mr gallant told him that the war would take many more months. let's have a listen: hamas is a terrorist organisation that old itself for a decade to fight israel. they have infrastructure under the ground, on the ground and it is not easy to destroy them. it will take and require a long period of time it will last more than several months. but we will win and we will destroy them. so, thank you once again for coming to israel, for helping us and for supporting us. that coming to israel, for helping us and for suworting m— for supporting us. that breaking line from the _ for supporting us. that breaking line from the middle _ for supporting us. that breaking line from the middle east - for supporting us. that breaking line from the middle east that i for supporting us. that breaking | line from the middle east that all telecommunications and internet services in the gaza strip have gone down as a result of the ongoing military operations by israel. a blackout there on the ground in terms of what is happening in the gaza strip and can occasions. we will try to ascertain from our teams on the ground with their satellite films what is happening but that is the latest line, that all can occasions appear to be down across the gaza strip. our middle east correspondent hugo bachega gave us his analysis of mr sullivan's visit, from jerusalem: it is interesting that this visit from jake sullivan is happening just days after president biden made his strongest comments yet about the situation in gaza. he said that israel was losing international support because of what he described as indiscriminate bombing of gaza. again, we are seeing countries around the world expressing discontent with the situation in gaza. not only because of the widespread destruction caused by those israeli attacks, but also because of the worsening humanitarian crisis with widespread shortages of basic supplies and still very limited humanitarian aid being allowed to enter the territory. so i think before the visit, the expectation was that mr sullivan would press for a timeline for the end of this war and also for more precision in those israeli strikes targeting hamas positions across gaza. strikes targeting hamas positions across gaza-— across gaza. they don't “ust disagree �* across gaza. they don't “ust disagree on i across gaza. they don't “ust disagree on the i across gaza. they don't “ust disagree on the tactics h across gaza. they don't just disagree on the tactics or. across gaza. they don't just. disagree on the tactics or the across gaza. they don't just - disagree on the tactics or the way this war is actually being conducted on the timeline, there is also no agreement about what happens after the military part of it, and that is a big problem, isn't it?— the military part of it, and that is a big problem, isn't it? exactly, so the biden illustration _ a big problem, isn't it? exactly, so the biden illustration has - a big problem, isn't it? exactly, so the biden illustration has been - a big problem, isn't it? exactly, so the biden illustration has been in l the biden illustration has been in favour of the control of gaza being transferred to the palestinian authority which is the body that governs part of the west bank. benjamin netanyahu and some senior italy officials have been expressing opposition to this plan so disagreements have emerged between the americans and the israelis about what is going to happen in post—war gaza. i think some israeli commentators believe that the prime minister is trying to score some points with his right—wing supporters by expressing these oppositions and opposing this plan that has been shared by the biden administration. obviously this is the most hardline, most religious government initially history and many members of the italy government opposed the creation of an independent palestinian state. they want is really settlement is that have been built in the west bank to be legalised and some believe that by taking this position, that goes against the plans that have been expressed by the biden administration the prime minister is trying to score some pluto points. gaza's hospitals are struggling with triple the number of patients that they can actually cope with. marie—aure perreaut, an emergency co—ordinator for medecins sans frontiers in gaza, says it is impossible to describe the horror of the situation at al aqsa hospital. it is actually getting a bit difficult to describe it because the words are starting to lag. i think we have said before, it is apocalyptic, it is a constant influx of winded, hospital being used as a shelter by people who are seeking some kind of illusion of safety but it feels like as every day goes by, it feels like as every day goes by, it is getting more and more difficult to describe it and just new word can quite describe the situation in hospital now. tell me more about _ situation in hospital now. tell me more about the _ situation in hospital now. tell me more about the hospital, - situation in hospital now. tell me more about the hospital, the - situation in hospital now. tell me - more about the hospital, the numbers of patients, the types of injuries, medicines, electricity, the numbers seeking shelter apart from those seeking shelter apart from those seeking medical aid? we seeking shelter apart from those seeking medical aid?— seeking shelter apart from those seeking medical aid? we see a lot of --eole seeking medical aid? we see a lot of people very — seeking medical aid? we see a lot of people very badly _ seeking medical aid? we see a lot of people very badly injured, _ seeking medical aid? we see a lot of people very badly injured, we - seeking medical aid? we see a lot of people very badly injured, we see i seeking medical aid? we see a lot of people very badly injured, we see a l people very badly injured, we see a lot of burns, we see a lot of wins from explosions. our surgeons are operating sometimes on the children as young as two years old who have been and be treated. our surgeons are also operating on patients who have more than 40% of their body with a second degree burn so it is really, really critical cases. at the same time, it is very difficult for all these patients is difficult to continue to find beds for these patients, difficult to find space because as i was saying, the hospital is also now a shelter for people and we have thousands of people and we have thousands of people staying in the hospital. hope people staying in the hospital. how difficult is it — people staying in the hospital. how difficult is it for _ people staying in the hospital. how difficult is it for you on a human level, you will have seen some of your colleagues wrote on a whiteboard, whoever stays until the whiteboa rd, whoever stays until the end whiteboard, whoever stays until the end will tell the story. we did what we could, remember us. he was killed in late november. why do you still stay in your colleagues still stay? our two colleagues who have been killed, alongside with another member of staff, actually part of a three doctor team of msf. there is no working with us. the first day that we arrived here, we came and he was absolutely broken. it was after his friend had been killed and he was completely broken being the only survivor. it is incredible difficult to see our team having to provide care for their own colleagues. two days ago, we had another man rushing through the department with his family. his son is still in the icy you now the whole team had immobilised to provide care for him and it is very, very dramatic. stop coming the hospital in the morning, and we'rejust waiting coming the hospital in the morning, and we're just waiting for the news break that it is their house made before or their neighbours are targeted to men before they lost a relative night before. the intensity of the situation that absolutely everyone is affected here. we stay because we have this sense of team and trying to still bring the team together and because our very own colleagues still want to provide care the best they can for their people, for their colleagues but it is very, very brittle.— is very, very brittle. when i touch to israeli officials, _ is very, very brittle. when i touch to israeli officials, they _ is very, very brittle. when i touch to israeli officials, they tell - is very, very brittle. when i touch to israeli officials, they tell our i to israeli officials, they tell our viewers not to take doctor's accounts at face value. they say you, the rest of gazans or controlled by hamas down the barrel of a gun. how do respond to that? whether it is people from gaza saying it or whether it is international foreigners like me or like my colleagues from other international organisations, i think the amount of witness we have two describe the situation is more than enough. the question i am left with is how much more do you need, how much more do people need to understand and act on the situation in gaza. for now, for us now, the health care workers, for international organisations, it is more difficult by the day to provide aid and in the end, we arejust sometimes there are days when we wonder if we are not here to witness what is unfolding on gaza. in his first major news conference since russia launched its full scale invasion nearly two years ago, vladimir putin has insisted, that the war was going well. when asked about normalising relations with europe, president putin said he was open to the idea but that — i quote —: "it's not up to us. we did not ruin relations. they did that, they've always tried to push us back." he went on to say that: we believe that the united states is a necessary country for the world... however, their absolute imperial policies are hurting them... when something changes, we will see the conditions to establish full relations, but now we see nothing. the russian president also said, there will be no peace in ukraine until moscow has achieved its goals translation: unless they want to come to terms peacefully, we have to take some action, including military action. peace will come when we reach our goals but those goals remain unchanged. max seddon, the moscow bureau chief at the financial times, gave me his thoughts about the lengthy conference of the russian president. he said that his goals have not changed. they are vaguely worded because his tactical ambitions have shifted over the course of the war. but really they mean the complete surrender of ukraine, total capitulation and remaining for the foreseeable future within russia's sphere of influence, something that is understandably unacceptable to ukraine. and if you look at what he said about the battlefield itself, he seems more confident than ever that russia will win out. he said that the ukrainian counteroffensive had failed. he seemed very emboldened by the recent political issues in the us with getting more military support to ukraine. and he seemed to think that that would lead to an inevitable victory for russia. so really he doesn't look like someone who's prepared for any kind of peace talks, any negotiations. he seemed very confident that russia is going to win this war. so that confidence, you think based on his belief, he can outlast the west. i think absolutely. if you look if you look at it from putin's perspective, volodymyr zelensky, the president of ukraine, he just went to washington earlier this week, he met withjoe biden, he spoke to senators. but the latest us aid package of military support for ukraine is still stuck up in the senate. there are all sorts of arguments with the republicans, who are imposing various political roadblocks on unlocking this aid. and both ukraine and the white house have said that if ukraine doesn't get more military support from the us and other western countries, that they will lose this war. and putin seems very much to agree with him. he said that ukraine doesn't produce almost anything of its own. all of what they get is for free from the west. and the free stuff, he said is running out. so absolutely i think there is a lot to embolden him going going on with the faltering western support for ukraine at the moment. the americans estimate around 300,000 russians have been killed in this war. he didn't talk about casualties, although he did talk about over 600,000 russians now fighting in ukraine. i mean, that number is mushrooming over the two years. does that create any additional pressure on vladimir putin? well, he was very clearly... it's obviously a heavily staged managed event and he was very clearly trying to appear sensitive to the ways that the war is impacting society. there were lots of questions from people involved in the war effort there. there's this patchwork quilt of volunteer groups as well as regular soldiers there. there was even a call—in from the front lines group of fighters in a trench with putin's face on their insignia. you could hear gunfire in the background. and mostly they were complaining about not having enough supplies or not getting paid the benefits they were promised. but it was striking that that putin also didn't really seem to be on top of a lot of these issues. he would say things like, "oh, yes, well, you know, here and there, there may be some some supply issues. you know, we're not perfect, but generally everything is going fine." and also there was a four—hour press conference and the issues of the war were mostly done and dusted after the first hour and a half to two hours. and he spoke about a lot of other social and economic topics. he seemed keen to make russians think that the war is just one of the many things happening in their lives rather than what's actually happened, which is the war has come to dominate really every facet of russian society. and the message is seeking to normalise the war, that he has everything under control and that everyone, whether they're fighting or not, they can keep calm and carry on, i think would be his message to russians. around the world and across the uk, you are watching bbc news. mps from the committee on standards have recommended that the member for blackpool south, scott benton, should be suspended from the commons 35 days after being caught in a lobbying scandal. if the house of commons agrees with the recommendation it will trigger a recall petition which could lead to a by—election in his constituency. the father, stepmother and uncle of ten—year—old sara sharif have pleaded guilty to her murder. urfan sharif, beinash batool and faisal malik appeared at the old bailey by video link. urfan sharif, beinash batool and faisal malik appeared at the old bailey by video link. he said on social media that he had strong support from right across the party. mark drakeford announced he was quitting as welsh labour leader on wednesday. you are life with bbc news. that is get more on the war in ukraine. high on the agenda is a huge package of financial and military support, and the opening of formal entry talks with kyiv. but hungary has threatened to veto both. president zelensky is making an unannounced visit to germany. he addressed the council remotely earlier in the day and he warned that now was not the time for half measures or hesitation. ten years ago, ukraine rose up under the flags of the european union. it was a symbol of truth for them and it should remain so and i ask you one thing today, do not betray the people in their faith one thing today, do not betray the people in theirfaith in europe. if no one believes in europe, but will keep the european union alive? people in europe will not see any benefit if moscow receives a pass from brussels in the form of negativity towards ukraine. vladamir putin will surely use of course these against you personally. and against all of europe. we can speak now to our correspondent in kyiv, jessica parker. we have seen the president shuttling between many capitals, the message, much the same. it must underline his nervousness at the pinnacle support, the military support may be starting to waver? , , ., , ., , to waver? yes, “ust to explain why we are to waver? yes, “ust to explain why we here — to waver? yes, “ust to explain why we here in — to waver? yes, just to explain why we are here in the _ to waver? yes, just to explain why we are here in the bunker, - to waver? yes, just to explain why we are here in the bunker, there l to waver? yes, just to explain why l we are here in the bunker, there has been an air raid alert because of a possible missile threat so we will bring you any updates on that, but to your question, yes, there is absolutely nervousness about wavering western aid although i think ukrainian officials, president zelensky, they try to put a brave face on it but clearly he went to the us and didn't manage to unlock that $60 billion worth of crucial defence aid because america is ukraine's main military backer in terms of supplying weapons. then he has made this address to the eu as there is this wrangling with a particular focus on hungry�*s objections about whether to agree to 50 billion euros worth of economic aid to keep the country ticking over and whether to move forward as well with ukraine's hopes of one day becoming a member of the european union. we arejust hearing becoming a member of the european union. we are just hearing the president zelensky has arrived in western germany, but quite clear what he is doing there because of course, the chancellor will be one of the eu leaders in brussels right now so we will have to wait to hear exactly what president zelensky is “p exactly what president zelensky is up to their but he certainly seems to be on an international tour to try to drum up support and i think but probably as well to raise ukraine's profile because clearly, international tension has been somewhat diverted by what has been happening in israel and gaza. taste happening in israel and gaza. we were listening to vladamir putin, that long news conference where he was pretty confident he was winning the war. what is the view on that from keith? i the war. what is the view on that from keith?— the war. what is the view on that from keith? . , ., from keith? i am sure kevin would not arree from keith? i am sure kevin would not agree with _ from keith? i am sure kevin would not agree with vladamir— from keith? i am sure kevin would not agree with vladamir putin's . not agree with vladamir putin's version of events but i think no one doubts that it has been a difficult few months for ukraine in the sense that there was the big run up to the counteroffensive that ukraine started injune and the counteroffensive, widely seen not to have delivered the hoped—for gains, now appears to largely have stalled and there has been you emphasis on defence and fortifications as winter sets in which changes the dynamics of warfare. russia tried to push certain areas but fierce fighting continues on both sides. president biden�*s national security adviser is in israel — to repeat us calls for restraint in the war against hamas. he's meeting the israeli prime minister benjamin neta nyahu in tel aviv. i have been speaking to the former palestinian authority representative and yasser arafat was magna. i haee and yasser arafat was magna. i have famil and and yasser arafat was magna. i have family and friends _ and yasser arafat was magna. i have family and friends in _ and yasser arafat was magna. i have family and friends in their _ and yasser arafat was magna. i have family and friends in their homes - family and friends in their homes were destroyed. they moved from their homes and then they moved again and my understanding is that at least 50 of them or squeezed into one room somewhere on the beach. it is a horrible situation but it is everywhere and it affects everybody. every single palestinian in gaza. when you hear, as we have heard in the last ten minutes or so, israel's defence ministers say the war, they want to see last more than several months. ~ ., want to see last more than several months. . ., ., , ., want to see last more than several months. . . ., , ., , ., want to see last more than several months. . ., ., , ., , ., ., months. what do you think? they or a bunch of extreme _ months. what do you think? they or a bunch of extreme nuts. _ months. what do you think? they or a bunch of extreme nuts. there - months. what do you think? they or a bunch of extreme nuts. there is - months. what do you think? they or a bunch of extreme nuts. there is no i bunch of extreme nuts. there is no surprise about that. they are not thinking straight and they are changing their mind every single day and every other day. it is a horrible situation and part of it of course in the presence of this kind of government, the most extreme and even a fascist kind of government thatis even a fascist kind of government that is governing everything and now what is even worse is that benjamin netanyahu, while many as release iio netanyahu, while many as release 110 out and they accept the consensus that it out and they accept the consensus thatitis out and they accept the consensus that it is ok, he is leader of the government during the war, he is trying to impact the after the war i don't think he has a mandate to do that and this is again, part of the actions and statements and things that are making things much worse. president biden was talking if you days ago about benjamin netanyahu's coalition partners, those on the far right, wanting to punish all palestinians so that point has been recognised even in the white house. united arab ambassador said only yesterday, the message going forward is clear, we need a viable two state solution plan, a road map that is serious and we won't talk about the next day and possibly the reconstruction of gaza unless we get that. in your view, reconstruction of gaza unless we get that. in yourview, is reconstruction of gaza unless we get that. in your view, is that where the international community has to really land its focus? that the international community has to really land its focus?— really land its focus? that is part of it and my _ really land its focus? that is part of it and my understanding - really land its focus? that is part of it and my understanding that i really land its focus? that is part i of it and my understanding that this was a joint statement by saudi arabia and the uae, not only that position but a joint position. of course, it is helpful, it is good and it can serve the purpose of putting the situation forward in the right direction, in the direction of a political solution that is based on the existence of palestine and israel with a mutual obligation between both of them.- israel with a mutual obligation between both of them. there is a need not only _ between both of them. there is a need not only to _ between both of them. there is a need not only to be _ between both of them. there is a need not only to be a _ between both of them. there is a need not only to be a change - between both of them. there is a - need not only to be a change perhaps in the future italy government but also the palestinian authority, president biden once that to be the vehicle going forward after the military but even within palestinians, there was a poll only yesterday showing that 60% of palestinians that the palestinian authority should be just dissolved so there is no real support even on the ground for the polyphony authority, is there?— the ground for the polyphony authority, is there? about 9096 of palestinians _ authority, is there? about 9096 of palestinians want _ authority, is there? about 9096 of palestinians want him _ authority, is there? about 9096 of palestinians want him to - authority, is there? about 9096 of palestinians want him to be - authority, is there? about 9096 of palestinians want him to be out. i palestinians want him to be out. anyway, this is actually the palestinian position and the situation or the conditions, the situation or the conditions, the situation of the palestinian leadership is something that should be decided by the palestinian people themselves, not by anyone else and as such, they overwhelmingly want to maintain the authority but nevertheless, they want also to change the group in control. these guys have to go, they have been more than 18 years, that is more than enough, and it is the right of the palestinian people to see new faces, people that they can trust and that they enjoy efficiency and they can do the money mentaljob that is awaiting the palestinian people, whether in the gaza strip, more prominently, or even in the west bank as well.— bank as well. that was yasser arafat's nephew. _ bank as well. that was yasser arafat's nephew. we - bank as well. that was yasser arafat's nephew. we will- bank as well. that was yasser arafat's nephew. we will have bank as well. that was yasser - arafat's nephew. we will have more on all our top stories in the business news as well in just a moment. hello there. for many parts of the uk, the weather will slowly be brightening up as we go through the afternoon with some spells of sunshine. just an odd shower here and there. i had one of those near the wrexham area earlier on this morning. cross east anglia in south east england. the tail end of a weather front still bringing a few patches of drizzle. temperatures probably getting little above five or six degrees across parts of east anglia and south east england. but otherwise, the weather turning a bit milder with temperatures reaching double figures in the west. now overnight tonight will have clear skies develop across most areas of the country. it's going to be a cold night and cold enough for a few patches of frost to develop in the countryside. temperatures in the towns and cities, particularly across england and wales, getting close to freezing on into friday's forecast. pressure is building across the uk. i think there'll still be a lot of cloud across wales and southern parts of england. the best of any sunshine, east and northeast england for scotland will have outbreaks of rain developing, particularly across western areas. temperatures across the north west mild at 12 degrees, but still some of the coolest air hanging on across eastern areas of the country on into the weekend. we've got a weather front that gets stuck across the north west of scotland, bringing some very large rainfall totals to the highlands where we could see up to 175 millimetres of rain building in over the high ground. that could be enough to cause some flooding issues and maybe even one or two landslips in the mountains. otherwise, we've got south westerly winds across the uk and that will be tending to drag milder air in across our shores through the weekend. however, we'll probably still have extensive low cloud, so mist and fog patches and a bit of drizzle across western areas that lack more persistent rain effects in the highlands. a few breaks in the cloud across eastern areas of england and at times eastern scotland could see some hazy sunshine as well. but it will feel milder, temperatures around 11 to 13 degrees. now, you might see a bit more in the way of sunshine breaking through the cloud across england and wales on sunday. but the rain, if anything, a bit more extensive across scotland. also the chance of a bit of rain in northern ireland on sunday as well. temperatures could go as high as 13 or 16 degrees, so it continues to be mild. however, the mild weather isn't going to last that much longer because in the week before christmas it is set to turn quite a lot colder. and that's your latest weather. this is bbc news. the headlines... the us national security adviser is in tel aviv with a warning over civilian casualties in gaza as israel continues its bombardment. french police say they found a 17—year—old british boy who disappeared in spain the six years ago. and england's universities and student unions face being named and shamed and even find if they don't uphold new free—speech rules. we have all of those stories coming up we have all of those stories coming up in a moment. let's catch up with the business news. we are starting with the cost of borrowing around the world. including the european central bank and the bank of england. decided to keep interest rates on hold. this follows a similar decision from the us federal reserve wednesday. the ecb also cut it's inflation outlook for the next two years forecasting price rises would slow to 2.7% in 2024 and 2.1% in 2025. it's also projected inflation to fall below the bank's 2 percent target in 2026 at 1.9%. here in the uk, the governor of the bank of england, andrew bailey, put a bit of a damper on any hope for a uk rate cut any time soon. at the moment, it is really to early to start speculating about cutting interest rates. we have to see more progress. i am encouraged by the progress we have seen, don't get me wrong, i am very encouraged by the progress we have seen. but it's too early to start speculating that we will be cutting soon.