life—saving machine and they said it's impossible to move them because most of the road around the hospital is damaged. and also the area where the hospital is is now one of the five areas that has experienced heavy fighting with the hamas militants with about 500 metres away from the from the hospital. and israel is in control of both lines. the salahadin road, which the main access to gaza and the north, and the al—rasheed road, which is also known as the coastal road. so access in and out of gaza extremely difficult. sometimes people are risking their life to leave this area to the southern area. i saw footage yesterday filmed by an ambulance driver in the area. cars were burned behind the road. buildings were collapsing. heavy gunfire in the area.

real, real war in this area in the coastal side of gaza city. that's rushdi abualouf, our correspondent there in gaza. attempts are continuing to get as much food and aid as possible into gaza, the amount coming in in the first four weeks or so of this war, humanitarian organisation so it is not enough to meet the needs of people who are displaced from their homes in gaza. joining me now is sam bloch from world central kitchen. we

joining me now is sam bloch from world central kitchen.— world central kitchen. we have a convo of world central kitchen. we have a convoy of trucks _ world central kitchen. we have a convoy of trucks heading - world central kitchen. we have a convoy of trucks heading to - world central kitchen. we have a| convoy of trucks heading to rafah right now with food to get across the rafa border and into our partners in gaza, they are there serving hot meals and meal kits since the day the war began, and so we have been working hand—in—hand with them to get notjust aid but the rite aid in the right quantities to the right people, and they have been doing an absolutely heroicjob up been doing an absolutely heroicjob up there. our team been doing an absolutely heroicjob up there. ourteam here been doing an absolutely heroicjob up there. our team here in cairo is supplying everything that they need, and working with the bottleneck of the rafah crossing, we have been working to get the most concentrated type of aid across so that we are not just sending type of aid across so that we are notjust sending random things, but the right condensed aid, and at world central kitchen we are focused on proper meals, so we are starting to work with some of the shelters up there to see where it is that they can start cooking for themselves. it

is interesting you say that, and we are watching live pictures from the rafah crossing. we know that as you were just saying just getting aid in there is enormously difficult, but you were saying that you have also been feeding some seriously injured palestinian patients who have come out of gaza and are being treated in field hospitals in egypt. what kind of condition are those people in who you are helping there? it is of condition are those people in who you are helping there?— you are helping there? it is hard to net you are helping there? it is hard to get information _ you are helping there? it is hard to get information in _ you are helping there? it is hard to get information in sinai, _ you are helping there? it is hard to get information in sinai, it - you are helping there? it is hard to get information in sinai, it is - get information in sinai, it is strict security out there and it will probably that way for a little while. ourteams will probably that way for a little while. our teams are doing everything possible, really preparing for what they need could become, both in sinai and in gaza for a long time to come. and just give us an idea of how much people have left in supplies. it was nearly a week ago that we saw people

breaking into un warehouses in gaza, just to take the basics of life, things like wheat and flour. what are food supplies like there? fiur are food supplies like there? our artners are food supplies like there? our partners have — are food supplies like there? oi" partners have served well are food supplies like there? qij' partners have served well over 2 million meals with supplies that were already in gaza, just with what was there. they are being extremely resourceful. they procured an entire fish farm, and they have long—standing relationships with the farmers so they have been harvesting all the crops, but as of the last week they have been really running low on absolutely everything, even their food low on absolutely everything, even theirfood packaging low on absolutely everything, even their food packaging to deliver these hot meals has run out and they have resorted to wrapping food in aluminium foil to get it distributed out to the shelters. so they are doing the best that they can, hopefully with our convoy going up now, the timing will work out where

they can continue their great work with all the supplies we are sending in from cairo. with all the supplies we are sending in from (aim-— in from cairo. sam, thank you for “oininu in from cairo. sam, thank you for joining us- _ in from cairo. sam, thank you for joining us- sam — in from cairo. sam, thank you for joining us. sam bloch _ joining us. sam bloch from world central kitchen in cairo. as we have been reporting this morning, us secretary of state antony blinken is making his second visit to israel since those hamas attacks on the 7th of october. israel began its retaliatory offensive in gaza. his trip will focus on measures to minimise harm to civilians in the gaza strip. ahead of his departure, blinken said he would seek "concrete measures" from israel to ensure that harm to palestinian civilians is reduced, as us presidentjoe biden also called for humanitarian pauses in the conflict. blinken will also hold talks injordan. joining me now is dr azriel bermant who's a senior researcher at the institute of international relations prague. he joins us from jerusalem.

welcome to bbc news, and thank you so much for your time this morning. there are a lot of different things on the agenda for benjamin netanyahu and antony blinken to talk about today. what do you think the most pressing issues will be? this today. what do you think the most pressing issues will be?— pressing issues will be? this is antony blinken's _ pressing issues will be? this is antony blinken's third - pressing issues will be? this is antony blinken's third visit - pressing issues will be? this is l antony blinken's third visit since this war began, and as you mentioned, first of all you will want to reassure israel, pledged his full support for israel's right to use self defence in the wake of the most appalling attacks by hamas on october the 7th against israeli civilians and soldiers. but as you mentioned, he agreed to talks. benjamin netanyahu may be inclined

to agree to a humanitarian pause, this might be a pause for a number of hours in the fighting to allow humanitarian assistance in four civilians to be able to go through the rafah crossing and also for time to negotiate the release of hostages, so there are some 240 hostages, so there are some 240 hostages now, israeli hostages in gaza, including dual nationals, so this is also an opportunity to deal with ameliorate, to sort of reduce and minimise harm to the civilians in gaza and also to try and find a negotiated solution to the hostage situation. it

negotiated solution to the hostage situation. , . , . ., situation. it is a difficult and delicate path _ situation. it is a difficult and delicate path to _ situation. it is a difficult and delicate path to tread, - situation. it is a difficult and i delicate path to tread, because situation. it is a difficult and - delicate path to tread, because the us has repeatedly backed israel's right to defend itself but it has also talked about the need to protect civilians, and what we have seen over the last two or three weeks since the military action really intensified, those two things at times appear mutually exclusive. the problem when you are dealing with the islamic state in iraq, for example, is that you have terrorists who operate within civilian areas and use civilians as human shields. they place their military infrastructure in schools or hospitals, and hamas has no problem whatsoever if civilians are caught up whatsoever if civilians are caught up in these attacks, because they this against israel. and at the same

time, of course, israel has to adhere to international law, to abide by international standards, so it has to do everything it possibly can to minimise civilian casualties. but this isn't easy when you are dealing with an organisation which operates from civilian areas. and at the same time, i think the americans will try to use whatever persuasion they can with israel, and try to allow as much humanitarian assistance into gaza as possible, and to pause the fighting so that more civilians can get out of harm's way. let's also just reflect for a moment on the wider regional expectations here, and that again is something antony blinken was reflecting on as

he boarded the plane in the us, and again a large part of what he is doing here is try to stop this spiralling into a larger regional war, isn't it?— spiralling into a larger regional war, isn't it? , ., ., war, isn't it? yes, we have had the houthis in — war, isn't it? yes, we have had the houthis in iran _ war, isn't it? yes, we have had the houthis in iran and _ war, isn't it? yes, we have had the houthis in iran and firing _ war, isn't it? yes, we have had the houthis in iran and firing missiles l houthis in iran and firing missiles which were thankfully intercepted, but you also have hezbollah which is a proxy supported by iran, which has been firing rockets in the north and attacking israeli soldiers, and there is a danger that the secretary general of will be giving this widely anticipated speech, and the worrying development is that we have had reports of syria's president, bashar al assad,

had reports of syria's president, basharal assad, having had reports of syria's president, bashar al assad, having a readiness to use a russian missile defence system from the wagner russian mercenary group, so that is also a worrying sign. so there is certainly a need for calm heads, and i think he will try to do what he can to persuade israel to hold back, if you like, but israel of course, if it is attacked in the north, does have a right to respond to hezbollah fire. at the same time, israel, it is in their interests to avoid a second front in the north, so it is a very, very volatile situation.— very volatile situation. thank you for “oininu very volatile situation. thank you forjoining us. — very volatile situation. thank you forjoining us, dr— very volatile situation. thank you forjoining us, dr azriel— very volatile situation. thank you forjoining us, dr azriel bermant| very volatile situation. thank you l forjoining us, dr azriel bermant at the institute of international relations prague. around the world and across the uk,

this is bbc news. the north—eastern ukrainian city of kharkiv has come under russian air attack at night time. the mayor of the main city of kharkiv said civilian infrastructure in one district had been hit and a fire had broken out. the regional governor added that the russians were carrying out drone strikes and reported an attack on a settlement. the un says more than 25,000 people have been displaced across myanmar, by a week—long conflict between the ruling military and ethnic insurgents in the north—eastern shan state. reports suggest dozens of military outposts have fallen. the three rebel groups say their goal is to overthrow the military dictatorship. at least one person has been killed in flooding in northern italy. the tuscany region was badly hit by storm ciaran, which swept through north west europe on thursday. the storm brought strong winds and driving rain, forcing the closure of schools,

airports, rail and ferry services. this is bbc news. you're life with bbc news. i'm anna foster here injerusalem. let's talk about the leader of the lebanese shia islamist group hezbollah, is expected to address his followers on friday, his first public comments since the israel—hamas war broke out. hassan nasrallah's speech is likely to indicate the group's next moves, as its fighters and the israeli army are engaged in intense attacks on the lebanon—israel border. that has been going on for several weeks now. it has raised fears the area could become another front in the conflict. i spent several weeks on the northern border going to some of those now evacuated communities who live there. one of those is maryam

younis. she was born in lebanon but had to leave the country aged five and settled in northern israel. her late father was a commander in the southern lebanese army fighting against hezbollah but she says she remembers a normal childhood despite living through a conflict. i asked her if she believes things will get out of control on the northern border. i believe that there is a reason why the countries bring here the hard army. you know, the big guns. i don't think it's for no reason. ijust don't know how it will happen and where exactly it will happen. but i do think that we are headed toward a really big change in the middle east. this i'm in favour of it, to be honest, because i really want to find a solution to this not only conflict, but also as a lebanese, i wish to have peace with lebanon

because i do believe that both nations want peace and can really have great connections with each other, economically, touristically and so on. so, yes, i do. i do think that something will happen. ijust not sure how, and how bad it's going to be. is there a sense of fear, you know, from people around here, people in the north, are people worried? i don't think we are worried, really, because, again, we lived through 2006. so now it feels that as long as its quiet, nothing will happen. i think also people understand that maybe hezbollah doesn't really want to get into a war currently. and we feel very safe with the fact that the usa is with us, the uk supporting israel. so i feel like people are still not completely worried. we'rejust on edge.

that's maryam unis, one of the many people i met along the border where these exchanges of fire have continued. these exchanges of fire have continued-— these exchanges of fire have continued. �*, ., ., ., our middle east correspondent, hugo bachega. why is the fact that hassan nasrallah is about to speak so important in this conflict? well, he is the influential _ important in this conflict? well, he is the influential leader _ important in this conflict? well, he is the influential leader of - is the influential leader of hezbollah which is a powerful organisation here in lebanon, and he has remained silent since this war between israel and hamas broke out, so a lot of people here and across the region are waiting to see what he is going to say. this speech is expected to happen in about three and a half hours from now, at 3pm here in lebanon. and i think a lot of people will be closely monitoring

this speech to see any kind of sign, any indication of what hezbollah is going to do next. we have seen that over the last few weeks, those cross—border attacks between hezbollah here in lebanon and the israeli military have intensified. thousands of people have left those villages and towns along the border, not only here in lebanon but in israel. so i think there is a lot of concern that as those attacks escalate, lebanon could be dragged into this conflict. so i think we are looking at perhaps two main possibilities here, first that his brother could declare war —— hezbollah could declare war, and this is the worst case scenario, and unlikely to be the case. the second possibility is that we are going to see a very strong speech by hassan nasrallah against israel, probably against the americans as well who have been supporting israel in this war, and that could lead to an

escalation of the violence there along the border, and i think this is perhaps the most likely possibility. this is according to people who know hezbollah, who have been talking to experts, who have some contact and some knowledge about what hezbollah is planning to do. i think what is interesting is that yesterday hezbollah claimed it had launched in 19 simultaneous attacks on israeli targets. we haven't had independent confirmation of that, but if this is the case, this marks the most intense wave of attacks from hezbollah on israeli targets. so the escalation is already happening along the border, but so far the violence has been contained to those places along the lebanon israel border. and. contained to those places along the lebanon israel border.— contained to those places along the lebanon israel border. and, hugo, he is this totemic — lebanon israel border. and, hugo, he is this totemic figure. _ lebanon israel border. and, hugo, he is this totemic figure. we _ lebanon israel border. and, hugo, he is this totemic figure. we have - is this totemic figure. we have already seen the preparations taking place for hezbollah followers to witness this speech on big screens.

i wonder how much of what hassan nasrallah says today will have been decided by him, and how much is he working at the behest of iran. i think this is the big question here, because iran is obviously the common player when you look at what is happening here in lebanon, but also what is happening in syria, in iraq and even in yemen, because iran supports the so—called axis of resistance, and hezbollah is the main player of this alliance. it is the strongest military force. but this alliance also includes president bashar al—assad in syria, militias in iraq and who houthis. a lot of people think that any kind of major decision will inevitably have the blessing of iran. but i think because of the size and because of

the importance of hezbollah here in lebanon, they do have the ability to act independently and make their own decisions, and i think again, hezbollah is not only this massive military force, but is also a very powerful military and social organisation here in lebanon. it is obviously described as a terrorist organisation by the us, by the uk and many other countries. and don't forget that in 2006, before a devastating war with israel —— it fought a devastating war with israel, and the fear here is of history repeating itself. hugo, thank yon _ joining us now on the line is the bbc�*s north america correspondent anthony zurcher. he is travelling with secretary of state antony blinken. what do we know about the plans for today and the conversation heard that he will be having behind closed doors?

antony blinken is in the midst of a series_ antony blinken is in the midst of a series of— antony blinken is in the midst of a series of meetings with israeli officials — series of meetings with israeli officials. he met with prime minister— officials. he met with prime minister benjamin netanyahu for about— minister benjamin netanyahu for about an — minister benjamin netanyahu for about an hour. that meeting concluded about 30 minutes ago. he is currently _ concluded about 30 minutes ago. he is currently meeting with the entire israeii _ is currently meeting with the entire israeii war— is currently meeting with the entire israeli war cabinet, and after that he is _ israeli war cabinet, and after that he is going — israeli war cabinet, and after that he is going to have a meeting with isnac— he is going to have a meeting with isaac hertzog, the israeli president. i think throughout these meetings, — president. i think throughout these meetings, mr lincoln has told us that he _ meetings, mr lincoln has told us that he is— meetings, mr lincoln has told us that he is going to be stressing first of— that he is going to be stressing first of all— that he is going to be stressing first of all his support for israel but also — first of all his support for israel but also that israel needs to take responsible steps, concrete steps, to limit _ responsible steps, concrete steps, to limit civilian casualties in gaza — to limit civilian casualties in gaza he _ to limit civilian casualties in gaza. he is also working on ensuring that american hostages are released, and americans in gaza who want to leave _ and americans in gaza who want to leave can — and americans in gaza who want to leave can. and he says he wants to try to _ leave can. and he says he wants to try to lay— leave can. and he says he wants to try to lay out — leave can. and he says he wants to try to lay out a framework with the israeiis _ try to lay out a framework with the israeiis and — try to lay out a framework with the israelis and their partners that he is going _ israelis and their partners that he is going to — israelis and their partners that he is going to meet tomorrow and on sunday. _ is going to meet tomorrow and on sunday. a — is going to meet tomorrow and on sunday, a framework for a lasting and durable peace, beyond just the immediate conflict, that there has to he _ immediate conflict, that there has to be some sort of pathway from

where _ to be some sort of pathway from where we — to be some sort of pathway from where we are now to a two state solution, _ where we are now to a two state solution, and insurances that this sort of— solution, and insurances that this sort of violence doesn't happen again — sort of violence doesn't happen aaain. ., ~' ,, sort of violence doesn't happen aaain. . ,, i. ., sort of violence doesn't happen aaain. . ,, ., ., , again. thank you for “oining us, anthony who h again. thank you for “oining us, anthony who is h again. thank you forjoining us, anthony who is travelling - again. thank you forjoining us, anthony who is travelling with l again. thank you forjoining us, i anthony who is travelling with the us secretary of state. various meetings happening throughout the day today about the ongoing israeli military action in gaza, also about the humanitarian situation as well. it will be interesting to see after having resisted so far because for some kind of humanitarian pause or ceasefire, whether there is something that antony blinken can negotiate. and he goes from israel to jordan, negotiate. and he goes from israel tojordan, really looking at negotiate. and he goes from israel to jordan, really looking at the tojordan, really looking at the wider regional issue in the middle east. stay with us here on bbc news. hello there. further bouts of rain will continue to be a concern for those affected by flooding in the days ahead. we also will have some dry and clearance spots as well. take today. this is the swirl of

what was left off storm ciaran, clearing away, easing off. this will bring some heavy rain to england and wales tomorrow, but in between you will notice that clear a window, which is with most of us. it won't be completely dry, there will be scattering showers but some will stay dry throughout the day. the biggest exception will be the north and north—east of scotland, a band of rangers pushing its way westwards on what will still be fairly strong winds. the wind is certainly down on those destructive ones we saw yesterday. afternoon temperatures close to where we should be at this stage in november. going through tonight, that cloud and rain across scotland continuing to fizzle out, and does storm ciaran, and at the same time, that bank of cloud will bring persistent rain to south wales and south—west england. by the end of the night, with strengthening winds towards the south. mild enough in the south, but chile further north, and a bit of a north—south split tomorrow. this area of low pressure will bring strong winds to france and across spain, still close

to the channel islands, and the gale is hampering the clean—up. a band of rain sweeps its way northward, followed by sunshine and some very lively showers which could cause minor flooding lively showers which could cause minorflooding issues. sussex and kent particularly, but scotland and northern ireland a quieter day on saturday, and clear skies going into saturday, and clear skies going into saturday night if you have any plans, but lots of cloud for england and wales, heaviest in the far south—east of england. this area of low pressure from saturday eases away into the north of the sunday, and then it is fact that quieter window again, so drier conditions, especially across central and eastern areas, a few showers possible, showers most likely across the western half of the country through the day, some of those on the heavy and thundery side, and around the coast again there could be some locally rather large rainfall totals. that leads us into sunday night of course, bonfire night. if you do have any plans for the evening, it does look like they

will be some clearer spells, certainly compared with saturday. showers are most frequent in the west.

this is bbc news. the headlines... israel's military says it has surrounded gaza city and has been attacking hamas infrastructure. us secretary of state anthony blinken

arrives in israel to push for a �*humanitarian pause' in the fighting. so—called �*crypto king' sam bankman—fried is found guilty of fraud and money laundering. and rishi sunak sits down with tech billionaire elon musk to talk about the future of artificial intelligence. there will come a point where nojob is needed. you can have a job if you want to have a job for personal satisfaction. but the ai will do everything. let's stay with our top story. seven mandated us human rights experts say there is a fear that israel's more with hamas could spread. during this conflict,

accusations of war crimes have been made against both sides.