live from washington. this is bbc news. there's jubilation over the latest hostage and prisoner release, and a precarious moment for the gaza ceasefire deal — as israel accuses hamas of breaching its terms. as the trump administration freezes us aid to most countries, we look at those most impacted — like violence—torn haiti. and: donald trump praises sir keir starmer — saying he plans to call the british prime minister within 2a hours in what would be the first conversation between the two leaders since the inauguration. hello. i'm carl nasman. a fragile truce aimed at ending the war in gaza is entering its second week, after four israeli hostages and around 200 palestinian prisoners were released tojubilation in israel and west bank. the release of four israeli soldiers — naama levy, liri albag, daniella gilboa

and karina ariev — is the second exchange to take place as part of the gaza ceasefire deal. meanwhile, crowds of palestinians turned out in the west bank to welcome two buses carrying detainees released from two israeli prisons. as part of the ceasefire deal, thousands of displaced gaza residents were supposed to be allowed to return to the north of the strip saturday. but israel has so far prevented them crossing into the north until a female civilian hostage, arbel yehud, is released. israel says she should have been freed saturday. we have this report from our middle east correspondent lucy williamson. ina in a theatre of war — the theatre of victory. four israeli soldiers escorted by hamas to a specially—built stage. the four smiling for the

cameras after 15 months in captivity. theirfreedom cameras after 15 months in captivity. their freedom signed moments before. hostages taken by brute force released with a pen. back home in israel, they watched them freed — tension breaking into relief. into tears. cheering the childhood friends of liri clinging together as she appeared. a moment imagined many times. still unreal. when i saw liri smile, _ many times. still unreal. when i saw liri smile, when - many times. still unreal. when i saw liri smile, when i - many times. still unreal. when i saw liri smile, when i saw - i saw liri smile, when i saw liri walking on her two legs, it's everything. it's everything. she's 0k. she fighted and this moment, this couple of minute, just show me how brave she is. cheering in exchange, israel released

200 palestinians from its jails to gaza, egypt, and the occupied west bank. first glimpses of long—lost relatives. chanting first glimpses of postwar gaza. running to meet the red cross van in gaza, this man's niece and nephew with their mother. it's been 20 years, she said. "my brother, my heart." but the home—coming of those displaced by the war here was delayed. blocked by israeli forces after israel accused hamas of breaching the deal by not releasing a civilian female hostage held by another militia group. then panic as shots were fired. israel doesn't allow

outside journalists in to operate independently from gaza. but reports suggest one man was killed and others injured. israel's army said it fired warning shots into the air. (siren sounds) crying - crying across the border, 15 months of waiting ended. in the relief of hugging a parent holding a child. their return also a reminder of 90 hostages still held in gaza. for them — this isjust held in gaza. for them — this is just the held in gaza. for them — this isjust the beginning in held in gaza. for them — this is just the beginning in a held in gaza. for them — this isjust the beginning in a long and precarious road home. our correspondent nick beake was in tel aviv where the families gathered to celebrate the latest release of hostages. all through saturday, hundreds of people have been coming to

this place. they call it hostage square. there was great jubilation at the start when they saw on the big screen the images of the four women being freed and then being reunited with their families. what's going on now is that there's a rally and on the big screen are the images of the other hostages who have not yet been released. there are about 90 of them. it's thought about a third have died. theirfamilies are saying they won't give up their fight until everyone has been returned to israel. there was one complication in this prisoner swap today and that was the fact that for the past week or so, it had been widely reported in the israeli media that a particular civilian, arbel yehoud, would be released but she wasn't on the list that hamas submitted on friday night. why was this? people were wanting to know. the israeli government have said that hamas have broken the terms of the deal and so today prevented hundreds of thousands of gazans going further north in returning to their homes. we have been hearing from one

hamas source that next weekend, in fact, the civilian will be released and apparently hamas have given proof of life to the mediators of this fragile ceasefire. so this is a very delicate moment in this process but there has been on saturday some joy at the sight of four more hostages coming home. the release of the israeli soldiers today prompted israel, under the gaza ceasefire deal, to release 200 palestinians it's been holding in detention. jon donnison was in ramallah for the release of those prisoners. well, earlier this afternoon in ramallah, we saw pretty chaotic scenes to be honest as those prisoners were busted out of oferjail in beitunia. they arrived at this reception centre which had been put on in ramallah and there were, as i say, chaotic scenes as the buses on which they arrived was swarmed with their supporters,

theirfamily members. we swarmed with their supporters, their family members. we then saw the prisoners file off the bus, all in their grey prison tracksuits, many with shaven heads, some with quite long beards and all, it has to be said, looking pretty gaunt, like they lost quite a lot of weight while in prison. overall weight while in prison. overall we had 200 prisoners freed today. just over 100 came back here to the west bank and then they'll be allowed to travel home to the west bank or east jerusalem. 70 more — those who had been convicted of more serious offences — they have now been transferred to egypt. they're going to be deported to neighbouring countries such as qatar and turkey. and a number of prisoners were sent to gaza. now, we had a range of offences really, but 121 of those people released today were serving life sentences, some of them convicted on multiple counts of murder and attempted murder —

membership of what israel calls terrorist organisations. we also had some people who hadn't ever been charged. the youngest person to be released today was a 16—year—old boy. but what i would say finally is that those images that were broadcast all over the middle east today will do — will give a boost to hamas' prestige because it allows hamas to say, "look, we're the ones getting the prisoners out. we're the ones who are the only real legitimate resistance", as they would see it to israel's occupation. over the next five weeks we're going to see 1,600 more prisoners coming out and it will do — it will benefit hamas' popularity in the west bank which is already been surging over the past 15 months. the hostage—prisoner exchange

is part of a fragile ceasefire agreement between israel and hamas that took effect last sunday. hundreds of truckloads of aid have entered gaza daily since then, but the un says, "the humanitarian situation remains dire". on saturday, president trump urged jordan and egypt should take more palestinians from gaza, where israel's war against hamas caused a humanitarian crisis. he says this move could be temperature rare or long—term aimed at enabling palestinians to quote, "live in peace for a change." in lebanon, israel has warned people in the south of the country not to return home, after saying its troops would remain there beyond sunday. they're supposed to withdraw under a ceasefire with hezbollah. lebanon's army accused israel of procrastination. in the past couple of hours, president trump has told the bbc�*s anthony zurcher that the british prime minister has done "a very good job" — and said he would call sir keir starmer in the next 2a hours. he said the pair get along very well — saying, "i may not agree

with his philosophy, but i have a very good relationship with him." trump's ally elon musk recently criticised sir keir�*s government over its response to child exploitation cases. if you go to the uk, you think you'll get along with keir starmer and the labour government? i starmer and the labour government?— starmer and the labour government? ., government? i do. i met him already three _ government? i do. i met him already three times. - government? i do. i met him already three times. he's - government? i do. i met him l already three times. he's come already three times. he's come over_ already three times. he's come over to — already three times. he's come over to see _ already three times. he's come over to see me twice. i recall he and — over to see me twice. i recall he and i_ over to see me twice. i recall he and i had a call over the next — he and i had a call over the next 24 _ he and i had a call over the next 24 hours. i get along with him welt — next 24 hours. i get along with him welt i_ next 24 hours. i get along with him well. i like him a lot. he's_ him well. i like him a lot. he's liberal which is a little bit different for me. but i think_ bit different for me. but i think he's a very good person. think he's a very good person. i think— think he's a very good person. i think he's_ think he's a very good person. i think he's — he's done a very good — i think he's — he's done a very good job— i think he's — he's done a very good job thus far. he's very new— good job thus far. he's very new in_ good job thus far. he's very new in the job, but he's represented his country in terms _ represented his country in terms of— represented his country in terms of his philosophiment i may— terms of his philosophiment i may not— terms of his philosophiment i may not agree with his philosophy, but i have a very good — philosophy, but i have a very good relationship with him. i have — good relationship with him. i have seen him twice. i met him at trump — have seen him twice. i met him at trump tower as you probably know _ at trump tower as you probably know. , , ., ~

know. president trump making those comments _ know. president trump making those comments aboard - know. president trump making those comments aboard air- know. president trump making i those comments aboard air force onejust those comments aboard air force one just about those comments aboard air force onejust about an those comments aboard air force one just about an hour or so ago as he returned from his visit to the state of nevada. the state of course flipped republican in the recent presidential election for the first time in decades. he said he might rejoin the world health organization just days after he ordered the us to withdraw from the un global agency. he said it would have to be as he put it cleaned up. president trump also addressed his plans to tackle illegal immigration. he's sending hundreds of troops to states bordering mexico like neighbouring arizona to boost security. these are new pictures here showing soldiers arriving at fort bliss in texas just across the border from mexico. it's been used as a staging ground as they prepare to deploy. also in the last 24 hours, the trump administration has fired at least dozen federal watchdogs, a move which could face some legal challenges and prompted concern on capitol hill. republican senator chuck grassly released a statement saying there may be good reasons they were fired.

if so, i would like further explanation from donald trump. mr trump has defended his actions saying the firing of that watchdog staff was, quote, "common thing to do", and he will be replacing them with people who will be, quote, "very good." but the senate minority leader, democrat chuck schumer said it marked the start of golden age of abuse of government.— government. yesterday in the dark of night, _ government. yesterday in the dark of night, president - government. yesterday in the| dark of night, president trump fired at least 12 independent inspector generals at important federal agencies across the administration. this is a chilling purge and it's a preview of the lawless approach donald trump and his administration are taking far too often as he's becoming president. these dismissals are possibly in violation of federal law which requires congress to have 30 days' notice of any intent to fire inspectors general. these firings is donald trump's way of telling us he's terrified of

accountability. the us state department has halted spending on almost all foreign aid projects, with exceptions for israel and egypt, according to an internal memo sent to officials. a review is set to be carried out over the next three months. the us is the world's biggest international aid donor, spending 68 billion dollars last year. the notice appears to affect everything from development assistance to military aid, and risks cutting off life—saving services — though there are exceptions forfood aid. violence—torn haiti will be one of the countries most impacted. the us is haiti's biggest donor — providing more than $5.6 billion since the 2010 earthquakes — for disaster relief, reconstruction and development programs. for more on this, i spoke to jacqueline charles, reporter with the miami herald whos been covering haiti for over a decade. great to talk with you about this. the us is haiti's largest aid donor, what has been the reaction to the move among organisations and people there? in the beginning, people were scratching their heads and trying to figure out

what the impact will be, from providers to even government officials. people were not sure but now it is starting to settle in, and in fact partners in hope, who provide medical services, one of the largest hospitals there that are still functioning, they sent out a release and they called this reckless, saying it will reverse decades of progress, especially in areas of hiv—aids as well as maternal health. give us a sense of what sorts of programmes will be affected? i assume there are things like health but also this crucial security mission the us has been funding in haiti as well? exactly, under the biden administration the us provided more than $600 million for the kenyan—led multinational security support mission. they thought they would get more support for international committees, that did not necessarily happen, and so we are waiting to see how it will affect us. we just had a contingent of kenyan officers arriving

in haiti this month, another group, 400, infact, that are in kenya that need to be deployed, and i know they have been very concerned about whether or not the united states under president trump will continue with the funding. so much is not known at this point but the reality it is what i have been told is that even on projects where you may continue the operation, because there are only these various levels, a lot of these the implementing agencies, they hire people to do it, and so now will have to wait 90 days to get reimbursed. some people just cannot wait 90 days. so when you talk to experts, they tell you that most likely the projects may close, things may stop, certain services, or people may end up leaving because theyjust cannot wait around to get reimbursed. in the meantime, the government is going through turmoil but does it have the means to bridge the gap? no, haiti does not have the means. the budget is $2.5 million.

last year when the haitian pol.ice were taking on armed gangs, they were running out of ammunition and it was the us that had — they brought the additional ammunition. these are questions asked of the state department, be specific, what happens, will they continue to provide ammunition if these missions or the police do not get a response. there is a big picture but also the practical, every day — the us is their biggest donor, funding these missions, last year gangs killed more than 5,600 people, a million people displaced, many of them are in tent cities with no access to sanitation, drinking water, we see a resurgence of cholera of tuberculosis. this is having catastrophic effects in that country. donald trump has been implementing a crackdown on immigration. could something like cutting

to a nation like haiti end up having the opposite effect and you might see another resurgence and people leaving the country once again? there has been a lot of moves in terms of immigration that president trump has implemented, and they will affect people who have come here during the biden administration, through humanitarian programmes. we know that in countries where the situation is really starting to deteriorate, people get desperate and they take to the seas or the land, the situation today is very volatile with the gang crisis, 6 million people now in need of humanitarian assistance, we see famine, these are all numbers from the united nations. so anything possibly could be the trigger that make people desperate enough to take

to the seas again. always great to have you on, thank you again. thirteen un peacekeeping soldiers have been killed in the eastern region of the democratic republic of the congo. that's where congolese forces are clashing with the rwanda—backed m23 rebels. the un says that more than 400,000 people have fled their h