i that is doable and it is clear that i joe biden wants this in place before the beginning of ramadan - which is in about ten days' time. we are working so hard on a temporary cease—fire, to not only get the hostages out and the fighting paused, but all to get that critical humanitarian assistance in and to increase the flow. there's just not enough getting in right now. life in gaza — shocking to see, even for those who have experienced humanitarian crises. we will hear tonight from a canadian nurse who has just returned from gaza. also on the programme — mps have been quizzing the current and former post office bosses, about the horizon scandal and the progress, or lack thereof, in paying compensation. we will get reaction from one of the postsubmasters still waiting. and nato allies reject

president macron's idea of sending troops to ukraine. good evening, in paris, negotiators spent the weekend honing a peace deal for the gaza conflict, but there are fears tonight hamas may reject the terms of that deal, because it wants a clearer path to a permanent ceasefire. the proposal would guarantee a 40—day pause in the fighting, during which time would be a staged hostage swap for palestinian prisoners, and access for aid trucks every day. qatar's foreign ministery says it hopes to make an announcement about a truce this week before ramadan begins around march 10th. the us presidentjoe biden has expressed his optimism that a deal could be agreed by next monday. but aid organisations say israeli forces are making their work in gaza almost impossible. the medical charity, medicins sans frontieres,

accused israel of showing "total disregard" for the protection of health care facilities. un agencies say their staff have been attacked, while convoys have been systematically denied access to gaza. eight convoys have come under fire and are systematically denied access to people in need. humanitarian workers have been harassed, intimidated or detained by israeli forces, and humanitarian infrastructure has been hit. just prior to sunday's incident, two family members of medecins sans frontieres were killed in an unprompted attack by israeli forces against a de—conflicted compound, where their staff and family members slipped. tonight the un security council is holding a meeting on the humanitarian situation in gaza. deliveries of humanitarian aid have plunged after palestinian police the un counted on to protect convoys stopped showing up for work, fearing attacks from israel and gangs of looters. philippe lazzarini,

head of the palestinian refugee agency unrwa said aid entering gaza had dropped by half in february, compared with the month before. that brought a sharp response from cogat, the israeli military agency responsible for facilitating assistance to gaza. "if unrwa wasn't such a failure logistically," they posted, "then more aid would reach the people of gaza." let's speak to amy potter, a nurse activity manager with medecins sans frontieres who has recently returned from gaza. thank you very much for being on the programme. what did you witness while you were there? what programme. what did you witness while you were there?— while you were there? what i witnessed — while you were there? what i witnessed was _ while you were there? what i witnessed was easily - while you were there? what i witnessed was easily one - while you were there? what i witnessed was easily one of. witnessed was easily one of the worst humanitarian situations you could ever imagine. i saw the equivalent of 1.7 — 1.8 million people crammed into a space that formerly held just a few hundred thousand people. isaw

formerly held just a few hundred thousand people. i saw people desperate for any where to stay. every building had been converted to a shelter. i remember one wedding hall that held 30 plus families. outside of that, there are tens as far as you can see. when i say tense i'm being charitable. they are generally, we didn't boards nailed together and covered loosely in plastic. no match for the winds and rains we are facing. there is not enough latrines, there is not enough water, there is not enough food. there is not enough supplies. the roads are crowded. he would see cars go roads are crowded. he would see cars 9° by roads are crowded. he would see cars go by with people sitting two or three deep in the car is holding onto the doors in an attemptjust to keep them closed. all of the possessions piled up on the top and a lot of the times, it was not cars, it was just donkey carts with the same thing. i cannot even imagine it. until i witnessed it first—hand. it is truly a humanitarian disaster. looking at pictures of people trying

to get food and water and what you instantly notice is just how many young people there are in gaza. half of the population under the age of 18. to what extent are people able to find food and water? find 18. to what extent are people able to find food and water? and rafah, in the south. _ to find food and water? and rafah, in the south, and _ to find food and water? and rafah, in the south, and in _ to find food and water? and rafah, in the south, and in the _ to find food and water? and rafah, in the south, and in the north - to find food and water? and rafah, in the south, and in the north is - in the south, and in the north is quite different, i can't speak to the north because we are not allowed to access it while we were there. the situation is far more dire in the north. in the south, there are some aid agencies who are able to provide food. i know that every day when i would drive down one road, i would see the line up just get a little bit longer every day for food. the water, because it is a desert, there is no natural water point in the areas of water had to be trucked in distribution trucks. this all tends to happen in the morning so people have to make a choice. of who can get water, who can get food in or in our case, who could come see us in the clinic for

medicine. 50 it is a hard choice they must make every day to try to get access to food or water. there is still some food available in makeshift shops on the side of the road, but inflation has made those prices not even realistic. things double, quadruple, ten times in price from what they had before the conflict and remember, nobody has jobs any more. there is no work. so jobs any more. there is no work. 50 without the aid in the distribution from different ngos, there would be very little to no food that these people could access.— very little to no food that these people could access. there is still a fear people could access. there is still a feer that — people could access. there is still a fear that rafah _ people could access. there is still a fear that rafah is _ people could access. there is still a fear that rafah is going - people could access. there is still a fear that rafah is going to - people could access. there is still. a fear that rafah is going to become the next sector of combat, is there any prospect for what you saw of evacuating the border area around rafah? i evacuating the border area around rafah? ~ , ., , , rafah? i think the problem is there is nowhere left _ rafah? i think the problem is there is nowhere left to _ rafah? i think the problem is there is nowhere left to go. _ rafah? i think the problem is there is nowhere left to go. profit - rafah? i think the problem is there is nowhere left to go. profit is - rafah? i think the problem is there is nowhere left to go. profit is the l is nowhere left to go. profit is the end of the line. it was the last refuge. many people several times would be heading down trying to find

somewhere to flee to, somewhere to go and rafah was where the ended up. now, they arejust go and rafah was where the ended up. now, they are just trying to find somewhere else to find refuge. i know some people had started to relocate to the middle area and asked one of our staff members with the safety of being able to relocate to the middle area. she said nowhere in gaza is it any longer. there is nowhere left to go. the people who are going to the middle area are from the middle area. if you are going to die, you want to tie it home. we don't have anywhere to put anybody left any more. there is no mercy. there is to evacuate to. what mercy. there is to evacuate to. what is our mercy. there is to evacuate to. what is your impression _ mercy. there is to evacuate to. what is your impression of _ mercy. there is to evacuate to. what is your impression of what _ mercy. there is to evacuate to. what is your impression of what the death toll is? i is your impression of what the death toll is? , . , toll is? i believe the last figure i saw was 29,500. _ toll is? i believe the last figure i saw was 29,500. that _ toll is? i believe the last figure i saw was 29,500. that could - toll is? i believe the last figure i l saw was 29,500. that could have changed, that was probably last week sometime. that is believable. i think we are only going to see it go up think we are only going to see it go up and notjust because of conflict, that will certainly be part of it,

but we will also see a rise to to malnutrition, in communicable diseases, people unable to access health care, we are seeing a lot of people who cannot get their normal medications, blood pressure medication, diabetes medications, things we take for granted in the western world. pare things we take for granted in the western world.— things we take for granted in the western world. are you seeing the evidence of— western world. are you seeing the evidence of epidemics _ western world. are you seeing the evidence of epidemics in _ western world. are you seeing the evidence of epidemics in terms - western world. are you seeing the evidence of epidemics in terms of| evidence of epidemics in terms of disease? . , . ~ ., , . disease? there was a known epidemic riaht now disease? there was a known epidemic right now of — disease? there was a known epidemic right now of hepatitis _ disease? there was a known epidemic right now of hepatitis a _ disease? there was a known epidemic right now of hepatitis a outbreak - right now of hepatitis a outbreak that was going around. we were seeing several people coming in jaundiced and ill from that. the one advantage in gaza we saw was a lot of people there are vaccinated, it is a heavily vaccinated population so i think that is probably stubbed off a lot of the vaccine preventable illnesses we would normally see in chronic conditions like this. but it is only a matter of time until we start to see things get worse and worse and worse. i know that was

increasing every day. asine worse and worse. i know that was increasing every day.— increasing every day. one of the re orts increasing every day. one of the reports today — increasing every day. one of the reports today from _ increasing every day. one of the reports today from medecins - increasing every day. one of the i reports today from medecins sans frontieres is people, patients who were going to be evacuated were strip—searched and staff who were escorting them out were strip—searched in the ambulance as well. are you subject to any of that kind of intimidation while you were working there as an international aid worker?— aid worker? no. one of the advantages _ aid worker? no. one of the advantages we _ aid worker? no. one of the advantages we have - aid worker? no. one of the advantages we have as - aid worker? no. one of the - advantages we have as international aid workers is we are generally not subject to the same thing the national staff have to go through every day. which is sad and unfortunate. we do not experience the same torment that they do. it is heartbreaking to hear that that had to happen. we heartbreaking to hear that that had to ha en. ~ heartbreaking to hear that that had to hauen. ~ , ., to happen. we will focus through the ro . ramme to happen. we will focus through the programme tonight _ to happen. we will focus through the programme tonight on _ to happen. we will focus through the programme tonight on events - to happen. we will focus through the programme tonight on events in - to happen. we will focus through the j programme tonight on events in new york and the debate within the security council. now that you are out and a long way from gaza, how do you reflect on the way that the security council, the united nations has dealt with this, or have been able to deal with this?

it is hard to see. when you in there, i think this is been covered, you don't have access to the outside world to you don't know why things are happening. telecommunications are happening. telecommunications are poor, the internet is nonexistent almost so coming out and see what is happening is heartbreaking. sometimes he hope it is because it there was not the right information it did not truly know how bad it was and that is why we were not seeing resolutions for a cease—fire unanimously passed, but for sure last week, i know the secretary—general of unicef spoke about the attacks on health care facilities and the attack on the house where my staff lived. so i know that they are getting the information and ijust cannot understand how we can stand by and watch this happen. the people who were impacted, they are the very definition of innocent. sadly, they refer to often as collateral damage.

they deserve better than to be collateral damage. they deserve better than what is happening to them, they deserve to have the world support them in a cease—fire. thank you for coming onto the programme, amy. let'sjust have thank you for coming onto the programme, amy. let's just have to listen to whatjoe biden had to say yesterday while out filming in new york with seth mayor at an ice cream shop. this is how he announced the work being done on the humanitarian pause. a listen. my national security adviser tells me that we at least my national security adviser tells me that we are close. we are close, we are not done yet. my hope is by next monday we will have a cease—fire. with me is lyse doucet, our chief international correspondent. i don't know howl i don't know how i feel about the american president eating ice cream in light of what we have just heard from amy but maybe we will cross over that. tell me about the

cease—fire that is being negotiated in the obstacles that are still there in its path.— in the obstacles that are still there in its path. when we heard from amy _ there in its path. when we heard from amy who — there in its path. when we heard from amy who was _ there in its path. when we heard from amy who was just - there in its path. when we heard from amy who wasjust return, l there in its path. when we heard l from amy who wasjust return, the from amy who was just return, the canadian were nurse who just returned, you understand why there are some the voices most of all the voices of gazans and saying, please end the war as soon as. the families of hostages are desperate for their loved ones to come home. gazans desperately want an end to the war, not just a desperately want an end to the war, notjust a long pause. i was at the security conference ten days ago where a lot of the main players were there including people sitting at there including people sitting at the talks in paris and, the prognosis then was grim. they said it is bleak. the two sides are very wide apart. there was also a resolve to try and close the gaps. there wasn't some very strategic thinking about how to bring the two sides closer together. about how to bring the two sides closertogether. —— about how to bring the two sides closer together. —— there was some.

now we have heard from president biden and some of the issues for instance working on the ratio of how many prisoners hamas was demanding to be released from the israeli jails in exchange for hostages. i heard from someone close to the negotiation saying that hamas was asking for 1500 prisoners in exchange for five female israeli soldiers. now in israeli media tonight, we are told that number has been brought back to five is really soldiers for 90 prisoners. —— israeli soldiers. in one organisation saying they are urging hamas to bring down the numbers in terms of the ratio but humanitarian aid would be added as an incentive. this is where the gaps are being closed. but the fundamental difference is not because, we have heard from hamas official saying, we want an end to the war, we do not just want a pause. in israel say, you are delusional and prime

minister netanyahu sink we will fight until, like to use their words, complete victory. but all negotiators are saying, guitarist, egyptians, a humanitarian pause even though it looks short is the best way to end the war. because once you get a sustained truce, then it would be very hard for the two sides to go back to fighting. that is what they are pushing. whether they can see with the clock is ticking, from a don begins on march the 10th and one of the biggest concerns i heard from arab foreign ministers and prime ministers was that ramadan could see an explosion of anger if there was not a pause in the fighting. particularly in the occupied west bank. , ., �* particularly in the occupied west bank. �* ,. bank. joe biden says he is a verbal assurance from _ bank. joe biden says he is a verbal assurance from netanyahu - assurance from netanyahu saying there would not be fighting during ramadan but this is what president netanyahu said tonight. i have

consistently resisted pressure to end the gaza war prematurely and this stand has popular us support, that will help us continue the campaign until total victory. he a poll for 82 of americans support israel over hamas but we will discuss that later. the issue here is he still seems intent on taking out the infrastructure he believes is there under the wall between rafah on the gaza site in the egyptian side. we rafah on the gaza site in the egyptian side-— rafah on the gaza site in the eu tian side. ~ ,. ,, ., egyptian side. we were discussing to who was the — egyptian side. we were discussing to who was the audience _ egyptian side. we were discussing to who was the audience when - egyptian side. we were discussing to who was the audience when prime i who was the audience when prime minister netanyahu spoke about we now have this american support for american supporting us and he emphasise from the beginning he has let the campaign to curb, to push back against american and other efforts to end the war and also get support for the war. and a question i will neverforget support for the war. and a question i will never forget in those early days, we were there after the october the 7th atrocities, everyone

who met, the mayors in southern israel, hearing prime minister netanyahu, israelis be met in the street, all of them to met a person, this time when we launch a litter opposition, we will not listen. when the leaders of the us and britain tele stop, that's enough, tuned people have died, stop the operation, they have been absolutely consistent and that is what prime minister netanyahu is still saying. yes, we are grateful for the support of our allies, but we are going to end this war on our own terms. looking at the list hamas is put out of things that they are still demanding, you have touched on several of them, the two that stand out to me, the total withdrawal of the israeli military from the territory is still on the list and also a guaranteed cease—fire. it seems to be the biggest sticking point, from the hamas perspective,

if the war will resume at some point past a0 days, they have handed over all of the hostages, they have no guarantees. is that the difficulty from the hamas side?— guarantees. is that the difficulty from the hamas side? yes. they want the package — from the hamas side? yes. they want the package to — from the hamas side? yes. they want the package to be _ from the hamas side? yes. they want the package to be a _ from the hamas side? yes. they want the package to be a final— from the hamas side? yes. they want the package to be a final package. - the package to be a final package. whereas israel seems to be heading towards a pause, but and we have heard for some is really military officials, they would not mind a pause during ramadan because they could consolidate their forces —— israeli military officials, it is a difficult environment to operate in, they still must come up with an evacuation for land. we were told netanyahu who was presented to balance that he has received two plans, one for a place to evacuate nearly half of the population of gaza somewhere else, we have been hearing tonight that there is really no place to go, but netanyahu says he has a plan. secondly, the plan by the idf to continue for that total

victory. netanyahu keeps saying that there are about four of the remaining brigades of hamas in rafah. they believe that hostages are there and they believe the mastermind of this campaign is there. still in gaza, he is not gone to egypt. so they say, but cannot achieve our goal of total victory without going into rafah. others are saying, you're not going to defeat hamas militarily. stop now and let's move to the day after. we hamas militarily. stop now and let's move to the day after.— move to the day after. we will talk len move to the day after. we will talk plenty more- _ move to the day after. we will talk plenty more- we — move to the day after. we will talk plenty more. we need _ move to the day after. we will talk plenty more. we need to - move to the day after. we will talk plenty more. we need to go - move to the day after. we will talk plenty more. we need to go to - move to the day after. we will talk plenty more. we need to go to a i plenty more. we need to go to a short break. all adam standing by in jerusalem for us. plenty more reaction from over there to events tonight. around the world and across the uk, you are watching bbc news. for our uk if you're still with the flip take a quick look at headlines here today. the uk covid inquiry has resumed and, over the next three weeks, will focus on the response of the welsh government to the pandemic. the hearings are being held in cardiff.

the inquiry covers decision—making during the pandemic by the uk government and the devolved governments in wales, scotland and northern ireland. the government is considering a new tax on vaping in next week's budget. the treasury believes it could raise half a billion pounds a year. currently, vaping products are subject to vat — but unlike tobacco, they are not subject to a separate levy. last month, ministers announced plans to ban disposable vapes. the owners of a pub, which was known as the wonkiest in britain before it was destroyed by fire and demolition, have been ordered to rebuild it in its originalform. the eighteenth—century crooked house pub in central england was a popular attraction with visitors who came to see the distinctive leaning building. you're live with bbc news. we are focusing on developments this evening in gaza. and the sticking point still there with regards

toa to a cease—fire currently being negotiated. let's go straight to jerusalem. pauladams negotiated. let's go straight to jerusalem. paul adams has been waiting patiently for us. some reaction tonight from netanyahu and as we have just heard in the studio, still quite a way to go on this cease—fire. i thought was interesting thatjoe biden announced it last night ahead of the michigan primary, of course which is crucially important to him in the united states today. what do you make of the timing of the announcement and how far we have still to go? announcement and how far we have still to to? v announcement and how far we have still to to? �*, ., . . ., still to go? let's not get ahead of ourselves- _ still to go? let's not get ahead of ourselves- it _ still to go? let's not get ahead of ourselves. it was _ still to go? let's not get ahead of ourselves. it was not _ still to go? let's not get ahead of ourselves. it was not an - ourselves. it was not an announcement was merely him saying he has been told that there should be a deal by the end of the weekend. it's clear thatjoe biden wants to drive the piece of this as fast as he possibly can. he wants us to be in place by ramadan and he desperately wants the gaza war off his back while he goes into the election campaign. if this goes on as the campaign gets under way and

the democratic party continues to have her support among younger and arab american voters, this is potentially damaging and perhaps even catastrophic for him. so he really wants this out of the first step is to get an initial cease—fire which could last as much as a0 days or so. then, which could last as much as a0 days orso. then, if which could last as much as a0 days or so. then, if that happens and everyone does what they are supposed to do and we do not yet know what those terms will be, we have some general outlines, but we do not know specifics and will not know those until the deal is announced, then there will be despondency and trying to extend that and trying to talk about what happens in gaza when this war is over —— there will be diplomacy. as far asjoe biden is concerned, he would love to see the work come to an end. he shares the israeli objective of destroying hamas and hamas should not be a part

of the political future for gaza. but he also just wants this appalling conflict to and so he does not have to keep answering questions about it domestically. he also wants to get on with the negotiations involving the saudis and the europeans and other air countries about what the relations between israel and palestine will look like in the future. i israel and palestine will look like in the future.— israel and palestine will look like in the future. i was saying earlier that prime _ in the future. i was saying earlier that prime minister— in the future. i was saying earlier that prime minister netanyahu i in the future. i was saying earlier. that prime minister netanyahu said tonight, he has the backing of the american people, 82% of americans, he said, support our world with hamas. i'm not entirely sure that that support is as strong within the white house at the moment because a lot of the things they are demanding from prime minister netanyahu and indeed the plan for the day after that he has set out our in conflict. where would you say that relationship is right now? well, as i sa , relationship is right now? well, as i say. they — relationship is right now? well, as i say. they do _ relationship is right now? well, as i say, they do share _ relationship is right now? well, as i say, they do share the _ relationship is right now? well, as i say, they do share the objective l i say, they do share the objective of getting hamas out of the picture,

but they loathe netanyahu in the white house and they have for a long time. the relationship goes back a long way. joe biden, one of the most pro—israel presidents of all time, he has no time for netanyahu. the american school they have been deceived and tricked and generally run circles around by netanyahu for a long time. they see him as probably the single most significant obstacle to progress towards a peaceful settlement between israel and the palestinians. so they are not trying to interfere in domestic israeli politics, engineered the collapse of the netanyahu government, although i suspect they would ideally like to see it. but they are trying to find a way towards this broader horizon, trying towards this broader horizon, trying to rescue something out of the ashes of the gaza conflict. acutely conscious that netanyahu stands

foursquare in their way.- conscious that netanyahu stands foursquare in their way. thank you very much — foursquare in their way. thank you very much for— foursquare in their way. thank you very much for that, _ foursquare in their way. thank you very much for that, paul— foursquare in their way. thank you very much for that, paul adams. l foursquare in their way. thank you i very much for that, paul adams. we will watch the pictures tonight from the security council, but of course the security council, but of course the americans have a veto. and have used the veto within the council. so it will be a talking shop tonight and you would expect until there is and you would expect until there is a pause, nothing much comes of it. yes and our viewers may have followed what antonio geter is set at the start of this week to the council in geneva where it was very much a maia koebel, we are all guilty, saying that it is amounting to a failure of the un charter, the un institution, he referred to all of the conflicts he says around the world and the level of impunity weather in sudan or ukraine or in gaza, but he used the word, collective punishment. he specifically said that innocent civilians of gaza were being

subjected to a collective punishment because, and condemned as he has repeatedly, the unacceptable, the atrocities in southern israel committed by hamas. but he said, just because one person, one group does a bad thing, and another group can also do a bad thing. he did not mince his words. strong words from the un secretary—general. he’s the un secretary-general. he's curowin the un secretary-general. he's growing increasingly _ the un secretary—general. he's growing increasingly frustrated. thank you much for your company. we will continue to watch a fence in new york and discussed with our panel and a second on the programme. we will take a short break and on the other side we will talk about ukraine and what was decided last night in paris. we will be right back. hello there. good evening. it was a very pretty start earlier on this morning, with red sky across much of england and wales as snapped by our weather watchers — all ahead of an approaching where the front bringing thickening

cloud and some outbreaks of rain. here are those weather fronts pushing southwards and eastwards, fragmenting, so just a bit of patchy rain really for parts of east anglia clearing quite quickly this evening and another warm front approaching northern ireland. so cloudier, breezier here and also milder into tomorrow morning. but still a touch of frost possible across england and wales, underneath largely clear skies for at least part of the night, but also some fog patches developing as well. now, the generally unsettled theme is just set to continue as we head through the rest of this week. won't be raining all the time — it will also be rather changeable in terms of temperature, too. some milderfeeling air, despite the cold start on wednesday with this warm front. that's going to bring some outbreaks of rain across western scotland — the rain is likely to pep up for a time, some heavier downpours across western areas of wales into south—west england, but it takes its time before it gets to east anglia. it could stay dry here for much of the day. now, in the best of any late brightness across eastern areas of northern ireland,

we could even see 13—1a celsius with that milder feeling air and a brisk south—westerly wind blowing throughout. now you can see the milder air here on wednesday, marked in yellow, but it's been swept further eastwards by these cold fronts. so colder, wintry conditions developing from the west as we head through thursday. we're likely to see some early outbreaks of rain across central southern england. the ground saturated here. flood warnings in place could add to the problems. brisk winds across the north—west of scotland — possibly severe gales here for a time pushing these showers further eastwards and the snow levels are likely to drop throughout the day so it will gradually turn colder. and we could be seeing some winteriness, perhaps, over the scottish hills and through the welsh mountains, and over the tops of the pennines by the time we get to the end of the day. and there's not much improvement on friday either — the first day of the meteorological spring, low pressure, very much dominant, brisk winds towards eastern coastal areas in particular, showers swirling around the low with longer spells of rain and winteriness above 200—300 metres, which includes the southern uplands, the pennines and the higher ground of northern ireland and wales,

it won't feel very springlike. bye— bye.

hello, i'm christian fraser. you're watching the context on bbc news. the former chairman of the post office, henry staunton, says he's the victim of a smear campaign, repeating his claim that he was asked to slow down compensation payments to victims of the horizon it scandal.

at the end of the ukraine summit that was called in paris yesterday, the french president was asked whether nato members were ready to send their own forces to fight the russian invaders? translation: there is no consensus today to send i ground troops in an official endorse and sanction manner, but in dynamic terms, nothing should be ruled out. we will do whatever it takes to ensure that russia cannot win this war. but that is not what the german chancellor agreed. and by midday a message had appeared on x which barely disguised his frustration. "we agreed, he wrote, that everyone must do more for ukraine — weapons, ammunition and air defence. we are working on it. but it is clear, he added, there will be no ground troops

from european countries or nato."