the israeli government says — six adult women and seven children were released and are now making their way home. among them is 9—year—old irish—israeli emily hand. emily, was initially thought to have been among those killed in the attack on kibbutz be eri on october 7. she was at a sleepover at a friend s house on the kibbutz when she was abducted without any family. 12—year—old hila rotem, she was taken captive with her mother raya rotem, who remains a hostage in gaza. an accountant shiri weiss, aged 53 and her 18—year—old daughter, noga weiss, were released. along with 21 year old maya regev. adi shoham aged 38, who was kidnapped from kibbutz be eri during a visit with five other members of the family. this is her son — 8—year—old nave. and her 3—year—old daughter gani yahel. the hostages were released

in exchange for a group of palestinian prisoners. four thai hostages were also released in separate deal. there had been fears the deal was off after hamas accused israel of reneging on the temporary ceasefire agreement, by not allowing enough aid trucks into gaza. that led to a delay of several hours. all of this after friday's release of 13 israeli captives, in return for 39 palestinian prisoners. live now to our middle east correspondent tom bateman. what s the latest we know and what s been the reaction where you are to this latest release of hostages? that transfer now is well under way with the group of 13 israel eased back on israeli soil and do to be taken to hospitals where they will be reunited

with their loved ones. a similar procedure that we saw last night, although this is much later in the day because of that very significant delay. but 13, you mentioned some of the names and faces we saw there, eight of them children, five women. among the 13 you have for the one person from four different families. these will be moments of course where the rest of those families and members will be able to be reunited finally with their loved ones after that close to 50 days of not knowing. i mentioned the delay, that's been quite significant today because here we're in day two of this truce agreement between israel and hamas. mediated by qatar, the egyptians are involved as well. what we saw was at 4pm local time, which is

the agreed time for hamas to hand the hostages to the red cross in the gaza strip, that our came and went. there was no news. then it became clear within a couple of hours that there was a hitch. we had the armed wing of hamas accusing the israelis reneging on part of the deal. what they claimed was that the have not allowed the agreed amount of aid deliveries, supplies that were now getting into the south of gaza strip, a certain amount into the north that on the arrangement they were supposed to do. they said that was therefore preventing them under therefore preventing them under the agreement from releasing the agreement from releasing the hostages. the israelis categorically denied this. they said they coordinated the aid going up into the north but everything else to do with it was the responsibility of the united nations, of aid groups. so they could not be blamed for

the numbers of trucks involved. whatever the problem it seemed to be smoothed over because within several hours after it was supposed to happen we then got the news that hamas had released the hostages into the hands of the red cross and were taken down to the rafah crossing and brought into egypt. that triggered the other part of this arrangement which is three times that number of palestinian prisoners held by israel would be released. so we saw that happen with israelis releasing 39 palestinians, qatar says that was 33 children, six women. and they were released and many of those have now been taken in coaches to the occupied west bank where there have been celebrations around their release.- around their release. talking about those _ around their release. talking about those who _ around their release. talking about those who have - around their release. talking about those who have been i about those who have been released here, it's women and

children because those are the terms of this exchange between hostages and prisoners. although we saw some family members being released to gather there also could be some instances of course where families actually have to be split up when they are released.— split up when they are released. , ., �* , released. yes, that's right. the entire _ released. yes, that's right. the entire scope _ released. yes, that's right. the entire scope of - released. yes, that's right. the entire scope of this - the entire scope of this agreement is around women and children. that was what was mediated by qatar. it's thought that there is around 100 women and children among the 240 or so hostages being held by hamas in gaza. we're talking about civilian women and children because there may be women soldiers, for example being held in they would not come into the scope of this arrangement between israel and hamas. that 100 number is why we have seen the possibility

that this agreement could be extended over the course of around nine days. they are releasing them at the rate so far around 13 per day. it would take sort of up to nine days if you are to get 100 women and children release. the agreement says there will be in agreed truce for four days, that's potentially to allow for 50 israeli hostages, women and children to be released without palestinians to be released by the israelis. but it contains what has been described as an option to extend. you would have each day the possibility that a further ten, 12 hostages released by hamas in return for palestinian prisoners to be released another 24 hours of cease—fire. what we heard earlier today is the egyptians in the middle of all this, where we had this delay the egyptian saying things seemed on track to extend after the

four days for another day of two of the truce. the israelis seemed pretty quick to jump on that, according to israeli media and say that hadn't been agreed at all. and if there is to be an extension after the four days that that is something that would only be confirmed on the final day come on the fourth day itself and the hours running up to the next part of this agreement. we saw two days now of despite that delay rather successful exchanges here. do you think that could then lay the groundwork are as you mention, potential future days of future exchanges as the two sides try to get closer to those members of 50 and 150? i to get closer to those members of 50 and 150?— of 50 and 150? i think that becomes _ of 50 and 150? i think that becomes increasingly - of 50 and 150? i think that becomes increasingly an l becomes increasingly an important question. we're now getting towards halfway through the agreed four day truce. so far, despite the hitches it's

on pretty much to plan. that's going to be important to qatar, which mediated this. my sense is what the mediators are trying to do is to build the groundwork under this to solidify it, to deepen it into a longer lasting truce, a longer—lasting cease—fire. at the same time you have increasing noises from the us, western countries about their concerns about the civilian death toll. we had for example david cameron, the british secretary in the visage of the region over the last 48 hours raising the issue saying too many civilians were dying. that's creating a form of pressure. israel has made it very clear that it sees this truce purely in terms of getting a hostages released put up getting a hostages released put up at the end of that period it

will return to a full state of war with hamas and its stated goal at the elimination of hamas. i think you're beginning to see tension being played out more in public with arab countries saying that this should be extended, they should become a more durable cease—fire. the israelis, it was very interesting how quickly theyjumped on that report today to say no way have we agreed to extending beyond the four days at this stage. that is not in play at the moment, that will be done later on. don't forget, hamas have also said during the course of this around the truce that in their words their finger their words theirfinger remains on the trigger. you have the two sides in this very much prepared to return to the fighting once they get this objective for both of them out of the way, potentially up to a hundred hostages released as far as israel's concern, potentially up to 300 palestinian prisoners released

his hot bars hamas is concerned.— his hot bars hamas is concerned. ., ., concerned. tom bateman in jerusalem — concerned. tom bateman in jerusalem for _ concerned. tom bateman in jerusalem for us. _ concerned. tom bateman in jerusalem for us. thank- concerned. tom bateman in jerusalem for us. thank you concerned. tom bateman in . jerusalem for us. thank you for jerusalem for us. thank you for your reporting. before we go to the next report a quick look at life images. you see a couple of different shots of the west bank they are on the left. you see celebrations in the streets as those prisoners, 39 released in this exchange. and on the right, that is the scene is in israel outside the hospital where we're expecting the hostages who have been freed, 13 israelis, or thai nationals, where they can be examined by medical teams and then reunited with theirfamilies of medical teams and then reunited with their families of course that exchange taking place today after a delay of several hours for that we will have more on that situation as we get it. more on that situation

as we get it. 0ur senior international correspondent 0rla guerin has this report, on all the day's developments. in tel aviv tonight, streets thronged with the demand for every israeli hostage to be brought home from gaza. this gathering was called "50 days of hell." and a second group of israeli hostages, reaching the gaza border, delayed by hamas for hours, but now on the way to freedom. racing into his father's arms, 0had who was released yesterday. followed by his mother, keren, and his grandmother, ruti. three generations who were held hostage. ruti's husband still is.

as 0had caught up with friends, his family said israel must free every last hostage. this was a belated birthday party. he turned nine in captivity. and crowded onto one bed — the ashers. "did you miss me," yoni asks, "did you think about daddy?" "i dreamt about going home," says raz, who is four. "your dream came true," he says, "we're going home soon." raz was held with her mother, doron, and baby sister aviv. in gaza it's time to count the cost of weeks of

israeli bombardment. the ceasefire means palestinians have been able to return to jabalia in the north, the largest camp in gaza, or what's left of it. "we are unarmed," says mahmoud masoud, "we are civilians. "we don't carry weapons and we don't resist. "why have they destroyed our houses? "why are they killing our children?" footage has now emerged on social media of an israeli officer in gaza taking a different view of the destruction. "i dedicate this explosion to my princess, ella," he says. "today she's two." then he blows up a building. the israeli army has confirmed

to the bbc that these are its troops in gaza. 0rla guerin, bbc news, tel aviv. live pictures from the west bank. that exchange taking place in just the last few hours, 39 palestinian prisoners being freed in exchange for a group of 13 israeli hostages is well as four thai nationals with that used the boss now pulling up which contains those prisoners who were freed. you can see the massive amount of people gathered around that boss, which is a red cross bus. that is the international aid agency that has been actually doing the work of moving and transferring those hostages and the prisoners who have been freed. you can see that a norm is gathering of people now late in the night, awaiting those freed prisoners. it's

impossible to know who in that bus exactly has been freed but you can see them waving and the crowd uploading and sharing. we do believe that among those 39 prisoners 33 of them are minors and six of them are women. of course the terms of that exchange deal work that it would only be women and children freed on both sides. these are life images of the west bank. you see palestinian flags as well as hamas flag, the green flags, they are in the green flags, they are in the car being waived as that bus now pulling up in the west bank containing 39 freed palestinian prisoners. among them, was 17—year—old jamal bara—may. he spoke to us as he celebrated his release. translation: i cannot describe my joy. - we were released at five

in the morning that we didn't know why until now, we were told there was a prisoner swap deal, me all the prisoners be released soon. were you assaulted? yes, yes, every day we were suppressed, checked, and beaten. i was on administrative charges and spent eight months there, the prison was like a graveyard for the living, there was no food, we were beaten every day. those scenes taking place last night with that first group of prisoners that were freed. in ramallah, our middle east correspondent lucy williamson went to meet another released prisoner, 17 year old mohammed ad—darwish, who was jailed this summer after he was convicted for throwing molotov cocktails at israeli soldiers. yesterday israeli prison guards told mohammad dar darwish he was being taken out ofjail for a court appearance. 24 hours later he's back with his family near ramallah, one of the first prisoners to be released under the israeli deal with hamas.

he was arrested in april and convicted by military court of throwing molotov cocktails at israeli soldiers. his father said last night was the first time he had seen or spoken to his son in seven months. "the reunion was indescribable," he said. his first word to his son as he met him off the bus, "my love." mohammad told me he was dizzy with happiness as he stepped off the bus to meet his family. you spent seven months of your life... since the october 7th attacks, he said the only source of information inside the jail was new arrivals. he said they sometimes arrived with broken teeth and large cuts to the head that were left untreated. translation: the next day they took out the cookers, l the tv and the radios, all communications were removed. we were totally isolated.

they only gave us one portion of food between seven. we were always hungry. after the 30th of october, they removed our blankets. it was freezing cold. israel couldn't do anything to gaza so they punished us. the israeli prison service said all prisoners were detained according to the law and have the right to file a complaint. you were released because hamas took hostages, women and children, that were released yesterday in exchange for palestinian prisoners. how do you feel towards those hostages? they were guests of hamas, living in heaven. we were in prison being tortured, living in hell. tonight, crowds gathered at beitunia checkpoint again, to wait for the next group of released prisoners to arrive. the green flags of hamas have multiplied here

since yesterday, keen to burnish its brand as the palestinian group that will do whatever it takes to force israel's hand. lucy williamson, bbc news, beitunia. well, amid this pause in fighting in gaza, the war in ukraine continues — its capital, kyiv has come under fire again. authorities say the city has been hit by the largest russian drone attack since the full—scale invasion began. officials said more than 75 iranian—made shahed drones were fired at the capital — and all but one were shot down. kyiv�*s mayor says at least five people were injured. ukrainian president volodymyr zelensky called the strikes an act of "wilful terror." it comes as winter is closing in on ukraine and the war is ticking closer to its two year anniversary. for more on all of this, i spoke with evelyn farkas who's the executive director of the mccain institute.

we appreciate you joining us here on bbc news. the largest drone attack on keep sentences full scale invasion by pressure began. what do you think in an attack on this kind of scale is signalling?— signalling? i'm not surprised because i — signalling? i'm not surprised because i actually _ signalling? i'm not surprised because i actually was - signalling? i'm not surprised because i actually was in - because i actually was in ukraine in the beginning of october in kyiv and leave. in both cities or any officials told us the reason we were being hit by drones or other incoming missile fire was because they believe the russians were purposely holding the duro circuit conducts warm operations just like this one where it launched 75 of these iranian made drones at key. the idea is to really not the ukrainians off balance. ukrainians off balance. ukrainian officials thought they'd do it in the winter, it is the winter. they are also very worried that the russians

are targeting their electric, infrastructure is no electricity and everything that keeps ukrainians warm and productive. keeps ukrainians warm and productive-— keeps ukrainians warm and roductive. , . , ., productive. given that you were inc. productive. given that you were me even _ productive. given that you were inc. even also _ productive. given that you were inc. even also major— productive. given that you were inc. even also major cities - productive. given that you were inc. even also major cities in i inc. even also major cities in ukraine, can you describe for us what that was like an how safe people felt there at the time? �* , , , .. , time? it's interesting because i looked at — time? it's interesting because i looked at a _ time? it's interesting because i looked at a news _ time? it's interesting because i looked at a news account - time? it's interesting because i looked at a news account of| i looked at a news account of what happened today in the washington post had quoted ukrainian saying look, what life feels like pretty normal. that is exactly what we witness. we felt that ukrainians were going about their business as usual. yes, there were lots of signs that they were at war, rusted out tanks that they had stolen from the russians are still... when the russians are still... when the push the russians out were still being displayed in the central square. of course the flags are up. once in a while izzy soldiers have a coffee together. other than that, izzy soldiers have a coffee together. otherthan that, it really felt like normal european city. i think this is

a shock i am sure it to them, a reminder. the other thing, people were really tired. i think this kind of attack, i don't know what it does, maybe a jurors people out of their fatigue. a jurors people out of their fatiaue. ., ., fatigue. you mentioned winter is settin: fatigue. you mentioned winter is setting in — fatigue. you mentioned winter is setting in and _ fatigue. you mentioned winter is setting in and i _ fatigue. you mentioned winter is setting in and i feel - fatigue. you mentioned winter is setting in and i feel like - is setting in and i feel like we've been talking a lot about this counteroffensive by ukraine and how it needed to take place or make progress before winter set in. what does this mean now that the temperatures are getting cold, what does it mean on the battlefield and for ukrainians themselves? i battlefield and for ukrainians themselves?— themselves? i think most observers _ themselves? i think most observers don't _ themselves? i think most observers don't expect i themselves? i think most - observers don't expect anything radical to change on the battlefield, unfortunately. battlefield, u nfortu nately. russians are battlefield, unfortunately. russians are dug in, ukrainians are facing all of these battlefield, not to mention the civilian sectors that are also mind so when they take back territory they face a real danger they are. the russians are also starting to mine in the maritime arena. there is increased danger to shipping. although the ukrainians have

really succeeded in taking back some control in shipping. by and large i would say that while ukrainians has made a continued small advances it doesn't feel like there's a big breakthrough that would come this winter and winter is not normally a time for military breakthroughs in this part of the world. of course you never know but i would imagine more likely it would be a scenario where the ukrainian pilots finally get training in the f-16 finally get training in the f—16 and they come online early next year, spring perhaps and then you can see a real change. your power has been the thing thatis your power has been the thing that is really lacking for ukrainians and could change things significantly. this was also the fourth _ things significantly. this was also the fourth drone - things significantly. this was also the fourth drone attack| things significantly. this was i also the fourth drone attack on kyiv this month. how much you think the conflict we're seeing played out between israel and hamas could potentially be emboldening vladimir putin and russia to step up attacks now that there may be fewer eyeballs on the situation in ukraine? i eyeballs on the situation in ukraine? ~

eyeballs on the situation in ukraine?— ukraine? i think these two situations _ ukraine? i think these two situations are _ ukraine? i think these two situations are incredibly i situations are incredibly linked. you mentioned iranians, iranians are producing the technology for the russians to actually manufacture drones on russian territory. they also have provided drones to their proxies, two hamas terrorists who use the drones in their attack on the innocent civilians on the invasion of israel. they are in boulder, russia is in boulder, moscow is very much emboldened by what happened in israel.— happened in israel. executive director of — happened in israel. executive director of the _ happened in israel. executive director of the mccain - director of the mccain institute and former us deputies secretary assistant for russia and ukraine in eurasia, they give forjoining us. before we go we want to return to our main story. that exchange between hostages and prisoners, you see live these seen in the west bank as 39 palestinian prisoners had just arrived back in the west bank. we believe that to be 33 miners and six

women freed photo on the right thatis women freed photo on the right that is the scene and israel outside the hospital where we expect the freed hostages, some 13 israeli hostages to arrive there for treatment and to reunite with their family. thank you for watching bbc news. hello there. well, it's been a freezing start to the weekend, hasn't it? saturday morning we had temperatures down at minus eight in shopping cumbria. meanwhile, in adam, also in cumbria, temperatures only reached one degree celsius during the afternoon. now at the moment we've got clear skies with scotland and the bulk of england and that's allowing a widespread frost to develop. those temperatures continuing to drop away. and so it's a very cold one. the temperatures probably in the countryside getting down to about minus six, minus seven again, this time northeast scotland having some much colder weather. you'll notice the frost melting away, though,

across northern ireland, wales and south west england as we head into the first part of sunday. the reason for that is we've got cloud moving in to the west associated with this next area of low pressure and it's that cloud that really will lift the temperatures as it moves in off the atlantic. and so some damp weather moves into northern ireland. eventually we get some damp weather pushing into wales and south west england. the rain quite persistent, but probably not all that heavy. however, i think it really will be very cold. ok, towards the end of the day you might see temperatures climb to about nine or ten in the west, but that's at the end of the day, a very slow rise in temperatures. and for most of the day, we're a lot lower than that. i think scotland and a good part of central and eastern england should hang on to some bright or hazy sunny spells for most of the day. now through sunday night, it's a bit more rains come it's a bit more rain come for northern ireland, england and wales. our area of low pressure moves into the continent. we then get some cold air coming back in to the north of the uk. showers turning increasingly to snow across modest hills in northern scotland and still a lot of cloud further south.

and for most, monday will be another cold day. temperatures quite widely again, around six or seven degrees below average for the time of year. and this cold weather looks like it's going to last to me a long time. at least a week could be two weeks. why do i say that? well, even into next weekend, the weather pattern is very blocked with high pressure dominating across the arctic and the greenland area. and we continue to see these cold north to north—easterly winds. could there be some snow? well, we'll certainly see some snow in the showers affecting parts of scotland. but there are scenarios where weather systems could burn into the cold air and we see rain turned to snow elsewhere. problem is, the detailsjust aren't there at the moment. so it's a difficult week ahead for us forecasters. what i do know is it is going to stay cold throughout with some sharp frosts around and temperatures really struggling well below average. watch out for a mix of rain and maybe a bit of snow at times, too.

this is bbc news. we'll have the headlines for you at the top of the hour, after this programme. this is bbc news. we'll have the headlines for you at the top of the hour, straight after this programme. gunfire, yelling. jeremy! 0k? i don't get scared. i've covered many wars over many years. what we were seeing was an absolutely enormous story. i think someone who spends many years going to tough stories around the world, if they say they haven't

been affected by it, they're not telling the truth. i'mjeremy bowen. i'm the international editor of bbc news. ijoined the bbc on september the 24th, 1984. jeremy bowen explains. airships — blimps, as they're known — seem to be coming back into fashion. and 2005, i got thejob of middle east editor and in a way i'm still middle east editor, but i'm also international editor. where were you on october the 7th? well, i woke up that morning in kyiv, in ukraine. i woke up and, you know, i reached for my phone to see what had been going on in the world, and the first thing i saw on whatsapp was a message to thejerusalem whatsapp group chat, saying, "something

incredible is happening."