in the film industry. hello, i'm karin giannone. syria's president assad has vowed to defeat the rebels who've taken over aleppo — however big their attacks. he said that after the biggest offensive by islamist rebels in years has taken government forces by surprise. it's eight years since the rebels were forced out of aleppo at the height of the civil war. rebel fighters, who control much of the northern city of aleppo, are now reported to be sweeping south towards another major population centre: hama. it lies south of idlib province which is now fully in rebel hands. this was the scene today in aleppo, where there are reports of queues of cars clogging the roads out of the city as some civilians flee. this video — apparently

filmed from a vehicle — shows armed men at aleppo�*s airport, though it has not been independently verified by the bbc. the rebels have also been celebrating outside the city's ancient citadel. they're said to have met little resistance, though the syrian military says dozens of its soldiers have been killed or injured. the army says its troops have temporarily withdrawn from aleppo "to prepare a counteroffensive". earlier warplanes belonging to russia — an ally of syria's president bashar al—assad — bombed rebel positions in the city centre. a reminder of the recent history of aleppo: the city was the scene of one of the bloodiest sieges of syria's civil war which first broke out in 2011. our correspondent barbara plett usher is monitoring developments from neighbouring lebanon. a stunning victory for the rebels. even they overcome with its

swiftness and success. just three days after launching a surprise offensive from their stronghold in north—west syria. this is the most serious challenge to president assad in years. a carefully planned attack. they stormed back into aleppo for the first time since assad's army forced them out at the height of the war, this time meeting almost no resistance. translation: after hard worki and patience from the fighters, the city of aleppo has been completely liberated, thank god. and by god's will, we will reach horns and damascus, too. this is a joint force of rebel groups, led by the islamist hayat tahrir al —sham, or hts. it used to be linked to al-qaeda but cut ties from the group years ago. hts is listed as a terrorist organisation by the us and others. it controls most of the north—western province of idlib — the last remaining opposition stronghold after more than a decade of civil war. that war began in 2011,

triggered by popular protests against assad's rule. russia intervened in 2015, turning the tide against the advancing rebels. the battle for aleppo in 2016 was a crucial point. syrian and russian forces gained control after a gruelling siege. the war�*s mostly gone quiet since, with occasional eruptions. the last major one in 2020 when syria and its russian allies attacked idlib. now again, russian warplanes are bombing aleppo. the syrian army says it has made a tactical retreat to prepare a counteroffensive. the kremlin is assad's most important ally, but it is now also fighting a war in ukraine. iran and the lebanese hezbollah are also sending fighters to syria, but they have been weakened by israeli attacks in the region. that is one reason the rebels were able to advance so quickly. reviving a simmering conflict at a time when the middle east is in turmoil.

barbara plett usher, bbc news, beirut. as we heard from barbara there the events in syria can be directly linked with israel's attacks on hezbollah in lebanon. the iran—backed militia group has had a strong presence in syria — notably aleppo — since the civil war there, backing president bashar al—assad's regime. but with its focus on the war with israel, hezbollah has weakened inside syria and the rebels have taken advantage of this. here's bbc arabic�*s mahmoud ali hamad. you can hardly look at what is happening in aleppo without linking it with what is happening in lebanon. you can argue that the priority for hezbollah was what is happening in lebanon so, aleppo was just something for them they would like now to engage in. so they have pulled out from the city.

there is a common belief among syrians generally that the syrian regime on its own without iranian or russian help can't really keep control of the city, and this has transpired in the last 48 hours. israel's former defence minister moshe ya'alon has said his country is carrying out ethnic cleansing against arabs in northern gaza. mr ya'alon said benjamin netanyahu's far—right backed government was leading israel towards destruction. mr ya'alon — a right wing politician — is a noted critic of prime minister netanyahu. israel — which has forced hundreds of thousands of palestinians from northern gaza while pummelling the area with strikes — denies ethnic cleansing. this comes as there are reports of an israeli aistrike on a multi—storey house in the north of gaza, killing and injuring dozens of people. and earlier, the humanitarian organisation world central kitchen said it's pausing its operations in gaza after a deadly israeli air strike hit a vehicle

carrying its staff. images from the southern city of khan younis show the wreckage of a vehicle with its roof blown open. three people are reported to have been killed. the israeli army has confirmed it was targeting a car, saying it was carrying a person involved in the october 7th attacks. world central kitchen says it has no knowledge that any individual in the vehicle had alleged ties to the hamas attacks. seven members of its staff were killed in idf strikes on their convoy in gaza in april, in what the israeli military described as a "grave mistake". for more on that, here is our correspondent in jerusalem, nick beake. they said they are shocked and heartbroken by what happened. they haven't confirmed how many of their staff were killed today. the reports from khan younis in the south of the gaza strip are that three of their workers were killed earlier today, and certainly there's been a lot of footage that has

and certainly there's been a lot of footage that has emerged. there are grieving relatives and some families coming to the mortuary to see their loved ones in body bags. and one of those body bags had a t—shirt with the name of the charity emblazoned on it. as you were saying, the idf, israel defense forces, is saying that they did carry out this drone strike, that it targeted a specific car that it had been monitoring. it had been watching it, and then the drone was called into action. the reason they say that is because one of the men inside, the israelis claim, took part in the hamas attacks on october the 7th. they say that is why they carried it out. they named the kibbutz in which he was alleged to have acted. the israelis haven't put forward any evidence for this but that is what they are saying tonight. on another story related to gaza. there has been another hostage video released by hamas. what can you tell us about what is in that? that's right, this was released in the last hour or so. just looking at the some of the details of it now. it relates to a 20—year—old.

he is an american israeli hostage. he was taken after the hamas attacks 1a months ago. and within this video he is extremely distressed. the way it's been edited — it has been dispersed with episodes of him being extremely upset. in it he appeals to the israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu to do more to secure his release. and then he speaks in english — he switches from hebrew, and he directly addresses president—elect trump, saying that he needs to use all his power to bring about some sort of deal and ensure that the hostages are released. tonight a group that represents quite a lot of the hostages family saying that once again they are shocked by this. and they say that as it stands, the lives of their loved ones are hanging by a thread. they are urging the israeli government once again, to do all that they can to try and secure the release of their loved ones.

a bit of breaking news to bring you from gaza. the aid agency save the children say a staff member has been killed in an israeli air strike in gaza. we don't know where but save the children saying one of their staff members has been killed in an israeli air strike today. we will bring you any more detail that we get on that news from save the children. demonstrators are back on the streets for a third day in georgia, in protest against the ruling party's decision to put the european union accession process on hold. this is the scene outside parliament in the city centre and it is after 1am. you can see how many people are still out. it is the third night of protests because of what the prime minister has said, that

those talks to explore joining the european union would be called off and wouldn't proceed any further. people have felt let down and disappointed and even the president, who supports georgia ultimately joining the european union, is in solidarity with this, saying the resistance movement has begun and that she stood in solidarity with it. let shake of these live pictures from tbilisi. more than 100 demonstrators were arrested on friday night in georgia as protesters clashed with police, who used water cannon and tear gas to try to disperse the crowds. georgia's pro—western president salome zurabishvili told afp in an interview on saturday that she will not step down until last month's contested parliamentary elections are held again,

calling herself the only legitimate institution in the country. my role is, i think, very important because of the legitimacy problem and of the crisis, since i am the only elected legitimate institution and the only independent institution that remains in the country, and i am legitimate as long as there is no new legitimate president. so as long as there are no new elections, new parliament elected under the new rules, a new president who will be inaugurated, my mandate continues until this legitimate inauguration ceremony. so i have just today announced that i am gathering around me representatives or

society, civil society, and political parties�* representatives to form a national council that will be the political arm, i would say, of this delegitimising process, and that will carry and that we'll carry the stability in this country, because you need to have some form of stability going towards what is the only form that can take in a democratic country, this change of government, and that is new elections. that's what the european parliament has called for. that is what the people on the streets call for. they are not calling for revolution. they are calling for new elections. that is georgia's president, salome zurabishvili. steve rosenberg is in georgia, and reports from the capital tbilisi. and a warning, that steve's report contains pictures that some viewers may find disturbing.

they are determined to be heard. this happens every day now into tbilisi. protesters attacking the protective wall outside parliament. people are angry that the government has suspended georgia's bid tojoin the european union. and they believe that russia is pulling the strings. we want europe, we don't want russia. that's where our path is, ok? and you think your government is taking georgia towards russia 7 of course. the nation of georgia wants to be in the european union. it's unacceptable for us to stop the discussion of usjoining the eu. earlier this week, violent scenes. fireworks thrown at police. the security forces deploying water cannon and tear gas. a georgian journalist was live on tv when this happened. he told me he had been hit so hard, he blacked out. translation: ithink our citizens are now i

being forced to think, do they want to live in a country where peaceful protest is being punished and where journalists are being attacked from behind when they are speaking about what is really going on? if we want to live in a country like this, so be it. many of the protesters i have spoken to told me they won't give up — they intend to keep coming onto the streets until georgia's european future is secure. but from the authorities, no hint of a u—turn, no sign of an olive branch. instead, it's crack down over compromise. georgia's government accused european politicians and local agents of organising violent protest, but people here say they are fighting for georgia's future. steve rosenberg, bbc news, tbilisi. a little more detail coming through about save the children, saying one of their staff members has been killed

in an israeli air strike in gaza. we are learning that the air strike was in khan younis. it is the second staff member killed in the enclave since the war began in october 2023. save the children, the international aid agency, saying that they have lost a staff member who has been killed in an israeli air strike in has been killed in an israeli airstrike in khan has been killed in an israeli air strike in khan younis in the south. they say this is the second staff member killed in gaza since the war began in 2023 and this follows world central kitchen saying they are suspending work in gaza after a vehicle carrying its staff was hit. three people were reported to kill in that strike on a car but the israeli army confirming it was targeting a car but it was targeting a person who was involved in the october the 7th attacks. 0ne central kitchen say they have no knowledge that

anyone in the vehicle had alleged ties to that attack. we will bring you more on the elements of that story when we get it here on bbc news. to ireland where the results are trickling in in sinn fein has said it's hopeful of winning the most seats in the parliament in dublin for the first time. but the parties which led the outgoing coalition government say they're both performing well in the early tallies. a final result isn't expected until the end of the weekend. watching everything closely is caitriona perry who is in dublin. any more news emerging? you are very welcome here in dublin where a lot of the counting is going on and if you hear some loud noise erupting behind me that is because another seat has been filled here. so far we have 15 of the 174 seats in the parliament here in ireland already

accounted for. sinn fein has six of those. fine gael has four and fianna fail have three so far. it is very early days, i have to add. the way our system works here, it is a ranked system so the first preferences are counted, then the second and third and so on. that is why it can take quite a while before all of the seats are indeed allocated. i am joined by someone who was watching this extremely closely. it is the minute the poor public expenditure and president of the fine gael party. thank you for being with us. you haven't been re—elected just yet. i know you are keeping a close eye on the counting behind us. what is your view on where the fine gael party will end up? i am very hepeful_ gael party will end up? i am very hopeful that _ gael party will end up? i am very hopeful that fine - gael party will end up? i am very hopeful that fine gael. gael party will end up? i am| very hopeful that fine gael is on the — very hopeful that fine gael is on the verge of a is an extremely positive result for our party. we have served three terms _ our party. we have served three terms in — our party. we have served three terms in government with the last term _ terms in government with the

last term of course dominated by the — last term of course dominated by the pandemic, by the cost of living _ by the pandemic, by the cost of living challenges that many economies are facing at the moment _ economies are facing at the moment. we had a new leader since _ moment. we had a new leader since that_ moment. we had a new leader since that election and even though— since that election and even though we had many retirements and much — though we had many retirements and much change within our candidates i am very hopeful that— candidates i am very hopeful that we _ candidates i am very hopeful that we will see gains and that we wilt— that we will see gains and that we will come back as a larger parliamentary party into our next — parliamentary party into our next we _ parliamentary party into our next. we were speaking to mary lou mcdonald earlier and she said _ lou mcdonald earlier and she said she _ lou mcdonald earlier and she said she intends to try to form a government with the smaller left—leaning parties. you a government with the smaller left-leaning parties.— left-leaning parties. you are potentially — left-leaning parties. you are potentially looking _ left-leaning parties. you are potentially looking to - left-leaning parties. you are potentially looking to those l potentially looking to those same parties to buoy up yourself and fianna fail. can yourself and fianna fail. can you make a government? i do you make a government? i do believe that _ you make a government? i do believe that that _ you make a government? i do believe that that we _ you make a government? i do believe that that we would be able — believe that that we would be able to — believe that that we would be able to form a stable government here in ireland. it will take — government here in ireland. it will take a _ government here in ireland. it will take a little bit of time. as you _ will take a little bit of time. as you said yourself a few moments ago we are only in the very— moments ago we are only in the very early— moments ago we are only in the very early moments of our new parliament being elected. when that is— parliament being elected. when that is elected and it returns to look— that is elected and it returns to look to _ that is elected and it returns to look to elect a prime minister and to look to elect a prime ministerand make to look to elect a prime minister and make the first effort — minister and make the first effort to— minister and make the first effort to do that that will be

on the — effort to do that that will be on the 18th of december. i anticipate it will take some time — anticipate it will take some time running up to that and may be quite — time running up to that and may be quite a — time running up to that and may be quite a bit of time after that— be quite a bit of time after that in— be quite a bit of time after that in order for us to elect a new— that in order for us to elect a new government. but we will do it and _ new government. but we will do it and i— new government. but we will do it and i am — new government. but we will do it and i am confident it will be a — it and i am confident it will be a stable government able to build _ be a stable government able to build on — be a stable government able to build on the progress that we are making here in ireland and deal— are making here in ireland and deal with— are making here in ireland and deal with our many challenges. if deal with our many challenges. if sinh— deal with our many challenges. if sinn fein ends up with the highest number of seats when all the seats are counted, people might ask around the world why you wouldn't go into government with them. irate world why you wouldn't go into government with them. we have ve bi government with them. we have very big differences _ government with them. we have very big differences from - government with them. we have very big differences from a - very big differences from a policy— very big differences from a policy and values point of view _ policy and values point of view. that has been made very clear— view. that has been made very clear irr— view. that has been made very clear in all— view. that has been made very clear in all elections here in irelahd _ clear in all elections here in irelahd irr— clear in all elections here in ireland in my lifetime and in particular in the election we have — particular in the election we have just _ particular in the election we have just gone through. when it comes— have just gone through. when it comes to — have just gone through. when it comes to our relationship with europe, — comes to our relationship with europe, when it comes to how we view— europe, when it comes to how we view the — europe, when it comes to how we view the economy, when it comes to our— view the economy, when it comes to our views — view the economy, when it comes to our views in relation to taxation. _ to our views in relation to taxation, to spending within our economy, there is a very bil our economy, there is a very big difference between our party — big difference between our party and sinn fein. we will not go — party and sinn fein. we will not go into government with then —

not go into government with them. we have no plans to go into— them. we have no plans to go into government with them and we nrade — into government with them and we made that very clear during the election. and given the importance of stability for an open — importance of stability for an open economy here in ireland i think— open economy here in ireland i think it — open economy here in ireland i think it is — open economy here in ireland i think it is far more important that— think it is far more important that we — think it is far more important that we make efforts to form a government with other parties that we — government with other parties that we have a lot more in conrnron— that we have a lot more in common with. do that we have a lot more in common with.— that we have a lot more in common with. i. _, , common with. do you recognise thou:h common with. do you recognise though that _ common with. do you recognise though that there _ common with. do you recognise though that there is _ common with. do you recognise though that there is support - though that there is support for sinn fein among the irish population. forso for sinn fein among the irish population. for so many years fine gael and fianna fail were bigger than sinn fein, way ahead of them. this looks like the second general election in a row where you will all be in and around the same. but the wa our and around the same. but the way our parliamentary - and around the same. but the . way our parliamentary democracy works _ way our parliamentary democracy works is— way our parliamentary democracy works is that to form a government you have to have a majority — government you have to have a majority of the parliament itself _ majority of the parliament itself. sinn fein, despite their— itself. sinn fein, despite their many claims, have not nrade — their many claims, have not nrade any— their many claims, have not made any significant progress in the — made any significant progress in the selection and have consistently been unable to articulate what an alternative government would look like which — government would look like which they would be in. in a parliamentary democracy you

have — parliamentary democracy you have to — parliamentary democracy you have to form a government by having — have to form a government by having a — have to form a government by having a working majority and that working majority normally reflects — that working majority normally reflects a majority of those who — reflects a majority of those who have cast their vote at election— who have cast their vote at election time.— who have cast their vote at election time. how big are the challenges _ election time. how big are the challenges facing _ election time. how big are the challenges facing the - election time. how big are the challenges facing the next - challenges facing the next irish government, whoever it makes it up? there is a housing crisis here but there are also very serious international problems. we have heard from incoming president elect donald trump about plans to try and move american multinationals back to america, many of whom have their european headquarters here in ireland. how big challenges that? there are challenges, _ how big challenges that? there are challenges, of— how big challenges that? there are challenges, of course - how big challenges that? there are challenges, of course there | are challenges, of course there are _ are challenges, of course there are there _ are challenges, of course there are. there are also great opportunities. we are very are. there are also great opportunities. w