israeli ceasefire. a immediately israeli ceasefire. ceasefire now would leave him hamas in place. ceasefire now would leave him hamas in lace. �* ., , ., in place. and thousands of protesters _ in place. and thousands of protesters joined - in place. and thousands of protesters joined marches | in place. and thousands of. protestersjoined marches in in place. and thousands of- protestersjoined marches in the uk calling for an end to the israeli military action in gaza. good to have you with us. it has now been four weeks since the attacks by hamas that killed more than moo people in israel and israel is continuing to push further into gaza city in its ground offensive with 20 israeli soldiers now reported to have been killed since the operation began. it's offensive is focused on the north of the territory where it is thought that up to 400,000 people are still living even though israel has urged civilians to move south.

you are looking now at live pictures if we can just get them in the direction of gaza city. and the hamas run health ministry in gaza saying more than 9400 people have now been killed. hamas is classed as a terrorist organisation by several western governments meanwhile diplomatic efforts continue. arab foreign ministers told antony blinken there must be an immediate ceasefire in gaza but mr blinken wants humanitarian pauses. israel insists there will be no temporary truce until all hostages are released. the jordanian truce until all hostages are released. thejordanian foreign released. the jordanian foreign minister said released. thejordanian foreign minister said the killing of civilians by israel could not be justified by its claim of self—defence. he said the entire region was sinking into a sea of hatred that could define generations to come. we will have more on the diplomacy shortly but we start our

coverage with a report from jon donnison injerusalem. a warning there are distressing images from there are distressing images from the start. four weeks into this war, the suffering is endless. and in gaza, no place is safe. the un says this school injabalia in the north was hit this morning, killing at least 15 people. thousands had been seeking shelter there. "god will take my vengeance," this young boy says. "i was standing here when the three bombings happened." i carried a body and another decapitated body with my own hands. where should i go, he says. they have hit the shelters. since when has it become normal to strike shelters. israel says it's looking

into what happened. and in the north of gaza, its ground offensive is pushing forward, tightening its grip on hamas, who israel says is using civilians as human shields. hamas is outgunned, but these pictures from its military wing claim to show it fighting back. more than 20 israeli soldiers have been killed since the ground offensive began as the number of palestinian casualties continues to rise. the us secretary of state met with arab leaders in jordan this afternoon. antony blinken again asserted israel's right to defend itself. but... protecting civilians will help prevent hamas from further exploiting the situation. but most important, it is simply the right and moral thing to do. when i see... ..a palestinian boy or girl pulled

from the wreckage of a building, it hits me in the gutjust as it hits everyone in the gut. and i see my own children in theirfaces. and america is also worried about this conflict spreading. israel's military has said it targeted a terrorist trying to cross overfrom lebanon on its northern border last night. less than a mile away, in the town of shlomi, volunteers have been preparing food for israeli soldiers amid fears the powerful lebanese militia group hezbollah could escalate this crisis. very serious, very sad. we cry. ..at night. i didn't sleep at night. i watch tv at night. we watched all the terrible cases, everything that's happened. can we run? when there's a siren, we run. and when we can, we work. and yes, we are under danger. we're risking our lives. there has been so much fear and grief over the last four weeks. and it's farfrom over.

jon donnison, bbc news, jerusalem. earlier i spoke with our diplomatic correspondent paul adams about mr blinken's diplomatic efforts. us secretary of state antony blinken shuttling around the region today for a variety of talks. what would you say came out of his visit? obviously it's a broad agenda he has, trying to make sure the conflict doesn't escalate and spread beyond gaza. trying to secure the release of hostages, including us citizens but also i think crucially trying to alleviate the situation on the ground in southern gaza where the ground in southern gaza where the population has been swelled by the population has been swelled by the arrival as many ofi million people who have fled from the fighting further north. the americans believe they are making progress, they say the number of

trucks that have crossed the rafah crossing from egypt has increased to around 100 a day and they wanted to increase to several hundred. they also believe that a mechanism is now in place agreed by the israelis to let fuel in to keep hospitals going and to keep the whole humanitarian aid relief effort going when that fuel finally runs out. that is quite a key development because the israelis have been refusing any entry or fuel until now. joe biden asked also about whether or not there was progress on creating these humanitarian pauses, said yes that there was progress and gave a thumbs up there was progress and gave a thumbs up sign. this is not a ceasefire, these are windows of opportunity where the fighting might be reduced or suspended for a matter of hours in a very particular location, a game to allow the aid, humanitarian

efforts to really address the growing needs of the population in southern gaza. i should add that none of that change is the reality for people in the northern part of the gaza strip. that is now completely cut off by the israelis, it's the scene of intense street fighting and the three to 400,000 people there are effectively on their own. figs people there are effectively on their own-— people there are effectively on their own. ~ , i. ., , ., their own. as you are 'ust alluding to there, fighting _ their own. as you are just alluding to there, fighting going _ their own. as you are just alluding to there, fighting going on - their own. as you are just alluding to there, fighting going on as - to there, fighting going on as diplomacy does at the same time. what more can you tell us about that operation from idf forces in the gaza strip?— operation from idf forces in the gaza stri - ? , . , , , gaza strip? they had been pushing closer and closer _ gaza strip? they had been pushing closer and closer to _ gaza strip? they had been pushing closer and closer to gaza _ gaza strip? they had been pushing closer and closer to gaza city. - closer and closer to gaza city. their main built—up area in the north consists of gaza city, a couple of refugee camps and some surrounding areas. that is the focus of the israeli army's effort at the moment, they believe that is a hamas

stronghold and they are encircling that from all directions and pressing in very close to heavily populated areas. we are seeing air strikes and sometimes artillery strikes and sometimes artillery strikes that are having a terrifying effect on the civilians who remain in that area and that may indeed be a part of the israeli strategy, because they want all of those civilians out of that area while they conduct their military operation against hamas. the presence of so many civilians is clearly an enormous complication and it is why we are seeing from time to time, sometimes more than once or twice a day, scenes of civilians being caught up and killed in these military operations. the israelis really want to try and force people out, they are saying they will keep the road open to the southern gaza strip for a few hours again tomorrow in the hope that people heed their warnings and get out while they still can. {lin

warnings and get out while they still can. ., ,., still can. on that point with retards still can. on that point with regards to _ still can. on that point with regards to the _ still can. on that point with regards to the civilians, - still can. on that point with regards to the civilians, do| still can. on that point with i regards to the civilians, do we still can. on that point with - regards to the civilians, do we have any clear idea when civilians, those injured and foreign nationals, might be able to get out of the rafah crossing once again? that be able to get out of the rafah crossing once again?— be able to get out of the rafah crossing once again? that is an onauoin crossing once again? that is an ongoing effort _ crossing once again? that is an ongoing effort and _ crossing once again? that is an ongoing effort and one - crossing once again? that is an ongoing effort and one that - crossing once again? that is an ongoing effort and one that a i crossing once again? that is an l ongoing effort and one that a lot crossing once again? that is an - ongoing effort and one that a lot of governments are involved with, including the americans and the british and others. it all got suspended and stuck today. it's not entirely clear why. it may be be because hamas were trying to evacuate wounded people in ambulances and were preventing civilians from leaving while they were still trying to get that done. we don't know who they were trying to evacuate, we just don't know but for one reason or another, it seems very few if any people crossed at all today. the british are saying they are disappointed by that, they had hoped that several dozen british nationals might be able to get out but their efforts are continuing to

get that crossing open. there are hundreds, in fact several thousand foreign nationals for more than 40 countries still waiting to get out and there are very concerted international efforts to try and keep that crossing at rafah open. i expect we will see it open again maybe tomorrow and that process of a gradual evacuation will continue on and off for days to come. paul adams there. and off for days to come. paul adams there- thank — and off for days to come. paul adams there. thank you _ and off for days to come. paul adams there. thank you for _ and off for days to come. paul adams there. thank you for your _ and off for days to come. paul adams there. thank you for your reporting. l there. thank you for your reporting. and joining me now to discuss the visit isjohn alterman, former special assistant to the secretary of state now serving as the director of state now serving as the director of middle east programme. welcome. thank you for being with us. i want to begin with what we have seen from president biden. he was asked about a humanitarian pause. he gave a thumbs up. do you think we could

potentially see humanitarian pauses for civilians in gaza anytime soon? i think we will see some sort a pause. with all these israeli hostilities with hamas, there is often something short of a ceasefire but some sort of limiting or free passage for people, and ability to get relief in, i think we will probably see something but it's much less than the arab governments were asking for today and i think it's likely to be much less than the us government was asking israelis for. interesting, much less than you think the administration was asking in the israelis for. is there any gap there? do you think their positions are widening? what conversations are happening behind closed doors?— closed doors? there has been a widenin: closed doors? there has been a widening gap — closed doors? there has been a widening gap in _ closed doors? there has been a widening gap in the _ closed doors? there has been a widening gap in the last - closed doors? there has been a widening gap in the last severalj widening gap in the last several weeks. the last two decades as a

time where it has gained a lot of experience fighting insurgencies. we fought insurgencies in afghanistan and iraq and against isis in western iraq and syria. there is really a set of principles about how you do that, how you split the population away from the combatants, how you think about, how you fight shapes what you are trying to do. i think the israelis don't think counterinsurgency is applicable in this situation, they have been dealing with hostility from palestinians for more than a century and it seems to me there are a lot of signs that the americans think actually we do have something to say that will be hopeful that will get you out of this. the israelis say, let us handle this. so far it has been papered over but there are differences. the

been papered over but there are differences-— been papered over but there are differences. . ., differences. the argument from the israeli government _ differences. the argument from the israeli government is _ differences. the argument from the israeli government is a _ differences. the argument from the israeli government is a full - israeli government is a full ceasefire is a greater undertaking than a humanitarian pause and would allow hamas to regroup and that is something antony blinken repeated on his trip as well to the region. what do we make of that?— his trip as well to the region. what do we make of that? there's also the issue of where _ do we make of that? there's also the issue of where does _ do we make of that? there's also the issue of where does the _ do we make of that? there's also the issue of where does the freeing - do we make of that? there's also the issue of where does the freeing of. issue of where does the freeing of more than 200 hostages fit into this? there is a reasonable case to be made that hamas just asking for a ceasefire now rather than making concessions and releasing hostages, i think you can make an argument this is something we should negotiate, hamas doesn't want to negotiate, hamas doesn't want to negotiate it but what we are seeing is we are going to see an increasing number of palestinian casualties. we will see an increasing number of images of palestinian casualties then there is increasing pressure on israel to release all these hostages

at whatever cost. how that plays out in palestinian politics, israeli politics, we will see. another development, _ politics, we will see. another development, turkey - politics, we will see. anotherl development, turkey recalling politics, we will see. another - development, turkey recalling its israeli ambassador, cutting talks with prime minister netanyahu. i wonder if you think this could be symbolic or indicative of widening visions there as well between arab states, the united states and what this could mean for further down the line. ~ , this could mean for further down the line. ~' , ., .., , this could mean for further down the line. ~' , ., , , �* ., line. turkey of course it isn't an arab state _ line. turkey of course it isn't an arab state and _ line. turkey of course it isn't an arab state and turkey, - line. turkey of course it isn't an | arab state and turkey, president erdogan said last week that hamas are freedom fighters so turkey cast its ballot a week ago not with the draw of the ambassador but it does seem to me that from an american point of view, you have seen secretary blinken advancing this,

there is going to have to be an arab role in securing, in legitimising a settlement after hamas is pushed from power. ithink settlement after hamas is pushed from power. i think the secretary of state is very eager to bring arabs in, i think the israelis seem much less interested, hamas saying this... be gap seems to be widening rather than narrowing. fin this. .. be gap seems to be widening rather than narrowing.— rather than narrowing. on that oint, rather than narrowing. on that point. the _ rather than narrowing. on that point, the message _ rather than narrowing. on that point, the message from - rather than narrowing. on that - point, the message from president biden last week was what is your plan for the day after essentially if hamas is defeated? with blinken being there, do you think there is a clear understanding of what that plan would be for the day after, pointing to what you just said there with regards to the role of arab states? ,, , , ., , .,

states? the us is trying to see that idea with arab _ states? the us is trying to see that idea with arab states, _ states? the us is trying to see that idea with arab states, with - states? the us is trying to see that idea with arab states, with the - idea with arab states, with the israelis. it's not getting as far as it would like to be and the sides are getting further apart. the question is in part, does the united states have any special insight into this and the united states says yes, the israelis say no. how that plays out, i don't know and as you know there is a widening gulf both in american politics generally, in the democratic party more particularly, that president biden has to think about as he thinks about his strategy towards this conflict. finally, what would you say in your assessment this means for the region? we had from the leader of hezbollah saying all options remain on the table, then we heard from the us saying that it's avoided an expansion of this conflict. how this threat gone away? i expansion of this conflict. how this threat gone away?— expansion of this conflict. how this threat gone away? i think the threat hasn't gone — threat gone away? i think the threat

hasn't gone away. _ threat gone away? i think the threat hasn't gone away. i _ threat gone away? i think the threat hasn't gone away. i have _ threat gone away? i think the threat hasn't gone away. i have listened i threat gone away? i think the threat hasn't gone away. i have listened toj hasn't gone away. i have listened to the speech, it seemed much less angry, much less vociferous than it might have been. hezbollah doesn't want to risk everything it has won in lebanon for the sake of hamas. but iran is interested in staring the part and i think we have two dangers. there is a danger of escalation by calculation which is relatively low. the danger of escalation by miscalculation is relatively high, either somebody does something stupid, somebody this judge is how another side would interpret it. we could get into a escalating free spiral very quickly. john alterman, thank you. really great to talk to you.

getting information from gaza is difficult but our correspondent remains there. he has this update. today israel opened the road, the access in and out of gaza for the first time since the start of the ground operation. very few people manage to get out of gaza because the main road was damaged and access was almost impossible. but in gaza city people have started to flee the heavy fighting around the city as the israeli ground operation expanded from three different directions. the tanks were advancing near gaza city itself. tonight again the israeli air strikes were intensified around shifa hospital

where many on the roof of the building were targeted from the air. we feel that israel is pushing the civilian population, they are taking the hospital as shelter to feed this place they bombed tonight the largest bakery in the place that is feeding most of the bread to the neighbourhood near the shifa hospital. also in the north of the gaza strip, fighting was intensified near the coastal road where hamas have said they have fired anti—tank missiles and they were engaged in gun battles with israeli soldiers advancing to gaza city. here in khan younis where there are about a million displaced, they live in a difficult situation with a severe shortage of electricity, food and water.

journalists reporting on the ground in gaza, they are doing so at enormous personal risk. 36 journalists have been killed since hamas attack on october seven and israel's air strikes. 31 of them were palestinian, four were israeli and one with lebanese. you are seeing just a few of them on your screen now. ajournalist for palestine tv on thursday, an israeli air strike in palestine tv on thursday, an israeli airstrike in khan palestine tv on thursday, an israeli air strike in khan younis killed him and his family. many palestinian journalists came up to won him on friday, one said we cannot take it we are exhausted. we are all here, victims, martyrs, we are leaving one after the other. the israel defense forces has said it cannot guarantee the safety of journalists forces has said it cannot guarantee the safety ofjournalists operating in gaza. with more on the situation, i have been speaking to the president of the committee to protect journalists, jodie president of the committee to protectjournalists, jodie ginsberg.

to begin with, sketch out the level of danger for journalists to begin with, sketch out the level of danger forjournalists operating in gaza right now. the of danger forjournalists operating in gaza right now.— in gaza right now. the level of dancer in gaza right now. the level of danger for _ in gaza right now. the level of danger for journalists - in gaza right now. the level of danger forjournalists is - in gaza right now. the level of- danger forjournalists is absolutely danger for journalists is absolutely unprecedented. danger forjournalists is absolutely unprecedented. this is the most dangerous conflict forjournalists dangerous conflict for journalists that dangerous conflict forjournalists that the committee has ever documented and we have been recording and documenting attacks againstjournalists recording and documenting attacks against journalists for recording and documenting attacks againstjournalists for more than 30 years. 36journalists have been killed in the past four weeks and to put that in context for you, last year, we documented 68journalists and media workers killed worldwide over the space of 12 months. 36 have died just in four weeks. justin is israel and gaza.— died just in four weeks. justin is israel and gaza. ~ , ., ~ israel and gaza. why do you think so man of israel and gaza. why do you think so many of them _ israel and gaza. why do you think so many of them have _ israel and gaza. why do you think so many of them have been _ israel and gaza. why do you think so many of them have been killed? - israel and gaza. why do you think so i many of them have been killed? well, no international _ many of them have been killed? well, no international crews _ many of them have been killed? well, no international crews are _ many of them have been killed? all no international crews are able many of them have been killed? -ll no international crews are able to get into gaza, the only people able

to report our goals injournalists and there is nowhere in gaza that is safe. we have seen hospitals bond, we have seen schools under attack and journalists are civilian so they face the same risks that any civilian is currently risking and they also to document and cover what is going on so they tend to be at places like hospitals where the injured are being bought. or they tend to be forming convoys and there is nowhere for them to be safe, like any civilian in gaza at the moment. we have also seen a strike on a building used by afp in gaza. with strikes on infrastructure, how difficult does that also make continuing to do journalism, to get information out? lt continuing to do “ournalism, to get information out?— information out? it makes it extremely — information out? it makes it extremely difficult. - information out? it makes it extremely difficult. we - information out? it makes it extremely difficult. we have information out? it makes it - extremely difficult. we have seen buildings that house media facilities have come under attack. we have seen obviously

communications blackouts as we saw last week when it was impossible for any communication to get out and that makes it extremely difficult. on top of that you have fuel shortages, food shortages, water shortages, food shortages, water shortages, that makes it difficult forjournalists shortages, that makes it difficult for journalists to shortages, that makes it difficult forjournalists to operate. they need to get about and it makes it extremely hard.— need to get about and it makes it extremely hard. need to get about and it makes it extremel hard. ~ . . , ., , extremely hard. what we have seen as well is this also _ extremely hard. what we have seen as well is this also means _ extremely hard. what we have seen as well is this also means that _ well is this also means that journalists are losing their colleagues and ijust journalists are losing their colleagues and i just wonder what the impact of that is as well. this must be incredibly traumatic. lt’s must be incredibly traumatic. lt�*s devastating. we've seen a number of colleagues, a number ofjournalists colleagues, a number of journalists reporting colleagues, a number ofjournalists reporting live on air the deaths of their own colleagues. we have seen journalists reporting on the deaths of their own families, having to go into the hospital as journalists and their press insignia and report on their press insignia and report on the deaths of loved ones. incredibly

traumatic. with all of this in mind with this number ofjournalists with this number of journalists killed with this number ofjournalists killed in this conflict, what does this mean in terms of getting information to civilians in gaza and getting information out as well? it makes it extremely challenging but it's nevertheless absolutely vital. as i said there are no international crews able to operate international crews able to operate in gaza so we are below current on local journalists to in gaza so we are below current on localjournalists to document what is happening, to be our eyes and ears. it's extremely challenging that they continue to do so, they continue to report because so many of them believe it is vital, their role is vital in this war to let people know what is happening outside of gaza. just finally, what needs to be done to protect journalists? this needs to be done to protect journalists?— needs to be done to protect “ournalists? �* , ., ., , , journalists? as i said, “ournalists are civilians, * journalists? as i said, “ournalists are civilians, so h journalists? as i said, “ournalists are civilians, so it's _ journalists? as i said, journalists are civilians, so it's very - are civilians, so it's very important that they are treated as such, that we don't continue to see

the kinds of indiscriminate bombings and attacks that have swept so many civilians up into this conflict. we know from the united nations and others that is in breach of international humanitarian law and we need to see more vocal support for that. pro—palestinian protests have been taking place around the world. on saturday including right here in washington, dc where thousands have gathered. the protest is at the freedom plaza and it is calling for a ceasefire in gaza. you're watching bbc news. stay with us if you can. the impacts from storm ciaran continue to be felt. on saturday across the uk it was a day of sunshine and showers or longer spells of rain, all driven in by an error of low pressure that laid low pressure has been named as a new storm bring significant weather to

europe. again there is going to be some transport disruption and also power cuts very likely here. all the while 15 metre high waves, that's as big as the race could get, battering the coastlines of portugal and north—west spain and italy we seen severe flooding, this extra rain certainly will not help things, the flooding could get worse before it gets better. over the next few hours for the uk, still unsettled. when intending to ease to shari conditions across parts of northern england, drierfora conditions across parts of northern england, drierfor a time conditions across parts of northern england, drier for a time across the west temperature is around three to 7 degrees as we head into the first part of sunday. thru sunday morning there will be further showers coming and going across eastern scotland and going across eastern scotland and eastern england. however into the afternoon we see showers build particularly across western areas but with the wind is from a west, north westerly direction, that's crucial for those in southern

england affected by heavy showers and flooding while those winds should push the show offshore at last so should be a drier day. for those celebrating guy fawkes' day night, if you were showers are particularly across western areas and you will need to wrap up warmly. monday's forecast and things looking unsettled this time across the north and west of the uk with showers and longer spells of rain. a few showers elsewhere across england and wales but moving through fairly promptly given the brisk westerly winds and temperatures a little bit below average. deep into the new week we will replace the mixture of sunshine and showers with a more general outbreaks of rain as we head into the middle part of the week and with the middle part of the week and with the ground is completely saturated following our prolonged wet weather we will have two proceed carefully. it does clear through and it will be followed by a mixture of sunny spells and showery conditions towards the end of the week. goodbye for now.

this is bbc news. we'll have the headlines for at the top of the hour but this is after this programme. hello, everybody. a very warm welcome to talking business weekly with me, aaron heslehurst. let's go and take a look

at what's on the show. underrepresented groups such as autistic and dyslexic people could do a lot to plug the skills gap but employers need to do more work to recruit more of them. you employers need to do more work to recruit more of them.— recruit more of them. you have --eole recruit more of them. you have people who _ recruit more of them. you have people who think— recruit more of them. you have people who think differently, i recruit more of them. you havel people who think differently, act differently and who bring you a totally new level of thought process into these solutions. l’m totally new level of thought process into these solutions.— into these solutions. i'm going to hear from the _ into these solutions. i'm going to hear from the british _ into these solutions. i'm going to hear from the british chamber i into these solutions. i'm going to hear from the british chamber of| hear from the british chamber of commerce and i also spoke to these two. more than 400 autistic staff work in his company alone. also the big... and, life on thesejob