a re are all trying to things we are all trying to accomplish, including getting hostages back, including get a lot more assistance and to gaza, including getting people out of gaza. israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu has again rejected calls for a ceasefire until all of the hostages captured by hamas are returned. the israeli bombardment of gaza continues — with internet and phone lines cut, once again. scotland's first minister humza yousaf says his in—laws have arrived back in scotland. they were trapped for four weeks in gaza. us secretary of state antony blinken has been in iraq on an unannounced stop. speaking in the last hour, he said the us was continuing vital and urgent work to stop the conflict in israel and gaza spreading. he also said us officials were working to secure

a humanitarian pause in gaza that would advance several priorities including getting more aid in and getting hamas�* hostages out. following my conversations with the prime minister and with the israeli government, this is a process. israel's raised important questions about how humanitarian pauses would work. we've got to answer those questions. we're working on exactly that. in fact, we agreed that our teams would get together and they're doing just that, including today, to work through the specifics of the practicalities of of these pauses. second, it's important that the pause advance a number of things. one of them is hostages. we are intensely focused — the united states, israel, every other country that has one of its citizens being held hostage by hamas — to bring them home.

now, it's important that as we're engaged in pursuing humanitarian pause, this can be something that advances the prospect of getting the hostages back. it can also advance other things that we're committed to doing, as is the government of israel and other partners in the region, especially getting more humanitarian assistance to people who need it in gaza. i'll remind you, when we had conversations three weeks ago about starting humanitarian assistance, it was a process to actually get that moving. but we had a commitment to do that. it took some days to get the process in place. since then, we've had trucks moving. we have about 100 trucks a day going in. that's good, but it's grossly insufficient. so now we're working on raising that significantly so that more aid and in a sustained way gets into palestinians who need it. there, again, a humanitarian pause can also help advance that and create an environment in which we can do as much as possible for people who so desperately need the assistance. earlier, mr blinken had been

in ramallah in the occupied west bank to hold talks with palestinian president mahmoud abbas. mr abbas told mr blinken there must be an immedaite ceasefire and humanitarian aid must be allowed into the gaza strip. in gaza itself, there's been an explosion at al—maghazi refugee camp where at least 50 people have been killed — that's according to the head of a nearby hospital. the israeli military says it's investigating. paltel — the palestinian telecommunications company — says there has been another "complete disruption" to communication and internet services in gaza. they say this is due to "the previously reconnected major routes" being exposed to israeli attacks. further north, lebanese state media say three children and their grandmother were killed in an israeli strike on a car in southern lebanon. the report said their car was hit on a road in the bintjbeil

district, and that the children were aged ten, 12, and 14. the lebanese foreign minister says lebanon will submit a complaint to the united nations over the incident. this report from yogita limaye. a densely populated refugee camp. it's not one of the areas that israel had asked gazans to leave. hamas says it was an israeli air strike that killed dozens here. israel says it's investigating. this mans�*s daughters and wife were injured, taken to hospital. can anyone hear me, he shouts. i think there are people trapped here. saeed stayed back, working all night to pull bodies from under the rubble. journalist mohammad al aloul was working in another part of gaza, unaware at first that his family had become the story. translated: i got in touch

with my colleagues who told me that four of my children were killed. i don't know what to tell you. my nephews were killed and so are all my brothers, except one. my wife is in a critical condition. mohammed told the bbc he wishes he'd been killed with his family. as it continues its offensive against hamas into gaza, israel says it's doing what it can to minimize civilian casualties. it claims to have dropped six million leaflets and made tens of thousands of phone calls warning people to move to safer areas. but it's not clear where in gaza is safe and only a tiny number have been allowed to leave the strip. us secretary of state antony blinken made an unannounced stop in the occupied west bank city of ramallah today, meeting palestinian leader mahmoud abbas,

who called for an immediate ceasefire. blinken has been pushing instead for shorter humanitarian pauses. 84—year—old elma avraham is one of more than 200 hostages being held in gaza. herson, uri ravitz, showed us the medicines his mother needs to take every day to stay in good health. he's hoping someone can take these to her. just a nightmare and like in some horror movie that i'm stuck. not only me, there is to more than 240 families. right now, we are four weeks after that, four weeks and one day, and they're still not here. and they should be here yesterday. not today. yesterday. so i have to believe that she's still alive. and i'm going to see her. but, yeah, i still have hope.

a short while ago the idf gave an update on the operation in gaza. this is rear admiral daniel hagari, the idf spokesperson. let's take a listen. translation: good evening. we are on the 30th day of — translation: good evening. we are on the 30th day of this _ translation: good evening. we are on the 30th day of this war, _ translation: good evening. we are on the 30th day of this war, at _ translation: good evening. we are on the 30th day of this war, at the - the 30th day of this war, at the beginning, i would like to address the many families who are marking today, 30 days since the death of their loved ones. we at the idf remember very above what it is we are fighting for and why we are fighting this war, and we are embracing all the families who have lost their loved ones, and i would also like to address the families of the hostages and the missing persons. for30 the hostages and the missing persons. for 30 days now, the murderer is a terrorist organisation

hamas is holding hostages, both men and women, boys and girls come innocent babies, elderly... he is keeping them, holding them moderately. be at the idf and all the other security organisations, we do not forget. we are making every possible effort, gathering every piece of information in every operational action would are going to continue to consider this as a top national priority. we set out to this war out of great pain, and we are determined to win and to bring back our loved ones. today, the idf forces, led by the reconnaissance unit, and circled the city of gaza, they reached the beach at the southern part of the city of gaza, and they have encircled gaza, and today we have gaza north and gaza

south. they have reached the short run, they are holding this showdown. they are still allowing for a corridor to enable the north of the gaza strip and the people of the city to go south. it is a one recorder going to continue to strike forcibly, we are going to continue our ground offensive in the north of the gaza strip and the greater city of gaza. over 2500 targets have been hit since beginning of the ground operation. as we are speaking, there is also an extensive offensive in the terror infrastructure both above the terror infrastructure both above the ground and onto the ground, searching for terrorist, searching for senior commanders, and we are striking with great force. tonight are under orders, we are conducting are under orders, we are conducting a considerable offensive. i'd like to mention the hundreds of medical professionals, including thousands of female doctors and paramedics, who are in the battlefield right

now, providing life—saving medical care to the trips, showing tremendous courage on the battlefield. today, we have presented to the international media some additional income materials regarding the cynical use hamas as making a few monitoring facilities with an emphasis on hospitals. the purpose of this usage is to provide a terrorist infrastructure under the auspices of humanitarian organisations and hospitals. we are going to continue to show the world and what kind of a moderate organisation we are fighting, partly they are using their population as human shields, but despite all that, we are going to reach every terrorist and kill them. when the north of israel, there were several incident. the idf attacked several parts of hezbollah. there were some

additional strikes by the idf on terrorist cells and infrastructure, vehicles are driving terrorists come and there were also earlier moons that were intercepted. the remotely piloted aircraft that hezbollah tried to send into doubt that he was intercepted in lebanese territory. the chief of general staff visited the northern command and conducted the northern command and conducted the organisation, and improved additional plans for activities along the border, which is prepared to attack and return it whenever there is any attempt to attack israel. if a terrorist unit will be struck down. —— every terrorist unit will be struck down. please continue to follow the orders of the home front command. just this past summer, there was silence and alerts all over israel. please continue to follow the orders. go to the

sheltered spaces and wait until the interception ends and until all the bits and pieces of the interception no longer engages anyone. you're going to continue to update on the home front command websites command along with the local authorities, in order to enable people to continue this war time routine. we have informed the families of 3a7 idf authorities who were killed in the battlefield for defending the state of history. we are going to continue to support these families in these difficult days, and boombastic quick recovery to all those who were injured. we will continue to support them and be with them until the recover. n , ., , , them and be with them until the recover. . , ., , , ., recover. questions, please? we have seen the significant _ recover. questions, please? we have seen the significant offensive - recover. questions, please? we have seen the significant offensive in - seen the significant offensive in the past — seen the significant offensive in the past few hours. could you please elaborate _ the past few hours. could you please elaborate a _ the past few hours. could you please elaborate a bit? and hezbollah is also threatening that it will target civilians _ also threatening that it will target civilians as retaliation to our actions? _ civilians as retaliation to our

actions? is it a message like to convey— actions? is it a message like to convey about the threats? first of all, be convey about the threats? first of all. be are — convey about the threats? first of all, be are extensively _ convey about the threats? first of all, be are extensively striking - convey about the threats? first of all, be are extensively striking in | all, be are extensively striking in gaza, just like you said. there is an extensive offensive and gaza against the terrorist infrastructure above the ground, beneath a gun killing terrorists and commanders, thatis killing terrorists and commanders, that is part of ground offensive and the combination between the ground offensive and the streets, there are also many strikes from the sea, including some other special activities from the sea. the purpose of all of that to pressure in order to dismantle hamas. regarding your question is, i don't think this is the rugby to treat this. you're going to speak in action is not in words. —— the right way to treat this. words. -- the right way to treat this. ., , ., ., this. regarding the situation in the gaza strip as _ this. regarding the situation in the gaza strip as first _ this. regarding the situation in the gaza strip as first the _ this. regarding the situation in the gaza strip as first the ground - gaza strip as first the ground offensive, how is it going... that was the ldf _ offensive, how is it going... twat was the idf spokesperson give us an opted to not only what is going on in gaza, the said that the idf are

split gaza into a come along a corridor. they have also talked about further strikes that the said would go on with great force this evening. they've also talked about additional strikes by the idf in lebanon. of course, we have had to support by the lebanese state media of three children and a grandmother who were killed but that's it from the lebanese state media. that was not addressed in this latest press conference. let's speak to david makovsky. he is a former adviser to the us special envoy for israeli—palestinian negotiations, and is now a fellow at the washington institute for near east policy. antony blinken give some remarks from iraq, and he said that at no point in his meetings with arab

leaders did you hear any reticence when it came to humanitarian causes. what is the challenge in terms of what arab leaders can say publicly? there is a huge gap between what they say publicly and what to say privately. privately, they would like israel to finish the job against hamas. quickly, that doesn't cost them more scott mckenna sort of domestic disquiet. so, i think that is a big deal. they must be aware that israel has also, since the visit, has started opening up for a couple of hours a day, a situation from northern gazans can go to the south, even though hamas is trying to block them. according to the un, i think we have now seen over 700,000 and about 250 camps in southern gaza, so i think that is started. —— 700,000 in about 150

camps. of course, israel is under pressure from the families of the hostages, meaning no information about the hostages, the international red cross a certain axis, there is no list of hostages. israel would like to see, to get some information about certainly the release of possible hostages, seeding request to open up the process. seeding request to open up the rocess. �* , seeding request to open up the rocess. . , ., ,~ ., , process. and president netanyahu has said that at no — process. and president netanyahu has said that at no point _ process. and president netanyahu has said that at no point would _ process. and president netanyahu has said that at no point would you - said that at no point would you consider a ceasefire without some movement on hostages. that consider a ceasefire without some movement on hostages.— consider a ceasefire without some movement on hostages. that is an im ortant movement on hostages. that is an important distinction _ movement on hostages. that is an important distinction between - important distinction between ceasefire and a pause. for your viewers, a pause could be a few hours a day, when arab a professional suit ceasefire, they are talking about something open—ended. so, that is not what the secretary is asking for. he is asking for a pause, like israel has done twice in the last 48 hours. i'm sure would like the pauses to go on longer. so there are many people in the north can go to take serve space

on the south. find the north can go to take serve space on the south-— on the south. and in your view, at four points _ on the south. and in your view, at four points with _ on the south. and in your view, at four points with the _ on the south. and in your view, at four points with the united - on the south. and in your view, at four points with the united states | four points with the united states say that the humanitarian needs outweighs israel's right to self—defence, but the united maintains right now? the self-defence, but the united maintains right now? the secretary has been very _ maintains right now? the secretary has been very clear. _ maintains right now? the secretary has been very clear. he _ maintains right now? the secretary has been very clear. he says, - maintains right now? the secretary has been very clear. he says, you i has been very clear. he says, you have got to topple hamas. it is not just your right, it is your obligation. you can't go back to what it was before the massacres. and i don't think that is going to shift. it is going to be within the objective that we agree upon. it is, can there be a more positive so every last person in the north can go to the south? that is so i would reject what we mean by the past. a clear distinction between a pause and a ceasefire. just clear distinction between a pause and a ceasefire.— clear distinction between a pause and a ceasefire. just before we go on to address _ and a ceasefire. just before we go on to address the _ and a ceasefire. just before we go on to address the issue _ and a ceasefire. just before we go on to address the issue of- and a ceasefire. just before we go on to address the issue of what i and a ceasefire. just before we go | on to address the issue of what the us state department has called extremist violence against palestinians in the west bank. the secretary of state has said he has

talked about the tuning his meetings in israel and with arab leaders. and your view, in israel and with arab leaders. and yourview, is in israel and with arab leaders. and your view, is something that president netanyahu would address immediately, oras president netanyahu would address immediately, or as one of those later concern for him? i immediately, or as one of those later concern for him?— immediately, or as one of those later concern for him? i think for prime minister _ later concern for him? i think for prime minister netanyahu, - later concern for him? i think for prime minister netanyahu, he i later concern for him? i think for - prime minister netanyahu, he should see this as an urgent issue. this is not a favour to the united states. if there are... they are a minority, but vigilantes sectors, if the deadly rampage, this could unite the west bank. israel does not want a third front. they have soldiers and the south onto north, with hezbollah, so we have to divert some soldier to the west bank, but this a keyissue, soldier to the west bank, but this a key issue, it is a nobody�*s interest for the to be a third front, and i think the secretary of state was right to raise it.— think the secretary of state was right to raise it. thank you so much for our right to raise it. thank you so much for yourtime- _ right to raise it. thank you so much for your time. delighted _ right to raise it. thank you so much for your time. delighted to - right to raise it. thank you so much for your time. delighted to be - right to raise it. thank you so much for your time. delighted to be with | for your time. delighted to be with ou. it's been four weeks since hamas stormed over israel's border,

killing more than 1,400 innocent people and taking more than 240 others hostage. in many cases, multiple members of the same family were taken. among those taken from kibbutz nir oz in southern israel were david and sharon cunio and their 3—year—old twins emma and yuli. daniele, sharon's sister, was also abuducted with her five—year—old daughter, amelia. after hiding in the shelter for hours, hamas burned down their house, and once smoke started to seep through the shelter door, they texted their family what they believed were their last words. according to videos and testimonials released by hamas, they were confirmed to be taken hostage in gaza. we can speak now to moran alony, who is the brother of sharon and daniele and uncle to the three young girls. thank you so much forjoining us. i know that this is an extremely difficult time. i know that you have

made it clear that you're happy to share your experience but out of concern for the safety of your loved ones, you would rather stay away from any political discussion. so, we will make sure to respect that. your sister daniele actually appeared in hostage video released by hamas earlier this week. i imagine there are a lot of mixed emotions for you watching it. yeah, it's true. yeah, _ emotions for you watching it. yeah, it's true. yeah, first _ emotions for you watching it. yeah, it's true. yeah, first of _ emotions for you watching it. yeah, it's true. yeah, first of all, - emotions for you watching it. yeah, it's true. yeah, first of all, i - it's true. yeah, first of all, i think that seen her give me something that i didn't know a couple of days before, that she is a lie. and we don't know anything about anyone they are, as you mentioned in the previous discussion that you had. so, it gave me hope. it wasn't easy seeing her, you can see the cut mark on her hand, a mark

on her shoulder. you can see that she is very thin. and you can see that she is in distress. but she is alive, and i think the words that came out from her mouth was obviously something that hamas told her to sue, but i think that the anger was real. to her to sue, but i think that the anger was real.— her to sue, but i think that the anger was real. to your point, the bbc is ensuring _ anger was real. to your point, the bbc is ensuring that _ anger was real. to your point, the bbc is ensuring that video - anger was real. to your point, the | bbc is ensuring that video because it could have been filmed under duress, and just to be clear, you haven't had contact with an every relative since that video. h0. relative since that video. no, nothinu. relative since that video. no, nothing- not _ relative since that video. no, nothing. not before - relative since that video. iifr, nothing. not before are not after. that's true. and what is it you want to grow to understand right now about the hostage situation and the experience for the relatives right now? t experience for the relatives right now? ~ . experience for the relatives right now? ,, ., ., ., , .,

now? i think that the world has a tendency to _ now? i think that the world has a tendency to do — now? i think that the world has a tendency to do our— now? i think that the world has a tendency to do our from - now? i think that the world has a tendency to do our from what - now? i think that the world has a tendency to do our from what is. tendency to do our from what is going on in these scenarios, and i just want people to understand that there are kids and family members, where usually be used to talk every day with one another, and then it is already one month, and it is not one month that we can talk to them every day or even not what is your status. and if they are allowed. i know that my sister, daniele is alive, i have five more family members. and so, i think that they brought needs to understand first of all how they would feel in this kind of scenario. and also try to understand that these are not freedom fighters. these are terrorists. they took the and women, civilians, all civilians,

and women, civilians, all civilians, and they were not fighting an army. they were fighting on civilians. i don't want to go into what they did there, but let'sjust don't want to go into what they did there, but let's just say on the hostages part. why should we have any kind of policy if you're not getting anything in return? and you're not getting anything in return at the moment, and there is humanitarian aid that is coming there, but we still don't know anything, and i don't think the world understands that our life is on pause. we don't have a day, we don't have a net. i break up every morning thinking is still a dream or is it reality? then this is for the month. 30 days. and i think that the world needs to make a clear statement that there is no negotiations, there is no pause unless there is something that can

really happen for us, the families. something that will bring us up. i something that will bring us up. i quickly want to say that some hostage families, though, are calling for a ceasefire or some sort of negotiation, but i understand that's not so silly what you're feeling right now, especially when so many of your relatives have been taken. briefly, ido so many of your relatives have been taken. briefly, i do want to ask you, because this assortment of your relatives — how are your parents coping? two of their daughters, the grandchildren... haifa coping? two of their daughters, the grandchildren. . ._ grandchildren... how would any arent grandchildren... how would any parent cape _ grandchildren... how would any parent cope with _ grandchildren... how would any parent cope with this _ grandchildren... how would any parent cope with this kind - grandchildren... how would any parent cope with this kind of. parent cope with this kind of scenario? i think that they are trying to be strong. i am trying to make them strong because we all understand that there is also can take time, and we don't know how it is going to end. and we pray for them to come. when they come back, we have to be strong for them, because we don't know how they are going to come back. and so i'm

currently focusing on making myself stronger and making them stronger, and bejust about stronger and making them stronger, and be just about keeping a probable see them soon. —— keeping up hope, see them soon. —— keeping up hope, see them soon. —— keeping up hope, see them soon. -- keeping up hope, see them soon.— see them soon. -- keeping up hope, see them soon. thank you so much for s-ueakin see them soon. thank you so much for speaking to — see them soon. thank you so much for speaking to us — see them soon. thank you so much for speaking to us at _ see them soon. thank you so much for speaking to us at such _ see them soon. thank you so much for speaking to us at such a _ see them soon. thank you so much for speaking to us at such a difficult - speaking to us at such a difficult time for yourfamily. speaking to us at such a difficult time foryourfamily. plenty speaking to us at such a difficult time for your family. plenty more on the hostage situation on their website, including a list of hostages that we updated regularly. stay with us here on bbc news. it has been a bit drier today, with a mixture of sunshine and showers. still a number of flood warnings, though, focused more across southern england, from hampshire to here in kent, where we have got floodwaters from the river rother earlier. over the week ahead, it is not looking as wet and windy, and for much of the week it is going to be a mixture again of sunshine and showers.

we have got some showers around at the moment, and again they will continue mainly for the western side of the uk, but we could see just for a while some heavier showers creeping into the far south—east of england, coming in from the english channel. some breaks in the cloud, particularly in the north—east of scotland, so we could have a touch of frost here. but with those clearer skies, you may be able to get a view of the northern lights in northern scotland. this was a picture taken by a weather watcher last night in aberdeenshire. should be quite a sunny start for many eastern parts of scotland and eastern england this time, before the cloud builds up a bit. the showers are mainly going to be out to the west once again. a day very similar to what we had today. those showers will get blown further east of england, crossing on to the pennines and the midlands. temperatures not changing too much at the moment. typically ii to 13. low pressure close by, this has got the remnants of storm ciaran in it. it is much weaker now, continuing to fade away. still bringing a few showers as we head through tuesday. moving down from scotland

into england and wales, but we should see more sunshine in the afternoon, as those showers start to fade away. temperatures of ii or 12, near normal for this time of the year. but it will get pretty chilly as soon as the sun goes down before we see this weather front here coming in from the atlantic. that is going to bring a band of rain, probably our only proper band of rain over the week ahead. it will be accompanied by some strong winds, particularly windy through the irish sea, and the heaviest rain — about an inch or so — will be over the high ground in western scotland and north—west england. it is moving through fairly quickly, that's the good news, and there shouldn't be too much rain in the south—eastt. it will be followed by some sunshine, but some showers coming in over the irish sea and affecting northern ireland, perhaps western parts of scotland, where it will be a little bit chillier. otherwise temperatures aren't changing too much over the week ahead. we've got that rain on wednesday, but either side of that,

this is bbc news. the headlines.

us secretary of state antony blinken has made an unannounced visit to iraq. blinken said the united states is working hard to ensure that the conflict in gaza does not spread. israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu has again rejected calls for a ceasefire until all of the more than 240 hostages captured by hamas, are returned. israel's military says its forces have "surrounded" gaza city. idf spokesman daniel hagari says troops have reached the coastline, effectively dividing the strip into "gaza north and gaza south". the hamas—run gaza health ministry say more than 50 palestinians have been killed in an israeli airstrike on a refugee camp. the israeli military says it's investigating. now on bbc news, it's time for sportsday. hello and welcome to sportsday.

i'm hugh ferris.