welcome to the programme and we are tracking the latest on the israel gaza conflict. us secretary of state antony blinken is back in tel aviv. wednesday was the sixth day of a truce between israel and hamas. talks are ongoing in an effort to extend this before it expires. in the past few hours, senior israeli government adviser mark regev told the bbc that israel would agree to an extension as long as hamas continues releasing hostages. earlier, ten israeli and four thai hostages held by hamas in the gaza strip arrived in israel, after being handed over to the red cross. two russian israeli women were freed earlier. this is the sixth group to be released in as many days of the truce. meanwhile, israel announced 30 palestinian women and teenage boys have been freed from israeli prisons in return for the latest releases. also looking at more news on israel, still trying to confirm a claim by hamas that a 10 month old baby the youngest hostage being held in gaza has been k
i will end up rambling on, the let me give you the headline view. the first thing is to have a chief of staff in number ten who does the organisational, structural role. if you think about how precious every minute is of the prime minister s time, and we accept it is finite, how you organise that time authoritatively. ten times as many people want to see the prime minister or one that part of his or her time than is physically possible, and that is really important role. want that part of his or her under borisjohnson, i thought he was in there as a sort of eminence agrees, a wise pair of hands. in terms of dominic cummings, thatis hands. in terms of dominic cummings, that is not why he was there, whatever the title. eminence grise. he was there to drive forward delivery, and was certainly well disposed and well suited to this, trying amidst the daily hustle and bustle of events brought up by the media, whatever was the issue of the day, take a hard step back and try to
his mental well being but will still play for saracens. good evening and welcome to the bbc news at six. now, this is the youngest hostage taken on october 7th, and his four year old brother and mother. they re the bibas family and, today, hamas claimed that they had all been killed in an israeli airstrike. the israeli defense forces say they re investigating the claim from hamas, which is designated a terrorist organisation by the uk government. it s thought there are still 161 israeli hostages in gaza, and the six day temporary truce is due to end today, though there are hopes that it could be extended. our senior international correspondent orla guerin is in tel aviv. well, tonight, the people of israel are waiting for more news about this hamas claim, which is unconfirmed. we had a statement from the extended natalie metcalf family saying they are waiting for the information to be confirmed are hopefully refuted by military members and thanking people here for their warm
is clear and it is unwavering. hello, i am is clear and it is unwavering. hello, iam lucy is clear and it is unwavering. hello, i am lucy gray. is clear and it is unwavering. hello, iam lucy gray. lockim hello, i am lucy gray. lockim to verify live welcome to verify live. the armed wing of the palestinian group hamas says the youngest israeli hostage in gaza, ten month old baby, kfir bibas, as well as his four year old brother, ariel, and their mother, shiri, were killed in an israeli air strike on the gaza strip. israel said it is checking the claim, which the bbc has not yet been able to verify. the family are among the highest profile civilian hostages yet to be freed. relatives had issued a special appeal for the family s freedom after the children and their parents were not included in the group freed on tuesday. a statement from the missing family form say the family have been informed of the claims and are waiting for the information to be confirmed and hopefully re