shows, just if you think about it, the americans position on this is evolving, it began with very much a strong support for israel after october seven but continuing now with more qualifications, more need for international law to be met and more protection for civilians. this is just another example of that slightly evolving american position. all right, james, thank you for taking through all of that snapshot analysis from what we heard from the un secretary—general and some of the broader analysis on the diplomacy thatis, broader analysis on the diplomacy that is, of course, continues. james langdale, our diplomatic correspondent. turning to the situation on the ground when it comes to those trapped in gaza trying to get out through the rafale crossing which was open today allowing the evacuation of a handful of wounded people and foreign nationals. it's not about 7000 people are trying to get out when it was opened last week, about 100 britons were able to leave. about 200 british nationals were believed to be in gaza before war broke out. earlier i spoke to icel chumlukh, a briton whose wife lamia, 13—year—old stepdaughter and one—year—old son are in gaza and hoping to leave through the rafah crossing. they had previously tried to cross into egypt, but while his wife and son were authorised to leave, his step—daughter was not — leaving the family stuck. my stepdaughter lived with her father in gaza. and my one—year—old son was living with my wife in gaza when the war started. my step daughter's dad asked my wife to take his daughter with her to egypt for her safety. and there is a effort to get that whole wider group out. what finally are the foreign office saying to you, given that as your situation, your problem? the you, given that as your situation, your problem?— you, given that as your situation, your problem? the last update was around two — your problem? the last update was around two hours _ your problem? the last update was around two hours ago. _ your problem? the last update was around two hours ago. i _ your problem? the last update was around two hours ago. i have - around two hours ago. i have received a phone call to see if the crossing is open. i contacted my wife straightaway asking her to help with the border, and she asked about my 15—year—old daughter. i said i'm really sorry, can you leave her with some of the family members or relatives? she said she doesn't know anybody and she's not leaving her 15—year—old daughter with strangers here, and i don't know if she'll be safe if i leave her. we either live together or not. right now she is at the crossing, i contacted her about 40 the crossing, i contacted her about a0 minutes ago, she said she's at the palestinian side, the palestinian side said to her there's no problem, we will let you in with your 13—year—old daughter, but we don't guarantee that you will go through the egyptian side, as well. so until now she's at the palestinian side that they will let her 15—year—old daughter in, but not the egyptian side. fine her 15-year-old daughter in, but not the egyptian side-— the egyptian side. one britain we soke to the egyptian side. one britain we spoke to in _ the egyptian side. one britain we spoke to in cairo. _ live now to alicia kearns, chair of the foreign affairs select committee. thank you so much for being here on the programme. just an immediate reaction to the dilemma that that man finds himself in, with some members of his family being on a list and able to get out, but others not to. it list and able to get out, but others not to. , , not to. it is utterly heartbreaking, and the last _ not to. it is utterly heartbreaking, and the last thing _ not to. it is utterly heartbreaking, and the last thing we _ not to. it is utterly heartbreaking, and the last thing we want - not to. it is utterly heartbreaking, and the last thing we want is - and the last thing we want is families divided. perhaps if we look at the processes, the british government will compile a list of thoseit government will compile a list of those it believes has british citizenship and should be able to get out. that list is given to israeli government... they will review that list and then a new list is given to the is for —— egyptian government who are controlling the rafah crossing and seeing who can come forward. it's not a straightforward process, there are many countries involved and embassies in tel aviv, but we want to get everyone out with their families and get them to the safety as soon as possible. br; families and get them to the safety as soon as possible.— as soon as possible. by the issue seems to be _ as soon as possible. by the issue seems to be a — as soon as possible. by the issue seems to be a specific— as soon as possible. by the issue seems to be a specific one, - as soon as possible. by the issue seems to be a specific one, and l as soon as possible. by the issue i seems to be a specific one, and that man is not the only person struggling with this because there are families where there are large groups now, many of them have british passports, some have dual nationality, but there will be some within those groups that don't. what is the current advice from the british government for families in that situation?— that situation? families in that situation must _ that situation? families in that situation must represent - that situation? families in that - situation must represent statement contact the foreign office closed grace they have the ability to offer further support, grace they have the ability to offer furthersupport, but grace they have the ability to offer further support, but we don't know what the are put in by the israelis are by the egyptians necessarily, but i suspect both sides will want to get everyone out as much as they can, but this is incredibly difficult when it comes to national citizenship. it difficult when it comes to national citizenshi -. , difficult when it comes to national citizenshi. , ' . , citizenship. it is difficult, but we talked during — citizenship. it is difficult, but we talked during the _ citizenship. it is difficult, but we talked during the crisis - citizenship. it is difficult, but we talked during the crisis in - citizenship. it is difficult, but we talked during the crisis in sudan| talked during the crisis in sudan and there were exact parallels and examples of this happening and it took a while, didn't it, for the government to actually get a position that accommodated those families and that sort of position? it did come in this time we have additional situations where it's not just the team in the ground agreeing to give emergency travel papers to an individual. it has to go through our embassy can attest to go through the israelis and it has to go into their department overseeing this and their department overseeing this and the egyptians. this is far more complex than sudan, but, of course, we want to make sure that families are coming to safety and all of those that have the ability or the right to come to the uk or for the government agrees can have that right are able to. you government agrees can have that right are able to.— government agrees can have that right are able to. you are right, it is more complicated. _ right are able to. you are right, it is more complicated. also - right are able to. you are right, it is more complicated. also it - right are able to. you are right, it i is more complicated. also it is much more dangerous. that family, they are talking about the one—year—old now absolutely terrified, even if they hear a door shut to because of what they've lived there over the last few weeks. it is what they've lived there over the last few weeks.— last few weeks. it is horrifying. i was enjoying _ last few weeks. it is horrifying. i was enjoying the _ last few weeks. it is horrifying. i was enjoying the week— last few weeks. it is horrifying. i l was enjoying the week before last where i met with palestinian refugees whose families are in gaza and there there were children who even though they were in safety, when it plane flew over, they grab their parents, worried that they were going to be bombed. this is a horrifying situation. the statistics that are out today about how they may have died, it is a humanitarian catastrophe and that is why we need a humanitarian pause, the suffering must and, and the problem is at the moment, nowhere in gaza is safe for civilians, not the north, not the centre, northe civilians, not the north, not the centre, nor the south. we need some of that assay for civilians to get to. , ., , ., ., of that assay for civilians to get to. , ., ., to. interesting what you are saying there humanitarian _ to. interesting what you are saying there humanitarian causes - to. interesting what you are saying | there humanitarian causes because earlier, bbc was talking to a correspondent about what exactly would lead up to a humanitarian pause, and of course, this phrase has been knocked around a little while about movement on the hostages. he was asked by the bbc about what movement means, and he said the release of hostages. is that how you see at? to the hostages have to be released before beget to any sort of humanitarian pause? that potentially is quite a high bar as we are looking at the situation on the ground at the moment. it should be art of the ground at the moment. it should be part of a — the ground at the moment. it should be part of a humanitarian _ the ground at the moment. it should be part of a humanitarian pause. - be part of a humanitarian pause. this is why we want the humanitarian pause so that we can seize the immediate suffering on the ground so that aid can get in and israel can live up to her international obligations under international humanitarian law so that we can get more foreign outcome to get civilians treatment they need and do things like stop the spread of scabies and cholera, which we are seeing on the ground. there are many opportunities that come from a humanitarian pause. these things can happen in parallel. once we get one humanitarian pause, we will get to a much better place, but we need to see multiple actions. there will be others who want to see a cessation of the violence in the west bank as part of any humanitarian cause. this is a very complicated situation, but needs to be more well, there needs to be humanitarian pause. we need to get hostages out and stop the suffering of civilians, particularly children. b, suffering of civilians, particularly children. �* ., suffering of civilians, particularly children. �* . , ., suffering of civilians, particularly children. . , ., , , children. a final question because interestinu children. a final question because interesting what _ children. a final question because interesting what you _ children. a final question because interesting what you are - children. a final question because interesting what you are saying i interesting what you are saying there about the pause. do you think there about the pause. do you think the british government needs to be clearer? there needs to be greater clarity and exactly what you have just said and pressure on the israeli government. of course, we have had those public statements of support and the understanding of self defence, all of that, but do you think there needs to be greater clarity about the need for humanitarian pause straightaway now? without question. you can support israel's right to self—defense within international humanitarian law and you can grieve with her people whilst also recognising that we now need a humanitarian pause. the british government needs to be absolutely united on this. i am not hearing a strong enough voice from the government, a united voice, but what we want to see as an immediate humanitarian pause. the british government must call for at. thank ou once government must call for at. thank you once again _ government must call for at. thank you once again for— government must call for at. thank you once again for talking - government must call for at. thank you once again for talking to - government must call for at. thank you once again for talking to us - you once again for talking to us here on bbc news. thank you for your time. continuing with the situation there on the ground. now, earlier today the director of research charity tweeted that he was supposed to be in gaza for an awards ceremony celebrating students living with disabilities in gaza. the university in birmingham, worked with action on armed violence and the islamic university of gaza to run the course on storytelling. charity action on armed violence who taught this course for disabled students in gaza. with me is dr iain overton the director of the research charity action on armed violence who taught this course for disabled students in gaza. tell me more about the chorus and more about the student safety or otherwise. , ., , ., more about the student safety or otherwise. , . , ., more about the student safety or otherwise. , ., , ., ., otherwise. the christmas had part of a university — otherwise. the christmas had part of a university of— otherwise. the christmas had part of a university of birmingham - otherwise. the christmas had part of a university of birmingham grace - a university of birmingham grace aligned with disability under siege, and we came up with a notion called voices from gaza where we wanted to work with young students living with disabilities in gaza, particularly visual impairment. that seems to be a majorfeature, and we went visual impairment. that seems to be a major feature, and we went to training up about 25 of them to become trainers of other students. so today 75 students should've graduated. we were going to collate all of the narratives on storytelling and present a video, basically, where they had captured their various lives on social media. in the main point of the chorus was to try and say, look, you are already disempowered in a country that has profound problems. here is a way of amplifying a voice, but to try to do so without resorting to angen try to do so without resorting to anger, vitriol, accusation, to actually try to find that common path of empathy. it's an absolute tragedy to find that the students who are living with profound challenges, and some are totally blind, some have mobility issues are now, i guess, scatter to the four corners of gaza. we don't know where many of them are a.— many of them are a. when was the last time you _ many of them are a. when was the last time you had _ many of them are a. when was the last time you had contact - many of them are a. when was the last time you had contact with any| last time you had contact with any of them in terms of their descriptions of what they've actually gone through? liberated toda after actually gone through? liberated today after i _ actually gone through? liberated today after i tweeted, _ actually gone through? liberated today after i tweeted, one - actually gone through? liberated today after i tweeted, one of- actually gone through? liberated today after i tweeted, one of the| today after i tweeted, one of the manage to get their voice to lebanon via social media, and that was translated, when reading it, she was absolutely terrified. she has considerable visual impairment and she doesn't know what the noise is coming from the distance are going to do. she feels incredibly dislocated. she is resilient, and thatis dislocated. she is resilient, and that is a fundamental feature of all of the students. they do fall back on the sense of resilience. in truth, it is abject terror, and one of the really shocking things that i found out the other day was one of the lecturers have lost nine members of his family, his mother, his brother, his sister—in—law, three nieces and three nephews. not only has the student compass been cast to the winds, there have been terrible personal losses, and on top of this, the islamic university of gaza itself has been bombed. irate the islamic university of gaza itself has been bombed. we do have ictures of itself has been bombed. we do have pictures of exactly _ itself has been bombed. we do have pictures of exactly that. _ itself has been bombed. we do have pictures of exactly that. that - itself has been bombed. we do have pictures of exactly that. that was . pictures of exactly that. that was a strike only a few days ago off the strike only a few days ago off the strike there on the screen, you can see it on the small screen committee explosions because the islamic university that you are referring to, the idf said they had struck a political and military centres there that were operational for hamas. i guess the proof needs to that this was indeed the fact, not war is hell, where is cass that's full of lies and propaganda. as far as i can see and i was teaching students living with significant disabilities, it was a peace initiative, an attempt to give them a voice that was not meant to be an angry voice. i was very clear and having to insist that if they were going to say anything, it needs to be rooted in absolute fact. so i am hoping that when the dust settles, they will be able to sell their stories, but for the moment, there is this terrible silence, and occasionally even when i'm contacting the course leaders, you see the tech on whatsapp becoming one text, and then the message isn't going through. and of course, your mind is filled with all sorts of potential horrors of what that one tech might represent.— tech might represent. certainly in the last 24 _ tech might represent. certainly in the last 24 hours _ tech might represent. certainly in the last 24 hours with _ the last 2a hours with communications cuts, it is not the first time. —— tick. that is making every aspect of this race in terms of actually trying to find out what is happening on the ground. indeed, the ultimate — is happening on the ground. indeed, the ultimate point— is happening on the ground. indeed, the ultimate point of— is happening on the ground. indeed, the ultimate point of this, _ is happening on the ground. indeed, the ultimate point of this, this - the ultimate point of this, this university of birmingham initiative was a really noble one, to give disabled students a sense of agency, and that agency has now been ripped away. so i am hoping that they will learn a few lessons from the chorus, and when the war, as i hope it will and when the war, as i hope it will and will end and be able to tell their stories for the world to see, but at the moment, at this kind of an unrelenting horrors.— an unrelenting horrors. briefly, finall , an unrelenting horrors. briefly, finally. just _ an unrelenting horrors. briefly, finally. just to _ an unrelenting horrors. briefly, finally, just to repeat, - an unrelenting horrors. briefly, finally, just to repeat, of- an unrelenting horrors. briefly, finally, just to repeat, of all. an unrelenting horrors. briefly, | finally, just to repeat, of all the students he had on that chorus, you are only able to make contact with oneself i. g , ., ., oneself i. just one. some of the 2051 oneself i. just one. some of the 205! talked, — oneself i. just one. some of the 205! talked, i — oneself i. just one. some of the 205| talked, l have _ oneself i. just one. some of the 2051 talked, i have no _ oneself i. just one. some of the 2051 talked, i have no idea - oneself i. just one. some of the 2051 talked, i have no idea what oneself i. just one. some of the - 2051 talked, i have no idea what has 205| talked, i have no idea what has happened to 2a of them. 205| talked, i have no idea what has happened to 24 of them.— happened to 24 of them. doctor, thank ou happened to 24 of them. doctor, thank you very — happened to 24 of them. doctor, thank you very much