hello, welcome to bbc news now, three hours of fast—moving news, interviews and reaction. the israeli military has sacked two senior officers after the air strikes on a convoy in gaza this week, which killed seven aid workers, three of them british. israel has now given its first detailed account about how and why it carried out the attack. it says its drone operators wrongly assumed hamas fighters had taken over the convoy in a serious violation of procedures. meanwhile the israeli government is opening up new routes for aid deliveries into gaza, the erez crossing here in the north, and the port of ashdod in israel. it follows a warning from us presidentjoe biden that israel must do more to help civilians in gaza.

with more on this — here's our diplomatic correspondent, paul adams. the investigation�*s findings are stark — this should never have happened. monday's devastating attack, a combination of mistaken identification and bad decision—making. the israeli army has been giving more details about what they say happened on monday night. they say about half an hour after the convoy left the pier near gaza city, a gunman was seen boarding one of the aid trucks. after the aid arrived at its destination in deir al—balah, point three on the map, the convoy appeared to split — one vehicle, with clearly visible gunmen on board, headed to a nearby hangar, numberfour. mistakenly believing that hamas gunmen were inside the other three vehicles, all three were hit, one after the other, over the course of four terrifying minutes. the army's statement is clear — the strike on the aid vehicles was a grave mistake, stemming from a serious failure due to mistaken identification, errors in decision—making and an attack contrary to the army's the standard operating procedures.

the army says two senior officers will be dismissed and another formally reprimanded. world central kitchen calls these important steps but israel's apologies represent cold comfort, they say. "without systemic change," they said this morning, "there will be more military failures, more apologies, more grieving families." israel claims it was a tragic accident. i think there needs to be an independent investigation. if it is a tragic accident, as they claim, i think the idf is inept and incompetent, if a known humanitarian convoy operating in their zone... meanwhile, signs from israel it will do more to get aid into gaza, especially the north. after months of resistance, it says it will allow humanitarian supplies into its container port at ashdod, close to gaza. it is finally opening the major erez crossing,

attacked and ransacked by hamas gunmen on october 7th. both moves came after there was a tense phone call between president biden and israel's benjamin netanyahu. future american support, the president warned, could depend on how israel responds. we welcome the steps announced by israel, opening erez as a new crossing point and shipments going directly from the ashdod port, maximising the route from jordan. these are positive developments, but the real test is results, and that is what we are looking to see in the coming days and weeks. as hunger and disease take hold in gaza, aid workers say things need to change quickly, food, medicine and personnel all needed to bring a desperate population back from the brink. paul adams, bbc news. earlier we heard from the spokesperson of the idf — the israel defense forces —

lietunant colonel, peter lerner. first of all, wasn't an assumption, it was a visible confirmation of a gunman, first of one of the trucks that then conducted the shooting from one of the trucks, and when they indeed reached the hangers, there was more gunman identified on there was more gunman identified on the location, and it led to the entire miscalculation, misidentification, and the failure of what should have happened stop this is precisely the reason, as you rightly pointed out, that two senior officers, a major and a colonel, have been dismissed from their roles, from their positions. three other senior officers, from the ranks of colonel, brigadier general, and all the way up to major general have also been reprimanded for their role and for their responsibilities, and we are taking this incident very, very seriously. the reality on the ground is one where we need to

facilitate humanitarian effort, we need to ensure that humanitarian organisations like the world central kitchen can conduct their essential humanitarian activity, and we clearly failed in this instance... to be clear, i use the assumption, because the statement released earlier by the idf said that one of the commanders mistakenly assumed, thatis the commanders mistakenly assumed, that is the phrase, that gunmen were located inside the company vehicles. as they left the depot where the aid had been dropped off, there is this assumption that there were gunmen in the vehicles, and that led to the decision to use lethal force. what should the standing operating procedure have been at that point? the statement does say that there was clearly a failure of standard operating procedure. i5 was clearly a failure of standard operating procedure.— was clearly a failure of standard operating procedure. is what we know from the investigation _ operating procedure. is what we know from the investigation that _ operating procedure. is what we know from the investigation that we - operating procedure. is what we know from the investigation that we have i from the investigation that we have revealed. the identification of the

gunmen, it raised the red flags in the brigade level. the fire support officer raised the issue to his senior commanders, asking for approval. he did not receive approval. he did not receive approval to strike because they were delivering humanitarian aid, despite the fact that the gunmen were identified. what happened was that the convoy of the world central kitchen vehicles, four in total, join the convoy of the trucks, which the operations in the field did not have that information. this is failure number two. as the incident continued, the assumption that was made was that the vehicles that were accompanying the trucks were actually hamas vehicles. this weighs on the assumption that was a failure, that was a mistake, and was the result of this unfortunate, tragic incident.— the result of this unfortunate, tragic incident. two things i want

to ask you. _ tragic incident. two things i want to ask you. if— tragic incident. two things i want to ask you. if i — tragic incident. two things i want to ask you, ifi may, _ tragic incident. two things i want to ask you, if i may, as— tragic incident. two things i want to ask you, if i may, as a - tragic incident. two things i want to ask you, if i may, as a result l tragic incident. two things i want| to ask you, if i may, as a result of what you said. one about the communications, and why the correct communications, and why the correct communications on tap and two, why were the forces that were on active duty in that location unable to identify these vehicles as belonging to world central kitchen? there are a coule to world central kitchen? there are a coume of — to world central kitchen? there are a couple of things _ to world central kitchen? there are a couple of things that _ to world central kitchen? there are a couple of things that need - to world central kitchen? there are a couple of things that need to - to world central kitchen? there are a couple of things that need to be i a couple of things that need to be said about that. first of all, in the investigation, we revealed that through the aerial surveillance that took place before the strikes, the stickers that were on the roof that we have seen from the footage you have been airing over the last couple of days was not seen from the aerial footage because of night—time and because there was no materials that could help us identify these vehicles while... you that could help us identify these vehicles while. . .— vehicles while... you don't use niuht vehicles while... you don't use night vision — vehicles while... you don't use night vision technology? - vehicles while... you don't use night vision technology? the . vehicles while... you don't use . night vision technology? the night vision identified _ night vision technology? the night vision identified vehicles, - night vision technology? the night vision identified vehicles, but - night vision technology? the night vision identified vehicles, but it i vision identified vehicles, but it wasn't able to read out the sticker on the roof, it couldn't even

identify that there was a sticker. we have shared this with the bbc bureau chief injerusalem, he has seen that himself. it couldn't be identified, and this again is anotherfailure. we need to identified, and this again is another failure. we need to learn from humanitarian organisation so this doesn't happen again in the future. at this doesn't happen again in the future. �* ., ., ., ., future. a lieutenant colonel from the idf. cbs correspondent jarred hill is in new york with reaction from the us to the israeli report on the aid workers' deaths. we do know that yesterday and over the past couple of days, president biden has said that this was not a stand alone incident, as he has continued to push the israeli government to be more strategic and cautious in the way that it conducts these strikes. we also know that us senator chris coons, who sits on the senate foreign relations committee, has said that there should be an independent review of whatever report comes out from the idf. so again, we'll continue watching over the next couple of hours to see how these lawmakers are responding to this one. but this is something that

definitely a lot of people have been waiting to see some sort of report from the idf on this one. and then going back to the opening up of these additional aid routes, jarred, president biden asked for specific, concrete and measurable steps from israel. do we have any sense yet of whether what israel is proposing with opening up these routes is going to satisfy the president? so from what we've heard actually from the secretary of state just this morning, they're saying that this is a promising step, something that they like to see. but really, the proof is going to be in the pudding. the proof will be in the results. the big question is, while these routes might be open, will the aid actually get to the people in gaza who need it? and that's something that the administration says they're really going to be watching out for. the other thing here is the biden administration says that not only do they want to see these aid routes opened up, but they also want to see the israeli government, the israeli military, making some concrete promises, some concrete measures that they can take and look at to showcase that they are

prioritising the saving of civilian life as they continue their operation in gaza. the un human rights council has called for weapons sales to israel to be banned because of its war against hamas. the resolution is non—binding, but a bbc correspondent says it will increase pressure on israel. here's our geneva correspondent, imogen foulkes, who was across the debate at the un. well, this was a relatively short, by human rights council standards, but quite impassioned debate in which very many countries, including some traditional friends in europe of israel talked about the absolute imperative to respect international law when waging this war, describing the humanitarian situation as utterly catastrophic. that was france, who didn't go so far as backing a weapons ban but abstained. belgium, finland and luxembourg, all of which showed immense support for

israel after october the 7th, voted in favour of a weapons ban, as did much of the global south. african states, muslim countries. so, israel left rather diplomatically isolated. its ambassador described it as a dark day for the united nations. this is what you would expect israel to say. but i think inside government circles in israel they will be looking at the very few active votes of support they got today in geneva. and being somewhat concerned, i think of what the next steps are. as you said, not a binding vote but it does reflect what governments are thinking and about whether they should continue supplying weapons to israel. studio: and briefly, if you add that concern to the phone cool which took place between president biden and benjamin to the phone call which took place between president biden and benjamin

netanyahu, which led to israel saying it was opening up more routes for aid to get into gaza, you see a picture of concern emerging within israel's government circles, don't you, about the diplomatic fight, if you like, fight, if you like, as well as the fight that is happening, the military fight that is happening on the ground. absolutely. i think you can sense the pressure now. it's not to say that israel does not have friends and supporters. nearly everybody here in geneva said israel has a right to defend itself, they demanded the immediate release of the hostages, but they also said you defend yourself but within international law. and when you have aid agencies, as i heard yesterday from doctors without borders, saying they are seeing increasing numbers of children in gaza being shot by quadcopters, these are drones, this is the concern that the international community has and that israel, we think, is starting to listen to.

some breaking news, and this relates to thames water, which supplies one in four people in the uk with their water and waste services. their parent company has defaulted on debt interest payments, so the parent company is called kemble, and we have heard from them that they have informed their wonder is that they have been unable to pay interest on £400 million worth of debt that was due on the 2nd of april. our business editor says thames water does have enough cash in overdraft facilities to see it through to may next year, so no danger to those who rely on thames water for their waste and water services at this point, but we recently heard that thames water said bills need to go up and that its investors wouldn't give it more money unless bills to customers rose. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news.

in taiwan, emergency workers are still trying to reach about 600 people either trapped in highway tunnels — or cut off in remote areas after wednesday's earthquake. almost all are guests and staff of a remote hotel who are unable to leave because of damaged roads. two more bodies have been found, taking the toll to 12. more 1,000 people were injured in the island's biggest quake in more than a quarter of a century. strict building regulations in taiwan helped prevent a major catastrophe. earlier, our asia correspondent rupert wingfield hayes gave us an update from the city nearest the quake's epicentre — hualien. well, it seems the situation has improved quite a lot today with those people who are trapped up in a gorge about 15 kilometres, or about ten miles, to the west of here. that is a very deep gorge. there are many landslides that have blocked the roads in there, but rescue teams have managed to get

in to where the people are stranded. there's about 640 people trapped up there in a village where there is a hotel and there are other buildings. so they are being sheltered there. we understand around 400 of them are sheltering in the hotel and the others in other buildings there, so they are safe. they're not in immediate danger. they are now getting supplies in there by helicopter. but it is very difficult to get them out because the road is blocked by landslides. you can only get in and out by foot. they are bringing them out in small groups. we saw about 40 people brought out today, including people with young children and elderly people. a group of elderly tourists from america were brought out. but it is going to take just quite a long time to get so many people down that road in small groups, especially as we've had a lot of aftershocks here today. and every time there's an aftershock, that operation has to stop because it's bringing more rock coming tumbling down the mountainsides. and very briefly, rupert, looking at those efforts behind you,

what's the situation like with trying to stabilise buildings which have been affected by the quake? yeah, well, this is one of the buildings that was partially brought down by the quake on wednesday morning. it's leaning over at a very precarious angle. they have been reinforcing it. but the plan now tonight is to start tearing that building down. and the reason they want to bring it down is because it represents a real threat every time there's an aftershock. so they want to bring it down in a controlled way. more now on the middle east — as israel says it has approved the opening of three aid routes into gaza to allow more humanitarian aid into the territory. with more on this here's yolande knell. potentially this could make really a very dramatic difference, that's precisely why. precisely why we have had now for weeks aid agencies and foreign governments, including the uk, asking forjust these kinds of changes. what we understand from local media

reports is that there was a very long meeting of israel's security cabinet which has so far resisted these changes, and this was in response to that stark warning given by president biden to the israeli prime minister last night, and that afterwards, having been told by the israeli security establishment and by israeli diplomats that israel was facing potentially international sanctions, potentially even an arms embargo, that's when they decided to make these changes. so what we should see now is the erez crossing in the very north of the gaza strip that was badly damaged in the 7th of october attacks, that really triggered this war, that should be reopened for aid. and then also the ashdod container port, it's about 20 miles, 30 kilometres along the coast from the north of gaza, that should be allowed to bring in a lot more shipments of aid. we are going to take you to the us secretary of state, antony blinken, speaking for the first time since that report from the idf. ensure

something _ that report from the idf. ensure something like _ that report from the idf. ensure something like this _ that report from the idf. ensure something like this can - that report from the idf. ensure something like this can never. that report from the idf. ensure - something like this can never happen again _ something like this can never happen again mr_ something like this can never happen again. mr netanyahu indicated to president — again. mr netanyahu indicated to president biden that israel would be making _ president biden that israel would be making further changes to its procedures to ensure that those who are providing assistance to people who so_ are providing assistance to people who so desperately need in are protected, so we won't looking very carefully _ protected, so we won't looking very carefully at — protected, so we won't looking very carefully at what those steps are, -- we _ carefully at what those steps are, -- we are — carefully at what those steps are, —— we are going to be looking very carefully— —— we are going to be looking very carefully at — —— we are going to be looking very carefully at what the steps are, how it achieves _ carefully at what the steps are, how it achieves better information and coordination so that aid workers are protected — coordination so that aid workers are protected. at the same time, as israel_ protected. at the same time, as israel pursues any operation against hamas. _ israel pursues any operation against hamas. it _ israel pursues any operation against hamas, it has to protect the individuals. too many people have been _ individuals. too many people have been caught in this crossfire of hamas' — been caught in this crossfire of hamas' making, children, women, men losing— hamas' making, children, women, men losing their _ hamas' making, children, women, men losing their lives stop their safety has to— losing their lives stop their safety has to he — losing their lives stop their safety has to he a — losing their lives stop their safety has to be a priority. military operations need to be designed around — operations need to be designed around their protection, not the other_ around their protection, not the other way— around their protection, not the other way around. we'll be looking at all—

other way around. we'll be looking at all of— other way around. we'll be looking at all of this in the days to come, and we _ at all of this in the days to come, and we will— at all of this in the days to come, and we will be, as i said assessing the report— and we will be, as i said assessing the report in— and we will be, as i said assessing the report in the world central kitchen — the report in the world central kitchen incident, and looking to see notiust_ kitchen incident, and looking to see notjust what kitchen incident, and looking to see not just what steps are being taken, but the _ not just what steps are being taken, but the results that follow from them — but the results that follow from them. ., ~ , but the results that follow from them. ., , , but the results that follow from them-_ the i but the results that follow from i them-_ the us them. thanks, everybody. the us secretary of _ them. thanks, everybody. the us secretary of state, _ them. thanks, everybody. the us secretary of state, antony - them. thanks, everybody. the us. secretary of state, antony blinken, who as you will see from the locator is leaving brussels now. he has been meeting leaders there, talking about the situation in the middle east and the situation in the middle east and the deaths, the killings of those seven aid workers at the beginning of this week, saying something like that could never happen again. also on age, he said he will be looking to see concrete steps from israel on ensuring that more aid could get into gaza. —— en aid. but he said israel has to prioritise the protection of civilians. that

follows the phone call betweenjoe biden and benjamin netanyahu, after which israel said it would open up more aid roots. we can also take a look at our live page. you can see all the very latest developments and follow the story that is unfolding in the middle east, and all those developments in relation to the israeli defence forces' statement about what happened to the seven aid workers in gaza. the idf saying the strike, as you can see there, was a grave mistake. senior doctors in england have ended their pay dispute with the government. consultants who are members of the british medical association and the hospital consultants and specialists association have backed a new deal. the offer will mean some consultants will get a pay increase of nearly 20% for the financial year 2023—24. junior doctors in england remain in dispute with ministers over pay, and have a fresh mandate to strike.

our health editor hugh pym told us more about what this means for senior doctors across the uk. this is a long—running dispute. it began a year ago with the most senior doctors in the nhs in england. many of them have had more than ten years experience as more junior doctors before they become consultants, so they're at the top of their profession. and they took strike action at various points last year, which was effectively unprecedented in the history of the national health service for such senior doctors to take this sort of action. and just to look at the numbers very briefly, they were awarded a 6% pay rise last year. they said that wasn't enough and staged their industrial action. they went back into talks and got a higher offer, put that to their members who rejected it. then another offer came from the government, which has now

been accepted. which in essence means something between 3% on top of the original 6 and 13%, depending on seniority. now, the british medical association, the doctors' trade union, says this is a victory for negotiation, and they've praised the consultants who were prepared to take action to get this far. they also say there's been an important change to the way doctors' pay is negotiated through the public sector pay review body, that now the government has agreed that it should have a broader remit. it shouldn'tjust be constrained by what the government say is affordable. the government position is that this is very welcome. it's good news for patients as well as others in the nhs, good news for taxpayers, and they are obviously pleased with the deal. now, importantly, this isjust for england. there are separate disputes in wales and northern ireland. in fact, senior doctors in wales

are due to take strike action over their pay dispute from the middle of april, and senior doctors in northern ireland are about to ballot on the matter. so it's all down to administrations in the different nations of the uk as to how they handle it. junior doctors, meanwhile, in england have not settled their dispute. they first staged strike action in march last year. their dispute is farfrom over. they have another mandate for strike action. they haven't called another strike, as things stand, but there's no sign of any talks there. junior doctors in wales and northern ireland have also staged strike action. in scotland, there are no disputes with doctors at the moment because pay issues from the last financial year were settled by the government in scotland and the british medical association. a piece of boxing memoribilia, from one

of the greatest fights ever is going up for auction. these are muhammad ali's white satin boxing trunks from his epic — �*thrilla in manila' bout — with rival, joe frazier. it's expected they could sell for up to 6 million dollars. he wore them in his bruising victory over frazier, in the philippines, in october 1975. the shorts go under the hammer next week. stay with us here on bbc news. hello there. we saw some very big temperature contrasts from north to south across the country this morning. it was cold with some disruptive snow across scotland through the morning period. it stays rather grey here with further outbreaks of rain. it stays on the chilly side, as well. but for northern ireland, the rest of england and wales, a lovely bright afternoon to come. plenty of sunshine around. a few passing showers being blown on a very brisk south—westerly wind and very mild for the time of year at 18 or 19 degrees. it's still quite chilly across the north.

that rain pushes its way northwards across scotland. through the night we see the next batch of wet, windy weather spreading up from the south. some of this rain could be quite heavy in the north and the west as it pushes its way northwards. by the end of the night, though, temperatures will be lifting, even across scotland, so turning milder here, but very mild further south. that takes us into saturday. this deepening area of low pressure hurtling towards the west of ireland has been named by the irish met service storm kathleen, as it's across ireland where we'll see the biggest impacts with the winds. but it's the feel of the weather as we head through saturday. it's dragging in some very warm air from southern climes. it could be up to 21 or 22 degrees across eastern england on saturday, despite the strong wind. so storm kathleen is likely to cause some impacts on saturday. northern and western parts of the uk could see some travel disruption, especially to the ferries around irish sea coasts. that rain pushes its way northwards early in the morning across scotland and we'll see further showers across western areas. a few of them trying to get in towards the east, but a lot of dry weather around

and plenty of sunshine too. despite the widespread gales it's going to feel very warm indeed, but gusts could be up to 60, maybe 70mph across the north and the west, so this could be disruptive. despite that, with the sunshine around and those warm southerly winds it could be up to 21 or 22 degrees in the east of england. mid to high teens across scotland, so much warmer there, as well. saturday night stays very windy. storm kathleen passes to the north—west of scotland. a real squeeze in the isobars here as we move into sunday, so we could see severe gales across the hebrides for a time on sunday. elsewhere, it stays very windy. we'll see more showers in the mix, some of them heavy with some hail and thunder mixed in. there will be some sunshine around too, but it won't be quite as warm on sunday as what we have on saturday. but still, those temperatures are above the seasonal average. it stays unsettled into next week. we could see another spell of windy, wet weather for southern britain and then just signs of it perhaps settling down by the end of the week.

mcdonald's buys back its restaurants in israel after a boycott. flexible working — new rights for workers in the uk. welcome to world business report.

mcdonald's is taking back control of all its restaurants in israel. it's buying back 225 outlets from the franchise operator — a company called, alonya. the brand faced a boycott after the franchisee gave away thousands of free meals to israeli soldiers. sales in the region have slumped since the israel—hamas conflict began in october. let's cross over to new york now and speak to our north america business correspondent michelle fleury. why is mcdonald's doing this? i think you have to go back to the start of this conflict, october seven, after that alonya which owns the mcdonald's franchise in israel, said they would give free meals to many israeli soldiers. that sparked a boycott on the company. whether thatis a boycott on the company. whether that is related to this decision it is impossible to know. but they are ending a 30 year relationship in which essentially this franchisee

has built