Due to mr netanyahu's demand that israel maintain a military presence in the philadelphi corridor. That's a small buffer zone between gaza and egypt's sinai desert. Mr netanyahu said israel is committed to destroying hamas and bringing the hostages home. He warned of the potential consequences should israel relieve its military pressure on hamas. Our middle east regional editor mike thomson has more on the prime minister's comments from jerusalem. Tonight, mr netanyahu doubled down on his insistence that israeli troops will not be withdrawn from the philadelphi corridor. That is the strip of land that separates southern gaza from egypt. He said it is absolutely vital that they stay there to stop hamas smuggling weapons from egypt into gaza. He said, if we let this happen, we could have another october the 7th all over again. Interestingly though, he had talked in the past about them not moving for at least 42 years. This evening he was referring to 42 days only, so there may be some wriggle room there. But he has said basically, if we leave troops on the border, we've got security even if it does kill a deal, if we remove them, then the deal, he said, could kill us. He went on to say as far as he is concerned, the israeli people are united on this issue. Yet in fact, this country is very far from united. This is the fourth day of protests by people who feel this stance, which means a ceasefire deal will be very hard if not impossible to sign, could spell a death sentence for the hostages. And there have been protests across the country and tonight fires on the streets of tel aviv. This is an issue that is going to burn increasingly hot over the coming days. For more on the greater implications of israel's military operations i spoke to jamesjeffrey, former us deputy national security advisor and former ambassador to iraq, turkey and albania. I want to ask you what you make of prime minister netanyahu's insistence that israel must remain on the gaza—egypt border. We know there has been some dissent among security chiefs, with his defence minister, over this policy and we have seen those protests has well. What do you think of this strategy? thank you for having me on. Netanyahu has a point. The problem is he also has his own political future to consider and that mixes with his role as the responsible official for israel's security but remember eight out of nine members of this cabinet, and in a poll yesterday, 49% of the israeli people are supporting it. Reporting from israel, a journalist got it exactly right. In the first phase, where israel said it would withdraw from the populated or built up areas of gaza but not entirely from gaza, he said that that means they will stay in much of the philadelphi corridor because, a, that is by his definition not a populated area so he claims he is not changing the initial 31 may presentation of the plan that president biden did. And, b, it is very important for israel's security. He and others have said in phase two, the second 42 day period, in the end, israel is committed to withdraw but only if negotiations succeed. But is this not a sticking point? hamas has said there should be no israeli presence on this land. This is war and peace. This is not an incursion or another one of these battles of choice that we and at times the israelis do. Israel's survival depends upon avoiding a second attack out of gaza. It is hard to imagine hamas not reconstituting itself after israel leaves if the flow of weapons and money and other supply can pass through egypt into gaza, as we saw up to october seven, so he has a security point that that many israeli support many israeli support him on, not all. Him on, not all. We know hostages remain in captivity. Nearly 11 months since the conflict began and there is immense humanitarian suffering, and there is immense humanitarian suffering, tens of thousands of people tens of thousands of people killed in gaza, killed in gaza, palestinians killed palestinians killed and a huge health crisis. Levels have been and a huge health crisis. We have seen this huge polio we have seen this huge polio vaccination campaign. Vaccination campaign. What pressure can the us apply what pressure can the us apply right now to try to get this right now to try to get this conflict to at least a temporary conflict to at least a temporary if not a permanent if not a permanent ceasefire? ceasefire? the us has a problem the us has a problem and you put yourfinger on it. And you put yourfinger on it. Much of the media and world much of the media and world attention has been attention has been on the humanitarian crisis, on the humanitarian crisis, the tragedy of the people the tragedy of the people in gaza, the casualty in gaza, the casualty levels have been extremely high and the returning of hostages. But again, this is a war and one side will emerge as the victor as seen by everybody in the region. . . Could i ask you then, what does victory look like for israel? netanyahu spelt it out as has biden. Biden�*s words, hamas can never regain control of gaza. Netanyahu's words, it does no longer govern gaza and it does not have the military capacity to challenge israel, as it did on october 7. He said other things but that is the most consistent position he has taken. How does that align with the current military operation we have seen because at the moment it is not clear if hamas has actually been decimated, if their forces have been decimated ? if you look at the israeli casualties, if you look at the tempo of action, hamas is basically returned to an insurgency. It can last as an insurgency basically forever. The question is can it rebuild itself into an armed force that can threaten israel and take over gaza? netanyahu thinks that if he stays on the philadelphi corridor or — and he has left this open — tried as an adult. Emergency responders surrounded the school on wednesday as students evacuated to the school's stadium. Authorities said the attacker surrendered and was taken into custody. Ajoint statement by the fbi in atlanta and the jackson county sheriff's office said he was questioned last year about threats he posted online to commit a school shooting. But when in custody, the suspect denied making those threats. Here's more from the georgia bureau of investigation�*s director chris hosey. The jackson county sheriff's office has identified and located gray, who is a suspect in this case. They conducted an investigation at that time and there was no probable cause for arrest or the taking of any additional law enforcement action. This is not recent. This is in the past but we wanted to bring that to your attention because we are pursuing that, working with the fbi on that and any connection to that incident that could be connected to today's incident as well. We are also aware of some previous contact that the department of family and children services in the area had had with the suspect and his family and we are pursuing that avenue as well, too, to see if that has any connection with today's incident. Earlier, i spoke to kris brown, president at brady, a non—profit organisation that advocates for gun reform. We note tonight there is a community school in shock, grieving over what happened. What is your reaction to what we saw today? i am wearing a shirt, holy guacamole i wore it on purpose today, it references whatjoaquin oliver, known as guac to his friends, the son of manny and patricia oliver, a student at marjory stoneman douglas high school, who was killed on february 14, valentine's day, 2018 and i am wearing the shirt today, not only to pay on to him but because his parents were at cnn doing a media hit about their effort to stop gun violence, including shootings at school and i was with them after that media hit at 10:30am today. It is when i understand the school shooting happened. The answer to your question, it is horrific and i cannot, as a mum, as a human being and as a person, who is an american, say that it is anything else for me as a human being but what is worse is for the families impact and then for other survivors like manny and patricia, traumatising to an extent that we have not fully internalised. Obviously we have not because guns and the number one killer of our kids. At this point we don't know really much about the shooter or what motivated him. We do know that he was stopped by two school resource officers, officers deployed in a school. They are part of a security procedure, things like locked school doors. Do you think this is a safety procedure, having these officers there, school classroom door that locked, are part of what prevented this tragedy spreading even further? i don't know. It isjust a guessing game. I mean, i hope so. I certainly hope so but as i talk to parents across this country, i am travelling the country, as i do very often with myjob and when i talk to parents, the number one fear they have dropping their kids at school, regardless of redundant security measures, are are my kids are safe and will they come home? so yes, security measures, i'm not going to say they are not important and we will be speculating for years on that and i doubt we will ever know the answer because we're to prove a negative but the real answer, unless we have laws that require folks to pass background checks, to ban assault weapons, to have extreme risk laws and ensure that every american who chooses to bring a gun in the home safely stores that gun, we have not solved the problem. Let me ask you this and as you're speaking, we're watching a press conference, an update from the county sheriff and we will bring an update on what he says a little bit later. Let me ask you is, gun reform has been extremely difficult to achieve on a national level. Georgia has a liberal gun laws as well. What do you believe of the measures you just mentioned can actually be achieved? i know what we did. I know what we did two years ago which i hope get more coverage. The bipartisan safer community act, the most comprehensive federal law ever to pass passed with 16 republican votes in the united states senate and it provided unprecedented funding to gun violence but also expanded the brady law, the background check system, more than any law we had and provide the funding to state that pass laws to remove guns from violent individuals, from people who are at risk, funding to those states, but you cannot change certain states unless they change themselves and georgia, as you alluded to, is a great example. It is one of the weakest states in terms of gun laws. It does not require a permit to carry a gun in public, it has no background checks, it has no extreme risk laws, it has no requirement that guns be stored safely and no laws in effect in most of the other states to protect the public so, yes, we need stronger federal laws. The biden harris administration has been more effective in that than any administration we have ever had but we also have to have stronger state laws as well, as your question alludes to. Around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. Let's look at some other stories making news. Former uk cabinet minister priti patel has been knocked out of the conservative leadership contest in the first round of voting by tory mps. Known for her tough stance on immigration, dame priti spearheaded the conservative government's flagship scheme to send some asylum seekers to rwanda. Voting by conservative mps will continue in the coming weeks until there are two candidates left, leaving party members to pick one of them to be the new leader. The body of a 32—year—old british man has been found in majorca and a woman remains missing, according to emergency services on the spanish island. Spain's civil guard has been rescuing people after torrential rains, and rescue teams had been looking for the two hikers since monday. Both were reported by spanish media to have been swept away by floodwaters. Sir brian may has said he had a minor stroke which caused him to temporarily lose control over his arm. The 77—year—old queen guitarist announced in a video on instagram that he had the health scare about a week ago. May said he is doing ok. You're live with bbc news. Ukraine's president, volodymyr zelensky, said his government needs new energy after making the biggest reshuffle of his cabinet since the start of russia's invasion. Five ministers handed in their resignations before the expected move. Among them, some of the most powerful members of mr zelensky�*s cabinet. They include the foreign minister, dmytro kuleba, as well as ukraine's top negotiator with the eu. The minister in charge of arms production, thejustice minister, and the environment minister are also standing down. Their replacements are expected to be announced on thursday. At a press conference wednesday with the visiting irish prime minister, mr zelensky said the latest moves were aimed at strengthening the government. Translation: iam very i am very grateful to the ministers and the entire cabinet team who have been working for ukraine for the sake of ukrainians for four working for ukraine for the sake of ukrainians forfour and half years and some of them have been our ministers for five years and we need new energy. And these steps are related to strengthening our state in various areas. International politics and diplomacy are no exception. Today you cannot predict what exactly this or that minister will do the answers to this will do the answers to this will be given to them when they are offered a position and it is too early to talk about it today. The reshuffle comes as russia intensifies its attacks on ukraine. At least seven people were killed overnight wednesday in the city of lviv, which is less than 50 miles from ukraine's border with poland. That raid came a day after the deadliest single russian attack this year. 53 people were killed and nearly 300 injured in a strike on a military academy in central ukraine. The us has charged and sanctioned executives at the russian state—funded broadcaster rt, accusing them of participating in a kremlin—backed operation to interfere in november's presidential election. The us treasury department alleges rt's editor in chief, margarita simonyan, and her deputy covertly recruited social media influencers to sway us public opinion. Eight other people have been charged and sanctioned, and the usjustice department has seized 32 internet domains allegedly used to spread disinformation. Our north america correspondent jenny kumah has more. There's some 65 days until the us presidential elections and the biden administration has called out what it says is russian interference in that vote. Multiple government agencies have announced a range of measures to tackle the spread of russian disinformation and that includes visa restrictions, sanctions and indictments. Amongst that, the us treasury department has indicted the managing editor of rt, the russian state broadcaster and her deputy. They are accused of spending £10 million to secretly pay an unknown company in tennessee to spread thousands of videos on social media. In a statement to the bbc, rt has dismissed the claims in a mocking statement saying 2016 called and it wants its cliches back. A reference to russian interference in the past us elections. Russia wants to sow division amongst american voters and undermined international support for ukraine which russia invaded two years ago. The us says it is not just russia doing this, it is also points to iran and china and last month it accused iran of hacking the trump campaign and leaking documents. It is also accused iran of trying to hack the harris campaign. Republican presidential nominee donald trump visited the battleground state of pennsylvania on wednesday to hear from voters in a prerecorded televised town hall, moderated by fox news host sean hannity. Mr trump attacked vice president kamala harris�*s running mate, minnesota governor tim walz, and defended his own ohio senatorjd vance. There is something weird with that guy, he is a weird guy. Jd is not weird, he is a solid rock. I happen to be a very solid rock, we are not weird. We are other things perhaps but we're not weird. But he is a weird guy. He walks on the stage, there is something wrong with that guy. And he called me weird and then the fake news media picks it up — was the word of the day. Weird, weird, weird. But we're not weird guys, we're very solid people, who want our country to be great again. The latest polling shows mr trump and ms harris in a dead heat with voters in several battleground states, including pennsylvania, where they are tied at 47% among likely voters there, according to new cnn poll. But harris is leading trump 48% to 47% among likely voters in georgia and nevada. On the us economy, voters polled in six swing states suggest a clear preference for trump over harris. On wednesday, ms harris visited new hampshire to highlight her plans for new economic initiatives. Ms harris proposes a tax benefit expansion of up to $50,000 for new small businesses. The harris campaign says the plan is part of a goal to boost new start—up applications by $25 million over four years. Joining me now is reuters white house correspondent jeff mason. Great to have you back on bbc news. Let's talk about the town hall donald trump held, what did you make of that town hall he focused on the web comments but fracking and the state of pennsylvania where it is very important? fin pennsylvania where it is very important?— pennsylvania where it is very im ortant?. . , important? on the weird comment at shows to _ important? on the weird comment at shows to me — important? on the weird comment at shows to me that _ important? on the weird comment at shows to me that has _ important? on the weird comment at shows to me that has gone at shows to me that has gone under his skin and it was very typical in terms of a counter argument by the former president that he would try to use an attack used against him back on his opponent, that is certainly what he did with governor while trying to use the same moniker against him. To me it was striking how often he repeated that word, it has been something that has bothered him which honestly shows the strategy on the kamala harris campaign side of trying to get under his skin with that and probably with a few other things is working. It few other things is working. If we look at the pennsylvania pulse donald trump and kamala harris tied at 47% according to that new cnn poll, what do you think donald trump is trying to do with all of the appearances he has had in pennsylvania? this includes and goes back to your earlier question about fracking he knows as vice president harris knows pennsylvania is the key to the election the key to getting two to 70 electoral votes needed to become president of the united states so we're spending a lot of time there and emphasising what he views as a weakness in vice president harris has passed because of her early comments when she was a candidate in 2019 for the democratic nomination she has since made clear — she supports fracking but the republicans are holding her to her initial comment of saying she would want to do away with it. The reason fracking is such an issueis reason fracking is such an issue is that it is a very important thing in pennsylvania. That is why he is emphasising it there. More broadly to your question about why he spending much time in that state, it is the political importance of pennsylvania for the selection, a big swim state with a lot of it —— electoral votes and a lot? with a lot of it electoral votes and a lot?— votes and a lot? both candidates _ votes and a lot? both candidates wanted. . Votes and a lot? both candidates wanted. Voters polled in both swing state say they have a clear preference for donald trump overcome harris. You think the measures she is announcing on the trail new hampshire will make a dent in some of those perceptions? it's hard to answer that but thatis it's hard to answer that but that is what the campaign hopes, she hasn't released a whole lot of policy proposals during her short tenure now at the top of the democratic ticket, what she has done is in a few different areas, released economic policy proposals and one of them is the one you just referenced, she talks about in new hampshire with regard to small businesses. There is some polling in referenced polling in the swing states about generally trusting trump for the economy than harris but there is polling showing she is gaining ground on that, the campaign views that is an issue she is improving on amongst voters and something they see they can continue to get some traction on. We they can continue to get some traction on— traction on. We heard donald trump in _ traction on. We heard donald trump in that _ traction on. We heard donald trump in that town _ traction on. We heard donald trump in that town hall trump in that town hall criticising abc news, abc hosting the debate next week between kamala harris and donald trump, what do we know about how these two candidates are preparing for the debate? good question we know vice president harris will be preparing during a long stint in pennsylvania before the debate which is in philadelphia, she wil parker herself and her operation in pittsburgh, probably do some campaign events but continue to do mock debates with the former aide to kill —— hillary clinton playing donald trump, working on trying to get under his skin in the same way we were talking about at the beginning doing that on the debate stage, as for president trump he has not declined to do a lot of preparation, he feels very natural on his feet, but it you look at how he performed in the debate against biden injune he was very disciplined in that debate which isn't always the type of performance he gives people observed from that pepsi put in more preparation for that one and may be doing the same for this time around as well. . ,. , ,. , ~ , well. How high are the stakes for the debate _ well. How high are the stakes for the debate this _ well. How high are the stakes for the debate this week? for the debate this week? enormously high for both candidates and a bit more for harris because she is still introducing herself to the country but high for donald trump as well, he needs momentum she seems to be having in the last few weeks. — in the last few weeks. Thank ou for in the last few weeks. Thank you forjoining _ in the last few weeks. Thank you forjoining us _ in the last few weeks. Thank you forjoining us tonight, i you forjoining us tonight, geoff mason. That is the programme here on bbc news. Thank you for watching, our colleagues from london will be “p colleagues from london will be up next at the top of the hour. Stay with us here on bbc news. Hello. We're expecting a real mix of weather over the next couple of days. For some northwestern parts of the uk, it's going to turn sunny and very warm, but further south for southern england and south wales, we're expecting some heavy rain. Perhaps in one or two locations, a month's worth of rain injust a couple of days — that could cause some disruption. It's all because low pressure is continuing to swirl to the south of us, this band of rain here becoming quite slow moving, particularly, i think, across the southwest of england. But around that area of low pressure, we're drawing in some humid air, so further north and west with some sunshine it will feel very warm. Now, during thursday, these southern parts of england and south wales will see some rain at times — that rain turning heavy and persistent in the southwest later on. Further north, a lot of low cloud, mistand murk, some spots of drizzle, but the best of the sunshine where you get some shelter from the breeze. Western scotland and northern ireland, temperature—wise, well, maybe along some north sea coastjust 15 or 16 degrees, but elsewhere 18—21 with a slightly more humid feel. But as we head into the evening, this heavy rain affecting south west england, clipping into south wales, and overnight, it looks like we will see more rain pushing along the south coast. So with that rain really totting up, there is the risk of flooding, some disruption. Further north, largely dry, some mist and murk and low cloud for north sea coast. Quite a muggy start to friday morning. More rain through the day on friday across southern england, perhaps pushing northwards into south wales and the midlands, perhaps east anglia as well as we go through the day. Further north, while still some areas of low cloud, mist and murk for some northern and eastern coasts, but further west, some good spells of sunshine, and look at the temperatures — liverpool at 26 degrees, parts of western scotland at 25 degrees, so feeling warm and quite humid into the weekend. Our area of low pressure continues to swirl to the south of us, throwing some showers northwards. Still quite a lot of mist and murk and low cloud. Could be some fog around to start, saturday morning. Should see some spells of sunshine, and again, in the sunshine, feeling very warm with those temperatures, perhaps up to around 25 degrees. Into sunday, more of the same, really. Some showers, particularly in the south. Some sunshine, too. Still feeling warm and muggy. Voiceover: this is bbc news. We'll have the headlines for you at the top of the hour, which is straight after this programme. Welcome to hardtalk. I'm stephen sackur. To be female in afghanistan is to be condemned to a life without visibility, agency or rights. The taliban regime requires women to conceal their faces, bodies, even their voices in public. They must never look at a man outside theirfamily, nor ever sing or read aloud. The un secretary general calls it systemic gender apartheid. But still it continues. And still, taliban officials conduct a dialogue with international counterparts. My guest is fawzia koofi, former deputy speaker of the afghan parliament. What is the right international approach to afghanistan?