The bbc� s chief international correspondent, whos in southern israel. Also our international editor, jeremy bowen, who is injerusalem. Now, we dont know how events in gaza and israel will unfold in the coming hours, much less days. But as soon as hamas attacked on october 7th, there was no doubt that israel would respond. So lets start with this question. Hello, this is david from sydney, australia. Ive just listened to your gaza question podcast,| but for me the most interesting question wasnt asked at all. I given that hamas would have known their barbaric attack i would result in a massive reaction, why did they do it . Was it to provoke an overreaction that would lose israel the support of its allies . And lyse, well come to you for that one. Its a very difficult question to answer because we are not really hearing from the people in charge of this operation, and thats the military wing of hamas, the izzedine alqassam brigades. But what we have heard from some of the political leaders who, by their own accounts, they were not involved in it, they were taken by surprise by it. They speak of how even the gunmen who went on a rampage across southern israel, those who were able to penetrate what had been thought to be an impenetrable fence, they were surprised by how far they could go. And then theres conflicting accounts about whether they had plans to kidnap and torture or whether this was just hamas running amok. I think youd have to look at a very broad canvas to get the reasons why they would have done it. They wanted to get the attention of the world. They did that. It was a time in which the Palestinian Question was largely forgotten, including gaza. Where arab states who, quite frankly, have always let the palestinians down, were looking to make deals with israel or, in some cases like saudi arabia, they were in negotiations with israel. And we do know, and i had spoken recently actually to some mediating groups who for years had been talking to hamas leaders, trying to move them away from the gun and how they had found that, whenever they tried to approach western governments, the united states, they were. They were always rebuffed. And so there was a feeling that whatever they tried simply wasnt working. So one political leader of hamas was saying, well, it was out of despair and frustration that it was out of despair and frustration that every door was shut. And so we basically knocked down, kicked down another very big door. And jeremy, the next question is for you. Hello, my name is emily. Im calling from australia. And im curious to know when the palestinians in gaza hear about the atrocities notjust the numbers, but actually what happened what do they think . Hi. My name is reggie. I live in perry, georgia, south of atlanta. How do the people of gaza feel about hamas at this point . Are they angry towards them for provoking israel . Is this pushing more towards radicalism . J so, jeremy, whats your take on that . Well, you know what . Im not in gaza and i cant get into gaza, which is for as a journalist, its rather frustrating. So i can only go second hand on this and based on other similar but not nearly as intense moments, i think that a lot of people in gaza are not keen on hamas. I dont think they follow them blindly. I think that they regard the people who control their lives as something they cant really do anything about. I think that the moment most people will be very concerned about what israel is doing, because i think a common feeling among palestinians is that, yes, these events provoke a response. But i think palestinians see it against the backdrop of a long history, a history of occupation, a history they look back to, what they call the nakba, the catastrophe, when israel was created in 1948 and nearly well, more than 750,000 people became refugees, and many of their descendants are in gaza. So, its against that wider context, so i think its really about history, and, actually, its Notjust Palestinians who think like that. I interviewed a man today who has his wife and three kids as hostages inside gaza. And i said to him, who do you blame . And he said, well, history, really. The long history of the conflict. Another area that is of continuing interest to our listeners are some of the terms that are being used. It is a hugely sensitive area, as we discussed last week, and its important to be clear and to tread really carefully. So lets hear some more on that topic. Hi, im Bryony Mitchell from london. Ive noticed people on the bbc podcast using the word jewish| instead of israeli a few times. I think theres a lot of confusion about language here. Please, can you explain the difference between being israeli, being jewish and zionism . And please, can you also explain the difference between being Pro Palestine and pro hamas . Thank you. And well split this question, if you dont mind. Jeremy, would you like to take the first part on what it is to bejewish, zionist, israeli . First of all, approximately 20 of the population of israel is notjewish. So if you say israelis, its not a synonym forjewish. There are Jewish Israelis and there are palestinian israelis. Zionism was the movement that originated in europe in the late 19th century to create a homeland for the jews. It started with the First World Zionist Congress in switzerland in 1897, at which point the man who was organising it, a man called herzl, said that they would have a state within 50 years. In fact, they had one in 1948, which was 51 years after that. And lyse, help us out with Pro Palestine and pro hamas. And is there an overlap . Well, Pro Palestine, there is a very Big Community around the world that is very Pro Palestine and we see them developing all the time on university campuses. Now, a whole new generation is very much Pro Palestine. They identify with their demand for a Palestinian State, their historical demand forjustice, for their right to return home. On so many levels, palestine means Different Things to different people. It could be historical palestine, it could mean a Palestinian State. Pro hamas is to support a Movement Hamas means an Islamic Resistance movement, which is a group backed by iran, which, as weve seen in the past few weeks, has adapted, has a military strategy, and much more now its a hostage taking strategy. So theyre very different, to be Pro Palestine or to be pro hamas. But you can be pro hamas and Pro Palestine, but its not necessary that if youre Pro Palestine, youre pro hamas. In fact, you could be very anti hamas. And theres been a lot of talk, as well, about the need for israel to respond proportionately and within the rules of International Law. And well direct this question at you as well, if we can, lyse. Is it justified to ask people to vacate an area within 24 hours . No. Especially when you live in one of the most densely populated places on the planet and when you are under non stop israeli bombardment, and when the roads are strewn with glass and large swathes of your neighbourhood or the next neighbourhood are being reduced to rubble. I mean, youre scared to go out of your house. No the United Nations said it was a death sentence. It would be very, very difficult, possibly impossible to, even in a more developed country at peace. Human Rights Groups criticised it. And jeremy, can you address this next one, which comes from the us . My name is robby fox and i live in phoenix, i arizona in the united states. Is there a comparison to be made| as israel turns gaza into a ghetto, just as the nazis did to the Jews In Poland in 1939 . And should we expect. Better from the israelis, given their modern history . Jeremy. I think it would be wholly wrong to compare the israelis and the nazis. The nazis had a programme of mass extermination, and while israel can be criticised quite heavily, and many people would say quite reasonably for breaking International Law, for, perhaps they would deny it but many people would say, not trying hard enough to fulfil their obligations under International Law to preserve the rights, the lives of Palestinian Civilians as they go about their military business. And israel can also be faulted for denying palestinians independence over many years, for confiscating land, for Building Settlements in defiance of International Law. It would be wholly wrong to compare them to the war crimes, crimes against humanity, the barbaric nature of the nazi regime, which started a war that killed, what was it, 50, 60, 70 Million People . Well, we did talk earlier about hamass reasoning behind launching the october 7th attack. Other listeners have been getting in touch to ask what might be acceptable to hamas now. Hi, i am memet from turkiye. What would be the demand of hamas for a ceasefire . I would it be enough for hamas to accept border lines that was agreed in 1967 . If so, what is right . Accept it as well . And first of all, lyse, just remind us what was actually agreed in 1967. And then, if you dont mind, get to memet� s question. Well, people often refer to Un Resolution 242, in which, after the six day war, israel was called upon to leave all of the territories it had occupied during that time. And that is the kind of ground zero for Un Resolutions, which havent worked and have been flagrantly violated ever since. And its a source of real irritation and anger for decades since. During peace processes, or whenever there was something approaching, they talked about returning to the � 67 borders. Hamas, of course, has a Founding Charter in which they talk about the destruction of the jewish state, so not willing to accept any land for thejewish people. But in recent years, they have come up with documents. There has been a part of hamas, and partly working with arab states like like qatar, working with third parties, trying to come up with a different way of governing because they can no longer be just the group of the gun because they are governing the gaza strip or at least they were trying to. And they seem, a few years ago, they did come up with a document which suggests that they were prepared to accept a state on the � 67 borders. But they also wanted the rights of palestinians, including the right of return, to be accepted. But i dont think. Its difficult now to talk about a united hamas. There are certain principles that they agree on. But given all thats happened recently, were not sure exactly what they would be satisfied with. And, in the first place, it could take a long time for, really, the embers to to go out in this crisis, and many of hamass top political and military leaders will be killed as part of israels military operations, said to be about destroying hamas. So its not clear what kind of a compromise theyre willing to do. They have made indirect negotiations with israel through qatar with getting money to run their schools, about electricity. And, you know, ironically, just before this crisis erupted, i ran into some mediators who had been talking to hamas political leaders in places like south africa, where they were talking to the African National congress about how to move away from the gun. So there was a process under way, but this has completely shattered it. And jeremy, following on from that theme, this question comes from a listener in israel. This Isjoshua Eliason from givat adar in israel. I my question is, what will it take i for hamas to remove its commitment to destroy the state of israel from its charter and accept israel as a legitimate neighbour to a Palestinian State . I jeremy. Well, as they say, you know, its hard to start from where we are, because things have gone on the way that they have. If you could wind back time to when hamas won Palestinian Elections in 2006 after a huge protest vote against their opponents in fatah, who was seen as incompetent and corrupt, correctly, by the voters, if then there had been an attempt to talk to hamas, you never know what might have happened at the time. There were plenty of analysts who said that the powerful countries of the world were wrong to isolate hamas, but it was isolated. About that time, actually, i had a Background Meeting with a very senior american whos still in a very important position over there. And he said, look, first thing weve got to do is turn over that election. Its the wrong result. We cant accept it. So, those are what ifs. The way things are right now. Israel is saying it wants to wipe hamas off the face of the earth. So i think that even if hamas suddenly said, actually, weve changed our minds we would accept you, i dont know, would israel accept them . They probably wouldnt believe them, i think. So i think that at the moment, this momentum of war is going to have to play out. Then after that, you never know, the shock of the casualties on both sides could be the catalyst for a new beginning. It would take different kinds of leaders, probably on both sides. But, eventually, because the roots of this are political, eventually there will have to be a political deal, because if there isnt, it means that people on both sides, leaders on both sides, will sentence their children and grandchildren to more of the same. Jeremy, thank you. That was jeremy bowen, who has to leave us now to go and do other things. But we will continue with our podcast with lyse doucet. Lets hear now about how the United Nations is responding. Hello. This is shamseer from india. I am sending this voice note with the hope that you could provide more information about the various United Nations resolutions and responses to them from both israel and palestinians since the establishment of state of israel. So, can you talk us through that, lyse . Well, at various times in palestinian history and israeli history, the un has taken on very different roles. There is a Palestinian Agency which was set up specifically to deal with palestinian refugees, called unwra, the United Nations relief and works agency. It still works with them to this day because many of the People Living in the west bank and in gaza strip are defined as refugees. They are the refugees of successive wars the 1948 war, 1967 war and every time theres a Military Escalation or conflict, people get pushed from their homes, as were seeing yet again. For a very long time, there has been United Nations envoys to israel and the palestinian territories trying in some way to bring the two sides closer together. Obviously, that hasnt worked. And there are those Un Resolutions which come from the worlds top table, the un security council, beginning with Un Resolution 242 in 1967, in the wake of the six day war, in which Israel Occupied territory from neighbouring arab states. Siren wails. And im afraid another war is still going on, and theres an air raid siren, and we do have to take it seriously. Well be back. Lyse has just come back. Are you ok to continue, lyse . Is everything safe . Yes, were here. A few thuds in the background, but were in a place where there are air raid sirens. In gaza, they dont get them, and then we have a certain amount of time to get to the shelter and then we know were safe and can come back. Youre able to hear the booms outside. We can, indeed. And obviously, if there are any more sirens, we will obviously let you go. Looking further ahead, how do we move on from here and what can we learn from the past . Here is a question from the us. My name Isjean Pauljones and i i live in los angeles, california. I im an american millennial. And have never known a time when the middle east has been at peace. On your podcast, a recurring Talking Point is that israel and palestine have been in conflict for seven decades. I was there ever a time when that region was at peace . I also ask this because this region is even depicted as an area of unrest in the bible. Surely conflict in this region hasnt lasted i since the authorship of biblical text, has it . Well, i dont want to, since im not a biblical historian, im just going to go back as far as the history that ive lived through, and that was in the wake of the oslo peace accord, Signed With Great Celebration and ceremony on the white house lawn in 1993. I moved to the region, First Tojordan in 1994 and then tojerusalem, and that was the time where people dared to believe in peace, where we used to go to ramallah in the west bank, along with israeli friends, when, where menus in restaurants were in hebrew as well as in arabic, where israeli and arab businessmen made plans to set up Industrial Zones together, where palestinian and israeli politicians, they got to know each other. Their children got to know each other. They dared to believe that the next generation would be living in a time of peace. And where i wrote as a correspondent about this, yasser arafat, the Palestinian Leader who returned from exile to gaza, went to visit singapore. And he talked about how gaza would become the singapore of the region with so much investment. And it was a very, very different time. Well, lets bring it back to the present. Hello, bbc. I am Edmund Chavez iii from the philippines. I apologise for asking a most difficult question. How can israel and palestine have lasting peace . History is lived here not in the past, but in the present. I was really struck when i first moved to this region how so many people still carry the rusted keys of the homes that they had before 1948 and the independence war for israel. And when i met people, when i would say, where are you from . Or, where is your home . They would refer to where their grandfather was born, which was a village in the west bank or in gaza or. And we now know in our time theres a lot of medical, Scientific Evidence about generational trauma, that you live through the trauma of your ancestors. And this is very much being lived by palestinians now, when we hear suggestions that that they should just. Why dont theyjust move . Why dont the gazans just move for a short time . Why dont they cross the border and just set up camps in egypt, just a temporary tent . Or, why dont they go tojordan . They know that when they do that, they will become refugees again. Settlements, tented camps always become permanent. And that is why there is such deep distrust between all sides, palestinians who feel their rights to go home and the palestinians who live in countries far away. Their rights, the right of return, is one of the most important principles. One of the most important priorities, goals for palestinians. But sadly, were in a situation now where it seems a zero sum game, that some israelis feel threatened if the palestinians return, and the palestinians feel threatened because thejews, as part of a programme of allowing jews to return home no matter where they live in the world. And so the sharing of the land becomes, you have it and we dont, and we want it from you and were willing to fight for it. And the generational trauma of israelis, as well, has to be taken into account. Of course. Again, we are having the the echoes of the holocaust, you know, so graphically, when you have Holocaust Survivors being taken as hostages by hamas. When you have the president of israel, isaac herzog, saying, never have so manyjewish people died in a day since the holocaust. Again, they live with that generational trauma. They also live with the trauma of Suicide Bombings that have taken the lives of loved ones. They feel threatened and fearful by the palestinians next door. That is why the talk of peace became the talk of separation. Lets get each other out of their lives. And so if i was to answer the question, how can israelis and palestinians be at peace . In some ways, theyjust want what we all want. They want to have a home where they feel safe, a neighbourhood where their children can go to school. They want to have the control of their own lives, not to have another country. In the case of the palestinians, its the israelis. In the case of the israelis, they feel threatened by the palestinians. They dont feel safe, and they certainly dont feel safe now. They want to be able to live their own lives. And for many people and many politicians, it was the Two State Solution, a Palestinian State, side by side with an israeli state. But here we are in 2023 and jewish settlements have expanded by so much that many now think that a Two State Solution is simply not possible. Theres not enough land for a contiguous Palestinian State. So before this crisis erupted, many were saying that it had to be a One State Solution a State Forjews and arabs and those living in the west bank and gaza. But that brings up a whole set of other problems. People want a home, and i think thats something everyone can understand. Thank you, lyse. That was lyse doucet, the bbc� s chief international correspondent. And thanks, too, tojeremy bowen, our international editor. And thank you for listening. This has been a bbc collaboration between the conflict podcast and the global news podcast. This is the second one that weve done, and we will keep up with these collaborations for as long as were needed. Remember, you can listen to both pods on bbc sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Hello. Well, the sun is back out again. But, of course, weve had a huge amount of rainfall in the last few days. Lets take a look at these figures. And in eastern scotland, it looks as though in excess of 200 millimetres of rain injust that one storm. Wakefield there, 144 millimetres. The South Of England also had a lot of rainfall. And just because the sun is out, it doesnt necessarily mean that the threat is completely over. You may want to check the Environment Agency website sepa as well in scotland to see what those river levels are doing. Because sometimes, there is quite a delay from the moment when it starts raining to when the peak of the flood waters arrive. But in terms of the weather, at least, its quiet across most of the uk today. 12 degrees in newcastle, around 15 in london, about the average for the time of the year. And weve got quite a chilly evening on the way, with clear skies and light winds. There might be even A Touch Of Frost at least early in the night across parts of northern britain. You can see barely above freezing there at 5am in aberdeen. But much milder in the south west of the country, around 13 in plymouth. Thats because we have a south westerly wind. A Weather Front is approaching. Therell be some rain around tomorrow, i think in the very far south west of the uk. But i think the bulk of the country on monday, again, another decent day, with bright or sunny skies. However, rain is threatening to reach the south later on monday and into tuesday. This next Weather Front sweeps in from the south. So i think more wet weather to come at least across some parts of the country. So, yes, were in a sort of spell of drier weather now, but more rain is forecast. Its not going to be anywhere near as widespread and persistent at least, not until tuesday or wednesday. Later on wednesday, it does look as though the weather is going to go downhill once again, as another very large area of low pressure sweeps in off the atlantic. And i think its initially western parts of the uk that get the rain early on wednesday. Here it is, the next Weather Front. Heavy rain for south western england, for wales, Northern Ireland too. And then later on wednesday, that Weather Front will progress towards the north and the east of the country, and with that, some very strong winds. So the outlook overall is looking unsettled. No two days are going to be the same. Temperatures will be around average. And if you look at these weather icons, i think at least rain showers most days for most of us. Live from london, this is bbc news. A second convoy of trucks carrying aid has arrived at the Rafah Crossing between egypt and the gaza strip. They are being checked at a verification point. Israel warns it will intensify the attacks on gaza, before its expected ground offensive. It also says it struck a hamas cell sheltering in a west bank mosque. Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned lebanons hezbollah militants that they face counter strikes of unimaginable magnitude if Theyjoin The War against israel. Translation if hezbollah decides to enter the war, it will make the mistake of its life. We will strike it with a force that cannot even imagine and the significance for it and state of lebanon will be devastating. A major incident� s declared and hundreds of homes evacuated because of flooding caused by storm babet sweeping the uk. Hello. Welcome to bbc news. We start this hour at the Rafah Crossing between egypt and the gaza strip. A second convoy of trucks carrying aid has arrived there. They are being checked at a verification point. All are being checked to ensure they are only carrying humanitarian aid. What we dont yet know is if they will be allowed to cross into gaza. 20 vehicles carrying medicines and food passed through on saturday, the first since israel tightened its blockade of the territory. The Rafah Crossing is on the egyptian border