tel aviv . there in tel aviv. >> 28 trucks could enter gaza today as egyptian diggers attempt to fix the road into rafah. it comes as rishi sunak attends talks in egypt amid fears the war against hamas could spread across the region . could spread across the region. >> here, labour overturned a huge conservative majorities in two by—election victories, with swings of more than 20. keir starmer says the results show people ovennhelmingly want change. the tory chairman says his party must reflect . we're his party must reflect. we're live in both constituencies through the afternoon . through the afternoon. >> huge parts of scotland are now only accessible by boat. a red weather warning danger to life has been extended into tomorrow . angus council is tomorrow. angus council is warning of a very serious

emergency and there are fears that some people, some evacuees may not be back in their homes until christmas . a full roundup until christmas. a full roundup of your headlines now with . of your headlines now with. tamsin pip. >> thanks very much and good afternoon from the gb newsroom. it's 12:01. you united nations it's12:01. you united nations secretary—general antonio guterres said aid trucks need to move to gaza as quickly as possible as he arrived in egypt this morning. but the united states says details of a deal to send aid through the rafah crossing are still being discussed. meanwhile while israeli troops are mobilising along the border of the gaza strip ahead of a possible ground invasion on tanks, troops and helicopters have been seen near the border this morning . an idf the border this morning. an idf international spokesperson , international spokesperson, richard hecht, says israel is monitoring gaza to see there's a lot of movement of forces. >> we're organising all the forces for our future stages and again, our goal militarily

military wise, is to dismantle hamas's capabilities all the way up to sinwar and the rocket attacks continue. you're all here. you're seeing them . the here. you're seeing them. the humanitarian zone has already openedin humanitarian zone has already opened in the mahyar tousi area south of wadi gaza . south of wadi gaza. >> israel says it's ordered the evacuation of residents from a northern town close to the lebanese border. more than 20,000 people live in kiryat shmona, which is about a mile from the border fence. the decision to evacuate comes after days of clashes with hezbollah fighters . meanwhile rishi sunak fighters. meanwhile rishi sunak is travelling to egypt to prevent further expansion of the israel—hamas conflict. the prime minister has already met with his israeli counterpart and saudi arabia's crown prince in the talks today . he's also the talks today. he's also expected to stress the importance of preventing further loss of civilian life. at least nine british nationals have been killed and seven are missing since the attack by hamas on

october the 7th. here, labour leader sir keir starmer says preventing the escalation should be the top priority . be the top priority. >> i think any effort to ensure there isn't any escalation is obviously welcome. i think there are two priorities now , urgent are two priorities now, urgent priorities. the first is hamas must release the hostages who are being held in gaza. and secondly , we urgently we need secondly, we urgently we need that humanitarian aid to get in the food, the water, the fuel , the food, the water, the fuel, the food, the water, the fuel, the medicines. obviously, there have been some progress, but much more is needed. it's urgent . there are many innocent civilians in gaza . civilians in gaza. >> well, in other news and keeping with sir keir starmer, the labour leader, says his party has made history after overturning a conservative majority to win two by elections . a warning of flashing images coming up in tamworth. . a warning of flashing images coming up in tamworth . sarah coming up in tamworth. sarah edwards secured a win, flipping a majority of more than 19,000. meanwhile, alastair strathern claimed mid—bedfordshire with a

20.5% swing, marking the largest labour win in a by—election since 1945. he says he's delighted people voted for change. >> we have been really humbled by how seriously people have taken this election, this opportunity to do something different, this chance to make sure we finally have an mp in parliament who's going to be on our side and i think it's fair to say that after today, one to say that after today, no one is be taking us for is going to be taking us for granted here in bedfordshire ever again. >> conservative >> well, conservative party chairman greg hands says labour's so labour's wins are not so significant. >> labour hardly improved their vote at all and in fact went down in mid bedfordshire slightly. but i don't think that will have an impact on the general election. clearly we need to recognise is that a large number of our conservative voters did not come out yesterday amid bedfordshire and tamworth, despite having excellent candidates in festus akinbusoye and in andy cooper. so we need to work harder. we need to make sure that people get the government message that

we are delivering against the five priorities, making progress i >> more than 1600 suspected members of county lines drug gangs have been arrested in one week across england and wales. the operation sees class a drugs worth more than £1 million and cash of the same value . around cash of the same value. around 58 children have been referred to safeguard boarding services for possible exploitation by the gangs. the action also closed 250 phone lines and seized more than 400 weapons, including firearms and knives . around 400 firearms and knives. around 400 residents in brecon evacuated in storm babet may not be able to return to their homes by christmas, according to a local councillor in angus in scotland . councillor in angus in scotland. parts of the county are now only accessible by boat as the water level rises to waist height after the river, south esk broke its banks. a red weather warning remains in place for parts of scotland. amber warnings for wind and rain remain for

northern england, the midlands and northern wales and a yellow warning has also been issued for northern ireland as the storm continues to sweep across the uk . this is gb news across the uk on tv in your car , on digital on tv in your car, on digital radio and on your smart speaker by saying play gb news that's it from me. now it's back to mark and . pip tomson and. pip tomson >> thank you. and let's update you with this breaking news we're getting from the israeli defence force that has issued new information saying that the majority of the hostages are are alive. they've released that information in the past few minutes. details in fact, where they say that more than 20 d of those being held in the gaza strip are children under the age of 18. between 10 and 20 of them are over the age of 60. but to repeat their main line, they believe the majority of the hostages are alive. we will be

going to our reporter charlie peters in tel aviv. >> very shortly to get the latest on this. but the idf has also been stressing the extreme complexity that accompanies locating information about missing persons . as it says, it missing persons. as it says, it is still conducting operations to find and locate bodies near the area of the gaza strip. but just to repeat, the idf is saying that the majority of the hostages, over 200 of them, are believed to be alive. we will bnng believed to be alive. we will bring you more on that breaking news very shortly. yeah, just to reassure you, the idf says it's acting in full transparency, as it says, with the hostage families is with constant communication on every update that can be shared. >> they say with multiple teams in daily contact with the families of those hostage issues. and indeed, that is continuing. clearly , as well continuing. so clearly, as well as the news organisations being told the hostage families were first that news as

first to know about that news as sir keir starmer has hailed what he called his party's historic victory victories in the tamworth and mid beds bedfordshire by elections where labour has overturned two huge conservative majority edges, with swings of more than 20. >> well , the conservatives >> well, the conservatives blaming low turnout and what they call legacy issues from what the tory chairman says were a chaotic premiership shapps of bofis a chaotic premiership shapps of boris johnson and liz truss for the defeats. >> but polling experts are. john curtice says these results show the tories are perhaps staring defeat in the face at a general election. let's get more reaction with our political editor christopher hope, who's in bedfordshire , and jack carson in bedfordshire, and jack carson who is in tamworth . first to who is in tamworth. first to you, chris, in terms of the second significance of this, the third by—election with a swing of more than 20, hence sir john curtice saying this is telling a story . story. >> it's hard not to disagree as ever with sir john curtice. he gets these things right . as gets these things right. as recently as monday i was being

told by some tories they could win both these seats. and the truth is the vote, the wins for labour were both very narrow in both tamworth and mid bedfordshire , just over bedfordshire, just over a thousand in both. and what the difficulty for rishi sunak is as he flies back from overnight from saudi arabia is that those the easy of one these seats had had it not been for this reform party that sits to the right of the tory party advocates some what you might call some kind of sour and conservative right wing views , as of the party views, as some of the party supporters might see it if that party wasn't there, they would have both seats. and have held both these seats. and i over next few days, i think over the next few days, we're to see pressure on we're going to see pressure on mr sunak to do something more to try that vote out, try and get that tory vote out, because as the party chairman, greg hands said, of greg hands said, the number of labour supporters voting for the party did fall in one of the seats and was barely up and the other one. and it seems to me that basically tory supporters sat on their hands and that's part of the problem. i think that mr sunak has got.

>> yeah, but we also just >> yeah, but should we also just reflect that despite some pretty vigorous the vigorous campaigning from the lib in mid bedfordshire , lib dems in mid bedfordshire, they failed move out of third they failed to move out of third place that labour is the choice for a change. if you like at this seat. >> mark is very rare in being a pretty much a straight three party fight for it. i think sheffield hallam is the only one that's quite similar. yes they were. they were behind on about 9400 seats votes compared to 12,000 plus for the tories, 13,000 for labour. but this is quite a rare thing for lib dems. yeah, but no question they haven't quite the big surge in the south that they're looking to do under ed davey hasn't quite happened, but going back to this issue of the tory party has got i think i think i look for into next week from next wednesday mps start wednesday, tory mps can start putting letters of no putting in letters of no confidence in their leader, rishi because it's one rishi sunak, because it's one year since he became the leader of the tory party and i wonder whether they might and do whether they might try and do that a protest.

that as much as a protest. i think the chances of finding a new candidate to replace him is almost negligible, almost unlikely. but may happen is unlikely. but what may happen is a protest by people unlikely. but what may happen is a on protest by people unlikely. but what may happen is a on the est by people unlikely. but what may happen is a on the right! people unlikely. but what may happen is a on the right ofeople unlikely. but what may happen is a on the right of thee unlikely. but what may happen is a on the right of the to sitting on the right of the to party try and get the leadership to pursue some more right wing policies. >> and there are suggestions now, chris, that we're seeing echoes of 1997 when we know that labour won by a landslide , that labour won by a landslide, that that that's right. >> you look at tamworth, which which jack's up there reporting on that today. yes, no question thatis on that today. yes, no question that is feeling that way. a big momentum towards labour. the difference for many is that the keir starmer is not tony blair. i mean he doesn't really pretend to be tony blair, but the idea that he can reach out and offer a positive message for the labour party isn't seen. it seems more he's saying i'm not the other lot, not the tories, and that's why i think the tories do think they've got a chance they enthuse this chance if they can enthuse this base. and why the tory base. and that's why the tory party morning party is saying this morning that things tory

that if things get the tory voters out again and that may happen an election campaign, happen at an election campaign, don't elections are don't forget by elections are not as a national poll, not the same as a national poll, then be enough. then it might just be enough. but does look completely dire but it does look completely dire for now. for that party right now. >> what you make of the >> what do you make of the assessment? the tory assessment? greg hands the tory chairman talking about disillusionment boris disillusionment with boris johnson and also liz truss, the legacy issues, i mean, it does again, tell of you know, a real unease within the party itself . unease within the party itself. >> you can't keep saying that. i think the problem with that is that rishi sunak, as you know, was appointed by a tory mp a year ago . a year ago, the year ago. a year ago, the leaders who were actually wanted by membership , that's boris by the membership, that's boris johnson truss both johnson and liz truss are both forced out by the mps . the mps forced out by the mps. the mps engineered it to get in someone they that person they wanted and that person has now the now been rejected by the membership and that's a real problem i think going fonnard. you can't keep going back on the record. what it does record. i think what it does mean, mark and is mean, though, mark and pippa is that chances of an early that the chances of an early election year fast election next year are fast receding sunak's receding into rishi sunak's rear—view mirror . we were rear—view mirror. we were looking at maybe may and june as

a date, but i think a possible date, but i think they might go long into the autumn year to try and put autumn next year to try and put as much distance as they can between liz between as they see it. liz truss and boris johnson, and allow more time for the economy to then there's allow more time for the economy to to then there's allow more time for the economy to to go. then there's allow more time for the economy to to go. it then there's allow more time for the economy to to go. it looksthere's allow more time for the economy to to go. it looks likee's nowhere to go. it looks like a late autumn election now increasingly. >> chris, thanks very much. jack, are coming you in jack, we are coming to you in tamworth a moment, but tamworth in just a moment, but we do want to bring you some breaking news, which is that a second person died during second person has died during storm babet this is in scotland, a falling tree hit a van near forfar in angus last night, a 56 year old driver has died. according to police scotland . according to police scotland. and yesterday afternoon, we know a woman died after being swept into a river amid the evacuation of some 400 homes. a red weather warning that was due to expire around about now has been extended for parts of scotland . extended for parts of scotland. the situation remains so serious and so dangerous. yeah angus council saying they now expect the conditions to deteriorate well into to the weekend.

>> we'll update you with our correspondent there in angus shortly. but as we said, let's just go back to tamworth now and speak to jack there where again a lot of number crunching going on. jack, an and i guess the assessment did some sit on their hands, stay at home and therefore what is the picture for a general election there . for a general election there. >> well certainly that is the case.i >> well certainly that is the case. i mean the conservatives vote share dropped as well, down to 40. labour won 45.8% of the vote here in that by—election yesterday. and certainly it is the case from just people that i've spoken to here on the street this morning that there were conservative voters and just didn't want to go out and vote, didn't that the party vote, didn't feel that the party deserved vote and deserved deserved their vote and deserved their support. at the moment, it's to it's certainly going to be a wake call for the government wake up call for the government and rishi sunak these both these by—election results there's by—election results that there's still work to do here. still a lot of work to do here. but of course this seat in

tamworth is not that labour tamworth is not one that labour have admitted today that have openly admitted today that they've really been targeting. it's they saw it's not something that they saw themselves to win, of themselves being able to win, of course. 2019 at course. chris pincher in 2019 at that election got that general election got a 19,000 majority. it has been conservative since cameron became prime minister back in 2010 and that vote share has ever increased for the conservatives. but more recently here in this constituency , the here in this constituency, the local council elections more labour councillors were elected onto the council and of course today the constituency itself has turned red. so maybe there is a slight change and a slight swing as we've seen, 24% over the last of course by—election there is a swing to more labour voters and this constituency has traditionally gone with the way the country goes. it was a red and labour with blair and brown and labour with blair and brown and then of course, as i said, it changed to to blue the conservatives when david cameron came in with 2010. so it's a good litmus test of how people are feeling here, which is relevant to across country relevant to across the country and something that

and actually it's something that keir mentioned. keir starmer mentioned. he has visited he met visited tamworth. he he met with, course, those party with, of course, those party members and colleagues that had helped run this campaign. he was at fc and he said that at tamworth fc and he said that you absolutely smashed it to the supporters there. said what supporters there. he said what you've seen here replicates what's the what's going on across the country. people are fed country. he says people are fed up to back teeth of years up to the back teeth of 13 years of decline government of decline under this government . but speaking people on the . but speaking to people on the streets message very streets, that message was very much echoed . here's what they much echoed. here's what they told me . told me. >> you know, i've lived in this town for quite a long time and, you know, it's been under conservative rule for many, many, many years. and this town is destroyed . you know, it's is destroyed. you know, it's empty. it's gone. and all i can feel today is ecstatic. i'm i'm i'm filled with ecstasy, you know, because i'm ecstatic to get rid of the conservatives once for and all, you know. but i'm also filled with a little bit of trepidation about what's next. and i hope that the labour government can do something different. know i really do . and different. know i really do. and i'm looking fonnard to the landslide that this country is

about to face. >> not surprised at all, to be honest with you. the state of the tory party i mean, did you vote for labour yesterday? no. >> no. which which way do you vote and how do you feel? how do you feel this morning? >> to be honest, i've always voted tory, but yesterday i voted tory, but yesterday i voted reform because i think we need think need a change. i don't think there's difference between there's much difference between labour conservative all, labour and conservative at all, to with you. i just to be honest with you. i just think we need a change. i think tories have been in years and tories have been in 13 years and i the country i think the country is in a mess, to honest with you. so mess, to be honest with you. so so no, they're not going to get my vote back at the minute. >> i was quite glad because it's i know it'll make i don't know whether it'll make any but the change any difference, but the change is as good rest. and is as good as the rest. and i think it it's always at the back of mind whether the labour of your mind whether the labour got him because people had got him because people were had enough conservatives got him because people were had eno labour conservatives got him because people were had eno labour that ionservatives got him because people were had eno labour that good vatives got him because people were had eno labour that good andves got him because people were had eno labour that good and they're are labour that good and they're going what they say going to do what they say they're going to do. >> i mean how did how did you vote and labour? yeah that vote and labour? yeah was that was being was that from being conservative? i mean, have was that from being consvoted ve? i mean, have was that from being consvoted before|ean, have was that from being consvoted before to n, have was that from being consvoted before to how have was that from being consvoted before to how you ave you voted before to how you voted yesterday be in and out owner whatever?

owner or whatever? >> was always brought up be >> i was always brought up to be conservative, but had conservative, but i've had enough i can't enough now because i can't believe they're saying now. >> jack also want to >> jack also just want to mention this quite bizarre mention this. this quite bizarre moment, really, the moment, really, when the tory candidate, cooper , candidate, andrew cooper, stormed out before even sarah edwards had given her victory speech. edwards had given her victory speech . bit of a bit of a poor speech. bit of a bit of a poor loser. i think we can show those pictures now to people who are watching. he literally just walked out. apparently, he was only in the building for about five minutes . five minutes. >> yeah. so they had to actually delay the announcement and the declaration of the result last night because andrew cooper was late getting to the count. and as you mentioned , he stood on as you mentioned, he stood on stage for the few minutes that it took the electoral it took for the electoral officer those officer to read out those results. confirm, of course, that edwards was the new that sarah edwards was the new mp for tamworth. and then he seemed to kind of just glance off to side obviously off to the side were obviously members of his local conservative party were and he was outside was essentially escorted outside the back door. he is, of course a conservative councillor here. he, the conservatives , have said he, the conservatives, have said he will of course remain as a

conservative councillor and still serve these people here in tamworth on the tamworth borough council. but it's not gone down well, particularly it was mentioned by a few members of the public that i've spoken to on that on the street here today that they felt that was a little bit disrespectful to not for disrespectful to not stay for the acceptance speech of the for the acceptance speech of sarah and that it was sarah edwards and that it was poor politics and poor manners from cooper from from andrew cooper yesterday . yesterday. >> let's head back to mid >> let's just head back to mid beds and with christopher there. and in terms of alex strathearn , and in terms of alex strathearn, the successful candidate there, i mean, he was asked, so what will you be doing? and he simply said, just turning up and said, well, just turning up and doing which may be doing my job, which may be something of a comment on the previous incumbent. there >> right. nadine dorries >> that's right. nadine dorries of course, now now a talk show host for a period was the mp here for a long time in fact, but wasn't around lot in but wasn't seen around a lot in her months. here and that her last months. here and that prompted really led towards her standing eventually . but standing down eventually. but there's concerns about why she wasn't think wasn't around. and i think that's the labour mp is that's what the new labour mp is making clear clear

making some clear blue or clear red water with his predecessor. >> okay. chris in mid beds and also jack in tamworth , updating also jack in tamworth, updating us on those two very significant by—election results. thank you very much indeed . very much indeed. >> stay with us here on the live desk, we'll be going to tel aviv and bringing you more on that breaking news that the idf says that the majority of hostages held by hamas are alive. they have just released some new information. stay with

michael portillo, gb news, britain's news.

michael portillo, gb news, britain's news . channel britain's news. channel >> welcome back to the live desk. let's update you with the latest situation in israel and in gaza as well. we've got the latest shot here of the skyline of gaza where, of course, up to 200 hostages are believed to still be held and more information now from the idf that has said that the majority of the hostages are alive or that from information they've published earlier, specifically more than 20 believed to be children under the age of 18, between 10 and 20 are over the age of 60. >> yes , the idf does say it is >> yes, the idf does say it is acting in full transparency with the hostages family and is constantly communicate with them about every update that can be shared. so the families of the hostages will have this new information. let's also remember that two of those hostages are understood to be british

nationals . nationals. >> is the idf stressing what it saysis >> is the idf stressing what it says is the extreme complexity that comes with locating information about these missing persons , among them, a number of persons, among them, a number of bodies at camp shira have not yet been identified , died and yet been identified, died and also bodies that they are still recovering from other area was details you may , of course find details you may, of course find upsetting and that the idf is still conducting operations to find and locate other bodies of those missing in the area of the gaza strip. there could be between 100 and 200 israelis considered as missing persons, says the israeli defence force. >> our reporter charlie peters is in tel aviv for us with all the latest. good afternoon . noon the latest. good afternoon. noon to you, charlie . so this is to you, charlie. so this is significant, isn't it? the idf actually able to say now that they believe the majority of hostages are alive and although they didn't elaborate quite on what they mean by the majority ,

what they mean by the majority, we yes, it is a significant step. >> and they have also explained that they are in constant communication with families of those hostages and missing people who have yet to be identified or located. of course , families of hostages that we've spoken to here in tel aviv. and many of them have come to tel aviv seeking shelter away from southern israel, have also told gb news about their experience of being in touch with idf and the relevant with the idf and the relevant authorities, regularly receiving regular updates on the latest information on but no operational details with regards to the plan to retrieve them. we also saw four days ago binyamin netanyahu , the prime minister, netanyahu, the prime minister, here, with families here, meeting with the families for the time, and there for the first time, and there was considered criticism in israel both the families israel from both the families andindeed israel from both the families and indeed the wider public about how the government had not said enough about those families and those hostages. so that meeting was considered quite significant both today and yesterday. there have been press conferences with families of hostages detailing some really upsetting experiences that

they've reported of realising they've reported of realising the moment that their family members were taken , often seeing members were taken, often seeing snapshot footage of a hand that they used to identify their son or their daughter or their mother or father and little snippets of information like that being clung onto very desperately by these family members as they await further information on. well, this morning, the idf said that they would be releasing more information urgently . and that's information urgently. and that's what we've just received. now but how but in terms of how they retrieve hostages, how retrieve those hostages, how that will still need that information will still need to be figured out. and then generally released us after generally released to us after those operations launched , those operations are launched, one this morning, one imagines. but this morning, rishi sunak did meet with the leadership in qatar, which was going to be a significant mediator between the western and global powers over 40 global powers with over 40 nationalities in the gaza nationalities kept in the gaza strip as hostages . strip as hostages. >> so this is encouraging news that they've actually gone to pubuc that they've actually gone to public say they believe that the majority are still alive. but the flip side of that, of course, they're warning that they're still looking these

they're still looking for these bodies may be up to bodies with what may be up to 200 still considered 200 people still considered missing. seems missing. and it seems extraordinary that a week on, they're still having to go this through this process of physically trying to find bodies as . as. >> yes. and the idf are conceding in many ways a failure when they admit that they're going through bodies in southern israel because they're not just going through checking corpses. they're finding still hamas they're also finding still hamas terrorists in southern israel. that area is not fully secure yet. this morning there were also arrests an also four arrests in an apartment in sderot, a town where many people are near where we are have evacuated from. and so there are still ongoing air security operations in southern israel to determine who may or may not be a serving member of that terrorist group still remaining region , waiting remaining in the region, waiting to conduct potential attacks on that armoured convoy, which could practise and could delay practise and training in the area. but reports from southern israel with regards to the state of the work being required there by emergency services and the special unit that recovers these

bodies called zaka, a volunteer unit that gathers these remains and then allows them to be buned and then allows them to be buried and processed in accordance with jewish custom. those reports are extraordinarily, you know, horrifying , falsifying reports horrifying, falsifying reports from some of the scenes along long roads down there. and. well, we'll see what more information the idf can deliver about the names and indeed the identities of those recovered in the coming days. charlie let's also ask you about the latest situation regarding the rafah crossing in southern egypt . crossing in southern egypt. >> still waiting for that border crossing to open . there it is. crossing to open. there it is. convoy after convoy waiting to get in. and the united nations secretary has visited the egyptian side and there does seem to be a suggestion now that although there was some hope it might open today, it might not be now for another 24 hours or so . so. >> so. >> the delay just keeps growing . >> the delay just keeps growing. and we've heard in recent days reports from the israeli side

that they had agreed to allow aid to enter rishi sunak, in fact, congratulated the israeli cabinet and government yesterday for agreeing to that. but that's just talk. so far, there hasn't been any action and urgently needed aid in the south of the gaza strip, hasn't been allowed in of the of the trucks that are gathering on the egyptian side of rafah crossing, many of that rafah crossing, many people, many international observers, including the un, are saying that only scratch saying that it will only scratch the of what is required . the surface of what is required. this morning the idf told us that the situation there was still to determined , but they still to be determined, but they did that there was did recognise that there was significant pressure going on. there world with there from around the world with people demanding urgent action. yesterday the foreign secretary, james cleverly, was in egypt, no doubt discussing the humanitarian situation and rishi sunakis humanitarian situation and rishi sunak is also expected to be in egypt today, likely having conversations along the same line . but as he arrives in egypt line. but as he arrives in egypt yesterday, the president there, abdel fattah el—sisi, called for a day of protest for the last ten years, el—sisi has been trying to crack down on

protests, but now he's asking people to take to the streets , people to take to the streets, reflecting the wide anger in the arab region about not only the humanitarian situation in gaza, but potential for that but the potential for that invasion. so a difficult invasion. so a very difficult upcoming for upcoming diplomatic visit for the minister the prime minister >> we're getting news, charlie, coming in from the west bank that protesters are gathering in ramallah and expected to launch protests against what's happening in gaza. of course , happening in gaza. of course, the day of prayer today. what about the situation there in tel aviv where you were you were describing being quite dramatically for us. what happened when the sirens went off? you had to get down to the shelters with all these people from civilian life who now were dressed in army fatigues as yes, it is an odd scene here. >> there are people milling about with assault rifles and there are people who have still looking for more shelter, having fled their homes in the south andindeed fled their homes in the south and indeed the north. this morning, the asked for morning, the idf asked for a well ordered an evacuation of a

town of 20,000 people. it's an ominous sign of what they anticipate from lebanese hezbollah in the coming days. that rocket and missile fire being received from northern into northern israel yesterday and skirmishing going on this morning. we've had reports of sniper fire from the israeli side. so that's a close well, relatively close target in comparison to the shelling and artillery we've seen previously reports of an attempted infiltration on that border as well this morning claimed by the idf. but in tel aviv , yes, idf. but in tel aviv, yes, people are here. they are sustaining the war effort in virtue of taking people in from around the country, but also soldiers ready to go out . soldiers ready to go out. >> charlie, also something that i want to bring viewers and listeners up to date with is a blast at a greek orthodox church in the gaza strip. and that was sheltering hundreds of displaced palestinians . again, i'm not palestinians. again, i'm not sure whether there's more than one version of what happened here. can you tell us anything ?

here. can you tell us anything? >> we're still waiting for more information to come out there. so far, the only information released has come from the hamas run information sources and obviously , i think we should obviously, i think we should wait further until we have another side of events before we can pass comment on that. really, because there aren't any verified reports coming out of that situation. but so far, it is clear that some sort of devastation has occurred . the devastation has occurred. the hamas side are reporting, i think, 18 casualties in that event. but we still need to wait for alternative understanding of that process . that process. >> thank you for the latest. back to you. of course, throughout the afternoon. but let's get an update now on the headunes let's get an update now on the headlines with tamsen . headlines with tamsen. >> mark, thank you. here are the headunes >> mark, thank you. here are the headlines at 1233. united nafions headlines at 1233. united nations secretary general antonio guterres says aid trucks need to move to gaza as quickly as possible . as he arrived in as possible. as he arrived in egypt this morning . but the

egypt this morning. but the united states has details of a deal to send aid through the rafah crossing are still being discussed . meanwhile, israeli discussed. meanwhile, israeli troops are mobilising along the border of the gaza strip ahead of a possible ground invasion . of a possible ground invasion. an meanwhile, rishi sunak is travelling to egypt to prevent further expansion of the israel—hamas conflict . the prime israel—hamas conflict. the prime minister has already met with his israeli counterpart and saudi arabia's crown prince in the talks today. he's also expected to stress the importance of preventing further loss of civilian life at least nine british nationals have been killed and seven are missing since the attack by hamas on october the 7th. a here, the labour leader says his party has made history after overturning a conservative majority to win two by elections in tamworth. sarah edwards secured a win, flipping a majority of more than 19,000. meanwhile alastair strathern claimed mid—bedfordshire . with a claimed mid—bedfordshire. with a 20.5% swing, marking the largest

labour win in a by—election since 1945. a second person has died during storm babet in scotland after a falling tree hit a van near forfar in angus. the met office has issued a new 24 hour red weather warning in central and north—east scotland as further heavy rainfall is expected. 400 people have been evacuated from their homes in brecon after flood defences were breached. a 57 year old woman lost her life in glenesk after being swept into a river yesterday. amber warnings for wind and rain have also been issued for parts of northern england, the midlands and northern wales as those are the headlines, you can, of course get more on all of those stories. just visit our website gb news.com stories. just visit our website gbnews.com .

with me, michael portillo gb news britain's news . channel news britain's news. channel >> welcome back to the live desk . let's take you straight live to scotland with some extraordinary scenes there as the flooding not only extends but deepens with a warning now that the red alert will be tomorrow as well. angus council there saying that they are deaung there saying that they are dealing with a very serious emergency with news now of two deaths in the region . deaths in the region. >> police scotland say a falling tree hit a van near forfar in

angus last night, killing a 56 year old driver and then a 57 year old driver and then a 57 year old driver and then a 57 year old woman. also died yesterday after being swept into a river in the county. a red warning that it was due to run out has has now been extended , out has has now been extended, meaning there is a risk to life, says the met office. and it's covering parts of eastern scotland all day tomorrow. >> well, you can see here how fast flowing that river is. and the flood defences that were put in place were breached in the early hours of this morning. hundreds of homes surrounded by water. indeed, we're being told that large areas here are only now accessible by boat, which is an additional problem, of course , for the council and for those rescue workers. the local council appealing for donations now of more warm clothes, 40 people having turned up at one of its rest centres while absolutely soaked, according to local councillors. still an ongoing helicopter search in

aberdeen shire after a report of a man trapped in a vehicle in floodwater. but we've had no other confirmation of that so clearly it's still a very difficult and now dangerous situation with this red alert having now been put in place for tomorrow. we'll update you with tony. man there fairly shortly . tony. man there fairly shortly. >> let's talk politics because are the conservatives heading towards electoral armageddon? well that is the prediction of former chancellor george osborne, who said before yesterday's by elections that the party would be facing certain defeat at the next by—election if they fail to hold on in tamworth and mid bedfordshire . bedfordshire. >> well, of course the scale of yesterday's defeats both by elections with swings of more than 20% drawing parallels to these scenes. yes this was 1997 with tony blair and cool britannia. remember all that ? britannia. remember all that? well, the conservatives might not want to, however far they have now surrendered seven constituencies in the past three years, a run of losses not seen since john major was in power

before this man, tony blair. so is history about to repeat itself ? let's speak to our itself? let's speak to our political correspondent , kate. political correspondent, kate. and i think olivia is there for us in in westminster. i wonder if you're to going be at 10 downing street, which may see the removal men coming within the removal men coming within the year. who but clearly the year. who knows? but clearly a lot of assessments going on for both major parties and the lib dems, too , failing to really lib dems, too, failing to really make a dent, staying in third place in tamworth and mid beds. yeah well, i think the most important thing to say is this really was a catastrophic defeat for the conservatives. >> often at by elections, the governing party can of governing party can sort of explain away losses, turnout in by elections is often very low and it was low this time. and also you get lots of people voting as a protest vote against the government. they actually agree with the government broadly. wouldn't the broadly. they wouldn't want the ruling change hands. ruling party to change hands. but at by—election, they feel but at a by—election, they feel able their frustration able to show their frustration with a with a current prime minister but as you suggested there in your introduction , there in your introduction, mark, the problem here is the

sheer scale of the losses . just sheer scale of the losses. just a couple of stats for you . that a couple of stats for you. that tamworth seat was the conservative 55th safest seat. it wasn't even on labour's radar . the fact that they managed to win it with this huge swing of over 20% is really, really bad news for the conservatives . it news for the conservatives. it was also the second biggest by—election defeat for the conservatives since the second world war and the first biggest by—election defeat for the conservatives since the second world war was in 1996, just before tony blair swept to power. so, yes, you will hear ministers trying to explain away the defeat. this morning we had greg hands on gb news this morning saying that the share of the labour vote didn't go up very much . well, that's all very very much. well, that's all very well . okay. we're not seeing well. okay. we're not seeing huge, huge enthusiasm for keir starmer , but as pat mcfadden starmer, but as pat mcfadden from labour said this morning, that doesn't really matter . that doesn't really matter. elections are won by who comes out to vote. and what's really

interesting this morning is you're seeing tory grandees stepping away from the party lord frost, who was a key, key player under boris johnson, who was tipped by some to be foreign secretary under liz truss. he said the conservatives are in denial. this isn't going to work. the polls are broadly correct and people just don't want to vote conservative. so it feels a little bit now as though the question is not if keir starmer will become prime minister, but when. it's thought that rishi sunak will want to hold out as long as he can for a general election in the hope that things somehow get better. so we were expecting so while we were expecting a general election, maybe spring or autumn year, there are or autumn next year, there are rumours be it could rumours now it could be it could be back until december be pushed back until december 20th, 24 or even january 20th, 25. will things be any better for the conservatives then? be hard to imagine it, right? >> well, keep going till then. hopefully. olivia thank you very much. in westminster, i think is a year goes like that doesn't it. >> they haven't got long really for some it goes like that but

anyway , what state will the anyway, what state will the economy be in in another year is a question. something else for rishi sunak to be to be thinking about because government borrowing in the first six months the financial year was months of the financial year was a whopping £19.8 billion below the for office budget responsibilities forecast . responsibilities forecast. >> well, a bit of a boost for jeremy hunt ahead of next month's autumn statement, but the chancellor, of course, still facing huge economic headwinds , facing huge economic headwinds, pressures, official figures showing public sector net borrowing remaining at record high levels to make sense of it all, here's liam . of course, all, here's liam. of course, with on the money . with on the money. >> liam make sense of it all. >> liam make sense of it all. >> i want the years to go more slowly as we get older right, mark, slow down. slow down. >> let's try and make sense of it all. that's the thing. >> indeed. so these borrowing numbers came out this morning and in some senses, they're good for news jeremy hunt because the uk government is borrowing less

than the office for budget responsibility thought it was going to be borrowing. but in some it's bad news for some ways it's bad news for jeremy hunt because it puts enormous pressure on jeremy hunt because it puts enorahead pressure on jeremy hunt because it puts enorahead of pressure on jeremy hunt because it puts enorahead of his pressure on jeremy hunt because it puts enorahead of his autumn re on him ahead of his autumn statement on the 22nd of november to cut taxes . a lot of november to cut taxes. a lot of tory backbenchers now, particularly in light of these, as olivia rightly says, historic by—election just cut taxes, just start acting like conservatives and people might turn up and start voting for the conservatives. but let's have a quick look at the numbers. seeing as we're here. so in september, the government borrowed . £14.3 billion. that's borrowed. £14.3 billion. that's a huge amount of money. that's getting on for two and a half p on the basic rate of income tax for a whole year. £14.3 billion borrowed in september. but the office for budget responsibility office for budget responsibility of course, who we must say is always right at all times. well, it wasn't because the obr said that in september would be borrowing £20.5 billion. so that's a lot more a lot more pessimistic. a lot more gloomy. now, the fiscal year starts in

april, so from april this year, 2023 to september, the uk government borrowed £81.7 billion. but the obr again overly pessimistic , overly overly pessimistic, overly gloomy forecast that we'd have been borrowing . so that number been borrowing. so that number hasn't been put up. we've been borrowing £101.5 billion, right, in april to september . and in april to september. and between 101.5 and 81.7 pip, that's the 19 billion odd that the obr has been wrong for borrowing. so far this fiscal yean >> we describe it as headroom, if you like. i you know, what can you play with in terms of looking at tax cuts? but it was only last week that another body , the ifs. institute for fiscal studies, very highly regarded says we can't make the numbers work. can't work how we can work. we can't work how we can afford tax cuts. >> well, this is where political journalists and economic journalists and economic journalists differ, right? because a political journalist or a politician often who wants tax cuts will say, ah, we're borrowing less than we thought

we were going to borrow. that means we've got more money, which means we can implement tax cuts. no no. it means you're about borrow less money. about to borrow less money. you're going be in the you're going to be less in the hole you were an economist. hole than you were an economist. that dismal that we that dismal scientist that we are. point out those are. we point out those realities on the other hand, mark, there's something really deeply philosophical going on here, because a lot of conservatives would say with the overall tax burden in the uk at a 70 year high, that's the share of the whole economy taken by tax, it's like 38. it's the highest it's been since the early 60s. a lot of economists and a lot of tory backbenchers would say. but if you lower taxes, you'll get more growth and you'll get more revenue. so and you'll get more revenue. so a tax cut will pay for itself. so the whole idea of an unfunded tax cut is just pie in the sky. >> yeah. and the flip side being though, that that feeds into inflation as more money comes into people's pockets, they go out spend and round we go again. >> indeed, this is this is why economics is so difficult, because there are so many trade

offs. of course , looming on offs. and of course, looming on the isn't just the the horizon isn't just the chancellor's autumn statement . chancellor's autumn statement. on the 22nd of november, the thursday week on the 2nd of november, we've got the bank of england's next interest rate decision. and if interest rates go decision. and if interest rates 9° up decision. and if interest rates go up again for the 15th time from 5.25 to 5.5, again , that's from 5.25 to 5.5, again, that's going to pour woe on the conservatives because while that would be the bank of england's decision, labour will make hay from it and people will vote on how they they don't think, how they feel. they don't think, oh, the bank england, oh, that's the bank of england, not they think not the government. they think my mortgage has got more expensive. does does bank expensive. does does the bank have room to have the wriggle room to actually identify why oil prices rise as being the real, stoking up of inflation at the moment? >> they can actually split that off and say, look, we don't need an interest rate rise to dampen things down because it's quite a specific engine that's driving it and that's the higher interest rates would do nothing to address. >> this is a really good point and we've talked about it a lot in haven't we? in recent weeks, haven't we? because course, oil prices

because of course, oil prices have june, up have surged from $70 in june, up to about $90 now. there's a lot of concern that these ghastly atrocities in the middle east will lead to conflict across the region. maybe iran getting involved and opec exporters involved and the opec exporters cartel throwing its weight around prices could spike around oil prices could spike more. it may be that the bank of england can do that, and i suggest that they should. but more importantly, there's more importantly, mark, there's going pressure on going to be a lot of pressure on the england to hold the bank of england to hold fire. raise rates any fire. don't raise rates any more. why why? because inflation was 6.7% in september. it's same as in august. flatlining a lot of people were disappointed it wasn't coming down more. but inflation is almost certain to come october because the come down in october because the ofgem energy price cap is going to lowered . so that will help to be lowered. so that will help people lower electricity people have lower electricity bills. that should feed into bills. so that should feed into lowering of inflation anyway, plus the fact that the economy, the growth is on a knife edge. yeah, the economy is barely growing. it's stalled . and the growing. it's stalled. and the danger is that if the bank of england raises interest rates again , then it's going to drive again, then it's going to drive the economy into recession,

which will make the borrowing situation even worse . situation even worse. >> just push it to said time and again the election will be decided . on the economy. decided. on the economy. absolutely. >> and if people don't have any extra money in their pocket, they might well just go. >> tory absolutely. and they won't. won't blame the bank won't. they won't blame the bank of england. they'll blame of england. no, they'll blame independent of england. no, they'll blame indeperblame government. they'll blame the government. and expect this and that's why expect this debate tax the debate on tax within the conservative already conservative party. it's already nasty, shrill . it nasty, it's already shrill. it is going to explode into the open over the next few weeks before statement before that autumn statement with lot of conservatives are with a lot of conservatives are saying, got saying, no wonder we got hammered bedfordshire and hammered in bedfordshire and tamworth not tamworth because we're not acting , acting like conservatives, because labour lite . because we're just labour lite. >> liam , thank you very much. >> liam, thank you very much. >> liam, thank you very much. >> and watch that calendar . >> and watch that calendar. >> and watch that calendar. >> remember, a year goes like that. >> let's just update you on something we're getting from national rail. this is to do with the travel situation in the west. we're being told that flooding has now blocked all lines running through swindon. so that's all the main lines heading on the gwr network,

particularly from paddington . so particularly from paddington. so clearly there still issues outside scotland as well with the effects of storm babet. we'll update you as we get more details. >> be careful. >> be careful. >> be careful how you go today because it is really bad in many, many places now, how world cup rugby, england's semi—final clash against south africa is tomorrow . so and there has been tomorrow. so and there has been a vow that england will not back down against the springboks. this is despite south africa being the heavy favourites for the tournament. >> yeah , for speaking here. as >> yeah, for speaking here. as a welshman, the england team remaining resolute. apparently the determination to take on south africa . i think they might south africa. i think they might need a bit more than that. will they enough the tank to they have enough in the tank to make joining make it through? joining us, rugby daily rugby reporter at the daily mail, alex bywater . alex, i have mail, alex bywater. alex, i have to say, as i say , declare to say, as i say, i declare myself a welshman, but the myself as a welshman, but the boks just been as boks have just been as exceptional as outstanding. some would say yes. >> their win over france in the quarterfinal to knock out the hosts was an amazing game. i was fortunate enough to be there in

paris and it really was sort of an astonishing rugby match. and there defending champions, obviously having won in 2019. and there's a very good argument to say that they're now a better team than they won in japan team than when they won in japan four ago. so england have four years ago. so england have got their their hands full tomorrow it should be an tomorrow night. it should be an amazing game. but i think it's south that are definitely south africa that are definitely favourites know they are favourites and you know they are one away now from the final. >> it would be incredible wouldn't it? when did england last win the rugby world cup? was it 2003? yeah >> so england are the only northern hemisphere team to have ever won the rugby world cup. as you say, in 2003. and it's remarkable really that they are the only european team left in the only european team left in the semi—finals this year given the semi—finals this year given the struggles that they've had this year. you know, we only get back to the six nations where they were awful. they got hammered by france and then in the world cup, warm ups only in august. they were really disappointed august. they were really disfijiyointed august. they were really disfiji forted august. they were really disfiji for the first time. so to fiji for the first time. so the turnaround has been been

pretty remarkable . you know, pretty remarkable. you know, there's a very good argument to say they haven't been playing their at all so their best at all yet. so perhaps there big perhaps there is one big performance left in the team, but have come but it will have to come tomorrow if they're to tomorrow night if they're to reach the final. >> what what do they need to do against the springboks to give them chance to clinch victory? >> put on the pitch. >> put 20 on the pitch. >> put 20 on the pitch. >> the first thing the first thing is physically, physically , thing is physically, physically, there's no greater challenge in terms of power than than facing the springboks. >> we saw what they did to france, who are a phenomenally good themselves. so good rugby team themselves. so to them in that area is to match them in that area is the thing. it's really the first thing. it's really interesting. team selection interesting. the team selection that the head coach, steve borthwick try and borthwick has done to try and counteract he's put ellis counteract that. he's put ellis genge, chessum and kyle genge, ollie chessum and kyle sinckler on the bench to try and counteract squad, which counteract the bomb squad, which is south africa's replacements that on early in the second that come on early in the second half. so that's to going the half. so that's to going be the key battle going to key battle that's going to define the game. if england can't match south africa physically, then they've got no chance. then that chance. if they can, then that does give them a much better opportunity . opportunity.

>> i see the phrase being >> yeah, i see the phrase being used match or fight fire with fire. i mean , is that really the fire. i mean, is that really the best way to do it? or perhaps come in with a completely different game plan ? different game plan? >> i think , you know, perhaps >> i think, you know, perhaps there is an argument for that, but i'm not sure england have the players to do that. i think if england tried to throw the ball around and try and play a completely sort of, you know, live wire attacking game, i think that would be actually counterproductive. i'm not sure maybe other teams could could do that to south africa, but i think england's best way is to try and match them physically. you know, owen farrell at fly half got a half the captain, they've got a guy who's used to controlling big games. kicking going big games. his kicking is going to i think that's to be crucial. so i think that's england's hope. i don't think you'll see them try and sort of think outside the box too much. >> maybe the odd drop goal, who knows? alex thank you very much indeed for that. let's just hope there's more spectacular rugby indeed for that. let's just hope thethe more spectacular rugby indeed for that. let's just hope thethe way.) spectacular rugby indeed for that. let's just hope thethe way. thank acular rugby indeed for that. let's just hope thethe way. thank youar rugby indeed for that. let's just hope thethe way. thank you veryjby indeed for that. let's just hope thethe way. thank you very much indeed. >> we're back on the live desk very shortly as the israeli army

releases new details about hostages gaza . the majority hostages in gaza. the majority of them, they say , are still of them, they say, are still alive. stay with us. on the live desk.

good afternoon . it is 1:00. this good afternoon. it is 1:00. this is the live desk here on gb news. coming up for you this friday lunchtime . friday lunchtime. >> very latest live from the

middle east this is the scene on the west bank at ramallah where it's feared there may be more protests on this day of prayer and fears that a third front could open up as they call it, on the west bank, as the palestinian leader, mahmoud abbas, travels to egypt for more talks . talks. >> 28 trucks, at least, are still waiting to get into gaza. we have been told it could now be in the next day or so. egyptian diggers are attempting to fix the road into rafah. the un is calling for that urgent aid and the prime minister, rishi sunak, is attending talks in egypt amid fears this war against hamas could spread across the region . across the region. >> labour overturn huge conservative majorities in the two by—election victories , two by—election victories, swings of more than 20. keir starmer says the results show people ovennhelmingly wanting change. the tory chairman says his party must reflect .

his party must reflect. >> we're also bringing you the latest from scotland, where a second person has died during storm babet. parts of the country battered by high winds and unprecedented flooding . we and unprecedented flooding. we will be live in the town of brecon, which has been really badly hit. first, here's your headunes badly hit. first, here's your headlines with tamzin . pip. headlines with tamzin. pip. >> thank you. good afternoon from the gb newsroom. at 1:01, the united nations secretary—general is in egypt to push for the opening of the rafah crossing to allow humanitarian aid into gaza . the humanitarian aid into gaza. the un says it's in advanced talks with all parties in the israel—hamas conflict to ensure the transportation of aid gets undennay soon, though it's unclear when the delivery of relief materials stockpiled in egypt will start, although it's thought it will be in the next day or so. antonio guterres says

aid trucks are essential . aid trucks are essential. >> we have seen so many trucks loaded with water, with fuel , loaded with water, with fuel, with medicines , with food . with medicines, with food. exactly the same things that are needed on this side of the wall. so these trucks are not just trucks . they are a lifeline trucks. they are a lifeline line. they are the difference between life and death for so many people in gaza . many people in gaza. >> well, we can just bring you some breaking news. israel military sources have given more information about the estimated 200 hostages taken by hamas. we've been hearing a little earlier on, they say 30 of those taken are minors and young children , and 20 people are over children, and 20 people are over the age of 60 that they are alive and being held hostage in gaza. alive and being held hostage in gaza . for more on that gaza. for more on that throughout the program with mark and pip. meanwhile, israel says it's ordered the evacuation of residents from a northern town

close to the lebanese border. more than 20,000 people live in kiryat shemona , which is about kiryat shemona, which is about a mile from the border fence. the decision evacuate comes after decision to evacuate comes after days of clashes with hezbollah fighters . rishi sunak is fighters. rishi sunak is travelling to egypt to prevent further expansion of the israel—hamas conflict. the prime minister has already met with his israeli counterpart and saudi arabia's crown prince in the talks today . he's also the talks today. he's also expected to stress the importance of preventing excuse me, further loss of civilian life, at least nine british nationals have been killed and seven are missing since the attack by hamas on october. the seventh. here, labour leader sir keir starmer says preventing the escalation should be the top priority. >> i think any effort to ensure there isn't any escalation is obviously welcome. i think there are two priorities now urgent priorities. the first is hamas must release the hostages who are being held in gaza and

secondly, urgently , we need that secondly, urgently, we need that humanitarian aid to get in the food , the water, the fuel, the food, the water, the fuel, the medicines . obviously, there have medicines. obviously, there have been some progress , but much been some progress, but much more is needed . it's urgent. more is needed. it's urgent. there are many innocent civilians in gaza . civilians in gaza. >> in other news now, here in the uk, the labour leader says his party has made history after overturning a conservative majority to win two by elections .just majority to win two by elections . just a warning of flashing images coming up in time with sarah edwards secured a win, flipping a majority of more than 19,000. meanwhile alastair strathern claimed mid—bedfordshire with a 20.5% swing, marking the largest labour win in a by—election since 1945. he says he's delighted people voted for change and we have been really humbled by how seriously people have taken this election , this have taken this election, this opportunity to do something different , this chance to make different, this chance to make sure we finally have an mp in parliament going be on parliament who's going to be on our side. >> and i think it's fair to say that after today, no one is

going be us going to be taking us for granted bedfordshire granted here in bedfordshire ever again. >> well, conservative party chairman greg hands says labour's so labour's wins are not so significant. >> improved their >> labour hardly improved their vote at all and in fact went down in mid bedfordshire slightly . but i don't think that slightly. but i don't think that will have an impact the will have an impact on the general election . clearly we general election. clearly we need to recognise that a large number of our conservative voters did not come out yesterday in mid bedfordshire and tamworth, despite having excellent candidates . this in excellent candidates. this in festus akinbusoye and in andy coopen festus akinbusoye and in andy cooper. so we need to work harder. we need to make sure that people get the government message that we are delivering against the five priorities, making progress. >> more than 1600 suspected members of county lines drug gangs have been arrested across england and wales. the operation has seized class a drugs worth more than £1 million and cash of the same value . around 58 the same value. around 58 children have been referred to safeguard services for possible exploitation by the gangs. the

action also closed 250 phone lines and seized more than 400 weapons, which included firearms and knives . a second person has and knives. a second person has died during storm babet in scotland after a falling tree hit a van near forfar in angus. the met office has issued a new 24 hour red weather warning in central and north—east scotland as further heavy rainfall is expected . 400 people have been expected. 400 people have been evacuated from their homes in brecon after flood defences were breached there. a 57 year old woman lost her life in glen esk after being swept into a river yesterday. amber warnings for wind and rain have also been issued for parts of northern england, the midlands and northern wales . this is gb news northern wales. this is gb news across the uk on tv in your car, on digital radio and on your smart speaker . just say play gb smart speaker. just say play gb news now it's over to mark and . news now it's over to mark and. pip tomson. >> thank you. welcome back to

the live desk. so the israeli defence minister, yoav galant, has told his troops that they will soon see gaza from the inside . our prime minister rishi inside. our prime minister rishi sunakis inside. our prime minister rishi sunak is still in the region attempting to alleviate what the un is calling the humanitarian and rather hellhole of gaza . and rather hellhole of gaza. this the live picture of the gaza skyline at the moment. >> the un secretary general has been at the rafah crossing today saying that aid trucks need to move into gaza as fast as possible . and we've also been possible. and we've also been telling you in the last hour that the idf has published new information on the 203 hostage is believed to be held in gaza. let's speak on that now with mark regev , who can join us, mark regev, who can join us, senior adviser to the israeli prime minister, former israeli ambassador to the uk. >> and of course, mark, we remember you've acted as a spokesman for many spokesman yourself for many years two journalists. can years to two journalists. can you little bit more you tell us a little bit more about what we heard from the idf about what we heard from the idf about phrase the majority of about the phrase the majority of the hostages are alive? is this

specific information, do we believe or just a general picture that the idf have built up ? up? >> so at the moment, we have 203 hostages who were kidnapped on that terrible day on on october 7th and taken back to gaza. and we can say today that we know the majority of them are alive . the majority of them are alive. and there are also figures about the number of hostages who are minors, how many are the elderly , and there's other information there as well . but we have to there as well. but we have to worry. we have to worry because they are being held by a brutal terrorist organisation in which we have no illusions about its commitment to humanitarian values and we saw their barbarism when they when they hit our country on october 7th, we saw what they're capable of and as was said, the demand of the international community has to be the immediate and unconditional release release of

all these hostages . and this is all these hostages. and this is this is unacceptable. and they should release them all. now i know you can't talk about operational details, but is it the case, bearing in mind from what we heard in the families, of course, that news conference in tel aviv yesterday, that this hostage situation will have to be before there is any be sorted before there is any question of a ground operation . question of a ground operation. i think that would be an incorrect assumption . right. incorrect assumption. right. that's what hamas would want, right? they'd want they'd want us to use the hostages as a weapon against us. and no, we won't. we won't do that. one of the aims of the operation is, of course, to free the hostages. that's clear . but to hold off that's clear. but to hold off a targeting hamas because of the hostages, we can't do that. hamas has to understand that it has declared war on israel. it's not just the 203 hostages that we know of. they butchered our people. they they massacred young people at the open air

music festival . they went into music festival. they went into houses and they randomly shot people . i myself seen pictures people. i myself seen pictures of baby boys in cots riddled with bullet bullet holes . there with bullet bullet holes. there were stories of parents killed in front of their children and children killed in part of their parents. terrible things beheadings, rapes , terrible, beheadings, rapes, terrible, terrible behaviour , shocking and terrible behaviour, shocking and we know what we're up against. and so the hostages are in the custody. yes they've been captured by these same people who committed these barbaric crimes. so we have no illusions about the enemy that we're up against. >> what would you say, mark, to those who claim that as the palestinian death toll increases, which we understand is now and obviously this has come from the palestinian health ministry, i know they are effectively hamas officials is very aware of that. they say nearly 4000 palestinians are dead , which is more much more dead, which is more much more now than the number of israelis who died. does it increasingly

look like this is about revenge age more than anything else here? is this is not about revenge of course, israelis have the right to be angry . the right to be angry. >> the israelis have a right to be to be a committed to defeating hamas . but we're doing defeating hamas. but we're doing this very judiciously. i mean , this very judiciously. i mean, people have been telling me, you know, when is the israeli assault going to happen? we haven't been shooting from the hip here where our attack when it happens, will judicious. it happens, will be judicious. it thought through . so it will be thought through. so we'll at steps two we'll be looking at steps two and three ahead. we have no illusions about the ferocity of our enemy, about their barbarism. we know our young soldiers going into battle , men soldiers going into battle, men and women that they will be facing a formidable opponent . we facing a formidable opponent. we will pay a price in blood. but the end result has to be that hamas's military machine will be

destroyed and their political structure in gaza will be dismantled and there'll be a new reality. and that new reality will be, of course , better for will be, of course, better for israel. we will no longer have a terrorist enclave as an extraordinary next door neighbour. but i think that new reality will ultimately be better for the people of gaza who deserve better than the bunch theocratic extremists bunch of theocratic extremists who've run the gaza strip for the last 16 years. yeah and on that present reality, of course , that present reality, of course, we did president biden we did have president biden addressing this humanitarian issue and specifically the crossing at rafah and getting aid across. >> now , as we understand it, the >> now, as we understand it, the trucks still haven't come over. are you able to update us on what the situation is there and what the situation is there and what the situation is there and what the problem is, what the hold—up is , the situation is hold—up is, the situation is ongoing and i hope it's still possible to solve that issue today before the sun goes down. >> but i have to tell you, there's a major problem that can't be ignored . right. this can't be ignored. right. this issue up in our discussions issue came up in our discussions with president biden and with your minister, your prime minister, rishi sunak, . aid to the

sunak, yesterday. aid to the palestinian civilian population of gaza , to water medicine , of gaza, to water medicine, food. of course, israel has no problem with that. but we do have a problem with supplies reaching hamas. there was a documented case just a few days ago where a . tankers of petrol ago where a. tankers of petrol entered the gaza strip and it was supposed to provide fuel for the generators in gaza's hospital . we know now that fuel hospital. we know now that fuel was stolen from the un inside gaza and this is unacceptable and it should be unacceptable to everyone who wants to help the palestinians. if hamas is stealing the aid that's supposed to help the people of gaza, then the aid can't continue. we are not going to supply the hamas terrorist war machine. >> mark, while you're with us, we're just getting some new pictures in from the west bank and ramallah. it is, of course, and ramallah. it is, of course, a day of prayer, but we're seeing some tires or various things burning there as we have, of course, previously. what is

the worry of the israeli government that you could be facing what's being called a third front in terms of the west bank?i third front in terms of the west bank? i think we've just lost communication with mark. we'll try and get that back. but these are the latest, right, mark is back with us. mark, we're just seeing some scenes from ramallah there are various things burning at a barricade. we did see some people on the streets earlier. it is , of course, the day of it is, of course, the day of prayer is there a worry that israel could be facing what's been front in been called a third front in terms of the west bank? >> of course, there's a worry hamas has cells across the west bank and we have been being proactive in picking up hamas activists , hamas operatives, activists, hamas operatives, because we want to make sure the situation stays relative quiet there. and so far , we haven't there. and so far, we haven't had an explosion of violence . had an explosion of violence. we've had sporadic violence. and you're right, we're also worried about the north, what will happen on the border with lebanon. but we're focussed at the moment on keeping all our

borders except for gaza quiet and victory in the south. they attacked us. we didn't want this war. they declared war on us. they massacred our people . we they massacred our people. we are fighting back now. we will win and when we do so, we will win and when we do so, we will win on our terms and the new reality in gaza will be created , reality in gaza will be created, which will be better for israel. okay better for the people of gaza and better for everyone who wants to see peace in the middle east. >> mark regev, senior adviser to binyamin netanyahu and former israeli ambassador to the uk, thank joining thank you very much for joining us updating us here on gb news. >> our reporter charlie peters is in tel aviv as we continue to look at these pictures from the west bank, pro—palestine protest taking place there. charlie, what can you tell us about the latest situation . latest situation. >> i've just been speaking to someone inside the west bank who says that it is very violent but hasn't yet exploded but looks as though it is travelling in that

direction. there reported scenes this morning of israeli settlers inside the west bank putting up their own checkpoints and also stealing livestock. of course , stealing livestock. of course, we can't confirm those reports at the moment, but it would be in keeping with previous indicators and warnings of settler violence that have been reported in the recent history of this conflict. we've also had reports overnight of further arrests that the idf claim are members or those aligned with hamas . they've released images hamas. they've released images of what they say are arms and munitions associated with the terror group. so there certainly is an escalating situation there. well over 63 people now have been killed in clashes between palestinian protesters and the idf . and there's also and the idf. and there's also been reports of the idf taking some serious injuries in those clashes. just one final line as well in lebanon. there reports in the last ten minutes that a security agency based there, a private security agency, has upgraded warnings to full upgraded their warnings to full evacuation. any staff there now being asked to leave on account

of the situation there escalating very seriously amid reports that the violence between lebanese hezbollah and the idf is going to step up into a more severe level. we had this morning reports of a town in the north forcing the evacuation of 20,000 people. an ominous sign of what the idf expects from lebanese hezbollah and hamas there. i think it's anticipated that there could be some idf strikes further north than southern lebanon onto those areas of administration and leadership and command for hezbollah units further away from that border region where skirmishing , shelling and skirmishing, shelling and missile fire continues . missile fire continues. >> charlie, thank you for that. and of course, sarah, apologies for the distressing scenes that we're unfolding there on for the distressing scenes that we'iwest unfolding there on for the distressing scenes that we'iwest bank. ifolding there on for the distressing scenes that we'iwest bank. indications'e on for the distressing scenes that we'iwest bank. indications there the west bank. indications there may more injuries. we'll may be more injuries. we'll update on that update you, of course, on that changing for the changing situation for the moment. aviv, moment. charlie in tel aviv, thank you. back to you throughout the afternoon. >> want turn to scotland >> we want to turn to scotland and what is going on there , and what is going on there, because storm babet is really wreaking it is also wreaking damage. it is also claiming lives to people have now died in scotland and there

are major evacuation orders. and the met office has issued another red weather warning risk to life warning in scotland for tomorrow. that is set to last for the whole day . for the whole day. >> latest we've got 27,000 homes without power, according to scottish and southern electricity networks . it's electricity networks. it's trying to regain on those suppues trying to regain on those supplies to those various areas . supplies to those various areas. aberdeenshire, angus perthshire, the main areas affected . some the main areas affected. some areas, we're being told, can only be reached by boat in terms of breaching. that's where the evacuations occurred with this exceptional rainfall. the flood defences breached there in the early hours of the morning. let's join scotland reporter tony maguire, who is still in beacon for us. and tony, clearly a lot of people had to be got to safety very quickly. there >> yes, that's correct 350 homes asked to evacuate . but we're

asked to evacuate. but we're just off the call with angus council and they said that in the rest centres around the region of angus, there's maybe around 50 up in the rest centre here in bennick and 17 and forfar . and perhaps nine or forfar. and perhaps nine or sorry, nine in forfar and 17in montrose, not a lot when you consider that the population of brechin is around 7000 and that suggests that there are most people have opted to stay in their homes or return to their homes or indeed the possibilities that they have left weaken altogether to go and stay with friends and family and somewhere that's less affected by the flooding . now, the by the flooding. now, the pictures here that you can see behind me over my right shoulder, you can see the south river esk as the wind batters me from a new angle. and over my left shoulder, if we just pan slightly to the side , you can slightly to the side, you can see how fast this river is moving . now, sepa estimates that

moving. now, sepa estimates that it was going to raise about five metres. it's not quite that high. it rose by about 4.4m off of the average river level. but indeed that is considerably higher than the 3.8m that these flood defences are built for now , as you mentioned, there are two people have been have died already. one man was unfortunately in a van when the van was struck by a tree late afternoon yesterday and of course another woman was found and pulled out of the river here yesterday as well . so far, yesterday as well. so far, there's another another search up towards aberdeenshire where a man has reported to the police as being trapped in a car as the car was slowly being being swept away. now you mentioned there as well and scottish southern electricity network, they sent out a release earlier saying that as many as 20, 2400 sorry,

24,000 homes power was gradually being restored and they were trying extremely hard to restore power to 4000 tourists still off the network, back further to that, of course, this new red weather warning for tomorrow . weather warning for tomorrow. residents, we heard from angus council just a little earlier . council just a little earlier. they said that they are now waking up to the idea that this is not going to be resolved quickly. and the idea of perhaps some people may not return to their homes for a considerable amount of time. now, angus council said that hundreds of homes have been flooded and so far today we've actually seen boats travelling up this unfortunate , aptly named river unfortunate, aptly named river road as dogs and members of the pubuc road as dogs and members of the public are brought to safety. obviously yesterday afternoon, around 3:00, angus council requested that members of the pubuc requested that members of the public were able to seek shelter in these rest centres . and yet

in these rest centres. and yet as the night progressed , from as the night progressed, from about 3:00 in the morning, rescue crews attended front doors and looked in windows with torches as as obviously the electricity was out to see if anybody needed rescued. and slowly but surely , around 100 or slowly but surely, around 100 or so calls to the police and to rescuers to help pull people out the river. >> tony mcguire, thank you very much. well, just south of break in in dundee , properties have in in dundee, properties have been damaged , we're hearing, been damaged, we're hearing, with roads closed around the city. the council has opened a rest centre for people and they're warning that there are extremely challenging conditions with road disruption now flood damage to properties and fallen trees, people are being urged to use sandbags and just be prepared. yeah, we'll update you from scotland. >> we'll update you, of course, the middle east, because we're just learning that the prime minister has now landed in egypt, in cairo . we'll have egypt, in cairo. we'll have the latest diplomatic round

latest on this diplomatic round and what he may try to achieve in the coming hours. the latest here

a.m. till noon on gb news, britain's news channel . britain's news channel. >> well, welcome back to the live desk. let's bring you some sad breaking news we're getting concerning the actress, comedy actress hayden gwinn, who has died at the age of 66 after a recent cancer diagnosis seen most recently on our screens as camilla in the windsors opposite

harry enfield as king charles. wonderful, wonderful comic portrayal she had announced earlier this year that she was suffering from cancer , died in suffering from cancer, died in the early hours of this morning, surrounded by her friends and family. we're learning. >> yeah, leapt to fame in >> yeah, she leapt to fame in drop the dead donkey, which was a good few years ago now. i remember seeing her on stage at the rsc in 12th night. she was absolute superb actress. such sad news. hayden gwynn , who sad news. hayden gwynn, who passed away early this morning surrounded by her sons . we are, surrounded by her sons. we are, we understand her close family and her friends. in a statement sent her representatives say, we'd like to thank the staff and teams at the royal marsden and brompton hospitals for their wonderful care over the last few weeks. >> nominated for a tony for her work on stage on the west end and broadway, playing billy elliot's teacher teacher in that acclaimed production , as well as acclaimed production, as well as obviously her televised asian

performances and many, many tributes coming in as we speak. >> we'll update you on that sad news now by—election and by—election victories, two of them for labour leader sir keir starmer, who says his party smashed it in those tamworth and mid bedfordshire by elections where labour overturned two huge conservative majorities swings of more than 20. well, the conservatives is seeking to well downplay perhaps that defeat by blaming low turnout and what they called legacy issues from well, this was what the chairman said, the chaotic premiership of bofis said, the chaotic premiership of boris johnson and liz truss. no less. however, polling expert sir john curtice says the results are showing the tories are staring defeat in the face. he said at any forthcoming general election . general election. >> let's get more reaction now with our political editor christopher hope in mid—bedfordshire and jack carson in tamworth. christopher where do you think the writing is on the wall for rishi sunak ? could the wall for rishi sunak? could there be increasing calls actually for him to step down

right , let's actually for him to step down right, let's break that actually for him to step down right , let's break that down. right, let's break that down. >> pippa i think yes. it's certainly very, very serious for the for the conservative party. there's no question about that. this kind of this place where i'm here now in mid bedfordshire going blue, going red from blue could could be the party gets as few as 60 mps after the next election if that swing is reproduced across the country and that's unlikely. the point about mr sunak's future well from next wednesday, tory mps can start submitting letters of no confidence in his leadership and of course that , as we know and of course that, as we know from the past, from last year, that can lead to a leadership challenges and other other people coming fonnard. i don't think party change. think the party will change. leader but may be that enough leader but it may be that enough people the right the party people on the right of the party see more than 15% of the mps want to want to put want to put want to put a warning across the bows of rishi sunak try and do more, more sunak to try and do more, more right wing, right right of centre policies win centre politics policies to win over get vote out for over and get the vote out for the tory party because i think,

you know, greg hands is right in a tamworth the a sense that in tamworth the labour went up and labour vote barely went up and in fact fell back where i am in fact fell back in where i am in fact fell back in where i am in mid beds. and happened in mid beds. and what happened was supporters stayed was the tory supporters stayed at home and wouldn't they? at home and why wouldn't they? because course mps have because of course mps have removed the two leaders who the members want. that's truss members want. that's liz truss and over a year and boris johnson over a year ago and put in the person they want. sunak has failed to want. rishi sunak has failed to fire their imagination. they look for the look at the support for the reform uk party and they think, well, right of centre well, that's the right of centre party, why not try and go after those start winning those votes and start winning back very quickly? back more seats very quickly? >> to remember the >> chris, i seem to remember the john and they tried to john major and they tried to grasp this low turnout issue as proving that things wouldn't be too bad at a general election. didn't work for him, did it? no of course, he was suffering under the kind of shadow of margaret thatcher and the way the mps, mps again removed margaret thatcher from power and he struggled through that seven year period as prime minister >> yeah, really, really >> yeah, it's really, really hard. is politics, but hard. this is politics, but they've got to do more because they've got to do more because the are concerned the party, they are concerned

now mean, sunak's been there now. i mean, sunak's been there as chancellor or pm since february 2020, apart from three months. you know, it's on him. this i think greg hands can always blame the chaos of the truss johnson premierships thank you very much chris. >> we'll go to jack carson in tamworth now jack ask sir keir starmer . well he says that starmer. well he says that labour smashed it . labour smashed it. >> yeah, exactly. you said that they're redrawing the political map. he was, of course, speaking to party activists. party members here in tamworth, tamworth fc , the football club tamworth fc, the football club here. that, that of course had come together on the pitch as well in the stands to celebrate their victory today. he said that what you see here in tamworth replicates what's going on across the country, he said. people are fed up to the back teeth with 13 years of decline under this government. it's certainly a feeling that i've got. speaking to voters this morning , certainly feeling morning, certainly a feeling many i did meet that did many of whom i did meet that did

go from conservative to labour lending their vote. of course, as chris mentioned, many of the conservative here did conservative voters here did stay at home. it's how of course, with that low turnout that that 19,000 majority that chris pincher had achieved here back in 2019 was able to be so easily or seemingly so easily overturned . as you mentioned, overturned. as you mentioned, a 24% swing in this seat, meaning that labour's sarah edwards now, of course, takes charge of this seat and her local campaign did kind of echo with the issues that a lot of people here were are facing regeneration of the high street here, anti—social behaviour, reopening the local police station that was closed down a few years ago as well. so many local issues as she kind of seemed to seem to be in tune with. and so that's that's why many people put her trust in her in her yesterday . but of course, in her yesterday. but of course, politically nationwide tamworth very much goes with the way the country is voting. it has typically been been labour with with blair and brown. it

switched back in 2010 to blue to the conservatives when david cameron was in power. so maybe a bit of an indication of what's to come for the next labour government. >> jack and chris, thank you very much indeed. rishi sunak has landed in egypt on the latest in the diplomatic efforts in middle east. more on that in the middle east. more on that coming up. but first, the headunes coming up. but first, the headlines with tamsen . headlines with tamsen. >> mark, thanks very much. here are the headlines at 133. rishi sunak has arrived in egypt to prevent further expansion of the israel—hamas conflict. the prime minister has already met with his israeli counterpart , hart his israeli counterpart, hart and saudi arabia's crown prince in the talks today. he's expected to stress the importance of preventing further loss of civilian life, at least nine british nationals have been killed and seven are missing since the attack by hamas on october the 7th . israeli october the 7th. israeli military sources have given more information about the estimated

200 hostages taken by hamas. they say 30 of those being held are teenagers and young children and 20 are over the age of 60. meanwhile the united nations secretary—general is in egypt to push for the opening of the rafah crossing to allow humanitarian aid into gaza. the un says it's in advanced talks with all parties in the israel—hamas conflict to ensure the transportation of aid gets undennay soon. it's unclear exactly when the delivery of relief materials stockpiled in egypt will start , although it's egypt will start, although it's thought it will be in the next day or so . here the labour day or so. here the labour leader says his party has made history after overturning a conservative majority to win two by elections in tamworth. sarah edwards secured a win, flipping a majority of more than 19,000. meanwhile, alastair strathern claimed mid bedfordshire with a 20.5% swing, marking the largest labour win in a by—election since . 1945 to people have died

since. 1945 to people have died in storm babet in scotland as severe weather conditions continue, the met office has issued a new 24 hour red weather warning in central and north—east scotland as further heavy rainfall is expected . some heavy rainfall is expected. some 400 people have been evacuated from their homes in brecon after flood defences were breached. there a man died after a tree fell on a van in forfar and a 57 year old woman has lost her life in glen esk after being swept into a river there yesterday . into a river there yesterday. amber warnings for wind and rain have also been issued for parts of northern england, the midlands and northern wales . midlands and northern wales. those are the headlines. you can, of course get more on all of those stories. just visit our website, gbnews.com . for website, gbnews.com. for a valuable legacy. >> your family can own gold coins will always shine bright. roslyn gold proudly sponsors the

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>> gb news is the people's. channel well , come back to the channel well, come back to the live desk where we can tell you that the prime minister, rishi sunak, has now landed in egypt as he attempts to shore up his diplomatic plans to decrease the risk of escalation in the region and get urgently needed aid into gaza. >> let's bring you the latest pictures of the skyline in gaza . pictures of the skyline in gaza. ah, well, yes, they are there . i ah, well, yes, they are there. i think we can just return. obviously, the feeds are going in and out. but at the moment we have to say we haven't seen any signs of any rocket fire or indeed further explosions. but the united nations has described the united nations has described the situation in gaza as a hell hole, saying time is running out to get supplies there for the civilian population. but reports latest reports suggesting it may not happen today with some 20 trucks still waiting at this crucial choke point in egypt and the southern border with gaza.

>> well, joining us now is alon pinkas, former advisor to two israeli prime ministers ehud barak and shimon peres. thanks very much for to talking us this afternoon . how can you tell us afternoon. how can you tell us anything about this aid situation ? call after call now situation? call after call now to get this aid through the rafah crossing. more than a million people suffering now . it million people suffering now. it is desperately needed. why hasn't it gone in yet? >> well, the rafah. >> well, the rafah. >> thank you for having me. the rafah crossing is the southern tip of gaza, where the gaza strip borders egypt rather than israel , which strip borders egypt rather than israel, which is strip borders egypt rather than israel , which is the central israel, which is the central part, and the northern part. so whatever problems or whatever the delays, it's an egyptian issue. however for, you know, any humanitarian aid is critical no matter where the who borders what. and i imagine it'll be

sorted out sometime today. maybe tomorrow. but the issue , to be tomorrow. but the issue, to be honest, is not you know, is not that one in, one out type of convoy of trucks carrying food, water and gasoline , but rather water and gasoline, but rather a continuous humanitarian aid . and continuous humanitarian aid. and i don't know to tell you at this point that this will happen in the next few days. so would you like to see it happen? >> would you, as a former advisor to israeli prime ministers as very different prime ministers would you like to see those convoys get in not just 20 trucks, but like lots and lots of trucks that we are told are needed here? i'd like told are needed here? i'd like to see 200, if not 2000 trucks. >> i mean, the last thing i want to see is a humanitarian crisis. and we're already seeing a humanitarian crisis. um, you know , i can't give you know, i can't give you a percentage of gaza residents who do not support hamas, but surely children, women , the elderly and

children, women, the elderly and babies do not need to suffer . babies do not need to suffer. that said, in previous conflicts and previous rounds of conflict , and previous rounds of conflict, humanitarian aid was confiscated by hamas and used at their discretion as opposed to reaching the people who actually need that. now there's very little israel for that matter. egypt could do, but indeed the international community, including britain, including prime minister rishi sunak , who prime minister rishi sunak, who was here today, or yesterday, rather, they they should be leaning on on hamas to make sure that this aid reaches where it's really needed . really needed. >> we should reflect we spoke to mark regev earlier indicating that perhaps israel, too, has a part to play in terms of not wanting the fuel supplies to get into the hands of hamas. however, let's just reflect the rishi sunak is today in egypt. mahmoud abbas was there in cairo as well. what part could they play as well. what part could they play apart from opening this humanitarian corridor from the

sinai peninsula ? sinai peninsula? >> well , not much, to be honest >> well, not much, to be honest with you, john. not much, because , i mean, look, there was because, i mean, look, there was the amman summit that was supposed to be hosted, scheduled to be hosted by king abdullah of jordan , president sisi of egypt , jordan, president sisi of egypt, and palestinian authority president abbas. yeah. on wednesday with visiting president joe biden of the united states and they cancelled it there were reports today that abbas , the president of the abbas, the president of the palestinian authority, refused to take a call from president biden, which i think is sheer stupidity and shortsightedness . stupidity and shortsightedness. but it is what it is. stupidity and shortsightedness. but it is what it is . there is but it is what it is. there is a limit to what rishi sunak mark may do with all the goodwill that he has exhibited here in the last six hours with without without a major international effort. that's not going to happen. >> okay. well, let's talk about the qataris then, because, again, we had rishi sunak in qatar. we had james cleverly,

our foreign secretary there as well, the update from the well, with the update from the idf in this past hour or so, is that the majority of the hostages are alive. is there a separate diplomatic track you believe in to try to secure their release before there any ground offensive ? ground offensive? >> i think there is. i think the qataris are involved, even though the qataris are complicit in funding ng hamas for many years and funnelling funds and apparently indirectly weapons. so the qataris are not exactly the girl scouts here. however, if they could play, if they could play a positive role in this, then then they're welcome . this, then then they're welcome. in past rounds , there was a an in past rounds, there was a an indirect american and a more direct german involved moment. maybe this time, possibly potentially there could be a british involvement. any one who could speak to these thugs, hamas, and get the release of at least the children and the babies. there are over 30 babies

abducted and kidnapped. anyone who could secure their release would be doing, you know, humanity and their families a great favour . great favour. >> absolutely. and as we talk to you, alan, i think we can show pictures of the west bank where we are seeing worrying protests now in many parts of the middle east. there's even been a protest now in indonesia. how concerned are you that this conflict could really escalate? it is starting to get out of control now . control now. >> yeah, well, from 1 to 10, pip, about 11, about how worried i am . there are several kinds i am. there are several kinds and several scales of escalation . one is the west bank, which you just referred to, the other and more ominous is in southern lebanon , where hezbollah, lebanon, where hezbollah, a shiite militia, endorsed, supported and funded and armed

by iran, is far , far more by iran, is far, far more powerful than hamas is. and if things escalate either in the west bank or in gaza, by the way, as a result of escalation in gaza , in in the west bank, in in gaza, in in the west bank, in lebanon, as a result of an escalation in gaza, then , you escalation in gaza, then, you know, the hell broke loose then then we're looking at a multi—front escalation . and i multi—front escalation. and i wouldn't even dare speculate how this could end . this could end. >> alon pinkas, former adviser to both ehud barak and shimon peres, thank you very much indeed for your thoughts here on gb news today. thank you for joining us. >> let's return to scotland because two people have now died as storm babet wreaks havoc . as storm babet wreaks havoc. >> the met office has issued another red weather warning for tomorrow in scotland. and this will cover the whole day. well some 27,000 homes are without power is the latest estimate we're getting from southern scottish power , in particular,

scottish power, in particular, the town of brecon had to have many areas evacuated with the storm defences breached in the early hours of the morning . early hours of the morning. >> many parts of scotland now are being told only accessible by boat. our reporter tony mcguire is still there for us and tony, as well as brecon , and tony, as well as brecon, we're being told dundee with problems as well. further down the . river the. river >> yes, that's correct. mark certainly this storm babbitt, while we've been here in brecon over the last couple of days, storm babbitt rages on around the country. and in fact , the the country. and in fact, the scottish environmental protection agency, they've issued 12 regional flood alerts , issued 12 regional flood alerts, 16 localised flood warnings , and 16 localised flood warnings, and there's five severe flood warnings . and of course, that warnings. and of course, that highly important risk to life. none more present. in fact, highly important risk to life. none more present. in fact , than none more present. in fact, than here, where two people have died in the vicinity of angus over the last 24 hours. one man unfortunately was in his van when it was struck by a falling

tree and another woman was pulled from the river just upstream from where we are now. the floodwaters remain exceedingly high here. in fact, it's so much so that the power of the water here has broken the wall behind me just over to my right shoulder , which allowed right shoulder, which allowed many , many hundreds of litres to many, many hundreds of litres to flood even further into the street. now the waters have begun receding here on river street, but it's unfortunately still going to be damaging to the houses for some time to come. while we've seen the water recede through the gap left in the wall, many houses still almost completely submerged along the road behind me. now, the met office has extended the sorry they've issued another red weather warning for this part , weather warning for this part, this time slightly more inland and from the entirety of saturday as more rains are predicted, it's also worth saying that, you know , upstream saying that, you know, upstream and upriver from where we are just now, as the water falls in

the hills, much of that rainwater could take as much as 24 hours to make its way down to brecon and then over to the coast. brecon and then over to the coast . so some spectacular sites coast. so some spectacular sites as well over the last 24 hours up in aberdeenshire, there was a huge amount of sea foam came ashore and filled the streets and some people wading waist high through sea foam , which is high through sea foam, which is again unprecedented really now we just spoke to the owner of the pub over my right shoulder, the pub over my right shoulder, the bridgend arms, and he said that, you know, while brecon has flooded on several occasions, that even for him, he was surprised to come downstairs in the middle of the morning at half four when the water had come right up and all the 20 years that he's owned the pub, he said he's not once flooded, which shows you again just how unprecedented this is . now, all unprecedented this is. now, all across the region, there are these rest centres where locals are able to go, but the reality

is , is that there's less than a is, is that there's less than a hundred in them just now, according to angus council, which that many people are which means that many people are either place like either stayed in place like scott, the owner of the pub , or scott, the owner of the pub, or indeed they've left the region altogether to go and stay with friends and family and higher ground. but as you see, even down in dundee, there's property damage. edinburgh has cancelled quite a lot of trains up north and even on the forth road bndge and even on the forth road bridge and the queensferry crossing traffic is restricted as we still continue to feel the effects . effects. >> tony, thanks very much for bringing us the latest there from brecon. we are going to stay in brecon and talk to jill scott, a brecon councillor for jill. i think if i'm right, you are at an evacuation centre this afternoon as you talk to us. but let's just pick up on something that our reporter tony maguire said, that it's not very busy and the concern is that people aren't leaving their homes as they're advised to do for their

own safety . own safety. >> i think i can't say that it's not very busy. >> i mean, it seems busy here. there's you know, there is quite a lot of people here that have been evacuated and many people have gone to stay with family and friends as well. and of course, there is some that have just decided to stay and don't want leave their home. how want to leave their home. how would describe the situation? >> have you ever seen anything like we keep hearing the like this? we keep hearing the word unprecedented being used . word unprecedented being used. >> i've never seen anything like this ever. i mean, you know , this ever. i mean, you know, we've seen floods before. >> the flood prevention wall. we had railings there. and you know, floods were a regular occurrence, but nothing to this scale. absolutely. you know, nobody could have been prepared for what we witnessed at 4:00 this morning when the river came over the wall. just absolutely horrendous. >> is your home okay, jill ? yeah >> is your home okay, jill? yeah i'm up the hill. >> so, yeah , i've been fine. >> so, yeah, i've been fine. i've been kind of watching sheep all night, so. haven't had much

sleep, but yeah, no, i've not been too stirred by by flooding. thankfully >> now angus council having to cope with the brunt of this as we speak to you, i gather emergency crews still actually trying to reach people and effectively, you know, boats now are the only form of transport for large parts of the area. >> yeah. so believe they haven't actually haven't been down because obviously the roads been closed. so you know i've not been able to go down so made my way up to the rest centre to help. yeah you know i help. but yeah you know i believe quite believe there's still quite a lot water and quite a lot of lot of water and quite a lot of properties are still under water. so and of course the red warning extended. and warning has been extended. and so, we don't what so, you know, we don't know what that's look like. it's that's going to look like. it's just really worrying, just really, really worrying, isn't and worrying for the isn't it? and worrying for the residents. >> it's not just what's >> yeah, it's not just what's happening moment. it's happening at the moment. it's the aftermath. and when people can get back into their homes in terms of having to clean up all the as well. terms of having to clean up all the yeah as well. terms of having to clean up all the yeah , as well. terms of having to clean up all the yeah , that'svell. terms of having to clean up all the yeah , that's right. i mean, >> yeah, that's right. i mean, obviously, know, we don't obviously, you know, we don't know. know extent know. we don't know the extent of you know, of the damage. and, you know, that's the that's the thing

here. you know, people are really concerned they really concerned because they don't you know, what don't know what, you know, what the of house looks the inside of their house looks like. it could be like. you know, it could be filled mud and and all filled with mud and silt and all the rest of it. but you know, given that there's been, you know, people have lost their know, two people have lost their lives my lives and, you know, my condolences go out to their family i think , you family and friends. i think, you know, people are feeling feeling very be here and very grateful to be here and warm and safe . warm and safe. >> yeah. and what help are you giving to people in the rest centres ? centres? >> so, you know, there's it's being manned by the health and social care partnership. so there's , there's, you know, there's, there's, you know, there's, there's, you know, there's carers on hand , there's there's carers on hand, there's medical, there's you know, there's lots of things that are getting fed, they're being , getting fed, they're being, they're saying that they've been exceptionally well looked after but you know, nothing can beat your own bed can it. so it's always difficult to be out of your own house. >> yeah. jill scott, briefing councillor . councillor. >> thank you for the work you are doing and we do wish you all the very best because it looks a very, very difficult situation

from the pictures that we're seeing. you with seeing. let's update you with the the prime minister the fact that the prime minister is in egypt. >> he's landed in cairo in this past half hour. >> he's landed in cairo in this past half hour . we're also being past half hour. we're also being told separately that the saudi crown prince and the president of the united arab emirates are meeting today, according to state the gulf states state media, the two gulf states trying to overcome their differences . so clearly, there differences. so clearly, there is still a lot of diplomatic room, but let's bring you the pictures of the latest protests in yemen with a huge number on the streets. palestinian flags. and just to remind you, the us saying that they intercepted missiles and drones fired from yemen towards israel. they believed fired by houthi forces, an indication in on the growing unrest, of an indication in on the growing unrest , of course, an indication in on the growing unrest, of course, in an indication in on the growing unrest , of course, in other unrest, of course, in other regions after this incursion from gaza into israel. and the reaction from the israeli defence forces . defence forces. >> and while rishi sunak is in egypt today, we do now know that james cleverly, the foreign secretary will be attending a peace summit in cairo tomorrow .

peace summit in cairo tomorrow. many leaders, countries, representatives at that, including the palestinian president. we will bring you the very latest at the top of the houn very latest at the top of the hour. stay with us on

good afternoon. it is 2:00 and you are with the live desk here on gb news. coming up for you this friday afternoon . this friday afternoon. >> well, we have protests across

the world, anti—israeli protests. they've been called with indication here of huge crowds on the streets of yemen . crowds on the streets of yemen. it follows the us saying that they had shot down missiles and drones fired from yemen towards israel yesterday. today, of course , the day of prayer across course, the day of prayer across much of the muslim world. >> and these are live pictures of gaza where more than a million people are displaced and aid convoys still waiting to get through the rafah crossing. we also have a latest update on the 200 hostages held by hamas . the 200 hostages held by hamas. the israeli military says that over 20 of them are children under the age of 18. the majority of them are still alive . here them are still alive. here >> labour overturned huge conservative majorities in two by—election victories with swings of more than 20. keir starmer says the results show people ovennhelmingly wanting change. the tory chairman says his party must reflect .

his party must reflect. at a red weather warning. >> is extended for much of scotland and it will last right the way through tomorrow as storm babet wreaks havoc. two people have died in scotland and four following these unprecedented scenes , we will unprecedented scenes, we will bnng unprecedented scenes, we will bring you the latest on that and much more. first, let's get your headunes much more. first, let's get your headlines with . tamsin headlines with. tamsin >> pip, thanks very much. good afternoon from the gb newsroom. it's 2:01. rishi sunak has arrived in egypt on the next leg of his diplomatic mission to discuss the israeli hamas conflict. the prime minister is due to meet egypt's president . due to meet egypt's president. he's already met with his israeli counterpart and saudi arabia's crown prince. today, he's expected to discuss the

importance of preventing further loss of civilian life, at least nine british nationals have been killed and seven are missing since the attack by hamas on october the 7th. here labour leader sir keir starmer says prevent the escalation should be the top priority . the top priority. >> i think any effort to ensure there isn't any escalation is obviously welcome. i think there are two priorities now urgent priorities. the first is hamas must release the hostages who are being held in gaza and secondly, urgently , we need that secondly, urgently, we need that humanitarian aid to get in the food , the water, the fuel, the food, the water, the fuel, the medicines . obviously, there's medicines. obviously, there's been some progress , but much been some progress, but much more is needed . it's urgent. more is needed. it's urgent. there are many innocent civilians in gaza . civilians in gaza. >> israel military sources have given more information about the estimated 200 hostages taken by hamas . they say 30 of those hamas. they say 30 of those taken are teenagers and young children , and 20 people are over children, and 20 people are over

the age of 60. they say the majority are still alive. meanwhile israeli troops are mobilising along the border of the gaza strip ahead of a possible ground invasion. tanks troops and helicopters have been seen near the border this morning . israeli defence morning. israeli defence minister yoav galant has told troops they would soon see the palace, an enclave from inside and the united nations secretary—general is in egypt to push for the opening of the rafah crossing to allow humanitarian aid into gaza. the un says it's in advanced talks with all parties in the conflict to ensure the transportation of aid gets undennay soon. it's unclear exactly when the delivery of relief materials stockpile in egypt will start to move , although it's thought it move, although it's thought it will be in the next day or so. antonio gutierrez said aid trucks are essential . trucks are essential. >> we have seen so many trucks loaded with water, with fuel, with medicines, with food exam ,

with medicines, with food exam, exactly the same thing that are needed on this side of the wall. so these trucks are not just trucks . they are a lifeline trucks. they are a lifeline line. they are the difference between life and death for so many people in gaza . many people in gaza. >> well, we can just bring you some breaking news that we're heanng some breaking news that we're hearing from the egypt foreign ministry confirming that the rafah border has just opened. so that news just coming into us now. the rafah border has opened to allow that humanitarian aid into gaza. the egypt foreign ministry confirming that. and we will, of course, bring you more on that in just a moment. to other news now and in the uk, the labour leader says his party has made history after overturning a conservative majority to win two by elections just a warning of flashing images coming up in tamworth. sarah edwards secured a win,

flipping a majority of more than 19,000. meanwhile, alistair stratton claimed mid bedfordshire with a 20.5% swing, marking the largest labour win in a by—election since 1945. he says he's delighted people voted for change. >> and we have been really humbled by how seriously people have taken this election, this opportunity to do something different, this chance to make sure we finally have an mp in parliament who's going to be on our side and i think it's fair to say that after today, no one is going to be taking us for granted here bedfordshire granted here in bedfordshire ever granted here in bedfordshire eve conservative party granted here in bedfordshire eveconservative party chairman >> conservative party chairman greg says labour's wins greg hands says labour's wins are significant . are not so significant. >> labour hardly improved their vote at all and in fact went down in mid bedfordshire slightly . but i don't think that slightly. but i don't think that will have an impact on the general election. clearly we need to recognise that a large number of our conservative voters did not come out yesterday in mid bedfordshire and tamworth despite having excellent candidates in festus akinbusoye and in andy cooper. so we need to work harder. we

need to make sure that people get the government message that we are delivering against the five priorities, making progress more than 1600 suspected members of county lines drug gangs have been arrested across england and wales. >> the operation seized class a drugs worth more than £1 million and cash of the same value . and cash of the same value. around 58 children have been referred to safeguarding services for possible exploitation by the gangs . the exploitation by the gangs. the action also closed 250 phone lines and seized more than 400 weapons, including firearms and knives . a second person has died knives. a second person has died dunng knives. a second person has died during storm babet in scotland after a falling tree hit a van near forfar in angus . the met near forfar in angus. the met office has issued a new 24 hour red weather warning in central and north—east scotland as further heavy rainfall is expected . some 400 people have expected. some 400 people have been evacuated from their homes in brecon after flood defences were breached. there a 57 year old woman lost her life in glenesk after being swept into a river there yesterday. amber

warnings for wind and rain have also been issued for parts of northern england , the midlands northern england, the midlands and northern wales . this is gb and northern wales. this is gb news across the uk on tv, in your car on digital radio and on your car on digital radio and on your smart speaker. by saying play your smart speaker. by saying play gb news now it's over to mark and . pip tomson. mark and. pip tomson. >> thank you and welcome back to the live desk . let's update you the live desk. let's update you on the situation at that key rafah crossing between gaza and egypt with, of course, the prime minister having landed in egypt in this past hour. a foreign ministry spokesperson for the egyptian government saying that the rafah crossing is open and that egypt is not responsible for obstructing third country nationals , leaving that just nationals, leaving that just being posted by them on x or twitter as was. >> yes, a little earlier today, the un secretary—general visited the un secretary—general visited the rafah border crossing and stressed how quickly the trucks

need to move to get into the gaza city to help alleviate a growing humanitarian crisis. more than a million people, we understand , have now been understand, have now been displaced with gaza running short of food, fuel , food, water short of food, fuel, food, water and medicine. but that short of food, fuel, food, water and medicine . but that border and medicine. but that border had remained shut while there was a lot of wrangling going on about on what basis that aid would be allowed to flow in, that wrangling continuing to a degree , with the spokesman degree, with the spokesman saying or criticising cairo being held responsible for the crossings closure despite he said, israeli targeted attacks and a refusal of aid entry . and a refusal of aid entry. >> that's what being posted by them on social media. we'll try and get more detail for you on that with, of course, the prime minister currently in cairo for those talks . those talks. >> back here, the labour party claims it has brought about a political earthquake after overturning two huge conservative majority is to win

the tamworth and mid bedfordshire by elections . bedfordshire by elections. >> well, the conservatives are trying to downplay the defeats by blaming low turnout . the by blaming low turnout. the party chairman greg hands calling legacy issues from what he said were the chaotic premierships of boris johnson and liz truss for the problems. however the polling expert sir john curtice, says these results do show the tories may be staring defeat in the face at a general election . general election. >> john well let's get more reaction now with our political editor christopher hope in mid—bedfordshire and jack carson in tamworth . christopher, what in tamworth. christopher, what do you make of the sort of defence really from the conservatives that a government that rarely wins a by—election i mean up to a point? >> lord copper is what i'd say back to the party chairman in that instance, i think yes, of course fewer tories turned out yes . labour's share the vote yes. labour's share the vote didn't really budge much up in

tamworth and was down in mid bedfordshire where i am at the moment. but the point is that the party, the tory party, is not getting its supporters out. why that? well, the members why is that? well, the members have now seen the two people. they the party, they wanted to run the party, bofis they wanted to run the party, boris johnson liz truss boris johnson and liz truss being from office and being removed from office and replaced someone didn't replaced by someone who didn't win the support of the membership rishi membership last year. rishi sunak and that's the problem. and since then, the party and then since then, the party under mr sunak has been hemmed in obviously the issue in by obviously the issue of paying in by obviously the issue of paying for the covid pandemic. the problems caused by the ukraine invasion by russia, and now increasingly distracted, if nothing else, and also giving support to israel with its battle with hamas . so there's battle with hamas. so there's a concern amongst the membership and supporters. why? what are you doing for us? i think and that's where this issue has come in. look at the votes there for reform uk, a right of centre party. if votes hadn't party. if those votes hadn't happened, then tories have happened, then tories would have won seats. there is a won both those seats. there is a lot of upset and concern amongst tory mps, i think will tory mps, which i think will manifest i'm manifest itself next week. i'm just about an erg just hearing about an erg meeting a european meeting that's a european research of tory mps.

research group of tory mps. they're meeting big they're meeting for a big meeting on tuesday to meeting on tuesday afternoon to consider other consider brexit and other related matters. i'm told that will include the party's poor performance in the these by elections on wednesday. mbappe you can start putting in letters of no confidence in rishi sunak, although he won't be replaced. i can see a big protest from people from tories worried about their livelihoods and the future of party next week. of their party next week. >> yeah, course the >> yeah, and of course the parallels, chris, being drawn in terms the swing in the vote terms of the swing in the vote with 9097 when john major was wiped out by new labour and tony blair just remind people wiped out by new labour and tony blairjust remind people of blair just to remind people of those days cool those heady days of cool britannia . and of course that britannia. and of course that may be the spectre that is on the shoulder of many of these conservative mps. but do we know what people were saying on the doorsteps because they were quite circumstance aces quite specific circumstance aces for these two by elections being called ? or is it that people called? or is it that people just say , you know, it's time just say, you know, it's time for a . change? for a. change? >> it does . and certainly that's >> it does. and certainly that's what keir starmer has been

saying when he was here just after dawn, where i am in mid bev turner, he said that this party, the labour party, is the party, the labour party, is the party change and what party of change and that's what they're and can they're offering. and you can sense that in a country that the tories have run out of their chances. they've replaced their leadership. leaders leadership. five leaders in 13 years. time someone new leadership. five leaders in 13 yeara time someone new leadership. five leaders in 13 yeara newtime someone new leadership. five leaders in 13 yeara new team someone new leadership. five leaders in 13 yeara new team to someone new leadership. five leaders in 13 yeara new team to takeone new leadership. five leaders in 13 yeara new team to take overlew leadership. five leaders in 13 yeara new team to take over and and a new team to take over and you can see why that that is attractive. i possibly to you can see why that that is attrac'people possibly to you can see why that that is attrac'people out possibly to you can see why that that is attrac'people out there, yly to you can see why that that is attrac'people out there, it'so you can see why that that is attrac'people out there, it's not some people out there, it's not all is not lost. the tory strategist tell me they think if they put starmer under pressure, he wilt and again, i think he does wilt and again, i think what are for these what they are hoping for these tories that can can tories is that they can they can persuade people come and vote persuade people to come and vote because bev turner, for because in bev turner, for example , the turnout collapse example, the turnout collapse from down to 40 to 43 or so% from 74% down to 40 to 43 or so% down by 30 points. if you can get those out, those tories vote, you've got a chance. but the landing zone for a tory win in the election, which we now expect in autumn year, is expect in autumn next year, is getting vanishingly small and for rishi sunak, he does appear to have a problem, doesn't he, because he keeps saying and we heard it at the tory party conference, that he he is the

conference, that he is he is the agent for change. >> if you like. but what people seem to be saying here is we want to change the . party want to change the. party >> that's right. i mean, the tory party for me is like a snake that sheds its skin every 2 or 3 years and changes leader and then makes out it's a new thing altogether. you saw it, didn't you, pippa, in that speech from mr sunak. it's party conference past 30 conference attacking the past 30 years and a large years of government and a large part of which is under tory rule. i was we were expecting a reshuffle, a ministerial reshuffle, a ministerial reshuffle in the government towards the end of next week, ahead king's speech on ahead of the king's speech on november may or november the 7th. that may or may not but certainly he may not happen, but certainly he may not happen, but certainly he may himself boxed in by may find himself boxed in by what he can do now, because i think the tory is going to think the tory right is going to be very concerned about be very, very concerned about this where it's this government and where it's going happens next going next and what happens next could interesting for mr could be interesting for mr sunak. well let's bring jack could be interesting for mr sutamworth let's bring jack could be interesting for mr sutamworth and bring jack could be interesting for mr sutamworth and jack,| jack could be interesting for mr sutamworth and jack,| don't at tamworth and jack, we don't quite the tory quite know what the tory thinking there of course, thinking is there of course, because cooper, the because andrew cooper, the unsuccessful campaign unsuccessful tory campaign candidate, pretty candidate, legged it pretty quickly after the declaration . quickly after the declaration. >> there . >> there. >> there.

>> yeah. so it was reported that he was he was late turning up to the declaration they had to hold off the announcement of sarah edwards, of course, winning that election. and then as soon as she took to took to the microphone to start her accept speech, it seemed that he his eyes seemed to catch, of course, members of the conservative party. he rushed off the stage and was quite literally ushered out the back door. he only turned up, of course, as i said later, and was only there in total for about five minutes at the count last night and didn't stay for the acceptance speech. that's not necessarily gone down, particularly well here. there is a sense of having grace in your failure, as you would want, of course, in success. he is a local councillor here, andrew cooper. he was the candidate the conservatives were hoping would be able to win over this constituency. of course, chris pincher 119 this constituency. of course, chris pincher119 zero zero this constituency. of course, chris pincher 119 zero zero vote majority here back in 2019. but speaking to people here today, chris pincher himself and of

course that the circumstances around his resignation was certainly a few of the reasons why people why people decided not to vote conservative and many of them deciding not to come out even at all. we know that the turnout was down from 64% in 2019 down to 35% yesterday. and labour's sarah edwards saying and keir starmer saying today that actually the result here is reflected that people are are sick to the back teeth, as keir starmer called it, of 13 years of conservative government. but reacting to that by—election result here in tamworth . here's what people on tamworth. here's what people on the street told me a little bit earlier on. >> you know, i've lived in this town for quite a long time and you know, it's been under conservative rule for many, many, many years and this town is destroyed , you know, it's is destroyed, you know, it's empty, it's gone. and all i can feel today is ecstatic. i'm i'm filled with ecstasy , you know, filled with ecstasy, you know, because i'm ecstatic to get rid of the conservatives once and for all, you know. but i'm also

filled with a little bit of trepidation about what's next. and i hope that the labour government can do something different. i really do . and i'm different. i really do. and i'm looking fonnard to the landslide that this country is about to face. >> not surprised at all, to be honest with you. the state of the tory party i mean, did you vote for labour yesterday ? vote for labour yesterday? >> no. no. which which way do you vote and how do you feel? how do you feel this morning? >> honest, i've always >> to be honest, i've always voted tory, but yesterday i voted tory, but yesterday i voted because think we voted reform because i think we need a change. i don't think there's much difference between labour all, labour and conservative at all, to with you. i just to be honest with you. i just think change. i think think we need a change. i think tories have been in 13 years and i think the country is in a mess, honest with you. so mess, to be honest with you. so you know, they're not going to get vote back at the minute. get my vote back at the minute. >> quite glad because it's >> i was quite glad because it's i whether they'll i don't know whether they'll make any difference, but the change the rest. change is as good as the rest. and i think it's always at the back of your mind whether the labour got him because people were the were had enough of the conservatives labour that conservatives or are labour that good going to good and they're going to do what say they're to do? >> i mean, how did you how did

you vote? and labour. yeah. was that was that from being conservative? mean, how have conservative? i mean, how have you to how you you voted before to how you voted house voted yesterday being an house owner whatever? owner or whatever? >> i was just brought up to be conservative, but i've had enough can't enough now because i can't believe word they're saying now. >> yeah. keir starmer said that he the voters that he would repay the voters that lent their vote in this lent them their vote in this by—election, hearing from by—election, but hearing from those the test for those people there, the test for labour next labour will be at the next german election. they german election. whether they can lending of those can turn the lending of those votes into something little votes into something a little bit more permanent. >> jack carson in >> okay. jack carson in tamworth, thanks very much for that , pat tamworth, thanks very much for that, pat and chris, of course, also mid beds will update you on the political reaction in. >> but let's just bring you the latest we understand that latest that we understand that rishi sunak meeting the rishi sunak is meeting the egyptian president, abdel fattah el—sisi , as we speak with a el—sisi, as we speak with a spokesman for the egyptian foreign minister or ministry, saying the rafah crossing is open. saying the rafah crossing is open . of course, they had been open. of course, they had been trying to get that opened for the humanitarian aid, waiting on the humanitarian aid, waiting on the egyptian side. at least 20

trucks to get into the gaza strip. we'll update you with the latest .

a.m. till noon on gb news, britain's news channel . britain's news channel. >> welcome back to the live desk. let's try and interpret the situation at this key rafah crossing for you, because clearly there was a hope that the trucks would have been

coming across today . that was coming across today. that was president biden's wish . at least president biden's wish. at least 20 trucks are waiting on the egyptian side. we have had this statement on, well, effective , statement on, well, effective, lovely social media from a spokesman for the egyptian foreign ministry saying the crossing is open but that egypt is not responsible for the obstructing of third country nationals going on to say that it is the closures despite israeli targeted attacks and a refusal of aid entry . so the refusal of aid entry. so the blame game, it seems , is still blame game, it seems, is still there with, of course , the prime there with, of course, the prime minister attending talks at the moment. >> yeah. and a little earlier, the idf, the israeli military said, i know there's a lot of questions about getting aid through. there's a lot of pressure. it's being discussed . pressure. it's being discussed. first it is happening and other channels. well, the prime minister will be discussing that in cairo , where he is today as in cairo, where he is today as he attempts to stop this conflict spreading as well in

other parts of the middle east. >> let's get more with our reporter charlie peters, who's in tel aviv. and certainly the israeli spokesperson that we spoke to earlier, charlie, saying , well, you know, we've saying, well, you know, we've got problems about getting fuel across because it's been stolen previously by hamas , although previously by hamas, although we're okay about letting water and food in. it will be frustrating, particularly , i frustrating, particularly, i guess, for president biden having come here to get that humanity . an agreement sealed . humanity. an agreement sealed. >> yes. and it's almost a sign of washington's embarrassment over this situation because on many occasions, us diplomats have claimed that the rafah border crossing is imminently going to open and on all of those occasions, those hopes have been dashed. and it looks like this is shaping up to be another day of hopes on the crossing being cut short by the situation on both sides. now as you said, the blame game is ongoing and we haven't got a clear picture at this point on who is truly responsible for the transmission of humanitarian aid

from egypt into gaza. but we do know that international actors are floating around urgently trying to find a solution to that crisis. rishi sunak in cairo today, meeting with his counterpart . it's abdel fattah counterpart. it's abdel fattah el—sisi . but also there is this el—sisi. but also there is this peace conference taking place in egypt tomorrow with leaders from bahrain, japan and italy as well, all coming down, among many others, to try and seek a solution to the humanity crisis in the gaza strip. i say solution just supports as much as they possibly to can what is as they possibly to can what is a appalling situation there. according to international observers and ngos based in the gaza strip. but diplomacy is looking like it's going to continue on that situation. obviously, as they try and seek an urgent solution to what is a very desperate situation. there are also reports this morning that there were issues with regards to the road structure and that there were some holes caused by shelling. we haven't had verify those had the ability to verify those reports just yet. but clearly a

tense and multi fronted diplomatic effort going on to secure some opening of the border crossing today in terms of the hostages , charlie, those of the hostages, charlie, those 203 hostages, we understand , are 203 hostages, we understand, are being held by hamas . being held by hamas. >> there was an update from the israeli israeli military earlier who said the majority of them are still alive. that was quite out an announcement, wasn't it? >> it was. and it came just an hour before we've had further information from the defence minister, yoav galant, who has set out more in terms of what the israeli strategy is going to be. now earlier on the program i said that there has been a lot of criticism in israel and indeed from international observers with regards to the fact that israel has been planning this imminent invasion but hasn't given much indication of what it will do next. there is no information regarding the primary objective, and that includes the situation with the hostages as well. well, this

afternoon, you have galant. he said that the first the first move of the operation would be to conduct fires and then tactical manoeuvres. we understand that to be ground operations, armour and infantry moving into the gaza strip. then second, after destruction , second, after the destruction, he said, or assassination of military leaders and infrastructure, they would hope to reduce to a lower intensity of war. and then thirdly, and finally remove their responsibility for the strip after installing a new security apparatus in the area. things are obviously bold ambitions, and he did not give information on how the recovery of hostages would be a part of the offensive operations there. but of course , operations there. but of course, tactical details and how they intend to conduct those operations will remain close to the war. cabinet ahead of that imminent ground invasion . imminent ground invasion. >> okay, charlie, for the moment, thank you for that. as we're getting pictures coming in of the prime minister and indeed the leader of egypt, el—sisi, there with indication , of

there with indication, of course, that this well , course, that this well, difficult situation at the rafah border crossing is going to be one of those major the key questions for both of them. but also as charlie was alluding to this piece conference, as it's being called at the weekend , being called at the weekend, mahmoud abbas, the palestinian leader there, as the diplomatic round, continues to try to find some kind of way out of any ground offensive in gaza. the israelis, though, say, no, they're going to go in, they're going to take hamas out. >> we're going to talk to susan platt, who is the former chief of staff to joe biden. good afternoon to you, susan . good to afternoon to you, susan. good to see you this afternoon on this situation with the rafah crossing. it's embarrassing, isn't it, for the us president because he went back to the united states thinking that this temporary opening of it was a done deal and some aid at least was going to get in and still there is delay after delay . there is delay after delay. >> well, i think it's dangerous

to assume anything at this point. we've seen what we saw what happened the other day when israel was accused of bombing the hospital and it turns out that wasn't the case. so i don't think we can assume anything at this point until we checked our facts. i want to talk a facts. i do want to talk a little bit about president biden's last night. it biden's speech last night. it was biden. it's where was classic biden. it's where he's at his best that of a seasoned leader, leader , a seasoned leader, leader, a temperate leader. it was an important speech that to the world, not just to americans. and it was really of the moment trying to together to conflicts and the importance of the world, i think was incredible. and i think it's unfortunately the situation right now in the us congress where we have petty infighting with republicans and we can't seem to get anything moving to help these people any quicker. yeah it wasn't quite ronald reagan's axis of evil, but it wasn't far off, was it? i think it was pretty darn close . think it was pretty darn close. and tell you, as a as an and i'll tell you, as a as an american person whose nephew happens to on the uss

happens to be on the uss enterprise heading to the middle east right now, i hope we can figure some to stop. figure out some way to stop. i know we're hearing about it's imminent. invasion is imminent of gaza . i certainly hope that's of gaza. i certainly hope that's cooler heads will prevail to figure out a solution that's not as as as dangerous to innocent citizens. and do you think that is the message that joe biden took to benjamin netanyahu? >> because there are indications that in their private discussions, at least , that the discussions, at least, that the us gave a tacit approval for a ground offensive to take place . ground offensive to take place. >> so again, i'm not going to make any assumptions , but make any assumptions, but netanyahu is the head of israel. we're not we can provide some guidance as the president talked about. we should lead with our our heads, not our hearts . and i our heads, not our hearts. and i think that's probably the message we've learned from experience in the past not to do that. and believe that was that. and i believe that was a solid message to president to prime minister netanyahu . prime minister netanyahu. >> you know, joe biden well, having having been his former chief of staff , how do

having having been his former chief of staff, how do you think he has handled the diplomacy this week? i mean, he did fly straight into a war zone, effectively , didn't he? you effectively, didn't he? you know, very, very tricky for him on all fronts. and those people who say , oh, you know, he's too who say, oh, you know, he's too old now to be us president, maybe, maybe they're thinking again . again. >> yes. and that was the second time after going into ukraine and now going into israel. i can tell you this. i know that i'm a lot younger than he is. there's no way i could continue this at the pace he's been doing the last, let's say, five days. it's been incredible. he has been at the top of his game. and i think this is really points to the fact that what he believes in american leadership, american values and seasoned response and that's that's experience talking. and that's that's why i'm proud to be american. >> on how much of that is key the fact that as vice president and of course, going back to being a senator as well, he's beenin being a senator as well, he's been in these regions. he knows the personalities and the people

involved. and that can take you a long way . a long way. >> i think it's important and i think to remember he doesn't have an ego in this . his ego is have an ego in this. his ego is not involved . it's the interest not involved. it's the interest of democracy and the united states and peace across the world. and i think that's a really important thing. it's not like some of the other leaders where their ego leads them into difficult 80s. joe biden doesn't have that problem. >> quite a long and >> he does have quite a long and complicated relationship with benjamin that, benjamin netanyahu. that, though, ? though, doesn't he? >> i don't think that's >> well, i don't think that's what we ought to be working out right now. i think we need to focus on the difficulties at hand and how solve them hand and how do we solve them with least amount of with the least amount of bloodshed. and then as the president said, and develop a two situation in the region. >> and last thought, susan, has the us worked out the end game and we were just about to see more pictures and in yemen, for instance, of protest there, we understand that the us fired or intercepted missiles being fired from yemen and clearly the hope

or the design is to avoid this escalating across the region . escalating across the region. >> well, clearly it is. it's a very dangerous situation and i think we all have to be careful with any assumptions that we make and just keep working as much as we can through all channels to avoid any any conflict where there's loss of life, intentional or not. >> susan platt as ever, thank you very much indeed for joining us here on gb news and sharing your thoughts. thank you . your thoughts. thank you. >> let's just show you some live pictures from yemen where when we saw them a little earlier, well, there was massive protests and now it looks like there is a statement being given. but those well, what looks like thousands of people protesting in support of people protesting in support of people protesting in support of people in gaza , hundreds of of people in gaza, hundreds of thousands now that have been displaced desperately waiting for humanitarian aid, palestinian flags flying there in yemen. >> just to update you, of

course, the us saying it intercepted those missiles, missiles fired from yemen believed to targeted on believed to be targeted on israel. from the region israel. latest from the region coming up. let's get the headunes coming up. let's get the headlines with tamsen . headlines now with tamsen. >> marc, thank you. here are the headunes >> marc, thank you. here are the headlines at 233. egypt s foreign ministry says the rafah crossing is open. it will allow for life saving humanitarian aid to enter gaza. negotiations are still in place to allow foreign and dual nationals to come through the crossing. we wish sunakisin through the crossing. we wish sunak is in egypt meeting with the country's president, downing street says the prime minister's top priority is to support british nationals safely out of the territory. he's already met with his israeli counterpart and saudi arabia's crown prince today. he's also expected to discuss the importance of preventing further loss of civilian life. at least nine british nationals have been killed and seven are missing since the attack by hamas on

october the 7th, warning of some flashing images here. the labour leader, sir keir starmer , says leader, sir keir starmer, says his party has made history after overturning a conservative majority to win two by elections in tamworth. sarah edwards secured a win, flipping a majority of more than 19,000. meanwhile alastair strathern claimed mid—bedfordshire shire with a 20.5% swing, marking the largest labour win in a by—election since 1945 . a second by—election since 1945. a second person has died during storm babet in scotland after a falling tree hit a van in angus. the met office has issued a new 24 hour red weather warning in central and north—east. scotland has further heavy rainfall is expected . 400 people have been expected. 400 people have been evacuated from their homes in brecon after flood defences were breached. a 57 year old woman also lost her life in glen esk after being swept into a river yesterday . the those are the yesterday. the those are the headunes yesterday. the those are the headlines you can get more on

all of those stories just visit our website gb news.com all of those stories just visit our website gbnews.com .

patrick christys on gb news. i'm gb news radio . gb news radio. >> welcome back to the live desk. here's a question for you. are the conservatives heading towards electoral armageddon ? towards electoral armageddon? thatis towards electoral armageddon? that is the prediction of former chancellor george osborne, who said before yesterday's by

elections that the party would be facing a 9997 style wipe—out at the next general election if they fail to hold on in tamworth and mid—bedfordshire . and mid—bedfordshire. >> what happened then? well just to remind you, cool britannia , to remind you, cool britannia, tony blair and a huge sea change in labour politics, at least new labour of course, the conservatives. just to remind you of now, lost seven constituencies in the past three years in these by elections. and that's significant because the run of that sort of scale was last seen by john major and the tory government that lost to that 97 landslide to tony blair. so will history repeat itself? let's get the thoughts now of our political correspondent olivia utley , because i guess olivia utley, because i guess that spectre will be now exercising a lot of mps. olivia well , absolutely. well, absolutely. >> it was a really qatar strophic defeat for the conservatives and was pretty much unprecedented . tamworth was much unprecedented. tamworth was the biggest loss for the

by—election for the conservatives in a by—election since the second world war. apart from one by—election in 1996, the year before. of course, tony blair swept to power . so this course, tony blair swept to power. so this morning course, tony blair swept to power . so this morning we've power. so this morning we've seen conservative ministers trying to explain away the by—election defeat and of course some of what they say holds some water in by elections. you get votes as coming out to protest against the government. they don't actually want to see the government change hands, but they know they can they can they know that they can they can sort of throw away a vote on a by—election. also so turnouts very low in elections. that's very low in by elections. that's true was true in tamworth. it was something like 35, 40. but that said, at the end of the day , by said, at the end of the day, by elections, pat mcfadden from elections, as pat mcfadden from labour said, elections and labour said, by elections and election days are counted by who turns up to vote and this time voters just did not turn out for the conservatives as you say, it very much feels as though the spectre of 1997 is hanging over rishi sunak and much in the same way as what happened to john major this afternoon. we're heanng major this afternoon. we're

hearing lots of tories beginning to turn their backs on rishi sunak. i've heard from truss and johnson acolytes who've been pretty scathing about sunak who claimed that he's been in charge of a economic policy since 2020. as chancellor and then as prime minister. so he can't blame nork and jeremy hunt. they can't blame anything on what trust did for three months last year . lord for three months last year. lord frost, who's an eminent tory, very important peer under boris johnson in particular, he said that the tories just can't be in denial any more now. and what's really interesting is that from monday , rishi sunak will have monday, rishi sunak will have beenin monday, rishi sunak will have been in the post of prime minister for one year and that means that technically the 1922 committee can allow tory mps to start filing votes of no confidence in the prime minister. and after one year, if enough votes are reached, a 15% of the tory mps vote no. confidence in in rishi sunak we could see some sort of confidence vote. now that's not likely to happen any time soon.

we're not expecting that to be imminent , we're not expecting that to be imminent, but we are hearing those murmurs of discontent and there are certainly some tories in the party who think, well, it can't get any worse. maybe it would a different leader. >> we've just seen pictures of olivia, of sir keir starmer celebrating in tamworth and he is a very happy bunny, isn't he? and he's saying that these results, these by—election results, these by—election results reflect the mood of the country . is that a little bit? country. is that a little bit? ott though ? ott though? >> well, i can understand why he's feeling very, very happy. and if even someone like lord frost is saying that, yes, there's pretty much does reflect there's pretty much does reflect the mood of the country, you can see why he's got reasons to be cheerful. i think the fly in the ointment for keir starmer is that much everyone i've that pretty much everyone i've spoken has that on the spoken to has said that on the doorstep tamworth and doorstep in tamworth and mid—bedfordshire, sir keir starmer never mentioned. no starmer was never mentioned. no one they like the look one said that they like the look of that case armour. it was all about anger the about anger with the conservatives than any conservatives rather than any sort of great belief or trust or hopein sort of great belief or trust or

hope in keir starmer . so in that hope in keir starmer. so in that respect, this moment is, is very, very different to 1997 because tony blair came to power on a on a wave of pure enthusiasm , something which enthusiasm, something which we're not seeing this time . but we're not seeing this time. but i think keir starmer has essentially calculated and, and his, his, his victory speech in mid—bedfordshire really reflected this, that at the moment, not being the tories is really good enough as long as he can just be the party that isn't led by rishi sunak. he has a very good chance of not just winning the general election, but getting the sort of majority that boris johnson won last time. >> we shall see. olivia, thanks very much for that update and that analysis . always that analysis. always appreciated. well rishi sunak keeping himself busy . keeping himself busy. >> he is in egypt now on this continuing diplomatic round , continuing diplomatic round, trying to avoid the escalation in the region of the conflict in gaza. in the region of the conflict in gaza . he's been sitting down gaza. he's been sitting down with the egyptian president, abdel fattah el—sisi, in the past few minutes. and it's, of

course, a situation where the rafah crossing that is still not clear as to whether aid will be getting through there from egypt into gaza . but also we have this into gaza. but also we have this latest assessment from the idf on the information of the hostages being held in gaza. >> let's get more on that. first of all, with libby weiss, idf spokesman , woman who hopefully spokesman, woman who hopefully can tell us a little bit more about this. yes. so olivia , about this. yes. so olivia, sorry, not not olivia. i'm so sorry. that was that was our last guest. libby apologies. what can you tell us? because what seems to be a glimmer of hope here is that the majority of hostages , as you believe, are of hostages, as you believe, are alive . how can you be so sure alive. how can you be so sure about that ? about that? >> well, for obvious reasons, i won't be able to go into specific details. we did see several days ago of video that was released by hamas of a 21 year old may day who had been

taken hostage from the nature party. the festival that was happening out outdoors. we anticipate to see more of these videos, which certainly are some form of psychological warfare that hamas. hamas is launching. but we are , of course, thinking but we are, of course, thinking about the hostages and thinking about the hostages and thinking about them non—stop here in israel. >> we did speak to mark regev earlier and again , acknowledging earlier and again, acknowledging you can't talk in detail about any operational details , but i any operational details, but i was putting it to him. will this hostage situation have to be resolved first before there is any kind of armed defence of that, bearing in mind what the family said at this news conference yesterday in tel aviv, they should be top of the list . list. >> there's no question that of course their well—being is a priority . simultaneously, priority. simultaneously, though, we need to take out hamas. and i think it's very, very clear that israel and israelis can no longer live with the threat that is being posed by hamas. we saw what happened, the horrific massacre of october

7th. and it's very clear that hamas can no longer be in a position of having any kind of terror or military ability or administrative administrative ability or to continue launching terror from the gaza strip. >> does that mean that there is no negotiation with hamas in terms of these hostages as well ? terms of these hostages as well? >> any kind of negotiation is something, of course, that would be done on the on the political level. and by the government. but hamas is, without a but hamas is, without question a terror organisation. is terror organisation. this is a terror organisation. this is a terror organisation. this is a terror organisation committed to wiping off the map. they wiping israel off the map. they say it. it's not just my words, it is absolute theirs. and of course, we're very course, we're we're very sceptical anything that sceptical of anything that anything that they say and any terror organisation that is willing decapitate children i willing to decapitate children i think has no problem lying as well to whoever it is who they're speaking with. but any, any decision about, of course, negotiating is something not within the military . within the military. >> what is your understanding of the latest situation regarding

the latest situation regarding the opening of the rafah crossing? because there does seem to be a bit of a blame game within the last hour. egypt very keen to tell the western world that that crossing is open as far as they are concerned . and i far as they are concerned. and i think it was one of your colleagues earlier saying that getting that aid through is still to be determined and yet we had that very hopeful announcement the us announcement from the us president would be open president that it would be open for certain amount time. so for a certain amount of time. so what's going on? >> well, i will leave the diplomacy to the diplomats who of course, have to decide on these issues. the idf will facilitate whatever the government decides naturally , government decides naturally, there is concern around hamas taking any humanitarian aid . we taking any humanitarian aid. we understand just a few days ago that they stole fuel that was provided by unwra and of course are using that to commit acts of continued terror against israel . continued terror against israel. but we have nothing against the people, the civilians within the gaza strip. they are not our target. they never have been. and we will facilitate whatever decision the government will

make about it. >> why are there airstrike hikes then in southern gaza, which is exactly where people, palestinians were told to head to safety ? they're not safe to safety? they're not safe there, are they? they're not safe anywhere in the gaza strip? >> i can't confirm to you >> well, i can't confirm to you any about any specific strikes, but tell you is this. we but i can tell you is this. we several days ago provided a warning. we told the population to move. we did it out of concern for wanting to minimise the impact on civilians. we understand that hamas is making it very difficult for them to do that , but we it very difficult for them to do that, but we have encouraged them to do that. we say that again and again and the message went out, of course, to the population several days ago and might i say that none of the 1400 civilians who were slaughtered by hamas on october 7th received any kind of warning . they were the intended target. the civilians within the gaza strip are not our intended target. and that's exactly why strip are not our intended targare and that's exactly why strip are not our intended targare encouraging (actly why strip are not our intended targare encouraging them why strip are not our intended targare encouraging them to |y strip are not our intended targare encouraging them to move we are encouraging them to move as soon as they to can the southern part of the strip and libya away from gaza. >> idf's assessment

>> what is the idf's assessment of situation in the north of the situation up in the north with lebanon and of course, we've seen protests in the west bank today as well. a lot of people have spoken about the possibility of having to struggle or fight on three fronts. we are monitoring the situation on all of our borders very, very closely, certainly vis a vis hezbollah in lebanon were sending a clear message, as our allies are as well, which is to not engage in the conflict, to not engage in the conflict, to not engage in the conflict, to not join in with the conflict i >> and i would raise the question to lebanon, which is, is it in their best interest to get involved in this conflict and to suffer any of the repercussions? i would imagine that the answer is no. i would very much hope that the answer is no, but we will, of course, do whatever we need to do to defend our country. >> as seeing >> yeah, but as we're seeing some this border, we some smoke on this border, we think might some kind of think it might be some kind of fire. far as we're aware, fire. as far as we're aware, there hasn't been any major rocket incursion in the north. >> we do know that there have been continued rocket fire

throughout the last several days . i don't know what to tell you exactly what is in the image that that you're showing. now. we do know that that has taken place. and again, we are sending that message will respond that message and we will respond forcefully needed. forcefully as needed. >> terms of the call up, >> and in terms of the call up, if i can call it that, i mean, i think the last estimate was there are some 340,000 israelis now effectively within the army . now effectively within the army. is that the correct sort of assessment ? assessment? >> yes, it's approximately a slightly more than 300,000 have been have been called up, correct . correct. >> okay. libby weiss from the idf, thank you very much for updating us with the military situation there. thank you . situation there. thank you. >> let's now look at this ongoing humanity syrian crisis in gaza. the egyptian foreign ministry maintains that the rafah crossing is open as far as they are concerned, that humanity korean aid, though, is still not being allowed through the latest we are hearing is that it could be in the next day or so. well, joining us now is

atiqur rahman, head of development at global relief trust. good to talk to you again, atika . what is the latest again, atika. what is the latest situation on the ground in terms of the need in terms of the number of people that are now, well, living in tents, they might not even have that . oh, might not even have that. oh, what a shame . atika. might be on what a shame. atika. might be on mute . we'll try and we'll try mute. we'll try and we'll try and go back to atika. but we can, as we update you on the situation in yemen where there have been plenty of pro—palestinian protests taking place , these protests springing place, these protests springing up now across the arab world. thousands of pictures, thousands of people, rather, are on the march , as you can see in these march, as you can see in these pictures, waving the palestinian flag . flag. >> it is, of course, a day of prayer for much of the muslim world situation here in sana'a. the capital is that the houthis

are very much in terms of this protest holding the palestinian flags. and we do reflect that. the united states says that it shot down missiles and drones , shot down missiles and drones, as they believed, fired from yemen towards israel . uss carney yemen towards israel. uss carney saying it intercepts those missiles. it believed that were fired by houthi forces. but an indication, of course , as to why indication, of course, as to why all our political leaders are so concerned about this conflagration spreading elsewhere in the region . and elsewhere in the region. and similarly, i think there have been some protest in iraq that we're being told about as well. and, of course, the prime minister speaking in egypt with the egyptian leader to try and calm the situation down. >> i think we have got atiqur rahman, back, head of development at the global relief trust . hopefully we'll be able trust. hopefully we'll be able to hear you this time, atika. we are being told that gaza is now are being told that gaza is now a hell hole for people . well, a hell hole for people. well, what do you understand it to be

at this moment in time without that aid getting in? >> i think what you've just described, you know , it's like doomsday. >> it's like, you know, you're talking of total destruction, you know, just before you said about tents, actually majority of people are not in tents. they sleep in on the roads. you know , sleep in on the roads. you know, one of our guys, he actually you know what? you got to imagine imagine with a lot of people in gaza are conservative from gaza are very conservative from an islamic point of view. and he said, i felt ashamed that i saw women sleeping on the floor in the streets . and as a man, the streets. and as a man, i couldn't do nothing about it. and is the reality. women and this is the reality. women and we saw there and children. and we saw there a number of deaths from the hospital attack a few days ago, a couple of days ago, that majority of the deaths were actually children who were sleeping and sleeping in the car parks and the the hospital. the vicinity of the hospital. and there's lack of water, there's lack of , you know, there's lack of, you know, what's it called, electricity, fuel , everything. and what's it called, electricity, fuel, everything. and some of it is totally sure. i think the

only thing that's left now is somehow to stop the oxygen flowing into gaza as well . flowing into gaza as well. >> we've got these pictures of antonio guterres , the united antonio guterres, the united nafions antonio guterres, the united nations secretary—general at the crossing, pleading for aid to be allowed in that doesn't seem to have worked. if he can't get it flowing, who can? >> well, this is to be honest, it's kind of embarrassing. it's quite shameful that you have over 200 trucks of aid at the border between egypt and the gaza at the rafah border. and no one can get him in. there's talks about roads being damaged , talks about roads being damaged, etc. surely there's a way of getting aid. and it's literally a think just the from an international point of view, the international point of view, the international community, i think totally do not value the lives of the palestinians. hence why there is such a delay in getting aid. we know a week ago it was catastrophe. so if you're if you're saying after all this , you're saying after all this, you're saying after all this, you still can't get aid in. but

atika, total i just must say, though, one of the concerns and we've heard this directly from the israeli military is the concerns that that aid will end up in the hands of hamas, not in the hands of those people that desperately need it. >> those innocent civilians. >> those innocent civilians. >> just to say that, look, end of the day, you know, they're sending food, water and medicine. that's the three priorities. so of course, we want this going to the to the civilian population . but what civilian population. but what are hamas going to do with food parcels? are they going to fire them out of gaza into israel through the rockets? so this is this is honestly, to be honest, excuses . i don't i this is honestly, to be honest, excuses. i don't i don't this is honestly, to be honest, excuses . i don't i don't buy excuses. i don't i don't buy this for a second. we are to talking people on the ground. it does not suit, no matter how bad hamas is or what they've done , hamas is or what they've done, it does not suit them to stop their own population and have them turn against them. yeah, if anything, they would facility that that aid gets in. so the population in gaza are still on

their side. you let children starve. there's not going to turn on this organisation . turn on this organisation. >> we'll have to leave it there. but thank you for your thoughts asindeed but thank you for your thoughts as indeed rishi sunak speaks to the egyptian president el—sisi in cairo. we'll update you with the stay us the very latest. stay with us here on gb

well . as 3 pm. is patrick well. as 3 pm. is patrick christys is gb news is it time

for rishi sunak to go to stonking by—election defeats? >> i tell you what, the people who ousted boris johnson when there were a few points behind in the polls look a little bit silly now, don't we're silly now, don't they? we're also about also going to be talking about this well, though. another this as well, though. another weekend of pro—palestine. stein protests shaping grip protests is shaping up to grip the capital. this is what's the capital. but this is what's going over there in the going on over there in the middle east right now. so that is gaza as we speak. still no ground invasion from the israeli forces, although tanks are massing . we will be going to tel massing. we will be going to tel aviv shortly for the latest on the ground. and we're also going to be discussing hate preachers. yes, that's right. calls for them to be barred, to stop britain being a paradise for hate. preachers apparently , if hate. preachers apparently, if you are on a banned list, you can still remarkably get into the uk very easily and preach your radical islamist hate to crowds of thousands in various different parts of the uk. and apparently that needs to be stopped. right. okay. we're also going to be talking about this story. yes militant teacher strike good