king charles praises the "selfless army" of volunteers serving communities across the uk, describing them as the "essential backbone of our society", in his christmas broadcast. we'll bring you the full speech later this hour. the israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu says his troops are going to quote "deepen the fighting" in gaza in the coming days. he made the comments after visiting israeli forces currently stationed in the gaza strip and comes after one of the deadliest nights in the 11—week—old battle between israel and hamas. at least 70 people are thought to have been killed in an air strike in the al—maghazi refugee camp.

the gaza health ministry says the number dead is likely to rise with body bags seen piled outside the nearby al—aqsa hospital — where many of the victims were taken. israel says it is investigating the incident. since early october, at least 20,600 people have been killed, and over 5a,500 people have been injured. in the past hour, reports are emerging that an israeli air strike outside the syrian capital damascus has killed a senior adviser in iran 5 revolutionary guards. 0ur correspondent shaimaa khalil is in bethlehem and sent us this report on the latest from gaza where there has been no let up in the fighting. the report contains images some may find distressing. pointing to her pain, overcome with distress. "it hurts here, mama," she says. her mother is trying to console her.

late at night, their homes were bombed. the wounded kept coming to the nearby al—aqsa hospital, already overwhelmed, with no fuel or water and minimal supplies. in gaza, there is no respite for the people, or those trying to save them. for many, it was too late. the writing on these body bags says "remains of al—maghazi." abdul rahim survived the air strike. his wife didn't. he says that in his building, several children and displaced people were killed. translation: it was horrific. i saw bodies on the road, some so badly disfigured they were unrecognisable. 0ur block was meant to be safe, according to the israeli military maps. but there are no safe areas in the gaza strip, not north, not south, nowhere. in a statement to the bbc,

the israeli military said it was looking into the incident, adding that it was committed to taking feasible steps to minimise harm to civilians. as the scale of the devastation becomes clear, so too does the challenge facing rescue teams who've been struggling to get in, with roads blocked after the strike. in bethlehem, christmas looks and feels very different. it's sad and subdued. no tourists, no festivities, lots of prayers. this time of year, the eyes of the world would be on the birthplace ofjesus. but it's been stripped of any signs of celebration. instead, there are messages of solidarity and calls to end the suffering. for the people here, those images of destruction and death coming from gaza hit very close to home. the pain in gaza is felt very deeply here. this year it's replaced what is normally a time ofjoy. shaimaa khalil, bbc news, bethlehem.

for more on this, i spoke to mark regev — a senior adviser to israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu. i started by asking him about those comments from the prime minister that israeli troops would "deepen the fighting" in gaza in the coming days. it means we will follow through on our goals which are threefold, on goal one, just back and over 30 are still in gaza, and to ensure situation where there is no longer a terror regime in gaza that can attack us the way we were attacked on october seventh and create a new reality in gaza which endures stability across the border and be good for isrealis and good for palestinians and

the people of gaza too. and in the past few weeks the israelis have said publicly once the release of israeli hostages. and the mediation efforts and are taking place in the middle that would lead to a ceasefire. but what the comments from the prime minister mean for those mediation efforts? does it not scupper those efforts? 0n the contrary we believe if there is a chance to have more hostages come out in the framework of some deal negotiated as it was in november, that will only happen because hamas is facing enormous pressure and is desperate for a timeout or a pause in the fighting. hamas didn't suddenly release hostages because release hostages because they became humatarians we are keeping the military pressure on them and we think that is the best way to facilitate the release of hostages in the future. i want to bring you this line

we are getting from the afp news agency coming in, that benjamin netanyahu was booed by families during a parliamentary address. there is immense pressure not just internationally, but domestically and you can imagine families of hostages hearing about a deepening conflict, the safety of their relatives in the violence hamas is capable they are going through a living hell and have loved ones being held by a brutal terrorist organisation and we have seen the violence hamas is capable of. we saw it with the beheadings, the mutilations, the rape, the mass murders. the massacre of young people at the music festival, but we've also unfortunately heard it from the hostages who were released in november

who have reported to us continuously about psychological and physical abuse that they suffered at the hands of their captors, at the hands of hamas, so for all of these reasons the families of the hostages have every right to be worried and one can only think about what it would be like to be in their shoes. but to put the point to you, the families really don't seem to be believing what the government is saying and protests continue and we hear that the prime minister is being booed by families, and that is where the sticking point is for your government and where the pressure is coming from. you are not answering the questions. 0bviously they have the right to express their criticism and we will listen to whatever they have to say but, to be fair, you hear a range of opinions from hostage families, you don't hear one opinion. on one extreme you will hear people say israel should stop

the fighting and give hamas whatever it once and on the other extreme you get a hostage family that will tell the government don't allow one single truck of humanitarian aid into gaza. that's the best way to pressure them to get the hostages out. we are convinced as a government, and it worked in november, and that means it can work injanuary as well, that military pressure on hamas will facilitate the release of hostages. it worked in the past and it can work in the future. now as part of that interview, i asked mark regev about the strike on the al maghazi refugee camp — and how israel is investigating what exactly took place. mr regev said the investigation is still ongoing — and that it was not yet clear what happened. i also spoke earlier i spoke to mustafa barghouti in ramallah — he's the president of the political party palestine national initiative

— and he referenced mr regev�*s comments. that means they will deepen the crime, the genocide of the palestinian people and the collective punishment and the indiscriminate shooting of people. mr regev said they investigated but there is never a conclusion of any of their investigation that indicts any israeli. it is all talk to cover up the crime that is happening. 8,500 children have been killed. are these combatants? more than 7000 women killed. if we count the children below the rubble, we are talking about 11,500 palestinians killed, children. 11,500 children. who you can justify that? you are talking about 2.3 million people scattered and clustered in less than a0 or 50 square miles in gaza because israel forced them to move to the south and bombarded them again there.

apologies for interrupting you, but a question about the independent government, and what would it be an independent palestinian authority or interim authority, what is your reaction? is it workable? what we want is an immediate and permanent and complete ceasefire. that is what 153 nations of the world voted for in the un, and that is what the majority of the security council resolution has voted for, except the united states. that is what we demand. first, we need a permanent ceasefire to stop the killing of palestinian women, men and children and to stop the atrocity that has already destroyed more than 75% of our homes and after there is a complete permanent ceasefire, which israel continues to refuse the exchange of prisoners can take place and an initiation of the political process can be started to end the israeli application which is the cause of all of the problems ——

occupation. and we can have a discussion about the future of gaza but it cannot be separated from the west bank and what we want and need is a national unity government that can can gather both the west bank and gaza by palestinians —— governed both the west bank. have free elections which we have been deprived from since 2006. palestinians have to rule themselves, they don't need anyone else to rule them. how much of this is a palestinian process? we are seeing mediation efforts by qatar and egypt brokering this with hamas and other militant groups in gaza, but how much of this would you say is a palestinian initiative when you are talking about long—term solutions to the conflict? it has to be a 100% palestinian initiative and that is what we are talking about here, between us and, to my knowledge, hamas is ready to accept a government that is independent but has the support of all of

the palestinian groups, and that could be a national unity government. the most important thing here is not to separate gaza from the west bank as netanyahu wanted, because that would kill the whole idea of the two state solution and the possibility of a palestinian independent state. an american journalist detained in russia in march is spending christmas day behind bars as he awaits trial on espionage charges. wall streetjournal reporter evan gershkovich was arrested more than 270 days ago, on what he, his employer and the white house have labelled as false charges. diplomats from the two countries are still engaged in negotiations for his release. with me is world coverage chief at the wall streetjournal, gordon fairclough, who is evan gershkovich�*s boss at the paper.

thank you forjoining us on bbc news. thank you for “oining us on bbc news. , , thank you for “oining us on bbc news. , ., _ thank you for “oining us on bbc news. , ., ., news. this is obviously an important da for news. this is obviously an important day for families _ news. this is obviously an important day for families around _ news. this is obviously an important day for families around the - news. this is obviously an important day for families around the world. i day for families around the world. what we know about how evan is doing behind bars on christmas day? figs you behind bars on christmas day? as you said, the holidays _ behind bars on christmas day? as you said, the holidays are _ behind bars on christmas day? as you said, the holidays are a _ behind bars on christmas day? as you said, the holidays are a time - behind bars on christmas day? as you said, the holidays are a time to - behind bars on christmas day? as you said, the holidays are a time to be - said, the holidays are a time to be with friends and family and alas evanis with friends and family and alas evan is deprived of that in a jail cell this year in moscow. , in moscow, even with an indication of when the case might come to trial. we've also heard in the past few days that vladimir putin talked about the prospect of the release of american prisoners held in russian jails. how optimistic are you that this could potentially lead to the release of evan? we this could potentially lead to the release of evan?— this could potentially lead to the release of evan? we are hopeful. president putin _ release of evan? we are hopeful. president putin said _ release of evan? we are hopeful. president putin said russia - release of evan? we are hopeful. j president putin said russia wants release of evan? we are hopeful. i president putin said russia wants to reach an agreement with the us in the case of evan, and paul whelan, another american wrongfully

detained. we are encouraged and we know that talks are continuing but we know the latest offer from the us, washington, was rejected. it we know the latest offer from the us, washington, was rejected. us, washington, was re'ected. it was re'ected us, washington, was re'ected. it was rejected and — us, washington, was re'ected. it was rejeetee and in _ us, washington, was re'ected. it was rejected and in the _ us, washington, was re'ected. it was rejected and in the last — us, washington, was rejected. it was rejected and in the last few— us, washington, was rejected. it was rejected and in the last few days - rejected and in the last few days we've heard from paul whelan, who spoke to the bbc from prison through a phone conversation and he questioned whether america was doing enough, the american government was doing for his release. do you think the american government is doing enough to help prisoners like paul whelan and evan? it’s enough to help prisoners like paul whelan and evan?— whelan and evan? it's obviously a difficult situation _ whelan and evan? it's obviously a difficult situation and _ whelan and evan? it's obviously a difficult situation and president i difficult situation and president biden has evan's family and paul wheeler's family as well that it is a high priority for him to get them out and i think it's a very difficult diplomatic exercise to try and pull that off.— and pull that off. very briefly, what ou and pull that off. very briefly, what you hepe _ and pull that off. very briefly, what you hope will— and pull that off. very briefly, what you hope will happen in | and pull that off. very briefly, i what you hope will happen in the and pull that off. very briefly, - what you hope will happen in the new year? how realistic is it that he could be released? we year? how realistic is it that he could be released?— year? how realistic is it that he could be released? we are hopeful eve da could be released? we are hopeful every day and _ could be released? we are hopeful every day and everyday _ could be released? we are hopeful every day and everyday he - could be released? we are hopeful every day and everyday he held i could be released? we are hopeful every day and everyday he held isl could be released? we are hopeful| every day and everyday he held is a day too long, so would like to have

him back as soon as possible. thank ou ve him back as soon as possible. thank you very much _ him back as soon as possible. thank you very much for — him back as soon as possible. thank you very much forjoining _ him back as soon as possible. thank you very much forjoining us, - him back as soon as possible. thank you very much forjoining us, gordon fairclough from the wall street journal talking to us, talking to us about the case of evan gershkovich, about the case of evan gershkovich, a wall streetjournaljournalist held in russia and you can find more on the bbc website. and you can find more headlines including the top story about the situation in israel and gaza. this is bbc news. king charles iii has evoked environmentalism and the need for peace around the world in the second christmas day message of his reign, and his first since being formally crowned monarch in may. addressing the country and beyond from buckingham palace, the 75—year—old sovereign spoke of finding "great inspiration" in the "growing awareness of how we must protect the earth and our natural world". here is his speech in full.

drum roll they play: god save the king.

many of the festivals of the great religions of the world are celebrated with a special meal — a chance for family and friends to come together across generations, the act of sharing food adding to conviviality and togetherness. for some, faith will be uppermost in their hearts. for others, it will be the joy of fellowship and the giving of presents. it is also a time when we remember those who are no longer with us, and think also of those whose work of caring for others continues, even on this special day. this care and compassion we show to others is one of the themes of the christmas story — especially when mary and joseph were offered shelter, in their hour of need, by strangers, as they waited forjesus to be born. over this past year, my heart has been warmed by countless examples

of the imaginative ways in which people are caring for one another, going the extra mile to help those around them, simply because they know it is the right thing to do, at work and at home, within and across communities. my wife and i were delighted when hundreds of representatives of that selfless army of people, volunteers who serve their communities in so many ways and with such distinction, were able to join us in westminster abbey for the coronation earlier this year. they are an essential backbone of our society. their presence meant so much to us both and emphasised the meaning of coronation itself — above all, a call to all of us to serve one another, to love and care for all. service also lies at the heart of the christmas story —

the birth ofjesus, who came to serve the whole world, showing us, by his own example, how to love our neighbour as ourselves. throughout the year, my family have witnessed how people of all ages are making a difference to their communities. this is all the more important at a time of real hardship for many, when we need to build on existing ways to support others less fortunate than ourselves. because, out of god's providence, we are blessed with much and it is incumbent on us to use this wisely. however, service to others is but one way of honouring the whole of creation, which, afterall, is a manifestation of the divine. this is a belief shared by all religions. to care for this creation is a responsibility owned by people of all faiths and of none.

we care for the earth for the sake of our children's children. during my lifetime, i've been so pleased to see a growing awareness of how we must protect the earth and our natural world, as the one home which we all share. ifind great inspiration now from the way so many people recognise this, as does the christmas story, which tells us that angels brought the message of hope, first, to shepherds. these were people who lived simply amongst others of god's creatures. those close to nature were privileged that night. and at a time of increasingly tragic conflict around the world, i pray that we can also do all in our power to protect each other.