2000 people mugler as more than 2000 people from the southeast asian country across the english channel this year. a prosaic peoples mugler shares details of the fraud and deceit used to help migrants in vietnam to reach the uk. —— a prolific peoples mugler. a special report from the peoples smuggler working in this country. a third of species facing extinction. we speak to one expert on how countries are tackling the crisis. and we will hear from the official winner of the timothee chalamet look—alike contest. more on the breaking news coming out of the middle east in the last hour or so.

the israeli parliament has voted to ban the un agency working with palestinian refugees from operating within the country. israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu said unrwa workers must be held accountable for what he called their "terrorist activities" against israel. the us had urged israel not to take such a move. unrwa says the ban will mean the collapse of the whole humanitarian process in the territory. vital to speaking just before the knesset decision, matthew miller made it clear they see unrwa is critical... it

miller made it clear they see unrwa is critical. . .- unrwa is critical... it is not the only _ unrwa is critical... it is not the only important - unrwa is critical... it is not the only important role - unrwa is critical... it is not the only important role they play — the only important role they play. but they really play an irreplaceable role right now in gaza — irreplaceable role right now in gaza on — irreplaceable role right now in gaza on the front lines getting humanitarian assistance to the people — humanitarian assistance to the people who need it. there's nobody— people who need it. there's nobody that can replace them right— nobody that can replace them right now in the middle of the crisis — right now in the middle of the crisis so — right now in the middle of the crisis so we continue to urge the government of israel to pause — the government of israel to pause the implementation of this legislation. we urge them not to— this legislation. we urge them not to pass it at all and we wiii— not to pass it at all and we will consider next steps based on what — will consider next steps based on what happens in the days ahead — on what happens in the days ahead. , . ahead. uk permanent representative - ahead. uk permanent representative to - ahead. uk permanent representative to the | ahead. uk permanent i representative to the un ahead. uk permanent - representative to the un spoke a short time at the uk security council. dame barbara windsor word... —— dame barbara woodward. when i make the situation in gaza particularly in the north is unacceptable. the gaza particularly in the north is unacceptable.— is unacceptable. the uk condemns _ is unacceptable. the uk condemns the - is unacceptable. the uk l condemns the restrictions is unacceptable. the uk - condemns the restrictions on aid access. they must enable more aides to enter now. there

can be no justification more aides to enter now. there can be nojustification for denying civilians access to essential supplies. we are also gravely concerned by is really knesset legislation voted today which seeks to curtail unrwa's ability to operate. israel must abide by its obligations and ensure unrwa can continue to provide essential services to those suffering in gaza in the west bank. those suffering in gaza in the west bank-— those suffering in gaza in the west bank. joining me now is the former— west bank. joining me now is the former spokesperson - west bank. joining me now is the former spokesperson forl the former spokesperson for unrwa chris turner. thank you forjoining in the context. my first question, to get your reaction and thoughts on what this will mean, this ban, for the humanitarian situation in gaza. i the humanitarian situation in gaza. . , , the humanitarian situation in gaza. ., , , ., ., gaza. i fear this is going to turn into — gaza. i fear this is going to turn into a _ gaza. i fear this is going to turn into a humanitarian i turn into a humanitarian catastrophe, and turn a humanitarian catastrophe frankly into humanitarian

apocalypse and i use that word because hundreds of thousands of people in gaza are at risk of people in gaza are at risk of starvation and i think that crisis of food security is going to deepen significantly. i think the going to deepen significantly. ithink the 1.3 going to deepen significantly. i think the 1.3 plus and rising people —— 1.3 million plus people —— 1.3 million plus people dependent on unrwa's food red delete my age are going to go hungry. they have been trying to get clean water to people, running stalls, shelters, all sorts of sanitation services which are going to break down because unrwa is the secretary general made it perfectly clear, the backbone of the world's minuted in response. when we have seen humanitarian —— the attempt to deliver aid, humanitarian —— the attempt to deliveraid, it humanitarian —— the attempt to deliver aid, it has resulted in rioting in gaza. has the facilities, the food distribution centres and the staff. it cannot be replaced and it cannot be overplayed.

that vote in the knesset, unrwa is not a light bulb that can be turned on and off. my concern is we will now see a humanitarian crisis turn, as i say, into an absolute disaster, and apocalyptic disaster, and the world needs to act. we need to see the powerful member states and we have just heard from the state department, we need to see pressure from the big powers to make sure this law which the knesset has now enacted does not become a reality, and operational reality, and operational reality on the ground. what do ou think reality on the ground. what do you think is — reality on the ground. what do you think is the _ reality on the ground. what do you think is the legal - reality on the ground. what do you think is the legal basis - you think is the legal basis for israel to introduce this ban? ., , for israel to introduce this ban? ., ,., , for israel to introduce this ban? ., , ban? that is a very good question- _ ban? that is a very good question. let's - ban? that is a very good question. let's be - ban? that is a very good question. let's be clearl ban? that is a very good - question. let's be clear that national legislation does not negate israel's international obligations, and i see this as a full layered in a galaxy. it is a violation of article one and five of the un charter, about the obligation of states, about the obligation of states, a violation of the 19118 convention on the privileges of the staff which makes it an

obligations to allow the united nations organisations to have bank accounts, for tax exemption, a whole range of bank accounts, for tax exemption, a whole range of privileges. thirdly, it is a privileges. thirdly, it is a violation of the rules of the violation of the rules of the occupation under which israel occupation under which israel is occupying power has an is occupying power has an obligation to deliver services obligation to deliver services but also to accept the but also to accept the obligations of what lawyers obligations of what lawyers call the status quo ante, and call the status quo ante, and unrwa of course represents that unrwa of course represents that status quo ante, the situation status quo ante, the situation before 1967 when the occupation before 1967 when the occupation began. unrwa was active on the began. unrwa was active on the ground since may 1950 ground since may 1950 delivering services in both delivering services in both gaza and the west bank. that gaza and the west bank. that fourth layer of illegality, the fourth layer of illegality, the international court ofjustice international court ofjustice made clear in its provisional made clear in its provisional measures on the 26th of january measures on the 26th of january this year that israel had an this year that israel had an obligation to facilitate the obligation to facilitate the distribution of humanitarian distribution of humanitarian aid. what has the knesset done? aid. what has the knesset done? it has banned the very it has banned the very organisation which is the organisation which is the backbone of the attempt to backbone of the attempt to bring aid, international bring aid, international humanitarian aid, to the 2.3 humanitarian aid, to the 2.3 million believe good people in million believe good people in the gaza strip.— the gaza strip.—

the gaza strip. israel is under that 30 day — the gaza strip. israel is under that 30 day — the gaza strip. israel is under that 30 day notice _ the gaza strip. israel is under that 30 day notice from - the gaza strip. israel is under that 30 day notice from the l the gaza strip. israel is under. that 30 day notice from the usa to improve the flow of aid into

look self—determination. if you look at the rhetoric of right—wing politicians in israel they said clearly that they want to see the land from the river to the sea, judaea and samaria, for the dues exclusively, which means clearing it of palestinians. i am means clearing it of palestinians. iam not means clearing it of palestinians. i am not saying thatis palestinians. i am not saying that is happening but look at the rhetoric of the leaders themselves. this is certainly consistent with that idea. if you are going to cleanse the land from the river to the sea, you would need to get rid of the organisation charged by the international community to bring relief and social services, education and health, etc, to the palestinians. former chief spokesperson for unrwa, thank you for your time. my unrwa, thank you for your time. my pleasure. meanwhile, israel and hamas say they're looking at proposals for a gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal following talks in doha. the office of israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu said discussions would continue between mediators in

the coming days to assess the feasibility of further talks — but it's reported that mr netanyahu has rejected an egyptian proposalfor a two—day truce with the exchange of four israeli hostages for palestinian prisoners. elsewhere in the region, iran is demanding an urgent meeting of the un security council — following israel's air strikes at the weekend. it had been reported benjamin netanyahu had rejected that proposal but we have just seen report saying he had not seen that proposal. in other news, a vietnamese people smuggler, who entered the uk illegally this year in a small boat, has told bbc news that he's forging visa documents for other vietnamese who want to come here. he's claiming asylum despite admitting he's been people smuggling for nearly 20 years. so far in 2024 nearly 30,000?people have crossed the channel in small boats 7 that's more than all of last year.

over 50 people have died attempting the crossing this year — making it the deadliest on record. now at close to 17%, migrants from vietnam have replaced afghanistan, iran and syria as the biggest source of people making illegal crossings. it's a lucrative business. after an investigation lasting many months, andrew harding tracked down one people smuggler who agreed to tell him about the illegal trade and his role in it. beside me on the sofa is a people smuggler, a prolific criminal now living here in britain. a man who's still helping people to reach this country illegally. we'll call him tan. it's a very lucrative business. if you have a good reputation, the clients come to you. no force, no violence. tan came to the uk

earlier this year. he was part of a sudden rush of people from vietnam using small boats to reach our shores. in the migrant camps in northern france, i'd already met with groups of vietnamese waiting to cross the channel. they told me they were in debt back home and were being trafficked to the uk by criminal gangs. already in britain and claiming asylum, tan agreed to meet me, and we agreed to keep his identity confidential in return for valuable information about the smuggling gangs. he soon began to reveal his life of crime and of lies. you told the british authorities you've been trafficked here, but that's not true, is it? no, i was not trafficked here. i said i was because that's just the way it's done. it's what you say in order to get asylum. but human rights groups insist trafficking from vietnam is widespread in britain. i'm arresting you on suspicion of facilitating the illegal entry of non—uk nationals into the united kingdom... the authorities say vietnamese gangs are trapping migrants in conditions of modern slavery. tan himself became involved in smuggling years ago, running a gang at a time when people hid on lorries rather than in small boats to reach the uk.

later, he moved back to vietnam for a while, and began forging documents for people trying to get visas to europe. he's showing me here some of the documents that he's actually forged. he's got copies on his phone. one is for a bank statement, another is for some payslips. and this is a hungarian visa, a genuine visa that one of his customers was given on the basis of his forged documents. and he's still forging, and boasting of bribing banking officials in vietnam to provide false paperwork. i'm good at this work. people trust me. i neverfail. how do you justify what you do here? you've come to the uk illegally. you're still breaking the law by assisting other people to come here illegally. at the same time, you're taking british taxpayers' money to be fed, to be sheltered here in the uk. i just do paperwork. i help people to travel. i don't force them to take certain routes. i think a lot of british people watching this will not buy that. they will say that you are a criminal and that you should hand yourself in to the police. i don't think i'm breaking the law here. i'm only breaking the law in vietnam. why have you chosen to talk to us, to tell us all this, about all the crimes that

you've been party to? i want people in vietnam to understand the truth that life here is no better. they should stay at home rather than make a dangerousjourney and get deeper into debt. but back in france, the smuggling goes on, and we're now trying to contact a different and elusive vietnamese gang operating near dunkirk. looks like the plan is working. my colleague here, she's been posing as a vietnamese migrant. she's now in touch with one of the smugglers. and that's him on the phone now, telling her "let's meet" and to follow his instructions. wearing a secret camera to allow us to see the gangs work up close, our colleague heads to a rendezvous point. we follow at a distance. the smuggler talks money.

but back in france, the smuggling goes on, and we're now trying to contact a different and elusive vietnamese gang operating near dunkirk. looks like the plan is working. my colleague here, she's been posing as a vietnamese migrant. she's now in touch with one of the smugglers. and that's him on the phone now, telling her "let's meet" and to follow his instructions. wearing a secret camera to allow us to see the gangs work up close, our colleague heads to a rendezvous point. we follow at a distance. the smuggler talks money. £2,600 for a small boat ride to britain. but now, he wants her to move away, through a fence and into the woods. hands on head, she signalled that she's not comfortable with that, and we move in. hello. hello, guys.

and there's the smuggler, dyed blonde hair, retreating fast. so we know for sure that that was our vietnamese smuggler. he disappeared into the forest here. we're not going to pursue him. we know a lot of these gangs are armed. there's been a lot of violence around here. but i think what we can say for sure is that the vietnamese smuggling business is continuing and is clearly very lucrative. that is andrew harding who tracked down the people smuggler who agreed to tell him about the illegal trade and his role in it. and andrewjoins me now. i know you have been involved in the story for quite some time. i wonder, in the story for quite some time. iwonder, in in the story for quite some time. i wonder, in all of that time, what have you learned that you didn't know before about the broader efforts to stop this activity, and also about the efforts to get around those attempt to stop it? write her sophisticated _ those attempt to stop it? write her sophisticated and _ her sophisticated and far—reaching that these efforts are —— white how sophisticated

and far—reaching these efforts are. people fleeing war in the middle east, particularly in africa, we know about that, but it was a shock to us this year to find the numbers in calais, in the woods, and the french coast, the number of vietnamese there on the rise, these were not people fleeing conflict, this was something very much driven by traffickers, bringing people to work as we understand it in cannabis farms, restaurants and nail bars in the uk. everyone we spoke to, all these vietnamese people, they said, we are in debt, heavily in debt, back in vietnam, to loan sharks and so on, and that is what is driving this part of this incredibly complex international trade in human lives. this complex international trade in human lives.— human lives. as you were saying. — human lives. as you were saying, andrew, - human lives. as you were saying, andrew, we - human lives. as you were saying, andrew, we often human lives. as you were - saying, andrew, we often focus on those small boatjourneys, and often the tragic outcome of those small boatjourneys. what about the efforts politically to examine legal pathways for

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