brett mcgurk president biden's national security council coordinator for the middle east was in cairo yesterday. i'm with her yesterday as well. that is smile haniah, the leader of what political one of the political leaders of hamas was also in cairo's absolutely no indication that the pair met. but the fact that hamas had sent representative back to cairo because the egyptians have been an intermediary, seem to indicate that hamas was beginning to come round to perhaps some of the pressure that is israel has been putting on it to given more to israel's terms of what a temporary cease-fire might look like and what hostages might be released as part of that deal. so that was one indicator. and then today, brett mcgurk was meeting both with the defense minister and with the prime minister. the other indicator that came yesterday i think was from a member of the war cabinet here for benny gantz, saying that he was just a little bit more optimistic that there was an indication that perhaps things perhaps things can happen. and then the defense minister today after that meeting were brett

middle east envoy brett mcgurk is in israel meeting with prime minister netanyahu, also meeting with the american families of hostages still being held captive by hamas in gaza, including released hostage aviva siegel, growing increasingly frustrated her american husband keith has not returned now speaking exclusively with nbc news alongside keith's older brother, lee >> i think netanyahu has forgotten about keith and forgotten to be human and bring the human people back. >> his priorities seem to be military and political survival what he needs to understand is his survival depends on getting keith and all the other hostages home alive >> reporter: aviva and keith were held together for most of her 51 days in captivity. moved 13 times, always held by armed gunmen, she says, and never had enough food or water. since returning, she's testified about sexual violence in front of the knesset, sharing this story with us. >> she came and she looked at me, and she said, "he touched me," and that was a moment that i'll never, ever forget and i'm worried about them, that they'll come back pre

the us middle east envoy brett mcgurk, who was here in israel today, is understood to have told mr netanyahuftened. we do not know the extent or the details of that softening, but clearly the government heard enough today to think that it is worth sending the massad boss and other top security chiefs to paris for those talks. the un agency for palestinian refugees is warning it has reached breaking point in a letter to the un general assembly. unrwa's chief philippe lazzarini says the agency's ability to fulfil its mandate was seriously threatened by israel's repeated calls to dismantle the agency and the freezing of funds from donors at a time of unprecedented humanitarian needs in gaza. indonesia has been struck by some of the strongest winds ever recorded in the country, injuring at least 33 people. buildings were damaged as the winds tore through west java province. the mother of the russian opposition leader, alexei navalny, has finally been allowed to see his body almost a week after he died. the 47—year—old was being held in a remote penal colony in siberia. his death certificate says

the us middle east envoy, brett mcgurk, who is here in israel today, is understood to have told mr netanyahue extent or the details of that softening but, clearly, the government heard enough today to think that it is worth sending the mossad boss and other top security chiefs to paris for those talks. so that is a small sign of the possibility that these talks could yield something. this comes on top of remarks yesterday by benny gantz, a senior member of mr netanyahu's government, suggesting that there were cautious signs of progress. i don't think we should get ahead of ourselves. there is no sense of a deal being imminent. but clearly, the americans are pressing extremely hard, and they have made it plain that they want to see a deal in place before the start of ramadan — and that is in less than three weeks�* time. earlier, my colleague caitriona perry spoke to richard haass, president emeritus, council on foreign relations. he spoke about the change in stance from israel. thanks for being with us on bbc news, richard. if we can start with this breaking news that the israelis are to sen

a gentleman called brett mcgurk who have reported on extensively is pushing the u.s.israel deal and president biden has been going along with that. i think there are heated debates in the president's close circle, but because especially the state department has been so frozen out at this moment -- we have heard they literally have been told, we understand your concern, why don't you try to work on another part of the world? why don't you look at the pacific or latin america? i think that kind of dismissal of this really recent dissent and response to it of listening sessions and town halls and we feel your pain -- people don't want their pain to be felt, they want to see a shift. i think he was even more pushback from within government, certainly within the party. i think one of the important things and maybe this is how the message will get through to the president is not necessarily from his white house security team but maybe through his political contacts. you've seen multiple democratic senators chris van hollen of maryland and many others who publicly have start

middle east envoy brett mcgurk was in town meeting with benjamin netanyahu and other israeli officials met with the families of the american hostages. now she described her harrowing 51 days. she talked about the hell that she endured and she talked about what keith is still enduring. take a listen. >> can you describe that day when you were walked down to a tunnel? stairs, ladder. >> it was dark, and we were very scared. we didn't know where they're going to take us. we went down 40 meters down. lots and lots of steps. it took us quite a while walking there. feeling that there's no air for us to breathe. >> pitch black. >> pitch black, no air. there was a toilet with no water. we couldn't even wash our hands, with hardly no food at all, and no water at all, with no oxygen. one of the days after four days, one of the hamas persons came down while he could hardly breathe because they didn't stay with us. >> they left you in the tunnel? >> they just left us in the tunnel. and they just left us there to die because that's what we felt. >> reporter: she talks about how they were held above

this is part of a critical trip to the middle east where brett mcgurk is meeting with israel's prime minister and military leaders over cease fire talks with hamas. white house officials say that negotiations right now are going well. >> but the clock is ticking. >> us officials are racing to >> secure a deal before the start of ramadan on march 10, israel has warned that if an agreement isn't reached which by that date the military will move forward with its planned ground offensive in rafah. more than 1.5 million palestinians are desperately taking shelter. there with precious little food or water to survive. aid groups say the humanitarian crisis there could become a catastrophe. joining us now is karen hustler. she spent time in rafah helping doctors without borders as a project medical reference for gaza. thank you so much for being with us. you were obviously they're in gaza as a healthcare provider. i'm wondering what you witnessed in the hospital where you work that most stood out to you? >> yeah. thank you for having me. i mean, rafah has become a 1.5 million people place co

this came after brett mcgurk, president biden's middle east coordinator was here in israel yesterday, meeting with top officials, including the israeli prime minister, urging the israeli serine engaged in these talks. i'm told that one of the key reasons why israel agreed to re-engage in these toxins, send a delegation to paris, is that they received the proof of via the qatari's that is that the hostages in gaza had indeed received the medication that was sent to them via the qatari's as well as french officials. so israel clearly choosing to reengage and we're also hearing some positive chatter, including from benny gantz, a key member of the war cabinet who said that there were indications that indicated the possibility of progress press in these talks, but we will see what the outcome actually is today. but certainly this is a critical meeting coming at a critical time as israel has made clear that if there is not a deal in the next two-and-a-half weeks or so before ramadan, that israel will proceed with that offensive into gaza, southernmost city of rafah jeremy, there also some

well, the president biden's senior aide, brett mcgurk , is in the area, and he's mcgurk, is in the area with the head of the cia and the head of egyptian intelligence, the qatari prime minister, um, the israeli head of the mossad. there seems to be a possibility of a breakthrough. i hope it's there seems to be a possibility of a itheythrough. i hope it's there seems to be a possibility of a ithey are ugh. i hope it's there seems to be a possibility of a ithey are talkingope it's there seems to be a possibility of a ithey are talking abouts true. they are talking about a pause in the fighting and not an end to the war. in exchange for the release of civilian hostages and israeli and palestinian prisoners from israel . we all prisoners from israel. we all need a break in this war, and we need a break in this war, and we need to get those hostages home as soon as possible. superb positive note to end on there. >> gershon baskin , a hostage >> gershon baskin, a hostage negotiator. thank you very much for joining us on gb news. forjoining us on gb news. fascinating stuff. thank you. thank yo