Midday Report

A humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Gaza, where more than 1,100 people have been killed by Israeli airstrikes.

Israel has formed an emergency government and war cabinet in the wake of Hamas' attacks on border communities, which have killed at least 1,200 people and injured thousands more.

At least 150 hostages seized by Hamas gunmen are being held at secret locations inside Gaza - among them are women, children and the elderly.

In Gaza, the only power station has shut down after running out of fuel.

Israel has cut off electricity supplies to the region, as well as access to medicines, food, fuel and water.

Doctors without Borders Executive Director for Australia & New Zealand Jennifer Tierney spoke to Charlotte Cook.

Palmerston North police are investigating after a man stole four e-scooters off the roadside, painted them black and then sold them on Facebook Marketplace.

The victim who purchased the scooters for his family paid a thousand dollars for them.

Lots of New Zealanders use Facebook Marketplace to sell used goods, or grab a bargain.

But how safe is it really?

Netsafe chief online safety officer Sean Lyons spoke to Charlotte.

Corrections is transferring more prisoners from Christchurch Men's Prison to Otago after running out of room.

The prison reached "operational capacity" over the weekend, which meant one man was held in a police cell and six prisoners were sent to Otago.

Corrections National Commissioner Leigh Marsh says there is no shortage of beds, rather ongoing staff shortages are to blame.

Reporter Anna Sargent spoke to Charlotte Cook.

A sheep milk exporter says changing rules around the export dairy quota allocation system will let the fledgling industry expand more easily. 

Susan Murray has the rural news.

The All Blacks have a healthy respect for Ireland as the best team in the world, but don't fear them despite having lost three of their last four tests, says halfback Aaron Smith. 

Stephen Hewson has sports.

The board of Fletcher Building has withdrawn a resolution asking for a pay increase in the face of shareholder pressure. 

Kim Moodie has the business news.

Most minor parties took a hit in the latest Guardian Essential Poll released Wednesday morning, except for the comeback king - New Zealand First.

The results conducted last week have Labour up 3.5 percent - putting it back into the 30's.

The National Party was steady on 34 percent. And New Zealand First jumped ahead of ACT to 8.2 percent.

NZ First leader Winston Peters spoke to Charlotte Cook.

There are growing international concerns about the fate of civilians in Gaza as Israel has continued to pound the Strip with air strikes raising whole districts and killing Palestinians as it takes revenge for the Hamas attacks.

Hamas has also today continued to fire rockets into Israel, targeting the city of Ashkelon.

The World Health Organisation has called for a humanitarian corridor to be opened into the enclave.

Marilyn Garson of Alternative Jewish Voices worked in the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in Gaza through the war in 2014 and lived there for four years.

She now lives in New Zealand, and spoke to Charlotte Cook over the phone.

New Zealand bungy jump enthusiast Mike Heard is now closing in on six hours of consecutive jumps from the Auckland Harbour Bridge, as he vies to break the record for the most bungies in 24 hours.

He's aiming to jump more than eight-hundred times to reclaim the record he last broke in 2017.

Following Mike closely is the Auckland Sales Manager for AJ Hackett Bungy, Leo Medina.

He spoke to Charlotte Cook.

Watercare says its confident it will be able to stop wastewater overflow into Auckland's harbour by early next week.

It's been two weeks since a section of the Ōrākei main sewer line collapsed, leaving a 13 metre-deep sinkhole at the site of a carpark in Parnell - sending sewage into the harbour.

RNZ's Auckland reporter Lucy Xia was at the board meeting, and spoke to Charlotte Cook.