tough, but either he can talk tough, but i don't think that they've actually real tangible actually got any real tangible policies convince the policies that would convince the voters and energy security. >> and the idea , the tribute >> and the idea, the tribute migration . migration. >> i was going to say. >> i was going to say. >> so you're talking about policies. i keep thinking it's sort of gb news. in fact, it's gb energy, this company that we're talking about setting up because cost of living. you because the cost of living. you remember, the famous, remember, you know, the famous, you carville, it's you know, james carville, it's the economy, immigration the economy, stupid. immigration is number one item on is not the number one item on most people's agenda. it is the cost of living. the fact that we can't afford to heat eat can't afford to heat and eat thatis can't afford to heat and eat that is big issue. i think that is the big issue. i think that's where labour is making the case. >> my point, my was going >> my point, my point was going to that i think given the way to be that i think given the way the pr handling of this the bad pr handling of this mosque pulled, it mosque stunt that he pulled, it seems that the from starmer's perspective, the best thing he can do in order to win votes at the next general election is to just keep his head down while the tories keep mucking things up or fail to turn the ship. as i said, because every time he does try to wade in, he seems to

does try to wade in, he seems to do it in a way that is somewhat cack handed and it tends to backfire. >> despair. that is, >> counsel of despair. that is, isn't really? isn't it really? >> yes . >> yes. >> yes. >> whose side are you on? >> whose side are you on? >> okay, let's go live. he is the prime minister and families of those who lost their lives . of those who lost their lives. >> mr speaker, this morning i had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others in addition my duties this addition to my duties in this house.i addition to my duties in this house. i shall have further such meetings today . meetings later today. >> josh howie matalon. thank you , and can i join the prime >> and can i join the prime minister in expressing my sympathies those affected minister in expressing my syrthethies those affected minister in expressing my syrthe recent those affected minister in expressing my syrthe recent storms? ie affected minister in expressing my syrthe recent storms? but,'ected minister in expressing my syrthe recent storms? but, mred by the recent storms? but, mr speaken by the recent storms? but, mr speaker, 2 million people just cannot sustained from 20 odd cannot be sustained from 20 odd aid lorries . aid lorries. >> utter catastrophe is being unleashed in gaza . does not the unleashed in gaza. does not the prime minister now see that only a humanitarian ceasefire can bnng a humanitarian ceasefire can bring about the scale of emergency aid that is needed . emergency aid that is needed. and of course, israel has a right to defend itself in line with international and humanitarian laws. but we must also speak out when those laws are breached. so surely he agrees that depriving 2 million civilians, a million children of

food , of water, medicines and food, of water, medicines and fuel is not in accordance with international law. will he press israel to restore the supply of these essentials for the sake of innocent civilians and the future of the entire region? yes well, mr speaker, it's important that we do everything we can to get humanitarian aid to those who need it in gaza, which is why on monday, we announced a doubung why on monday, we announced a doubling of our international aid to the region and why the development minister is actively engaged with our partners on the ground to ensure that that aid gets to those people as quickly as possible. >> of course. >> of course. >> thank you, mr speaker. >> thank you, mr speaker. >> double child rapist and murderer colin pitchfork had yet another parole review hearing only a few weeks ago. i thank the justice secretary for having listened to me and engaged the reconsideration mechanism rule. now, i know the prime minister does not have any decision making role within the independent parole board. it's independent parole board. it's independent of government, but it is a wing of the executive.

it is not the judiciary. now, does the prime minister agree with me that men who rape and brutally murder our young women, as mr pitchfork did to don ashworth and linda mann in my constituency ? does he agree that constituency? does he agree that generally , as a point of generally, as a point of principle , these sexual offender principle, these sexual offender laws should remain in prison for most of their natural lives ? most of their natural lives? >> i agree with my honourable friend that the public should be confident that murderers and rapists will be kept behind bars for as long as is necessary to keep the public safe. and that's why we're reforming the parole system. our victims, bill, will mean that minimising risk and protecting public are the protecting the public are the sole considerations in parole board decisions. it will also give the justice secretary the power step in behalf of power to step in on behalf of the public and take a second look at decisions to release the most serious offenders, including murderers and rapists. and last week we announced that

we be introducing longer we will be introducing longer sentences dangerous we will be introducing longer sentencesfor dangerous we will be introducing longer sentencesfor the 1gerous we will be introducing longer sentencesfor the most|s we will be introducing longer sentencesfor the most heinous criminals for the most heinous crimes. life will mean life when it comes to the leader of the opposition, keir starmer . opposition, keir starmer. >> yes . >> yes. >> yes. >> can i join the prime minister in his comments about all those affected by these storms? can i start by welcoming the new member for mid bedfordshire ? member for mid bedfordshire? >> the first labour mp ever to represent those beautiful towns and villages. >> he defied the odds history and of course, the fantasy lib dem bar charts . can i also dem bar charts. can i also welcome the new member for tamworth ? she will be a powerful tamworth? she will be a powerful representative for her constituents . is the prime constituents. is the prime minister as relieved as i am that those constituents are not burdened with his defeated

candidate who told them don't worry, mr speaker, i'm going to sanitise this to f off if they're struggling with the cost of living . yes of living. yes >> well, mr speaker , i'm proud >> well, mr speaker, i'm proud of what this government is doing to support the most vulnerable. over the past year. but mr speaker , can i can i, in fact, speaker, can i can i, in fact, join him in welcoming the new members to their places? after all, i suspect the new member for mid beds may actually support me a little bit more than the last . one although support me a little bit more than the last. one although . than the last. one although. although although i did, i did nofice.| although although i did, i did notice. i did although although i did, i did notice . i did notice that the notice. i did notice that the new member said that they will be opposing new housing in their local area. why the while the new member for tamworth claimed that they will protect green spaces, i would urge them to have a word with their leader

because that's not exactly his position. mr speaker, although with his track record of u—turns , who knows what his housing policy next week? yes yes. >> album. well so much for being the change candidate. >> he can't even distance himself from those appalling comments. but but i do have to ask him. i do have to ask him where on earth does the prime minister think his candidate got the idea in the first that the idea in the first place that throwing expletives at struggling families was his government's official position ? government's official position? yes. prime minister. >> well, mr >> well, mr >> mr speaker, let's just look at the record of what this government is doing to help those people. well, paying for around half of a typical family's energy bill over the last year support worth over £1,500 for the most vulnerable in our society, receiving £900 in our society, receiving £900 in direct cost of living support at record increases in the national living wage. record increases in welfare and this winter, mr speaker, pensioners are to receive an extra 2 or

£300 alongside their winter fuel payment to help them through what we know is a tough time. all of that, mr speaker, significant support funded by this government, all of that would be put at risk by labour's reckless plans to borrow £28 billion a year. >> sir martin he keeps boasting about how great things are the voters keep telling him he's got it wrong, but i can see why the tamworth candidate thought he was just following the government lines . government lines. >> anna, lisa and her two children. anne lived in their home for eight years in may day they were kicked out with a no fault eviction notice . despite fault eviction notice. despite his government's pledge to scrap no fault evictions this week the prime minister crumbled to the landlords on his own back benches and killed the policy . benches and killed the policy. what message , other than the what message, other than the message delivered by his candidate in tamworth, could anna lisa possibly take from

that? yeah >> prime minister. speaker we've taken significant action to help renters like anneliese and others. we've capped holding deposits at one week. we've protected tenants from rip off tenants fees delivered almost half a million affordable homes for rent and halved the number of percentage of substandard homes in the private rented sector and strengthen the local authority enforcement powers because this government is delivering for renters . but we delivering for renters. but we are also, mr speaker, trying to ensure the new generation can buy their own home. so perhaps he can explain to anna, lisa and thousands and millions of others why, when we brought fonnard plans 100,000 new plans to unlock 100,000 new homes, stood in the way of homes, he stood in the way of that. yes . that. yes. >> just to say it's prime minister questions, the opposition questions keir starmer i'm sorry, prime minister. it is prime minister's questions. >> i don't need you nodding

against my decision, sir. >> well, i'm sure anna, lisa and her children who've now been evicted will take great comfort from that non—answer. emma and her teenage son saw their mortgage go up by more than a quarter after . they may mortgage go up by more than a quarter after. they may think this is funny. quarter after. they may think this is funny . this is real life this is funny. this is real life . after 16 years of dutifully paying . after 16 years of dutifully paying their mortgage for the first time, she's having to choose between new shoes for her son and putting the heating on all because his party crashed the economy, pushing mortgage rates to their highest levels in decades. he says. ignore all that. ignore the fact that the guilty men and women responsible are standing again as his candidates and still setting his policy . can he not see why emma policy. can he not see why emma might think that his party is telling them exactly where to go ? yeah mr speaker, he keeps talking about the mini—budget >> i won't ask him a question,

mr speaker. well i will just point out he did actually support 95% of the things in that mini—budget, which i didn't, mr speaker. but again , didn't, mr speaker. but again, he's had a hole. he's had a whole summer to get on top of the details. he's still ignoring the details. he's still ignoring the fact that rising interest rates a global challenge . rates are a global challenge. they their highest level they are at their highest level in america and europe for more than 20 or 30 years. mortgage rates have doubled in america, trebled in europe. now, what we do want to do to help mortgage holders is ensure that they can use the mortgage charter that we've agreed with the banks. and thanks that we've thanks to the steps that we've taken, someone with a £200,000 property with about £100,000 left on their mortgage, could save over £350 a month and lock in a new deal six months before theirs ended. and repossessions will be prohibited for 12 months from the first missed payment. he might have missed that. that policy is twice as generous as labour's mr carver . labour's mr carver. >> absolutely tone deaf in every

calf , pub and >> absolutely tone deaf in every calf, pub and supermarket in britain. britain having the same conversation. we can't afford that. put it back on the shelf. it's too expensive . lviv. he is it's too expensive. lviv. he is completely oblivious . it's just completely oblivious. it's just patting himself on the back. emily and jamie have worked hard and saving for years to buy their own home. they were nearly there last year, but he scrapped housebuilding targets because his backbenchers pushed him around house building has fallen off a cliff, shattering the simple dream of home ownership for people like emily and jamie. can the prime minister now see that actually his candidate in tamworth was just loyally following the party line as prime minister ? prime minister? >> mr speaker, i think these are these prepared lines really aren't working for him any more. he literally he literally asked a question. he literally asked me a question about the support

that we're providing for mortgage holders. i gave him the answer to that question and then he read from his script to say that we had an answer. the question providing question we're providing significant all these significant help for all these people. moved on to housing people. he's moved on to housing targets. but here's record . targets. but here's the record. 2.5 million homes 2.5 million additional homes housed thing starts double what they we inherited from the labour party . housing supply up labour party. housing supply up 10% on track to deliver a million new homes and a record number of first time buyers. mr speaker . but number of first time buyers. mr speaker. but again, he brings up his candidates in tamworth and mid beds as we open this session. he's now saying he wants to build, he wants to build homes. well, both of those candidates want to say that they want to new homes in their want to block new homes in their constituency. i'm . all 46. constituency. i'm. all 46. >> tell us more about. constituency. i'm. all 46. >> tell us more about . the constituency. i'm. all 46. >> tell us more about. the thank you, mr speaker . you, mr speaker. >> mr speaker, across our country, the british people are rolling up their sleeves and getting on with it, doing their best in the face of a punishing

cost of living crisis and a government that has abandoned them, abandoned renters at risk of being kicked out , them, abandoned renters at risk of being kicked out, abandoned mortgage payers struggling to make ends meet, abandoned those who dream of owning their own house. the truth is, his candidate in tamworth summed up perfectly just how his and his tories are treating the british pubuc tories are treating the british public so will he just call a general election and give the british public the chance to respond as they did in selby, mid beds and tamworth ? they've mid beds and tamworth? they've heard the government telling them to f off and they want the chance to return the compliment . chance to return the compliment. mr mr speaker , prime minister. mr mr speaker, prime minister. >> mr speaker, look , as we saw >> mr speaker, look, as we saw with his recent decisions on actually building new houses, politicians like him always take the easy way out, mr speaker. whereas we're, we're getting on

making the right long term decisions to change this country for the better on net zero on hs2 , on a smoke free generation, hs2, on a smoke free generation, on education and energy security . we contrast that to his leadership too cautious to say anything and hope that nobody notices. mr speaker, let me tell him, come that general election, the british people will. simon hall . yak, yak, yak . hall. yak, yak, yak. >> i said, oh, not more or it's the first time i've been confused with the leader of the opposition. >> mr speaker. oh, no, no , no. >> mr speaker. oh, no, no, no. >> mr speaker. oh, no, no, no. >> there's been many rumours about you wanting to tie him and he will be soon and all of them true, mr speaker. >> like. like me, my right honourable friend has the honour and privilege of representing a rural constituency . i'm sure he, rural constituency. i'm sure he, like i occasionally , feels a like i occasionally, feels a certain degree of frustration

that whilst progress has been made in this area, the rubric of funding formulae for things like the environment agency, local government , the police and government, the police and education still fails to adequately reflect the difficulties and challenges of delivering public service in rural areas. >> can my right honourable friend the chancellor and the wider government use the opportunities of both the autumn statement and the forthcoming budget to explore these issues further , to give a better further, to give a better delivery of service for his constituents for mine? constituents and for mine? >> yes . can constituents and for mine? >> yes. can thank my >> yes. can i thank my honourable friend for raising this important issue on behalf of both his and my constituents? it's vital that we have the same high quality services in rural areas as well as our towns and cities . i areas as well as our towns and cities. i am areas as well as our towns and cities . i am pleased to tell him cities. i am pleased to tell him that we're providing £95 million through the rural services delivery grant to help rural councils achieve exactly that . councils achieve exactly that. we are currently reviewing the police funding formula and i remember working with him to ensure that the national funding formula for schools does take

account of the differing characteristics of schools and their pupils. but we will continue keep all these continue to keep all these things review and i agree things under review and i agree with them entirely. our rural communities must be given the same public services same funding and public services as our country. as everyone else in our country. >> snp deputy leader murray black, you're here. >> thank you, mr speaker. yes yesterday the un warned that hospitals in gaza had just 48 hours of fuel left to keep their electric city going. that was 28 hours ago. the electricity runs out tonight . hours ago. the electricity runs out tonight. now we have a human responsibility to all the people in gaza, but we have a particular responsibility for uk citizens. some of whom are in those hospitals with no food, no water, no medicine, and no way out. so i want to ask the prime minister how much worse does the situation have to get before he will join us in calls for a humanitarian ceasefire ? humanitarian ceasefire? >> mr mr speaker, the from the start we have said that the first and most important principle is that israel has the

right to defend itself under international law, and our support for that position is absolute and unchanged . but from absolute and unchanged. but from the start, we have also said that we do want british nationals to be able to leave gaza and that we want hostages to be released and for humanitarian to get in. and humanitarian aid to get in. and we recognise that for all of that to happen, there has to be a safer environment, which of course necessitates specific pauses as distinct from a ceasefire . and we discuss this ceasefire. and we discuss this with partners yesterday evening at the united nations . and we at the united nations. and we have also been consistently clear that everything must be done to protect civilians in line with international law and continue getting more aid flowing into gaza. >> murray black. >> murray black. >> mr speaker , the growing calls >> mr speaker, the growing calls for a ceasefire is also about calming the situation in the broader region, especially the west bank. unicef has reported over 2000 fatalities and over 5000 injured children since the conflict began due to unrelenting attacks . if we

unrelenting attacks. if we ignore this, we risk pouring petrol on a fire in a place that only requires a spark to ignite. can the prime minister understand that joining calls for a ceasefire is now the best and maybe the only way to stop this conflict escalating beyond all control ? hear, hear. all control? hear, hear. >> mr speaker, we do worth have to remember that israel has suffered a shockingly brutal terrorist attack. hamas is responsible for this conflict and has the right to protect itself in line with international law. as the un charter makes clear, we will continue to urge the israelis to follow international law, whilst we also have to remember that hamas cruelly embeds itself in civilian populations . but we are civilian populations. but we are doing everything we can to get aid into the region. i'm pleased to say an raf flight left the uk this morning for egypt carrying 21 tonnes of aid for gaza. the relief supplies include otis 75,000 medical kits, solar lights, water filters for family and warehousing equipment. our

team are on the ground ready to receive. we will continue to do everything we can to increase the flow of aid, including fuel, into gaza . into gaza. >> vera baird thank you, mr speaker . speaken >> in the matter of walleys quarry, my constituents in newcastle under lyme have been utterly and failed by utterly let down and failed by the environment agency. not only have they failed to prosecute a rogue operator for the repeated breaches of their permit, we now learn that all of their monitoring equipment for the last including in monitoring equipment for the last constituency, ncluding in monitoring equipment for the last constituency, mruding in monitoring equipment for the last constituency, mr speaker, your constituency, mr speaker, has grossly under—recording has been grossly under—recording levels of hydrogen sulphide by a factor of approximately 2 or 3 times. that's the monitoring equipment that people have been relying them relying on to tell them that their safe and clean to their air is safe and clean to breathe. given everything that's happened, need to see happened, we really need to see some action now. had some proper action now. i've had enough and my enough with the epa and my constituents to. so will constituents have to. so will the prime minister do everything in a on in his power to get a grip on this failing organisation? >> well, my honourable is >> well, my honourable friend is absolutely raise absolutely right to raise the concerns constituents . concerns of his constituents. the environment agency's criminal investigation is ongoing, so i hope he can understand that. i can't,

therefore comment further on it. but regard to his concerns but with regard to his concerns about the measurement inaccuracies , as have been inaccuracies, as i have been assured and the assured and check the environment working environment agency is working swiftly the scale swiftly to understand the scale of problem, the environment of the problem, the environment secretary is currently monitoring and monitoring the situation and i have asked that she keeps my honourable friend regularly updated. >> follow me. >> follow me. >> speaker, a few short >> mr speaker, a few short months ago, the world came to belfast the good belfast to celebrate the good friday agreement . at the heart friday agreement. at the heart of that agreement was the realisation that we could not use as a tool for use violence as a tool for revenge or to achieve our political aims. as 1400 israelis and almost 6000 palestinians lay lay dying and dead. when will the prime minister say enough is enough ? when will he call for enough? when will he call for a ceasefire when will he tell israel to stop meeting out collective punishment on the people gaza? when he people of gaza? and when will he and other world leaders insist on political solution that on a political solution that involves palestinian state? involves a palestinian state? for the palestinian people ? for the palestinian people? >> well, mr mr speaker, as i said , an important principle is said, an important principle is that israel does have the right

to defend itself under international law to ensure that attacks like this, which were brutal and horrific for their citizens can't happen again. and we continue to support that position. but as i said from the start, we've also wanted to ensure humanitarian aid can go in and hostages and nationals can come out . we recognise that can come out. we recognise that that means there has to be a safer environment which of course necessitates specific pauses as distinct from a ceasefire . and we discussed ceasefire. and we discussed exactly this with our international partners yesterday at the united nations and will continue to do so. and as i made clear on monday, we have doubled down on our efforts to find a better future for the palestinian people. it's been a feature of all our diplomacy in the region, and we will continue to give all our efforts to making that happen. >> be more. >> be more. >> thank you, mr speaker. >> thank you, mr speaker. >> too long, bradford >> for too long, bradford council failed represent council have failed to represent the interests of my the best interests of my constituents , whether it be constituents, whether it be their catastrophic failures on children's services, their inability to invest our own council tax back into keighley

and ilkley, or their refusal to instigate a review into child sexual exploitation across the bradford district. local residents and i are fed up of being ignored by bradford bradford council and we want out so will the prime minister meet with me to discuss my case for leaving bradford council and creating our own unitary authority? which better represents keighley and ilkley putting our priorities first. prime minister. >> well, mr mr speaker , i know >> well, mr mr speaker, i know my honourable friend is a passionate campaigner on this issue. indeed, even introducing a private member's bill earlier on this year and i agree with him that his council should be working to ensure that it delivers good services for all its residents, including his constituents. i will certainly arrange for the relevant minister to discuss his concerns further and as he didn't do it, maybe i can plug his his event this afternoon. i believe in the jubilee room. the keighley and ilkley shows case where perhaps the minister can come to discuss

it in person then. william morris. >> it's just a year ago now that the new prime minister promised to unite our country, not with words, but with action. quite rightly, voters make a judgement on actions. but in my constituency, as in many others , constituency, as in many others, the prime minister hasn't delivered on his promises. arbroath house in easington colliery is a gp practise without the funding to deliver basic community health services. communities like shotton south hetton , hassall and horden lack hetton, hassall and horden lack the police officers to tackle crime and anti—social behaviour. we see sewage being dumped on our coastline. it seems in blackhall without prosecution of the privatised water companies . the privatised water companies. we see investment for levelling up block for horden. when will the prime minister call a general election and let labour rise to the task of rebuilding britain ? britain? >> by minister ? >> by minister? >> by minister? >> well, mr mr speaker, the honourable gentleman raised crime. i'm pleased to say that

crime. i'm pleased to say that crime is now down by over 50% since labour were last in office and that includes significant reductions in anti—social behaviour , which you mentioned. behaviour, which you mentioned. and indeed earlier this year not only did we meet our pledge to deliver 20,000 more police officers, a record number on our streets, our anti—social behaviour plan is already making a difference, delivering immediate justice and clamping down on that type of activity. okay, thank you, mr speaker. >> i rightly support the government's plans to build more homes and ease housing shortages . however, i have significant concerns about the impacts of developments on our ageing drainage systems and the potential risks that this poses for flooding. as we are seeing in places like the hazel walls development uttoxeter . what development in uttoxeter. what steps the government take steps will the government take to that as more houses to ensure that as more houses are built, existing infrastructure upgraded infrastructure is also upgraded and maintained by local authorities to ensure it is not ovennhelmed with additional use and permeable surfaces ? and less permeable surfaces? >> prime minister. >> prime minister. >> mr speaker, as my honourable friend knows, our traditional drainage systems are under increasing pressure that

increasing pressure and that compares with the benefits of sustainable drainage systems which a different way. which work in a different way. it was already requirement it was already a requirement that sustainable drainage systems should given priority systems should be given priority in major new developments in any major new developments and developments in flood risk areas. but earlier this year, we committed to requiring sustainable , sustainable sustainable, sustainable drainage systems in all new developments in top of defra's plan for water, which puts a statutory duty on water, companies produce plans to set out how they will improve , out how they will improve, maintain extend our robust maintain and extend our robust and resilient wastewater systems. >> charleton thank you, mr speaken >> this morning i hosted the ms society and people living with multiple sclerosis to hear about their experiences accessing personal independence payments . personal independence payments. >> ten years on, from its introduction, people with ms and other fluctuating conditions are still too often being denied the support that they deserve to manage the extra costs of their condition and to retain their independence for longer. 22,524 people with ms have signed a

petition calling for a full review of pip for fluctuating conditions , which is on its way conditions, which is on its way to downing street right now. will the prime minister listen to their call ? to their call? >> well, mr speaker, i'm very sorry to hear about the experiences of those suffering with ms that she mentions. i'll ensure the work and pensions secretary looks at their concerns and writes to the honourable lady, sir peter bottomley, father of the house. >> we know some duck serious questions today aiming for electoral advantage in the future. >> can i note that the prime minister prefers to take decisions that will benefit the country now, in the longer term so that we can have more jobs, better education and a shared prosperity for prime minister. >> mr . >> mr. >> mr. >> i thank . i >> mr. >> i thank. i thank i thank my honourable friend for his kind words. >> this . mr speaker , while the

>> this. mr speaker, while the final report of the infected blood inquiry has been postponed until march, sir brian langstaff langstaff, the independent chair , has already published his recommendations on compensation for victims of that scandal. >> can the prime minister explain why his government insists on postponing its response until after publication of the final report, kicking it into the long grass and delaying justice once again for my constituent , justine, rachel and constituent, justine, rachel and paul, constituent, justine, rachel and paul , whose fathers died as paul, whose fathers died as a result of that scandal, as well as thousands of others across these isles . these isles. >> my minister, mr speaker, as i've said previously from the despatch box, what happened was an appalling tragedy and my heart goes out to all of those affected and their families . affected and their families. >> i've given extensive evidence to the inquiry, my position to the inquiry, so my position on this matter is on the record. but i would say there is extensive work that has been going on in government for a long by the long time, coordinated by the minister cabinet office minister for the cabinet office as as interim payments of as well as interim payments of £100,000 being made to those who

are . are affected. >> b aynes mr >> simon baynes thank you, mr speaker . speaken >> the prime minister has been a great champion of transport projects on the welsh borders , projects on the welsh borders, including the electrification of the main line in north wales. >> the reopening of connen station and the gobowen to oswestry line and also substantial levelling up fund investment in the llangollen and montgomery canals. would the prime minister now deliver on the long awaited pant llanymynech bypass and also prioritise the dualling of the a5 a483 include south and north shropshire ? yes. mr shropshire? yes. mr >> well, mr speaker, we are making significant improvements to our cross border rail services across the union thanks to our decision on hs2 , we can to our decision on hs2, we can now provide an unprecedented £1 billion of investment to fund the electrification of the north wales main line that will ensure reliable, punctual journeys between north wales and multiple cities across north—west of

england. we also are continuing to develop the plant llanymynech bypass scheme in our next round of the road investment plans and the section of the a5 in england will be considered by national highways as part of the midlands to gloucestershire to wales route strategy the agreement. >> thank you, mr speaker. >> thank you, mr speaker. >> it's important that the covid inquiry has all the relevant documents . yes, that's what the documents. yes, that's what the public, including thousands of bereaved families, expect and deserve. but despite being a self—described tech bro, the prime minister has been unable to locate and provide his whatsapp messages to the inquiry. well said. does he agree that devices should be handed over to expert s to retrieve this information ? yeah retrieve this information? yeah mr speaker, both the government and i have fully cooperated to provide tens of thousands of documents to the covid inquiry

and i look fonnard to giving evidence later this year to all lis. us. >> us. >> thank you very much, mr speaken >> thank you very much, mr speaker, with the ongoing national crisis in nhs dentistry being raised here most weeks, can my right honourable friend advise as to when the dentistry plan produced by the department of health will be published ? of health will be published? >> and can you ensure that any clawed back unspent funds are ring fenced for nhs dentistry so as to deal with emergencies and to help clear the backlog here? >> mr speaker, we're investing £3 billion in nhs dentistry and the reformed dental contract . it the reformed dental contract. it is helping to improve nhs access access for patients in the last year i'm pleased to say nhs dental activity also increased by almost a quarter compared to the year before, but the forthcoming dental recovery plan, which will be out shortly, will include action to incentive wise dentists to deliver even more nhs care. >> thank you, mr speaker . it is >> thank you, mr speaker. it is an honour to be elected to this

place and the standards by which we are expected to abide matter . we are expected to abide matter. so does the prime minister accept that it was ill judged for him to fail to declare to parliament that companies linked to his wife had benefited to the tune of £2 million pounds from a fund he had set up as chancellor? will you will he correct the record now? >> shocking. >> shocking. >> mr mr speaker, it's worth worth bearing in mind that the labour front bench has backed the future fund when it was introduced. indeed. indeed they were calling for more funding for it, not less. the house will be aware of my wife's shareholdings in various british start ups. so that's her her career, which are on the record. and i'm happy to put on the record again. but it is worth beanng record again. but it is worth bearing in mind that the future fund helped over 1200 different companies , as neither the companies, as neither the government nor the british business bank chose any of those specific investments . it was

specific investments. it was open to any british firm that met the criteria . met the criteria. >> thank you, mr speaker. >> thank you, mr speaker. >> the uk is at risk of being left behind on hydrogen engines , left behind on hydrogen engines, hydrogen ice. >> the eu and the usa are now recognising hydrogen combustion engines as zero emissions and are supporting their industries as all viable zero carbon technologies will be needed, particularly for our hgvs according to the. >> so i'm working with borgwarner on ice and many mps because this is crucial for uk jobs , skills and manufacturing jobs, skills and manufacturing will my right honourable friend commit to urgently extending the scope of the automotive transformation fund ? transformation fund? industrialisation grants to include hydrogen engines so we were the ice free minister . were the ice free minister. >> well, mr speaker, the government is determined to ensure that the uk remains one of the best locations in the world for automotive manufacturing. hydrogen and fuel world for automotive manland jring. hydrogen and fuel world for automotive manland their hydrogen and fuel world for automotive manl and their upstream and fuel world for automotive manland their upstream supplyel cells and their upstream supply chain are already in scope of

the atf and support for this fund has enabled johnson matthey £60 million investment in hertfordshire to develop hydrogen technologies . but i am hydrogen technologies. but i am told by the minister that dougie beattie are continuing to look at the future possibilities for renewable hydrogen and will consider the funds eligibility in light of the new developments in light of the new developments in this space. >> yasmin qureshi thank you, mr speaken >> there is an email in my inbox from a constituent who has family in gaza. >> it reads my heart can't handle this anymore , so we are handle this anymore, so we are being massacred and relentlessly bombed . bombed. >> our homes are being destroyed . no water, no food, no electricity . save the children electricity. save the children reported the one child is killed every 15 minutes. and as i speak, the lives of hundreds and 30 babies in incubators are in danger if fuel does not reach

their hospital in time . their hospital in time. >> this is collective punishment of the palestinian people in gaza for crimes they did not commit. how many more innocent palestinians must die before this prime minister calls for humanity ? korean ceasefire . humanity? korean ceasefire. >> well, mr mr speaker, i welcome that. there is in fact, unity across these dispatch boxes on israel's right to defend itself in face of an unspeakable act of terror. but it is also clear that we must support the palestinian people. they are victims of hamas , too. they are victims of hamas, too. hamas uses innocent people as human shields and we mourn the loss of every innocent life, people of every faith, of every nationality. and we are working as hard as we to can get as much humanitarian aid into gaza as quickly as practically possible. >> final question, dr. dan poulter, thank you , mr speaker. poulter, thank you, mr speaker. >> last week, suffolk

experienced its worst local floods for over 100 years with communities in and around needham market. framlingham debenham and wickham market, particularly badly affected homes and businesses have been destroyed in suffolk. the community has rallied together in a very stoic and pragmatic way to support those in need at this very difficult time. but what longer term support can the prime minister offer to the people in suffolk? those businesses and homes that have been affected by these floods to help them to recover and rebuild ? >> yeah, flooding is a devastating experience and i extend my sympathies to all those affected, including those in his own constituency. >> i'm pleased to say that that's why through the flood recovery framework, we are confirming additional financial support for those households and businesses most affected. this will include a £500 grant for households , council tax households, council tax discounts and business rates , discounts and business rates, relief of up to 100% for three months for small and medium

sized businesses will also be eligible for 2500 pound business recovery grant and up to £5,000 grants for flooded homes to make them more resilient for future flooding. we recognise the heroic efforts, mr speaker, of local councils like his and emergency responders everywhere who have been working tirelessly in affected areas. they have our thanks and we also stand ready to consider any request from councils for support in their recovery efforts . recovery efforts. >> yeah, yeah, yeah. yeah. >> yeah, yeah, yeah. yeah. >> that just just let me that completes questions. i'll come to. >> so rishi sunak there with the issue of flooding at the end of that prime minister's questions. but of course dominated by the reaction to the by—election result . so we're joined in the result. so we're joined in the studio here by labour mp for birmingham, selly oak, steve mccabe , who is a member, two of mccabe, who is a member, two of the friends of israel group in the friends of israel group in the and indeed the labour party and indeed i think visited israel back in 2019. and we have conservative mp for the isle of wight, bob seely. he'll be reflecting on the flooding there as well. but

we should mention, bob, you're former foreign correspondent and a british army captain having served afghanistan , iran, served in afghanistan, iran, iraq, taken on isis iraq, iraq, taken on isis operations. so you've been at the sharp end a little bit, yeah. anyway, let's just reflect first on the whole issue of the by—election fallout and not a bad line from the prime minister about the new member for mid beds. might actually some more support me a little bit more than the last one. who could that be? >> i thought it was a really i thought it was a great line, i have to say it very self—effacing and i think he defused it really well. >> i think for me, look, two things about that pmqs firstly, >> i think for me, look, two tisorry,about that pmqs firstly, >> i think for me, look, two tisorry, i)out that pmqs firstly, >> i think for me, look, two tisorry, i)out th'm’mqs firstly, >> i think for me, look, two tisorry, i)out th'm goingzirstly, >> i think for me, look, two tisorry, i)out th'm going to itly, >> i think for me, look, two tisorry, i)out th'm going to say i sorry, i know i'm going to say i'm going to be supporting i'm not going to be supporting keir starmer, my god, he does drag on. >> he how to kill a punch >> he knows how to kill a punch line, he? line, doesn't he? >> and in style rather than >> and just in style rather than substance, rishi substance, just and when rishi gives him a direct answer to the question, starmer comes back just if hasn't just reading as if rishi hasn't answered the question. >> rishi actually >> so i thought rishi actually just him down well. just shot him down really well. >> look, had a big >> and look, he had a big targets today. keir starmer had two by—election okay,

two by—election victories. okay, admittedly had picked up admittedly, labour had picked up literally 1000 votes both, literally a 1000 votes in both, so actually the so it's actually the conservatives not turning out and punishing and actually people punishing bad mps. put it bluntly . yeah. bad mps. put it bluntly. yeah. so we have two by—election defeats . but actually i thought defeats. but actually i thought rishi handled it brilliantly. i thought keir starmer kept on missing his chances. the other thing i would say is just i want to pick up of my colleagues to pick up some of my colleagues here. you see difference of here. you see a difference of quality between labour mps, steve, thing, steve, notwithstanding thing, you in quality you see a difference in quality between mps and tory mps . between labour mps and tory mps. fabulous like siobhan fabulous tory mps like siobhan in stroud, stroud, robbie in in stroud, in stroud, robbie in keighley, who asked aaron bell in westminster lyme, asking really important questions on national issues which matter to their constituents. and you listen to labour mps, they're just banging on. >> but maybe not your candidate in tamworth who told people to eff off which the starmer picked up on. >> absolutely right to go on that i thought handled it that and i thought he handled it really well. okay steve, plenty of calls, although think of calls, although i don't think they're go anywhere for they're going to go anywhere for a general election. they're going to go anywhere for a gfroml election. they're going to go anywhere for a gfrom your:tion. they're going to go anywhere for a gfrom your leader. >> from your leader. >> from your leader. >> yeah , well, i mean, i think

>> yeah, well, i mean, i think after the results in mid beds and tamworth hardly and tamworth, that's hardly a surprise. and tamworth, that's hardly a surjl'ise. and tamworth, that's hardly a sui�*ji think bob and i must have >> i think bob and i must have been watching a different pmqs. i'd certainly say it wasn't a vintage performance , but you vintage performance, but you know, i feel a bit sorry for sunak really. i mean, if, if you have to defend a situation where you've lost two rock solid tory seats where the mp has had to go in disgrace and one of them and then the candidate is turns out to be a foul mouthed lout to succeed him, it's hardly surprising the guy's had a tough day. and, you know, as far as bob's wonderful backbench performances, i think the award for the most obsequious and irrelevant question of the day must go to the father of the house. >> well, peter bottomley and i think i have to say was very disrespectful . disrespectful. >> steve, i don't think you heard that question either. >> that was scratching his head on that one, wasn't he? i just think he a bit of love and think he needs a bit of love and lovers support peter bottoms lovers support and peter bottoms acquired it. >> reflect though,

>> let's just reflect though, that we've had the prime minister the international minister on the international stage playing a crucial role in terms the international terms of the international diplomacy . it came the snp to diplomacy. it came to the snp to ask a question on the situation in israel and gaza . in israel and gaza. >> yes. and so your question about that, i mean, why is that necessary? >> why why did the prime minister not make more? perhaps of the fact that, you know, he was seen on these on the world stage doing his job as an international statesman? i think because the labour party justifiable reasons decided not to go on that this week. >> so look, as as the because it's so sensitive and so difficult as the speaker says, you know, the prime minister is there to answer questions. so he has to answer the questions that he's being asked. so for sure, and we've had a lot of debate about what's been happening in gaza last of gaza for the last couple of weeks and i think, yeah, i mean, i he announced today he i think he he announced today he did get it out. there was 21 tonnes of aid. yes >> an raf flight that left earlier this morning. >> and, you know , we are trying

>> and, you know, we are trying to get that humanitarian. >> thing mentioned, >> one thing he mentioned, actually, this is this actually, because this is this has been incredibly contentious, contentious, it, contentious, hasn't it, this lack not getting lack of fuel, fuel, not getting into gaza. the prime minister did seem to indicate that he would be pushing for that fuel. >> he is that i think there are two really important points to make here, and that for everyone who says there is a certain attitude and i know that steve's done sterling , i give steve done sterling, i give steve credit. he's done really sterling work as labour friends of israel to clear some of of israel to clear out some of the really revolting toxicity that the labour party has had and that you have on the left about this israeli phobia mask anti—semitism. so credit to him to do that. we still need to make sure that israel behaves according to international law. nothing justifies the slaughter of toddlers that we saw from the hamas. do you think israel is behaving according to international law? they need to do so. >> and that's not are they now? >> and that's not are they now? >> that's not. i hope they are. i'm there. i'm here. i hope i'm not there. i'm here. i hope they are. it's really they are. and it's really important that they do, because

it's negotiable. all you can it's not negotiable. all you can support you can say, support israel and you can say, absolutely, have the right absolutely, they have the right to go and all the hamas to go and kill all the hamas terrorists. that's they to go and kill all the hamas terr(and . that's they to go and kill all the hamas terr(and that it's they to go and kill all the hamas terr(and that is they to go and kill all the hamas terr(and that is actthey to go and kill all the hamas terr(and that is act ofy are. and that is an act of self—defence. have you have you can't starmer great can't keir starmer with great respect him, was wrong to say respect to him, was wrong to say it's to water. it it's okay to cut off water. it isn't you need to uphold isn't right. you need to uphold the international law here. >> to speak to >> we are going to speak to chris hope, our political editor on this, because is on this, because there is a meeting immediately after pmqs this seely, this afternoon. but bob seely, you mccabe is bob seely you stephen mccabe is bob seely was saying that the whole question is what israel is entitled do . you are a member entitled to do. you are a member of the friends of israel. i'm the chair or chair. i do beg the chair or the chair. i do beg your pardon. okay. but there is a difficulty here for keir starmer what he said and the starmer and what he said and the fact that all these councillors are already to actually are already starting to actually resign oxford they lost resign over in oxford they lost their majority. resign over in oxford they lost the well, majority. resign over in oxford they lost the well, look, ajority. resign over in oxford they lost the well, look, let ity. resign over in oxford they lost the well, look, let let's be >> well, look, let let's be clear here on the issue of fuel, i mean , hamas are sitting on i mean, hamas are sitting on half 1,000,000l of fuel. >> why don't they give that to the palestinian people ? just the the palestinian people? just the other week they stole 24,000l from a un depot. that's enough

to keep a horse, which is why israel is four days to let the fuel supply. so why don't hamas give some of the fuel they're sitting on? and as far as water is concerned, israel provides 5% of water to gaza . hamas are of water to gaza. hamas are responsible for the rest. what are they doing? so you cannot have a situation. i'm totally in favour of humanitarian support going to the palestinian people and to the palestinian people . and to the palestinian people. but you cannot expect israel after what they've suffered , to after what they've suffered, to give succour to the people who have attacked them. and massacred their civilians . that massacred their civilians. that is just not acceptable because their view is hamas is directly in control of the fuel supplies , in control of the fuel supplies, as basically the administration . as basically the administration. they're sitting on half 1,000,000l. why can't that go to the palestinian people? >> so the cause for the humanitarian ceasefire you know, humanitarian ceasefire you know, humanitarian pause in order to get aid directly ?

get aid directly? >> well, you can't have a ceasefire against a terrorist operation that's attacking you. i mean , that is absolutely i mean, that is absolutely ludicrous . can you imagine if ludicrous. can you imagine if that was happening in this country? yeah. >> and that's the situation with washington as well . they've made washington as well. they've made that fairly plain. well, let's just bring in chris hope, our political editor in westminster, because, have this because, chris, we do have this meeting. understand where meeting. we understand where keir is meeting keir starmer is meeting representatives and particularly muslim mps as well on this question of what he said about water and power in gaza . water and power in gaza. >> that's right. >> that's right. >> and i think that's the tension going fonnard with this conflict and the issue in israel. it's very easy for the first two weeks for labour to hold the line on, notably at the party conference when all the protesters were outside of protesters were kept outside of the secure area. >> but increasingly that is weakening and the issues weakening and the real issues here, right is here, starmer right now is meeting along key, key meeting along with key, key members the shadow cabinet members of the shadow cabinet with muslim mps and mps with these muslim mps and mps and peers to try and discuss what labour's position might what how labour's position might change, because the issue is whether should be a

whether there should be a ceasefire. we heard didn't we, in and how rishi in pmqs yesterday and how rishi sunak talked about maybe pause sunak talked about maybe a pause to water, some even to allow some water, some even some fuel to get in, which cause steve mccabe says they've got enough. but the snp deputy leader there, mhairi black, saying fact there's saying in fact there's a shortage fuel within gaza. so shortage of fuel within gaza. so i think it's fascinating how that's changing. i think that will become an issue here for the tories to pick away with the labour party as they try and hold that line on to support israel's right defend itself israel's right to defend itself while dealing with the while also dealing with the issue emerging issue of the emerging humanitarian humanitarian disaster yeah, but disaster in gaza. yeah, but erect a fact of humanity with this raf flight on the way, the prime minister taking the opportunity at the dispatch box there to underline that . yeah, there to underline that. yeah, he says 75 75,000 medical kits are going there. the 21 tonnes of aid. of course the government has doubled the amount of aid going towards gaza. it's now probably city will be on the on its way to waiting to get its way to egypt waiting to get into southern border. but

into the southern border. but there's pressure here on what to do next. and i think whole do next. and i think this whole idea of how starmer can hold together this alliance supporting vital . from supporting israel is vital. from the beginning, we heard, didn't we, how keir starmer has tried to support the pm. richard sunak on all areas of national security . yeah, this is one area security. yeah, this is one area where we get more and more difficult to hold that coalition together. >> okay, let's let's bring our mps back in. >> chris for the moment, thank you for that, particularly bob, with your expertise having, you know, you've literally been on the in these these the ground in these these operations zones. we've got washington even london washington in and even london perhaps suggesting to the israelis, go in, don't do israelis, don't go in, don't do this until you're absolutely sure you can achieve something . sure you can achieve something. and the hostages, as well. and clearly, there's a question mark as to where they are and how well they're being treated . well they're being treated. >> yeah, i mean, i don't know where to start with this. it's such a horrible situation. this is called fighting built up is called fighting in built up areas. it's urban warfare. it's horrible. it's the most horrible. and it's the most dangerous and it wants it dangerous thing. and it wants it wants israeli commit troops.

israel commits troops into into the gaza strip. it is going to become incredibly difficult for them . however much bomb , them. however much they bomb, hopefully within the bounds of the law, however much they bomb. and you're dealing with the and you're dealing then with the slaughter hostages , you're slaughter of hostages, you're deaung slaughter of hostages, you're dealing presentation of dealing with the presentation of hostages this will hostages on the media. this will drag i mean, a good drag out. i mean, a good situation is hundreds of and i'd say in inverted commas, is say good in inverted commas, is hundreds palestinians dead hundreds of palestinians dead and only dozens of israelis dead . that probably a lower . and that is probably a lower case of the casualty outcome. so but again, the israelis are rightly going to say we have the rightly going to say we have the right to deal with hamas because a political organisation which the former leader of the labour party, hamas , described as his party, hamas, described as his friends, yet beheading toddlers. jeremy corbyn yeah, absolutely . jeremy corbyn yeah, absolutely. and again, praise to steve, who's no longer a labour mp yeah, and to yeah, absolutely. and praise to steve helping detoxify steve for helping to detoxify the party. you know, the labour party. you know, people who behead toddlers should friends , so should not be your friends, so they a right to an ongoing they have a right to an ongoing operation. an incredibly operation. it is an incredibly complex operation. it will

become even more complex and violent and morally confusing if they send in troops. but they have the right to do it. but the problem is the hamas operates in and around and a civilian population and will manipulate that civilian population . is it that civilian population. is it a maximum effect? >> is it actually doable? because we learned the lesson in mosul? i think particularly where i think the israelis were actually operation actually part of that operation going after yeah. and it going after isis. yeah. and it was just incredibly it took years . years. >> the problem with i remember the mosul operation because i was not too far away at the time. the mosul operation and the raqqa operations well . the raqqa operations as well. and it's probably and there were it's probably true to say that the civilian casualties higher the casualties were higher at the time than, frankly, people would have liked because there was more horrible phrase collateral damage. i don't use it in in some flippant light way. damage. i don't use it in in some flippant light way . it's some flippant light way. it's just you have the rules of war, which israel has, and hamas does not. but excuse me, but if your rules of war says you can have six casualties for a blast, if you're killing a hamas terrorist

or destroying a hamas cell, then clearly you are going to get collateral human life damage. it's just the question of what those rules are and making sure you don't hit the wrong building. so even if the israelis were not responsible, which is almost certainly true for the for the hospital bombing, that almost bombing, that was almost certainly hamas even then , when certainly hamas even then, when you're dealing, they're not going to get every strike. right. so it's a horribly arms dumps that will explode and so on. the israelis are going on. and the israelis are going to the blame because there to get the blame because there is still too many people who say, doubt, blame israel. say, if in doubt, blame israel. >> is problem well, say, if in doubt, blame israel. >:that is problem well, say, if in doubt, blame israel. >:that we problem well, say, if in doubt, blame israel. >:that we keep|roblem well, say, if in doubt, blame israel. >:that we keep seeing well, say, if in doubt, blame israel. >:that we keep seeing this vell, is that we keep seeing this death toll in gaza rising and rising. >> now we know that it the health ministry is run by hamas, steve, but the latest figure . is steve, but the latest figure. is 6546 palestinians dead , 2704 6546 palestinians dead, 2704 children since october the 7th. >> and many people would say a child's life in palestine is worth the same as a child's life in in israel .

in in israel. >> well, look , i deplore the >> well, look, i deplore the death of any innocent civilian, any innocent child in a conflict like this . and i don't know many like this. and i don't know many reasonable people who would think differently. i don't have any faith in the hamas figures that are being quoted . and i that are being quoted. and i think it was the prime minister who said the other week, you wouldn't treat figures from the kremlin at face value. why aren't we treating hamas figures? >> we can see from from the >> we can see from from from the images we see on all news images that we see on all news channels what the situation in gaza channels what the situation in gazthe number of there are >> the number of there are undoubtedly the number of casualties. >> i'm not trying to deny that, but the reality is it's not the hamas leadership who are suffering the casualties. they are in their secure bunkers under gaza city. they've got plenty of food , water, plenty of food, water, electricity . they are protected electricity. they are protected and they are preventing innocent palace gortynians from going to safe areas in the south of gaza where they could actually be

supported . so, you know, let's supported. so, you know, let's not pretend here, israel are the victims in this situation. they are civilian population was massacred. >> listen, none of this detracts from what happened on october the 7th. >> absolutely. >> absolutely. >> and now you're being criticised for attempting to rescue hostage bodies and attempting to deal with a vicious, brutal terrorist organisations. >> can i can i put it to you that hamas at the moment may be appear to be winning the international propaganda? they're very good at propaganda. i'm just looking at what turkey erdogan said earlier , where he erdogan said earlier, where he made this well assertion that hamas was not a terrorist organisation in that they were basically seeking liberation and anyone who is implying that they should not be carrying out what they are was, i think, mad that they are was, i think, mad that they had a mental illness . they had a mental illness. >> well, in this country the

this is someone who's a nato member. >> yes. >> yes. >> in this country there are proscribed terrorist group. we are under no illusions about them. but yes, i agree they are winning a propaganda war. and that's why people in this country, mps and everyone else , country, mps and everyone else, should deal with a great deal of caution in what they say about the actions that are occurring in palestine , because it is in palestine, because it is essentially hamas propaganda. they are relying on. yeah, and is it the fact that hamas have actually worked out a chess game and they know exactly what the reaction was going to be and drawing israel into this diplomatic fire? >> sadly, that may well be the case.i >> sadly, that may well be the case. i mean, there's an argument to suggest that they've overplayed their hand and there's an argument i was reading piece in the spectator reading a piece in the spectator this morning saying the same this morning saying in the same way enniskillen, way that enniskillen, the bombing sunday bombing and remembrance sunday discredited the discredited significantly the ira to the peace talks. ira and led to the peace talks. it might that they overplayed it might be that they overplayed their so badly now that their hand so badly now that actually allies and actually hamas is allies and hamas is the sort of muslim brotherhood terrorists splinter. but turks, the turkish

but the turks, the turkish government and also qatar , you government and also qatar, you know, have a sort of muslim brotherhood links egypt, brotherhood links on egypt, formerly in egypt. but then obviously the military coup changed hamas is changed that. so hamas is clearly want king to frame the debate as the jews are killing arabs and that jews are killing muslims . there's also a really muslims. there's also a really important angle here, which is iran. this has kicked off now because iran did not want to see a normalisation of relations between israel and sunni muslim arab states , primarily saudi, arab states, primarily saudi, but normalised relationships already with the uae , already with the uae, effectively with egypt, obviously for a couple of decades, but also with morocco . decades, but also with morocco. so this that's what tehran decided to move. yeah, well , decided to move. yeah, well, it's tehran probably pushed hamas heavily. hamas has some independence of thought. but if you're taking $100 million plus a year from your paymasters and they're giving you the rocket technology , when they tell you technology, when they tell you when to push those rockets, you push, you're going to push those rockets. it's 1—1 can't

rockets. and so it's 1—1 can't take out, although hamas are sunni themselves , there is sunni themselves, there is a really important shia link here with the iranians and with the irgc and the destabilisation throughout the middle east that the irgc is trying to trying to navigate. >> there's a view that netanyahu is very hesitant. >> he's struggling to make a decision about the timing of this this ground invasion. and that could be because of the risk of this descending, not just because of the hostages, but about this wider conflict. i think we can see live pictures now from the northern israeli border. >> i think the americans have actually been i think biden's been very sensible here. they've said, look, go and go after hamas. steve there. hamas. and steve is right there. they're it's they're hidden in bunkers. it's not that are in the not the kids that are in the bunkers. it's the it's the murderers and their bosses, the murderers, they're in murderers, bosses. they're in the bunkers they're to the bunkers and they're going to be may be killed be safe or they may be killed eventually. send foot eventually. send the foot soldiers the cause. soldiers to die for the cause. well, victims, as long well, and victims, as long as you present victims the you can present victims to the world, then can say israel world, then you can say israel is killing innocent. that's is killing innocent. and that's what yes. right what they want. yes. right >> gentlemen, you very >> gentlemen, thank you very much for that. and of

much indeed for that. and of course, we'll keep monitoring the situation. but very quickly course, we'll keep monitoring the si'you're. but very quickly course, we'll keep monitoring the si'you're . but very quickly course, we'll keep monitoring the si'you're . here ery quickly course, we'll keep monitoring the si'you're . here as quickly while you're. here as constituency mp, you've got real problems down in the isle of wight. we have. >> i think you're going to get victoria, who's a lovely lady from cowes, who's going to from east cowes, who's going to be on after talking be on just after 1:00 talking about flooding just in case about our flooding just in case any on the isle of wight. any folks on the isle of wight. there's lots of information that's out on my in that's gone out on my website in the last an hour. last hour the last half an hour. last hour about all stuff that is about all the stuff that is victoria there the victoria are there and with the green jumper that's east green jumper on and that's east cowes that's her charity cowes and that's her charity centre there, which great centre there, which is a great place which just recently place which was just recently done up. i think about a year ago. we can see the ago. yeah. and we can see the problems directly there. absolutely. anyone is absolutely. so if anyone is lacking any information that's being the council, by being put up by the council, by island southern water, island roads, by southern water, everything is on facebook everything is on my facebook site been for the last site and has been for the last houn site and has been for the last hour. if there's questions, hour. if there's any questions, people just me and i will people just email me and i will refer right refer you on to the right people. if in doubt, if endangered. 999. >> bob, thank you for that. and we update from

gb news. >> good afternoon . it is 1:00 >> good afternoon. it is 1:00 and this is the live desk here on gb news coming up this wednesday lunchtime time. >> now, the diplomatic storm in the middle east. israel calls for un secretary—general to resign after he said palestinians had been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation . occupation. >> new fears that the conflict could escalate. pictures released by the israelis show hamas attacks from the sea, suggesting it has significant

firepower . our security editor firepower. our security editor mark white has the latest from tel aviv in the commons at pmqs. >> rishi sunak faces sir keir starmer for the first time since the by—election defeats the fallout from that clashing over housing cost of living , but housing cost of living, but appearing to be united over israel . a police officer who israel. a police officer who blackmailed and threatened underage girls to send him explicit photos of themselves on snapchat is jailed for life . snapchat is jailed for life. >> we'll be live outside cardiff crown court . crown court. >> and yet more weather warnings this time for the south of england with the isle of wight left badly hit by flooding. extensive damage to homes and roads. we'll have the latest from the scene. first, latest headunes from the scene. first, latest headlines with . ray

headlines with. ray >> good afternoon. it's 1:01. our top stories this hour. israel intensified airstrike on gaza overnight as world leaders called for a pause in fighting for humanitarian aid. the military says it targeted hamas infrastructure, including a weapons warehouse. the palestine health ministry, which is run by hamas, says 756 people, including 344 children, have been killed in the past 24 hours. it brings the total to more than 6500 since october the 7th. the israeli defence forces also say the navy spotted terrorists exiting a tunnel onto a beach on the strip. they were killed when they tried to enter israeli territory by sea . well, israeli territory by sea. well, there were growing concerns that there were growing concerns that the conflict could spread across the conflict could spread across the region. leaders of terrorist groups reportedly met to discuss a so—called resistance axis against israel. lebanon's

hezbollah leader is said to have held talks with palestinian militant factions. hamas and islamic jihad . meanwhile, the islamic jihad. meanwhile, the prime minister, rishi sunak, stopped short of calling for a ceasefire despite pressure from more than 80 mps to do so. we're showing you now live pictures from gaza . instead, the pm from gaza. instead, the pm backed specific pauses in the conflict to allow for the safe delivery of humanity . an aid to delivery of humanity. an aid to the strip . the ministry of the strip. the ministry of defence has confirmed that the first load of supplies from the uk is now on its way to egypt, with an raf plane carrying 21 tonnes of aid, including medical equipment and water filters . as equipment and water filters. as a former south wales police officer has been jailed for life with a minimum of 12 years for sexual offences against children . lewis edwards used fake social media accounts and posed as a teenager to groom more than 200 young girls online. he forced

his victims to take indecent videos and images of themselves , videos and images of themselves, using the material to blackmail them . in sentencing, the judge them. in sentencing, the judge described his behaviour as cruel and sadistic and said he posed a dangerous risk to children . in dangerous risk to children. in to metropolitan police. officers have been found guilty of gross misconduct over the stop and search of two black athletes. ricardo dos santos and his partner bianca williams were stopped in their car in london in 2020. nothing was found. no arrests were made , with the pair arrests were made, with the pair publicly accusing the force of racism. initially, five officers were investigated . all of them were investigated. all of them denied any wrongdoing . the panel denied any wrongdoing. the panel found both pc jonathan clapham and pc sam franks guilty . three and pc sam franks guilty. three people have been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage after just stop oil activists sprayed london's wellington arch orange. the group posted footage onune orange. the group posted footage online as they demanded the government end new oil and gas. the video shows activist

covering the almost 200 year old grade one listed structure with paint before setting off orange flares . rishi sunak has been flares. rishi sunak has been quizzed on the cost of living crisis during prime minister's questions on his first anniversary as tory leader. the labour leader accused the conservatives of crashing the economy, raising the case of one family whose mortgage went up by a quarter. rishi sunak responded by saying his government's policy to cope with rising interest rates is twice as generous as labour's would be and that the opposition has a track record of u—turns. however, sir keir says the british public continues to be abandoned by this government. >> but truth is his candidate in tamworth summed up perfectly just how his and his tories are treating the british public. so will he just call a general election and give the british pubuc election and give the british public the chance to respond as they did in selby? mid beds and

tamworth? they've heard the government telling them to f off and they want the chance to return the compliment, as we saw with his recent decisions on actually building new houses. >> politicians like him always take the easy way out. mr speaker , whereas we're, we're speaker, whereas we're, we're getting on making the right long term decisions to change this country for the better. on net zero, on hs2, on a smoke free generation, on education and energy security. contrast that to his leadership. too cautious to his leadership. too cautious to say anything and hope that no , nobody notices. mr speaker, let me tell him, come that general election , the british general election, the british people will. >> and finally, an all british mission could be heading into orbit for the first time ever, the uk space agency has signed an agreement with axiom space that's an american based firm, to try to make it happen. astronauts would spend up to two weeks carrying out scientific experiments and participate in educational activity . as this is

educational activity. as this is gb news across the uk on tv, in your car, on digital radio, and on your smart speaker by saying play gb news. now let's get back to mark and . pip ray. to mark and. pip ray. >> thanks very much . welcome >> thanks very much. welcome back to the live desk with what now seems to be a diplomatic battle raging israel demanding the resignation of the un secretary—general, antonio guterres, saying he is no longer fit to lead the united nations. he linked hamas's attack to what he called israel's 56 years of suffocate occupation of palestine . palestine. >> israel has responded by blocking visas for un officials , blocking visas for un officials, is claiming that gutierrez's comments appear to condone hamas's massacre of over a thousand israeli civilians as well. >> elsewhere, turkey's president tayyip erdogan , described tayyip erdogan, described israel's attacks on gaza as assassination action and mental illness . he then went on to

illness. he then went on to assert that hamas was not a terrorist organisation but a liberation group waging a battle to protect its land on the ground . ground. >> israel has ignored the un's calls for a ceasefire and appears to be intensifying its strikes against hamas and the idf said that it's also thwarted a maritime assault by hamas using specialist frogmen raiding an israeli beach. >> our security editor mark white has the latest from tel aviv . aviv. >> just hours after the un secretary—general called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in gaza, this was israel's response . a further response. a further intensification of airstrikes against what israel says were hamas positions in including command and control compounds, ammunition stores and rocket launchers . but with many of launchers. but with many of those hamas positions right in the centre of residential areas , the centre of residential areas, the centre of residential areas, the toll on gaza's civilians is enormous. >> the attack amid the hamas

controlled health ministry claim that more than 700 died in the latest round of israeli strikes , latest round of israeli strikes, dismissing the secretary—general's call for cease. >> israel said it had no intention of easing up on its operation to destroy hamas and there is no widespread anger across israel after antonio guterres went on to say that although there was no justification for the attacks on the 7th of october, there they did not occur, he said . in did not occur, he said. in a vacuum, the palestinian people have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation . of suffocating occupation. >> they have seen their land steadily devoured by settlements and plagued by violence . their and plagued by violence. their economy stifled , their people economy stifled, their people displaced and their homes demolished. i think that the secretary—general must resign because from now on, every day

that he is here in this building, unless he apologises immediately . immediately. >> today we called him to apollo st giles. there is no justification to the existence of this building . of this building. >> there are growing fears here of a widening regional conflict. the head of the hezbollah terror group in lebanon has met leaders from hamas and islamic jihad , from hamas and islamic jihad, pledging support for a resistance axis against israel, which would include help from iran and syria . these unverified iran and syria. these unverified images claim to show the aftermath of an israeli strike on syrian military positions overnight, which the idf said had been launching rockets into israel. syrian authorities say eight of their soldiers were killed and seven injured and in another serious incident, israel said it killed a group of eight hamas terrorists trying to reach

israel by sea to launch an attack in a community north of gaza. attack in a community north of gaza . it came on the back of the gaza. it came on the back of the largest rocket barrage into central israel since the 7th of october. attacks across tel aviv, people ran for shelters as iron dome missile defence systems intercepted multiple hamas rockets. one struck a community northeast of tel aviv, badly damaged a property with many more burials. in israel and in gaza. any thoughts of a ceasefire in this conflict ? it ceasefire in this conflict? it must seem a very long way off, mark white gb news tel aviv . and mark white gb news tel aviv. and we can talk to mark white, who is in tel aviv. >> mark, we've just had prime minister's questions here within the last hour. the prime minister maintaining the line that israel has the right to

defend itself, but also announcing that an raf flight is on its way, delivering humanity , on its way, delivering humanity, an aid to palestinians in gaza . an aid to palestinians in gaza. yes a c—17 flight , a heavy lift yes a c—17 flight, a heavy lift aircraft has headed for egypt with 21 tonnes of supplies, including medical supplies, water filtration kits and the like. >> but the difficulty will be, of course, getting it in to gaza because at the moment that border is all but closed. they allow a trickle of lorries through each day , but it's no through each day, but it's no more than a dozen or so trucks and united nations humanitarian agency is saying that actually it needs to be at least 100 aid supply lorries every day to make a meaningful difference to the lives of those people in gaza who are suffering. without a doubt , not who are suffering. without a doubt, not tremendously at the moment because of the way in which the war is being conducted

, both by hamas. the fact that they are policing their compounds, their launchers and the likes in civilian areas , and the likes in civilian areas, and the likes in civilian areas, and the fact that israel is determined to go after hamas and to take out those launchers, those command and control compounds, and it is not going to enact any kind of ceasefire at this moment. >> the other side of that, of course , mark, is as we've heard course, mark, is as we've heard these calls yet again for a ceasefire from within in the house of commons at pmqs. hamas itself has launched these two major operations , as you were major operations, as you were describing, the rocket attacks into the central israel and this extraordinary maritime attack using specialist frogmen . well using specialist frogmen. well this is it. >> israel is saying quite clearly there is no way that they are going to stop their attempts to degrade and to destroy hamas. and clearly , they destroy hamas. and clearly, they haven't done that to any sufficient degree because that

largest barrage of rockets came into central tel aviv and other areas of central israel yesterday. the largest barrage since this conflict began on the 7th of october. so that shows you that there is still no shortage, it seems, of these deadly rockets that hamas has . deadly rockets that hamas has. and then also launching this audacious attempt to send these is scuba divers out into the sea to attack a community city just north of gaza . they were north of gaza. they were intercepted and killed by the israeli military and the israeli navy. but that shows israel they say, that hamas is still a very significant threat and they will not rest until they have destroyed it . destroyed it. >> and just to pick up on what happened there, they described this assault as coming from tunnels from gaza before they

got into the sea and were trying to land on that beach . to land on that beach. >> yes. well, you can come out of northern gaza and then if you swim out into the sea, of course, there's no border fence into the sea. so one way around it is either to get a vessel which would be seen or to try to take on scuba gear and under the surface go into northern southern israel. that way. but of course, there are very intense eyes at the moment from some israeli intelligence, from drones or satellites looking down on all of these potential border crossings to make sure there are no further incursions following the events of the 7th of october. so they were pretty quickly onto it. but it shows you the determination of hamas, despite it, the clear pummelling that it's getting from israeli jets and israeli missiles on a daily basis , it's still

daily basis, it's still determined to launch these attacks, mark. >> and tel aviv, thank you for that. and of course, our apologies of some fairly graphic images there in that footage of the aftermath of that raid on that beach . that beach. >> well, joining us now live from jerusalem is a member of the israeli knesset, dan illouz . the israeli knesset, dan illouz. thank you very much for joining us today. let me just get your take. first of all, on the un's the un chief's words, the calls for his resignation . and is that for his resignation. and is that something you want to echo? i mean, you're now denying visas, aren't you, to un representatives as some sort of punishment. is that the right way, do you think, to handle this? >> well, the un secretary—general did was a complete disgrace case. i mean, we have to remember that the un was founded in to order stop exactly the type of massacres as the one that we have seen hamas

commit on october 7th in israel. and by compare seeing what happened. and by compare seeing what happened . in on october 7th and happened. in on october 7th and any other thing that israel might be rightly doing or not be right doing. legitimate criticism of israel is always legitimate. but by comparing these things, it was as if he was comparing a firefighter with an arsonist and trying to make a balance between these two things. we have to be very morally there are times morally clear. there are times where needs to be clear where humanity needs to be clear . the fighting the . when the were fighting the western free world, then it was very clear who the good guys and who the bad guys were. when isis was fighting against again, the western world, or all of western world, europe or all of these other places, it was very clear who the good guys were and who the bad guys were. it's also very here hamas burns very clear here hamas burns people burns babies alive people alive. burns babies alive babies. they rape women and flaunt them around the abduct elderly without their medication on. there's no comparison to be made there's the good guys and made. there's the good guys and that's israel, a modern democracy, liberal democracy that by internal that tries to abide by internal law as much as possible. and

then there's hamas, an evil regime that needs to be destroyed. but is it the case, dan, that you're now to dan, that you're having now to fight diplomatic battle if fight a diplomatic battle if i can put it that way. >> i'm just looking at the remarks from president erdogan in turkey. israel's attacks on gaza them amount gaza and supporting them amount to or mental to assassination or mental illness. he then went on to say hamas is a liberation group waging a battle to protect its land, not a terrorist organisation. i mean, quite extraordinary remarks. but this is a member of nato . is a member of nato. >> i have to say that this is these comments are also outrageous. and just to be clear and precise , there is absolutely and precise, there is absolutely no occupation in gaza. israel left gaza in 2005. and the disengagement plan, a plan that i personally oppose because i thought that it was dangerous to israel. unfortunately we saw that it actually was dangerous for israel. israel left gaza in 2005. there's absolutely no occupation in gaza. that's all fake news that's spread by hamas supporters who are absolutely evil, people who just want to

massacre jews. that's what it's about. massacre jews. that's what it's about . it's not about about. it's not about occupation. it's about the genocidal ambitions of hamas. now, when you're talking about diplomatic support for israel, i do have to say that the western free world is right now very united with israel. i'm very happy about that. it's a positive sign . i hope that as positive sign. i hope that as israel continues defending itself, they won't forget the reasons that brought us to defend ourselves and that there are reasons that are that won't let us accept a situation where hamas survives this war don. >> also just to ask you, talking of positive signs, qatar has said that they hope there will be a breakthrough on hostage releases soon. could you could you expand on that at all? >> well, so obviously, for israel, one of the top priorities is the release of the hostages that are currently held in by hamas in gaza. i remind you, it's from small babies to the very elderly people and all

the very elderly people and all the ages in between that are being held hostages in gaza. it's a top priority for us, whether we do it militarily or whether we do it militarily or whether we do it militarily or whether we do it diplomatically. all options are on the table. i have to be frank and honest. qatar is a supporter of hamas. it's a sponsor of hamas . it it's a sponsor of hamas. it hasn't been a positive force . hasn't been a positive force. it's been a force that fuelled the hatred of hamas. and so i'm a little bit sceptical about the things that qatar says . but any things that qatar says. but any way that we can show to these negotiate nations, though, in terms of getting hostages out, is qatar not, not not vital player here? >> or is egypt more of a player? >> or is egypt more of a player? >> so there are many different players. obviously, the negotiation is can be discussed on live television, but there are a lot of different players. some of them are some that you mentioned with. there's a lot of people that want to see the hostages released and we're hoping for that to happen. the president of the united states also made it very clear that this one his top this is one of his top priorities. and we thank him for

that. daniel lewis, member of the israeli parliament, the knesset, thank you very for knesset, thank you very much for joining updating us with joining us and updating us with your you. more, of course, >> thank you. more, of course, to come from israel and indeed the other diplomatic response. but also coming up, we're heading to cardiff crown court, where a former policeman has been jailed for life for child sexual abuse and black male. details coming up shortly .

sunday mornings from 930 on gb news is . well.

news is. well. >> welcome back to the live desk . now, some of you may find the details in this next report distressing with a former south wales police officer , lewis wales police officer, lewis edwards being jailed for life with a minimum of 12 years for sexual offences against children. >> he used fake social media accounts posing as a teenager to groom and blackmail more than 200 young girls online on using social media platforms . snapchat. >> let's get more from outside cardiff crown court now with reporter jack carson and jack. he again , as we've seen in other he again, as we've seen in other cases, refuse to attend the heanng cases, refuse to attend the hearing for his sentencing . hearing for his sentencing. >> yeah , so this sentencing has >> yeah, so this sentencing has gone on since monday , noting the gone on since monday, noting the detail a lot. >> lots of it. very much horrific of these crimes of child sex offences that lewis edwards pleaded guilty to. he denied the chance to appear in

court to face that sentencing on monday . yesterday, as well as monday. yesterday, as well as today. this is one of the most horrific cases of child sex offences . in fact, in the court offences. in fact, in the court today and yesterday as well. both the prosecutor and defence noted and the judge today noted that the sentencing guidelines is that such was the nature of these offences that much of them came outside the sentencing guidelines. that's how awful they were. but sentencing mr edwards today, judge lloyd clarke said that this defendant had a pattern of behaviour messaging these girls masquerading himself sometimes as a 14 year old boy in some cases pretending to know them, but grooming his victims psychologically, manipulating them until he gained control over them. we heard throughout this week that even when his victims were crying, when they were distressed , when they were were distressed, when they were asking him to stop, he could have been in no doubt the harm that he was causing them in some

cases, his victims told him that they were self—harming or were considered suicidal thoughts, but he on one occasion told one girl that other girls he had done this to had committed suicide. so he did not care if she committed suicide . the court she committed suicide. the court heard this week recorded phone calls that he had with one of the girls , girls, 13 year old at the girls, girls, 13 year old at the girls, girls, 13 year old at the time where he was pleasuring himself during the call. now, he was a serving police officer from the majority of when these offences took place. these offences took place. these offences took place from november . 2020 to february 2023, november. 2020 to february 2023, when he was then arrested and quickly sacked from the police force of south wales police following a misconduct court hearing, but also a telling me superintendent, detective tracy rang detective superintendent tracy ranking herself of south wales police, told me about the sophistication of the of the computer network and setup that

he had in his home, meaning that south wales police had to build special software because of the levels of encryption that he had on his on his network to protect these images. many of these images 4500 of them in total, 700 of them category a, which infers to images which involve penetration much of them were stored in folders indicative of the ages. so as a degree of sophistication and organisation in that edwards was using for the grooming of his victims here he will of course serve a life sentence . he will be available sentence. he will be available for parole after a minimum of 12 years. but the judge stressing today to the families , of today to the families, of course, that if parole board deem it deemed him not still a danger to the public after those 12 years, he will still remain behind bars , most likely for behind bars, most likely for life. yeah >> jack cardiff, crown court, thank you for that. and again, our apologies for obviously the graphic evidence that was actually presented in that court, explaining why he is court, but explaining why he is now serving a life sentence .

now serving a life sentence. >> now prime minister's questions took place a little earlier with rishi sunak facing sir keir starmer for the first time since the recent by—election defeats. the two clashed over housing the cost of living crisis, but appeared to be united over their support for israel, with the prime minister confirming that an raf flight had left for egypt earlier carrying humanity an aid. well, sir keir starmer and angela rayneris sir keir starmer and angela rayner is deputy are now meeting muslim mps and peers . muslim mps and peers. >> well, to explain more, we can speak now to our political correspondent olivia utley and olivia. this refers back to these comments that keir starmer made in relation to the water and power supplies to gaza and then well, the resignation of many labour councillors in the aftermath of that well , absolutely. >> just a few weeks ago keir starmer was being praised from the labour party and beyond for managing to have such a slick professional labour conference

where pretty much every one, every every senior labour official who who spoke seemed to be 100% on the side of israel. then keir starmer did an interview with nick ferrari from lbc , who asked him if he thought lbc, who asked him if he thought it was right. i'm paraphrasing here that israel had cut off the water supply to gaza and keir starmer said yes, i believe israel does have that right. well cue fury, not just from his own back benches , but from the own back benches, but from the labour party more generally . 23 labour party more generally. 23 labour party more generally. 23 labour councillors have now resigned and labour mps are getting well, lots of them are deeply , deeply concerned about deeply, deeply concerned about the humanitarian situation in gaza and there are others who are worried about the electoral significance of his words too. there are millions of muslims in the uk who on the whole tend to sway very broad brush strokes here, but on the whole , the here, but on the whole, the muslim population tends to sway towards the labour party . labour towards the labour party. labour mps in areas where there are a

lot of muslims are very worried that comments such as the ones that comments such as the ones that keir starmer made over the weekend could change all of that. keir starmer is meeting with a group of labour muslim mps earlier, but he's got himself into a bit of a hole and that was very much reflect acted in pmqs today. this should have been a hands down win for keir starmer. labour won those two by elections last week and completely unprecedented territory , and yet it very much territory, and yet it very much felt as though keir starmer was on the back foot the whole time. rishi sunak was asked by the snp whether the prime minister , the whether the prime minister, the government to government commits to a ceasefire in the middle east and it felt a little bit as though that question was really aimed at keir starmer and just to reiterate, i think angela rayner will be with him . will be with him. >> so is she going to hold his coat or how is the dynamic going to play out ? well it'll be to play out? well it'll be really interesting to find out because reading between the lines, it sounds as though.

>> angela rayner she hasn't come out and said anything obviously, but reading between the lines, it sounds as though she is a little unsure about keir little bit unsure about keir starmer's uncompromising line on israel. we know the two of them don't get on that well. they manage to sort of hold together their relationship in public. but a lot tension but there's a lot of tension there and it could be that angela rayner has the support of lots mps her party and as lots of mps in her party and as you say, will be holding keir starmer's coat. >> olivia, for that >> olivia, thank you for that and be updating people on and we'll be updating people on the outcome of that meeting. thanks very much indeed. >> persistent >> well, heavy and persistent rain causing travel and rain has been causing travel and business disruption along the south of england . we're south coast of england. we're going to be getting an update from of wight, which from the isle of wight, which has been suffering some has really been suffering some heavy flooding, as can see heavy flooding, as you can see from images. let's from those images. first, let's get headlines with get your latest headlines with ray addison . ray addison. >> thank you both. 1:32. our top stories, the first load of humanitarian aid from the uk to

gazais humanitarian aid from the uk to gaza is on its way to egypt . we gaza is on its way to egypt. we can see live footage now from gaza. the ministry of defence confirmed an raf plane is carrying 21 tonnes of supplies , carrying 21 tonnes of supplies, which include medical equipment and water filters. meanwhile, the prime minister is refusing to support calls for a ceasefire, despite pressure from more than 80 mps to do so. instead rishi sunak is backing specific pauses, quote, in the conflict to allow for a safe delivery of delivery of aid to the territory . meanwhile israel the territory. meanwhile israel intensified airstrikes on the territory overnight. the military saying that it targeted hamas infrasound structure, including a weapons warehouse. the palestinian health ministry, which is run by hamas , says 756 which is run by hamas, says 756 people, including 344 children, have been killed in the past 24 hours, brings the total to more than 6500 since the 7th of october. the israel defence forces also say the navy spotted terrorists exiting a tunnel onto

a beach on the strip . they were a beach on the strip. they were killed when they tried to enter israeli territory by sea back back here, a former south wales police officer has been jailed for life with a minimum of 12 years for sexual offences against children . lewis edwards against children. lewis edwards used fake social media accounts and posed as a teenager to groom more than 200 young girls online. he forced his victims to take indecent videos and images of themselves using the material to blackmail them to two metropolitan police officers have been found guilty of gross misconduct over the stop and search of two black athletes , search of two black athletes, ricardo dos santos and his partner bianca williams, were stopped in their car in london back in 2020. nothing was found and no arrests were made with the pair publicly accusing the force of racism. five officers were investigated . all of them were investigated. all of them denied any wrongdoing. the panel found that both pc jonathan clapham and pc sam frank were guilty . you can get more on all

guilty. you can get more on all those stories on our website, gb news.com those stories on our website, gbnews.com . for a valuable gbnews.com. for a valuable legacy. >> your family can own gold coins will always shine bright rose and gold proudly sponsors the gb news financial report back to pip and mark in a moment, but first, a quick snapshot of the markets. >> the pound will buy you 1.21, two, $3 and ,1.1462. price of gold £1,630.03 per ounce. and the ftse 107,412 points. rosler lind gold proudly sponsors the gb news financial report

thursdays from six till 930 . thursdays from six till 930. >> welcome back to the live desk. >> we're going to keep you up updated on the situation with the flooding, particularly in the flooding, particularly in the isle of wight. really badly hit. should cheer hit. but should we cheer ourselves up with something from buckingham palace? because we've got a picture coming of a got a picture coming in of a diamond . diamond. >> a colleague and diamond has received received her obe at buckingham palace, an obe for her services to public health and charity, including doing all that campaigning that she's done for research into cot death. yeah and of course, that's very close to her heart. >> but she could have dressed up

for the day, couldn't she? >> oh, didn't she terrible? >> oh, didn't she look terrible? scruffy so—and—so. >> congratulations . does. does scruffy so—and—so. >> (meantulations . does. does scruffy so—and—so. >> (mean that ons . does. does scruffy so—and—so. >> (mean that you. does. does scruffy so—and—so. >> (mean that you know;. does scruffy so—and—so. >> (mean that you know , does scruffy so—and—so. >> (mean that you know , every that mean that you know, every morning it has to be anne morning now it has to be anne diamond the screen. so diamond obe on the screen. so congratulate this fabulous picture. >> yeah, yeah. >> yeah, yeah. >> a lifetime's work effectively in of that charitable in terms of that charitable cause. we were saying, cause. now, as we were saying, parts of the uk left devastated by floods, babet battering by floods, storm babet battering the country over the past few days and the north particularly hit. but now it's the south that's got a walloping. >> yeah. and communities are hitting out at the lack of help to save their homes from the downpours. our reporter anna riley has been out talking to flood victims in rotherham and can join us now. good afternoon anna. what stories have they been telling you about all this ? been telling you about all this? >> good afternoon . well, there's >> good afternoon. well, there's still a lot of shock , a lot of still a lot of shock, a lot of upset as the aftermath of the storm continues, the clean up effort continues . news behind effort continues. news behind me, people's possessions are still laid outside , ready for

still laid outside, ready for the council to collect them. and the council to collect them. and the upset that there is in this community is that there were hit hard by flooding back in two thousand and seven, 16 years ago, and they were told that flood defences had been put in place, that £15 million had been spent and flooding of this level would not happen again. but it has and now that's left this community yet again decimated. water levels rising above six metres, completely destroying the ground floor of homes. it was 250 houses that were evacuated on saturday when the river rother burst its banks as a result of heavy rain. and then obviously there was a wait then for that the river to come down before the water could be pumped. now it's not heavy rain like it was yesterday day. the sun is out , so like it was yesterday day. the sun is out, so there's no like it was yesterday day. the sun is out , so there's no water sun is out, so there's no water anymore . but people here in the anymore. but people here in the community have been telling me

it's going to take them up to 12 months before they can move back into their homes. some people also don't have insurance as well to cover the repairs to their homes . and there's concern their homes. and there's concern as well about selling their property if that's going to be possible at all. with this risk of flooding happening again. so people here are looking for answers and they're looking for assurance as that flooding of this level won't happen again. >> yeah, and this does seem to be a feature, anna, that those people have been hit by flooding before, then find that the insurance companies are not paying insurance companies are not paying or saying their paying out or saying that their policies are null and void . policies are null and void. >> yeah, that's right, mark. and last time some people were homes were valued at a pound as well. so it's finding that that mortgage broker, i can see that one home behind me here. it says it's got a sold sign on it, but we don't know if that sale will will now go through. and it's as well if people have got insurance that will cover

possessions like televisions , possessions like televisions, sofas. but there's been very emotional, sentimental items that have been lost in this flood as well that just cannot be replaced . so people here are be replaced. so people here are saying they don't know if they want to live in this community anymore, if it's going to keep being flood hit. >> anna, thank you for that. and of course , as you say, many, of course, as you say, many, many families assessing the loss of not just valuable items, but things that really are important to them. >> it is the south coast now that has been affected in the last few hours by all this heavy and persistent rain and the isle of wight recorded as the worst hit area after more than two inches of rain fell in six hours. and of course, falling on already soaked ground . already soaked ground. >> well, let's speak now to victoria dunford , who runs victoria dunford, who runs a charity there. victoria, thank you very much indeed for your your time. and bob seeley , the your time. and bob seeley, the local mp, was with us from pmqs saying what a marvellous job you've been doing down there, but i think you've literally been washed out down there. the

pictures we were seeing earlier , pictures we were seeing earlier, yes, this happens first time to us. >> we've been in east cowes for the last 11 years. first time i witnessed flooding like this. we came normally to work this morning, but we couldn't work because there's no electricity and we had six inches of rain inside the our community room . inside the our community room. >> so what's it done to you there ? there? >> it stopped all the events for this week. obviously, we are a charity. we run on fundraising events, the community room is being rented out today and tomorrow, and we have our own event on friday. but those has to be cancelled. so we're just looking at some images now . looking at some images now. >> i mean, that looks like even more than two inches. and also on the isle of wight, there's been travel problems as well, hasn't there ? hasn't there? >> it is. it has been a travel problem. so a lot of people have problems like they open the door and the water was just coming out from inside. all the community got together and they

cleared out. we are clearing out pretty much all our street, our room downstairs. we took the water out. however, all the furniture and everything else is still soaking wet. did you have anyidea still soaking wet. did you have any idea , victoria, did you have any idea, victoria, did you have any idea, victoria, did you have anyidea any idea, victoria, did you have any idea that this was coming or was it a complete surprise ? was was it a complete surprise? was a complete surprise . we had a complete surprise. we had a yellow warning yesterday , but we yellow warning yesterday, but we had this yellow warnings last year and we never had flooded like this , this calibre. like this, this calibre. >> yeah, i think it's just the amount that fell in such a short time, isn't it? and the ground already soaked. but what does it mean now for your charitable work there you have you managed to move some of your equipment and supplies safety or are and supplies to safety or are you have start from you going to have to start from scratch again? >> well, have managed to save >> well, we have managed to save most equipment like our most of our equipment like our offices are upstairs. so downstairs we have a community room. we are renting for events for the for our community, for different clubs . so the different clubs. so the downstairs we are still can't assess the full damage. we took the water out . however, the

the water out. however, the water still comes under the flooring, so we don't know if we'll have to replace the flooring or not. all the walls are soaking wet. we are trying to collect as many dehumidifiers as possible at the moment, but we cannot assess the full damage as yet. however, our equipment is safe. thanks, because our office is upstairs is okay. >> but perhaps again the problems with the insurance company well in terms of company as well in terms of getting all damage repaired getting all that damage repaired . well. thanks . but we wish you well. thanks for updating us and we'll speak to again soon, hopefully to you again soon, hopefully when get back on when maybe you can get back on your feet. victoria dunford there the there with that charity in the isle wight. the latest area isle of wight. the latest area to get hit with the floods. >> there is plenty of anger >> now, there is plenty of anger in well, in london and all over the country after it was revealed that barriers have been placed around the cenotaph on whitehall . well, now that is the whitehall. well, now that is the uk's foremost war memorial and it's amid concerns that the monument could be damaged in protests ahead of remembrance sunday, which of course is not that far away. >> and it is the centrepiece of

that day . remembrance. let's get that day. remembrance. let's get more. the london reporter lisa hartle, who's actually there for us now. what are they actually put around it, lisa? >> sorry, just as you were speaking there, a vehicle went by. there's as you can see behind me, hopefully there's fences around the cenotaph. now, we've seen the cenotaph boarded up. many times when there are protests that are taking place. and i spoke to some police officers on the street here earlier and asked them and they said that that's indeed the case. whenever we have a protest, they said we want to ensure that cenotaph ensure that the cenotaph is protected . at the weekend, there protected. at the weekend, there was outrage when a protest took took place, but there was a stage erected next to the cenotaph now of course, the cenotaph is a focal point for so many people that that wish to go there and to pay their respects to those that have been lost in conflict. it's over 100 years old. the first cenotaph was actually put in place as a wooden structure, a temporary structure after the first world war for people to go and pay

their respects to those that they'd lost. but then this permanent we permanent structure that we now have today has remained in place all this time, and it serves as all this time, and it serves as a for veterans to go and a place for veterans to go and to pay their respects to their fallen comrades for family members, for friends, to go and pay members, for friends, to go and pay their respects to loved ones that in conflicts . that they've lost in conflicts. now, johnny mercer, the veterans minister who is a veteran himself, has said that he understands the caused by understands the hurt caused by having close to the having a stage close to the cenotaph and he said that this was formerly known as was on formerly known as twitter, home twitter, spoke to the home secretary and met police on how to this happening again. to avoid this happening again. and police have said that to avoid this happening again. and further ce have said that to avoid this happening again. and further protests said that to avoid this happening again. and further protests planned with further protests planned and they're guaranteeing that the stage will not be anywhere near the cenotaph going fonnard . near the cenotaph going fonnard. and so and going fonnard from this, there are there is growing concern on throughout the uk and in other countries around security and just everyone just feeling a little bit on edge. we've heard from kensington palace. they've said that they are not going to have their

annual ice rink this christmas. that's amidst heightened security concerns with the conflict going on and then in france, it was announced that the europe mtv awards, the video awards there, that's not going to take place. and they cited the same reasons. >> yeah, but just to talk about the cenotaph in in particular, we think that this is not a specific warning about it being targeted. this is just a precautionary measure because of the number of protests expected . the number of protests expected. >> yeah, exactly . so that's why >> yeah, exactly. so that's why ispoke >> yeah, exactly. so that's why i spoke to a police officer here and he just reiterated the fact i mean, we've seen it many times with protests sometimes you see the boards around the cenotaph . the boards around the cenotaph. this it's just the fences this time it's just the fences that you can see on new year's eve. they'll board up places like the cenotaph and other important structures and memorials around london as a preventative measure. and as you said, in the link into me there, this is ahead of you know, the special occasion coming up, the remembrance and remembrance day

coming up in november. so it's a precautionary measure ahead of any protest taking place . any protest taking place. >> lisa at the cenotaph, thanks very much for updating us there. >> global debt is at a tipping point. that's according to the boss of hsbc bank, noel quinn , boss of hsbc bank, noel quinn, speaking at a financial summit in saudi arabia known as the davosin in saudi arabia known as the davos in the desert. >> of course, davos, the swiss get together in the winter. well, quinn's alert following last month's warnings from the international monetary fund, the imf and the world bank that debt across now across the world was now becoming unsustainable. let's get with our economics and get more with our economics and business editor liam halligan get more with our economics and busiron; editor liam halligan get more with our economics and busiron the tor liam halligan get more with our economics and busiron the moneyn halligan get more with our economics and busiron the money . halligan with on the money. >> is he right, liam, to make that warning next out? >> i think it's interesting that the guy that runs the seventh biggest bank in the world is saying things that up until now journalistic scribblers like me have been saying . there is an have been saying. there is an awful lot of concern out there for mark and pip that since

2008, and particularly since the covid lockdown, a lot of governments around the world have been amassing debt at a huge scale. the uk , the us in huge scale. the uk, the us in particular, debt in china is very, very high. debt in italy is very, very high. and does that mean we're approaching some kind of reckoning on financial markets ? we're already seeing markets? we're already seeing bond yields . that is the price bond yields. that is the price that governments must pay to borrow. they're rocketing up. they're at a 25 year high in the us . they're almost at a 30 year us. they're almost at a 30 year high here in the uk. let's have a look at what niall quinn actually noel quinn actually said . said he said he said to said. said he said he said to a sort of ritzy summit, as you say in saudi arabia. i'm concerned about a tipping point on fiscal deficits . that is, government deficits. that is, government spending more than they collect in tax revenue when it comes, it will come fast. and i think there are a number of economies in the where that could be in the world where that could be a point and it will hit a tipping point and it will hit hard. interestingly he talked about the us where joe biden is massing lots and lots of debt

and he talked about the uk as well. let's have a quick look at uk debt levels. this is government debt. you can see a graph here. we've gone up from um, here we go from the year 2000 is at 30% of gdp, 30% the size of the economy through the financial crisis 2008. we're now up at almost 100% of gdp with an increase since the covid 19 pandemic and lockdown there starting in 2020. and then again , russia and ukraine. in italy, debt has gone up from 120% of gdp in 2012, when there was a eurozone crisis all the way up to 140% of gdp. now, in china, the numbers are opaque , but we the numbers are opaque, but we think that there is about 140% of gdp. and what this means is, is that financial markets, investors demand more and more and more return to lend money to the government . and that knocks the government. and that knocks on interest rates for us. if we got personal loans , mortgages,

got personal loans, mortgages, car purchase , you know, hire, car purchase, you know, hire, purchase, whatever it is. that's why bond markets , which sound why bond markets, which sound arcane, are really , really arcane, are really, really important. you may not be interested in bond markets, pip, but they're interested in you. >> and what happens when we hit that tipping what is the that tipping point? what is the tipping ? what happens when tipping point? what happens when the circuit blow the circuit breakers blow a tipping point, is when tipping point, mark is when something had in 2008. something like we had in 2008. >> again, i'm a financial journalist . >> again, i'm a financial journalist. i've got to be responsible trying to predict journalist. i've got to be responsmeltdown to predict journalist. i've got to be respons meltdown .:o predict journalist. i've got to be respons meltdown . butedict journalist. i've got to be respons meltdown . but i'mt journalist. i've got to be respons meltdown . but i'm just market meltdown. but i'm just reporting what noel quinn said, who runs hsbc , which, as i said, who runs hsbc, which, as i said, is the seventh biggest bank in the world. and it wasn't just him, it was you know, other titans of wall street and the city of london at this conference were piling in as well. and the tipping point means that financial markets suddenly they demand a lot more for the government to borrow. governments then have trouble providing public services, governments then have to put up debt that slows down growth. and you get into an even higher debt , high interest rate, low growth

spiral. financial markets see that coming. shares fall and you get a kind of 2008 style meltdown. >> and what's happening at the moment, the israel—hamas war, that could impact that on all this as well . this as well. >> you know, i often feel rather self—conscious, pip, when i have these discussions with you and mark and obviously we're seeing ghastly pictures out of gaza, ghastly pictures out of gaza, ghastly pictures out of gaza, ghastly pictures out of israel in general , all ghastly pictures out of israel in general, all kinds of ghastly pictures out of israel in general , all kinds of loss of in general, all kinds of loss of life . it seems almost ridiculous life. it seems almost ridiculous to talk about money. but in the end , you know, war has knock on end, you know, war has knock on effects on living standards around the world, particularly when it leads to financial markets, become ing very turbulent, whether it's through the oil price. of course, the oil price is knocking up now above $90 a barrel. whether it's through government spending money on war or whether it's just basic , you know, diplomatic just basic, you know, diplomatic meltdowns and turbulence, which spook investors around the world. there seems to me, you know, we're meant to be in the

middle of a sort of post covid bounce back at the moment, weren't we? we were meant to be in the sunlit uplands, but it doesit in the sunlit uplands, but it does it does seem to me that i remember. >> well, yeah, it does. >> well, yeah, it does. >> you know, and towards the end of this year, interest rates were going to come down, inflation was to come inflation was going to come down. seem to there's down. it does seem to me there's a sort of confluence of bad news. storm clouds on the horizon. you fingers horizon. but, you know, fingers crossed, hope. crossed, we live in hope. >> liam, you for that. >> liam, thank you for that. let's just update you on the latest at sunak on latest at rishi sunak on releasing this news of a ministry plane. ministry of defence raaf plane. this is it. being loaded with humanitarian aid heading to gaza, 21 tonnes. well there we are. they're even helping us with the facts and figures there on the screen. >> yeah, and rishi sunak spoke about this a little earlier in the house of commons and he said that there was medical kits , that there was medical kits, 75,000 medical kits, solar lights, water filters , us and lights, water filters, us and the uk government , lights, water filters, us and the uk government, he lights, water filters, us and the uk government , he says, lights, water filters, us and the uk government, he says, is doing everything it can to get that humanitarian aid in to

support palestinian civilians , support palestinian civilians, as the un warns that the fuel could run out in gaza tonight. >> at yeah, the latest that we're getting from the hospitals is that they are effectively on emergency generators saying they desperately need fuel. the un saying that its aid operation may have to cease by tonight. we'll have the latest from one of those doctors on the frontline as that c—17 globemaster takes off. all the latest for you here on the live desk on gb news. stay

us >> good afternoon. it is 2:00 and this is the live desk here on gb news. coming up this wednesday afternoon. now the diplomatic battle in the middle east. >> israel calling for the un secretary—general to resign after he said palestinians have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation . suffocating occupation. >> new fears that the conflict could escalate. pictures released by the israelis show hamas attacks from the sea suggest saying that it has significant firepower . our our significant firepower. our our security editor, mark white has the latest from tel aviv . the latest from tel aviv. >> pmqs rishi sunak faces sir keir starmer for the first time since the by—election defeats clashing over housing, the cost of living crisis, but appearing to be united over their support for israel . for israel. >> a police officer who blackmailed and threatened

underage girls to send him explicit photos of themselves on snapchat is jailed for life . snapchat is jailed for life. we'll be live with the latest from cardiff crown court . from cardiff crown court. and yet more rain, yet more floods , this time hitting the south. >> the isle of wight has extensive damage to homes and roads and businesses and the weather warnings remaining in place for other parts, too. we'll update you on that. but first, the headlines with . ray first, the headlines with. ray >> thank you both. good afternoon. it is one minute past to our top stories . the first to our top stories. the first load of humanitarian aid from the uk to gaza is now on its way to egypt. the ministry of defence confirmed that an raf plane is carrying 21 tonnes of suppues plane is carrying 21 tonnes of supplies , which includes medical supplies, which includes medical equipment and water filters. the

government says stockpiles of wound care packs were donated by the department of health. the aid will be distributed through the egyptian red crescent . we the egyptian red crescent. we can see live pictures now from gaza for those watching on television . meanwhile, here, the television. meanwhile, here, the uk prime minister is refusing to support calls for a ceasefire despite pressure from more than 80 mp5 despite pressure from more than 80 mps to do so . instead, rishi 80 mps to do so. instead, rishi sunakis 80 mps to do so. instead, rishi sunak is backing what he calls specific pauses in the conflict to allow for a safe delivery of aid to the territory . five aid to the territory. five british nationals were among more than 200 people still being held hostage in gaza . held hostage in gaza. >> the most important principle is that israel has the right to defend itself under international law . our support international law. our support for that position is absolute and unchanged. but from the start, we have also said that we do want british nationals to be able to leave gaza and that we want hostages to be released and for humanitarian aid to get in. and we recognise that for all of that to happen, there has to be a safer environment, which of

course necessitates specific pauses as distinct from a ceasefire as we've been hearing , ceasefire as we've been hearing, israel intensified its airstrikes on gaza overnight. >> the military says it targeted hamas infrastructure, including a weapons warehouse. the palestinian health ministry, which is run by hamas, says 756 people, including 344 children an have been killed in the past 24 hours. it brings the total to more than 6500 since october the 7th. the israel defence forces also saying that the navy spotted terrorists exiting a tunnel onto a beach on the strip . they were killed when they tried to enter israeli territory by sea . a former south wales by sea. a former south wales police officer has been jailed for life with a minimum of 12 years for sexual offences against children. lewis edwards used fake social media accounts and posed as a teenager to groom more than 200 young girls online. he forced his victims to

take indecent videos and images of themselves , using the of themselves, using the material to blackmail them. in sentencing, the judge described his behaviour as cruel and sadistic and said he posed a dangerous risk to children . to dangerous risk to children. to met police officers have been found guilty of gross misconduct over the stop and search of two black athletes , ricardo dos black athletes, ricardo dos santos and his partner bianca williams were stopped in their london car, in their car in london, rather, in 2020. nothing was found. no arrests were made , was found. no arrests were made, and the pair publicly accused the force of racism. five officers were investigated. all officers were investigated. all of them denied any wrongdoing. but the panel upheld complaints against pcs. jonathan clapham and sam franks . three people and sam franks. three people have been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage after just stop oil activists sprayed london's wellington arch orange. the group posted footage online as they demanded the government end new oil and gas. the video shows activists covering the

almost 200 year old grade one listed structure with paint before setting off orange flares . rishi sunak has been quizzed on the cost of living crisis dunng on the cost of living crisis during prime ministers. prime minister's questions earlier on his first anniversary as tory leader, the labour leader accused the conservatives of crashing the economy, raising the case of one family whose mortgage went up by a quarter. rishi sunak responded by saying his government's policy to cope with rising interest rates is twice as generous as labour's would be and that the opposition has a track record of u—turns. however, sir keir says the british public continues to be abandoned by this government. >> truth is, his candidate in tamworth summed up perfectly just how his and his tories are treating the british public. so will he just call a general election and give the british pubuc election and give the british public the chance to respond as they did in selby? mid beds and tamworth? they've heard the

government telling them to f off and they want the chance to return the compliment as we saw with his recent decisions on actually building new houses, politics is like him always take the easy way out. >> mr speaker, whereas we we're getting on making the right long term decisions to change this country for the better on net zero, on hs2, on a smoke free generation, on education and energy security . contrast that energy security. contrast that to his leadership . too cautious to his leadership. too cautious to his leadership. too cautious to say anything and hope that nobody notices . mr speaker, let nobody notices. mr speaker, let me tell him , come that general me tell him, come that general election, the british people will and finally, anne diamond has been made an obe at buckingham palace . buckingham palace. >> the journalist and gb news presenter received the honour from king charles for her services to public health and charity. it recognised her campaigning efforts for research into cot death following the death of her son sebastian from sudden infant death syndrome. she said in june that she received news of the honour on

the same day that she was diagnosed with breast cancer . diagnosed with breast cancer. this is gb news across the uk on tv, in your car, on digital radio and on your smart speaker by saying, play gb news. now let's get back to mark and . pip ray. >> thank you very much indeed . >> thank you very much indeed. welcome back to the live desk. now, we saw that humanity aid on its way with that mod flight, that c7 , queen globemaster. but that c7, queen globemaster. but an extra ordinary intervention now from oxford , um, the aid now from oxford, um, the aid charity which has warned of starvation being used, quote , as starvation being used, quote, as a weapon of war against civilians in gaza , renewing its civilians in gaza, renewing its calls for more food and water suppues calls for more food and water supplies to be delivered and fuel to be allowed to enter the gaza strip . gaza strip. >> and israel is continuing to demand the resignation of un secretary general antonio gutierrez, saying he is no longer fit to lead it after he unked longer fit to lead it after he linked hamas's attack to what he

called israel . he's 56 years of called israel. he's 56 years of suffocate waiting occupation of palestine. also, just hearing now that israel has denied a visa to top un official martin griffiths after the un secretary general's comments as well. >> meanwhile, fears that gaza's hospitals could be on the brink of cancelling all but life saving treatments due to a shortage of fuel and equipment. the un saying that it has just 24 hours of fuel left and it may have to end its aid on operations tonight. then on the military front, israel appearing to say that its calls for a ceasefire from the un are not acceptable. intensifying strikes tonight against hamas seeking to destroy the terror group's military capabilities. >> gb news is security editor mark white has sent us this report from tel aviv just hours after the un secretary general called for an immediate

humanitarian ceasefire in gaza. >> this was israel's response . a >> this was israel's response. a further intensification of airstrikes against what israel says were hamas positions in including command and control compounds, ammunition stores and rocket launchers . but with many rocket launchers. but with many of those hamas positions right in the centre of residential areas , the toll on gaza's areas, the toll on gaza's civilians is enormous. >> the amount of muhammad, the hamas controlled health ministry claim had more than 700 died in the latest round of israeli strikes , dismissing the strikes, dismissing the secretary—general's call for a ceasefire, israel said it had no intention of easing up on its operation to destroy hamas and there is no widespread anger across israel after antonio guterres went on to say that although there was no justification for the attacks on

the 7th of october, there they did not occur, he said . did not occur, he said. >> in a vacuum, the palestinian people have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation . years of suffocating occupation. >> they have seen their land steadily devoured by settlements and plagued by violence . their and plagued by violence. their economy stifled , their people economy stifled, their people displaced and their homes demolished. i think that the secretary—general must resign because from now on, every day that he is here in this building, unless he apologises immediately . today we called him immediately. today we called him to apollo . guys, there is no to apollo. guys, there is no justification to the existence of this building . of this building. >> there are growing fears here of a widening regional conflict. the head of the hezbollah terror group in lebanon has met leaders from hamas and islamic jihad , from hamas and islamic jihad, pledging support for a resistance axis against israel, which would include help from

iran and syria . these unverified iran and syria. these unverified images claim to show the aftermath of an israeli strike on syrian military positions overnight, which the idf said had been launching rockets into israel. syrian authorities say eight of their soldiers were killed and seven injured and in another serious incident, israel said it killed a group of hamas terrorists trying to reach israel by sea to launch an attack in a community north of gaza. attack in a community north of gaza . it came on the back of the gaza. it came on the back of the largest rocket barrage into central israel since the 7th of october. attacks across tel aviv, people ran for shelters as iron dome missile defence systems into intercepted multiple hamas rockets. one struck a community northeast of tel aviv, badly damaged a

property with many more burials in israel and in gaza. any thoughts of a ceasefire in this conflict ? thoughts of a ceasefire in this conflict? must thoughts of a ceasefire in this conflict ? must seem a very thoughts of a ceasefire in this conflict? must seem a very long way off. mark white gb news tel aviv . aviv. >> mark white is in tel aviv still for us and we can get the latest from him now. mark, let's start with what oxfam is saying that that israel is starving , is that that israel is starving, is being used as a weapon by israel against gaza civilians . there is against gaza civilians. there is against gaza civilians. there is a real division now between what aid agencies are saying oxford and the un and what israel is saying, which is that there is a false picture being created here by hamas about the situation on the ground . the ground. >> yes. i mean, israel says that hamas has had years to prepare for what is coming now that they have got hundreds of thousands of litres of fuel stored

underground that they could give to hospitals and indeed are giving to hospitals because as we heard ten days or so ago, that there was 24 hours of fuel left for the hospitals to run their generators . yet according their generators. yet according to israel , those generators have to israel, those generators have been running ever since. i think the situation on the ground is much more complicated and precarious than that, much more complicated and precarious than that , though we precarious than that, though we know there are images and reports coming out from colleagues in gaza that these hospitals are running very low on their fuel supplies, that they are powering down those generators . they're cancelling generators. they're cancelling a lot of operation missions and they are only firing up their generators to actually carry out very significant operations to save lives. there are pictures of ambulances arriving at hospitals late at night with doctors and medical staff using their phones, the lights on

their phones, the lights on their phones, the lights on their phones to shine away for those stretchers to come into the hospital. so there's no doubt there are very significant problems . now, i doubt there are very significant problems. now, i think most western countries would acknowledge that. we heard rishi sunak, the british prime minister saying today, or at least his spokesman indicating that they may well push for some kind of a pause, not a ceasefire, but a humanity , ceasefire, but a humanity, korean pause to allow more trucks in. >> now the issue is that oxfam is being quite specific , is being quite specific, asserting that starvation action is being used as a weapon of war. there are regional middle east director saying the situation becoming nothing short of horrific. now we've got this raf plane on the way with 21 tonnes of aid, but as we've been reporting daily, the problem is, of course trying to get it across the border, either physically into gaza . yes physically into gaza. yes because there are very few trucks coming across that border

into gaza. >> 62 trucks have made it since gaza was effectively closed off on that border. the rafah crossing into egypt was closed at the start of this war. now oxfam is saying that really that's only 2% of the food supply guys that would normally get into gaza have gone into gaza and their needs clearly to be far more in the way of aid and food supplies and water suppues and food supplies and water supplies and fuel. they say, well , israel is not at this well, israel is not at this stage anyway going to countenance any fuel trucks going in. but it may be open depending on what the us , uk and depending on what the us, uk and other western allies say to them. they may be willing to look at the possibility of a pause to allow more aid trucks in or at least try and facilitate that themselves. it's complicated though, because they say that sites around the rafah

crossing all around both north and southern gaza are being used by the hamas terrorists to pop up from tunnels to launch missile strikes or rocket strikes into israel on almost an hourly basis . the alerts go off. hourly basis. the alerts go off. they respond . and of course, they respond. and of course, when these launchers pop up with immediate airstrikes back so nothing is safe in these areas. we know that the strikes are not just confined to the north, but they are taking place in the south as well and around that rafah crossing area . rafah crossing area. >> and of course, the issue being that yet more calls for a ceasefire happened again at pmqs today in the commons. but of course, the israelis pointing out that hamas still has military capability. they launched this this maritime strike on a beach with his extraordinary pictures of this sort of specialist frogman unit. >> yes, well, in a way , it's

>> yes, well, in a way, it's quite worrying, i suppose, for israel that they have been pounding hamas positions , as pounding hamas positions, as they say, for more than two weeks now with very significant firepower from the air. but despite that, we had the largest rocket barrage hitting central israel, or at least targeting central israel since this conflict began on the 7th of october, with people running for the shelters. one rocket getting through to a community northeast of tel aviv. the fact that they still have the capability to launch hundreds of rockets off towards israel on a daily basis is clearly of concern to the israelis. and then add to that the fact that according to the idf , you had these hamas idf, you had these hamas terrorists exiting that tunnel , terrorists exiting that tunnel, getting into their scuba gear and trying to head towards southern israel for over a under

the mediterranean , but they were the mediterranean, but they were taken out by the israeli navy and by air forces as well . so and by air forces as well. so clearly, there's still capability . there's still a capability. there's still a determination by hamas to do that. so given that it might mean that this there is even more of a case, the idf might argue for going in on the ground because there's only so much they can do in the way of an aerial attack. it's clearly not doing exactly what they want to doing exactly what they want to do in degrading hamas capabilities . capabilities. >> regarding the 200 plus hostages, mark, we've been heanng hostages, mark, we've been hearing from qatar today who are sounding quite optimistic , sounding quite optimistic, saying there will be a breakthrough, they hope, in the hostage releases, very soon. it sounds like there are further negotiations and talks happening there .

there. >> yes, i mean, the qataris have been saying this for over a week now. they have been involved in negotiations . they are actually negotiations. they are actually calling for a ceasefire while these negotiations continue . these negotiations continue. their argument is that if they gain the release of hostages, it is much more difficult not to have these hostages taken to a place of safety to be handed over if there is a ground war in place and if, of course, gaza is continuing to be struck regularly by the israeli military. but certainly in terms of the air war, that's not going as far as israel is concerned to cease any time soon when they are rather suspicious of qatar to say the very least. they have accused qatar of being a sponsor of hamas anyway . of course, they of hamas anyway. of course, they do allow offices for hamas in qatar as well . so israel would qatar as well. so israel would say they're not really an honest

broker in this conflict, although, of course, any moves to try and release the hostages has got to be welcomed . has got to be welcomed. >> mark in tel aviv , thank you >> mark in tel aviv, thank you for updating us there with the latest. more from you, of course, throughout the afternoon as the situation changes. his well, coming up the continue over housing those asylum seekers in hotels. why local councils now say they'll still be there and they'll be picking up the bill. latest details coming

isabel monday to thursdays from six till 930 . six till 930. welcome back to the live desk. we're just getting news of more explosions in gaza coming through. it has been fairly quiet so far today, but these are the latest shots now. that is a significant explosion there on the skyline where, of course, we've had these calls for a ceasefire. but certainly israel was indicating that there's been rocket fire from hamas into central israel and tel aviv. and then this maritime incursion onto a beach just north of the gaza strip with israel saying it had to fight off effectively a commando raid by hamas frogmen wearing scuba suits and while you are looking at those images , you are looking at those images, there are warnings that hospitals are stopping all but emerge agency services because the fuel is running out. >> and indeed , oxfam is saying >> and indeed, oxfam is saying

that starvation is being used as a weapon of war against gaza civilians. >> but what we're looking at here is a huge plume of smoke there over the skyline of gaza city will try and get details for you as to what's happened, where this strike has been and what the aftermath of ramifications are. but, of course , let's just reflect that course, let's just reflect that it is very much an active political question here at home. sir keir starmer meeting labour muslim mps at the moment, continuing his efforts to . well, continuing his efforts to. well, there's been a backlash over his position on israel and gaza in particular his comments on israel having the right to cut off power and water from gaza . off power and water from gaza. let's get more with our political editor , christopher political editor, christopher hope. chris, i think you had angela rayner with him to hold his coat as well . his coat as well. >> well, that's right. it's a big meeting there with with muslim mps and peers. it goes back to the 11th of october when keir starmer said in an interview with lbc that israel was right to withhold water and

power and from from from gaza as they try and to deal with the hostage crisis out there. fast fonnard a more a two weeks since then there's real anger and fury amongst muslim supporters of the labour party. some councillors have quit and keir starmer is trying to keep a lid on this by meeting with with these these individuals lunchtime individuals this lunchtime and try control this escalating try to control this escalating problem he's got with with authority . he has won a lot of authority. he has won a lot of plaudits. i think keir starmer, with the way he has held labour support together for israel, certainly in party certainly in that party conference, over conference, the battle over whether to do about this, whether what to do about this, this outside the this crisis was outside the conference hall, not inside it, as it might have been under jeremy corbyn. that meeting jeremy corbyn. so that meeting is and think that is ongoing now, and i think that is ongoing now, and i think that is the first wrinkle. that's the first area where the tories can show that they are are show that they are they are behind area behind israel on this whole area defending and labour is defending itself and labour is slightly at the top. slightly wobbly at the top. that's problem. got . that's the problem. they've got. >> yeah. because at at prime minister's questions today there was the frontbencher wasn't there. yasmin qureshi, who used

pmqs to call the situation in gaza collective punishment . gaza collective punishment. >> that's right. and this kind of language is what is so difficult for sir keir starmer. he's trying to say that labour has has the right to defend itself against the attacks by hamas, but equally there's also the 2.2 million people in gaza . the 2.2 million people in gaza. the huge as you're hearing now in the news there, a huge humanitarian disaster unfolding there . and that's the balance there. and that's the balance he's got to strike, supporting israel's right to defend itself, but also thinking about the victims , the civilian of victims, the civilian victims of any action within gaza. and that is that's the problem he's facing, trying to hold that together so far is has gone okay for the labour leadership. but it's starting to be tested, i think, with these resignations of councillors over this of labour councillors over this position. in the house position. right in the house today, was ignored by sir today, it was ignored by sir keir he talked keir starmer. he talked more about wins last week about the labour wins last week in by elections, but nothing in the by elections, but nothing further to that. in the by elections, but nothing furichris, that. in the by elections, but nothing furichris, thank you for that. >> chris, thank you for that. and of course those calls for a ceasefire in that pmqs session. but take back to

but let's just take you back to the scotland and gaza. a second explosion in in the past few minutes there to the right of your picture. so no indication of any ceasefire at the moment, but what appears to be more airstrike on the gaza strip . and airstrike on the gaza strip. and as we were reporting , the un as we were reporting, the un saying that the humanitarian situation is becoming almost untenable and oxfam adding it's weight to the argument that the humanitarian situation is becoming too difficult for them to deal with indicates that they believe starvation is being used as a weapon of war. no response or reports from the israeli side at the moment. but of course, we'll keep you updated on this. but there's more smoke there in the distance. i think this is the distance. i think this is the impact. we can bring you some pictures of when this hit. and that, again, was a huge explosion and certainly the palestinian health authorities ,

palestinian health authorities, which are controlled by hamas, say that the number of dead and injured continues to grow with the damage being caused to various buildings as a result of these strikes. >> they are claiming hamas has run health ministries , saying run health ministries, saying that 6546 palestinians have been killed in the gaza strip by israeli airstrikes since the 7th of october. and that includes 2704 children. but, of course, it is impossible at the moment to verify their claims. independent ardently. >> yeah. as we get more details on what's happened in terms of the explosion and where they've been hitting, we'll update you on the details. but let's refresh it on events. here now with well, the details coming up you might find distressing because a former south wales police officer , lewis edwards, police officer, lewis edwards, has been jailed for life at cardiff crown court with a minimum of 12 years for sexual offences that he carried out

against more than 200 children. >> he used fake social media accounts posing as a teenager to groom and blackmail more than 200 young girls online using social media platform snapchat chat. well, let's cross live to cardiff crown court, where we are joined by gb news reporter jack carson. jack some of this detail is very graphic, isn't it? what on earth did the court hear here? >> yeah. so this has been a three day sentencing. it started on monday for all three days as edwards refused to appear in front of in front of the court. but over the past three days, we have heard how edwards inside netted 210 girls aged between 10 and 16 into sending him images of them performing sexual acts on themselves , the detail of on themselves, the detail of which , particularly around the which, particularly around the instruction, the explicit instruction. he would get them to do in terms of the videos,

these girls were sending him, in terms of the pictures these girls were sending them is horrific . he masqueraded himself horrific. he masqueraded himself often as pretending to be people that these girls knew , that these girls knew, pretending to be people of a similar age. in one instance, he pretended with one girl that he was a 14 year old boy, and then he secretly recorded the explicit images and videos these girls were sending them, using that then to blackmail them when they became scared, when they became terrified of what he was doing to them, sentencing mr edwards today, judge tracy lloyd said that the defendant had a pattern of behaviour . she said pattern of behaviour. she said he groomed his victims psycho theologically manipulating them until he gained control over them. she added that even when his victims were crying, distressed , begging him to stop, distressed, begging him to stop, even in some cases , as this even in some cases, as this court heard this week, when the victims admitted to him that they were self—harming or or suicidal, he said that he did not. the judge said that the

defendant did not stop . but defendant did not stop. but speaking to me and to gb news detectives , superintendent tracy detectives, superintendent tracy rankin detailed the sophistication that edwards had with his devices , where he with his devices, where he stored these images . stored these images. >> you or i might have an ipad or a laptop with our, you know, family photographs on there saved under folder names. there were devices there. so mobile phones, there were laptop shops and other computers as there were separate hard drives as well. but the way that everything was networked at the scene was it wasn't as simple as just unplugging everything and taking away to our labs for examination because there was a degree of sophistication and encryption in that if you did that, it would have wiped everything. so we would have lost the evidence that we were seeking. so, you know, the specialists and the experts from our digital forensics unit, they built the appropriate software and technology in order to download everything in situ so that we wouldn't lose any evidence that there was a file

directories where they had numbers next to the folders, which was indicative of ages that would suggest that the contents of those folders would include imagery that age include imagery of that age parameter as well. so there was a degree of organisation and filing of those images and videos as well . videos as well. >> and of course as well as that sentence this week, this court also heard examples of the impact of his crimes. one mother told the court that he took away her daughter's innocence and it felt like she was living in a nightmare . nightmare. >> jack at cardiff crown court , >> jack at cardiff crown court, thank you very much indeed for updating us, as we say, with some upsetting details , of some upsetting details, of course, in that report . we'll course, in that report. we'll keep you updated on what's going on in gaza city. more explosions, as say these explosions, as we say in these past minutes. huge of past few minutes. huge plumes of smoke to establish what smoke will try to establish what they've and where all the they've hit and where all the details coming up. first, the headunes details coming up. first, the headlines with . ray headlines with. ray >> thank you both. good afternoon. it's 233. our top

stories , the first load of stories, the first load of humanitarian aid from the uk to gazais humanitarian aid from the uk to gaza is on its way to egypt. the ministry of defence confirmed that an raf plane is carrying 21 tonnes of supplies , which tonnes of supplies, which includes medical equipment and water filters. the aid will be distributed through the egyptian red crescent . we can see live red crescent. we can see live pictures now of gaza where that explosion recently took place. there's still black smoke rising up into the sky hundreds of metres. meanwhile here, the prime minister is refusing to support calls for a ceasefire , support calls for a ceasefire, despite pressure from more than 80 mp5 despite pressure from more than 80 mps to do so . instead, rishi 80 mps to do so. instead, rishi sunakis 80 mps to do so. instead, rishi sunak is backing what he calls specific pauses in the conflict to allow for the safe delivery of aid to the territory . five of aid to the territory. five british nationals were among more than 200 people still being held hostage in gaza . a former held hostage in gaza. a former south wales police officer, as we've been hearing , has been we've been hearing, has been jailed for life with a minimum of 12 years for sexual offences

against children. lewis edwards used fake social media accounts and posed as a teenager to groom more than 200 young girls online. he forced his victims to take indecent videos and images of themselves , using the of themselves, using the material to blackmail them . to material to blackmail them. to metropolitan police. officers have been found guilty of gross misconduct over the stop and search of two black athletes . search of two black athletes. ricardo dos santos and his partner bianca williams were stopped in their car in london in 2020. nothing was found. no arrests were made. and the pair publicly accused the force of racism . five officers were racism. five officers were investigated and all denied any wrongdoing . but the panel upheld wrongdoing. but the panel upheld complaints against pc jonathan clapham and sam franks . you'll clapham and sam franks. you'll find more on all of those stories on our website, gb news.com stories on our website, gbnews.com .

sunday mornings from 930 on . gb news. >> welcome back to the live desk. let's take you live back to gaza where we've seen these huge explosions in these past few minutes. you can see the aftermath, the black smoke there on the skyline. and of course, as we see these strikes continuing , the thoughts about continuing, the thoughts about the 200 plus 220, maybe hostages still being held in gaza, in particular with the comments from qatar this morning with the

prime minister, sheikh mohammed bin abdul rahman. basically saying there are hopes there will be a breakthrough on the hostage release soon. there is some progress and some breakthrough on the hostage negotiations. but clearly see the numbers involved and when that might happen. still very much in question. gershon baskin has been involved in hostage negotiations between israel and hamas before he helped secure the release of israeli soldier gilad shalit from hamas captivity in 2011. >> that was in exchange for the release of 1027 palestinian prisoners . and gershon can join prisoners. and gershon can join us now. really good of you to spare the time for us this afternoon on gb news. thank you so much. can you explain to us how devastatingly complicated it is to get these 220 hostages out ? >> and it's extraordinarily difficult because as there are

no direct contact between israel and hamas, which is the way that it should be done. >> but of course, that's not done.the >> but of course, that's not done. the israelis won't talk to hamas. hamas won't talk to israelis. so we need the help of third parties. there are two third parties. there are two third parties. there are two third parties who are engaged in negotiations. of them negotiations. each one of them has succeeded in freeing two hostages so far , qatar and egypt hostages so far, qatar and egypt . it's not clear that either qatar or egypt has a full a communication with all the parties that are involved in holding the hostages. hamas has a leadership in doha in qatar. they also have a political leadership in gaza. and there's also the al qassam , which is the also the al qassam, which is the military wing of hamas, who are probably holding most of the hostages, but hostage are also being held apparently by islamic jihad, by the pflp and by other groups in gaza. the question is, is hamas political wing control of the hostages or the military wing or someone else ? the

wing or someone else? the egyptians are right next to gaza for their release that they secured the other night of two elderly women was done with the al qassam, with the military wing of hamas. al qassam, with the military wing of hamas . in both sides are wing of hamas. in both sides are involved in the negotiations. the hamas have declared that what they want is a cessation of israeli bombing on gaza, but they've also asked for other things and they're only willing to release what they call the civilian hostages . we don't know civilian hostages. we don't know what they mean by civilian hostages. they're holding women , hostages. they're holding women, children, elderly people , men of children, elderly people, men of different ages. so we don't really know who they're talking about when they say civilian hostages. so given all this complication , gershon, and as complication, gershon, and as you've indicated , perhaps a you've indicated, perhaps a civilian wing, a military wing with with different sort of lines of command and a super structure, that's very complicated. what do you make of what qatar has said this morning and the prime minister, the only way to find a peaceful solution is to keep communication

channels open , hopes there will channels open, hopes there will be a breakthrough in the hostage channels open, hopes there will be a br(soon.ough in the hostage channels open, hopes there will be a br(soon. doh in the hostage channels open, hopes there will be a br(soon. do wei the hostage channels open, hopes there will be a br(soon. do we take hostage channels open, hopes there will be a br(soon. do we take them ge channels open, hopes there will be a br(soon. do we take them at release soon. do we take them at their word? well i think that they are trying. i know for a fact that for most of the last two weeks they didn't have direct contact with the israelis, the qataris were communicating the communicating through the americans to the israelis. and that's a cumbersome . i that's a bit cumbersome. i understand that in the last day or have had direct or two, they have had direct communication with the israelis at enough level to make at a high enough level to make a difference. the israeli national security adviser responded to the message from the qatari prime minister in his own twitter account in which he thanked him, which an thanked him, which is an indication that least the indication that at least the national adviser is national security adviser is involved the talks with the involved in the talks with the qataris. this is a very good thing. if the qataris and the israelis are talking directly, it will help to streamline the communications. that we communications. i think that we have reason to hope, but we should be cautious also because we've been in this situation before. we've never been in a situation where 220 hostages have been taken by one of israel's enemies. i think it's

unprecedented the nature of the hostages who have been taken around the world. so we need to be cautious and we don't want to build expectations, build up expectations, particularly the loved particularly amongst the loved ones, family members of the ones, the family members of the hostages. but all avenues need to be exhaust bid to retrieve hostage as before. there's an israeli military incursion on the ground into gaza because that once that happens , the that once that happens, the window of opportunity for negotiations is probably going to close in terms of the shia number of hostages . number of hostages. >> that is a lot, isn't it, for captors to look after. so does that mean they might actually be more tempted to release them? because looking after that many is so it's a lot. >> it has to be a logistical nightmare for them. they're being probably kept underground in what's been called a web of tunnels that go for probably hundreds of kilometres underneath the entire gaza strip, just having the food , the

strip, just having the food, the water, the sanitation , the water, the sanitation, the special needs of people who who need medicine. there are people with diabetes . there are people with diabetes. there are people with diabetes. there are people with other illnesses who need to be cared. how much do hamas care about keeping so many people alive when they held one israeli hostage, an israeli soldier, he was very valuable asset and was a very valuable asset and they took very good care of him, making sure that he would be alive he worth so alive because he was worth so much them alive than much more to them alive than dead. they did get 1027 dead. and they did get 1027 palestinian prisoners in exchange him. but with 220 exchange for him. but with 220 hostages, it's a different it's a different calculation . on that a different calculation. on that begs the question, of course, given that members of this al—qassam brigades indicated that they were told specifically to go and capture people and take them back as hostages when they came over and hit the kibbutz's house, what is the end game that they are trying to achieve here? because one assumes they will have worked out the likely israeli response and what they want as a price to pay, and what they want as a price to pay, if i can use that phrase .

pay, if i can use that phrase. right. well, i think that they took many more hostages and hostages of a different nature than they originally planned. and that was because of the ease at which they broke through the israeli border and defence is i think there was a surprise . and think there was a surprise. and i think that some of the hostage taking was not done by hamas itself , but by other groups as itself, but by other groups as well. in it is against islam to kill women and children and elderly people. it's against islam , it's against the quran to islam, it's against the quran to hold women, children and elderly people as hostages. so they have gone against their own fundamental beliefs. and this should be noted what do they want in exchange? well, they've said want to free all the said they want to free all the prisoners of the palestinian pnsons prisoners of the palestinian prisons israeli prisons. prisons from israeli prisons. they thought when they broke through israeli defences that they were on the road to what they were on the road to what they called liberating palestine. said to palestine. that was said to directly several hamas people directly by several hamas people in days after the in gaza in the days after the october seventh saturday attack . october seventh saturday attack. they thought that israel was falling apart, israel was going to collapse and they would free

palestine and take over the whole territory . that is whole territory. that is obviously not happening. and what their suffering is enormous losses in gaza, a humanitarian disaster . better is being done disaster. better is being done by israel dropping bombs, indiscriminate on the gaza strip with more than 1.1 million people have lost their homes and around 6000 people have already been killed. many of them non—combatants, women and children as well. so this is a horrible disaster that's going on now. and hamas is overstepped the lines. that could be acceptable and is warranted themselves no longer worthy. so of do you think that that that creates a difficulty in that they may be some arguments going on between the political and the military wing of hamas that could complicate this further theni could complicate this further then i think for sure that there have to be arguments within hamas. they they show a united front. this could not have been done without agreement of the political all the higher political all the higher political echelon of the of the political echelon of the of the political side of hamas. it's unthinkable that the military

wing could have done such an attack without the agreement and knowledge of the political wing . knowledge of the political wing. so they are all collaborative in this, and it's quite difficult to know who in the end of the day is going to make decisions here. i cannot foresee a scenario where at the end of this war, a hamas is in control of gaza and continues to hold pose a threat to israel. i can also not imagine a scenario where there are people holding hostages or alive at the end of this hostages be this many hostages may be sacrificed in the israeli military plans if they're incapable of negotiating their release through the qataris or through the egyptians. the israelis will eventually go into gaza with their ground forces, and they are prepared for a very difficult battle. yeah but they are prepared and they're a lot stronger than hamas. >> there is a psychological game , though, isn't there, going on with hamas the way they they put out that video , though, of josh out that video, though, of josh howie and nurit being freed yesterday day. and it looked to

all intents and purposes , you're all intents and purposes, you're shaking hands with her captor almost a certain friendliness there. that's what they want people to think isn't it? >> right for sure . and we really >> right for sure. and we really don't know the circumstances of it. what i what i can tell you is that miss lipschitz is a woman living on the border of gaza her whole life. she was one of the founders of the kibbutz on the border. she has been a volunteer in an organisation which drives palestine and children to hospitals in israel . children to hospitals in israel. she's been doing that for years . she's been doing that for years. we know that she has always believed that there could be peace between israel and palestine, and she has worked for that most of her life. i'm sure that she speaks some arabic and she know for her and she probably know for her own safety that it's better to be on friendly terms with these people than be arrogant with them. and let's remember that her husband is still held her husband is still being held hostage . and of course, he has hostage. and of course, he has has been a man of peace as well and helped people coming and has helped people coming across the border. this might be across the border. this might be a tricky one for you, gershon,

but you worked to release but when you worked to release gilad shalit back in 2011, it was perhaps a more stable political situation in israel . political situation in israel. well, there is much discussion about perhaps the differences between the israeli military and the israeli government on what happens next, how much of that is a difficulty in terms of securing the release of the hostages ? i don't think that hostages? i don't think that there is an argument between the military and the government. the military and the government. the military takes orders from the government . netanyahu was forced government. netanyahu was forced to bring in more responsibility , to bring in more responsibility, more responsible people in the government from the this war cabinet. yeah right. because people don't trust netanyahu anymore. in fact, there's a lot of calls for netanyahu to resign now , when people say in war now, when people say in war time, when people say, yes, remember what happened to mr chamberlain during world war ii when churchill replaced him. so there are there are precedents for not for this. netanyahu does not have the trust of the of the people, but the army takes orders from the government and

the whatever the the army will do whatever the government and it won't government says. and it won't argue with the government. it will alternatives. it will present alternatives. it will present alternatives. it will will will present scenarios. it will do job in what it's supposed do its job in what it's supposed to do. but at the end of the day, the government will decide and the army will take the orders . orders. >> gershon apologies if this is difficult to answer , but difficult for you to answer, but i wondered whether it is i just wondered whether it is more likely that we might see this this a drip feed of hostages , as we've been seeing hostages, as we've been seeing over the last few days, rather than a big release of them? i know there was talk of some 50 being released altogether . what being released altogether. what do you think is the more likely scenario here? yeah i didn't believe that the talk of the 50 release was accurate. >> there was there were too many things that were inconsistent with the way i know that with the way that i know that hamas responds. one hamas hamas responds. one is hamas does not differentiate between israelis second passports israelis with second passports and without them. and and israelis without them. and in the first women had in fact, the first two women had two passports and the second two women only had israeli passports . think actually that the . but i think actually that the first two releases we was

first two releases we saw was was less do with the hamas was less to do with the hamas and a competition and more of a competition between and egypt of who's and more of a competition becharge and egypt of who's and more of a competition becharge and and egypt of who's and more of a competition becharge and who egypt of who's and more of a competition becharge and who can�*pt of who's and more of a competition becharge and who can deliverho's in charge and who can deliver much less do with hamas much less to do with hamas strategy. i'm not sure there's a coherent hamas strategy right now on how to release the hostages. i think that they are serious when they said that they would release all the civilian hostages according their hostages according to their definition , i be much more definition, i would be much more pleased if they accepted what i was calling for from the very pleased if they accepted what i was days|g for from the very pleased if they accepted what i was days offor from the very pleased if they accepted what i was days of releasingle very pleased if they accepted what i was days of releasing all ery pleased if they accepted what i was days of releasing all the first days of releasing all the women, the children, the elderly first days of releasing all the wonthe the children, the elderly first days of releasing all the wonthe sick children, the elderly first days of releasing all the wonthe sick .1ildren, the elderly first days of releasing all the wonthe sick . that's the elderly first days of releasing all the wonthe sick . that's much lderly first days of releasing all the wonthe sick . that's much more and the sick. that's much more clear to determine they are clear to determine who they are and much less discretion and leaves much less discretion to but hamas is talking to hamas. but hamas is talking about civilians. so i think we should get out whoever we can get out before there is a military incursion on. we should have ceasefire for as long as have a ceasefire for as long as possible to relieve the crisis that gaza and all the that exists in gaza and all the horrible that are horrible things that are happening innocent people happening in the innocent people who homeless and who are who are homeless and have food and water, have no food and water, etcetera, that needs to happen. i can see a scenario where the ground invasion is going to be cancelled by israel regardless if there are hostages there or

not. gershon, thank you very much for your time there in jerusalem, and we wish you well. thanks for your time on gb thanks for your time here on gb news. you . news. thank you. >> fiendishly difficult, but >> so fiendishly difficult, but his analysis is second to none. >> now, there's been an angry reaction after it's been revealed barriers have been placed cenotaph , the placed around the cenotaph, the uk's war memorial, of uk's foremost war memorial, of course , with concerns could course, with concerns it could be any protests ahead be damaged in any protests ahead of sunday, a london of remembrance sunday, a london reporter, lisa hartle is by the monument now . monument now. >> good afternoon, lisa. are those barriers then likely to stay up until remembrance . sunday >> well, some of the police i've spoken to on the streets here since i got here have said, no, they will be well, we don't know when they're going to be taken down, but they just said that they're they'll before they're they'll be down before remembrance sunday and they're in place all at in place until all well, at least after the weekend, because there are protests planned there are more protests planned this weekend. some in relation to the conflict between israel and hamas, but also another protest by the likes of just

stop oil. so you know, they said that this is something that they do whenever there's a large scale event , a do whenever there's a large scale event, a protest do whenever there's a large scale event , a protest to scale event, a protest to protect the cenotaph has obviously such sacred obviously it's such a sacred place many people at the place for so many people at the weekend , we saw just the outrage weekend, we saw just the outrage from people when there was a stage during a protest placed next to the cenotaph after that happened and there was the outrage. johnny mercer, the veterans minister, who is also a veterans minister, who is also a veteran himself, came out and said he understood why so said that he understood why so many people hurt this. many people were hurt by this. and spoken home and he'd spoken to the home secretary and the met police to ensure that doesn't happen again. since then, police have said weekend's said that this weekend's protests will be no stage protests there will be no stage near cenotaph. make near the cenotaph. they'll make sure that placed away sure that that's placed far away from there . and of course, these from there. and of course, these preventative measures to protect the come just weeks the cenotaph come just weeks away until, like you said , we away until, like you said, we have the remembrance sunday where thousands of people will be coming here to pay their respects. and remember, those that they've loved that that they've they've loved that have fallen. >> lisa at the cenotaph, thanks very much indeed for updating us

on that. >> want to show you some pictures before we go of humanity , an aid that is on its humanity, an aid that is on its way to gaza from the uk and raf plane has left for egypt carrying 21 tonnes of aid. c—17 aircraft. it's got wounded. wound care packs on board, water filters, 1350 of them, and over 2500 solar lights. yeah it's part of a £30 million increase in support for the area announced earlier by the government . government. >> but let's just reflect that we've got the united nations saying that they've got enough fuel left just for today. they may have to end their aid operations in gaza tonight. they say hospitals say they are running dangerously short of fuel for their generators. and pope francis has said that he's renewing his call for help to reach those who are in need. >> and all of this happening as in the last few moments , there

in the last few moments, there was a huge plume of smoke over the gaza skyline , indications the gaza skyline, indications that perhaps a fuel dump or more rockets or some kind of ammunition, ammunition has been hit, bearing in mind the scale of that plume of smoke there in the gaza skyline . the gaza skyline. >> but of course, the thoughts, too, about the hostages, 222, as we were hearing of their plight, foremost in the minds of many, were the efforts still continue to secure their release. all the latest for you here on gb news. stay

us >> it's 3 pm. it's patrick christys. it's gb news. and keir starmer's mosque. misery. yes, that's right. he rocked up at a mosque in wales yesterday and it all got a little bit out of hand to say the least. he thought it was a slick pr opportunity and it descended into an absolute farce. i'll be telling you exactly very shortly. but exactly why. very shortly. but it's prompted this. labour it's prompted this. yes, labour is over gaza , over is crumbling over gaza, over hamas, over the israel conflict there as well. loads of local councillors are resigning and there is talk, talk of even some shadow cabinet members walking as well. is labour disintegrating before our eyes? we'll also be discussing this story. this is remarkable. okay. a true tale of british entrepreneurial brilliance . this entrepreneurial brilliance. this guy is set to become the first

potentially the first channel migrant million whenever he runs a company that provides services to the government. so the taxpayer paid him profits of £60 million in the last year. i'll be telling you who he is and what he does this hour. and one more for you, carol vorderman. everyone's favourite. yep, that's she's that's right. well she's been tweeting nasty things tweeting some very nasty things about government and about the government and apparently some honorary apparently she has some honorary positions with the raf now positions with the raf and now they might strip her of them. patrick christys . gb news. heck patrick christys. gb news. heck of a lot to go out today. gb views. gbnews.com when you see and i will show you if you've not already seen it. what happened with keir starmer at this mosque yesterday? i want to know you think know whether or not you think that it know whether or not you think thatitis know whether or not you think that it is living proof about maybe integration not working out as as it could have in out as well as it could have in this country. vaiews@gbnews.com. right vaiews@gbnews.com. but right now, with .