the idf said it conducting a great operation in gaza to defeat hamas and rescue our hostages. israel is at war with hamas, not the civilians of gaza. we are justly details from our correspondent in gaza who is hearing that israeli soldiers are now inside the al—shifa hospital. the eyewitness told are a potter that israeli soldiers fired a smoke bomb that caused people to suffocate. he said the soldiers had entered the specialised surgical department and then contact with him was cut off. it comes after the white house and pentagon confirmed they have intelligence supporting israel's lamp hamas and palestinian islamichhad operating from tunnels under hospitals including al—shifa. they say they're also storing weapons there. hamas denies the claims and has called for an international committee to comment and inspected the al—shifa compound. thousands of civilians including patients and medical staff are said to be sheltering in and around the hospital. joining me now to discuss the operation is the deputy counsel general of israel in new york. thanks for joining us. the idf is right now carrying out what it calls a precise and targeted operated in the al—shifa hospital. what exactly does that mean? it means that we are doing everything we can to dismantle the capabilities of hamas. hamas is a terrorist organisation who embedded its fighters and capabilities and weapons in and under al—shifa hospital and by the way it's not the only hospital where they did it and we are doing everything we can dismantle this capability and make sure that we can also free the hostages. that we can also free the hostages-_ that we can also free the hostaues. . ., ., , hostages. 0k, and what does that mean. — hostages. 0k, and what does that mean, everything - hostages. 0k, and what does that mean, everything you i hostages. 0k, and what does l that mean, everything you can, any specific instance of the al—shifa hospital tonight? what is everything we can mean? everything we can means that we take the weapons, that we dismantle it, neutralise their fighters, their terrorist, while making sure we minimise the collateral damage, the loss of innocent civilian lives stop this is what it means.- this is what it means. that israeli ground _ this is what it means. that israeli ground forces - this is what it means. that israeli ground forces and l israeli ground forces and broome hospital as we heard from our eyewitness there, as you say, neutralising, which in lay person speak means killing. did israel make efforts to evacuate the hospital in advance? {iii evacuate the hospital in advance?— evacuate the hospital in advance? , .,~ advance? of course, we take every measure _ advance? of course, we take every measure that - advance? of course, we take every measure that is - advance? of course, we take i every measure that is possible. what were those, sorry, it's important to get to the specifics here. just exactly what efforts did israel take to evacuate that hospital, we are told there were thousands of an essential millions sheltering there. ., . essential millions sheltering there. . there. -- innocent civilians. i reeat there. -- innocent civilians. i repeat what— there. -- innocent civilians. i repeat what i _ there. -- innocent civilians. i repeat what i said. _ there. -- innocent civilians. i repeat what i said. this - there. -- innocent civilians. i repeat what i said. this is - there. -- innocent civilians. i repeat what i said. this is a l repeat what i said. this is a very difficult, almost impossible mission to make sure that we dismantle their capabilities while they are patients there and innocent people. patients there and innocent eo le, ,, , �* people. crosstalk. how did _ people. crosstalk. how did you - people. crosstalk.| how did you evacuate people. crosstalk. - how did you evacuate them, please explain to us. find please explain to us. and facilitating _ please explain to us. and facilitating platforms - please explain to us. fific facilitating platforms for patients and people, innocent people that are in the hospital to make sure that they leave safely, but unfortunately hamas uses their own people as human shields, preventing them from leaving these hospitals because they know that they protect them by their presence there and that's why i'm saying this is a very difficultjob and a very difficult mission, but believe me, we're doing everything that is possible. but in recent days just today as well we have had reports of israeli tanks surrounding the hospital, we've had a staff member say anyone who tried to leave was shot. that people could not leave. again, iam asking you exactly what those efforts were to evacuate people, if tanks are surrounding the hospital, if there are soldiers in there, how did you get people out, how many people that you manage to get out? many people that you manage to net out? , ., many people that you manage to iet out? , ., ., many people that you manage to net out? , . ., ., get out? the israeli tanks are surrounding _ get out? the israeli tanks are surrounding hospital, - get out? the israeli tanks are surrounding hospital, not - get out? the israeli tanks are | surrounding hospital, not only fighting the hamas terrorists that are hiding within the hospital, but also facilitating routes for innocent people and patients that are hospitalised in this hospital to evacuate and to leave the hospital so we can complete the mission and again, the mission is to make sure that we dismantle and neutralise the terrorists but are there that are hiding their and there is a great infrastructure, terrorist infrastructure, terrorist infrastructure, their command centres, this is what they've been doing for the last 16 years, building a huge infrastructure under this hospital and again this is not the only place where they did it, they did in other hospitals and mosques and schools and this is a very difficult task as i said to dismantle it, but the tanks, the israeli tanks that are there are not only, their mission is not only to fight to be hamas terrorists that are there but also facilitating routes, for people (speaks indistinctly) innocent people to evacuate. i'll ask the question again, how many people did you manage to evacuate? we have seen so many reports of innocent civilians sheltering there as we've mentioned but also sick children, sick babies, tiny newborn babies without incubators, if you tried everything you could to evacuate people, how many people that you manage to evacuate?— people that you manage to evacuate? , ., ., evacuate? the battle is ongoing and unlike _ evacuate? the battle is ongoing and unlike hamas— evacuate? the battle is ongoing and unlike hamas i _ evacuate? the battle is ongoing and unlike hamas i would - evacuate? the battle is ongoing and unlike hamas i would not. and unlike hamas i would not mention figures that i cannot 100% make sure that i am correct. so i don't have specific figures, but the israeli, the idf is doing everything possible we can and i repeat according to international law we're doing everything that possible to make sure that we minimise civilian casualties and minimise the collateral damage because loss of innocent lives is a tragedy. also when it is palestinians, when it is this really is, innocent people, it is a tragedy, and this is something we would like to prevent. we are targeting the hamas terrorists. but nevertheless - hamas terrorists. but nevertheless this - hamas terrorists. but nevertheless this is i hamas terrorists. but nevertheless this is a | nevertheless this is a hospital. the un has said that claims of militant activity does not absolve israel from its obligation to specificity and life. the us presidentjoe biden has called on israel not to attack the hospital in this way. we have those reports that soldiers have fired a smoke bomb in the hospital tonight which are causing people to suffocate, to struggle for there. international opinion is there. international opinion is there that this does not absolve israel from its obligation to spare civilian life. . ., , obligation to spare civilian life. , ., �* , life. of course not. but this is exactly — life. of course not. but this is exactly the _ life. of course not. but this is exactly the goal - life. of course not. but this is exactly the goal of - life. of course not. but this i is exactly the goal of hamas, this is why they built their capabilities and this is why crosstalk. but with respect, sorry to interrupt, we're short on time, i'm not asking you to account for but to account for what israel and the idf is doing. so if i know israel and the idf is doing. sr if i know that there are missiles, there are hostages within the hospital or under the hospital, under this place, we will do everything we can to release the hostages, we will do everything we can to dismantle the lethal capabilities of a terrorist organisation that is using its own people as human shields, while doing everything attacked innocent civilian lives. briefly, you mentioned hostages there. does that mean you think there. does that mean you think there are any israeli hostages in the al—shifa hospital? there are any israeli hostages in the al-shifa hospital? there ma be. in the al-shifa hospital? there may be. maybe. _ in the al-shifa hospital? there may be. maybe. i— in the al-shifa hospital? there may be. maybe. i do _ in the al-shifa hospital? there may be. maybe. i do not- in the al-shifa hospital? therej may be. maybe. i do not know. the battle is ongoing as we speak. the battle is ongoing as we seak. . ~ the battle is ongoing as we seak. ., ,, i. the battle is ongoing as we seak. ., ~' ,, , . speak. 0k, thank you very much forjoining _ speak. 0k, thank you very much forjoining us- — speak. 0k, thank you very much forjoining us. that's _ speak. 0k, thank you very much forjoining us. that's the - forjoining us. that's the acting is really consul general in new yorkjoining us on bbc. thank you very much for having me. thank you very much for having me, , ., ,., ., ., thank you very much for having me. ., ., , me. israel-gaza war continues des - ite me. israel-gaza war continues despite demonstrations - me. israel-gaza war continues despite demonstrations across the world including in the us capitol. tens of thousands of people demonstrated on the national law in washington, dc for the marcher israel against anti—semitism. north america correspondent nomia iqbal was there and sent this report. since the war began there have been rallies in the nation's capital. a couple of weeks ago, tens of thousands of people turned out to support palestinians. today, tens of thousands of people turned out to support israel. taking to the stage were high—profile lawmakers, including the new speaker of the house, republican mike johnson, who wasjoined on stage by democrats chuck schumer and hakeem jeffries. we are here, united, democrat and republican, to say we stand with israel! and republican, to say we stand with israel!_ with israel! there are few issues in _ with israel! there are few issues in washington - with israel! there are few issues in washington that with israel! there are few- issues in washington that can so easily— issues in washington that can so easily bring together both leaders — so easily bring together both leaders of both parties and both— leaders of both parties and both changes. the survival of isreel— both changes. the survival of israei and _ both changes. the survival of israel and its people unite us together, all americans. we were at the _ together, all americans. - were at the front of the stage and there were many young jewish americans holding posters of the israeli hostages, saying bring them home. that's been one of the other messages of the rally. families of hostages have been in attendance giving speeches. many students from hi from universities and colleges are talking about the rise of anti—semitism across america. but there are a small group of counter protesters of rabbis and there was a bit of a stand—off with other people here but police have cordoned them off and generally have kept the rally pretty much peaceful. around the world but across the uk, this is bbc news. let's look at other stories making use. former british home secretary. it is dripping with derision about the prime minister. he read a couple of words that struck me as i read the letter. betrayal, equivocation, guide, wishful thinking, and a lack of certainty. chris mason reporting there. suella braverman has fired back to pass rishi sunak today after being fired from her post. in a scathing letter she said the prime minister had repeatedly failed on vital policies and broken pledges over migration. she wrote that mr sunak had adopted what called wishful thinking to avoid having to make hard choices. the prime minister's office responded to the letter by saying rishi sunak believes in actions, not words. she was ousted monday as part of a broader shakeup of mr sunak a's government after she drew fire for comments about the police handling of pro—palestinian protesters your life with bbc news. us presidentjoe biden has landed in san francisco where he was greeted by callifornia governor gavin newsom, that to host the asia—pacific economic cooperation summit also known as a pack. some it focuses on trade and sustainable development, bringing 2! countries which together account for 60% of the world economy. a lot of attention is on tomorrow's meeting with president biden and chinese president biden and chinese president xijinping. it is his first visit of the about since 2017 and speaking earlier president biden said the goal of the meeting is to resume military communications between the us and china. to get back on a normal course of corresponding, being able to pick up the phone and talk to one another in a crisis, being able to make sure our military still have contact with one another. we can't take... as i've told you, we're not trying to decouple from china. what we are trying to do is change the relationship for the better. let's go live to san francisco stew bbc�*s sumi somaskanda. what do we expect from the meeting tomorrow?- what do we expect from the meeting tomorrow? there are so much anticipation _ meeting tomorrow? there are so much anticipation for— meeting tomorrow? there are so much anticipation for the - much anticipation for the meeting between the two presidents because it's the first time they are meeting face—to—face since november 2022 they met in bali in indonesia, the g20 summit. that meeting was to normalise relationships, to ease ties between china and the us and since then we've seen anything but. many viewers will remember in february the us accused china of sending us fibre learning over the country and shooting it down, the wes streeting it down the west coast and a letter further tensions. one begins at the time was when the us tried to call china, when us military tried to call its counterpart in china nobody picked up the phones that's why you had president saying in the clip it's important not only to learn to manage the relationship, stabilise that, we also need to ensure there is military to military communication, that if there was a crisis, someone to pick up was a crisis, someone to pick up the phone and someone on the other and in china answers. it is important to say that they are talking about putting guardrails or a floor on the relationship, there are serious points attention that remain will make the difficult. we know taiwan is one of the biggest points of contention the us continues to taiwan militarily, something china is not happy and china's the actions of a south china sea. china claims much of the waterway to its south and we saw a clash with the philippines recently by the us again warned china to take any action against the because that would mean the us would act in deterrence. these are some points of contention we are seeing, we don't expect any big breakthroughs but again stabilising the relationship as the us has said, managing the ties. , _, ., , ties. given the contentious oints ties. given the contentious points and _ ties. given the contentious points and as _ ties. given the contentious points and as you - ties. given the contentious points and as you say - ties. given the contentious points and as you say no i ties. given the contentious. points and as you say no big deal as such as expected but will not be any tangible outcomes at all? there are some points where the two sides so they can work together. i was listening to the us climate on both speaking earlier in san francisco here and he said the chinese and us have had very constructive talks on climate change. they believe they can work together. when he was pressed on whether that could lead to some sort of breakthrough at this summit, he declined to answer. it seems like there is some goodwill to work together but we likely won't see an agreement on that front. the head of the summit we saw some reports that the us and china are leading up to an agreement on fentanyl, us wants china to crack down on the production and export of some of the chemical components of sentinel, it has wrecked havoc across the us including cities like san francisco, and it appears that might be on the cards. we also saw some reports that there might be an ai that there might be an a! working group in the works between the us and china that could amount to both sides talking to each other about regulation and guard rails. there might be some tiny movements forward in this relationship.— relationship. very briefly, what is the _ relationship. very briefly, what is the wider - relationship. very briefly, what is the wider agenda | relationship. very briefly, i what is the wider agenda of apec? �* , , ., what is the wider agenda of apec? ~ , , ., ., , apec? as you mentioned, this is really about _ apec? as you mentioned, this is really about trade _ apec? as you mentioned, this is really about trade and _ apec? as you mentioned, this is really about trade and economic| really about trade and economic cooperation and that is why we are seeing delegates from all the apec member countries, the economy is rather speaking about trade and how to ease trade. we spoke to the us ambassador earlier about the fact there was supposed to be an indo pacific canonic framework that was going to be hammered out or announce that this summit. there is some opposition among democrats in the us to that so that is something the us is hoping to push through but we will see see a lot more focus on the economic front, trade and making sure there is an even playing field. making sure there is an even playing field-— playing field. thank you for that. playing field. thank you for that- the — playing field. thank you for that. the us _ playing field. thank you for that. the us has _ playing field. thank you for that. the us hasjust - playing field. thank you for - that. the us hasjust macarthur representatives has passed a measure that would avert a government shop down. the bill is passed. _ government shop down. the bill is passed. and _ government shop down. the bill is passed, and the _ government shop down. the bill is passed, and the motion - government shop down. the bill is passed, and the motion to - is passed, and the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. , , ., , , table. the bill gives congress more time — table. the bill gives congress more time to _ table. the bill gives congress more time to negotiate - more time to negotiate spending, continuing some government funding until mid—january. it goes to the senate where it is widely expected to pass before friday night's deadline. house democrats helped get the bill across the finish line with more than 90 republicans voting against it. so didn't want the spending cuts they wanted. the