this is bbc news hungry palestinians loot aid trucks entering gaza through the rafah crossing, as israel opens another crossing for aid. the uk and germany issue a joint call for a "sustainable ceasefire" in gaza, but prime minister netanyahu insists israel will "fight to the end" to eliminate hamas. former conservative peer baroness mone admits she stands to benefit from £60 million of profit from personal protective equipment sold to the government during the pandemic. voting wraps up in serbia's snap elections, called after two mass shootings shook the ruling party's hold on power. and a site in the shetland islands has become the uk's first spaceport for vertical rocket launches. hello, i'm tanya beckett.

in a sign of the growing hunger and desperation in gaza, crowds of people have mobbed and looted aid trucks entering the besieged strip through the rafah crossing. for the first time since the war began, israel has also opened one of its crossings into gaza to aid. it's hoped the opening of the kerem shalom crossing will double the amount of food and medicine reaching gazans. until now, aid has only been able to reach the territory through the rafah crossing from egypt. israel kept up its bombardment of gaza overnight and into sunday, reportedly killing at least a0 people. prime minister benjamin netanyahu has dismissed growing international calls for a "sustainable ceasefire". but the reuters news agency is quoting egyptian security sources as saying israel and hamas are both open to a new ceasefire and hostage release — but still disagree over details. our correspondent lucy williamson has more.

the target for israel in gaza is hamas, for palestinians it is survival. the rafah crossing point exploded in desperation today, each aid truck a lifeline. each minute of the journey a lifetime of wheaton. the border town of rafa has swelled to several times its normal size as people flee the fighting elsewhere. empty stomachs with hope, and two bulls held out for food. empty stomachs with hope, and two bulls held out forfood. the un estimates that almost half the households here are facing severe hunger. today, the french foreign minister followed the uk and germany in calling for a durable cease—fire. translation: in calling for a durable cease-fire. translation:— in calling for a durable cease-fire. translation: what is happening in gaza is of the _ translation: what is happening in gaza is of the utmost _ translation: what is happening in gaza is of the utmost concern - translation: what is happening in gaza is of the utmost concern to - gaza is of the utmost concern to friends, too many civilians are being killed. but friends, too many civilians are being killed.— friends, too many civilians are bein: killed. �* , ., being killed. but the israeli prime minister is so _ being killed. but the israeli prime minister is so far— being killed. but the israeli prime minister is so far standing - being killed. but the israeli prime

minister is so far standing firm. . minister is so far standing firm. translation: we minister is so far standing firm. translation:— minister is so far standing firm. translation: ~ ., ,, translation: we are guided by the will of the fallen, _ translation: we are guided by the will of the fallen, we _ translation: we are guided by the will of the fallen, we will— translation: we are guided by the will of the fallen, we will fight - will of the fallen, we will fight until the end and we will achieve all of our objectives. the limited hamas, releasing or hostages, and ensuring that gaza does not become again a centre for terror and a site of attacks against israel.— of attacks against israel. israel has released _ of attacks against israel. israel has released footage _ of attacks against israel. israel has released footage of - of attacks against israel. israel has released footage of what l of attacks against israel. israel has released footage of what it of attacks against israel. israel - has released footage of what it says is the biggest hamas tunnel found so far, 2.5 miles long and just inside the main crossing point to israel. this, the army says, is a hamas video showing how the tunnels were availed. a major construction project using industrial tools. the man on the right of this video, it says, is the project manager of gaza's tunnel network. the brother of the hamas leader blamed by israel

for the october seven attack. pressure in israel is on for a cease—fire to because of the israeli hostages shot dead by israeli forces this weekend. in gaza, the renewed conflict is pushing hospitals to breaking point. pictures like this rarely make it to israeli tvs but our shipping opinion abroad. as the war goes on, more gazans are dead and on the rub, and pressure for israel to find a way out. lucy williamson, bbc news, jerusalem. live now to gaza where we can speak to hamish young, who is the senior emergency coordinatorfor unicef. welcome, what can you tell us about what impact this would have about the opening of this crossing. goad the opening of this crossing. good evenin: , the opening of this crossing. good evening. the _ the opening of this crossing. good evening, the opening _ the opening of this crossing. good evening, the opening of _ the opening of this crossing. (emf. evening, the opening of the kerem shalom crossing is promising, it amounts —— remains to be seen how

many trucks comes to through. it is important to stress it will not make any difference to the overarching need for a humanitarian cease—fire. an increase in trucks when not change the fact that it started raining here in nearly 1.9 or 2 million people are displaced and living in tough conditions. when the rains come, obviously, it would make it much tougher and spread disease around. so, more trucks are good but it will not change the underlying dynamic. it will not change the underlying d namic. ~ �* , ., ., dynamic. we've been hearing from the al shifa hospital _ dynamic. we've been hearing from the al shifa hospital in _ dynamic. we've been hearing from the al shifa hospital in the _ dynamic. we've been hearing from the al shifa hospital in the north _ dynamic. we've been hearing from the al shifa hospital in the north of- al shifa hospital in the north of gaza today, and hearing how overwhelming the lack of equipment and stuff. but also people are sheltering there.— and stuff. but also people are sheltering there. that is correct, eo - le sheltering there. that is correct, peeple are _ sheltering there. that is correct, people are children _ sheltering there. that is correct, people are children right - sheltering there. that is correct, people are children right across. people are children right across gaza and in the north and the areas to the south, they are sheltering in

hospitals, the humanitarian community is providing tens or extra space in car parks, they are sheltering in schools. right around where i am staying now, there are people in makeshift shelters, childrenjust people in makeshift shelters, children just outside here living people in makeshift shelters, childrenjust outside here living in tough conditions. 50. childrenjust outside here living in tough conditions.— childrenjust outside here living in tough conditions. so, you said now is the opening _ tough conditions. so, you said now is the opening of— tough conditions. so, you said now is the opening of the _ tough conditions. so, you said now is the opening of the extra - tough conditions. so, you said now| is the opening of the extra crossing when not alleviate the situation, what is needed now is a cease—fire. i hope for the are you given what we're here today that that might be achievable? , ., , , we're here today that that might be achievable? , ., _ ,. ,, ., , achievable? obviously, discussions about it cease-fire _ achievable? obviously, discussions about it cease-fire are _ achievable? obviously, discussions about it cease-fire are going - achievable? obviously, discussions about it cease-fire are going on - achievable? obviously, discussions about it cease-fire are going on at| about it cease—fire are going on at about it cease—fire are going on at a much higher political lever, down near the ground where focus on delivering aid for children and civilians, and we are very focused on that. what i can say is what i see on the ground, the suffering the children of the guys are going through isjust children of the guys are going through is just unfathomable. children of the guys are going through isjust unfathomable. i think —— i have been to view

hospitals and i've seen for myself, kids being treated for horrendous war rooms, lining corridors because there is not enough bed space. medics and doctors doing and outstanding job under horrendous conditions. but kids suffering something no child should ever have to suffer. but something no child should ever have to suffer. �* ., . ., , something no child should ever have to suffer. �* . . ., , ., to suffer. but a cease-fire would decrease or _ to suffer. but a cease-fire would decrease or slow _ to suffer. but a cease-fire would decrease or slow this _ to suffer. but a cease-fire would decrease or slow this patient's . to suffer. but a cease-fire would i decrease or slow this patient's but it would not help with aid into gaza, food and medical aid? aha, gaza, food and medical aid? cease—fire would help, without an active ongoing conflict we could move around and move the aid we have our own much more easily. all humanitarian actors should have free and unfettered access to all people in the and a cease—fire would enormously facilitate that. so in the and a cease-fire would enormously facilitate that. so the roblem enormously facilitate that. so the problem at _ enormously facilitate that. so the problem at the — enormously facilitate that. so the problem at the moment - enormously facilitate that. so the problem at the moment is - enormously facilitate that. so the problem at the moment is the - problem at the moment is the safety of gets in a food or medical aid

around in the gaza strip, not simply answering it?— answering it? absolutely. there is a whole range — answering it? absolutely. there is a whole range of— answering it? absolutely. there is a whole range of constraints - answering it? absolutely. there is a whole range of constraints once - answering it? absolutely. there is a whole range of constraints once the | whole range of constraints once the food does get in, and the humanitarian assistance. to give an example, there used to be around a50 trucks working inside gaza. because of the war there are now only about 120 that are functioning, so some simple mats in that shows how hard it is to get food around. the medications are out, social networks have been down for the last three days, which makes delivery of assistance extremely difficult. although we did deliver a truck of hygiene supplies to camp today to meet the needs of about 2500 people, so it can be done but to give an indication of what a drop in the

ocean that is, in rafa, where i am right now, there are about 900,000 people in need, or more than that. so aid to 2500 people shows it can be done, but it also shows how overwhelming the needs actually are. thank you for stop. here in the uk, after years of denials, the former conservative peer, baroness mone has admitted that she stands to benefit from tens of millions of pounds of profit made from personal protective equipment, that was sold to the government during the coronavirus pandemic. the company was led by her husband, doug barrowman. she says she did help broker the deal, but claims she was made a scapegoat for the government's failings. 0ur political correspondent laura kuenssberg has more. questions about the pandemic, profit and politics have followed baroness mone and her husband to southern europe. for years, they denied links

to a firm that received £200 million in taxpayers' money for desperately needed masks and gowns. only now the truth — that she does stand to gain. if one day, if, god forbid, my husband passes away before me, then i am a beneficiary as well as his children and my children. so, yes, of course. my family will benefit in due course. our family will benefit. that's what you do when you're in the privileged position of making money. a successful businesswoman and member of the lords, she didn't tell parliament she was helping broker a ppe contract. she now admits she didn't tell the truth when her links to the deal first emerged. you both denied it — why? we were simply listening to our advisers. hindsight�*s a wonderful thing. i wasn't trying to pull the wool over anyone's eyes. and i regret and i'm sorry for not

saying straight out, "yes, i am involved". my family have gone through hell with the media over my career and i didn't want another big hoo—ha in the press and my family to be involved in it. i don't honestly see there's a case to answer. i can't see what we've done wrong. doug and the consortium have simply delivered a contract — a delivery contract of goods. but after everything, you can't see what you've done wrong when you've admitted today that you lied to the press? that's not a crime. essentially, you lied to the public. laura, saying to the press that i'm not involved to protect my family, can ijust make this clear? it's not a crime. the company's being taken to court by the department of health. the pairare under criminal investigation. but the government wouldn't comment on the couple who only now want to have their say. laura kuenssberg, bbc news.

with more on this our political correspondent damian grammaticas is in our london newsroom what have we heard from the government?— what have we heard from the government? what have we heard from the covernment? ., ., , , government? the government has been s-ueakin government? the government has been speaking today — government? the government has been speaking today on _ government? the government has been speaking today on the _ government? the government has been speaking today on the record _ government? the government has been speaking today on the record but - government? the government has been speaking today on the record but not. speaking today on the record but not addressing this case directly. the deputy prime minister, oliver dowden, was on the laura kuenssberg programme today and didn't want to go into this case he said because of the ongoing proceedings related to it, which should remind you, as you are hearing there, a criminal investigation by the national crime agency, is looking at conspiracy to defraud and bribery, and separately a civil claim from the department of health, which is seeking to recoup £122 million because it is alleging breach of contract and unjust enrichment. baroness mont and her

husband denied they have done anything wrong. the deputy prime minister oliver dowden said that generally in the handing out of contracts during the pandemic, there was no cronyism are favouritism, and he said that government is known where it could trying to recoup money. there were no favours or special treatment. everyone had ultimately him to them and it is the case where allegations of fraud and missed garnet have occurred, either civil or criminal which you can see going on in respect to the interviewjust broadcast, in addition to that we set up the public sector fraud authority which already in its first year has recovered double its initial target. the labour party said there was shocking mismanagement in the way the government contracts were handed out. this is a labour shadow health

secretary wes streeting. the fact is that people resort country — the fact is that people resort country off and we have to get our money back. and with the state in the future — money back. and with the state in the future you will get to with this — the future you will get to with this. surely talk about this in the context— this. surely talk about this in the context of— this. surely talk about this in the context of the injured nhs, but also public— context of the injured nhs, but also public water services, money is tight— public water services, money is tight and — public water services, money is tight and a _ public water services, money is tight and a public finances are a disaster— tight and a public finances are a disaster thinks it is government. there _ disaster thinks it is government. there is— disaster thinks it is government. there is a — disaster thinks it is government. there is a request for an urgent statement before mps go very for their christmas break because they say there are no questions that need to be answered about michelle mont and contacts with government ministers and civil servants and labour are taking us that vaccine if they were to win the next election, they were to win the next election, they would create a post of covert corruption commissioner to try to get back money where they could from those who got contracts.

british teenager alex batty, who was found in france after being missing for six years, has returned to the uk. alex vanished with his mother and grandfather in 2017 while they were on holiday in spain. his mother was not his legal guardian and police are yet to decide whether there will be a criminal investigation. alex was found on wednesday by a motorist, who spotted him on a road in the foothills of the french pyrenees. more details have emerged tonight about what happened to alex batty. 0ur correspondent lorna gordon is live in toulouse. yes, well, a couple who run a guesthouse in the french pyrenees say they knew alex batty as zach and that he stayed with them on and off along with his grandfather for the past two years. they said that as time went on, they came to see alex as part of the family, he had a good

relationship with their children, and they included him on outings, going cycling, going to the beach or the local river, on on sunday the visited a nearby market where he would visit his mother. they said, they felt he appreciated the security and stability they gave him. on their website, security and stability they gave him. on theirwebsite, they security and stability they gave him. on their website, they said they encourage them to learn french and study, and he showed an aptitude for computers and wanted to go back to school with in order, they said, to school with in order, they said, to have a normal life. the offer to drive them to the british consulate to get an id which you would need to get back into formal education, but alex said to them he would return to the uk on his own to get papers and go back to school. in their comments, they said that when he left them, they told him if he ever needed them, they will be there to help him and he would also —— always be welcome back. of course, he is now back in the uk, police in

manchester say one of their priorities going forward is to support alex and his family in the north of england and to aid his integration back into society. thank ou, lorna integration back into society. thank you, lorna gordon. _ voting hasjust wrapped up in serbia's snap parliamentary elections, which are seen as a test of president aleksandar vucic and his progressive party. they have been in power since 2012, but this time, they are up against a largely—united opposition of 15 parties, which formed a coalition after protests over two mass shootings earlier this year. chileans are also voting — for the second time injust over a year — on whether to adopt a new constitution. efforts to reform the current document — which dates back to the pinochet dicatorship — began four years ago after large sometimes violent protests against social inequality. an initial draught, written by a left—wing dominated assembly, was rejected as too radical in a referendum last year. the new text has been overseen by chile's right—wing opposition.

the uk could soon have its first operating space portafter a site on the shetland islands was granted a licence by the civil aviation authority. the spaceport on unst — the uk's most northerly inhabited island — is the first vertical launch site in western europe to be given the go ahead. saxavord's operators say several rockets from around the world are being prepared to blast off from the site. laura goodwin has the story. unst in the shetland isles, home to around 700 people, and now the uk's first licensed spaceport for vertical launches. construction has been under way for some time. one of three huge launch pads is already built, but getting the green light from regulators is a big moment. disbelief in a way that it's finally come through because we've been waiting for it for so long, and then just waiting for it to sink in because it has been such a journey and so, yeah, to finally have it, it is a huge sense of relief.

the licence allows up to 30 launches a year, with rockets taking small satellites into space. from a business perspective, that's huge. that's probably twice as many as any other prospective spaceport in europe, and it's certainly over three times as many as some of the spaceports in the us. so it gives us a real fighting chance at building a sustainable business. the caa say rigorous safety and environmental conditions were a key part of their approval. it's an important milestone for the already very significant uk space industry that exists. saxavord has become the first spaceport to be licenced for vertical rocekt launches. that is a first in western europe and paves the way from rocket launches from uk soil and scottich soil. and scottish soil. suborbital launches will begin next year with full launches planned for 2025. laura goodwin, bbc news.

let's get into the christmas mood now with some carols from london's trafalgar square , sung in ukrainian. 0ur reporter olga malchevska has been speaking to those taking part — we're here in trafalgar square in central london. and look, there are hundreds of people here singing lovely christmas songs and wearing ukrainian costumes. and here is why. there are several organisations who decided to tell british people thank you for their support and also to introduce some songs in ukrainian, because that's the first year when ukraine celebrates christmas at the same time with all the catholic clothes and with the uk. so now behind me are these beautiful singers in ukrainian traditional clothes and they're going to sing good evening to you in ukrainian.

choir sings in ukrainian. let's see where we can catch the festive spirit. and now we will try to speak to one of the ladies here, because there is also remarkable story behind this singing. and next to me now is darina, who is from donetsk, which is now occupied by russia. and darina great to speak to you. how are you, first of all? and how is your family? are they safe? like many ukrainians, we lost our home in 201a. so everybody is now spread around the country as well as other countries as well. but more than anything,

i think it's the battle that has been happening for over a00 years. russia has been trying to suppress our culture, and that's one of the many reasons why we are here, trying to share the joy the show, show how rich and vibrant and beautiful our culture is because it's so important, especially now that we are not at home, we are in the uk. which has become a new home for many. but still our heart will always be with ukraine, understandably. thank you so much. and there is also a story behind the famous song castle of the bells. few people know that it was actually written by ukrainian composer mykola denisovich, who has managed to escape the soviet union regime and who managed to flee to the us, where he performed that song and where it became viral. and now the girls are going to sing it to us in ukrainian and how it was written originally. are you ready? let's do it.

choir sings in ukrainian. beautiful sound from tropical square this evening. it's one of the world's biggest tv contests. we're talking the eurovision song contest. the united kingdom has revealed that the pop star and award winning actor olly alexander will represent the country at next year's contest in sweden. the surprise announcement was made during the final of the show strictly come dancing. i can exclusively reveal i will be representing the uk for the eurovision song contest.

cheering. well our music correspondent mark savage sat down with olly alexander to get his reaction to the news being made public. ifeel like it is a bit like a spiritual homecoming for me, because i love eurovision so much. ifeel like, i don't know. i feel excited to be part of it now. it's such a celebration ofjoy and fun. i love how the theatrics, the drama — there is such amazing chaos of a mixture of musical styles, all these different performers. you get so much on one night, it's so fun. and camp. the whole thing — what you can get on the stage in that short amount of time. that quick turnaround. how you can wow everybody. you only have a certain amount of time, a certain amount of people. what is he going to look like, what are you going to do? so, yeah, i'm thinking more about it now. you haven't announced the song yet.

is there anything you can tell us? the song... i wrote the song with danny l harle and it will be coming soon, next year. and it's really good. arsenal legend ian wright has annouced he will step down announced he will step down as a pundit from match of the day at the end of the season. wright made his debut on the bbc programme as a player in 1997 and, following his retirement in 2000, went on to become a regular pundit in 2002. writing on social media, wright said the decision "had been coming for a while" and was "fast—tracked" by turning 60 last month. the former england striker also said "ultimately, it's time to do a few more different things with my saturdays” stay with us here on bbc news.

hello there. good evening. it's been cloudy, windy and mild this weekend. some sunshine spotted today, particularly across the southeast of england and generally to the lea of high ground. but across western scotland, a very wet weekend with rain sinking south west this afternoon into dumfries and galloway, northern ireland and into northwest england as we head into this evening, particularly that mild air still streaming in on a very brisk south—westerly winds. still windy conditions across northeast england, south east scotland and towards irish sea coast. and that rain is just kept on feeding in on that brisk south—westerly wind, slowly sinking southwards and will continue to do so as we head through the rest of this evening and overnight. so it will turn a lot drier for much of scotland, some clear spells, too, emerging towards the north. and here it will feel colder. some rain across the hills of wales as we head into tomorrow morning. and it's a frost—free start to the day on monday, turning a little colder towards the north of scotland. some of our temperatures still in double figures. so as we start off monday morning,

still some weather fronts towards the south across parts of wales and stretching across the midlands into east anglia. also a bit of rain towards the far south west of england. it's a dry start to the day across scotland, but there will be another weather front approach in the northwest of scotland by the end of the afternoon. some sunshine across northern ireland, eastern scotland, and it's still mild for most, some colder airjust digging in behind that weather front towards the far north. and this is the situation on tuesday. we look out towards the west where there'll be some rain pushing eastwards. so a very soggy start to the day on tuesday across much of the south of england and wales. we start to drawing more of a northwesterly wind across scotland. so here there could be some wintry showers just pushing southwards and eastwards. for much of northern england, though, some sunshine. further south, that rain will eventually clear as we head through the afternoon. the air is still mild towards the south and the east, but of course it has turned colder further north, highs of seven or eight degrees celsius and there'll be plenty of added wind chill around as well.

as we head through wednesday, though, that cold air is displaced further eastwards and we start to bring in those mild conditions again from the west. so everything that falls out of the sky on wednesday should be falling as rain. here's the temperature outlook for our capital cities as we head through the week and we approach the christmas period, watch out for some colder weather as we head into christmas day, perhaps. bye bye.

this is bbc news. the headlines... hungry palestinians loot aid trucks entering gaza through the rafah crossing, as israel opens another crossing for aid. israel's prime minister dismisses the latest calls for a "sustainable ceasefire" in gaza — insisting they will "fight to the end" to eliminate hamas. former conservative peer baroness mone admits she stands to benefit from sixty million pounds of profit from personal protective equipment sold to the government during the pandemic. voting wraps up in serbia's snap elections, called after two mass shootings shook the ruling party's hold on power. and a site in the shetland islands becomes the uk's first spaceport for vertical rocket launches. it has been given approval to begin launches in 202a from the small island of unst.