strike to try to force the government to reach a deal with hamas to release those still held in gaza. the call comes after the israeli army found the bodies of six hostages in a tunnel in rafah. the military said they were killed by hamas shortly before troops arrived. a hamas official denied this, saying they were killed by israeli fire. the israeli prime minister, benjamin netanyahu, blamed hamas leaders, saying the killings showed they did not want a deal. the opposition leader yair lapid accused mr netanyahu of deciding not to save the hostages. demonstrations led by relatives of the hostages are expected in tel aviv and injerusalem, from wherejon donnison reports. six more dead israeli hostages in gaza. carmel gat, who was a0. alexander lobanov, 32. almog sarusi, aged 27. eden yerushalmi, 24. ori danino, who was 25. and the youngest,

hersh goldberg—polin, just 23, who was also an american citizen. with broken hearts, the goldberg—polin family is devastated to announce the death of their son and brother, hersh. they thank you all for your love and support and ask for privacy at this time. just a few days ago, his mother, rachel, had called for his release. hersh, we are working day and night and we will never stop. but she will never see her only son alive again. israel's military says the six bodies were found in a tunnel under rafah in the south of gaza. its chief spokesperson, daniel hagari, said they had recently been brutally murdered by hamas. the islamist group today denied that, saying they were killed in israeli strikes.

but in a video statement, israel's prime minister was clear who he thought was to blame. "we saw the unimaginable cruelty of the hamas killers on the 7th of october, and we saw it again in the tunnels under rafah." but mr netanyahu is under pressure. last night, there again were protests from hostage families and clashes with police. they say the israeli leader is putting his own personal political ambitions ahead of securing a ceasefire and hostage release deal, and that he has the blood on his hands. meanwhile, in gaza, a rare bit of positive news on the humanitarian front. a mass polio vaccination programme for hundreds of thousands of children has begun, with area—specific pauses in fighting. but it is a long way from the comprehensive ceasefire deal that diplomats have been pushing forfor months.

the hostages and missing families forum has again urged the israel prime minister to agree to a ceasefire to secure the release of the remaining hostages. they plan a major protest on sunday to reinforce their call. 97 people taken on the seventh october are still believed to be held in gaza. it is thought 64 are still alive, although hamas claims this number is lower, with 33 reported by the idf to be dead, but still in gaza. the remains of 37 hostages have been recovered from gaza. ii7 hostages have been released or rescued. let's speak to noga tarnopolsky, who is a freelance journalistjoining us from jerusalem. thank you very much forjoining us here on bbc news. what is the general mood amongst the israeli public now that these six dead hostages have been retrieved? it

six dead hostages have been retrieved?— retrieved? it is a very, very rim retrieved? it is a very, very grim mood- _ retrieved? it is a very, very grim mood. these - retrieved? it is a very, very| grim mood. these hostages include some whose families have been among the most active public late to try to get the hostages back, so israelis have been following their stories closely. but i think most agonising and most impactful was the israeli army's announcement this morning that they were killed just recently. in the last day or two... because this follows very radical decision by the israeli government made in the middle of the night between thursday and friday, there is a very widespread feeling that they were betrayed by their own government. i do not think that changes any israeli point of view about the cruelty of hamas, the islamist militia that still rules gaza. but i

think that there is a majority, certainly a majority of israelis feel that their own government is betraying its citizens. 50 government is betraying its citizens. ., , , ., citizens. so what is this doing for the political _ citizens. so what is this doing for the political support - for the political support amongst israeli people for benjamin netanyahu? especially benjamin neta nyahu 7 especially in benjamin netanyahu? especially in the light of this declaration that he intends for all the israeli army to stay in the corridor that now strip between gaza and egypt. it is a very strange — between gaza and egypt. it is a very strange thing, _ between gaza and egypt. it is a very strange thing, i _ between gaza and egypt. it is a very strange thing, i think - between gaza and egypt. it is a very strange thing, i think we l very strange thing, i think we cannot overstress that. at about 2am in the morning between thursday and friday, which is already the weekend in israel, netanyahu presented his cabinet with a declarative vote and basically forced the ten members of his security cabinet to vote on it. and despite the opposition of the israeli army,

of the entire security establishment in israel, in spite of the screaming opposition of the minister of defence, the israeli government was declaring that israeli soldiers would remain on the egypt gaza border no matter what deal for the release of hostages is proposed. one of the ways this is interpreted in israel is that netanyahu was telling hamas you cannot use these hostages to get a deal, they are worthless to us. and so they were killed and that is, as you can imagine, a very harsh feeling. that said, netanyahu is a very unpopular, he is an unpopular but powerful prime minister, he has been very unpopularfor a long prime minister, he has been very unpopular for a long time. he has the support of about 20% the of population. as we speak, there are tens of thousands of people protesting all over this country and it looks like a general strike is going to be

announced tonight. but his coalition partners are sticking by him, so it does not appear that he is in imminent danger of being tumbled. you mentioned those protests, _ of being tumbled. you mentioned those protests, we _ of being tumbled. you mentioned those protests, we can _ of being tumbled. you mentioned those protests, we can see - of being tumbled. you mentioned those protests, we can see live i those protests, we can see live pictures on our screens now of people assembling injerusalem. answering the call to come out onto the streets after what has happened with these hostages. what difference will it make, how will this influence benjamin is on yahoo? —— benjamin is on yahoo? —— benjamin netanyahu. benjamin is on yahoo? -- benjamin netanyahu. there is a concern that _ benjamin netanyahu. there is a concern that it _ benjamin netanyahu. there is a concern that it will _ benjamin netanyahu. there is a concern that it will not - concern that it will not influence him. he appears in recent days and weeks to be ever more detached from the people of israel, the citizens of israel. the fact that his polling is so low appears only to kind of stiff in his back about his positions. and he is surrounded in his cabinet both

within his party and with coalition members with really radical extremists. the sort of people who never had a place in israeli political arena before and because he is an indicted prime minister on trial, and most of the political parties in israel would notjoin him to form a government, he took them on so now it is the sort of faustian bargain to hold onto power and to do as much as they can despite the feelings of the majority of israelis.— majority of israelis. thank you very much _ majority of israelis. thank you very much for— majority of israelis. thank you very much for your _ majority of israelis. thank you very much for your time. - with me is our middle east editor sabastian usher. let's start with this blame game that is going on where israel accuses hamas of accusing these hostages and conversely hamas saying no, this was israeli fire that killed them. how do we get to the truth?—

killed them. how do we get to the truth? there are reports in the truth? there are reports in the israeli _ the truth? there are reports in the israeli media _ the truth? there are reports in the israeli media stating - the israeli media stating military sources saying that there — military sources saying that there are shots to the head of some — there are shots to the head of some of— there are shots to the head of some of the hostages. they show signs— some of the hostages. they show signs of— some of the hostages. they show signs of missed treatments, i think— signs of missed treatments, i think that is being seen as, certainly— think that is being seen as, certainly in israel, as evidence of what the idf is saying _ evidence of what the idf is saying that they were killed before _ saying that they were killed before troops could arrive to save — before troops could arrive to save them. as you are saying in your— save them. as you are saying in your introduction, a hamas official_ your introduction, a hamas official has denied that saying that it — official has denied that saying that it is _ official has denied that saying that it is israeli fire that was _ that it is israeli fire that was responsible. i mean... at the moment, there is not 100% the moment, there is not100% proof— the moment, there is not 100% proof on — the moment, there is not 100% proof on either side but the idf proof on either side but the w has— proof on either side but the idf has come off very hard as saying — idf has come off very hard as saying that they were killed shortly _ saying that they were killed shortly before the troops came. obviously, there are blame games— obviously, there are blame games with tragedies like this but there is also the wider blame _ but there is also the wider blame game about the ceasefire talks, _ blame game about the ceasefire talks, at — blame game about the ceasefire talks, at the moment a lot of the international community and frustration is directed at the israeti — frustration is directed at the israeli government. over

decisions that seem to be made recently— decisions that seem to be made recently which stand in the way of a possible deal finally being _ of a possible deal finally being made. hamas has positioned itself saying that it was — positioned itself saying that it was ready to agree to the deal— it was ready to agree to the deal as— it was ready to agree to the deal as presented by president biden— deal as presented by president biden several months ago, a 3-phase _ biden several months ago, a 3—phase deal. since then israel has introduced new conditions. the israeti _ has introduced new conditions. the israeli government denies that — the israeli government denies that. netanyahu has stayed true to what — that. netanyahu has stayed true to what he has said throughout, essentially that israel must continue to have the ability to carry— continue to have the ability to carry out _ continue to have the ability to carry out military operations whether _ carry out military operations whether a comes into force or not _ whether a comes into force or not which— whether a comes into force or not. which from a hamas perspective i do not think of something that they can accept in the _ something that they can accept in the long term, going into negotiation, they have said that— negotiation, they have said that they would accept it but the final— that they would accept it but the final deal would not accept that, _ the final deal would not accept that, i— the final deal would not accept that, i think. the final deal would not accept that, ithink. that the final deal would not accept that, i think. that can still be shifted back at the moment, as they— be shifted back at the moment, as they say, it is looking at the — as they say, it is looking at the israeli government. we have heard _ the israeli government. we have heard that — the israeli government. we have heard that us president biden has often accused and blamed hamas— has often accused and blamed hamas saying it is in their porch— hamas saying it is in their porch to _ hamas saying it is in their porch to make the agreement. so, porch to make the agreement. 50. that— porch to make the agreement.

so, that still seems to be in a spiral— so, that still seems to be in a spiral of— so, that still seems to be in a spiral of neither side really accepting that they might be the obstacle.— accepting that they might be the obstacle. accepting that they might be theobstacle. ., , ., , , the obstacle. how precarious is the obstacle. how precarious is the position — the obstacle. how precarious is the position of— the obstacle. how precarious is the position of the _ the obstacle. how precarious is the position of the prime - the position of the prime minister benjamin netanyahu given how divided we have seen the country has become? and these disagreements within his own cabinet, notably this slang match that we have heard reports of with his defence minister over the philadelphia corridor. ~ . ., , corridor. which was extraordinary, - corridor. which was extraordinary, yes. | corridor. which was i extraordinary, yes. it corridor. which was _ extraordinary, yes. it happened in the _ extraordinary, yes. it happened in the early hours of friday morning _ in the early hours of friday morning and details published in the — morning and details published in the israeli media again, realty. _ in the israeli media again, really, itemizing... the level of the — really, itemizing... the level of the intensity of those divisions within the israeli establishment match the intensity of the divisions beyond _ intensity of the divisions beyond that. but again, as we have _ beyond that. but again, as we have been_ beyond that. but again, as we israel and hamas have agreed have been hearing, mr netanyahu's position at the to a series hearing, 1 pauses israel and hamas have agreed to a series hearing, mrauses have been hearing, mr netanyahu's position at the moment is relatively stable. moment is relatively stable.

his concern may well be that if his concern may well be that if there _ his concern may well be that if there were to be a change, if there _ his concern may well be that if there were to be a change, if there were to be a change, if the deal— there were to be a change, if the deal— there were to be a change, if the deal were to be done then there were to be a change, if the deal were to be done then his position electorally and his position electorally and politically it becomes far more politically it becomes far more precarious. that is what a lot precarious. that is what a lot of israetis _ of israetis _ precarious. that is what a lot of israelis are saying, that he precarious. that is what a lot of israelis are saying, that he is holding _ is hotding _ of israelis are saying, that he is holding onto this in order of israelis are saying, that he is holding onto this in order to keep _ is holding onto this in order to keep _ is holding onto this in order to keep his position stable. so to keep his position stable. so far he — to keep his position stable. so far he has— far he — to keep his position stable. so far he has— to keep his position stable. so far he has shown an ability to to keep his position stable. so far he has shown an ability to withstand the pressure of these withstand the pressure of these hundreds of thousands of hundreds of thousands of israetis _ hundreds of thousands of israetis _ hundreds of thousands of israelis coming out on the israelis coming out on the streets _ israelis coming out on the streets demanding a ceasefire, streets _ israelis coming out on the streets demanding a ceasefire, a change — a change — streets demanding a ceasefire, a change in his stance, a streets demanding a ceasefire, a change in his stance, a change _ a change in his stance, a change in _ a change in his stance, a change in government. we are to a series of limited pauses change _ a change in his stance, a change in _ a change in his stance, a change in government. we are seeing — change in government. we are seeing that right now, we are seeing — change in government. we are seeing that right now, we are going — seeing that right now, we are going to _ seeing that right now, we are going to see it to heightened going — seeing that right now, we are going to _ seeing that right now, we are going to see it to heightened this evening and over the this evening and over the coming _ this evening and over the coming _ this evening and over the coming days. some form of coming days. some form of general— coming days. some form of general strike looks like it is general— coming days. some form of general strike looks like it is going — general strike looks like it is going — general strike looks like it is going to _ general strike looks like it is going to take place on monday. going to _ general strike looks like it is going to take place on monday. but mr— but mr— going to take place on monday. but mr netanyahu has shown a going to take place on monday. but mr netanyahu has shown a very consistent ability to very consistent ability to withstand that and continue to withstand that and continue to navigate — withstand that and continue to navigate what he believes is navigate — withstand that and continue to navigate what he believes is the true _ navigate what he believes is the true cause for israel. the true _ navigate what he believes is the true cause for israel. thank— the true cause for israel. thank— the true cause for israel. thank you very much, sebastian thank you very much, sebastian usher, our middle east editor. usher, our middle east editor. un officials and local un officials and local health workers in gaza health workers in gaza are rolling out a mass are rolling out a mass polio vaccination programme. polio vaccination programme. israel and hamas have agreed israel and hamas have agreed

to a series of limited pauses in fighting so the scheme can proceed safely. the world health organization says at least 90% of children under ten will need to be vaccinated for the campaign to succeed. the roll—out was organised after a ten—month—old baby was partly paralysed by the first case of the virus in gaza in a quarter of a century. healthcare workers hoping to vaccinate 640,000 children under the age of ten against polio over the course of the next few days. the world health organization has approved the release of 1.6 million doses of the polio vaccine the roll—out will take place in several phases from the first to the 5th of september. on saturday, medics vaccinated children at one hospital in a symbolic move — a day before the official campaign began. let's speak now to a representative of the world health organization in gaza, rik peeperkorn. thank you very much forjoining us. how successful is the

roll—out proving to be despite the challenges and obstacles that the health workers face? i think we are of course very pleased that this commitment to an area specific humanitarian pause... so today, and for the next few days, we focus on what we called the central zone. or the middle area. the target is one of the 56,000 —— we do this for three days, then we shift to the southern zone, target of 340,000 children and then we go to the north with a target of 150,000 children. for it weeks later we have to do the same. so you are right, it is a total of 640,000 children to be vaccinated twice. we want to reach at and we

is just the first day. and we need to continue for at least another ten or 12 days. three days per zone and most likely three days plus one. we are talking about such a complex operation, people do not realise that we have 513 teams actually who are operational. on the fixed asides, they are actually on the mobile teams, etc. this morning distribution sites for vaccines, faxing carriers, tally sheets, social teams, currently there is monitoring going on because the campaign is between six and two. and at the world health organization centres the same, they all come together to make their analysis and if needed, we will have a different approach for tomorrow. do we need more mobile teams in one area? did we miss children in

this area? etc. so we will know more by the end of the day. how successful it was today and such. we will know more about it in the coming days. what i have seen up until now really impressive, the spirit among these teams, crowded everywhere. i would say in a relatively good spirits. it is aood to relatively good spirits. it is good to get _ relatively good spirits. it is good to get a _ relatively good spirits. it is good to get a positive update from gaza. thank you very much. voting is taking place in two elections in eastern germany where the far—right afd party is expected to perform strongly. the party is anti—immigration; wants to replace the euro with the deutschmark; and opposes the national government's approach to the war in ukraine and climate change. let's speak to our europe correspondentjessica parker. tell us about the context and why they are doing so well in

this particular election.- this particular election. good afternoon — this particular election. good afternoon to _ this particular election. good afternoon to you _ this particular election. good afternoon to you from - this particular election. good afternoon to you from the i afternoon to you from the capital, one of the two states thatis capital, one of the two states that is voting today. we expect may be some early exit poll results within the next four hours or so. the results could start spilling out before too long. the context is people might say these are two regional elections, why do they matter to the broader picture? this would be the greatest success for the far right in state elections since the end of the second world war. for some germans that is a nightmare scenario. but for those who are cheering alternative for a deutschland on, and i have been speaking to supporters over the last week here in the state of... they talked a lot about immigration and concerns they have about what they described as mass immigration. that has been fuelled i think after last week's dac where three people

were stabbed —— last week's attack. there are concerns as well about the cost—of—living, sending weapons to ukraine, so the afd message seems to be resonating. particularly with people here in the east of germany. the former communist east. there is also a lot of dissatisfaction about the way reunification has been handled over recent decades, so you have got to look at this has something that combines more short—term concerns with things that have been brooding for a very long time. 50. that have been brooding for a very long time.— very long time. so, how are other parties _ very long time. so, how are other parties trying - very long time. so, how are other parties trying to - other parties trying to position themselves as a credible choice to people who have the concerns that the afd seemed to be addressing? it is interesting- — seemed to be addressing? it is interesting. in _ seemed to be addressing? it is interesting. in the _ seemed to be addressing? it 3 interesting. in the last week the coalition government in berlin started announcing tougher controls on knife crime, and asylum laws as well.

many saw that as almost perhaps a panic reaction ahead of this week's election. where the spd, the greens, the liberals, all of the parties are in that coalition, are predicted according to the post to do pretty badly. may not even make it into the state parliament in some cases. it could be a disastrous result for them. then the cdu which is the conservative party, the party of chancellor angela merkel, we have seen the leader they are hardening his positions and trying to sound tougher on these issues. there is that response. and really interestingly there is a new party, a new kid on the block, ps wfor short. party, a new kid on the block, ps w for short. that is headed up ps w for short. that is headed up by ps w for short. that is headed up by a woman called sarah, she is from east germany and she is trying to blend makes of amort left—wing policies economically but more conservative policies socially. a new party launched just this year and she has been placing a strong third in polls

in saxony and other places. it looks like she could perform very well. looks like she could perform very well-— looks like she could perform ve well. ., ,, , . very well. thank you very much, jessica parker. _ now it's time for a look at today's sport with chetan. hello from the bbc sport centre. the first of sunday's english premier league games are underway. with the big match at old trafford between manchester united and liverpool still to come before that big spending chelsea are taking on crystal palace at stamford bridge where it's currently 1—0. nicolas jackson with the goal. newcastle tottenham 1—0 harvey barnes. later liverpool's new dutch head coach arne slot will come up against erik ten hag for theirfirst premier league encounter. slot says that he knows his countryman — but not well enough to call him a friend: no, no, no friends. friends is something else, i think. but a very good relationship, but a friend is someone you see a lot and you go outwith. go out to dinner

with them, but that is not something we have done in the past. for that we do not know each other well enough. liverpool, it is clear. they are in a different phase of the life cycle. they have a team that has matured. so, players all ready who are longer together, playing clump together, and who are very —— playing longer together and who are — —— playing longer together and who are very experienced. and we have much more of a mix and we have to build a new team. celtic and rangers are approaching full time in the first old firm derby of the new scottish premiership season. celtic — who've lostjust one of the last 12 derbies in all competitions — are all set to go top of the table with a win. they lead 3—0 thanks to goals from daizen maeda and kyogo furuhashi and callum mcgregor. great britain have won more gold medals at the paralympics in the last hour — world record holders sophie unwin and jenny holl have won the women's b 3,000m individual pursuit final and staying in the velodrome, a british one—two in the men's b 1000 metres time trial final

— with gold going to james ball and pilot steffan lloyd after a sensational ride, finishing ahead of team—mates neil fachie and matthew rotherham who took silver. great britain's rowers lauren rowles and gregg stevenson left it late to claim a thrilling gold in the mixed doubles sculls — overhauling the chinese boat in the last 100 metres. it was the second rowing victory of the day for paralympics gb after ben pritchard won gold in the pr1 men's singles skulls with a comeback win of his own. england's cricketers are edging closer to an unassailable 2—0 series lead in their second test against sri lanka at lord's. on day four, the tourists are chasing an unlikely 483 to win. dimuth karunaratne's hit 50 to try and make a fight of it, they are currently 170—4. to the us open tennis —

where the top seed jannick sinner is safely into the fourth round after comfortably beating australia's christopher o'connell in straight sets — a match that lasted less than two hours. sinner is the clear favourite to win the title with carlos alcaraz and novak djokovic out. he's won four titles on the surface this season, including his first grand slam win at january's australian open. former champion daniil medvedev is also safely into the second week. as is the women's top seed and 2022 champion in new york — iga swiatek — who eased past russia's anastasia pavlyuchenkova 6—4 6—2 on arthur ashe. she says a chat with serena williams before the match gave her a positive kick. america'sjessica pegula is also into the last 16. the italian grand prix got under wayjust over 15 mintes ago — lando norris started from pole, but was overtaken on the first lap by mclaren teamate oscar piastri — and also ferrari driver charles leclerc.

it is all happening, keep across it on the bbc sports website, that is all for now. let's just return tojerusalem, one of the cities where we are seeing people coming out in a protest following the discovery of the bodies of six israeli hostages held by hamas in the gaza strip. the hostages family forum have asked the israeli public to join protests across the country. they are saying that the delay in signing a cease fire and hostage release deal has led to the deaths of these six people and those of many other hostages. this is bbc news. hello there. the weather pattern looks quite complicated for the next couple of days, we have generally got low pressure close by with weather fronts. and we are picking up quite a bit of humidity and warmth off the near continent.

so, that is going to really complicate the story somewhat with showers and thunderstorms will appear. but for many of us it is going to feel warm and humid for part two of the weekend, as we draw this air off the near continent. there will be scattered showers and thunderstorms, areas of cloud, but also some sunshine. the best of that sunshine will be across the southeast where we could be up to the high 20s celsius. further north and west, more cloud around than what we had on saturday. and there will be some heavy showers and thunderstorms a bit more widespread through parts of the midlands, into wales, spreading further northwards as we go into the evening. high teens across the north, that we the north, there we will see some warmth for the highlands and very warm in the southeast. it stays muggy and humid tonight, we see showers and longer spells of rain, some of it sundry, pushing across parts of the midlands, northern england and into scotland. for all areas it is going to be a warm and muggy night. warmer across scotland and we have had recently. around 17 degrees in the southeast. monday we have got weather fronts across the uk, it looks pretty mixed. a lot of cloud around,

some missed and murk, ——mistand murk, heavy showers and thunderstorms across northern and eastern england pushing up towards scotland. we could see the odd thunderstorm developing further south as well, with more cloud around, less sunshine. temperatures not quite where we like but still up to 25 degrees in the southeast. as we move into we start to see this area of high pressure begin to exert its force across the country. that will try to push the weather fronts away. tuesday is a mixed picture, at the moment it looks like we could see weather fronts bringing showers to western scotland, northern ireland, and there could be a few showers or it thundery downpours across the southeast. some sunshine in between, temperatures a bit lower and we are picking up some cooler and fresher air from tuesday onwards, losing that humidity. so, 17-22 . and then from wednesday onwards this area of high pressure it will exert its force across the country, it could bring a few showers into northwestern areas and low pressure over the near continent weather fronts, they will always later just south of the uk. there is a chance of some heavy showers or thunderstorms towards southern areas.

but i think generally speaking, particularly the further north you are, it should start to settle down with increasing amounts of sunshine.

this is bbc news, the headlines. israel's prime minister benjamin netanyahu says his country will "settle the score" after the bodies of six hostages held by hamas were found in gaza. families of those have criticised the israeli government for failing to agree

a ceasefire deal. the first full day of a mass vaccination programme in gaza is being hailed as a success by humanitarian agencies. they are aiming to immunise more than 600,000 children under the age of ten against polio. people are voting in regional elections in eastern germany. the anti—immigrant alternative for germany party is forecast to win its first state, in a ballot labelled a litmus test for next year's federal election. airports in nearly 30 european countries, which had scrapped limits for liquids in hand luggage, are being made to reinstate the restrictions from sunday. the eu says the reversal is a "temporary" measure to address a technical issue with new equipment. now on bbc news — click.