Plus: Fear in Gaza as death toll rises, while Israelis await news of hostages taken by Hamas
| | | | | | | Hello. All eyes are on the border between Gaza and Israel, as the country's military said it had secured the 60km (37mi) barrier breached by Hamas militants three days ago. My colleagues remain at the scene to bring you the latest on the rapidly evolving situation. In the last edition of your newsletter, you heard about Israelis rallying behind the flag from the BBC's international editor Jeremy Bowen. Today, Rushdi Abu Alouf describes the toughest night he's witnessed as a reporter with 20 years of experience in Gaza. A word of warning: details in the articles I'm linking to may be distressing to some readers. |
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| | | | Top of the agenda | | Israel secures border as death toll rises | | | | Israel's armed forces say 35 battalions are at the border with Gaza. Credit: Reuters |
| Israel says it has secured its border with Gaza, three days after Hamas broke through the barrier to launch a murderous assault that has left more than 900 people dead. The death toll has also risen to 770 in the Gaza Strip, where the UN says some 187,000 have been displaced, as Israel continues a massive wave of retaliatory strikes. On Monday evening, Hamas warned it would kill hostages taken from Israel if air strikes continued - the group is holding between 100 and 150 people, according to Israel's ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan. It's unclear what Israel will do next, although military movements near the border indicate the country could be preparing for a ground invasion. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the airstrikes on Gaza were "just the beginning".
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| | AT THE SCENE | Gaza Strip | | Gaza under air strikes | | The death toll in Gaza is now above 770, two-thirds of them civilians, according to the Palestinian health ministry. The Israeli military advised people in Gaza to leave via the one crossing controlled by Egypt, but options are very limited. There have been warnings fuel, medicine and food are running out. | | | | Rushdi Abu Alouf, BBC News |
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| | The border with Egypt is not entirely closed, but only 400 people a day are allowed in and out - with a very long waiting list. Routes out of Gaza for ordinary people have not been easy for a very long time, especially since Israel started this retaliation. Overnight there were massive air strikes. I was in an area of Gaza City where most buildings were destroyed. One significant strike hit a refugee market - with Israel saying they were targeting a house belonging to Hamas commander. There were terrifying sounds of explosions, blasts in the sky, and a barrage of smoke and flames through the night. In 20 years of covering this area, last night was the toughest I have witnessed. | |
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| | | | World headlines | | • | Documents probe: US President Joe Biden has been interviewed about his handling of classified files after he left the vice-presidency in 2017. As a reminder, here's our North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher's take on how the case compares with those of Donald Trump and others. | | • | Consulate shooting: Police have shot dead a man after a car crashed through the lobby of the Chinese consulate in San Francisco. Footage captured how people fled what Chinese officials called a "violent attack". No injuries were reported from inside. | | • | Rolling Stones: Guitarist Keith Richards says arthritis has affected his playing. He tells our music correspondent Mark Savage how he gets around it - with a little help from his beloved instrument. | | • | Climate law: Apple and Disney are among companies who will be made to disclose their carbon emissions, under a new law approved in California aimed at forcing corporations to reveal the effects of their operations on the Earth's atmosphere. | | • | 'Brutal heat': After Formula 1 drivers were treated for dehydration and heat exhaustion at the end of the Qatar Grand Prix, the sport's governing body is to consider calendar changes to address the extreme weather. |
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| | | | Beyond the headlines | | War crimes an issue as Liberia heads to polls | | | | George Weah has been wooing young voters, as a generation born in peacetime gets its first chance to vote. Credit: Reuters |
| | Liberia is holding presidential elections today, with incumbent George Weah running for a second term. Mr Weah, a former football star, is challenged by former Deputy President Joseph Boakai. Some of the president's opponents are pledging to set up a war crimes court to bring to justice figures of the civil war which ended 20 years ago. | | | | |
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| | | | Something different | | Space cemetery | | The Soviet spacecrafts resting in the most remote place on Earth. | | |
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| | | | And finally... | | An IT expert in the south of England has used machine learning to train his cameras to identify foxes and badgers, triggering high-frequency sounds to repel them. The device, ominously called Furbinator 3000, is as efficient as it is controversial - animal welfare charities say ultrasound machines could cause discomfort, fear or pain to wildlife. |
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| | | | | | Future Planet | | Explore the wonders of our amazing planet. | | |
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– Jules |
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