russia's military death toll in ukraine has now passed the 50,000 mark — we have more from a bbc investigation coming up. and heavy rain batters the united arab emirates causing flash flooding, some places recording a year's worth of rain in a single day. welcome to the programme. the uk foreign secretary lord cameron has arrived injerusalem a for talks with israel's leaders about their response to iran's drone and missile attack over the weekend. he's also expected to discuss the continuing humanitarian crisis in gaza. 0ur chief international correspondent lyse doucetjoined us live earlier from jerusalem with the latest. day when ever saw intensifying in

capitals around the world and across this region. first by diplomats to avoid a dangerous escalation a spiralling in the region. yesterday germany's top diplomat and the foreign minister arrived in israel. todayis foreign minister arrived in israel. today is lord cameron. he is expected to meet the sla prime minister benjamin netanyahu, the president, as well as other similar political and military leaders. they will discuss israel's discuss to retaliatory strike from iran last weekend. cameron has made it clear he will also be raising the situation in gaza including the unitarian crisis and the remaining injury hostages. iran and some states including jordan had accused israel of trying to divert attention away from the situation in gaza. israel's work on it has met five times since iran's unprecedented strike at the weekend which it says

was in response to israel's attack on its diplomatic compound in the syrian capital, damascus, on april one. israel has said repeatedly that it will retaliate but at a time and place and manner of its own choosing. lord cameron spoke to the press here this morning before he embarked on his meetings. this is what he had to say. how concerned are hereby plans by israel_ how concerned are hereby plans by israel to— how concerned are hereby plans by israel to retaliate against iran? it israel to retaliate against iran? [it is israel to retaliate against iran? is right to israel to retaliate against iran? it is right to be here in israel today to show solidarity after that appalling attack by iran. we made clear our views yesterday about what should happen next but we also said israel is in independent server and country and gets to make these choices. we hope and continue to hope that as they do so, we do so in a world that is a smart as well as tough but does as little as possible tough but does as little as possible to escalate this conflict.

but i'm also here to focus back the eyes of the world on to the hostage situation. 192 days those people have been held. hamas should release them now and there is a good deal for them on the table. the only reason the conflict continues in gaza is because they won't take that deal. we need the hostages out. we need the aid in. and i'll be discussing that with the israeli government and with the palestinian authority as well. and how concerned are you that we're right on the brink of a full—scale regional war here? well, the situation is very concerning. it's right to show solidarity with israel. it's right to have made our views clear about what should happen next. but it's clear the israelis are making a decision to act. we hope they do so in a way that does as little to escalate this as possible and in a way that, as i said yesterday, is smart as well as tough. but the real need is to refocus back on hamas, back on the hostages, back on getting the aid in, back on getting a pause in the conflict in gaza. that's why i'm here today to talk

to the israeli government, to talk to the palestinian authority, to try and push those things forward. finally, you're off to see foreign ministers at the g7 in italy. what sanctions do you want? well, we want to see coordinated sanctions against iran. britain has in many ways led the way with our new sanctions regime, sanctioning dozens of people in iran, sanctioning the irgc in its entirety. and i think there's more that we can do to show a united front that iran is behind so much of the malign activity in this region, backing hamas, backing hezbollah, backing the houthis. they need to be given a clear and unequivocal message by the g7, and i hope that will happen at the meeting. israel has made the decision, it will retaliate to what impact can his visit have? i

will retaliate to what impact can his visit have?— will retaliate to what impact can his visit have? i think the part of a camphony _ his visit have? i think the part of a camphony of _ his visit have? i think the part of a cacophony of voices _ his visit have? i think the part of a cacophony of voices we - his visit have? i think the part of a cacophony of voices we are - his visit have? i think the part of - a cacophony of voices we are hearing from israel's allies around the world saying, went escalation. lord cameron is very clear this morning and saying that we want as little escalation as possible. he is echoing with the british prime ministers said last night in a telephone call with benjamin netanyahu. i think they realise there is to how much they can restrain israel. david cameron was very clear in saying, as well as a sovereign nation and can i get some choice in retaliating and responding the attack by iran so i think he also wants to talk about other stuff, he wants to put more pressure on its release of a human return access to gaza but i think it also wants to say, let us talk about hamas and hostages the ceasefire. to get into a silly territory plus one other thing and that is a sanctions. this release at the moment are trying to internationalise this issue saying, isn'tjust as against

the onions, it is the millions against the rest of the world. as's allies are prepared to join against the rest of the world. as's allies are prepared tojoin in against the rest of the world. as's allies are prepared to join in with that by saying, that it took about sanctions. so it is harderfor iran to make those drones and missiles that were flying over these guys a few days ago. business functions, it will have no impact now but it is about maintaining an international alliance around israel that frankly israel has not had the many months because of the criticism in gaza. he has been on the telephone with iran's foreign mr and on the phone to arab foreign ministers don't necessarily ci to eye on this crisis. is britain trying to see this squarely in the's camp but it also has to address the concerns of iran does allies? i also has to address the concerns of iran does allies?— iran does allies? i think david cameron has _ iran does allies? i think david cameron has been _ iran does allies? i think david cameron has been criticised l iran does allies? i think david - cameron has been criticised within the uk and elsewhere and in this country for being quite punchy in terms of his criticism and putting

pressure on israel over the unitarian crisis in the treatment of civilians and eight workers in gaza and i think that has brought him a degree of audience within the curve who will be quite interested. the fact that david cameron has public is said that he would be willing to contemplate recognition of the state of palestine before any endgame, all of palestine before any endgame, all of that has gone down very well so it by seven audience. as the uk the defining parrot here? no, it is the us and other powers like the saudis will ship this. how us and other powers like the saudis will ship thie— us and other powers like the saudis will ship this-— will ship this. how lord cameron is t in: to will ship this. how lord cameron is trying to bring _ will ship this. how lord cameron is trying to bring attention _ will ship this. how lord cameron is trying to bring attention back- will ship this. how lord cameron is trying to bring attention back to . trying to bring attention back to the dark unitarian crisis in gaza. it is in the headlines today because the un is launching an appeal. $2.8 billion, mainly for palestinians in the gaza strip, but also in the occupied west bank. we can cross to

carol now, the egyptian capitaljust picture a spokesperson for the un relief and works agency which is the main aid agency struggling to operate in gaza as well as in the west bank. welcome to bbc news. 0ften appeals year—on—year for palestinians in gaza and the occupied west bank. how does this win differ in its scale and in its details in the midst of this grievous work?— details in the midst of this grievous work? this appeal is unprecedented. _ grievous work? this appeal is unprecedented. within - grievous work? this appeal is unprecedented. within the i grievous work? this appeal is - unprecedented. within the overall un appeal, the ask is $1.8 billion. we had never seen this before because we had never seen a word like this in the gaza strip and in the region. the scale of the humanitarian tragedy in the gaza strip means this kind of funding is required and to feed people, to get health care to

people, to get shelter supplies, this is the dire straits of the need. i5 this is the dire straits of the need. , ., ,., this is the dire straits of the need. , ., , . need. is it also unprecedented because it _ need. is it also unprecedented because it is — need. is it also unprecedented because it is being _ need. is it also unprecedented because it is being launched . need. is it also unprecedented| because it is being launched at need. is it also unprecedented l because it is being launched at a time when you are not sure how much aid you can get in, you're not sure if it is safe enough to deliver it? yesterday the un said there were still restrictions on the entry and delivery of age?— delivery of age? yes, that is absolutely — delivery of age? yes, that is absolutely right. _ delivery of age? yes, that is absolutely right. the - delivery of age? yes, that is absolutely right. the needs| delivery of age? yes, that is l absolutely right. the needs on delivery of age? yes, that is - absolutely right. the needs on the ground are enormous. the flow of aid into the gaza strip is just completely insufficient. we need to get 500 trucks of aid are day to meet the minimum survival needs of the population and were talking about keeping 1.7 people entirely reliant on aid, they need that aid to survive. 500 trucks a day and at this stage were only able to get an average of 181 trucks per day into the gaza strip to the shortfall is enormous. this is the result of this, the looming man—made famine

and the overall unitarian crisis. we have never seen anything like this in the gaza strip. mil have never seen anything like this in the gaza strip.— in the gaza strip. all of the aid arencies in the gaza strip. all of the aid agencies are — in the gaza strip. all of the aid agencies are experiencing - agencies are experiencing difficulties although it should be mentioned that there has been a report in the last two days that more aid is now getting in unra is facing problems of its own, its convoys have been bought from the north. is there any sign that will change? north. is there any sign that will chance? ., ., , ., ., �* change? unfortunately not and you're absolutely right. _ change? unfortunately not and you're absolutely right, since _ change? unfortunately not and you're absolutely right, since the _ change? unfortunately not and you're absolutely right, since the end - change? unfortunately not and you're absolutely right, since the end of - absolutely right, since the end of march, we have been unable to get any kind of aid into the north and in fact we were not able to supply any food to the north of the gaza strip since january and the north is the epicentre of this looming famine. there are 300,000 people trapped in the northern areas of the gaza strip and they have nothing to survive on at this stage, or a tiny trickle of aid. anything getting into that region and across the gaza

strip is just completely insufficient.— strip is just completely insufficient. ., , , ., insufficient. the commissioner aeneral insufficient. the commissioner general said — insufficient. the commissioner general said he _ insufficient. the commissioner general said he will— insufficient. the commissioner general said he will brief- insufficient. the commissioner general said he will brief the l insufficient. the commissioner. general said he will brief the un security council in new york later today, notjust about security council in new york later today, not just about the situation in gaza, but also the pressures being faced by unra itself so it is a day amidst the growing concern of alarm in some quarters about another escalation in tensions here, it is a day of intensifying diplomacy. 0ne foreign minister after another arriving and as you can see, the german foreign minister and lord cameron ended up crossing paths in the offices of the italy president, so they joined the offices of the italy president, so theyjoined their efforts. not that they are necessarily coordinating but they do have common messages that they want to send israel when it comes to this crisis. but also, the work which is grinding on any geyser, the concerns about

the humanitarian situation. in the uk the rate of inflation fell to — 3.2% in the year to march, down from 3.4% last month as the rate at which prices are rising continued to slow. our business correspondent, marc ashdown has more. it was expected to go to 3.1% so a touch over what forecasts were expecting but at this stage of the journey, if we look back 18 months ago, it was running about 11% so certainly in terms of the journey heading towards more inflation. it is the rate at which prices are rising and this is all prices, really. in mixed bag across the

economy. some things are going slower than others butjust a reminder, this is how the rise and we talk about dropping, prices dropping, they arejust we talk about dropping, prices dropping, they are just going up a little slower. that inflation now averaging at 11%. that was almost 19% 18 months. eligible is as well have come down, energy costs and services, still running at 6%. but is proving to be sticky petrol and diesel for obvious reasons, or price volatility causing concern.

some packing now, the british actor hugh grant has reportedly settled a lawsuit against the publisher of the sun newspaper. it lawsuit against the publisher of the sun newspaper-— sun newspaper. it was over claims

that journalists _ sun newspaper. it was over claims that journalists you _ sun newspaper. it was over claims that journalists you to _ sun newspaper. it was over claims that journalists you to private - thatjournalists you to private investigators to tap his phone and pedal his house. we are bringing more on that as we get it. at least 11 people have been killed and around 50 injured in a russian missile attack on the northern ukrainian city of chernihiv. that's according to ukraine's president zelensky. he said the destruction wouldn't have taken place if ukraine had suffient air defences. the mayor of chernihiv said a high—rise building in a densely—populated neighbourhood was hit. rescue efforts are continuing. the authorities have issued an appeal for blood donations. let's speak to our ukraine correspondent, james waterhouse. what we know about what has happened here? , ., ., ., _ ,., , here? these are familiar symptoms for ukrainians. _ here? these are familiar symptoms for ukrainians. we _ here? these are familiar symptoms for ukrainians. we saw _ here? these are familiar symptoms for ukrainians. we saw footage - for ukrainians. we saw footage online of people running for cover in one case of a trolley bus where there were loud explosions and columns of smoke going into the air. according to authorities in this

northern ukrainian city, which is 60