restrictions on getting aid in may amount to use of starvation as a method of war. in a phone call, president biden told the israeli prime minister of his deep concerns over a planned assault on rafah, in southern gaza. but benjamin netyanyahu has just said there's no way to destroy hamas in rafah other than by a ground incursion. all this as talks continue in qatar in a bid to secure a ceasefire deal. let's get this report from anna foster, injerusalem. at gaza's southern tip, the aftermath of another israeli air strike. 1.4 million displaced people are now sheltering in rafah and israel has made it clear it wants to go further. a ground offensive, it says, would remove hamas from gaza entirely. but there's international pressure to avoid even more deaths. the message from israel's allies to its leaders is getting stronger. our position is that hamas should not be allowed a safe haven in rafah or anywhere else, but a major ground operation there would be a mistake. as rafah�*s displaced fear what might come next, their presence is just as hard. medical supplies, water and food are scarce. "my daughter said that she wants to eat boiled eggs and i say, �*how can i bring you boiled eggs? the situation does not allow us to. �*0ur situation was below zero before the war. �*so what do you expect after the war? �*worse and worse.”' in the north of gaza, famine is nowjust weeks away. few aid convoys are reaching that part of the strip. and in a second us intervention overnight, its top diplomat antony blinken said more needs to be done to save lives. if you look at some of the assessments that we're seeing now, they only underscore the urgency of making sure that this assistance is a priority and that it's sustained. again, according to the most respected measure of these things, 100% of the population in gaza is at severe levels of acute food insecurity. that's the first time an entire population has been so classified. talks towards a ceasefire have restarted in qatar. i'm cautiously optimistic that - the negotiations have continued... negotiators cautioned that a deal will still take time. screaming. explosion. and in gaza's rubble, the prospect of a pause in fighting feels as far away as ever. let's speak to abeer etefa, who is the senior middle east spokesperson for the world food programme. welcome to bbc news. from your assessment on the work your organisation does, how bad are things in gaza? the organisation does, how bad are things in gaza?— things in gaza? the situation is uuite things in gaza? the situation is quite catastrophic. _ things in gaza? the situation is quite catastrophic. we - things in gaza? the situation is quite catastrophic. we have - things in gaza? the situation is quite catastrophic. we have a l things in gaza? the situation is - quite catastrophic. we have a famine imminence in the north of gaza and is expected to arrive any day. we could be in it. unless the fighting stops and aid agencies are able to send supplies and two helpful access throughout gaza and especially the north, then hundreds if not thousands of people, and especially children, will die of hunger and starvation. we need immediate action. it could have been many, many people have already died and to many people have already died and to many lives have been lost. that means getting _ many lives have been lost. that means getting a _ many lives have been lost. that means getting a central agent. we are showing pictures on the screen are showing pictures on the screen are people queueing up to get food, they are holding pots and pans in those visuals, desperate for food. how much aid are you able to get in? there is more aid going through. there is more aid going through. there is more aid going through. there is aid going through, but not in the way that is enough to divert the famine. the only way to address the famine. the only way to address the catastrophic hunger is to bring in huge amounts of food assistance today, tomorrow and everyday for the next many few months. we need the minimum of 300 trucks going into gaza every day, and especially the no. food supplies that are ready to be deployed, and given the right conditions we can scale up to feed all the 2.2 million people across gaza. at least what a month or two months. we need more entry points into gaza, including one into the north. we need the crossing point to allow food aid to go in. we need to be able to use the roads so they are made available for daily convoys and save access to the north. road access is a priority. there's nothing that can replace the efficiency, and actually the safety, and having an organised delivery overland. all other attempts are going to be a drop in the ocean. what else can be done? we are talking aboutjust basic food supplies now. what do people have access to at the moment? nothing. the have access to at the moment? nothing. they have very _ access to at the moment? nothing. they have very little _ access to at the moment? nothing. they have very little access - access to at the moment? nothing. they have very little access to - access to at the moment? nothing. they have very little access to food | they have very little access to food supplies. the assistance that are trickling in is still really a drop in the ocean. 0therwise trickling in is still really a drop in the ocean. otherwise we wouldn't be sitting today and talking about an imminent famine. the other important element we need is a ceasefire, a decisive factor which could turn a crisis around, as well as stopping the fighting. it would allow the humanitarian community to roll out relief supplies, that is what is needed at the moment. gk. what is needed at the moment. 0k, thank ou what is needed at the moment. 0k, thank you very _ what is needed at the moment. 0k, thank you very much for sharing your thoughts about the work your organisation is doing in gaza. we've had some lines coming into us from the white house, saying they are deeply concerned about the report citing an imminent famine in gaza. the white house saying israel needs to allow unimpeded access for relief aid into gaza, and writers reporting the white house is saying there will be a meeting between us and israel on rafah early next week. we've been hearing from benjamin netanyahu that the only way for israel to contain hamas is by the incursion which has been much talk about into rafah. the us among other powers who have raised concerns. we will have more on those comments when we get them. kensington palace has confirmed that images taken by a member of the public and published by the sun of catherine, princess of wales, on a shopping trip with prince william in windsor, are genuine. the photograph has been published just over a week after she admitted editing an official portrait of her and her children. the princess has been out of the public eye since christmas, after having abdominal surgery. here's our royal correspondent, sean coughlan. a blurry video of a couple going shopping at the weekend has become an international talking point. the pictures of prince william and catherine, published by the sun, are the first video images of the princess since her abdominal surgery injanuary. the unexpected appearance of a house of windsor in a windsor farm shop shows that she's back on her feet and looking relaxed and smiling. there has been a whirlwind of social media speculation and conspiracy theories about the princess's health. it follows the release of a photograph on mother's day, which added to a febrile sense of uncertainty, when it was withdrawn by photo agencies after concerns it had been manipulated. people on london bridge this morning gave their views. it's good to see she's back and hopefully she's doing well. i'm sure it will be quite nice for her to potter around, do some shopping with her husband. if she is well, fantastic, - but yeah, i couldn't say i was really concerned about it. she looks fine, she looks just going about her day, doesn't she? i've no feelings about that at all, i'm afraid. it's neither here or there whether she is out and about or not, really. kensington palace has not commentating on the video and are still calling for privacy, but there are further questions about a previous picture of the late queen elizabeth ii, taken by catherine. getty images are now saying the photo has been digitally enhanced. prince william will help the focus can switch to his more official engagements, as he visits projects for the homeless in sheffield. let's get more from royal commentator and host of the daily express podcast the royal round up, pandora forsyth. this is a video, so even more difficult to manipulate it if needed. i think unfortunately because there has been that agenda online for the past couple of weeks, some people still will not be happy until they see catherine back to full—time royal work. she has to rest and we were told she would be coming back to work until at least after easter, and there's no actual confirmed date from kensington palace. why would she come back before that when they've been open about the fact she's had abdominal surgery? that is serious, any surgery is, and you wouldn't want anybody coming back to work before they were fully fit. unfortunately, conspiracy theories online, which we won't go into, but because of the way social media algorithms work, any negative feedback or comments get brought more into your feeds than positives. yes, it has died down a little bit, but there are still people who are still raising these conspiracy theories online, despite this video which we have. there are some people who want to hear more from the royal family, they want more information. there are some who would say in recent months, we've seen a much more open family when it comes to sharing information about what is happening in the house of windsor. what is your take? i think the monarchy and the king has wanted to be open about his health diagnosis. because he was open about his cancer, people paint the royal family with the same brush and expect everybody to take the same wavelength as he will do. which is just not the case. catherine is a mother of three young children, and in a completely different time in her life versus the king. two completely different health issues. and she is entitled to a private life. she's one of the most famous women in world, but everybody is entitled to a private life. should she be a bit more open? she tried to by releasing the mother's day image, and then look what happened. even when she released a statement confirming she had edited it. she's an amateur photographer. people still weren't happy. i do think no matter what the royal family do, there will always be people on either side of the party will say that's fantastic, and other people more sceptical. it's just unfortunate this has happened within the same time period. briefly, pandora, will there be a point in which they come out and make some statement to silence all these rumours and theories? this is honestly my personal opinion. i don't think it will happen until easter now. william, as we saw, he was back to work trying to shine a light on the project such as homelessness and trying to raise that and move on from it. kensington palace said themselves, social media madness. we have more on that story on the website. we have more on that story on the website. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. the us secretary of defense lloyd austin has tried to reassure allies about his country's commitment to ukraine in its fight against russia's invasion. the latest us military aid package remains stalled in congress. mr austin was talking at a meeting of ukraine's international supporters in ramstein, germany. ukraine's future is at risk, and they don't have a day to waste and we don't have a day to spare either. i leave here today fully determined to keep us security assistance and ammunition flowing, not a matter of survival and sovereignty for ukraine, and a matter of honour and security for america. make no mistake, putin is watching, the world is watching, and history is watching. world is watching, and history is watchinu. ~ , world is watching, and history is watchin. ~ , ,, watching. lloyd austin speaking there. let's speak to our correspondent in berlin, jess parker. tell us more about what has happened. tell us more about what has happened-— tell us more about what has hauened. , , . ., happened. this is a regular meeting, the 20th of this — happened. this is a regular meeting, the 20th of this rams _ happened. this is a regular meeting, the 20th of this rams dean - happened. this is a regular meeting, the 20th of this rams dean group . the 20th of this rams dean group were allies meet up to coordinate their weapons aid —— ramstein. a lot of business happens behind closed doors, we don't get a list of what happens. we don't get a lot of detail about what exactly has been agreed, but we have been hearing from defence secretary lloyd austin, and as well as that business of the day where defence officials talk about what support they can offer to ukraine, ammunition shortages are top of the agenda. i think you saw that a little bit of lloyd austin trying to send out some political messages, because as you were mentioning, the 60 billion military aid package for ukraine has been stuck in congress. the us has found money to support with ukraine's defence, but they're saying the us is there as a partner, they will be with ukraine. and trying to send a domestic message, arguing that helping ukraine defend itself is crucial to long—term us security as well. a bit of a mix between the hard business of countries getting together and pledging behind closed doors what they may do in supporting ukraine, at the us sending out some of its own messages, given the difficulties the government is facing and getting the package of support through congress. thank you ve much. meanwhile, the head of the european council charles michel has called on eu countries to shift their economies to a war footing. in an opinion piece carried by a number of european publications, mr michel said russia's full—scale invasion of ukraine posed the greatest security challenge since the second world war and urged members to invest in weapons procurement and prodcution. for more lets speak to elisabeth braw, seniorfellow at the atliantic council and author of the book goodbye globalization. welcome to bbc news, elizabeth. i haveitin welcome to bbc news, elizabeth. i have it in front of me, the headline are striking. if we want peace, we must prepare for war. what exactly does he mean question it is an old saying if you want peace, prepare for war. , ., , saying if you want peace, prepare for war. ,., , ., ~ for war. the point here is making, charles michel _ for war. the point here is making, charles michel is _ for war. the point here is making, charles michel is american, - for war. the point here is making, charles michel is american, we i for war. the point here is making, | charles michel is american, we say we want peace, but that means having to address a pretty uncountable fact with the public, which is we have to run our economy differently, our society differently because if we don't, we won't support ukraine to the extent it needs. we may face aggression from russia and others ourselves. ~ . , ., ., ourselves. what is a wartime economy? — ourselves. what is a wartime economy? it _ ourselves. what is a wartime economy? it is _ ourselves. what is a wartime economy? it is an _ ourselves. what is a wartime economy? it is an economy | ourselves. what is a wartime - economy? it is an economy which is reall set economy? it is an economy which is really set of — economy? it is an economy which is really set of to _ economy? it is an economy which is really set of to produce _ economy? it is an economy which is really set of to produce things, - economy? it is an economy which is really set of to produce things, the | really set of to produce things, the items that the armed forces need to defend the country, or indeed in this case to help defend ukraine. 0ne this case to help defend ukraine. one of the issues we have seen when it comes to deliveries to ukraine andindeed it comes to deliveries to ukraine and indeed western government's efforts to shore up our own armed forces is they can allocate money, sign the contracts with defence manufacturers, but if they don't have enough workers to make the equipments, to make the ammunition, not very much will happen. the 2% debate that keeps being hashed out and regurgitated across western countries as partners if we don't have people who can make the equipment which we intend to get this 2% of gdp. wartime economy would give the government, any government, greater powers to incentivise companies and workers in this case to make that manufacturing happen, and that is what russia is doing, which is why it is producing more weaponry than we are for ukraine. t more weaponry than we are for ukraine. ., ., ., , ., ukraine. i want to read this from the op-ed- _ ukraine. i want to read this from the op-ed. charles _ ukraine. i want to read this from the op-ed. charles michel- ukraine. i want to read this from the op-ed. charles michel says l ukraine. i want to read this from i the op-ed. charles michel says we the op—ed. charles michel says we can't count on others, at the mercy of election cycles in the us or others. is that a pointed reference to donald trump question mark it certainly is, and we should remember it's notjust donald trump. we certainly is, and we should remember it's notjust donald trump.— it's not 'ust donald trump. we have an it's notjust donald trump. we have an increasingly _ it's notjust donald trump. we have an increasingly large _ it's notjust donald trump. we have an increasingly large number- it's notjust donald trump. we have an increasingly large number in - it's notjust donald trump. we have an increasingly large number in the| an increasingly large number in the republican party of isolationists, that something we should think about even ofjoe biden wins. if the isolationists grow stronger, joe biden, even if he is committed to defending europe, he may not do so to the extent he would want to and that leaves european countries in a position where they themselves had to do more. it doesn'tjust mean talking about how much you will spend on defence, it means making that happen through their transition to a wartime economy. not the complete one, but more a focus on the wartime production of what is needed for wartime capabilities if we can't rely on the us to provide that generous security. {line we can't rely on the us to provide that generous security.— we can't rely on the us to provide that generous security. one of the challen . es that generous security. one of the challenges is _ that generous security. one of the challenges is the _ that generous security. one of the challenges is the eu _ that generous security. one of the challenges is the eu countries - that generous security. one of the l challenges is the eu countries don't always agree on how to support ukraine. we've heard different positions in recent weeks from president macron and germany. that is a aa- president macron and germany. that is a gap which _ president macron and germany. trust is a gap which is appearing on not just in ouradmits, is a gap which is appearing on not just in our admits, and france and germany are the engine of the eu. not as much nato, but in the european union. they usually agree on pretty much every statement they will put out, and to see the two countries disagree so fundamentally on what to do about ukraine is something to behold. it is quite frightening because we need unity within the eu. president macron is getting impatient with the slow pace of western aid to ukraine, andjimmy prefers that moderate or cautious approach. the two approaches would be difficult to reconcile. {lilia approach. the two approaches would be difficult to reconcile.— be difficult to reconcile. ok, thank ou ve be difficult to reconcile. ok, thank you very much _ be difficult to reconcile. ok, thank you very much for _ be difficult to reconcile. ok, thank you very much for taking _ be difficult to reconcile. ok, thank you very much for taking us - be difficult to reconcile. ok, thank. you very much for taking us through all the issues on the eu and its relationship with ukraine. to haiti next, and there seems little the world can do for the moment but simply watch the country slide further into anarchy. gangs control much of the capital port au prince, where the bodies of at least a dozen people were discovered in a wealthy suburb, amid fighting with machete—wielding militias trying to protect their own neighbourhoods. the us is hopeful a transitional council might be able to restore order, along with the deployment of international troops. but for now, the violence continues, as will grant reports from cap—haitien. baby crying. just a day old — baby woodley�*s first cries are the same of those of children born anywhere — for food and for comfort. but as they get older, the children born in cap—haitien's maternity wing will find such essentials are far from guaranteed in haiti. markinsonjoseph tells me she would take her newborn boy out of the country altogether if she gets the chance. but she doesn't have the money to flee. the first ward for pathology. as he shows us around dark and empty wards, dr clervil says the gangs' control of the roads is making it impossible to find enough fuel to keep the lights on, let alone to bring in the drugs and equipment they need. translation: as you can see, we have beds and staff, - but often the patients just can't reach us because of their economic situation — or, more often than not, their safety. for some, it has had terrible consequences. louisemanie was eight and a half months pregnant when she came into hospital. by then, she had dangerously high blood pressure, and lost the baby. pre—eclampsia is treatable, had she been properly monitored or the baby been delivered early. louisemanie knows her loss was avoidable. the head of unicef has called the situation in haiti horrific, and likened the lawlessness to the post—apocalyptic film mad max. the security situation aside, the humanitarian need here is critical, and the aid response so far has been painfully slow. the essential things of life are increasingly hard to find. in port—au—prince, farah 0xima and her nine children have been forced from their home by the violence, and she's struggling to provide the food and water they need. "only god can change this place," she says, "because from where i'm sitting, i can't see where any other change is coming from." the gangs have such a grip of haiti, they are, in essence, dictating what happens next in this country — who can govern it, who lives in it, and who dies. will grant, bbc news, haiti. that is it for this half an hour. i am back after a short break. do stay with us. hello again. for most of you, the weather is cheering up quite nicely and the afternoon promises some decent spells of sunshine. so far, some of the best breaks in the cloud have been across wales with these sunny skies spotted earlier in north—west wales. but it's not the only place that's seeing sunshine today. northern ireland, scotland, northern england also seeing increasingly sunny skies. it's across east anglia and south—east england where we'll probably keep a lot of cloud. it's a mild day, 13 degrees for belfast and aberdeen, 15 or 16 in the mildest spots in england and wales. one or two isolated showers knocking around, yes, but for many of you, it stays dry. that's not the case, though, overnight, because low pressure's set to move in. and with that, we're going to see some fairly persistent outbreaks of rain pushing in, particularly to northern ireland, wales and northern england. a mild night, though, with temperatures 9 or 10 celsius for england and wales. 0n into tomorrow, the wettest weather, starting off the day in northern ireland will swing eastwards. so wales and northern england, probably having rain for most of the day. might well start off dry across south—east england. but i wouldn't rule out a bit of rain arriving here through the afternoon. mild across the south—east, brightening up for scotland and northern ireland. but here it will be a cooler kind of day with temperatures around 8 to ii celsius. and that cool slice of weather won't last long. heading into thursday, we'll get some milder air pushing in off the atlantic behind this warm front, and so temperatures will be climbing. however, it is going to work out being quite a wet and windy day, particularly in scotland, where across northern areas we'll get gusts of wind running into the 50s of miles an hour. rain likely to be quite persistent for western scotland for much of the day, sinking southwards to give some wet weather into northern ireland through the afternoon. relatively mild, though. ia in belfast, highs reaching 16 degrees towards the south—east of england. all change again through friday. a cold front sweeps its way southwards, introducing much cooler air. with that, there'll be a band of rain pushing southwards across england and wales. the skies then brighten up with sunshine, but there'll be lots of showers across the north—west of the uk. some of those are likely to be heavy with some hail and thunder mixed in and temperatures are coming down. we're looking at highs typically between 9 and i2 celsius, so close to average for the time of year. it stays showery into the weekend with some quite chilly winds around and it will be cold enough for a little bit of snow over the tops of the scottish mountains. this is bbc news, the headlines... the us secretary of state, antony blinken, warns the entire population of gaza is suffering "severe levels of acute food insecurity." a new picture of the princess of wales the sun publishes photos of the princess out and about with prince william. the and about with prince william. president of the eur council the president of the european council calls for european economies to be put on a war footing after the russian invasion of ukraine. the uk parliament tackles football a new bill is introduced after calls for an independent regulator. time for a look at the business news now with lukwesa burak. we start in the us with a story that could affect hundreds ofjobs here in the uk because the american owner of fashion chain ted baker has announced it is preparing to call in administrators for the firm. the company was acquired by �*authentic brands group' 2 years ago, in a £211 million deal. it also owns uk brands including juicy couture, reebok and hunter. but it says ted baker has �*built up arrears' because of tough trading conditions and is now looking to sell the business. erin delmore is following the story in new york. what the story in new york. does it mean for their customers what does it mean for their customers and this was originally