the fundamental differences between the two sides, the fundamental demands they are making, don't seem reconcilable at the moment. an israel—gaza peace deal "hangs in the balance" after hamas proposes changes to the us—backed plan for a ceasefire. also tonight — three russian warships and a submarine arrive in cuba, just 90 miles off the us coast. officials call the military drills "non—threatening". questions — but do the leaders have the answers? the prime minister and his rival vying for the job face a grilling on key policy issues ahead of the uk general election. and could you go cold—turkey in a digital detox? we have a special report as ten teenagers swap their smartphones for basic devices. we'll show you how they got on. we begin tonight in the middle east. us secretary of state antony blinken is back in qatar, as talks continue over the latest gaza ceasefire proposal. mr blinken says hamas has proposed a number of changes to the latest proposal — some are workable, he says, some are not. he noted that mediators would work in the coming days to see if the gaps between israel and hamas over the ceasefire deal could be bridged. the deal was on the table that was virtually identical to the proposal that hamas put forward on may six. a deal that the entire world was behind, a deal israel has accepted, and hamas could have answered with a single word, "yes," instead, hamas waited nearly two weeks, and then proposed more changes, a number of which go beyond positions it had previously taken and accepted. a senior hamas official responded by calling mr blinken part of the problem, not the solution, and denied that hamas had requested changes to the ceasefire proposal. here's a reminder of the key parts of that plan, one that president biden said involved three phases. the first would see an initial six—week ceasefire, when hamas would release some of the hostages — including women, the elderly and the sick or wounded — in exchange for israel releasing palestinian prisoners. a second phase would see all remaining living hostages released and the withdrawal of all israeli forces from gaza as part of a "permanent cessation of hostilities", but the latter would still be subject to further negotiations. in the third phase, the remains of any dead hostages would be returned and a major reconstruction plan for gaza would commence. our correspondentjon donnison is in jerusalem. john, good to have you with us, and what is your sense right now about how far apart these two sides are? we know hamas has asked for changes and we know some of them according to the secretary of state are workable and some are not. a deal is not imminent, is it? i workable and some are not. a deal is not imminent, is it?— not imminent, is it? i don't think the deal is _ not imminent, is it? i don't think the deal is dead _ not imminent, is it? i don't think the deal is dead but _ not imminent, is it? i don't think the deal is dead but it _ not imminent, is it? i don't think the deal is dead but it does - not imminent, is it? i don't think the deal is dead but it does not l the deal is dead but it does not looking very healthy, there is no doubt the americans and the guitar is and the egyptians are pushing extremely hard for this deal to go through, but the truth is the people who are calling the shots, and that is basically my minister benjamin netanyahu, and the leader of hamas in gaza do not really seem committed to whatjoe biden laid out a few weeks ago. and the key sticking point is what happens in phase two. a complete withdrawal of israeli troops is what is in the plan, and a permanent cease—fire, now it seems like hamas is seeking greater guarantees that that is going to happen. it is being reported in the israeli media now that what they are saying they want is on day one, they want israeli troops to withdraw from population centres in gaza and on day three of the initial phase one, they want initial israeli forces to withdraw from the main road that cuts the gaza strip into, and it exchange for that they say they would release three hostages every three days. the israelis have signalled that they are just not going to accept that. benjamin netanyahu has called a meeting of the security officials tonight to assess what he called a rejection from hamas. assess what he called a re'ection from hamafi assess what he called a re'ection from hamas. �* ~ ., ,, ., ., from hamas. and we know the qatari prime minister _ from hamas. and we know the qatari prime minister has _ from hamas. and we know the qatari prime minister has said _ from hamas. and we know the qatari prime minister has said that - from hamas. and we know the qatari prime minister has said that hamas l prime minister has said that hamas need to be pressure to reach an agreement, those are his words, that both sides were counterproductive in their approach to the negotiation process. at the same time, hamas according mr blinken part of the problem and not the solution, and it is hard to see with that sort of language how any progress will be made. mr language how any progress will be made. ~ �* ~ , m, ., made. mr blinken has been in qatar toda , and made. mr blinken has been in qatar today. and he _ made. mr blinken has been in qatar today, and he will— made. mr blinken has been in qatar today, and he will be _ made. mr blinken has been in qatar today, and he will be trying - made. mr blinken has been in qatar today, and he will be trying to - made. mr blinken has been in qatar today, and he will be trying to get i today, and he will be trying to get the qataris and the egyptian to put pressure on hamas but i am not really sure that they're listening. there is also the issue of the hamas leaders outside of gaza, many in delhi in qatar, and are they on the same page of the people on the ground in gaza? and there's also the pressure that has to be put on the israeli side because antony blinken assures everyone that israel has signed up to their plan, so they are calling it even and is really plan, so they have said israel has signed up so they have said israel has signed up to the idea of a complete withdrawal of forces from gaza and he permanent cease—fire with hamas, but benjamin netanyahu has not said that explicitly. he has not given that explicitly. he has not given that back in, and he knows that if you are to do that, there are members on the extreme right of his coalition government who would pull out of the government and would bring his government known and bring fresh elections. as i say, it is really only the americans who seem to think this deal is really close, it does not feel that we hear on the ground. it does not feel that we hear on the round. ,., ., it does not feel that we hear on the i round, ,., ., ., it does not feel that we hear on the round. ,., ., ., ., , ., ground. good to get that update from ou live in ground. good to get that update from you live in jerusalem _ ground. good to get that update from you live in jerusalem for _ ground. good to get that update from you live in jerusalem for us, - ground. good to get that update from you live in jerusalem for us, thank - you live injerusalem for us, thank you. jon donnison with the latest. joining me now is robert satloff. he is the executive director of the washington institute. but to have you with us. i want to pick up on that thought from our correspondent injerusalem, saying only the americans at this stage think a deal is possible is that how you see it? i think a deal is possible is that how ou see it? ., think a deal is possible is that how you see it?— think a deal is possible is that how ou see it? ., ., , ., ._ you see it? i do not see that way. i think the americans _ you see it? i do not see that way. i think the americans would not - you see it? i do not see that way. i think the americans would not be i think the americans would not be putting this on the table if they did not think that if cinnabar said yes they had the israeli assent completed —— completely in their pockets. at the moment it is up to the hamas, if their leader says yes, i am have no doubt the israelis would consent as well.- i am have no doubt the israelis would consent as well. hamas says it is read in would consent as well. hamas says it is ready in its — would consent as well. hamas says it is ready in its word _ would consent as well. hamas says it is ready in its word to _ would consent as well. hamas says it is ready in its word to deal— is ready in its word to deal positively with the process, but we know they have asked for changes to this proposal. the changes, some of them we hear from antony blinken, are workable, some are not, do we have any sense about the sticking points the nonwork of the parts or requests to that proposal? ultimately what hamas is trying to find out is whether they have reached the final israeli concession, and anybody who has ever negotiated in the middle east before knows this is the time to actually increase the pressure on hamas, not to address hamas demands for further concessions. this is the time to actually speed up american weapons deliveries to israel, the time to sever more definitively the relationship between rafah and sinai, which is cinemark�*s escape routes, and time to threaten the arrest and exhibition of hamas external leadership, and the time to raise the pressure on hamas if you want to achieve a positive result. this is into hamas, this is as good as you are going to get, it is a deal on the table and if you don't like it that deal is off. timer;r like it that deal is off. they need to know it _ like it that deal is off. they need to know it gets _ like it that deal is off. they need to know it gets worse _ like it that deal is off. they need to know it gets worse -- - like it that deal is off. they need to know it gets worse -- worse i like it that deal is off. they need i to know it gets worse -- worse with to know it gets worse —— worse with the passage of time. to know it gets worse -- worse with the passage of time.— to know it gets worse -- worse with the passage of time. from the easier the passage of time. from the easier the site, the passage of time. from the easier the site. worth _ the passage of time. from the easier the site, worth seeing _ the passage of time. from the easier the site, worth seeing that _ the passage of time. from the easier the site, worth seeing that benjamin| the site, worth seeing that benjamin netanyahu has not yet publicly endorsed a plan and i wonder what it speaks to about the difficulties in the cabinet and getting this deal over the line. does it tell us they are still significant differences of opinion in the israeli government? this plan was endorsed by the war cabinet weeks ago. yes, netanyahu does not want to be public debates about it because he does not see the value of having a public debates about it if sinwar has not endorsed it, but it would not be on the table. the americans would not be saying it is an israeli plan if the israeli war cabinet had not endorsed it two weeks ago. find israeli war cabinet had not endorsed it two weeks ago-— it two weeks ago. and on that point from the qatar— it two weeks ago. and on that point from the qatar prime _ it two weeks ago. and on that point from the qatar prime minister- it two weeks ago. and on that point from the qatar prime minister is . from the qatar prime minister is saying that both sides, israel and hamas need to be pressured into it reaching an agreement, saying that both sides were counterproductive in their approach to the negotiating process. what do you understand that to mean? i’m process. what do you understand that to mean? �* ., , m, ., , to mean? i'm not sure... the qataris to mean? i'm not sure... the qataris to mean? i'm not sure... the qataris to me are — to mean? i'm not sure... the qataris to me are not— to mean? i'm not sure... the qataris to me are not the _ to mean? i'm not sure... the qataris to me are not the most _ to me are not the most reliable third—party in this, i take my cue from what the secretary of state says on this issue. um? from what the secretary of state says on this issue.— from what the secretary of state says on this issue. why do you feel the are says on this issue. why do you feel they are rrot _ says on this issue. why do you feel they are not reliable _ says on this issue. why do you feel they are not reliable partners - they are not reliable partners question mark? the they are not reliable partners question mark?— they are not reliable partners question mark? they are not reliable partners ruestion mark? ,, ., ., , ., , question mark? the qataris have been bendin: question mark? the qataris have been bending over — question mark? the qataris have been bending over backwards _ question mark? the qataris have been bending over backwards as _ question mark? the qataris have been bending over backwards as advocates l bending over backwards as advocates of hamas from the very beginning in all this, so... it to me, itake of hamas from the very beginning in all this, so... it to me, i take my cue from what the secretary of state has said. he says it's an israeli proposal from has said. he says it's an israeli proposalfrom which we has said. he says it's an israeli proposal from which we are waging a positive hamas response, that is good enough for me.— positive hamas response, that is good enough for me. really good to talk to, thank— good enough for me. really good to talk to, thank you, _ good enough for me. really good to talk to, thank you, so _ good enough for me. really good to talk to, thank you, so much - good enough for me. really good to talk to, thank you, so much more i good enough for me. really good to j talk to, thank you, so much more to discuss, and we will in the coming days, thank you for being on the programme, robert satloff. three russian warships and a submarine have arrived in cuba, some 90 miles off the us coast. the ships will be carrying out military exercises. cuba says it "does not represent a threat to the region". likewise, us officials called the drills non—threatening. still, it comes as tensions are high between the us and russia over the war in ukraine. hosting his cuban counterpart in moscow on wednesday, the russian foreign minister, sergey lavrov, said moscow was "grateful" to cuba for its "principled position on the situation around ukraine". it's important to note the russian warships are not believed to be carrying nuclear weapons. but what exactly are they doing in cuba? let's cross to mexico city — we can speak to our correspondent will grant. let me put that to you, well, what are the military ships and submarines doing in that location? well, in essence, there to clear messages that they are sending. the first, which is perhaps less surprising and to be expected, is an underscoring of the relationship between moscow and havana that you mentioned. sergey lavrov and it comments he made about the addition on the war in ukraine, cuba has been a loyal ally to russia for decades and of course the sieve —— soviet union before then. so that solidifies that relationship but the one most people are focused on is the message being sent to washington, very much a message, or it seems, of what meddling in 1's back yard can bring. the caribbean is considered by washington, successive administrations for decades and decades through the cold war, to be its back yard, and this is a a show of strength. you've made it clear and your right to do so, that there isn't it military threat that there isn't it military threat that there isn't it military threat that the united states perceives by this exercise, and cuba ip pains to make that clear as well, what is an interesting moment and happening at an interested moment of global hostilities. and while both sides say there is no threat it does not represent a threat to the region you are right, it does have a threat politically and diplomatically saying that they are there and that would be deemed in some circles to be a threat. hat would be deemed in some circles to be a threat-— be a threat. not only are we here but ou be a threat. not only are we here but you have _ be a threat. not only are we here but you have been _ be a threat. not only are we here but you have been taking - be a threat. not only are we here but you have been taking your . be a threat. not only are we here | but you have been taking your eye off the ball when it comes to central america and the caribbean. that we are solidifying and strengthening relationships in your back yard if you are going to be doing the same in hours is it seen in terms of ukraine. so, yes, importance of text, it has the echoes of the cold war. of course the ufo -- us echoes of the cold war. of course the ufo —— us officials were across what was going on and monitoring all the activities by the warships on the activities by the warships on the way to the caribbean, but i think the fact that it is underlined the relationship during havana and caracas in venezuela later on in the summer is an important step from a russian perspective.— russian perspective. good to have ou there russian perspective. good to have you there with _ russian perspective. good to have you there with the _ russian perspective. good to have you there with the latest, - russian perspective. good to have you there with the latest, well, i you there with the latest, well, will grantjoining us from mexico city. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. it's week three of campaigning in the uk ahead of the general well, across the channel in france, president macron has begun campaigning too, after calling a snap election on sunday. the shock move was sparked by the dramatic victory of marine le pen's anti—immigration party, the national rally, in sunday's european parliamentary elections. the rn won more than double the votes cast for macron's alliance. in a speech earlier today, mr macron called on centrist parties to join forces, to counter those on the extreme left and right. he also defended decision to call the surprise vote. take a listen. translation: this is why, - in my view, the answer could not lie in changes of government or coalitions which were not possible in parliament, as the last few days have very clearly shown, but in a dissolution, which is the only way to clarify matters. because we are at a time when our country must rise to a number of challenges and cannot be blocked by the extremes and because it is an act of confidence in our people, in democracy, in the republican spirit and in the national common sense. in my view, in this context, returning to the sovereign people is the only republican decision. joining me now is agnes poirier. she is the uk editor for the french weekly l'express. good to have you with us, and i want to pick up on that thought that president or in saying this is about bringing those extreme sites together, he says it will force a clear choice in french politics. willits? is this enough? if clear choice in french politics. willits? is this enough?- willits? is this enough? if he hadn't done _ willits? is this enough? if he hadn't done anything - willits? is this enough? if he hadn't done anything the - willits? is this enough? if ye: hadn't done anything the night, willits? is this enough? it is: hadn't done anything the night, on sunday nights after, if you add both extremes, the far right and the far left where nearly 50% of the french electorate, and it is been bending up electorate, and it is been bending up in the last a0 years, electorate, and it is been bending up in the last ao years, really, gradually, little by little. it is often seen and being used as a protest vote by the french electorate especially in non—estate elections like the eu elections, but president ma