The dispute continued at the United Nations and in international courts for many years and this agreement was reached following two years of negotiations. Andrew harding has the details. A scattering of tiny islands deep in the Indian Ocean. British, for now, but after todays agreement, not for much longer. The Chagos Islands are all uninhabited, save for one, an important one, diego garcia. It is home to a big and secretive american military base. Today, britain agreed to hand the whole archipelago over to mauritius, but crucially, The Americans will remain in place. This is a very, very important agreement between our countries. Crucially protects the national security interests of the united kingdom and our allies and has been reached in full agreement with the united states retaining the crucial base on diego garcia. Also closes down a potential route for migrants. But some have warned that china could exploit the deal to extend its influence. It is over half a century since the inhabitants of the islands were deported forcibly by the colonial power, britain. This deal will now give them the right to return home at last. Perhaps even to resettle there. It is about a sense of belonging. It is something that was robbed from me, a place we can call home. We will be free and we will be able to participate and get back what really belonged to us. Thats happiness. Mauritius has been campaigning for this day for years, recently planting their flag on one of the atolls and winning growing international support. Not least at the United Nations and its top court, which called on the uk to end its illegal occupation. Finally, negotiations began and today, reluctantly but peacefully, the government agreed to hand over one of the very last scraps of britains old empire. And our correspondent Andrew Harding is with us in the studio. What actually changes because of this . Its a symbolic move by the british government. In some ways it is. The symbolizm is important, its a big and great power, britain, handing over voluntary Terry Parts of his territory, after a huge concerted Pressure Campaign from tiny mauritius but backed by africa, united voice on the african continent on this, and europe and elsewhere. The symbolizm matters. Underground, nothing changes in terms of security, because It Key Thing is The Americans were on board with the deal. If they were not able to accept a transfer of power from the british to mauritius, this would not have happened. The americans are comfortable with it, in fact, they have a century of security, though there is some worry that chinas influence growing in the region might cause problems or challenges, but clearly The Americans and british and mauritians think it is not a problem for now. You soken is not a problem for now. You spoken your is not a problem for now. You spoken your piece is not a problem for now. You spoken your piece about the fact that the islanders were evicted in the 60s and 70s, so what about their families . Are they want to going to go back to living in these islands . Some of them do. I went back with a few in 2022, and people talked about the Ranch And Moment when they were forced off their Islands Neck its a 90, off their Islands Neck its a go, and are determination that someday before they died, and many have since died, to go back and live there properly, on what they consider their island paradise, but logistically, it would be difficult, these are basic islands with no infrastructure. It will cost money and i think a list of people we shall see. A list of people we shall see a list of people we shall see a list of people we shall see. , see. And theres been controversy see. And theres been controversy over see. And theres been controversy over this see. And theres been controversy over this position as well, talk us through that . There is a conservative Party Leadership Debate going on at the moment and they are criticisms from those leaders about this, talking it over to as a surrender and a bad deal for britain. There is reasonable concern about what this could mean for china, for the international domestic powerplay in the inanition Indian Ocean. But at the same time this was a deal that the british conservative government, the previous government, the previous government actually started a few years back, so you could say it is a little rich now for those opposition figures to now be suddenly criticizing the deal that they essentially initiated. ~ deal that they essentially initiated.. deal that they essentially initiated. Deal that they essentially initiated... initiated. Thank you for that, andrew. Lets speak to laura jeffery, professor of anthropology of migration at the university of edinburgh. Thank you forjoining us on the World Today. Talk me through the significance of what we are seeing here in terms of the historical context. Its seeing here in terms of the historical context. Historical context. Its a significant historical context. Its a significant moments,. Significant moments, significant moments, significant particularly in terms of the history of decolonization in the Indian Ocean but also the world, but 0cean but also the world, but also a potentially significant moment for the displaced Chagossian Community who can potentially repopulate that archipelago. Potentially repopulate that archipelago potentially repopulate that archipelago. Talk us through the primary archipelago. Talk us through the primary concerns archipelago. Talk us through | the primary concerns relating to the displaced islanders, because a displacement itself, as andrew described, was a ranch for many stop it was a ranch for many stop it was a ranch from. It ranch for many stop it was a ranch from. Ranch for many stop it was a ranch from... ranch from. It was a wrench for many people. Ranch from. It was a wrench for many people. And ranch from. It was a wrench for many people, and what ranch from. It was a wrench for. Many people, and what happening the early 1960s and 1970s, the Uk Government depopulated many of that active molecular, send them into the seychelles and mauritius, where they suffer from chronic marginalization, including racial discrimination and challenges due to lack of access to employment opportunities, and in 2002, in the petition overseas charities act, and in another acts later, the uk recognize some of the harms it did to the Chagos Islands by awarding citizenship to those islanders and subsequent generations born, so there is a large and growing population of chagossian said in the uk now, spread around the uk, but the largest population lives in and around crawley in west sussex, the vicinity of gatwick airport. The remaining british 0verseas Territories like bermuda, british virgin islands, cayman islands, gibraltar, what does this mean for them . I islands, gibraltar, what does this mean for them . This mean for them . I dont know it that this mean for them . I dont know it that it this mean for them . I dont know it that it means this mean for them . I dont know it that it means anything. The history is different and im not very familiar with the history of the other british 0verseas Territories, the crucial difference is the checklist was one where the entire population was removed and he probably order to submit for any Third Party at military base, so its a particular history. Base, so its a particular history history. Professor laura jeffery. History. Professor laura jeffery, interesting history. Professor laura jeffery, interesting to l history. Professor Laura L jeffery, interesting to talk history. Professor laura jeffery, interesting to talk to jeffery, interesting to talk to you, thank you for sharing your insights with us. You can read more about that story and the bbc website. The escalating situation in the Middle East has today had a sharp effect on Oil Prices. The cost of Brent Crudejumped by 5 , after President Biden said the us was discussing possible israeli strikes on iranian oil facilities. In lebanon, fresh explosions have been heard. These are latest pictures. In Hezbollahs Stronghold in southern beirut, as israel says it has struck the groups intelligence headquarters. The idf has hit about 200 targets across the country in the past day most of those are in Southern Lebanon. In Central Beirut, a massive overnight Air Strike killed nine people, in a multistorey building. The building housed a hezbollah affiliated health centre, near the lebanese parliament building. Its thought the target was a Hezbollah Official who lived in the building. Israel is warning more people in Southern Lebanon to evacuate their homes, including in the major city nabatieh, saying strikes will continue. The Lebanese Army says, that two of its soldiers have been killed by israel in separate incidents in Southern Lebanon. Israel says one of its soldiers were killed today. And a senior leader of Hamas Proscribed as a Terrorist Group by the Uk And Other Nations speaks to our international editor almost a year after the october seventh attacks. Shortly we will hear from him. Well on the 5 increase in Oil Prices, our economics editor, faisal islam, analyses whats led to the jump and what might happen next. The context this week has been the uptick in the Oil Price. Well, its been there, but its been relatively muted given what has happened and what weve just been discussing. Its gone up a little bit. What happened today. And weve heard some of the speculation from washington, some from israel, about where israel would respond to iran because of what happened on monday night. And its focussed on the Oil Infrastructure for economic reasons. What happened was that President Biden was asked about this leaving the white house, and he engaged with the idea, said, were discussing it, and then appeared to hesitate a little bit. An account of this went on to the financial wires, and the Oil Price shot up 5 to, in brent crude terms, a bit higher than the other international measures, 77 a barrel. It came down. Its gone actually, now back up at about 77. So overall, since the iranian attack on israel, were up about 10 . Now let me give you some further context to that because that is still down on where we have been over the past year with all those tensions intact. But what you have is a risk premium, as you pointed to, one risk is materialised, which is iran has now attacked israel. Theres some uncertainty about what happens in return. Theres some now more than speculation that irans Oil Infrastructure could be targeted. Now, it really depends on what part of that infrastructure. Would there be a targeting of the oil export, you know, to target the revenues . Could it be more internal refineries . Weve already seen pictures of iranian public queuing up for petrol supplies, for example. Could it be Something Else . And then of course, theres the issue of what would be the Counter Response from iran, should there be that type of attack. This is speculation, but what was speculation is now becoming possible, plausible. And thats why youre seeing the response in the markets. The cost was at 5 of it earlier now it is about 3. 5 , so its has fallen back ever so slightly. Well in lebanon the fighting continues, with fresh explosions being heard. Earlier i spoke to our Correspondent Anna Foster on the latest. That Building Strike that you were talking about in Central Beirut happened very close to here. And we watched that actually in the very early hours of this morning, so close that you could see the flames actually lighting up the windows of the buildings around. And that was notable because it was a strike in Central Beirut, away from the southern suburbs, where weve seen so many of the Air Strikes so far. And in fact, there have been more there today. Now, israel described that strike as targeting an intelligence headquarters. Hezbollah and some local journalists, they describe it as the media centre, the Media Office of hezbollah in daheih, where theyre based. But we have seen continuing israeli Air Strikes today, notjust here in the capital, but In The South of the country. As well as that, fierce fighting continues. And israel, as it says, continues to sort of target these hezbollah weapons infrastructure, Military Infrastructure Areas to support, as it says, that ground invasion, which started here just a couple of days ago. And, anna, tell us a little bit more about the impact this is all having on the people in and around those areas. Well, there are people who have been displaced for several weeks now, in particular those In The South, who as soon as those Air Strikes started more than ten days ago now, they left. A lot of them tried to come a bit further north. But then after that huge Air Strike here in beirut that killed the leader of hezbollah, hassan nasrallah, there are still people on the streets here, people with their families, with their children, with some clothes, some blankets, whatever they can actually manage. Because the lebanese state was already struggling. It hasnt got space to house them all. It hasnt got money to try and look after them all. And that is why they have launched this big, more than 400 Million appeal for donors and countries to try and help them out, because that Displacement Crisis is huge. Up to 1. 2 million now more than a fifth of the lebanese population. And it is proving a real challenge for lebanon to deal with. Still to come on the World Today a senior leader of hamas speaks to our international editor almost a year after the october seventh attacks. Around the world and across the uk. This is the World Today on bbc news. One of the most senior one of the most senior leaders of Hamas Leaders of hamas which is designated a terrorist which is designated a Terrorist Organisation by the Uk Organisation by the Uk And Other Governments and other governments has told the bbc that has told the bbc that the crisis they provoked the crisis they provoked in the Middle East, which has in the Middle East, which has led to the deaths of thousands led to the deaths of thousands of people in the last of people in the last year, is justified. Year, is justified. The Deputy Leader of hamas, the Deputy Leader of hamas, khalil al haya, said khalil al haya, said the October 7th . Attacks, the October 7th . Attacks, which killed 1200 people, which killed 1200 people, mostly israeli civilians, mostly israeli civilians, were necessary to place the issue of palestinian were necessary to place the issue of palestinian Statehood Back Statehood back on the global agenda. On the global agenda. He insisted without it, he insisted without it, the cycle of violence in the cycle of violence in the Middle East would not end. The Middle East would not end. 0ur international Editorjeremy 0ur international Editorjeremy Bowen has sent this report. Bowen has sent this report. With an israeli attack looming, with an israeli attack looming, iran and its allies iran and its allies are trying to rally. Are trying to rally. The iranian president the iranian president was in qatar, embracing khalil was in qatar, embracing Khalil Al Hayya and the political leadership of hamas, Al Hayya and the political leadership of hamas, whose attack on israel last whose attack on israel last october started a year of war october started a year of war and a crisis that is deepening. Khalil Al Hayya became and a crisis that is deepening. Khalil Al Hayya became the most senior Hamas Leader the most senior Hamas Leader Outside Gaza after israel Outside Gaza after israel assassinated his predecessor, assassinated his predecessor, ismail haniyeh, in july. Ismail haniyeh, in july. A surgical boot when we met him in doha a few hours before iran attacked israel on tuesday. Let us go back to the 7th Of October Last year. Why did Hamas Attack Israel . That is not a battle. Weve all seen how the fighters went into the houses. They spoke to the families, they ate and drank. Sorry, they were shooting them, there are videos. When they went into some of the houses, none of the women and children they dealt with were terrified. Those videos were published by the Israeli Occupation. They werent published by us. Almost a year later, gaza is in ruins. There are more than 40,000 dead many, many of them are civilians. Your capacity to fight israel has been massively diminished. Was it worth all of that . Who is responsible for this . It was the occupation and its army. Who destro