US Secretary of State visits Israel

The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has arrived in Israel, and in a speech ensured the nation of Washington's unwavering support, and warned its adversaries against taking advantage of the current situation. Our BBC Diplomatic Correspondent James Landale will unpick the latest details from the visit.

Hundreds of thousands of Israeli troops have massed near the border with Gaza, ahead of an expected ground offensive there - as they look to target the militant group Hamas, following its attack against Israel at the weekend. The BBC's Middle East Correspondent Tom Bateman is in Jerusalem and gives us the latest - and we hear a voice message from an Israeli for their account of an attack on the Kibbutz they lived in.

Merlyn Thomas from BBC Verify tells us more about the impact of Israeli airstrikes on buildings in Gaza and we'll provide explanation on the Gaza strip itself. We explore the difficulty in getting voices from Gaza onto the air with OS Team member Kristina Voelk who has been spending the last days getting in contact with people in Gaza and sharing their stories.

(Photo: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Israel's President Isaac Herzog shake hands after their meeting, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Thursday Oct. 12, 2023. Jacquelyn Martin/Pool via REUTERS