live at hostage square in tel aviv where the loved ones of those held in gaza wait nervously to see if they will be heading home. in other news, sir keir starmer arrives in kyiv to sign a partnership deal to deepen security ties. he says the uk would �*never let up�* on support for ukraine. the indian film star saif ali khan, is in hospital, being treated for multiple stab wounds after an intruder broke into his home. hello, i'm geeta guru—murthy, welcome to bbc news now, we start in the middle east where there's still much uncertainty, despite the hostage and ceasefire deal that's been announced between israel and the palestinians. the agreement is set to take effect on sunday after diplomatic

efforts led by qatar and egypt with key us input that have taken months. many of the details have yet to be released. gaza's civil defence agency says at least 81 palestinians have been killed since the deal was announced yesterday. israel's cabinet has still to vote on the deal — that's expected to take place later today. hamas says it remains committed to the agreement — despite israeli claims that it has caused a last minute crisis. iran's supreme leader has today hailed palestinian "resistance". let's get more on the ongoing developments and mark lohan is injerusalem. developments and mark lohan is in jerusalem-— in jerusalem. thanks very much indeed. welcome _ in jerusalem. thanks very much indeed. welcome to _ in jerusalem. thanks very much indeed. welcome to hostage i indeed. welcome to hostage square in tel aviv, which has become a focal point for israel's trauma since the 7th of october, where people have been camping out, holding protest rallies and demanding the return of israel's hostages. there are still almost a hundred hostages in gaza and under the first phase of the ceasefire deal 33 would

be returning home when the ceasefire comes into place. there are various different tents across the square and this is a tent for one of the kibbutz that was overrun by hamas on the 7th of october. it was in an area right on the border with gaza. i am going to ask a former resident to come out and join us. thank you for speaking to us. what is your reaction to the ceasefire deal? i am in short i am happy about it. i am in short i am happy about it i_ i am in short i am happy about it i hope— i am in short i am happy about it. i hope after a short while it. i hope after a short while it will— it. i hope after a short while it will turn_ it. i hope after a short while it will turn into a full deal. i hope _ it will turn into a full deal. i we all_ it will turn into a full deal. i hope all 98 hostages will be back — i hope all 98 hostages will be back. with the joy about that going — back. with the joy about that going to _ back. with the joy about that going to take place there are still worries because we don't know— still worries because we don't know who _ still worries because we don't know who will come back a life and who — know who will come back a life and who will come back for burial— and who will come back for

burial and those who come back alive. _ burial and those who come back alive, what condition they will be in — alive, what condition they will be in. , , ., alive, what condition they will be in. , . . , be in. there is some criticism ofthe be in. there is some criticism of the israeli _ be in. there is some criticism of the israeli government - be in. there is some criticism| of the israeli government that this deal was on the table since last may and it has taken so long to be signed and agreed to by the israeli government, do you share that criticism goes back i have my own, i'd say, doubts as to whether the israeli government did say, doubts as to whether the israeli government— israeli government did all it could to make _ israeli government did all it could to make this - israeli government did all it could to make this deal - israeli government did all it - could to make this deal happen because — could to make this deal happen because i— could to make this deal happen because i hear president biden say this— because i hear president biden say this deal was on the table since — say this deal was on the table since may and i feel that both sides— since may and i feel that both sides could have struck a deal much — sides could have struck a deal much earlier. it is frustrating and — much earlier. it is frustrating and it— much earlier. it is frustrating and it is_ much earlier. it is frustrating and it is sad because people died — and it is sad because people died along the way during those five months. tell died along the way during those five months.— five months. tell me about the residents of _ five months. tell me about the residents of your _ five months. tell me about the residents of your kibbutz - five months. tell me about the residents of your kibbutz that l residents of your kibbutz that are still being held hostage and whether you believe they will be on the first list of those to be released. there are two au s those to be released. there are two guys still — those to be released. there are two guys still in _ those to be released. there are two guys still in gaza. - those to be released. there are two guys still in gaza. one - those to be released. there are two guys still in gaza. one of. two guys still in gaza. one of them — two guys still in gaza. one of them is — two guys still in gaza. one of them is 50 years old, he was

captured _ them is 50 years old, he was captured when he was 49 but he celebrated his 50th birthday in gaza — celebrated his 50th birthday in gaza he — celebrated his 50th birthday in gaza. he is considered elderly, over— gaza. he is considered elderly, over 50, — gaza. he is considered elderly, over 50, so _ gaza. he is considered elderly, over 50, so he will hopefully be back_ over 50, so he will hopefully be back soon. the other one is just— be back soon. the other one is just 47. — be back soon. the other one is just 47, which means he is under— just 47, which means he is under 15_ just 47, which means he is under 15 so he is for the next stage — under15 so he is for the next stage of— under 15 so he is for the next stage of the deal... he is under— stage of the deal... he is under 50 _ stage of the deal... he is under50. one will stage of the deal... he is under 50. one will come stage of the deal... he is under50. one will come back and hopefully the other soon. we wish — and hopefully the other soon. we wish your former colleagues from the kibbutz at the very best as the ceasefire gets under way. best as the ceasefire gets underway. let best as the ceasefire gets under way. let us pick up on what is happening with the very latest and the claim from the israeli prime minister's office that hamas is placing abstractions at the last moment to the ceasefire deal. we can speak to our gaza correspondent who is monitoring events from turkey. what do your sources in hamas say about these claims?

they deny it. i receive more than — they deny it. i receive more than one _ they deny it. i receive more than one call since the morning from _ than one call since the morning from hamas officials in doha saying — from hamas officials in doha saying that they are committed to the — saying that they are committed to the deal, they have submitted their approval yesterday. the head of the hamas— yesterday. the head of the hamas delegation submitted the approval to the egyptian and qataris— approval to the egyptian and qataris and said they have nothing _ qataris and said they have nothing to say about this and we have _ nothing to say about this and we have no new conditions. overnight i had another chat with— overnight i had another chat with a — overnight i had another chat with a hamas official in doha and they— with a hamas official in doha and they said something about trying — and they said something about trying to— and they said something about trying to push for two or three names— trying to push for two or three names from hamas leaders who are in— names from hamas leaders who are in israeli prisons and have been — are in israeli prisons and have been there for a long time. they— been there for a long time. they were pushing for them to be released. he said that it is

not a — be released. he said that it is not a deal— be released. he said that it is not a deal breaker and if israel— not a deal breaker and if israel agreed to release them then— israel agreed to release them then it — israel agreed to release them then it is _ israel agreed to release them then it is good for them but if not then— then it is good for them but if not then hamas will not object. he insisted that what has been announced by the mediators, hamas— announced by the mediators, hamas will respect that. because under the deal, several hundred prisoners here in israeli jails, palestinian prisoners, would be released in the first phase of the deal, what is your understanding about the identity of those prisoners and how serious are the crimes that they are convicted of? i the crimes that they are convicted of?— the crimes that they are convicted of? i think since last may. _ convicted of? i think since last may, when _ convicted of? i think since last may, when this - convicted of? i think since i last may, when this proposal was — last may, when this proposal was on — last may, when this proposal was on the table, israel rejected, put a veto on 250 names— rejected, put a veto on 250 names including the most senior palestinian prisoners, some of the big —

palestinian prisoners, some of the big names from hamas. hamas already— the big names from hamas. hamas already knew early, from last may, — already knew early, from last may, that israel would not release _ may, that israel would not release any of the big names in the first— release any of the big names in the first stage. they are talking _ the first stage. they are talking about more than 1500, at least — talking about more than 1500, at least 1000 palestinians who were _ at least 1000 palestinians who were arrested after the 7th of october. _ were arrested after the 7th of october, they will be released in this— october, they will be released in this deal and about 250 people _ in this deal and about 250 people who are serving 15 years or more — people who are serving 15 years or more in— people who are serving 15 years or more in the prison. it is quite _ or more in the prison. it is quite significant. for palestinians the issue of the detainees is a key issue for then _ detainees is a key issue for then it— detainees is a key issue for them. it is very important for them. it is very important for the palestinians. hamas is pushing _ the palestinians. hamas is pushing hard for this because it is not— pushing hard for this because it is not a _ pushing hard for this because it is not a secret. we have seen — it is not a secret. we have seen in _ it is not a secret. we have seen in the last year or more, loud _ seen in the last year or more, loud voices _ seen in the last year or more, loud voices against hamas and their— loud voices against hamas and their popularity has declined because people are equally blaming hamas for the 7th of october— blaming hamas for the 7th of october attack and the aftermath of that and they want to gain —

aftermath of that and they want to gain their popularity again, especially in the west bank because some of the big names who are — because some of the big names who are going to be released are from _ who are going to be released are from the west bank. it is an important issue for hamas and they— an important issue for hamas and they are trying to push for the last— and they are trying to push for the last minute.— the last minute. these scenes that we have _ the last minute. these scenes that we have all _ the last minute. these scenes that we have all witnessed - the last minute. these scenes that we have all witnessed in l that we have all witnessed in gaza over the last 15 months have been disastrous, we can see live pictures there from khan younis in southern gaza, where so many of the almost 2 million people displaced have moved down, in the south of the gaza strip. many will be trying to get back to the north of gaza. give us a sense from your friends and loved ones who are still in gaza what their reaction is like on the ground to this news.— reaction is like on the ground to this news. well, it is mixed feelings _ to this news. well, it is mixed feelings. people _ to this news. well, it is mixed feelings. people are _ to this news. well, it is mixed feelings. people are all- to this news. well, it is mixed feelings. people are all ready| feelings. people are all ready backing — feelings. people are all ready packing up their stuff. i have been — packing up their stuff. i have been speaking to my friends and family— been speaking to my friends and family and colleagues in gaza and they— family and colleagues in gaza and they are all waiting for that— and they are all waiting for that moment when they will

allow— that moment when they will allow people back because they are living in tents. it's mixed feelings— are living in tents. it's mixed feelings because they are happy that the — feelings because they are happy that the war will end but they are sad — that the war will end but they are sad because most of them, their— are sad because most of them, their homes were destroyed, schools. _ their homes were destroyed, schools, universities, infrastructure, everything. more — infrastructure, everything. more than two thirds of garden buildings were destroyed. they know— buildings were destroyed. they know they will back up their stuff — know they will back up their stuff and move from a tent in the cell to _ stuff and move from a tent in the cell to another tent in the north — the cell to another tent in the north. but at least they said, we can— north. but at least they said, we can stay in our homes, if our— we can stay in our homes, if our homes _ we can stay in our homes, if our homes are destroyed but we feel we — our homes are destroyed but we feel we are not forced out of our places. mixed feelings for the people. i can't say that the people. ican't say that they— the people. i can't say that they are _ the people. i can't say that they are happy. they are relieved.— relieved. our gaza correspondent, . relieved. our gaza i correspondent, thank relieved. our gaza - correspondent, thank you relieved. our gaza _ correspondent, thank you very much. let's pick up on some of that in terms of the situation in gaza on the ground. here is

the spokesman for the international federation of the red cross, thank you very much indeed for your time. explain to us what you are hoping and what the ngo sector is hoping to achieve in terms of alleviating the humanitarian needs on the ground in gaza under the ceasefire deal. thank ou for under the ceasefire deal. thank you for speaking _ under the ceasefire deal. thank you for speaking to _ under the ceasefire deal. thank you for speaking to me - under the ceasefire deal. thank you for speaking to me today. | you for speaking to me today. we work — you for speaking to me today. we work on the ceasefire. we have — we work on the ceasefire. we have been— we work on the ceasefire. we have been waiting for many months _ have been waiting for many months but we mustn't forget the situation in gaza is catastrophic. people are still suffering. what we heard from red crescent colleagues in gaza, _ red crescent colleagues in gaza, as _ red crescent colleagues in gaza, as your correspondent just— gaza, as your correspondent just said, — gaza, as your correspondent just said, is a mixed of feeling _ just said, is a mixed of feeling. happiness but also hoping _ feeling. happiness but also hoping the situation will change fast. also hoping the humanitarian situation will improve. we request from all

parties — improve. we request from all parties that the ceasefire will come — parties that the ceasefire will come together with a massive increase — come together with a massive increase in humanitarian aid, protection _ increase in humanitarian aid, protection of civilians, humanitarian workers and hospital _ humanitarian workers and hospital workers. to humanitarian workers and hospital workers.- humanitarian workers and hospital workers. to be clear, in november _ hospital workers. to be clear, in november the _ hospital workers. to be clear, in november the american . in november the american government gave israel a 30 day deadline to increase humanitarian aid or risk a reduction in us military aid to israel. do you see any increase, have you seen any increase, have you seen any increase in humanitarian aid from israel in the last few weeks and whether israel has respected the ultimatum? sadly not. what respected the ultimatum? sadly not- what we — respected the ultimatum? sadly not. what we have _ respected the ultimatum? sadly not. what we have heard - respected the ultimatum? sadly not. what we have heard from l not. what we have heard from colleagues is that there is a little — colleagues is that there is a little bit _ colleagues is that there is a little bit of a trickling in but _ little bit of a trickling in but it _ little bit of a trickling in but it is _ little bit of a trickling in but it is far from enough. it is a — but it is far from enough. it is a drop— but it is far from enough. it is a drop in— but it is far from enough. it is a drop in the ocean. it

seems _ is a drop in the ocean. it seems the rafah border was closed — seems the rafah border was closed since last may. humanitarian aid was difficult to get— humanitarian aid was difficult to get into gaza. then the fighting _ to get into gaza. then the fighting continuing and then the hot _ fighting continuing and then the hot season and now rain and winter — the hot season and now rain and winter the _ the hot season and now rain and winter. the level of suffering of the — winter. the level of suffering of the palestinians is immense. it is a _ of the palestinians is immense. it is a daily— of the palestinians is immense. it is a daily nightmare. this is why— it is a daily nightmare. this is why we _ it is a daily nightmare. this is why we hope that from sunday. _ is why we hope that from sunday, we will be able to help in a different way. we hope that — in a different way. we hope that this _ in a different way. we hope that this ceasefire will lead to a — that this ceasefire will lead to a long lasting solution of the conflict because it is not a matter— the conflict because it is not a matter of bringing a couple of hundred tracks into gaza, it is rebuilding a society, rebuilding the entire state and going — rebuilding the entire state and going back to normalcy means years. — going back to normalcy means years. not— going back to normalcy means years, not months.— years, not months. thank you very much _ years, not months. thank you very much indeed. _ years, not months. thank you very much indeed. such - years, not months. thank you very much indeed. such a - years, not months. thank you | very much indeed. such a huge task facing the reconstruction of gaza, something that could last for many generations. we

will continue to bring you updates from tell a great leap back tel aviv and across the region. back tel aviv and across the re . ion. , ., back tel aviv and across the reuion. , ., ., ., region. there is a lot to unpick _ region. there is a lot to unpick on _ region. there is a lot to unpick on this - region. there is a lot to unpick on this deal. - region. there is a lot to - unpick on this deal. coming up on verify will be joined by a number of experts to answer your questions live. get in touch or e—mail your questions at bbc these are the live pictures from khan younis. this is bbc news.

sir keir starmer says the uk will never let up on it's support for ukraine. it's his first trip to the country as uk prime minister. mr starmer accompanied ukrainian president volodymyr zelensky to lay flowers at a wall of remembrance for those killed in the war with russia.

a sir keir has signed what's billed as a "hundred— year partnership". it's a wide—ranging deal involving military and economic aid. there's concern the incoming us president, donald trump may wind down us support and push ukraine into a compromise with russia. starmer�*s visit was interrupted by explosions and air raid sirens with the authorities warning of a russian drone attack. a news conference is due to happen in the next few minutes between the two leaders — but the prime minister delivered this statement a short while ago while visiting a burns unit in kyiv(take it's very important that we ensure that ukraine is in the strongest possible position. that's something i've been arguing for since i've been prime minister. this is my seventh meeting with president zelensky. i'm here at the burns unit of one of the kyiv hospitals, which is a grim reminder of the heavy price that ukraine is paying here. so we must put in the necessary support. so that's what i'm discussing

with president zelensky today. we must never let up on that. and we've been leading the way the same time we're signing a ioo—year partnership between uk and ukraine. this is a real statement of our intent for the long term in relation to our commitment to ukraine. so i'm here for both of those purposes. but the main one is to make sure that ukraine is in the strongest possible position during 2025. our eastern europe correspondent, sarah rainsford, analyses the visit from kyiv quite a lot of contact between volodymyr zelensky and keir starmer but this is his first visit as prime minister and it has taken him six months since he became prime minister to make it here so not quite rushing like previous british prime ministers have done to ukraine but certainly making clear that he is coming here with something significant to sign. he is calling it a ioo—year partnership treaty with ukraine and i think it's meant to underline the long—term commitment for supporting ukraine from britain.

of course britain has been at the forefront of efforts to support ukraine up until now, supplying missiles, supplying military training, supplying a lot of economic aid and military aid in kind. so a lot of support is going to carry on going forward. more money is going to be offered today but i think it's also about that symbolic support which is important particularly now because donald trump is about to return to the white house as us president, and as he was running for thatjob, for that role, he was underlining time and again that it was time to scale back american support for ukraine and almost pushing the onus on to europe to help ukraine and britain is of course a key part of that. in the uk the royal college of nursing has warned that patients are being put at risk as they are being cared for in hospitals. the report heard from 5000 nurses across the uk about the scale of the corridor

crisis, following intense pressure on the nhs due to what they call a epidemic of viruses. our health editor hugh hugh pym has the latest. i am running out of oxygen cylinders. lisa has five ambulances on the way, trolleys and oxygen are needed fast. at this moment in time, i've got 27 patients in majors with 16 stretchers. the majors area has 22 cubicles and once they are all full. trolleys are lined up outside. nobody wants to be where everybody can see, it it feels uncomfortable and it is not nice, there are privacy concerns. patients are even overflowing to nearby corridors. our complaints have gone up significantly, mainly around

waiting times and corridor care and where patients are treated on the corridors. and ideally you wouldn't do it? no, absolutely. extra nurses come to help with the extra patients, hired in or sent from other wards. she is going to send an nurse. emergency unit consultant dan assesses a scan of an's leg. we were concerned there were some vessels in the femur that were bleeding and getting worse but actually she's got a massive bruise. her leg was trapped after her car slid on ice. eventually, local schoolchildren feed her. and there i was stuck, screaming. and they managed to put the car back up on the ice and get it out and rescue me. james has just arrived by ambulance. paramedics fear sepsis. he has put up with it

for quite a while. as a farmer, he has soldiered on but now he is really critically unwell. they find him space in the ambulance arrivals zone. ideally, we wanted to see him in the resuscitation room but there wasn't space. we have asked myself as a consultant to come and see him at the front door, so to speak. how long will he stay in this bay? that is a good question. as you can see, we are getting a bit of a rush at the moment. we've got three ambulances coming. even waiting space by the doorway is full of patients on trolleys. and it is cold here. ambulances are gathering outside and another five are en route. this emergency department was opened injuly 2023 and despite a state—of—the—art design, it has already been outgrown. the reality is at times we are still struggle to cope

with a number of people waiting so we do sadly have patients sometimes having corridor care. it isn't what we want to do, it is not something that we are proud that is happening but it is the best we can do in the circumstances. the next morning, the department is calmer. james was finally moved to a ward at 4am. anne is leaving her ward soon. i got off quite lightly, in the circumstances. as she lives alone, doctors wanted to check she has support in place. but after her lucky escape, she can't wait to get home. thank you, everybody, thank you, goodbye. britain's economic output increased by a lower than expected 0.i%. increased by a lower than expected 0.1%. the chancellor has reiterated her promise to go further and faster to improve economic growth as figures showed the uk's economy grew for the first time in three months in november but

the figures are lower than analysts had been expecting. doctors are treating the bollywood actor saif ali khan. his condition is stable and police are hunting for his attacker. he lives in a suburb which is home to many in india's film industry, where residents have called for greater security. our correspondent has more on the story. we've heard from the police, as well as the doctors who've been treating actor saif ali khan. the police have said that the attacker entered his home using the fire escape. they believe the motive was burglary. the attacker has fled, but they say that they have identified a suspect. and they formed ten police teams who are searching for the suspect at the moment.

the doctors also came out and spoke after the surgery. they said saif ali khan was admitted to lilavati hospital at around three in the night, and that he had some major stab injuries. the most significant one among them was an injury to his spinal cord. they say there was a knife lodged in his spinal cord which had to be removed. he also had deep wounds in his left hand and his neck. but they say that the surgery has been successful, that his condition is stable. he's being monitored in an intensive care unit. but most significantly, they believe there's been no permanent damage and that he will fully recover. his publicist, as well as that of his wife, kareena kapoor khan, who's another massive bollywood actor, have also said that khan's life is out of danger and that they're very grateful for the support that they've had. between them, they're a real bollywood power couple. saif ali khan started acting in hindi movies more than 30 years ago. he's acted in a wide range of scores of movies. his mother a very celebrated actress. his father was someone who played cricket for india.

kareena kapoor belongs to what is often called the first family of bollywood in india, and so between them, a real power couple, perhaps the most well—known couple in india. the incident, therefore, has sent shock waves not just through the film industry, notjust through the entertainment industry, but ordinary people as well. and the reason for that is that the place where they live, so the city of mumbai, but also the suburb of bandra specifically, it's believed to be among the safest places to live here in india. the space company blue origin, founded by billionaire jeff bezos, launched its massive new glenn rocket for the first time. the rocket, whose inaugural mission had been delayed by several years, and which is seen as critical to blue origin's efforts to compete with elon musk�*s spacex, blasted from the cape

canaveral space force base in the us state of florida. let me show you some live pictures from khan younis as the world awaits the final confirmation of the ceasefire deal due to start on sunday. the israeli cabinet are yet to vote on the deal. there are some reports from israel about additional demands from hamas. hamas say they are still committed to the dell. this is bbc news. we are back in a few minutes. hello again. this morning, some mist and fog patches continuing to lift. but as we go through the next few days and nights, we are not out of the woods in terms of mist and fog forming. for most of us the next few days will be dry and cloudy. there will be some sunny spells, windy in the northwest at times and then it turns colder into the weekend. so when all the fog does lift away we are looking at some brighter skies,

some hazy sunshine, but we hang on to more cloud across the south—eastern and southern counties of england. with a weak weather front approaching western scotland and northern ireland, here too the cloud will thicken. windy across the northwest and temperatures down on where they were yesterday. looking at a range of 7—10 degrees. through this evening and overnight, all this cloud across southern areas pushes a bit further north. we will see some mist and fog patches reform and our weather front makes more inroads in across scotland and northern ireland, introducing some patchy light rain. gales developing across the far north—west and temperatures here hanging on at about 10 degrees but falling away toi in liverpool. so then into tomorrow, our high pressure that's been driving our weather tends to drift a bit further east. the weather front bringing the rain into scotland and northern ireland moves further north and the isobars start to slacken. so we start off on a cloudy note. there will be some

mist and fog around. the cloud and patchy rain pushes northwards across scotland and again we will see some breaks develop in the cloud, probably the best of which will be across the north—east. temperature—wise, it's the north that will favour the higher temperatures, 11s and 12s. come further south, we are looking at 5 to about 8 degrees. as we head from friday into the weekend, the high pressure does move away. that allows this weather front to come into the west, pushing eastwards during the course of sunday. now behind that what you will notice is it will turn that bit cooler. so friday through much of saturday we still are looking at temperatures reasonable for the time of year but then we pull in this colder air overnight saturday into sunday. so for the outlook we are looking at a fairly cloudy picture. it will be relatively dry but what you will notice too is it will turn chillier in central and eastern england.

this is bbc news. the headlines... south korea's impeach president has refused to take part in questioning on his attempt to impose martial law. lawyers say it is due to ill—health. israel's cabinet is due to vote on the deal after delaying it, accusing hamas

of backtracking. the group says it remains committed. anticipation in gaza after months of destruction, as the world waits for the israel—hamas peace deal to take force. in other news, sir keir starmer arrives in kyiv to sign a partnership deal to deepen security ties. he says the uk would �*never let up' on support for ukraine. with just days beofre he hands power to donald trump, president biden delivers a farewell address — warning that extreme wealth and power is a threat to democracy. hello, thanks was staying with us. to south korea and the country's suspended president has refused to take part in a second day of questioning into a criminal probe into a short lived attempt to impose martial law. he was arrested on wednesday on charges of insurrection and abuse of power. lawyers said he wouldn't take part in any further

questioning due to ill—health.