hamas says 15 people have been killed in an explosion at a un—run school. israel says it's investigating the circumstances. the us says up to 400,000 people remain in northern gaza, as israel's ground offensive there continues. the un says no part of gaza is safe. rafah crossing authorites say no foreign passport holders will leave gaza for egypt until the injured people in gaza's hospitals are allowed to travel through the crossing. protests in support of palestinians have been taking place in cities around the world — here in london 11 arrests were made after one such demonstrations attended by thousands. and the met office issues a heavy rain warning for the south and south east of england.

hamas says 15 people have been killed in an explosion at a un run school and israel says it is investigating the circumstances. earlier today, the us found itself diplomatically stuck between the between its arab allies and israel. at a meeting in amman today, arab foreign ministers told us secretary of state antony blinken that there must be an immediate ceasefire in gaza. but mr blinken wants "humanitarian pauses". israel, though, has said there will be no temporary truce until all hostages are released. thejordanian foreign minister ayman safadi said the killing of civilians by israel could not be justified

by its claim of self defence. he said the entire region was sinking into a "sea of hatred" that could define generations to come. translation: the numbers of people who were killed i from civilians in gaza over the last few weeks, including working in relief and journalists cannot be justified any way. and in this regard, we are still asking for an immediate ceasefire and that israel would stop hindering the delivery of humanitarian aid. and we also demand an international investigation for these violations of the international law in this war. and finally, what we are witnessing of an escalation and the human tragedy and suffering of civilians as a result of not addressing the deep root of the problem and to address the rights

of the palestinian rights. i reject any attempts to liquidate the palestinian cause. and i ask that we need to work as soon as possible. for his part, mr blinken reaffirmed us support for humanitarian pauses in fighting. he explained why he rejected calls for an "immediate ceasefire". it's our view that a ceasefire now would simply leave hamas in place, able to regroup and repeat what it did on october 7th. and you don't have to take my word for it. just a few days ago, a senior hamas official said that it was their intent to do october 7th again and again and again.

no nation, none of us, can accept that. no—one would find that tolerable. and so it is important to reaffirm israel's right to defend itself, indeed, its obligation to do so and to take necessary steps so that october 7th and never happen again. but it's also very important the way israel does that. and that's what we've talked to the israeli government about with taking every possible measure to protect human life, to prevent civilian casualties, as well as to ensure that those who are in need have the assistance that they need. that was antony blinken. meanwhile, the united nations palestinian refugee agency says a school it runs for displaced people in gaza was hit today. a spokeswoman, juliette touma, told the bbc that thousands of people were sheltering at the al fakhoura school injabalia

in the north of the territory. hamas says israel carried out the attack. a spokesman for the israeli military said it was investigating but said there had been an exchange of fire. and on friday night, there was an explosion at another school sheltering displaced palestinians. the hamas—run gazan health ministry says at least 12 people were killed. it says the school was bombed by israel. there has been no comment yet from israel. these images show the aftermath of an israeli attack on an ambulance, also on friday. the un and the world health organization condemned the attack. the israel defense forces admitted striking the ambulance, but said the vehicle was being used by hamas to transport fighters. the hamas—run health ministry says 9,488 people have been killed. 1,400 israelis were killed when hamas attacked israel on october 7th.

the vast majority of those killed that day were civilians, many of them slaughtered in their homes. at least 260 were massacred at an outdoor music festival. getting information from gaza is difficult — but our correspondent rushdi abualouf has remained there and has this update. today, israel opened the road, the axis in and out of gaza for the first time since a couple of days since they started the operation, ground operation in gaza. very few people managed to get out of gaza because the main road was was damaged and access for car was almost impossible. but in gaza city, people are starting to flee the heavy fighting around the city. as the israeli ground operation expanded around gaza city from three different directions. the tanks were advancing near gaza city itself, especially the western part of gaza. tonight, again, the israeli air

strikes were intensified around the al-quds hospital and also around the shifa hospital, where many solar panels on the roof of the building around the hospital were targeted from the air. we feel that israel is pushing the civilian population. they are taking the hospital as shelter to flee this place. they bombed tonight, the largest the largest bakery in the place that is feeding most of the bread to the neighbourhood near the shifa hospital, also in the north of gaza strip. fighting was intensified in the northwest part near the coastal road where the hamas militants group saying that they have fired anti—tank missiles and they were engaged in gun battle with the israeli soldiers who are advancing towards the gaza city. here in khan younis,

where about a million people displaced from their houses in gaza city and the north. they live in a very difficult situation with the severe shortage of electricity, food and water. thousands of pro—palestinian supporters have joined demonstrations across the uk. police said around 30 thousand people gathered in central london — lower numbers than some recent protests. police said there were 11 arrests, one of them terrorism—related over a placard. demonstrations were also held other english cities and in scotland, wales and northern ireland. aru na iyengar reports. for the fourth weekend in a row, central london was the meeting point for palestinian protests. police said there would be a sharper focus on guarding against hate crimes, but the atmosphere was peaceful, the main message was a demand for a ceasefire. also present were members of the jewish community. the? ceasefire. also present were members of the jewish community.— of the jewish community. they are not hate marchers, _ of the jewish community. they are not hate marchers, they _ of the jewish community. they are not hate marchers, they are - of the jewish community. they are not hate marchers, they are much| of the jewish community. they are i not hate marchers, they are much is a very positive things. a ceasefire,

justice and equality.— a very positive things. a ceasefire, justice and equality. there are many jewish peeple _ justice and equality. there are many jewish people here, _ justice and equality. there are many jewish people here, many— justice and equality. there are many jewish people here, many of- justice and equality. there are many jewish people here, many of my - jewish people here, many of my jewish— jewish people here, many of my jewish friends are pro—palestinian and want — jewish friends are pro—palestinian and want peace for people who have historically _ and want peace for people who have historically lived together to be able to — historically lived together to be able to live together once in a place — able to live together once in a place as— able to live together once in a place as they can around the world. just looking — place as they can around the world. just looking at everybody, there is such a _ just looking at everybody, there is such a mixture _ just looking at everybody, there is such a mixture of _ just looking at everybody, there is such a mixture of people - just looking at everybody, there is such a mixture of people here. - just looking at everybody, there is such a mixture of people here. i. such a mixture of people here. i think_ such a mixture of people here. i think they— such a mixture of people here. i think theyiust_ such a mixture of people here. i think theyjust want _ such a mixture of people here. i think theyjust want peace. - such a mixture of people here. i think theyjust want peace. thel think they just want peace. the atmosphere — think theyjust want peace. atmosphere here in trafalgar think theyjust want peace— atmosphere here in trafalgar square is peaceful but it is noisy. police have said they will police up to the line of the law, they will be looking at facial recognition and that social media to make sure that there are no m—sport crimes. —— hate crimes. 0ther there are no m—sport crimes. —— hate crimes. other parts of the uk also sell protests. waverley station in edinburgh was brought to a standstill, rail passengers unable to complete theirjourneys. they took to the streets of cardiff and this was the scene in belfast. there is more to come next weekend. there are controversial plans for a mass rally next saturday, the 11th of

november, which is armistice day. the proposed marchers have been criticised by the prime minister rishi sunak as provocative and this respectful. —— this respectful. those were protests taking place here in london, we can cross live to tel aviv now where families of hostages are rallying in front of the headquarters of israel's defence ministry. thousands of people have joined the families of hostages being held by hamas in gaza throughout the afternoon and have staged this protest outside the idf headquarters which is based in tel aviv. us secretary of state antony blinken met with senior israeli figures in the last couple of days and also the israeli military as well have spoken to the families of hostages over the last few weeks as well. here we are, we can see pictures across the city centre,

people holding up pictures of loved ones, of people they believe to be held by hamas as hostages. families and many other people joining them in the city centre there in tel aviv. when hamas attacked israel on october 7th, they killed 1,400 people and took hundreds hostage. the israel defense forces says 241 people are believed to be held in the gaza strip. spokesman daniel hagari says the number is not final as the military investigates new information on those missing since october 7th. the number also does not include four released hostages and an israeli soldier who was rescued by the idf. joining me now, is efrat machikawa — five members of herfamily are being held hostage. thank you very much forjoining me

efrat. a distressing time so thank you for taking time to tell us your story. mostly, can you tell us a little bit about the last time you smoked your family which have little bit about the last time you smoked yourfamily which have now been held hostage? smoked your family which have now been held hostage?— smoked your family which have now been held hostage? thank you for me and for listening _ been held hostage? thank you for me and for listening to _ been held hostage? thank you for me and for listening to this _ been held hostage? thank you for me and for listening to this story. - been held hostage? thank you for me and for listening to this story. i - and for listening to this story. i last spoke to my aunt actually at about 718 pm. i called her because i heard something very wrong is going on and she was in the safe room and she was whispering, she said something is really, very, very wrong and she can hear people around and i asked her where she is, she said she is in the safe room whispering. and i said, ok, you will be safe, may be be better not talk butjust be safe, may be be better not talk but just do be safe, may be be better not talk butjust do remember i love you, i love you, and that is what she answered back, she said, i love you, i love you. we hung up the phone and nothing since then. my aunt is one

of five family members missing, were taken brutally from their houses on saturday morning. but they are part of a community of kibbutz near us and a community means that we know almost everybody there so imagine one of every four people in this community was abducted. so you and i speak, if we have two people next to us, one is gone. and the people there, they are such good people. there are so many humanitarian aid people, just like my uncle for example, who were working all over the world, saving other people after a disaster and helping them to study and to improve their agricultural skills. he was everywhere, in arab countries, christian countries and

north american, south american, everywhere around the world. i think he helped thousands of people to maintain life and to recover catastrophes they went through, thinking that this man, along with the others, is being in such terrible conditions and being taken from home, it is really beyond the capacity to understand the scale of this attack. it is really very hard and think about it, i myself know about 80 people, 80 people, that are gone. not to talk about those we had to bury. so, it's really difficult. it is really very difficult. we really want them back home as soon as possible. aha, really want them back home as soon as possible-— as possible. a clearly very hard time for you — as possible. a clearly very hard time for you and _ as possible. a clearly very hard time for you and your - as possible. a clearly very hard time for you and your family. l as possible. a clearly very hard| time for you and your family. in time for you and yourfamily. in terms of the community, you spoke briefly there about the kibbutz, tell us a little bit about the

qubits that your family were taken from. , , ., , , qubits that your family were taken from. ,, ., , , ., qubits that your family were taken from. ,, ., , , from. kibbutz near us is a very auiet from. kibbutz near us is a very quiet place. — from. kibbutz near us is a very quiet place. a _ from. kibbutz near us is a very quiet place, a very _ from. kibbutz near us is a very quiet place, a very peaceful i from. kibbutz near us is a very i quiet place, a very peaceful place full of good people. you know, many of them volunteer in a project called the road to recovery. i don't think many people know about how many good deeds are being done by those people, those exact people that were taken. the road to recovery is an initiative whether people drive their own cars to the border and take sick palestinians and take them to israeli hospitals for treatment. some of the viewers probably would ask, what is it all about? there is so many good initiatives and those people living on the border, 1.5 kilometres away from gaza, these are the people that did these things. so many people from the 80 abducted near us but the 240 people, they are all innocent,

good people. they were taken brutally, they were killed, they were... it is very hard.- brutally, they were killed, they were... it is very hard. efrat, we are 'ust were... it is very hard. efrat, we are just showing _ were... it is very hard. efrat, we are just showing pictures - were... it is very hard. efrat, we are just showing pictures of i were... it is very hard. efrat, we are just showing pictures of the l are just showing pictures of the footage, what happened essentially after hamas left. the condition in which houses were left. we are looking now at bullet shot wounds, walls burned down to a crisp, the destruction is quite clear from these pictures, cars burnt out. there is a lot of rebuilding to be done there and it must be very hard for your community to group together and think about that, particularly when you still have loved ones missing? it when you still have loved ones missin: ? , when you still have loved ones missina? , . , when you still have loved ones missina? , ., , , when you still have loved ones missina? , , ., when you still have loved ones missina? , . missing? it is really very hard. we are... missing? it is really very hard. we are- -- we — missing? it is really very hard. we are... we were _ missing? it is really very hard. we are... we were educated - missing? it is really very hard. we are... we were educated on i missing? it is really very hard. we | are... we were educated on shared values of growth and goodness and hope. look at me, i mean, whatever

you see in me, you should multiply in all those missing people and everybody is doing their best, first to understand the catastrophe. it is so hard, we went to so many funerals. the quiet, the emptiness, the black hole we are all into. it is really very hard. but there are some very strong people, among them my own brother, who is amazing and with his friends, they are trying so hard to rack and clean whatever was burnt and destroyed in order to think of what is the next step. really, what is most important is that we know we have people under the ground in tunnels, sick people, babies, friends, parents, grandparents, they are all out

there. innocent people were taken and they are out there and all we ask is, please, help us. each one of you, each one of the viewers, each person on this world, please help us bring them back. we need them back home, they are not the people to be held in the condition they are being held. they should be home with us. efrat, it has been for weeks to the day and you mentioned their hope. sorry, i think we might have lost... 0h, sorry, i think we might have lost... oh, no, efrat, you are back. in terms of how you are feeling, hope, we have seen some hostages are released. how are you feeling about the potential of them returning? are you still cling that hope? tote the potential of them returning? are you still cling that hope?— you still cling that hope? we never lose hepe- — you still cling that hope? we never lose house we _ you still cling that hope? we never lose hope. we never _ you still cling that hope? we never lose hope. we never lose - you still cling that hope? we never lose hope. we never lose hope. i you still cling that hope? we never| lose hope. we never lose hope. i... this is a crisis in trust of humanity, i think in a global scale.

it is really hard to find the ray that might bring some optimism into our daily life. we are really struggling but i think we were educated on those values where we see some goodness always and i really do hope we never lose hope. we know they are out there and we know that... i want to know, i want to be sure they will be back. i will never lose hope. i want to hug them, i want to breathe the same air they breathe, i want to feel them with me. i want them back home, that's all that holds us now. we want them back home. . all that holds us now. we want them back home-— back home. efrat, thank you very much for coming _ back home. efrat, thank you very much for coming on _ back home. efrat, thank you very much for coming on to _ back home. efrat, thank you very much for coming on to bbc- back home. efrat, thank you very much for coming on to bbc newsj back home. efrat, thank you very i much for coming on to bbc news and sharing your story with us. i

much for coming on to bbc news and sharing your story with us.— sharing your story with us. i really thank ou sharing your story with us. i really thank you for— sharing your story with us. i really thank you for listening _ sharing your story with us. i really thank you for listening to - sharing your story with us. i really thank you for listening to those i thank you for listening to those personal stories, they are important, they are not numbers, they are good people.— important, they are not numbers, they are good people. thank you very much forjoining us, _ they are good people. thank you very much forjoining us, efrat. _ more now on our top story — the call from arab foreign ministers to the united states' top diplomat antony blinken that there must be an immediate ceasefire in gaza. let's go live now tojerusalem and speak to our diplomatic correspondent paul adams for more on this. paul, that press conference that those foreign ministers gave, it was clearly mixed views there. what can we take away from it?— we take away from it? well, i think one thing we _ we take away from it? well, i think one thing we can _ we take away from it? well, i think one thing we can take _ we take away from it? well, i think one thing we can take away - we take away from it? well, i think one thing we can take away is i we take away from it? well, i think| one thing we can take away is there is not going to be a ceasefire, that's absolutely impossible right now. the united states is essentially sharing israel's objective which is that hamas should be destroyed as a result of this current military operation. privately, i suspect that both the

egyptian and jordanian foreign ministers share also that objective that hamas should be removed from the picture altogether. but of course, the scene is coming from gaza, the dreadful suffering being experienced by palestinian civilians. the extraordinary death toll that climbs every day. all of that means that for an arab audience, this is intolerable and thatis audience, this is intolerable and that is why we hear arab politicians calling for ceasefires, even though they themselves know that that is simply not going to happen. what antony blinken is trying to do is to alleviate the humanitarian consequences of israel's operation, trying to get more aid into the southern gaza strip, tried to persuade the israelis to allow more trucks in. try to make sure that the million or so people who have fled from the northern part of the gaza strip to the south can be looked after in tolerable circumstances, probably not much more than that, and then to try and influence the

way the israelis conduct their operation and that is a very difficult task.— operation and that is a very difficult task. ., ., ~ , ., , difficult task. paul, thank you very much for that _ difficult task. paul, thank you very much for that update. _ difficult task. paul, thank you very much for that update. our - difficult task. paul, thank you very i much for that update. our diplomatic much for that update. 0ur diplomatic correspondent paul adams in jerusalem. in northern ireland, water pumping has started in the flooded areas of downpatrick. several towns in counties down, armagh and antrim were hit by heavy rain this week. but for many businesses it could be a while until they are able to assess the damage on their premises. as our northern ireland environment correspondent, louise cullen, reports. unprecedented, apocalyptic. and now the aftermath. after two days of drier weather, it's time to push the water back. the pumps have been working away for hours here, pumping thousands of litres to kilometres away from here. the water level has receded, but it's been far from a simple operation. the complications that we're

encountering here now, obviously everybody has heard downpatrick is basically in a bowl. so we've got a lot of floodwater that's been draining down the water levels within the coyle river well to quite high. thankfully they are now subsiding. this is as close as nicola mccartan can get to her shop floor. my stock is just floating the boat and it's very hard. we're a family business. we've been here for a hundred years on this. as my grandfather's with we built it up. it's hard for everybody, but we're a lovely community. we're trying our very best. the fire crew are amazing, it's just heartbreaking. and across the road, the local pharmacist is starting his clean up here to the early hours of the morning while they watch their premises getting ruined, while they were trying to save mine, which was, you know, it meant so much to me and to the rest of our staff whenever they all came in the next day. this is one of the main shopping

streets in this market town. and with christmas barely seven weeks away, there's just one wish now on everyone's list. we need help. we need help now. we need...we need...we need someone to come down here and say we need that man that signed the cheques. louise cullen, bbc news in downpatrick. at least 157 people are believed to have been killed in an earthquake in western nepal. the shallow quake of magnitude 5.6 hit the remote hill district of jajarkot, which is about 500 kilometres west of kathmandu. strong tremors were felt in the capital and in indian cities including delhi. hospital officials in jajarkot said they were treating more than 40 injured people rescued from the rubble of their homes. a new foundation to help those struggling with addiction has been set up in the name of the late friends actor matthew perry. he was best known for playing chandler bing in the tv sitcom but had battled with addictions to alcohol and drugs for much of his life. he was found dead last

week at the age of 54. tributes have been pouring in since his death over the last week or so and this foundation has been set up in his memory. stay with us here on bbc news, you can follow me on twitter. thanks for watching. hello there. given how wet it has been, flooding will still be a concern over the days ahead. we have had some rain around today, some heavy showers here in sussex also affecting hampshire and also kent. a few thunderstorms and some gusty winds too. that has brought some more persistent rain in northern

england and north wales. still some wet weather here around now but that thread will slowly tend to ease off overnight. out to the west, some clearer skies, the odd shower. chilly start tomorrow in northern ireland and scotland, one or two mist and fog patches in the morning. those will lift. we start quite cloudy tomorrow in eastern scotland and england, still a bit of rain left from overnight, that should move away. a little cheer—up sunshine coming through. up to the west, sunshine, showers through the day, bumping into the far west of scotland, one or two for northern ireland. local showers arriving across and western parts of england and wales. if anything, those temperatures could be a shade higher than they were today. a bit like today, for northern parts of the uk, the winds should be fairly light and again like today, stronger winds will be in the far south. the far south—west of england, through the english channel and again, unfortunately, channel islands we have some strong and gusty winds and some rather rough seas as well.

those showers will continue into bonfire night, showers for many western areas, clearer skies out towards the east. it's going to be the story of the next couple of days. still got low pressure dominating the weather into the start of the new week so again, it's still looking rather unsettled. close to that area of low pressure, some wetter weather in the far west of scotland, again the odd shower for northern ireland, some showers for england and wales and maybe during the afternoon a few more of those will get into eastern areas as well. but some sunshine around as well, temperatures 11 to 13 degrees, those numbers not really changing very much over the week ahead. it's probably not until the middle part of the week that we see our first spell of organised rain. this weather front pushing in from the atlantic with somewhat stronger winds but certainly not going to be a stormy week ahead. it is not going to be as windy, as wet as it has been and before the rain, the middle part of the week is a case of sunshine but also a few showers.

this is bbc news. the headlines: egypt and jordan call for an immediate ceasefire in gaza. us secretary of state antony blinken came under intense pressure from regional allies to facilitate this but mr blinken is urging only humanitarian pauses.

the un's palestinian refugee agency says there was an explosion at a school it runs. hamas says 15 people were killed. israel says it's investigating. the us says up to 400,000 people remain in northern gaza, as israel's ground offensive continues. the un says no part of gaza is safe. protests in support of palestinians have been taking place in cities around the world. here in london, 11 arrests were made. an earthquake in western nepal kills at least 157 people. houses are destroyed and people are digging through rubble to rescue others. now on bbc news, its sportsday. hello and welcome to sportsday. i'm hugh ferris. the headlines this evening: they've been down for a while,

now, they're also out.