hello, i'm samantha simmonds.he us secretary of state is travelling to israel as cautious optimism grows amongst israeli negotiators about the possibility of reaching a deal on gaza. antony blinken is heading to the region this weekend, after president biden also said that a ceasefire deal was closer than ever. but senior hamas figures have dismissed such optimism as an illusion. there have been more israeli airstrikes in gaza and israel also said it had struck targets inside neighbouring lebanon which belong to hezbollah, the group which supports hamas in gaza. greg mckenzie has this report. images from across the region over the weekend show there are still huge obstacles to peace despite two days of us—backed talks in qatar. on friday night, an israeli airstrike reportedly killed 15 people in the central area of gaza. although israel said it had eliminated a number of armed fighters, several women and children were also reportedly killed. us secretary of state antony blinken will arrive in the region to promote

hello, i'm samantha simmonds.many, where police say a number of people have been killed and others injured in a suspected knife attack in the western city of solingen. these are pictures which have just come into us from the scene. celebrations were under way in soligen at the time to mark the 650th of the city's foundation. ambulances and fire crews as well. armed officers are at the scene. it's believed the attacker is still at large. with more on this, we can cross to the newsroom and our reporterjack surfleet. jack, bring us up to date. what more details do we have? this jack, bring us up to date. what more details do we have?— details do we have? as you can imauine, details do we have? as you can imagine. we're _ details do we have? as you can imagine, we're getting - details do we have? as you can imagine, we're getting lines i details do we have? as you can i imagine, we're getting lines through every moment but still trying to stand some up. police say a number of people have been killed and injured in a k

hello, i'm samantha simmonds.d wing of hamas says it has fired an m90 rocket at the city. these are live pictures of tel aviv.

i am samantha simmonds. . watching "the context" on bbc news. >> this street, this road deserted now, one of the main roads has seen this kind attacks last -- hamas attacksss last october but this operation looks different. >> we take the measures necessary to prevent terror activities in israel, and we will do whatever is necessary. >> night is falling in here now in the west bank, and i think there will be fear among the palestinian population being in those cities in the north of the west bank that it could be another difficult night. ♪ samantha: israel carries out its largest major military operation in the occupied west bank for 20 years. at least nine people have been killed across four cities. we will get all of the reaction. also tonight, with donald trump indictment again and debates just around the corner, we will look at the state of the u.s. presidential election. and sir keir starmer's wide reset with europe. the prime minister was in berlin to announce a new u.k. and germany tweedle to tackle sci

hello, i'm samantha simmonds. sirens have sounded south of tel aviv as the armed wing of hamas says it has fired an m90 rocket at the city. these are live pictures of tel aviv. these are live pictures of tel aviv. the reuters news agency says sirens have sounded in central israel also. that is according to the israeli defense forces. they say sirens have soundedin defense forces. they say sirens have sounded in central israel. it comes after israel launched air strikes across lebanon, and the militia group hezbollah fired hundreds of rockets and drones at israel — in a further escalation of the conflict in the middle east. of the conflict in the region. israel says it hit more than 200 sites in lebanon, in what it called a "preemptive strike" against the lebanese shia organisation, which was retaliating for the assassination of one of its top commanders in lebanon last month. hezbollah says the first phase of its attack is over — — and it is not seeking all out war. our correspondent lucy williamson reports from n

hello, i'm samantha simmonds.'s air force say they've destroyed another bridge in russia's kursk region. air force commander mykola oleshchuck released this footage claimed to be of the strike on the crossing over the seym river, saying "minus one more bridge". he added that these operations were depriving russia of logisitical capabilities. it comes after this video, which the ukrainian military says shows the destruction of a key bridge inside the kursk region of russia. this video shows large explosions on the structure, about 11 kilometres from the border. these are the latest pictures from the rostov region in south—west russia. the governor there says that firefighters were called to put out a fire at an industrial facility struck by debris from a ukrainian drone. both sides say air defences destroyed multiple drones and missiles fired by the other side overnight. let's speak to samuel ramani. he is an associate fellow at the royal united services institute. welcome to you. thank you for being with us. what

hello, i'm samantha simmonds. welcome to the programme. sirens have sounded south of tel aviv as the armed wing of hamas says it has fired an m90 rocket at the city. this is the scene live of the tel aviv skyline. the israeli military said the m90 rocket landed "in an open area" south of the city. sirens were also hear sounding in rishon letsiyon, in central israel. we will keep across the situation there and bring you any updates. it comes after israel launched airstrikes across lebanon, and the militia group hezbollah fired hundreds of rockets and drones at israel — in a further escalation of the conflict in the middle east. israel says it hit more than 200 sites in lebanon, in what it called a "preemptive strike" against the lebanese shia organisation, which was retaliating for the assassination of one of its top commanders in lebanon last month. hezbollah says the first phase of its attack is over — and it is not seeking all out war. our correspondent lucy williamson reports from nahariya in northern israel, close the border between th

hello, i'm samantha simmonds. you're watching the context on bbc news.this operation looks a bit different. we take the measures necessary to prevent terror activities in israel, and injudea and samaria. we will do whatever is necessary. for all the talk of iran and so on, is this long—running immutable conflict between israelis and palestinians for control of the land. first, the latest headlines. the fbi has released more details on the assassination attempt on the republican presidential nominee. fbi officials said the gunman, thomas crooks, mounted a "sustained and detailed effort" to attack a major gathering before selecting the trump rally in pennsylvania. britain and germany have announced that they are working on a new bilateral treaty to entrench cooperation on areas such as security, the economy and people—to—people contacts. the plans were revealed at talks in berlin between germany's chancellor olaf scholz and the british prime minister keir starmer. thames water has told the regulator it won't survive unless it increases bills by nearly 60%

hello, i'm samantha simmonds.orning for six people him still missing after a luxury yacht sank off the coast of sicily on monday morning. the missing include the british tech entrepreneur, mike lynch, and the chairman of the investment bank, morgan stanley international, jonathan bloomer. a body believed to be that of the yacht�*s chef, recaldo thomas, has been recovered and fifteen others were rescued. mark lowen has the latest. the moments before the tragedy. cctv released tonight shows the storm lashing the sicilian coast, where the bayesian was moored in the early hours of monday. as the deluge deepens, clouds hide the yacht from view. some time later, it was no more. for a second day, the rescuers returned, plunging into the depths to reach the horrors below. divers seeking what has been swallowed up by the sea. the wreckage lying isoft underwater, and trapped inside, probably, the bodies of the missing. given how deep it is, each dive can only last ten minutes before the team must resurface. translation: the

hello, i'm samantha simmonds. you're watching the context on bbc news.y so many times since the hamas attacks last october. but this operation looks a bit different. we take the measures necessary to prevent terror activities in israel, and injudea and samaris. we will do whatever is necessary. night is falling here i now in the west bank, and i think there will be fear amoungst the palestinian i population living in those i cities in the north of the west bank that it could be i another difficult night. israel carries out its largest major military operation in the occupied west bank for 20 years. at least nine people have been killed across four cities. we will get all the reaction. also tonight — with donald trump indicted again, and debatesjust around the corner, we will look at the state of the us presidential election. and sir kier starmer�*s "wider reset" with europe. the prime minister was in berlin to announce a new uk—germany treaty to tackle immigration, science, technology, trade and business. but it's not — he says — a reversal of brexit. an

i'm samantha simmonds. we start in the middle east. hamas says it's rejected new israeli conditions put forward in gaza ceasefire talks, dampening hopes of a breakthrough. the group had sent a representative to cairo where the latest us—backed negotiations are happening. the delegation has now left. we'll have more analysis on that shortly. meanwhile, world leaders are urging restraint after a flare—up of fighting between israel and the lebanese militia group hezbollah. israel says it launched pre—emptive air strikes against dozens of hezbollah targets. hezbollah says it was still able to fire hundreds of missiles into israel in retaliation for the recent killing of one of its commanders. it comes after israel launched air strikes across lebanon, and the militia group hezbollah fired hundreds of rockets and drones at israel in a further escalation of the conflict in the middle east. israel says it hit more than 200 sites in lebanon, in what it called a "pre—emptive strike" against the lebanese shia organisation, which was retaliating f

hello, i'm samantha simmonds.idge in russia's kursk region. air force commander mykola oleshchuck air force commander mykola oleshchuck released the footage, saying russia was "minus one more bridge" and that strikes were depriving russia of logisitical capabilities. these are the latest pictures from the rostov region

presented in the trials of the nurse lucy letby, found guilty of killing seven babies, hello, i'm samantha simmondsng mother of a teenage girl who was murdered in a �*frenzied knife attack,�* in northumberland in 2023, has told a court her "beautiful girl, was cruelly taken away." today, a jury found a 17—year—old boy, whom we can't name because of his age, guilty of the murder of holly newton, in hexham. on the night she died, he'd followed her for around 45 minutes, before convincing holly to speak to him. she'd already complained about the boy "stalking" her hours before, and her mother had arranged a meeting with police, that very evening. alison freeman reports. these are the moments before holly newton went into an alleyway with her killer, caught on cctv. the teenager, seen on the right here, stabbed and slashed 15—year—old holly more than 30 times injust one minute in the market town of hexham on the 27th of january last year. the attack was so brutal and sustained that the knife broke during it. holly was taken to hospital but couldn't be saved. this is truly a tragic case, in which a 15—y

i'm samantha simmonds. we start in the middle east.eli conditions put forward in gaza ceasefire talks, dampening hopes of a breakthrough. the group had sent a representative to cairo where the latest us—backed negotiations are happening. the delegation has now left. we'll have more analysis on that shortly. meanwhile, world leaders are urging restraint after a flare—up

hello i'm samantha simmonds.gion. air force commander mykola 0leshchuck released this footage

hello, i'm samantha simmonds.kraine's air force say they've destroyed another bridge in russia's kursk region. air force commander mykola oleshchuck air force commander mykola oleshchuck released the footage, saying russia was "minus one more bridge" and that strikes were depriving russia of logisitical capabilities. these are the latest pictures from the rostov region in south—west russia. the governor there says that firefighters were called to put out a fire at an industrial facility struck by debris from a ukrainian drone. both sides say air defences destroyed multiple drones and missiles fired by the other side overnight. meanwhile, the belarusian president alexander lukashenko has claimed that minsk has deployed nearly a third of it's armed forces along the entire border with ukraine — in what he says is a response to ukraine stationing 120,000 troops at the border between the two countries. reuters attributing that report to the belta state news agency. patrick bury is a senior lecturer in security from the

hello, i'm samantha simmonds.eleased this footage claimed to be of the strike on the crossing over the seym river,

hello, i'm samantha simmonds. you're watching the context on bbc news. you very much. the paralympics opening ceremony is under way in paris, with 11 days of competition beginning on thursday. proceedings at the place de la concorde began with a massive show of blue, white and red fireworks, before the patrouille de france painted the skies above with the french flag and that was quickly followed by the parade of athletes, the 4500 participants making their way down the champs—elysees before arriving at the place de la concorde. so that is ongoing. well, after covid saw no fans in tokyo and rio was dogged by financial issues, the pressure is on the french capital to rival, or even better the paralympics in london in 2012. beyond the sport however, those involved say they're mindful of a secondary purpose for the games. it is always important, we are here hoping on winning at least medals but we are part of the incredible global movement, the paralympic movement which on and off the field want disabled people to be realised in society. those performances

hello, i'm samantha simmonds. you're watching the context on bbc news. the uk sets out plans for an �*ambitious reset�* with europe as the prime minister visits germany. sir keir starmer has made his first bilateral trip as uk prime minister on a two—day visit to some of europe's biggest powers. in the last few hours, we've seen him arrive in paris where he met with french president emmanuel macron at the elysee, ahead of the paralympics opening ceremony. earlier, the pm met with german chancellor olaf scholz in berlin. the pair announced they're working a new bilateral treaty to deepen cooperation on areas such as security, and the economy. keir starmer said it was part of a �*wider reset�* with europe. a new uk anew uk— a new uk — germany treaty, and once in a generation chance to deliverfrom once in a generation chance to deliver from working people once in a generation chance to deliverfrom working people in britain and in germany. a new agreement, a testament to the depth of potential of our relationship. with deep emphasis on science, technology, d

hello i'm samantha simmonds.ught ashore from the luxury british yacht the bayesian, which sank off sicily on monday. a fifth body has been located inside the vessel. none of the identities have been disclosed, and one passenger is still unaccounted for. divers will tomorrow resume their search of the yacht, which is on its side 160 feet below the surface of the water, after it capsized in a freak storm. from sicily, mark lowen has the latest: in this awful story, another grimly inevitable chapter — five more bodies found today from the bayesian, all but one taken ashore, transported to mortuaries to be formally identified. it takes to six the number now known to have died as the superyacht sank. one other is still missing. it had been a celebratory holiday for british tech tycoon mike lynch, recently acquitted on fraud charges. 15 were rescued but seven didn't make it out — he and his 18—year—old daughter hannah, his lawyer chris morvillo and wife neda, and jonathan bloomer, the head of morgan stanley, with his w