�* death �*death and months of death and destruction. a senior hamas official says the group is committed to the agreement, which has raised hopes of an end to 15 months of war. with hello — i'm mark lowen at hostage square in tel 1 an — which has raised hopes of an end to 15 months of war. with the rest of the day's news we the rest of the day's news we are in london. keir starmer is are in london. keir starmer is in ukraine to sign a in ukraine to sign a partnership deal to deepen partnership deal to deepen security ties and says the uk security ties and says the uk will never let up in support will never let up in support for ukraine. the royal college for ukraine. the royal college of nursing reports that of nursing reports that patients are being put at risks patients are being put at risks at hostage square in tel aviv — with overwhelmed hospitals with overwhelmed hospitals having to provide care in having to provide care in hospitals. an indian film star hospitals. an indian film star is in hospital being treated is in hospital being treated for multiple stab wounds after for multiple stab wounds after being stabbed by an intruder in being stabbed by an intruder in his home. reports say he is now his home. reports say he is now stable. hello — i'm mark lowen

stable. accusing

minister's office accusing hamas reneging on parts of the deal to extract last—minute concessions, saying that the cabinet will not meet until mediators report that hamas has accepted all terms. there has been some pushback from hamas. on the ground in gaza, there destruction and killing continues with the gaza civil defence forces saying that at least 70 people were killed in the last few hours since the ceasefire deal itself was announced. we will have full coverage and updates throughout this bulletin but here is our international editorjeremy bowen with the story of how the deal was reached. in the streets of khan younis in gaza, overwhelming relief that they are alive, and hope, too, that the nightmare of this war might be over. translation: when they announced that there - is a ceasefire, we felt happy and relieved. the pain has disappeared a bit, even though the pain is still present. but hopefully, joy will overcome the pain.

some weapons, some defiance were on show, but hamas is a shadow of what it was when it attacked israel on the 7th of october, 2023. and in tel aviv it is also a bittersweet moment for the families and supporters of israeli hostages, living and dead. 33 women, older men, and the sick and wounded, are due for release in the next six weeks in return for hundreds of palestinian detainees and prisoners. but the future of the rest of the hostages depends on more negotiations. i really wait for this very, very needed thing to happen, for the war to stop, for the hostages to come home. in washington, president biden took credit for a diplomatic victory, celebrated america's support for israel, and said the war had transformed the middle east for the better. there's a genuine opportunity for a new future. in lebanon, there is an in lebanon, there is an opportunity for a future free opportunity for a future free from the grip of hezbollah. from the grip of hezbollah. in syria, a future free in syria, a future free

from the tyranny of assad. from the tyranny of assad. and for the palestinian people, and for the palestinian people, a credible, a credible pathway, a credible, a credible pathway, to a state of their own. to a state of their own. with gaza in ruins, with gaza in ruins, the president's point, the president's point, that the palestinians that the palestinians have a path to their own state, have a path to their own state, is wishful thinking. is wishful thinking. israel's government says israel's government says security depends on military security depends on military power, not allowing power, not allowing palestinian independence. palestinian independence. after 15 months of war in gaza, after 15 months of war in gaza, the conflict, which has lasted the conflict, which has lasted more than a century, more than a century, is as bitter and is as bitter and intractable as ever. intractable as ever. with luck, the ceasefire with luck, the ceasefire will end this war. will end this war. it does not end the conflict. it does not end the conflict. the consequences of so much the consequences of so much destruction and death will be destruction and death will be felt for a generation at least. felt for a generation at least. jeremy bowen, jeremy bowen, bbc news, jerusalem. bbc news, jerusalem. a ceasefire deal that was a ceasefire deal that was agreed but has still not agreed but has still not been agreed by the israeli been

cabinet. a face a face ceasefire plan, cabinet. a face ceasefire plan, 33 hostages would be cabinet. a face ceasefire plan, 33 h( into es would be cabinet. a face ceasefire plan, 33 h( into place. ld be cabinet. a face ceasefire plan, 33 h( into place. they will goes into place. they will be released in groups every week in return for hundreds of palestinian prisoners being released from israeli jails. many hundreds of daily tracks would be allowed into gaza to flood the gaza strip with much needed humanitarian supplies to try to alleviate the suffering. a little earlier i spoke to the communications director of unrwa, the united nations mission for palestinian refugees and i asked her what the situation was like on the ground and what the ceasefire deal could help alleviate. there is anticipation for what will happen should they still come into effect on sunday in

supplies. commercial supplies. let's s - eak commercial supplies. let's speak now _ commercial supplies. let's speak now to _ commercial supplies. let's speak now to brigadier - commercial supplies. let's - speak now to brigadier general and founder of israel's defence and founder of israel's defence and security foreman. thank you for speaking to us. what do you make of this last—minute obstacle that the prime minister's office is saying with hamas trying to extort last—minute concessions? i believe that israel is not going to do more concessions. this deal has been on the table since may. the same deal basically. hamas is now going to agree to the deal probably because of the pressure resident trump is putting and the threats if they don't release the hostages. hamas is in a different strategic situation, they don't have hezbollah assisting them. syria

has fallen. iran is weaker. all of these reasons mean that hamas is going to sign the deal. i think the israeli very worried about what will happi i|about very worried about what will happi i thinkt very worried about what will happi i think the israeli government is going to stand deal. i think the israeli government is going to stand firm and agree only to the deal firm and agree only to the deal that was a great many months that was a great many months ago. ago. that was a great many months auo. ., that was a great many months am, ., that was a great many months that was a great many months auo. ., that was a great many months am, ., that was a great many months auo. ., ., , ago. you said that it is the deal that _ auo. ., ., , ago. you said that it is the deal that _ ago. you said that it is the deal that was _ ago. you said that it is the deal that was on _ ago. you said that it is the ago. you said that it is the deal that was _ ago. you said that it is the deal that was on _ ago. you said that it is the deal that was on the - ago. you said that it is the deal that was on the - ago. you said that it is the deal that was on the table | deal that was on the table several months ago, why did deal that was on the table | deal that was on the table several months ago, why did benjamin netanyahu have to wait benjamin netanyahu have to wait eight months, a period in which eight months, a period in which 10,000 more people were killed 10,000 more people were killed in gaza and some israel defense in gaza and some israel defense force soldiers were killed in force soldiers were killed in the operation? it the operation? it force soldiers were killed in force soldiers were killed in the operation?— the operation? it wasn't netanyahu _ the operation? it wasn't netanyahu who - the operation? it wasn't the operation?— the operation? it wasn't netanyahu _ the operation? it wasn't netanyahu who - the operation? it wasn't netanyahu who rejected the operation? it wasn't l netanyahu who rejected it the operation? it wasn't - netanyahu who rejected it was netanyahu who rejected the operation? it wasn't l netanyahu who rejected it the operation? it wasn't - netanyahu who rejected it was hamas who were unwilling to do hamas who were unwilling to do a deal because they felt that a deal because they felt that time is in theirfavour and time is in theirfavour and they would win the war. now they would win the war. now they would win the war. now they would win the war. now they understand that time is they understand that time is not in their favour and are not in their favour and are very worried about what will very worried about what will

happen about happen about january and the next administration's policies and support for israel and this is why under the pressure of president trump they have agreed to the deal that was on the table a long time ago. the lan the table a long time ago. the plan pushes — the table a long time ago. the plan pushes into _ the table a long time ago. the plan pushes into the future much more difficult discussions over gaza's future and also stipulates a full israeli withdrawal from gaza would you support that and what about the criticism that israel has not engaged in planning for who can run gaza after all of this? is mel run gaza after all of this? is mel said very clearly they were in two eliminate hamas as a military entity. it is a danger to gazans and israelis. israel wants to release the hostages and we want never again to have and we want never again to have a terror army in gaza. this

ceasefire and release of hostages is not a into the war it is a step in the bigger plan in the campaign that needs to end with all the goals of war achieved. that will be the best for israel and also for the guards and people who will be relieved from a vicious terror organisation that is extorting

relieved from a vicious terror organisation t and; extorting relieved from a vicious terror organisation t and in xtorting relieved from a vicious terror organisation t and in the ting relieved from a vicious terror organisation t and in the west cities, in gaza and in the west bank. we need a new vision. understood. we will have to leave it there, thank you very much indeed. let's pick up on some of this with the former british consul general to jerusalem. thank you for being with us. what do you make of criticism of the israeli government that they have stalled in accepting this plan in order to give a diplomatic boost to the incoming administration? it boost to the incoming administration? it gives a glimmer— administration? it gives a glimmer of— administration? it gives a glimmer of hope - administration? it gives a glimmer of hope for- administration? it gives a glimmer of hope for 2.2 l administration? it gives a - glimmer of hope for 2.2 million people displaced in gaza, freezing and starving and for 94 hostage families in israel with some british families too. the delay i can't account for, it may be last—minute haggling. i am hopeful it will be

overcome. i am delighted that you spoke tojulietjust now because what is needed immediately from sunday is unrwa to lead a massive increase in humanitarian aid thatis increase in humanitarian aid that is needed for the palestinian people and i am also hopeful that with qatar and egypt involved in monitoring the movement of palestinians between north and south gaza, freedom to move within their own territory, that there can be palestinian agency in this matter. i heard your previous speaker talking about local level representation. there needs to be palestinian agency and it needs not to be israeli collaboration.- needs not to be israeli collaboration. ~ . ., collaboration. what about some of those tricky _ collaboration. what about some of those tricky discussions - of those tricky discussions about running gaza and those being pushed back into the long grass's do you feel the ceasefire could break down

bickle before some of those could be broached?- bickle before some of those could be broached? there is a risk. could be broached? there is a risk- there — could be broached? there is a risk. there needs _ could be broached? there is a risk. there needs to - could be broached? there is a risk. there needs to be - risk. there needs to be international pressure on both sides to ensure that all three phases of this deal are respected. respected by hamas, and by islamicjihad and the israelis. we need to get to the end of this conflict. i was listening tojeremy bowen, for whom i have the greatest respect. he has been monitoring this for decades and he is right. but to get to an end we need an outcome which involves the united kingdom playing its part to ensure that self—determination happens for two peoples. the people of israel, who have achieved self—determination and the people of palestine, which means gaza and the west bank, re—unifying politically and economically gaza and the west bank. that will be done i hope

and belief by palestinians, not by israeli surrogates.- by israeli surrogates. former british consul— by israeli surrogates. former british consul general- by israeli surrogates. former british consul general to - british consul general to jerusalem, thank you very much indeed. plenty more on this story right throughout the day and on our website. we have a live page up and running with minute by minute updates and analysis by our teams. for now i will hand you back to london. thank you very much mark. we will have more from him throughout the day. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news.

the royal college of nursing has warned that patients are being put at risk because overwhelmed hospitals are having to provide care in corridors and other unsuitable settings. it comes after a report heard from 5,000 nurses across the uk about the scale of the corridor care crisis — following intense pressure on the nhs due

to the �*quad—demic�* of winter viruses and critical incidents declared at dozens of hospitals last week. with me is our health editor, hugh pym. we talked in recent weeks about concerns about patients being 1534 0