michael singh, managing _ ceasefire. michael singh, managing director - ceasefire.ichael singh, - managing director and senior fellow at the washington institute, thank you for joining us. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. the irish writer paul lynch has taken home the booker prize forfiction for his novel prophet song. he spoke to our media editor katie razzalljust after his win. i don't quite believe it, to be honest with you.— i don't quite believe it, to be honest with you. well, you have won it for _ honest with you. well, you have won it for this _ honest with you. well, you have won it for this dystopian - honest with you. well, you have won it for this dystopian novel i won it for this dystopian novel about— won it for this dystopian novel about an — won it for this dystopian novel about an island set in the future _ about an island set in the future potentially which is sliding _ future potentially which is sliding into totalitarianism. yeah — sliding into totalitarianism. yeah. , ., , yeah. the 'udges that they were lookin: yeah. the ju

for more on the hostage situation, i spoke with michael singh, managing director and senior fellow atitute for near east policy for his perspective. we are hearing these signals from several parties involved, including from hamas spokespeople, president biden as well, that this ceasefire could be extended. what do you make of these signals and what are the chances we could see some sort of extension to this truce we have been under the past three days now? i think as you heard, both the us and israel probably would like to see the ceasefire extended. it accomplishes two things primarily. one, it secures the release of more israeli hostages and that is one of israel's war aims, to get all the people out of gaza and to do as many as possible during this ceasefire window would be ideal, from israel's perspective. it also gives the us and israel a bit of time to think about the next phase of the war. obviously israel has focused a lot on northern gaza. that campaign has been a devastating campaign. israel now probably will be turning its attention to southern gaza, where presumably a good