hello, i'm catherine byaruhanga. the israeli prime minister, benjamin netanyahu, has insisted that the death of the hamas leader, yahya sinwar, does not mean the end of the war in gaza. sinwar is widely believed to be behind the october 7th attacks. israeli forces say the 61—year—old died along with two other hamas members on wednesday during a ground operation in the southern city of rafah. the idf carried out dna testing to confirm his identity. sinwar�*s body is in tel aviv where people have been celebrating on the streets. our international editor jeremy bowen has been following the story and sent this report. the israeli army released drone footage showing he was still fighting in his last moments. they said sinwar, on a chair at the back of the room, had thrown two grenades and,

obviously wounded, tried to fend the drone off with a stick before he was killed. it had been a chance encounter and at first they didn't realise who they'd killed. then soldiers saw the dead man resembled sinwar. yahya sinwar, born in 1962, grew up in a refugee camp in gaza. he spent 22 years in israeli jails for killing four palestinians who'd collaborated with israel. so, the security services had dental records and dna to identify his body. injail, he learned hebrew, studied his enemy, and believed he'd worked out how to fight them. on 7th october last year, in a meticulously planned series of attacks, sinwar and his men inflicted israel's worst—ever defeat. and a collective trauma that is still deeply felt. the killing of civilians, the hostage taking and the celebrations of their enemies recalled,

for many israelis, the nazi holocaust in the second world war. prime minister netanyahu said the war would go on. today, he said, "we made clear once again what happens "to those who harm us. "we showed the world the victory of good over evil. "but the war is not over yet. "it is difficult and it is costing us dearly." israel's response, a year of war, continued this morning. around 25 palestinians were killed and dozens more wounded in the latest big raid onjabalia camp in northern gaza. israel said it bombed a hamas command centre. doctors said the casualties they saw were civilians. israel's response to the 7th october attacks has killed at least 42,000 people in gaza. its war aims of destroying hamas and freeing hostages have not been achieved, so killing yahya sinwar is its biggest victory yet.

the hamas organisation that sinwar and others built before the 7th october attacks is largely broken. left of sinwar is ismail haniyeh, hamas political leader who was assassinated injuly. israel doesn't let us into gaza to report. but this reaction in khan younis, sinwar�*s birthplace, was filmed for the bbc. translation: this war is not dependent on sinwar, - haniyeh or mashal, nor on any other leader or official. it's a war of extermination against the palestinian people, as we all know and understand. the issue is much bigger than sinwar or anyone else. translation: many leaders have been assassinated before him, - like ismail haniyeh, but someone else will always step in and the struggle will continue. back in israel, a few people stopped to celebrate at the forensics lab where sinwar�*s body was taken. israelis are relieved and happy that their enemy has been killed, but hamas

still has its hostages, is still fighting, and will get a new leader. jeremy bowen, bbc news, jerusalem. let's speak to our correspondent injerusalem yolande knell. thank you forjoining us on the programme. the israeli government doubling down on its position that the war shall continue. do we have an idea on what it might do next? we continue. do we have an idea on what it might do next?— what it might do next? we are expecting _ what it might do next? we are expecting the _ what it might do next? we are expecting the israeli _ what it might do next? we are expecting the israeli prime - expecting the israeli prime minister to have meetings today, particularly to discuss this issue about the remaining israeli hostages in gaza. we saw a mixed reaction from israelis. there were those who were celebrating this, the killing of the country's number one enemy, taking to the streets and dancing and eating sweets. but there were also the relatives of the hostages, the main group representing them gathered in tel aviv last

night, they welcomed news of the killing, but they also called on the government to use it as an opportunity to try to turnit it as an opportunity to try to turn it into leveraged to get a deal that would bring their loved ones home. that is the message also coming through from the americans. they had president biden calling up mr netanyahu congratulating him on this successful israel, but we also heard very quickly from the state department, they described yahya sinwar as the chief obstacle in a ceasefire and hostage reliefs deal. until now, the americans and other mediators so involved in that. —— hostage release deal. antony blinken is due to return to the region and will try to get ceasefire talks restarted again. ceasefire talks restarted aaain. ceasefire talks restarted a.ain_ ., ceasefire talks restarted aaain. ., again. looking at the political situation in _ again. looking at the political situation in israel, _ again. looking at the political situation in israel, the - again. looking at the political situation in israel, the prime| situation in israel, the prime minister has been a difficult position before the 7th of october and after. how is it

impacting his political position, the of yahya sinwar? —— at the death. it position, the of yahya sinwar? -- at the death.— -- at the death. it will strengthen _ -- at the death. it will strengthen mr - -- at the death. it will. strengthen mr netanyahu, strengthen mr neta nyahu, particularly strengthen mr netanyahu, particularly in the polls. we have seen sincejuly things started to turn a corner and we had the israeli prime minister looking like he had been vindicated in taking a more hawkish approach and not giving in to the international pressure and domestic pressure for a ceasefire and hostage release deal, keeping the fighting going in gaza. because you had first of all the head of the military wing of hamas killed injuly of the military wing of hamas killed in july and of the military wing of hamas killed injuly and then when israel turned its attention to hezbollah in lebanon, that there had been this cross—border fighting there had been this cross—borderfighting going on cross—border fighting going on for the cross—borderfighting going on for the duration of the war in gaza between israel and hezbollah in lebanon as well, still we had a quick series of what was seen by as military

successes, including the assassination of the long—time hezbollah leader. on top of that, the main scalp israel wanted, that of yahya sinwar in gaza. but this is going to be a time where a lot of attention comes to what happens next in terms of post—war plans for gaza and really underlines how there is not a clear plan for what happens next, apart from a continuing israeli military occupation there. it is clear israel still has not achieved its main war goals. it says it wants to make sure it defeats hamas in terms of political and military capabilities, still remains something of a fighting force. we expect yahya sinwar will be replaced as leader, just as his predecessor who was killed at the end ofjuly, ismail haniyeh was replaced by him as overall leader of hamas. where do things go from here? fix,

where do things go from here? a very important question. yolande knell injerusalem, yolande knell in jerusalem, thank yolande knell injerusalem, thank you. we can put that question to the bbc�*s security correspondent frank gardner. perhaps an unfair question, frank, i guess that is what is on everyone's minds right now, what happens next following the killing of yahya sinwar? will the israelis listen to the americans and push forward with a ceasefire this time? ida. americans and push forward with a ceasefire this time?— a ceasefire this time? no, i do not think— a ceasefire this time? no, i do not think they _ a ceasefire this time? no, i do not think they will. _ a ceasefire this time? no, i do not think they will. the - not think they will. the israeli cabinet feels they are on a roll and as yolande knell said, benjamin netanyahu went against much of public opinion and certainly against advice of the americans in defying calls for a ceasefire which would have probably brought the hostages home. he has pressed on and they feel they have an advantage at the moment. much depends on what iran does and the signals coming out of iran are pretty defiant. that does not appear to be much appetite on other site for any kind of ceasefire because i think you

have to ask yourself certain questions. does the death of yahya sinwar make it easier to bring a ceasefire? well, if israel feels they have not achieved their goals in gaza, they have not eliminated hamas and brought home the hostages, then a ceasefire is going to be unlikely. does it bring an end to the war in gaza? not immediately, no. very depressing for those people who have survived a year of onslaught there in gaza. and also desperately depressing for the hostage families who are still demonstrating, there are placards in tel aviv saying, now and the sinwar, making a pan out of his name, and war. let us not forget there is full—scale war going on between israel and hezbollah in southern lebanon, not evenjust

southern lebanon, not evenjust southern lebanon, not evenjust southern lebanon, in beirut and elsewhere. that will not end either immediately because hezbollah is still firing rockets into israel, still the houthis in yemen also firing missiles at israel. much depends on what happens with iran. remember israel has vowed to retaliate against iran for the october the 1st ballistic missile attack when iran launched 180 missiles at israel in response to said for the killing of hassan nasrallah. there is a lot of still moving pieces here in thejigsaw there is a lot of still moving pieces here in the jigsaw that have not stopped moving yet. so, i'm sorry to say i don't think the middle east generally is a calmer place today than it was 48 hours ago.— is a calmer place today than it was 48 hours ago. frank, thank ou for was 48 hours ago. frank, thank you for your _ was 48 hours ago. frank, thank you for your analysis. _ was 48 hours ago. frank, thank you for your analysis. the - you for your analysis. the bbc�*s security correspondent, frank gardner.

we're now joined by shlomi eldar — an israeli journalist and filmmaker who was the first to interview ismail haniyeh. thank you forjoining us. perhaps we can have a closer look at what it means for hamas. how much of a below is his death for the organisation and how it operates in the war? yes, i think israel can announce shortly this is the end of the war and declare a ceasefire, but it is one step, but before we have to release our hostages. we have to understand, yahya sinwar changed hamas movement from the basic hamas movement established by sheikh ahmed yassin, as a wealth organisation that helps the people in the gaza strip. he promised them, yahya sinwar, since he released from israeli jail, he changed hamas, they promised, he promised to open

jihad, no matter what, promised, he promised to open jihad, no matterwhat, he promised them to conquer israel, and he was ready to pay any price, even 100,000 palestinians killed, only to fulfil his ambition. killing, assassination of yahya sinwar, assassination of yahya sinwar, a new chapter of hamas. hamas in my opinion could not recover from this death of sinwar because he changed the hamas movement and also changed gaza and i think the palestinians in gaza feel they are victims of this lunatic man that took them to and could not promise them anything but death. you to and could not promise them anything but death.— anything but death. you say it is a new chapter, _ anything but death. you say it is a new chapter, what - anything but death. you say it is a new chapter, what are - is a new chapter, what are people likely to succeed sinwar and what might tell us about

the direction of the organisation going forward? yes, the direction, i think they are very confused because israel assassinated before ismail haniyeh, he was one of the pragmatic leaders of hamas, but even he supported the terror attacks against israel on the 7th of october. the only man i can think that can replace yahya sinwar as his brother, mohammed sinwar, but i must say, the palestinians in gaza strip and on—site gaza strip, even in the west bank, they do not know him. to be a legal, political leader of hamas, instead of military leader, he must be known by the people that were quick to be a leader. mohamed cinema, his brother, he cannot lead the organisation. —— mohammed sinwar. after the ceasefire, may be our hostages are back

home, small movement, like the movement we used to know and not a movement that even the founder of hamas, sheikh ahmed yassin, believed this movement can be governing the palestinians for the future. shlomi eldar, thank you for joining us, an israeli journalist and film—maker who has interviewed ismail haniyeh in the past. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news.

tributes continue to pour in after the death of liam payne, the former member of the boy band one direction. payne fell from a hotel balcony late on wednesday. the singer rose to global stardom as part of one direction, selling 70 million records worldwide. his former bandmates have paid tribute to him, saying the memories they shared

will be treasured forever. azadeh moshiri has more. fans had long called for a one direction reunion, but now liam payne's former bandmates are united in grief. in a statement, louis tomlinson, zayn malik, niall horan and harry styles said, "we will take some time "to grieve and process the loss of our brother "who we love dearly." it's incredible... that sense they were more than bandmates, more than friends, was echoed in separate tributes. louis tomlinson thanked liam for being "the kind brother i'd "longed all my life for." zayn malik wrote, "i lost a brother when you left "us and can't explain to you what i'd give to just "give you a hug one last time." and harry styles said he was devastated and wrote, "the years we spent together will forever remain "among the most cherished years of my life." fans are still in disbelief. police say he fell from the third floor of the casasur hotel in buenos aires.

officials say, by the time police arrived, liam payne had died of multiple traumatic injuries. # fly me to the moon...# he rose to fame as a teenager in 2010 on the x factor. we're very excited about the album. it's where he met his one direction bandmates. # you don't know you're beautiful!# together, they became a global sensation, but after six years, the boyband went on an indefinite hiatus. # you know i love it when the music's loud...# liam, who'd already had songwriting credits under his belt, went on to pursue a solo career. but amidst the global stardom, he was open about the impact on his mental health and his struggles with addiction. the former x factorjudge sharon osbourne has now said, "we all let you down. "where was this industry when you needed them?" his friends and family have praised liam payne's talent

and his kindness, in shock as his career, his life, ended so soon. harry styles' mother said simply, "he was just a boy." azadeh moshiri, bbc news. now turning to china. britain's foreign secretary has begun his first official visit to china in an attempt to improve relations between the two countries. david lammy has been holding talks with senior officials, including the country's vice premier. mr lammy says he won't hesitate to challenge beijing on issues including china's support for russia in ukraine. let's speak to our beijing correspondent, stephen mcdonell. good to have you on the programme. this is a delicate, complicated visit for the foreign secretary, explain it to us. ,