the un's humanitarian chief says gaza has now become uninhabitable as israel continues its bombardment of the strip. with unrest threatening to spread across the middle east antony blinken arrives in turkey for another trip to the region. and three months on from the october seven attacks, those taken hostage by hamas from the nova music festival is at the site, still open for their return. —— still hoping. hello, i'm carl nasman. is republic war against us is continuing amid renewed humanitarian concerns for those living in the region. —— israel's war against hamas. the un says the bombardment has rendered the territory uninhabitable. it is from this statement, where he says gaza

has become a place of death and despair. the next half—an—hour we will focus on the conflict and escalation in violence in a week where israel has laid out plans for what happens in gaza post— conflict and we will also take a look at when the end may come as international pressure continues to build on israel. and we will talk to those families with people taken in the nova festival as they visit the nova festival as they visit the place where their loved ones were abducted but first, we want to zoom in on the plight of those stuck in gaza and for that, let's bring in the programme director at human rights watch. thank you for being here to discuss what is truly becoming a humanitarian disaster and i want to start with the comments from the un official who said the gaza strip is not uninhabitable. do you agree? —— now

uninhabitable. i you agree? -- now uninhabitable.- you agree? -- now uninhabitable. ., ., uninhabitable. i do and there is a reason — uninhabitable. i do and there is a reason for _ uninhabitable. i do and there is a reason for it. _ uninhabitable. i do and there is a reason for it. it's - uninhabitable. i do and there is a reason for it. it's the - is a reason for it. it's the warring parties, israel, hamas and islamicjihad are flouting very basic principles of the laws of war which they you have to protect civilians so if we look at why people in gaza don't have enough food or water, are facing life—threatening sanitation situations, it's because the israeli military has refused to abide by the obligation to ensure that civilians in gaza are adequately supplied. armies do this all the time and it's what they have to do. when you prepare for war, also prepare for how the civilian population is going to survive the war. and that is what israel has not been doing. 50 and that is what israel has not been doing-— and that is what israel has not been doin:. ,, ., been doing. so in your mind, do ou been doing. so in your mind, do you think _ been doing. so in your mind, do you think is _ been doing. so in your mind, do you think is well _ been doing. so in your mind, do you think is well has _ been doing. so in your mind, do you think is well has not - been doing. so in your mind, do you think is well has not put - you think is well has not put enough plan in or paid enough attention to the fate of civilians and how they may survive the conflict? it’s

civilians and how they may survive the conflict? it's not 'ust survive the conflict? it's not just that _ survive the conflict? it's not just that they _ survive the conflict? it's not just that they have - survive the conflict? it's not just that they have not - just that they have not planned, they are actually using starvation as a weapon of war. again, iwant using starvation as a weapon of war. again, i want to be really clear — the laws of war say israel as an occupying power, their troops are present in gaza, has an obligation to ensure that civilians are adequately supplied so as they march through the gaza strip, they should be bringing supplies to civilians, they should be opening crossings, they should be ensuring that people have what they need because the hostilities are not supposed to be conducted against civilians. only against fighters. instead, the israeli military has been wilfully impeding the official delivery of mentoring relief. refused to allow aid organisations to get access to the north where people are in very, very dire situations without enough food or water. both bomb hospitals and they've made roads impassable and that is the opposite of what they

should be doing to protect civilians. and in particular, i'm concerned because those actions have been accompanied by statements on the israeli military, saying that there are no civilians in gaza, that we are fighting a war against human animals and therefore, we will not allow aid into gaza. i want to add that israel says it is allowing aid into gaza, part of these checks are to ensure that aid and other supplies don't end up in the hands of hamas. i know you are also the founder or the co—founder of an israeli ngo working to protect the freedom of movement of palestinians and just beyond the bombardment and the civilian casualties, we've also seen our restriction of movement on behalf of the palestinian not being able to enter israeli territory where they may have jobs or have a living? they may have “obs or have a livin: ? , ., ., , they may have “obs or have a livinu? , ., ., , , ., living? yes, and at this stage ofthe living? yes, and at this stage of the war. — living? yes, and at this stage of the war, where _ living? yes, and at this stage of the war, where people - living? yes, and at this stage of the war, where people in l of the war, where people in gaza are facing a credible

threat of severe physical harm, entering countries like israel and egypt have an obligation under refugee law to open their borders and allow families to flee to keep themselves safe. that's not been happening. the economy is not functioning any more. and this is something thatis more. and this is something that is quite unprecedented. in previous hostilities, as brittle as they were, the israeli military had plans for how they were going to ensure adequate supplies — makes detailed calculations. and what we see here isjust detailed calculations. and what we see here is just a flouting of the kind of obligation. without an adequate response from the international community, in particular the us government, which is arming the israeli military. it's also been insisting that you ex—military abide by the obligation it owes to civilians.— obligation it owes to civilians. , , , ., civilians. just briefly to follow-no _ civilians. just briefly to follow-up on _ civilians. just briefly to follow-up on that, - civilians. just briefly to i follow-up on that, antony follow—up on that, antony blinken is in the region and will be visiting israel and the west bank. what message do you

hope he will deliver on the troop? hope he will deliver on the troo - ? . , hope he will deliver on the troo? ., , ., troop? --on that visit? i would sa the troop? --on that visit? i would say the absolutely _ troop? --on that visit? i would say the absolutely appropriate l say the absolutely appropriate horror that us government expressed at the massacre and kidnapping of israeli civilians on october seven should be accompanied by a consistency of principle. the united states government should make it clear it is not ok the target israeli civilians and it is not ok to staff palestinian civilians —— staff. staff palestinian civilians -- staff. , ., ,,., staff palestinian civilians -- staff. , ., , staff. -- starve. sari bashi, thank you — staff. -- starve. sari bashi, thank you very _ staff. -- starve. sari bashi, thank you very much - staff. -- starve. sari bashi, thank you very much for - staff. -- starve. sari bashi, - thank you very much forjoining us. the speak more about the situation on the ground in gaza, caitriona perry spoke earlier to mara kronenfeld, the executive director for undera usa. -- for unrwa usa. thanks forjoining us again. can you tell us more about the current situation they're in gaza, such as you

and your colleagues are seeing? what's it like at the moment? gaza is a place right now, i have to say, at the moment of desperation and despair. there are tens of thousands of women and children, mostly who have been killed or injured. 70% of those killed or injured have been women and children. families are sleeping in the streets in increasingly colder temperatures. we've seen the rain and the floods there. areas where civilians have been told to relocate are coming under bombardment. the medicalfacilities in the strip are under relentless attack, unfortunately, and we know of the 36 hospitals there in gaza, only 13 or operational and most of those are in the south, and those hospitals in the south are seeing three times the number of patients that they are meant to see. and, frankly, there isn't enough medicine or equipment to even serve those patients who are coming into the hospitals

in the south and we know only six of unwra's health centres are operable right now, in addition to the full population of 2.2 million people in gaza facing famine as we speak. is there anywhere that your colleagues can tell people to go that is safe? no, unfortunately, as the israeli military has told the population to go south, unfortunately, where they've been told to go has been bombarded. there, frankly, is no safe place in gaza. even unwra - un installations flying the blue flag are not safe. there's been some 217 incidences of unwra premises being bombed or bombarded and 62 of those are direct hits. each of them are violations of international humanitarian law. we even have 22 instances of the israeli military using unwra installations

for military operations. and we've had some 319 internationally displaced people, local palestinians, who have been killed while in un installations. million — 1.25 million palestinians have fled, even there, it's not safe. and, again, there's simply no safe place for civilians in gaza right now. we've seen an escalation in the west bank recently as well. you have operations there. what have you seen? we've seen significant death and injuries in the west bank as well. my colleagues have said that the west bank is at a boiling point and we have seen detentions — unlawful detentions — and we are very concerned

about the aggression on behalf of settlers as well. the us secretary of state, antony blinken, is back in the region this week. what are you hoping forfrom his visit? we at unwra, my colleagues at unwra, are calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. that means we need full—throated humanitarian access into gaza. i know there was a un resolution to this event —— to this effect but we've seen very little change on the ground. karem shalom, the border that allows trucks into it, has opened but it is still very difficult, if not sometimes impossible, for unwra to get those resources that come in — which are not enough by any means — but even to get those meagre resources to those in need. that's because within the border in rafah, those areas have been bombed. our own staff at unwra has come underfire. we have lost many of our own staff members, as i've said, and the roads leading out from rafah have been damaged.

some of unwra's own trucks are stuck and we've not got access to them. so, we not only need more food, more medical supplies — we need diapers for the kids and, mind you, there are 50,000 pregnant women in gaza right now, 180 giving birth a day. we just don't have enough supplies to help this population in the way that any single human being on earth deserves. mara kronenfeld, thank you very much forjoining us on bbc news. thank you. we put those claims mara made there about israeli strikes on un installations and what she described as 62 breaches of international humanitarian law to asaf zamir, former israeli tourism minister and former consul general of israel in new york. well, i do think after so many

days of war, it would've been fair if we were to disregard what unwra says as exact —— says are exact realities, because we have found their infrastructure hidden inside unwra centres. we've revealed this to the world. they have brought in gas which was stolen by hamas a day after. they've hidden hamas operatives inside their schools, and we've found double walls where they hid ammunition. so, at this point, what they say is not, or should not be regarded as factual, and what we say should be. so we are doing everything we possibly could to try

to abide there in gaza, those civilian people have we are probably not succeeding, i'm sure. it is a war zone. we are not — i'm sure. it is a war zone. we are not in — i'm sure. it is a war zone. we are not in a — i'm sure. it is a war zone. we are not in a position - i'm sure. it is a war zone. we are not in a position to verify those claims in relation to what israel says it has discovered in un properties as ourjournalists have not been allowed free access to those sites despite repeated requests from media organisations better access to report from inside gaza. it was one of the most shocking moments of the attack, hamas fighters storming into the supernova music festival, killing more than 360 people and taking a0 hostages back into gaza. now nearly three months on, some of the families of those hostages have visited the site. there is little left now at the site of the nova music festival, apart from hundreds of photographs planted in the desert earth —

mainly young people who were killed or abducted on october 7. among them, this woman, a wife and mother of an infant son — a boy who will never see his mother again. we told him that his mother won't come back and that his father is missing. that we are looking for him. but i try to keep my eyes on my mission, to bring him back and we'll bring the rest of them back. three months ago this weekend, thousands of heavily armed hamas fighters burst through the gaza fence. among their targets, the nova festival. pa rtygoers fled for their lives. more than 360 were killed. dozens were abducted to gaza. some survivors made an emotional return to the nova site today. the safe return of their friends, the only goal. the world's attention

is still very much focused on the ongoing warjust over in gaza, and more than 22,000 people have been killed, most of them civilians. but israel doesn't want the world to forget what happened in places like this on october 7. everything is gone from where the festival site was but what happened here has not been forgotten. virtually everything from the festival site has been brought to this installation in tel aviv. the stage, the sound systems, and the music. it's an emotional project but with a positive message. as a community, we look forward. we have this passport of "we will dance again" — we mean it. we want to dance again, we want to dance for the memory of my friends, my friends will be happy to see me dance again. with thousands of personal possessions that will never be claimed, the burned—out cars

in which fleeing people were killed, this is also a difficult reminder of one of the darkest days in israel's history. wyre davies, bbc news. while israel's stated war is against hamas, the nation of iran is also very much involved in the conflict. iran is one of the most powerful backers of hamas and link to a number of major militant groups in the region. hezbollah has conducted around 670 military operations on the border with israel since october eight, according to its leader. also in the middle east, the who the rebels backed by iran have declared support for hamas and continue to lock shipping vessels in the red sea. i spoke with the executive vice president of the quincy institute and co—founder of the national iranian american council. thank you so much for being on bbc news. iran is one of the largest financial backers, one of the largest supporters of hamas. how would

you rate iran's involvement in this current conflict with israel? . . this current conflict with israel? ., ., , ., this current conflict with israel? ., ., ., israel? iran and israel have had their — israel? iran and israel have had their own _ israel? iran and israel have had their own secret - israel? iran and israel have had their own secret war i israel? iran and israel have i had their own secret war going on for more than two decades. within that, of course, the iranians have been supporting hamas for quite some time. they are the main providers of military and military support to hamas. but iran is not directly involved in the war in terms of actually being part of the fighting or being part of the fighting or being part of the hamas attack on october seven. but we may get to a point in which this war gets enlarged, in which both hezbollah, iran, others will be more directly involved and it will drag the united states into it. that is the unfortunate trajectory we are on. it would lead to a devastating regional war. the easiest way of preventing it is to have a ceasefire in gaza. israel would say a ceasefire

would simply allow hamas to regroup, potentially give hezbollah an upper hand as well, right?— well, right? that is the israeli argument, - well, right? that is the israeli argument, but l well, right? that is the | israeli argument, but at well, right? that is the - israeli argument, but at the same time we have seen that the israelis have failed to achieve their objectives. the former israeli prime minister set a week ago that the chances of completely defeating hamas, which is what the government seeks to do, he puts the chances at nil. we have a massive amount of civilian deaths, an unacceptable amount of civilian deaths. if this goes on for much longer, israel will not achieve its objectives but it will lead to a larger war they could drag in the us as well. ~ ., ,., war they could drag in the us as well. ~ ., as well. we also saw the killin: as well. we also saw the killing of _ as well. we also saw the killing of the _ as well. we also saw the killing of the deputy - as well. we also saw the | killing of the deputy head as well. we also saw the . killing of the deputy head of hamas who had strong ties with iran and with hezbollah as well. how do you think hezbollah might react? we heard from the leader of hezbollah saying that a response was inevitable?—

saying that a response was inevitable? ., ., , , inevitable? form of response robabl inevitable? form of response probably is — inevitable? form of response probably is inevitable, - inevitable? form of response probably is inevitable, but i inevitable? form of response| probably is inevitable, but the question has been well hezbollah read this as the crossing of a redline that would actually force hezbollah to go out in a full war with israel or will it treated as an escalation that will warrant a counter escalation from hezbollah, but something short of full all—out war. it appears to be more the latter. it doesn't seem to be as though hezbollah desires a full—scale war. in fact, hezbollah desires a full—scale war. infact, a hezbollah desires a full—scale war. in fact, a full—scale war would be to its detriment, strategically. but it is also very unlikely it will leave this and responded to. all of these small steps are bringing us closer and closer to a larger conflict. —— unresponded to. larger conflict. -- unresponded to. ., ~' ., ., larger conflict. -- unresponded to. ., ~ ., ., , to. talking about the who thes now, another _ to. talking about the who thes now, another group _ to. talking about the who thes now, another group widely i now, another group widely thought to be backed by iran. we have sent missiles and drones on october seven, now on ships in the red sea. what role

do the houthis play and could this be a risk towards a broader conflict in the region? absolutely. the houthis are backed by iran, but they, i was at the risk of full—scale war may be the greatest in the red sea because that is where you have the us fleets ready to go and full kinetic force against the houthis, which would be to a lodging of the war. what is missed in this is these groups have been explicit that they will seize their attacks if there is a ceasefire. —— largening. in november, during the ceasefire, there wasn't a single attack against us troops or bases. and with six attacks a day before. during the ceasefire, it all went down to zero. do you have some strong evidence that a ceasefire, at a

minimum, would prevent the risk of escalation of a full—scale war in the region. from a national interest standpoint for the us, that is to be the priority, to ensure the united states isn't dragged into another middle eastern war. antony blinken is making another tour of the region. what do you think that says? what do you think that says? what is the signal about how worried the white house is that they could be dragged further and deeper into the conflict? i think the biden administration is concerned about the rest. i think they recognise it. according to that narrative, the israelis were seeking to attack hezbollah immediately after the october seven attack, but the us so they were successful in dogging them down. but now we're back to square one. it is whether the us recognises the dangers. it does. the question is why doesn't the biden

administration take the most obvious that effective measure to prevent it, which is a ceasefire? what is so valuable in israel's continued bombardment of gaza? brute in israel's continued bombardment of gaza? ~ ., ., bombardment of gaza? we are a little short _ bombardment of gaza? we are a little short of— bombardment of gaza? we are a little short of time. _ bombardment of gaza? we are a little short of time. i _ bombardment of gaza? we are a little short of time. i want i bombardment of gaza? we are a little short of time. i want to i little short of time. i want to ask you, because a ceasefire with these groups, so there is a ceasefire with hamas, that doesn't necessarily mean a ceasefire with iran, which you have said is backing various different groups in the region. on the contrary, during the six days of the ceasefire, the other groups also seized their attack. the real risk is the houthi. but through the ceasefire there has been a deescalation. —— ceased. the question is why the administration is resisting the most obvious and clear way of keeping the united states out of the wall. keeping the united states out of the wall-— of the wall. thank you for “oininr of the wall. thank you for joining us _ of the wall. thank you for joining us with _ of the wall. thank you for joining us with your- joining us with your perspective.- joining us with your perspective. joining us with your --ersective. ., ,, ., perspective. thank you for havinu perspective. thank you for having me- _ perspective. thank you for having me. with _ perspective. thank you for having me. with the i perspective. thank you for i having me. with the conflict still raging _ having me. with the conflict

still raging and _ having me. with the conflict still raging and a _ having me. with the conflict still raging and a pressing i still raging and a pressing humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region, there has been less attention paid to a post—war gaza, but the israeli defence minister as made proposals for future governance was the war is over. he said they would be limited palestinian role in the territory, so long as there is no threat to israel. list doucette examines what gaza could look like in the years ahead. ., , ., ., ahead. three months of war, gaza, ahead. three months of war, gaza. most _ ahead. three months of war, gaza, most of— ahead. three months of war, gaza, most of it _ ahead. three months of war, gaza, most of it in _ ahead. three months of war, gaza, most of it in ruins, i ahead. three months of war, i gaza, most of it in ruins, more than 2 million people displaced. the us is warning of famine. israel says military operations were gone for many months. it is vowing to destroy hamas. the armed group which ran gaza for 16 years. regarded as a terrorist group by britain. so what will govern gaza when the war ends? it is called the day after. israel has been under pressure to speu has been under pressure to spell out its plans. for the first time, it has set up what

it calls "guiding principles" for gaza public future. it says it will retain overall security control, even when military operations over. it was a multinational task force to rebuild gaza, to be led by the us. it says gaza and civil servants, was not hostile to israel, will run the territory. —— gazan. and it wants egypt to play an important role. but those four points raise issues. egypt along with jordan and other arab states so they won't play any role in gaza while israeli forces remain there. the us wants the palestinian authority, which runs the occupied west bank, to play a role. and some regional powers say hamas must be included. that is unacceptable for the israeli prime minister, benjamin netanyahu, whose benjamin neta nyahu, whose right—wing benjamin netanyahu, whose right—wing coalition, which gives him in power. some of his ministers are calling for israel to reoccupy gaza and push up the palestinians. america, israel's most

important partner, will have a say. it secretary of state antony blinken is starting another visit to the region. so the day after in gaza is deeply uncertain. while this war goes on, the main worry of most gazansis on, the main worry of most gazans is whether they will still be alive.— still be alive. we want to leave you _ still be alive. we want to leave you now _ still be alive. we want to leave you now where i still be alive. we want to | leave you now where they still be alive. we want to i leave you now where they live look at the region. this is a view of gaza from southern israel. the big news today was that statement coming from the united nations humanitarian chief, martin griffiths, who said that gaza has been rendered uninhabitable after three months, now, of that conflict. stay with us on bbc news. you can also follow our coverage of the conflict in the middle east on our website, bbc.com/news. i am count as men from washington, more news coming to you. —— carl nasman.

after such a wet week i can bring you some better news in the weekend weather forecast because although it will be colder it is also going to be drier. not completely dry. still some showers around, some bits and pieces of rain, particularly as we start saturday across northern and eastern areas, where we have had a fair amount of cloud. but the clear sky spinning in from the clear sky spinning in from the west has been allowing temperatures to drop with some frost and fog and ice to start saturday morning with so much water around where temperatures have dropped to freezing below. we are likely to see some ice. some of the fog could be slow to clear across southwest scotland and northern england. some rain persisting in the northern isles into the afternoon, the band are persistent as well across eastern counties of england with a few bits and pieces of showery rain. the odd shower out west, but sunshine, do, highs 5—9 . the band of cloud will roll further west on saturday night coming into the midlands, it could bring the

odd shower. where we keep coming into the midlands, it could bring the odd shower. where we keep clear, stories —5 or lower than be cold. temperatures around or below freezing. maybe —a —5 or lower than that in some parts of scotland. heading into sunday with some cloud and a brisk wind in the southeast corner, that will provide the odd shower. elsewhere but it will feel cold. 2—6 , particularly cold if any morning fog lingers for any length of time. heading into monday length of time. heading into monday the high pressure, if anything, will strengthen, centred in the north of the uk. quite a few isobars down to the south, meaning strong winds. italy winds combined with cold air will make for a decidedly chilly feel. brisk winds to the south. further north, not as windy, but there could be persistent fog and misty, murky conditions. sunny spells as

well. top temperatures two or three degrees and parts of scotland, northern ireland, england and wales, 3— six celsius. it would be strengthen the wind, this is the feels like temperature, where it will feel subzero. very chilly on monday, perhaps a little less cold as the week wears on. but staying mostly dry.

voice-over: this is bbc news. we'll have the headlines for you at the top of the hour, which is straight after this programme. woo—hoo! yeah! joyous laughter this is kind of like my really in—your—face way of saying if i can swim the channel, you can go to your local pool. but really, ultimately, my other thing is to show my son that his birth didn't ruin my life. oh, my god... this was the moment she'd been working towards for years. in 2023, gill castle became the first person with a stoma to swim the channel. have you got a message for sam? it was all for you, gorgeous boy. and just two months later, she was in kenya, helping women with the same condition but hardly any support to learn to live with their stomas.

i was, "gosh, with a colostomy bag, swimming, enjoying life?"