hello. israel is facing international condemnation for what it calls a mistake in an air strike that called seven —— qjl seven aid workers in gaza. lloyd austin spoke on wednesday to his israeli counterpart expressing outrage and stressing the need for swift action to protect aid workers. presidentjoe biden is scheduled to speak by phone with the israeli prime minister on thursday. meanwhile, the un has suspended overnight aid operations in gaza for at least 48 hours to evaluate security in the wake of the attack on monday. the founder of world central kitchen, the organisation that the aid workers belonged to, says the strike was a result of systematic targeting by israeli forces. lucy williamson has more on the aftermath and what we know on how the attack happened. israel's army said

it had misidentified them. today, colleagues wrote their names on the body bags that carried them out of gaza. john chapman. james henderson. and james kirby. three british men among seven aid workers killed in israeli air strikes this week. their bodies driven through the rafah crossing into egypt to be flown home to the uk. today, the head of their organisation spoke for the first time about what happened. they attacked the first car. they were able to move in the second one. again, this one was hit. they were able to move in the third one. in the process, we know they were trying to call. but in the chaos of the moment, whatever happened, they... to try to be telling idf that why are they doing, that they were targeting us, and then they hit the third one. under pressure to provide answers, israel has promised

an investigation. i welcome what the israeli foreign minister said yesterday to me about a full, urgent and transparent inquiry into how this dreadful event was allowed to happen, and we want to see that happen very, very quickly. israel's army initially pointed to poor coordination on the ground, and announced new measures to tackle it. but precise strikes on aid vehicles need a very high bar under both military regulations and international law, and some here say both sets of rules are being broken in gaza, describing a culture of impunity. no, i don't agree with that. there are cases where soldiers have been disciplined throughout the course of this war. how many times? i don't have those figures at hand, but this is the situation. how many other investigations do you have going on, where aid workers have been killed by israeli forces? i'm not aware of those cases, but what we need to understand is that there are very clear

rules and regulations. soldiers need to adhere by them, and when they don't, they are held accountable for their actions. this investigation is being driven by international outrage over a single event. but poor coordination on the ground doesn't fully explain why forces were allowed to fire on a clearly marked convoy that appeared to pose no immediate threat, and there are people both inside and outside the defence ministry who say the explanation goes beyond any individual decision or any individual mistake. one organisation that collects testimony from serving soldiers says there's been a shift in military culture and policies. you know, when i served in the military, the rules were — if there is doubt, there is no doubt, meaning if you have any doubt that you're going to hit an innocent person, you don't shoot. today, it means the opposite.

if there is any doubt that you are under risk, you need to shoot. these are not the first aid workers to be killed here, just the first known foreign ones. but their deaths have spotlit questions that foreign journalists currently can't investigate — banned by israel from entering gaza. six bodies left this conflict zone today — the questions did not. lucy williamson, bbc news, tel aviv. one of the three british men killed in the strike was james kirby, a 47—year—old from bristol. the bbc�*s danjohnson has been speaking to his family, who are demanding answers from the israeli government. humanitarian aid relies on people like this — three british men, killed providing security advice in gaza. he has died a hero, you know. they all have. james kirby served in bosnia and afghanistan.

now, his relatives in bristol share the grief that's reached six other aid workers�* families. it's just heartbreaking that, you know, he lost his life doing that. but he knew the dangers. he was selfless in that regard, and he just wanted to help people. their cars were hit by israel's military as they returned to base after escorting food into gaza. the cars looked to me to be clearly marked. in today's technology, you'd think they'd be able to see that clearly, that these vehicles were carrying humanitarian aid workers. this is why we want answers, really. john chapman's family said: james henderson was another former military man, using his experience to help feed gaza's hungry. what are the questions that you have? we were told that

their route was safe. why wasn't it? itjust seems quite indiscriminate, what they're doing at the moment. israel's been accused of not being careful enough about protecting civilian life. oh, undoubtedly. yeah _ that needs to change. humanitarian aid workers need to be able to do their work. this was a tragic accident, israel says. but according to the un, nearly 200 aid workers have died in this conflict, and some agencies are now pulling back. obviously, now, no—one's going to be going there to help these people and it'sjust going to drop into absolute chaos. there's international pressure now, so let's just hope that response is heard by israel. israel's promised an investigation and answers. but will these deaths, after so many thousands in gaza, bring a significant change in its approach? danjohnson, bbc news, bristol.

pressure is also building inside israel as prime minister benjamin netanyahu was my government was increasingly unpopular. he faced criticism of his failure to rescue the remaining hostages from gaza. rested —— it isjoin protests on wednesday. for more on the israeli government's response, my colleague spoke with the country's minister of economy and industry. his failure is only so far to bring home all the hostages. are you happy with our the prime minister is handling this war? i prime minister is handling this war? ~ , . , war? i think israel is united together. _ war? i think israel is united together, fighting - war? i think israel is united| together, fighting together, understanding that what happened to us on the seventh of october, we have not seen since the days of the nazis. and we all understand that it

is a long haul, and we understand that we have two wipe hamas off the face of the earth. and the japanese needed to surrender, full surrender, 100% to surrender, full surrender, ioo% surrender before the war was over. we need to get them and their difference of opinions, with democracy, that is fine. generally the whole country is united, we have a whole or cabinet that has comprised of what was opposition and coalition together, and we are in this together. i believe we are doing the right thing. you mention _ doing the right thing. you mention the _ doing the right thing. you mention the war - doing the right thing. you mention the war cabinet there, your fellow mention the war cabinet there, yourfellow member of mention the war cabinet there, your fellow member of benny gantz is today calling for elections by september. he wants a change of leadership stop do you agree with that? is it time for prime minister najib yahoo to move along? i think we should come to terms on how to move forward right now —— netanyahu. we still have

the nazis in other places. we have to finish the war and discuss together how we move on. �* , . ~' discuss together how we move on. h ., «m, on. let's talk about the israeli killing _ on. let's talk about the israeli killing of - on. let's talk about the israeli killing of seven i on. let's talk about the l israeli killing of seven aid workers in gaza yesterday, aid workers in gaza yesterday, aid workers from world central kitchen, a charity that has been feeding israelis as well as palestinians. prime minister netanyahu said that those killings were unattended. you were a major in the idf so i want to ask you how do you unintentionally kill aid workers travelling in vehicles that are well marked as charity, as aid workers, and whose movements have been co—ordinated with the idf? first of all, it is a tragedy and condolences to the families. i want to share with you that unfortunately in wars, friendly fire happens. three of the kidnapped people were

unfortunately killed in friendly fire. it is part of war. we do everything we can that it will not happen and learn and make sure it does not happen again. but it's part of war, and we're terribly sorry, the same way that we're sorry that our soldiers were killed from our own soldiers. this is the way we view it. we're very sorry and we will do everything we can to make sure things like this do not happen again. just to jump just tojump in just to jump in there, you just tojump in there, you are talking about friendly fire, that in this case, this was not just one vehicle, it was three vehicles, they were some distance apart, these missiles landed some distance apart and the idf was aware of what was going on. so how is that friendly fire? in going on. so how is that friendly fire?— going on. so how is that friendly fire? in the sense that i am _ friendly fire? in the sense that i am sure _ friendly fire? in the sense that i am sure the - friendly fire? in the sense that i am sure the people| friendly fire? in the sense - that i am sure the people that eventually were attacking believed that this is not friendly. nobody wants to... we are talking _ friendly. nobody wants to... we are talking about this... we

are talking about this... we are talking about this... we are talking about this specific incident, minister. you could say perhaps a mistake happens once, but how does it happen a second and third time? some distance down the road. again, i want to mention _ distance down the road. again, i want to mention the - distance down the road. again, i want to mention the fact - distance down the road. again, i want to mention the fact that | i want to mention the fact that war unfortunately, there are people that get killed, civilians get killed. in the second world war over 33 million civilians were killed in the war, and of course nobody, at least we don't intend to kill any civilians. we target the terrorists, the ones that committed those evil crimes, and don't get confused... crimes, and don't get confused. . ._ crimes, and don't get confused... ~ , confused... minister, we will come to _ confused... minister, we will come to killing _ confused... minister, we will come to killing of— confused... minister, we will come to killing of civilians i confused... minister, we will come to killing of civilians in| come to killing of civilians in just one moment. just to stick with the killing of aid workers, 196 of them in total have been killed in gaza in these six months. the founder of the world central kitchen charity says seven aid workers were working and says they were

targeted. these missiles came systematically, carbide he says the workers tried to call the idf in between the strikes. he says it was not a bad luck situation, that they were targeted. are you saying they were not targeted, is upward you are saying?— you are saying? there is no way in the world _ you are saying? there is no way in the world that _ you are saying? there is no way in the world that israel - you are saying? there is no way in the world that israel would i in the world that israel would target people that come to give people aid, that is nonsense. i am sorry. give us a bit of respect that we care about those people and this is the same people that helped israel. we will never target people like this. i am sure there was a mistake done in a way, the israeli army will interrogate this and give the families of the people that are unfortunately killed all the details, and we want to make sure it doesn't happen again, it is not intentional. i will tell you what is intentional. hamas entered villages in israel, they raped women,

killed them while they were raping them, took them, now we have 134, i don't understand why you are not asking about 134 hostages that were taken from their homes, women, children. we know from testimonies that they were raped there... why aren't you asking about that? that is intentional! my asking about that? that is intentional!— asking about that? that is intentional! g , , ., intentional! my first question actually reference _ intentional! my first question actually reference to - intentional! my first question actually reference to those i actually reference to those israeli hostages that are still in gaza, we are of course very aware of that, and it was my first question to you. but let's just... first question to you. but let'sjust... ijust first question to you. but let's just... ijust want first question to you. but let's just... i just want to stick with this point for a moment. those aid workers where they are trying to get food to they are trying to get food to the people in gaza. the international food security phase classification, they have said that over a million people are currently at risk of starvation, 2 million people have food insecurity. while will israel not let food,

adequate food supplies, adequate food supplies, adequate medical supplies into those innocent civilians who are in such desperate need? first of all, we are. israel opened its gates, and are allowing people to aid the people who are innocent. hot allowing people to aid the people who are innocent. not on adeauate people who are innocent. not on adequate levels, _ people who are innocent. not on adequate levels, though, - adequate levels, though, minister. why would so many people be starving if that was the case?— people be starving if that was the case? ., ., ., ., the case? go to hamas and ask their leaders _ the case? go to hamas and ask their leaders why _ the case? go to hamas and ask their leaders why don't - the case? go to hamas and ask their leaders why don't they - their leaders why don't they surrender was to mark the minute they surrender the war is over. they are terrorists. they are people who deliberately kill israelis. they want to wipe israel off the map, they hide behind civilians and what they want is the world to attack israel instead of attacking the terrorists, thejihad instead of attacking the terrorists, the jihad assists, the muslim brotherhood connected between hamas, hezbollah and iran and another terrorist group. and that is

qatar. ~ , ., ., qatar. minister, you are an israeli minister _ qatar. minister, you are an israeli minister and - qatar. minister, you are an| israeli minister and member qatar. minister, you are an - israeli minister and member of the war cabinet that is why we ask you about matters that pertain to israel which are in your control and which are as a decisionmaker.— decisionmaker. with all due res - ect, decisionmaker. with all due resoeet. you _ decisionmaker. with all due respect, you have _ decisionmaker. with all due respect, you have to - decisionmaker. with all due respect, you have to attack| decisionmaker. with all due i respect, you have to attack the evil. you have to attack the evil. you have to attack the evil people who intentionally target women are raping women. they use rape as a tool to scare jewish people they use rape as a tool to scarejewish people and israelis. that is what you should be focused on. focus on qatar who are funding isis and al qaeda. i qatar who are funding isis and al qaeda. .., ., ., ,~' qatar who are funding isis and al qaeda— qatar who are funding isis and al qaeda. ., ., ,. al qaeda. i cannot ask you... . i am asking — al qaeda. i cannot ask you... . i am asking you _ al qaeda. i cannot ask you... . i am asking you to _ al qaeda. i cannot ask you... . i am asking you to account - al qaeda. i cannot ask you... . i am asking you to account for| i am asking you to account for the actions of israel. i cannot ask you those questions, you do not speak for qatar ask you those questions, you do not speakfor qatar or ask you those questions, you do not speak for qatar or hamas. i ask you when relation to israel. un says it will suspend operations at night in gaza because of its concerns over

security after that airstrike on aid workers. can israel guarantee the safety of aid workers now in gaza? we guarantee the safety of aid workers now in gaza? we will do everything _ workers now in gaza? we will do everything we — workers now in gaza? we will do everything we can. _ workers now in gaza? we will do everything we can. we _ workers now in gaza? we will do everything we can. we did - everything we can. we did before. it was an unfortunate accident. over30 before. it was an unfortunate accident. over 30 israeli soldiers were killed i accident. it was not intentionalfor accident. it was not intentional for the israeli army to kill our own people, was not intentional to kill three hostages who escaped and we do not deliberately kill innocent people. that is not israel. that is not thejewish heart nor the jewish israel. that is not thejewish heart nor thejewish dna. our dna is to defend ourselves from terrorists who committed crimes against humanity, who entered israel, who rape people, kill people one by one this because they are jews and israeli. people one by one this because they arejews and israeli. took over 230 hostages. and behind them are qatar and iran and usually focused on aligning interest with israel. find usually focused on aligning interest with israel. and we do

not forget _ interest with israel. and we do not forget that _ interest with israel. and we do not forget that 1200 _ interest with israel. and we do not forget that 1200 civilians i not forget that 1200 civilians were killed on october seven in horrific circumstances. nobody forgets that. but one final quick question. some british members of parliament are now calling for the uk to hold arms sales to israel because of the killing of these aid workers. what is your response to that? if they tell the british army going into dresden in the second world war the same thing? it is a double standard. we will finish thejob. thing? it is a double standard. we will finish the job. we did not start this war. the war was started by hamas, thejihadi group who wants to wipe israel off the map. if they, god forbid, when, if, god forbid we do not finish hamas of you will see this coming to london and to europe, to the united states. thejihadists to europe, to the united states. the jihadists will use that success story, god forbid they won't. all over the world.

we are not fighting our own wall. the muslim brotherhood that we are attacking, modern armed states. they are fearful and aligned with iran against moderate states. fiiq and aligned with iran against moderate states.— and aligned with iran against moderate states. 0k. ok. we are 'ust moderate states. ok. ok. we are just out of— moderate states. 0k. ok. we are just out of time _ moderate states. ok. ok. we are just out of time for— moderate states. 0k. ok. we are just out of time for today. - just out of time for today. thank you very much forjoining us on bbc. around the world and across the uk this is bbc news. let's have a look now at some of the stories making headlines in the uk. a murder investigation is under way after human remains were found in a park in south london. the metropolitan police sent the remains away for analysis, and believe that they come from one victim. they confirmed that they were human. after consulting with the forensic anthropologist. a crime scene remains in place in rowdown fields in croydon. inquiries are ongoing. teachers in england and wales could strike again over pay, as soon as september, according to the national education union.

the department for education in england said further strikes would "cause more disruptions" to students. teachers across the uk went on strike last year, and ended after all four teachers unions accepted the government's offer of a 6.5% pay rise injuly. new private tours of balmoral castle could set you back up to 150 pounds. the guided tours this summer will give visitors a chance to see part of the estate for the first time. it has been a royalfamily residence since 1852. you are live with bbc news. the white house continues to face criticism for its handling of the war in gaza. president biden held a scale back meeting with muslim leaders and a plan dinner was cancelled. one figure who did attend was an

emergency physician who volunteered in gaza hospitals. he walked out of the meeting early in protest over us policy towards israel. i asked him why. towards israel. i asked him wh. y towards israel. i asked him wh . y , towards israel. i asked him wh. y , , why. my community is hurting. we are morning _ why. my community is hurting. we are morning and _ why. my community is hurting. we are morning and grieving . why. my community is hurting. | we are morning and grieving for six months we felt unheard and silenced and excluded from any conversation, no seat at the table. every indication was that we are being ignored and silenced. i wanted to get up and walk away from this administration the way they walked away from me and my community, to me and my people, from the palestinian people. and to be honest do you —— with you, the reaction was... . i handed him a letterfrom an eight—year—old girl, an orphan who was backing the president to not allow a invasion of rafah. he said i understand and then i walked out. you rafah. he said i understand and then i walked out.— then i walked out. you are an emergency — then i walked out. you are an emergency room _ then i walked out. you are an emergency room physician i then i walked out. you are an. emergency room physician and you volunteered at a hospital earlier this year in gaza. i

believe you plan to go back. is that correct? even what we have heard now and the killing of seven aid workers in gaza, how do you now think about your own personal safety when you do go back to volunteer at this hospital?— back to volunteer at this hosital? ., ., , ., hospital? four months aid organisations _ hospital? four months aid organisations and - hospital? four months aid - organisations and humanitarian organisations and humanitarian organisations like the one i volunteer with, they have been saying that there have been these attacks and that it is too dangerous and no—one is safe in gaza and the tragic event that took place two days ago is just another chapter in ago is just another chapter in a long line of incidents of violations that are taking place and to be frank with you i think the response to this is now going to be more people need to show up and need to go to gaza and need to make sure that their voices are heard, they need to be protect it and as public as possible because israelis need to be held accountable for this. seven people were killed in the person we just heard that clip from calling it a mistake in talking about an investigation, thatis

talking about an investigation, that is unacceptable. these are human beings who are trying to deliver food to hungry palestinians and they were assassinated. three separate missiles on three different cars. this is totally unacceptable and we could also go into all of the attacks on healthcare on hospitals and is. 400 healthcare workers have been killed and so this is another chapter in a series of violations and it is time for us to hold them accountable and it will require the entire international community to do so. turning now to the war in ukraine, nato members in brussels on wednesday and the alliance's secretary—general said ukraine can count on its long—term support. speaking during a ministerial meeting, jens stoltenberg said the allies had already started to plan a greater role in providing finance, training, and security assistance to kyiv. mr stoltenberg proposes a 100 billion euro — that's $107 billion — five—year aid fund.

his proposal has drawn a mixed response among allied members. under the plans, nato would take over the coordination of some military aid from a us—led coalition, a move designed partly to guard against a potential return to the white house of donald trump, who is a critic of nato. mr stoltenberg was asked by the bbc if the us had got its priorities wrong by arming israel, while failing to pass funding for ukraine in congress. every day of delay in the decision of the united states on providing more support to ukraine has consequences on the battlefield. that's one of the reasons why the ukrainians now have to ration ammunition. it is urgent that the united states make a decision and the us congress actually is able to turn the majority in the us public, but also in the us congress, into a concrete decision. our defence correspondent jonathan beale who was at the nato meeting has more. jens stoltenberg, the head of nato, said ukraine wasn't running out of courage, but it was running out of ammunition, and once again he appealed for the us to pass its military aid that's got stalled in congress.

he is notjust worried about the present, but also the longer term. jens stoltenberg therefore has set up a long—term plan for ukraine, to give it the support it needs. that includes having a package of military aid of hundred billion euros, that's more than $100 billion over the next five years, but also nato taking over the us led contact group, which coordinates military aid and support, the weapons supply, to ukraine. some people have called this the trump proof plan. so, in other words, something that would withstand the political changes that might happen in the united states, which of course is concerning europe. but this is clearly, as far as jens stoltenberg and nato is concerned, a message to ukraine, that they are in it

for the long haul. before we go... we leave you with some images of twiglets. she is one of the world's smallest species of antelope. called the "dik dik". twiglet is just ten inches tall. she arrived at a zoo in the uk as part of an international breeding effort to save the species. the species is now currently listed as endangered, and is under threat in the wild from poaching and habitat encroachment. stay with us here on bbc news. we have more coming up at the top of the hour and that is all from us here in washington as we hand over to our colleagues in london. hello. areas of low pressure are forming an orderly queue in the atlantic, heading our way over the next few days, bringing further bouts of rain. there will be some drier, sunnier interludes, and then, by the weekend, two things will happen — it will turn warmer, but it will also turn windier. the area of low pressure heading our way for the weekend isjust starting to take shape behind me. not much to see just yet, but that low is set to deepen.

in the shorter term, you can see a couple of different low pressure systems working through. thursday morning, starting with some pretty heavy rain, actually, across parts of england and wales. that will tend to pull away eastwards as the day wears on, then we'll see some sunny spells, scattered showers, then later on, more rain will push through the south—west of england and into wales. for northern ireland and scotland, you can expect largely cloudy skies, some bits and pieces of rain and drizzle, but also a bit of snow mixing in over high ground in scotland. temperatures in the north of scotland only up to around five or six degrees; 16 in the south—east of england, and then through thursday night, we'll see outbreaks of heavy rain driving northwards once again, still the chance of some snow, even to relatively low levels across the northern half of scotland, where it will be a cold start to friday. further south, a very different story — starting the day at 11 or 12 degrees in much of england and wales, and then through friday, that rain and hill snow continues to journey northwards across scotland. behind it, we get into a mix of sunny spells and heavy, blustery showers, turning quite

windy through friday, particularly out towards the west, but temperatures will be climbing. still cold in the north of scotland, but for northern ireland, england and wales, 15 to 18 degrees, and then, into the start of the weekend, this deep area of low pressure, with lots of isobars squeezing together, is set to pass to the west of the uk. now, that is going to bring some very strong winds. we will see rain clearing the north of scotland, clearing to a mix of sunny spells and showers, probably not too many showers. there will be a decent amount of dry weather around, but the winds very brisk indeed, particularly for some of these western coasts, 60mph gusts or more. with those winds coming from the south, though, feeling pretty warm. it could be the warmest day of the year so far, particularly in eastern england. highs of 20, maybe 21 degrees. not quite as warm on sunday, but temperatures still well up into the teens. some showers, some sunshine, too.

voice—over: this is bbc news. we will have the headlines for you at the top of the hour, which is straight after this programme. welcome to hardtalk.

i'm stephen sakur. we humans keep pushing the frontiers of bioscience. we now understand the molecular biology that makes us who we are. but we are still figuring out how to use that knowledge. should we screen all human embryos for genetic abnormalities? should we root out mutations? could we be sleepwalking into a new era of eugenics? my guest is the ethicist, disability rights activist and writer tom shakespeare, who also happens to live with a genetic condition, achondroplasia, which has restricted his growth. should we embrace difference rather than use science to root it out?