final details are still being hammered out. marco rubio — donald trump's pick for secretary of state, is about to be questioned by fellow senators in his confirmation hearing. these are the scene live on capitol hill — we'll bring you that session when it gets under way. and conclave and emilia perez lead the nominations for the 2025 baftas. we'll bring you more on those tipped for awards. hello. let's start in the middle east with negotiators from israel and hamas continuing a final push towards clinching a ceasefire and hostage release deal. an unnamed israeli official has said that hamas have now agreed to the draft of the agreement that's been presented to both sides in qatar. but the office of the israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu swiftly

denied the report. in denied the report. the last ten minutes or so we're in the last ten minutes or so we're hearing details that cut our�*s prime minister will hold a news conference in the next half an hour or so. my colleague mark lowen is injerusalem. mark, all the pointers seem to suggest that a deal is close now? . , , ., , now? yeah, it seems to be imminent. _ now? yeah, it seems to be imminent, matthew, - now? yeah, it seems to be i imminent, matthew, although there have been some sticking points right up to the last part of the negotiations in terms of the identity of the hostages to be released by hamas and by other armed groups there. the identity of palestinian prisoners to be released from israeli jails. some assurances that israel wanted over how, for example, gazans who have been displaced by the war down into the southern part of the gaza strip who want to return to the north, how could they be screened? israel wants them screened ? israel wants them screened? israel wants them screened and vetted. who would carry out that process? there are still some questions over

the extent of israel's presence in gaza once the war ends. israel wants to maintain a buffer zone on the border with gaza and control over the southern rapper crossing into egypt. all of these kind of details are what have formed, we understand have formed the final thrust of the negotiations. we are still not quite there yet although there are some talk that the qataris are some talk that the qataris are going to hold a press comes when they may or may not announce a deal.— when they may or may not announce a deal. what about the backdro - , announce a deal. what about the backdmp. the — announce a deal. what about the backdrop, the israeli _ announce a deal. what about the backdrop, the israeli politics, - backdrop, the israeli politics, the far right cabinet members who are so bitterly opposed to any deal. do they still have the capacity to torpedo this in any way? the capacity to torpedo this in an wa ? ~ ., �* ~' the capacity to torpedo this in an wa? ., any way? we don't think so, no. these are _ any way? we don't think so, no. these are two — any way? we don't think so, no. these are two far _ any way? we don't think so, no. these are two far right - these are two far right ministers who have constantly opposed any idea of a ceasefire in the last 15 months and they have, it seemed really they had held benjamin netanyahu in a kind of chokehold really by threatening to topple the

government if netanyahu agreed to a ceasefire deal. but even though one or two of them have suggested that they would either vote against the deal or potentially withdraw from the government, we don't think that that would lead to the deal being torpedo because there would still be enough members of the government to vote in favour of it. what would then happen after that we don't know in terms of benjamin netanyahu's future position. he would probably be reading down a minority government. could there then be calls for an election and the like? yes, possibly. but all the focus at the moment is on the ceasefire deal and even if these two ministers pose it, we still think it will get through. and just a reminder that this would be ending a war in which health officials in gaza say that more than 46,000 officials in gaza say that more than 16,000 people of been killed and 100 israeli than 116,000 people of been killed and 100 israeli hostages still held there. killed and100 israeli hostages still held there.— still held there. thank you, mark. still held there. thank you, mark- it — still held there. thank you, mark- it is _ still held there. thank you, mark. it is still— still held there. thank you, mark. it is still very - still held there. thank you, mark. it is still very fluid i

mark. it is still very fluid and we will keep across the latest to there in jerusalem. before we went to mark, i said that the qatari prime minister is slated for the matter have a news conference in the next 25 minutes or so so we will carry that as soon as we get the picture from doha. in the next few minutes, donald trump's pick for secretary of state, marco rubio, will be questioned by senators during his confirmation hearing in congress. a harsh critic turned trump loyalist, marco rubio had reportedly been gunning for the job in tv appearances, touting his foreign policy experience. according to prepared remarks, mr rubio is expected to forcefully endorse mr trump's america first agenda. he'll lambast china, accusing it of lying, cheating, hacking, and stealing its way to global superpower status at america's expense. that is what we are expecting the next little while.

let's speak to matt terrill, former chief of staff for senator marco rubio's presidential campaign. matt, thank you so much for joining us here on bbc news. we saw a really competitive session yesterday with donald big deal in terms of him getting supj competitive saw a really competitive session yesterday with donald trump's pick the defence trump's pick the defence secretary, pete hegseth. what secretary, pete hegseth. what are you expecting today as we are you expecting today as we look at these live pictures, look at these live pictures, just the start of that session? just the start of that session? well certainly we saw that well certainly we saw that yesterday. today i think yesterday. today i think particularly with marco rubio particularly with marco rubio is a smooth confirmation is a smooth confirmation process here. of all the process here. of all the nominees, frankly, he will nominees, frankly, he will receive the most bipartisan receive the most bipartisan support. i think you have seen support. i think you have seen already prominent democrat already prominent democrat lawmakers and republican lawmakers and republican lawmakers and republican lawmakers and republican lawmakers announced their support for senator rubio. i lawmakers announced their support for senator rubio. i think right now i suspect that think right now i suspect that president—elect trump will have president—elect trump will have his nomination is confirmed his nomination is confirmed here. he saw pete hegseth here. he saw pete hegseth getting yesterday, which is a getting yesterday, which is a

big deal in terms of him big deal in terms of him getting support. to getting support. to become the next secretary of defence. i think we will see senator rubio sail through his confirmation. i mentioned china in the introduction it will be fascinating listening to those crucial policy areas. china obviously is one but the middle east, russia, ukraine. ihla east, russia, ukraine. no question- _ east, russia, ukraine. no question. this _ east, russia, ukraine. no question. this is - east, russia, ukraine. i157 question. this is a very different world that president—elect trump will be entering in his second term compared to how it was in the first term. the reality is that we assess secretary of stay in senator rubio who has been involved in foreign policy for a number of years now. he has been on several committees in the senate. he understands and knows the issues through and through and he has been active on china. venezuela, iran, other issues taking part. i think we will see him lean into

an america first policy, no question. i think he is not one to start new wars. i think you will see that president—elect try were

will see that president—elect try wille will see that president—elect try will see senators asking we will see senators asking him questions about policies. the end of the day though i think the bottom line is this will be the bottom line is this will be the trump administration. certainly the secretary of state and other key members of the senior team for president trump will have his ear, his the senior team for president trump will have his ear, his trust, process and a role in trust, process and a role in terms of shaping policy. at the terms of shaping policy. at the end of the day president trump end of the day president trump will drive his agenda, be the will drive his agenda, be the one to set up what you expect one to set up what you expect in terms of his foreign policy in terms of his foreign policy agenda and have people at the agenda and have people at the table who he can work with. and table who he can work with. and the reality is senator rubio the reality is senator rubio has worked with donald trump in has worked with donald trump in the past. present drop was in president—elect president the past. present drop was in his first term. —— president his first term. —— president trump was in his first term. trump was in his first term. they have been in a working they have been in a working relationship. senator rubio and relationship. senator rubio and

president—elect trump have a good working relationship. i5 good working relationship. is so fascinating how the republican party has shifted because there you were, former chief of staff during his presidential campaign, when he took on donald trump. you look at the landscape now and think back to some of the comments made by both parties, trump and rubio about just the

margin. he won notjust the electoral college but the popular vote. electoral college but the popularvote. he electoral college but the popular vote. he has big mandate now and he will use that to advance his agenda. i think you will see it through executive orders, policy legislation on capitol hill. but the bottom line right now is that the republican party is the trump party. he has a total sense. i think it is a is that the republican party is the trump party. he has a mandate and he received mandate and he received bipartisan route support during bipartisan route support during the past election. i think a the past election. i think a lot of people who came out we lot of people who came out we were notjust republican voters were notjust republican voters but union voters and but union voters and traditional democratic voters traditional democratic voters who crossed over and voted for who crossed over and voted for president trump in the last president trump in the last election. he has a mandate to election. he has a mandate to advance his agenda. the him advance his agenda. the him right now, for president trump, right now, for president trump, it is going to be delivering on it is going to be delivering on the promises that he made the promises that he made during the campaign trail. that total sense. i think it is a - during the campaign the promises that he made during the ca is what america expects. stability on the foreign—policy stage as well. aha, stability on the foreign-policy stage as well.— stage as well. a quick final thought. — stage as well. a quick final thought, matt, _ stage as well. a quick final thought, matt, because i stage as well. a quick final i thought, matt, because rubio has immersed himself in foreign policy now for a number of years. in your view, policy now for a number of years. in yourview, does policy now for a number of years. in your view, does this pick make total sense? it makes

total sense- _ pick make total sense? it makes total sense. i— pick make total sense? it makes total sense. i think _ pick make total sense? it makes total sense. i think it _ pick make total sense? it makes total sense. i think it is - pick make total sense? it makes