an eruption of cheers as family members celebrate the release of their loved one, omer shem tov. this is the scene live at ofer prison in israel, where more than 600 palestinian prisoners are to be in other news, us president trump fires senior officials at the pentagon, including the highest—ranking military officer and the first woman to lead the us navy. and the final day of campaigning is under way in germany ahead of a general election on sunday. have been taking to voters the last minutes we begin in the middle east with these live pictures from ofer prison, in the occupied west ban,

release 602 palestinian prisoners and detainees. then just over an hour ago, there was another release to the red cross, this time in nuseirat. also now in the hands of the israeli military. one more hostage is expected to be released today — hisham al—sayed — he will be released without a public the idf says hamas wouldn't hold their ceremony in respect for the bedouin—israeli community. earlier this week was not that of shiri bibas, as they had claimed. by hamas on friday is hers. this is live in tel aviv, where a large crowd has gathered to watch the releases in a location that's become known as hostages square. this is final part of the first phase of

the gaza ceasefire deal. handover by hamas. i mean, all this parading of hostages is cynical in the fullness of time. but we need also to look at the positive. we always said that the ceasefire is fragile, it is fragile, but at the same

time, both sides, all in all, when this stage is about to end, we need to look at the second phase, which is even more complicated, because it hamas the rest of the hostages, and israel moving to the end of the war. do you think it is possible to move to that second stage? or is it injeopardy? with the cynical parading

of coffins of young children, i think it harmed even the little trust that was built over the last few weeks. but i think that is where the mediators enter into the frame, and it is very important that we move to the second phase. at the end of the day, the most important thing prisoner release today. tears, and a lot of debate

about the state of the prisoners, much as is present with the state of the hostages we have seen in the previous days and weeks. as we mentioned earlier, about 600, 50 of these prisoners are sentenced to life sentences, deal, they will be released as well. who were arrested after october the 7th and what will happen to them. of course, some are expecting to go back home, certainly their families are expecting them to go back on, but once with life sentences such as turkey, qatar, perhaps even pakistan and malaysia.

and in terms of who is being released, compared with ones who are now being released today. is that it is a bit slower than previous days, because the number is certainly higher, a name that keeps coming up, the longest serving palestinian prisoner, nael barghouti, in israeli prisons, released following the 2011 exchange deal that we just mentioned, where one israeli soldier was released and his sentencing was very much disputed.

perhaps say that it was due to a speech he gave at a university, palestinian reports say he was nominated to the position of minister of prisoners, so his second arrest was disputed, he was sentenced to life in prison again in we have been monitoring that. reunited with their loved ones. for their final push to convince voters to put their conservative candidate friedrich merz in popularity in an election

that has seen an immgration no more back polling stayed stable, but what are the tomorrow? 5 tomorrow? well, i have to apologise 7 i have to apologise for 7 first, i have to apologise for the state of my voice, we have been speaking to so many voters my voice has my voicefhas gotten j my voicefhas gottena that. my veice has ggt}y,,7, .,,.....,,,,,, in that. my veice has getter�*a ~ . —~ in the cold weather here, horse in the cold weather here, so apologies to viewers for that! this election is very much dominated by some of the 50 so the economy other elections, so the economy migration, those are the and migration, those are the main from again main issues from voters again and again here in magdeburg and berlin, where we have speaking to them. what we can expect is that the christian 5:59.55? isthet. the ghr�*istienflj ' " the cdl, eeeeet iethet the qhr�*ietiehflj ' " the cdl, and democrats, the cdl, and friedrich merz coming out on top, and then after else seems to be everything else seems to be on

the table. —— the cdu. we have seen all the other "w for fifffvbi’eifh’ey and one interestin factor can, and one interesting factor that we not seen as much previous german elections is p there. german elections is p there are rman elections is p there are a 1an elections is p there are a good ections is p there are a good number s p there are a good number of that there are a good number of undecided voters, and a few reasons for that, polarisation reeeehefer'thet. eeterieetieh a number of issues, but across a number of issues, but also because it has a across a number of issues, but also b short: it has a across a number of issues, but also b short campaign, a across a number of issues, but also b short campaign, ita across a number of issues, but also b short campaign, its a election, not as much time snaggelection. not as much time so snaggelection. not as much time so there ggaéoéelectioh. not as much time so there are some zez= who {7 they no they still do voterswhe eeyrthey stilt do know exactly votersrwho soyrthoy still do know exactly who they are not know exactly who they are going to cast their ballot for when get into the polling when they get into the polling booth tomorrow. x�*t�*ou heethtemerrow. coalitions, how in passing coalitions, how difficult would it be to form a coalition, and how long will it coalition; andimw to 9 -' ' take? teed; !. tees se eege "’ and take? teed; “t eeee ee e“? ' t and there are take? sell; it eeete ee eeite - and there are a take? sell; it eeele ee elite - and there are a few that. it �* that. it really reasons for that. it really depends on not only how the christian democrats do but how some of the main parties -=: we know the christian do. we know the christian have said they do. we know the christian work have said they loill do. we know the christian work with /e said they loill do. we know the christian work with the aid they loill do. we know the christian work with the aid right " not work withrtho for right who will get about 20% of

aha. who will oet ehoot 2981: of ~ ~ ~ , bout afta. who will oet ehoot 2981: of ~ ~ ~ , bout if polls are correct. the bout if polls are correct. —— the far right afd. if those voters we spoke to today said they�* right ed of voters we spoke to today said they�* right afd. if those —— the far right afd. if those zgthzejer right'afd. if those- are :;,eh,:%;fflf right'afd. if those- are more :;,eh,:%;fflf right’af-fi. if those- parties are more fractured and are more fractured and tee—ties- ere "aa—e freetlrred eed” - f 7' *' ~ - a smaller percentage, you get a smaller percentage, you get a smaller percentage, you could see a three party could see a three party anidrthat”? ' ' coalition, and that simply will anidrthatisimply ' anidrthatisimplywill ' coalition, and that simply will take longerfor to be take longerfor them to coalition, and that simply will take longer for to be able take longer for them to be able to agree the issues and come coalition, and that simply will take longer for them to be able to agree on the issues and come to ogree on the issdes ond'oome an agreement to agree on the issues and come to an agreement on what the to egree on the issdes end'oome an agreement on what the to an agreement on what the coalition should stand for. coalition should stand for. e--; analysts— , — some analysts we spoke to coalition should stand for. e--; analysts we — , — coalition should stand for. e--; analysts we spoke 7 , — coalition should stand for. e--; analysts we spoke to 7 , — some analysts we spoke to yesterday say they think it yesterday say they think it could take until about april could 1: , ,- ,- april for a new government to be in a new government to be in ,- 7 but: 7 77—7777?” — butfeven then we place, but even then we are not but even then we are butfeven then we are not place, but even then we are not entirely sure, it could even entirely sure, it could even be zi— beyond that. so we will have to 22-— 5 that. so we 7 77 77t7hat7.7so w7e7wil7l 7 7 7 {th7.75 w7e7wil7l hay; that.7so we will have to beyond that. so we will have to wait and see what the final wait and see what the final fieit ems see fishet the 5351" 777 777777 777 7 ”7 are fieit ems! see fishet the 5351" 777 777777 777 7 ”7 are on fifefit ehze! eee fihét the 5535177 77 7 777777 777 7 777 are on sunday. numbers are on sunday. send eeit she eee ehet the fleet ' e ' ’ "' ' ’ " "" are on sunda . �* numbers are on sunday. ii " -,- wait and see what the final numbers are on sunday. and it has been _ been a numbers are on sunday. iee " w been a tense numbers are on sunday. eee e - ' beena tense time, numbers are on sunday. and it has been a _ numbers are on sunday. and it has been a tense _ numbers are on sunday. and it has been a tense time, - numbers are on sunday. e” e - ' been a tense time, hasn't has been a tense time. hasn't with a number of numbers are on sunday. and it has been a tense time, hasn'tl has been a tense time, hasn't it, with a number of high has been a tense time, hasn't with a number of high it, with a number of high visibility attacks?- visibility attacks?- it, with a number of high visibility attacks? right: right, that is why are it, with a number of high visibility attacks? yeah. that is riaht, visibility attacks? yeah. that is right. that _ visibility attacks? yeah. that is right, that is _ visibility attacks? yeah. that is right, that is why - visibility attacks? yeah. that is right, that is why we - is right, that is why we are here in in visibility attacks? yeah. that is right, that is why we are i is right, that is why we are here in magdeburg, in december here in magdeburg, in december was an here, a car there was an attack here, a car there was an attack here, a car running five people were running where five people were running where five people were killed and more injured, killed and many more injured, killed and many more injured, and it really shocked the city, and it really shocked the city, and it really shocked the city, and i will tell you that some and it really shocked the city, and i will tell you that some

voters we spoke to today said voters we spoke they are tired of

of thejoint chiefs of staff. mr trump insistence that the military is mired in diversity issues. here in the uk, emergency services and a van in manchester city centre. a three—year—old girl was taken to hospital and has sadly passed away from her injuries. has been found guilty of attempted murder. to the stage for a talk in new york in 2022, oh, my god! the attack on sir salman rushdie was very public. he had been giving

a talk on stage about keeping writers safe. the sound to be turned off. the 27—year—old didn't react. i'll tell you what, the conduct was so horrid provided under the law isn't sufficient. he was in hiding for nearly ten years after iran issued a bounty in 1989, accusing the author hadi matar has never made his motive clear

he took very little trouble to inform himself about the man he was planning to kill. of what, and that he had watched a couple of youtube too, which he denies. nomia iqbal, bbc news, washington. sport with gavin ramjaun. taking place in pakistan, and a huge opening game for england, who have and a record breaking one for ben duckett. they won the toss and put england than 50 on the board, they recovered to post 351—8, thanks largely to opener duckett�*s huge 165 runs, joe root made 68,

seven games in the premier league on saturday, and one of those is already under way — everton against manchester united at goodison park. just four wins from their last 14 premier league it is 2-0 it is 2—0 everton at the david moyes hosting his former club, with four wins his six league games so far. five games kicking off at three o'clock, with villa against chelsea the late game. and in scotland, runaway leaders celtic to 16 points with a win at hibernian. that match is approaching half time, 1—0 hibs. december�*s loss at celtic park.

second place rangers at home to st mirren. in recent seasons, and this evening, scotland we are not happy about our history recent history against scotland, and is an scotland, and this is an opportunity create a new 77 7 sn}! ho7p7e7ful7ly77 77 7 sn}! 5075511171er narrative, and hopefully we will win.

they have been a really team _ they have been a really team for the last 12 months, and — team for the last 12 months, and on — team for the last 12 months, and on the wrong side of scorelines up last week, scorelines up until last week, but they— scorelines up until last week, but they have always, you know, been _ but they have always, you know, been playing against top opposition, and it has eeeeeitiehgehel'it'ha:been --- , .-- close -ames, eeeeeitiehgemel'it'ha:been - close games, and i really close games, and i think. _ really close games, and i think, know, are under think, you know, we are under no - they— think, you know, we are under no - they are _ think, you know, we are under no they are a top think, you know, we are under no iityareatop think, you know, we are under no iityaitakeip think, you know, we are under no i it y ai take good from us to beat them. matt sherratt, of the table ireland. wales took action, after their loss to italy — their 14th defeat in a row. it has been tough, obviously gutted to see go, but we gotted to see warren—go. bot we had game to fi so it is 7 77- preppe7d so it is about preppe7d fort is about getting prepped for this has been a weekend. there has been a of changes, not 72: fiwe have adap 7 but we have adapted well much, but we have adapted well as a squad, we have prepared well this week.

making sure we start well and continue — making sure we start well and continue that the whole game, so all— 817 00:18:06,754 --