you're watching bbc news. i'm lyse doucet, live from southern israel as the israel/gaza war reaches its six—month mark. tens of thousands of israelis rally in tel aviv demanding a gaza hostage deal. in cairo, indirect talks between israel and hamas have resumed. i'm azadeh moshiri in london. the other headlines this hour: slovakia's elected a new president — peter pellegrini is a nationalist who's sceptical of sending military aid to ukraine. events are being held across rwanda to mark three decades since the beginning of the genocide against ethnic tutsis and as millions prepare for the solar eclipse in north america, we look at how to safely watch the total blackout. hello, i'm lyse doucet, live in southern israel. it was here in the early hours of viktor bout the seventh six months ago that hamas men carried out a monstrous slaughter. it was described by israel as its darkest

day. by the end of the day, after hamas gunmen breached israeli defences, many israelis have been killed and many more taken hostage. it sparked the most grievous council war. the united nations says the territory is on the brink of famine. in this programme we will speak to the executive director of the world food programme to look at new measures. let's look at some of the latest of elements here in israel. last night, tens of thousands of israelis covered in the city of tel aviv, as well as others across israel, to magic the israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu to do

much more to bring the hostages home. many calls on him to resign. the protest took place in the wake of grim news that the party of another hostage, 47—year—old elad katzir, had been recovered in a military operation from gaza. he had been seized here in southern israel on october the 7th, along with his father abraham, who was killed on that day, and his mother hannah, who was later released in november during a hostage for prisoner swap during a hostage for prisoner swap during a hostage for prisoner swap during a temporary truce. and now there is mounting pressure on the israelis and on hamas to reach a ceasefire deal to bring more hostages and release more palestinian prisoners in israeli jails. those talks have resumed in the egyptian capital cairo, with spy chiefs from israel, from egypt, the united states, as well as qatar's

prime minister. there is growing concern, even amongst israel's staunchest allies that the longer this war goes on, the more costly it becomes, with many now asking tough questions about the way israel is fighting this war. our middle east correspondent yolande knell has covered the war since october the seventh. she has been finding out how some hostage families and displaced palestinians are coping six months on. the 7th of october attacks blindsided israel. thousands of hamas gunmen, breaking out of gaza. on a murderous rampage, they killed hundreds of people and kidnapped 250 more. she called me at 10:14 and she was saying, mummy, i'm shot, i'm bleeding, i think i'm going to die. and i said, you're not going to die. romi gonen, 23, had been out partying at the nova festival. wounded in her arm, palestinian fighters dragged her back to gaza.

she remains one of the few women still held captive there. desperate hostage families are trying to ramp up pressure on israel's government for a new truce deal to bring their loved ones home. it's half a year, half a year that my daughter is in the hands of those who made this...butchering and murdering and raping. i don't even know how she looks like now. conditions in gaza, long blockaded by israel and egypt, were already dire before october's attack. but six months of a brutal war have caused massive death and destruction. entire families have been wiped out. there's now little health care and no schooling. the un warns famine is looming. in flimsy, makeshift tents, many displaced palestinians, like 15—year—old islam,

now live here, in the very south of gaza. translation: since october 7th, our lives have _ become worse than hell. islam's family lost all they owned when their house was blown up by israel. then her father was killed in an israeli strike on a shelter they'd fled to. her wish is for the fighting to end. translation: just as the war started suddenly, it can stop suddenly, - when those in charge agree on something that both sides want — exchanging hostages, a proper ceasefire and, for us, to return to our homes. the battles in gaza haven't let up, even though the un security council demanded a ceasefire last month. israel says it will press on until it defeats hamas. and while recent horrors have led to a new global calls to solve the israel/palestinian conflict,

the gap between the two sides has only grown, leaving people feeling that peace is more elusive than ever. at the music festival mentioned in that piece happens here in the fields of southern israel, also close to the gaza border. where celebration turned into a slaughter. now it's a memorial to more than 370 people killed here as well as more than a0 taken hostage, taking a short distance away into gaza. you can see behind me the banners, posters, the photographs of the dead and the missing, as well as in sea of israeli stopping today at a memorial service is being held here and there has been a press conference where families of those

who lost their lives here express notjust pain but anger, asking why the israeli security forces were not in here on that day to protect them, saying they still feel abandoned. one of the people who did survive to tell the story was a photographer. she has now returned to the united states but as the rocket started being fired by hamas, he took his camera and started filming. this is some of what he saw. earlier, we spoke to photographer shye klein weinstein, who was at the nova music festival on the day of the attack from hamas. i was at my first music festival. i wasn't expecting it to end with us driving by gunmen and over corpses. what was the moment

when you realized it was no longer a music festival? after the rockets began at 6:30 and they didn't stop, i started to get worried that it wasn'tjust rockets. and they went on for a while. the rockets began at 6:30, and we actually physically got to our car at about 7:51 in the morning. so it's over an hour later and the rockets hadn't stopped. and at that point, i was growing increasingly more anxious and concerned about the situation. behind me, as i'm speaking to you, i'm at the site of the festival. there's now a sea of israeli flags and photographs of those who died here on that day. they may include some of your friends. would you like to tell us about the people who were with you on that day who didn't escape? so, i was with a group of eight

of us, total — myself, my cousin mordechai, his now fiancee tamara and several mutual friends. and i'm very grateful to say that they all escaped. but some of the people i made friends with at the festival, were murdered. and you returned to the united states. i understand that, since then, you have been trying to keep the memory of what happened on that day alive. yes, correct. israel is still my permanent residence, although now i've been away from the country the exact same amount of time as i've lived there. i moved there last april, i've only been there till october, i've been away since then. and i've been going to university campuses across the country.

i've been to 157 different cities since november — canada, the us, east coast, west coast, all of the above — sharing my photos, my videos, my story, and just letting people know what happened to us and letting people know that even though this horrible, tragic thing that occurred to cause this terror isn't going to keep us down. and how do people react to you and the stories you tell? i've had a mostly positive response. i've had a few instances where i've had protesters, but most of the time, very warm reception. audiences from five to 500 people. i've even had people who are pro—palestinian come to see me speak, i've had palestinian students come see me speak. i've had black israelites come see me speak. people who don't know anything about what's going on, who just want to hear more. and many people are as sympathetic

and interested in hearing what i have to say and having a very reasonable discussion. october the 7th circuit israel to the core and shock to many around the core and shock to many around the world. israel's staunchest allies, including the united states and britain immediately rushed in to show very public and powerful backing to israel as it launched retaliatory strikes intended, said the israeli army, to destroy hamas stopping but six months on, as the death toll in gaza continues to climb and the un says the territories on the brink of famine, loud calls, including from israel's staunchest friends for an immediate ceasefire, for much more to be done to get desperately needed aid into gaza. in the past few days, for the first time, israel has opened a crossing in northern israel and they are stored ports and says it will accelerate the capacity through jordan. would that be enough?

let's speak to cindy mccain, head of the world food programme. welcome to bbc news. thank you. first, welcome to bbc news. thank you. first. please _ welcome to bbc news. thank you. first, please describe _ welcome to bbc news. thank you. first, please describe to _ welcome to bbc news. thank you. first, please describe to us, - welcome to bbc news. thank you. first, please describe to us, how i first, please describe to us, how bad the situation in gaza when it to hunger? bad the situation in gaza when it to hunaer? , ., ., ., ~ bad the situation in gaza when it to huner? , ., . . ~' i” bad the situation in gaza when it to hunuer? , ., . . ~' i” ., hunger? first of all, thank you for coverin: hunger? first of all, thank you for covering this. _ hunger? first of all, thank you for covering this. as _ hunger? first of all, thank you for covering this. as the _ hunger? first of all, thank you for covering this. as the un - hunger? first of all, thank you for covering this. as the un said - hunger? first of all, thank you for covering this. as the un said and | hunger? first of all, thank you for| covering this. as the un said and i have also said, famine is imminent in the north. this is something that if we wait much longer, we're going to go over the edge and not be able to go over the edge and not be able to recover from it. to go over the edge and not be able to recoverfrom it. that's why to go over the edge and not be able to recover from it. that's why it is so important that we be able to get food at scale in. we are grateful there is consideration to opening there is consideration to opening the border point and the crank out, were hoping to see that very soon. all these things, along with the airdrops and everything else going on will enable us to get food in at

scale but it cannot stop, it cannot be a treble of eight trucks a day or a week, it has to be multitudes of trucks and quickly. to a week, it has to be multitudes of trucks and quickly.— trucks and quickly. to have been calls riaht trucks and quickly. to have been calls right up _ trucks and quickly. to have been calls right up to _ trucks and quickly. to have been calls right up to be _ trucks and quickly. to have been calls right up to be top _ trucks and quickly. to have been calls right up to be top of- trucks and quickly. to have been calls right up to be top of the - calls right up to be top of the united nations that while welcoming these new moves saying that all of these new moves saying that all of the crossing should be opening and if not it will be difficult to get the amounts of aid in that i need to. is that your view?— to. is that your view? that is our view. to. is that your view? that is our view- we — to. is that your view? that is our view. we need _ to. is that your view? that is our view. we need every _ to. is that your view? that is our view. we need every gate - to. is that your view? that is our view. we need every gate open, | to. is that your view? that is our i view. we need every gate open, we need to get food in at scale. we can no longer wait to consider or wait to see of our drivers are cleared or if the checkpoint is actually going to be open — that we need to get in now. children are dying as we speak, they are dying of hunger. that is why it is so important to do what we

do best and that is get large amounts of food in and feed those who are desperately hungry. figs amounts of food in and feed those who are desperately hungry. as you know, who are desperately hungry. as you know. those — who are desperately hungry. as you know, those who _ who are desperately hungry. as you know, those who are _ who are desperately hungry. as you know, those who are delivering - who are desperately hungry. as you know, those who are delivering the| know, those who are delivering the aid also feel at risk in the wake of the killing of seven aid workers with world central kitchen. many agencies suspended their operations. do you still feel it is safe for your staff to operate and are they still doing so?— still doing so? this is dangerous work, no matter— still doing so? this is dangerous work, no matter how _ still doing so? this is dangerous work, no matter how you - still doing so? this is dangerous work, no matter how you look. still doing so? this is dangerous| work, no matter how you look at still doing so? this is dangerous i work, no matter how you look at it but we at wfp are not going to hold or suspend any of our operations, which continue to do the best we can to get aid in. these new openings and ports, if we do get them to scale and get them operational, will be of great help but we should have done this a while ago. this is something that has allowed the northern part of gaza to simply die.

so, for those of us in the un who work on humanitarian principles and believe in delivering food and aid in the principled fashion, we feel very strongly about how much it needs to go in there and why we should be in there. and aid workers should be in there. and aid workers should be in there. and aid workers should be so. it was unconscionable that wc kay was hit, it's a terrible situation. but there have been more aid workers and were sorry for all of them but we have to keep going, we have to. of them but we have to keep going, we have te— we have to. israeli officials keep tellin: us we have to. israeli officials keep telling us and _ we have to. israeli officials keep telling us and may _ we have to. israeli officials keep telling us and may be _ we have to. israeli officials keep telling us and may be telling - we have to. israeli officials keep| telling us and may be telling you that there are doing everything they can to get aid in, but repeatedly say that hamas is diverting the aid. are you absolutely confident that the aid in your possession is completely under your control? when it is in our possession _

completely under your control? when it is in our possession it _ completely under your control? when it is in our possession it is _ completely under your control? yemen it is in our possession it is under our control but these are very difficult situations. as your soul, mass looting is occurrence, trucks were re—routed and people are desperate, they're starving and you are entitled to everything we could to feed our families. are entitled to everything we could to feed ourfamilies. it are entitled to everything we could to feed our families. it so the answer is, i can't answer that fruit does not wound up in the hands of hamas but we are wfp are doing everything we can to make sure it goes to the right people at the right time. to goes to the right people at the right time-— goes to the right people at the riaht time. ., , ., , right time. to the israelis continue to ask ou right time. to the israelis continue to ask you for— right time. to the israelis continue to ask you for ever _ right time. to the israelis continue to ask you for ever more _ right time. to the israelis continue to ask you for ever more controls i to ask you for ever more controls too, even in those chaotic situations, you can ensure the transparency and affective delivery of aid and that it gets to a people need it most?— of aid and that it gets to a people need it most? ~ . ., ., ~ need it most? where are all working on that, need it most? where are all working on that. not — need it most? where are all working on that. notjust _ need it most? where are all working on that, notjust wfp, _ need it most? where are all working on that, notjust wfp, other - on that, notjust wfp, other agencies as well. it is important the aid should go where it is supposed to go. waiting the very best that we can in an extremely

difficult situation to be able to make sure that the aid goes where it is supposed to and again, get there in a timely fashion. but we can't do that unless we have access, access is the most critical part of this. so, we're hopeful with the new openings occurring and were hopeful that were able to move a lot more drugs in on a daily basis than we are getting in right now. —— a lot more trucks in on a daily basis. you remember — more trucks in on a daily basis. you remember that _ more trucks in on a daily basis. you remember that you criticise the insane bureaucracy, the number of security controls that israel has imposed that in effect holds up the delivery of aid. has not improved? has the process become smoother? the rocess has the process become smoother? tue: process has has the process become smoother? tta: process has become has the process become smoother? tt2 process has become smoother, i guess. it is still not 100% but it is much better than what it was. a lot of the confusion, because when i had one opening at that time, rafah, so it was hundreds of agencies are

trying to get a date in at the same time and there were no real controls on it. now i can say that with regards to un aid agencies, we go through a different crossing, and we need further openings for the summer we can get our trucks in through there and get directly to northern gaza. ., ., , ., ,~ , , gaza. there are many, many crises, war and natural— gaza. there are many, many crises, war and natural disasters _ gaza. there are many, many crises, war and natural disasters on - gaza. there are many, many crises, war and natural disasters on your i war and natural disasters on your desk incontinence across the world, but when you look at the crisis in gaza, how it compare to? but the pressure in continents across the world. , ., ., ., . pressure in continents across the world. ., ., . , world. they are all tragic, because is front and _ world. they are all tragic, because is front and centre _ world. they are all tragic, because is front and centre right _ world. they are all tragic, because is front and centre right now - world. they are all tragic, because is front and centre right now but . world. they are all tragic, becausel is front and centre right now but we can't forget sudan, drc congo, the sahel, yemen, somalia — all there are equally as important because people are also dying there due to a lack of food. the

people are also dying there due to a lack of food-— lack of food. the world food programme _ lack of food. the world food programme is _ lack of food. the world food programme is also _ lack of food. the world food programme is also urging i lack of food. the world food | programme is also urging the lack of food. the world food - programme is also urging the world to help your agency more to give it the resources that you need to help feed the hungry around the world stopping at thank you very much, cindy mccain, director of the world food programme forjoining us today. thank you. one at the world's biggest aid agency struggling to deliverfood to people biggest aid agency struggling to deliver food to people just need it in gaza, welcoming the new steps by israel but like so many, saying much more needs to be done. that is how it looks on this day, the six month mark in the israel/gaza war. will continue our coverage across the region but for now, back to london. here in the uk, prime minsiter rishi sunak has said britain continues to stand by israel's right to defend its security six months on from the start of the israel/gaza war. but mr sunak said the nation remains

appalled by the deaths of three british aid workers in an israeli defense forces strike this week. the deputy prime minister oliver dowden has been answering questions on gaza. live to the newsroom and our poltical correspondent, tony bosignore. mr downton was asked if israel is acting within the law. could you tell us what his response was? the auestion tell us what his response was? the question was _ tell us what his response was? tt2 question was for all of her downton specifically about what the advice, the legal advice, the government had been given on whether israel was acting within international law. of course, that will have an impact on israel arms sales to israel, which have become a very, very live political issue here in the uk. the

deputy prime minister, interviewed on sunday with laura kuenssberg here on sunday with laura kuenssberg here on the bbc a short while ago, this is what he had to say. where there are specific concerns about different areas of israel's contact, we are raising those concerns with israel. it's so important to remember this — we've gone from the horrors of six months ago to holding israel to extraordinary high standards. it's right we do so and it's right that we raise these concerns where we say, look, what you're doing in respect of not getting aid in or what you're doing in respect of your targeting raises concerns for us and we need you to engage. some mps in the house of commons in westminster are calling for arms sales to be stopped to israel, to be posed, given the events there. labour hasn't gone that far but what they do say in this incidence is

that the government should publish the legal advice it has been given. on the same programme, labour's shadow foreign secretary david lammy was asked about this and this is what he had to say. margaret thatcher suspended sales of arms to israel. tony blair suspended sales of arms to israel. gordon brown suspended sales of arms to israel. all during previous conflicts. this has been done before. this is a very serious issue, it's now gone on for six months. on issues of proportionality, precaution and distinction, there are real concerns, notjust from judges, from the intelligence community, but the broader public. for that reason, let us be sure that we are not in breach of international humanitarian law. david lammy also today has written to the government are mounting that

the foreign secretary lord cameron come to the house of commons to answer questions. of course, that's something they can't do because he's a member of the upper house in the houses of parliament, the house of lords. oliver dowden it was put on this repeatedly by laura kuenssberg. he said of course the uk would act in accordance with obligations of the way it works is that the foreign secretary lord cameron is giving legal advice, secretary lord cameron is giving legaladvice, he secretary lord cameron is giving legal advice, he then forms a judgment and then he makes a gives advice to recommendation and gives advice to the business secretary on whether those arms exports should be permitted. he says if it's the case that we can't lawfully act in accordance with the law, of course we won't supply those arms. an important caveat, he said that is precisely a position even in respect of the united states or any other country around the world.- of the united states or any other country around the world. thank you for that. country around the world. thank you for that- of — country around the world. thank you for that. of course, _ country around the world. thank you for that. of course, the _ country around the world. thank you for that. of course, the us - country around the world. thank you for that. of course, the us is - for that. of course, the us is facing the same pressure

domestically as well. plenty more coverage of that in the following hours. events are being held across rwanda to mark three decades since the beginning of the genocide against ethnic tutsis and moderate hutus. these are archive pictures. nearly a million people were killed in a hundred days in 199a. a ceremony in the rwandan capital kigali will be led by president paul kagame. ahead of the anniversary, france acknowledged that it could have stopped the genocide along with its allies but lacked the will to do so. we do have some live pictures from kigali that we want to show you. of course, there will be a commemoration, we're showing you some of those pictures now of that 30th anniversary. the event is being attended by several international guests, including french foreign minister and the ex—us president

bill clinton. do please stay with us here on bbc news because will have plenty more coverage on our top story, six months of war were in israel and much more. please do stay with us. storm kathleen yesterday brought some windy weather indeed. warmest outer parts of east anglia, 21 celsius, the warmest day of the year so far. towards the exposed western coast, gust of winds up to 70mph. another very blustery day again today. it is of low pressure that is storm kathleen pushing further northward but a tight squeeze and the isobars so very windy once again. not quite as warm as

yesterday, some cooler conditions but still mild for the time of year. through the afternoon, still blustery showers around tracking eastwards with longer spells of rain across northwest scotland. some of the showers with hail and thunder in them, particularly towards the west, but drive towards east england. lighter winds here but gusts up to a0mph and perhaps severe gales possible across northwest scotland. this will be the answer is, another 21 to greece of yesterday but still up 21 to greece of yesterday but still up to 17. this is above the seasonal average. through tonight, low pressure weakens but another deep area of low pressure swings in from the southwest by tomorrow morning. at the winds will be lighter. that this is how we're starting off monday morning. march at the time of year, outbreaks of rain pushing northwards across these western spots. furthersouth

northwards across these western spots. further south and east, rain but could say dry across eastern england and much of scotland but planting over through the afternoon. are temperatures again still above the seasonal average. that deep area of low pressure will be strengthened with a strong, gusty winds. eked all pushers northwards and eastwards through tuesday morning. a wet start to the day for many of us and the details can change towards channel coast. sunny spell but look at the drop in temperature, more of a northwesterly wind and feeling cooler. highs of only eight celsius but we don't have to wait too long before we see mild air spinning in with more low pressure system so wet and windy again at times.

this is bbc news, the headlines: tens of thousands of israelis rally in tel aviv demanding a deal to free the remaining hostages seized by hamas six months ago. on saturday, the israeli military said the body of one hostage had been recovered. israelis and palestinians are marking six months of war. on october the 7th, hamas attacked

israel killing about 1,200 people and taking hundreds hostage. in the war that has followed, the hamas—run health ministry say at least 33,000 palestinians have been killed. slovakia's elected a new rresident — peta pellegrini is a nationalist who's sceptical of sending military aid to ukraine. he won by a greater margin than expected defeating the pro—western candidate ivan korcok. and as millions prepare for the solar eclipse in north america we look at how to safely watch the total blackout as the moon blocks the sun's light. 351 days ago russell cook, nicknamed the hardest geezer, set off to run the entire length of africa to raise money for charity. since then he's fallen

victim to an armed robbery and suffered a health scare — but finally the end is in sight.