Hello, im annita mcveigh, welcome to verified live, three hours of breaking stories, and checking out the truth behind them. The us secretary of state, Antony Blinken, has said hes hopeful that hamas will accept what he described as an extraordinarily generous Gaza Ceasefire offer from israel. Mr blinken, who is attending talks with his regional counterparts in saudi arabia, was speaking as a delegation from hamas attended parallel Ceasefire Negotiations in cairo. After weeks of impasse, hamas is reported to have no major issues with a revised plan approved by israel. Its said to include new wording on a cessation of hostilities. Mr blinken reaffirmed us opposition to a planned Israeli Offensive on rafah city, saying hes seen no plan that protects civilians there. 20 people died in the latest israeli airstrikes. At this moment, the only thing standing between the people of gaza and a ceasefire is hamas. They have to decide, and they have to decide quickly. So we are looking to them, and im hopeful that they will make the right decision, and we can have a fundamental change in the dynamic. The uks foreign secretary, meanwhile, has given more detail on the Ceasefire Deal on the table. It does seem to me there is now, lets be frank, a very generous offer of, you know, a sustained 40 day ceasefire, the release of potentially thousands of Palestinian Prisoners in return for the release of these hostages who have now been in captivity for over 200 days. Sol hope hamas do take this deal, and frankly all the pressure in the world and all the eyes of the world should be on them today saying, take that deal, it will bring about this stop in the fighting that we all want to see so badly. Live now to jerusalem, and our security correspondent frank gardner. Frank, hello to you. It certainly is a critical moment with a real sense of momentum, it seems . A critical moment with a real sense of momentum, it seems . There really is. I of momentum, it seems . There really is i mean. Of momentum, it seems . There really is. I mean, although of momentum, it seems . There really is. I mean, although it of momentum, it seems . There really is. I mean, although it is of momentum, it seems . There really is. I mean, although it is right of momentum, it seems . There really is. I mean, although it is right at is. I mean, although it is right at the end of passover, there is a feeling that there could be a real breakthrough here, because both sides, hamas and israel, they have made concessions, no question about it. Hamas had originally insisted on an end to the war, and israel is not agreeing to that, but it is agreeing to withdraw some of its forces and to withdraw some of its forces and to allow the passage of the return of palestinians who are currently basically cackled right into the south, in rafah, to their homes in the north of gaza, and that has been a key demand. They have also dropped their insistence that there has to be at least a0 hostages, the Figure Thatis be at least a0 hostages, the figure that is being talked around is lower than that, around 33. So there is some gave here, because there is enormous pressure on both sides, from the qataris, from the egyptians, from the americans, from the french, to get this deal through. Rememberthat through. Remember that behind the scenes here, through. Rememberthat behind the scenes here, the war cabinet in this country, israel, is divided. You have got those who dont want to see any deal at all with hamas, they want to see the Israeli Military go in hard, smashed their way into rafah, and eliminate their way into rafah, and eliminate the last remaining few battalions of hamas, the people who carried out the atrocities of October The 7th. But the us has made it very clear, they are opposed to any operation in rafah as it stands at the moment, because they dont think that israel is capable of protecting all those civilians that are currently sheltering there. 50 civilians that are currently sheltering there. Civilians that are currently sheltering there. Civilians that are currently shelterin there. , sheltering there. So we have been heafina sheltering there. So we have been hearing about sheltering there. So we have been hearing about this sheltering there. So we have been hearing about this phrase, hearing about this phrase, sustainable calm, frank, and i wonder, does potentially a a0 day ceasefire represent that, or something more . Well, look, what everybody is hoping for is to be able to bring an end to this thing altogether. Able to bring an end to this thing altogether able to bring an end to this thing altogether. Able to bring an end to this thing altoaether. ~. ,. , , altogether. What nobody outside this country wants altogether. What nobody outside this country wants us altogether. What nobody outside this country wants us to altogether. What nobody outside this country wants us to see altogether. What nobody outside this country wants us to see this altogether. What nobody outside this country wants us to see this Truth Country wants us to see this truth end and for the whole thing to begin all over again. End and for the whole thing to begin all overagain. Now, end and for the whole thing to begin all over again. Now, there are people, certainly in the Israeli Military and intelligence and security establishment, who say, look, we have got Unfinished Business in gaza. The architect of the October The 7th attacks and others are still at large, probably in the tunnels underneath rafah, and if we do not go into rafah, it is Unfinished Business, and it will just pop up like a hydra and we will face the same threats all over again. But the sheer humanitarian, the depth and extent of the humanitarian crisis in gaza, being pushed to the brink of famine, has really galvanised the International Community to try and end the hostilities, or at least bring a temporary pause to them, some respite. And there is great progress on the humanitarian front, much more aid is getting into gaza, this Great Pontoon being built in central Gaza Thatis Pontoon Being built in central gaza that is going to reach out like a kind of finger out into the Eastern Mediterranean sea, for off loading tonnes of aid, more Crossing Points are opening, more trucks are getting in, but that of course is just a band aid, just a sticking plaster for the greater problems, which are the palestinians still do not have a state, and there is no sign from this Israeli Government that it wants to ever give them a kind of route map to that end state. Ok. Route map to that end state. 0k, frank, route map to that end state. 0k, frank. Thank route map to that end state. 0k, frank, thank you route map to that end state. 0k, frank, thank you very much, frank gardner, security injerusalem. Joining me now is mark kimmitt, former us Deputy Assistant secretary of defense for the middle east and a former brigadier general. What is your reading of this intensive diplomatic activity, first of all . ~ ~ , of all . Well, i think there is in rouress of all . Well, i think there is in progress being of all . Well, i think there is in progress being made, of all . Well, i think there is in l progress being made, otherwise Antony Blinken would not be appearing at these conferences. He is putting his personal reputation on the line, and somehow he has brokered a deal between israel and egypt and qatar. So i think we are just going to have to say, as your previous correspondent said, there does seem to be some enthusiasm, but if it is a0 or less hostages, i think we have got a long way to go before a true, lasting ceasefire will be in place. Before a true, lasting ceasefire will be in place. And can whatever is bein will be in place. And can whatever is being talked will be in place. And can whatever is being talked about will be in place. And can whatever is being talked about stop is being talked about stop and offensive on rafah . We have heard Secretary Blinken say that he has seen no evidence yet of solid plans to protect civilians there in rafah. Well, again, i dont think it will stop the war, i think it will delay the attack, the assault into rafah. As you remember, some time ago, Benjamin Netanyahu said, before he conducted an operation into rafah, there would be sufficient housing, food, water, medicine for the refugees who would come out of rafah. But as Secretary Blinken said, there is no evidence that that has been completed yet. So said, there is no evidence that that has been completed yet. 50 a said, there is no evidence that that has been completed yet. Has been completed yet. So a long wa from has been completed yet. So a long way from the has been completed yet. So a long way from the irreversible has been completed yet. So a long way from the irreversible pathway | has been completed yet. So a long i way from the irreversible pathway to a two State Solution that the jordanian Prime Minister has been talking about. I jordanian Prime Minister has been talking about jordanian Prime Minister has been talking about. I dont think we even have a pathway talking about. I dont think we even have a pathway to talking about. I dont think we even have a pathway to the talking about. I dont think we even have a pathway to the end talking about. I dont think we even have a pathway to the end of talking about. I dont think we even have a pathway to the end of this. Have a pathway to the end of this war, much less a two State Solution. 0k, war, much less a two State Solution. Ok, so, what is next, then . Some sort of temporary cessation, not the sustainable calm that has been mentioned . Sustainable calm that has been mentioned . No, i think you are exactly right. Mentioned . No, i think you are exactly right. I mentioned . No, i think you are exactly right, i think mentioned . No, i think you are exactly right, i think this mentioned . No, i think you are exactly right, i think this will. Mentioned . No, i think you arej exactly right, i think this will be a pause, not a cessation. It is clear that Prime Minister netanyahus objectives have not changed, the destruction of hamas, the destruction of the infrastructure, the return of the hostages. This may be a milestone, but there are a lot of milestones that need to be accomplished. The return of the hostages, the defeat of hamas, and unless he steps down, those will remain his war aims. Finally and briefly, you think the idea of senior hamas figures and those responsible for October The 7th leaving gaza, do you think that is likely . 7th leaving gaza, do you think that is likel . ,. ,. , 7th leaving gaza, do you think that islikel . ,. ,. , is likely . Horizontally, certainly not vertically. Is likely . Horizontally, certainly not vertically. Thank is likely . Horizontally, certainly not vertically. Thank you is likely . Horizontally, certainly not vertically. Thank you very i is likely . Horizontally, certainly not vertically. Thank you very much for our not vertically. Thank you very much for your thoughts not vertically. Thank you very much for your thoughts today, not vertically. Thank you very much for your thoughts today, mark for your thoughts today, mark kimmitt, former Deputy Assistant secretary of state for the middle east. There have been dramatic Political Developments in edinburgh, where scotlands first minister, humza yousaf, has announced that hes resigning. Hes been under growing pressure after he ripped up a Power Sharing Deal with the scottish green party. As a result, he had been facing two separate votes of No Confidence this week. Lets take a listen to the moment he announced his resignation. I am not willing to trade my values and principles or do deals with whomever simply for retaining power. Therefore, after spending the weekend reflecting on what is best for my party, for the government, and for the country i lead, i have concluded that repairing our relationship across the political divide can only be done with someone else at the helm. I have therefore informed the snps National Secretary of my intention to stand down as party leader and asked that she commences a Leadership Contest for my replacement as soon as possible. That was humza yousaf announcing his resignation just a little earlier today. Lets speak to bbc scotland News Reporter steven godden. Steve, a lot of emotion there, clearly a difficult situation, a very difficult situation for him, but he didnt have a lot of room for manoeuvre, did he . H0. But he didnt have a lot of room for manoeuvre, did he . But he didnt have a lot of room for manoeuvre, did he . No, thats right. It was an emotional manoeuvre, did he . No, thats right. It was an emotional statement manoeuvre, did he . No, thats right. It was an emotional statement this i it was an emotional statement this morning, you heard the early part there, and a real emotion came towards the end when humza yousaf started talking about his family, his pride in doing thejob, the support that hes family had given him, and the fact that the bruising nature of modern politics, but there was a sense this morning that there was a sense this morning that there was inevitability, that we were moving towards this moment. There was intense speculation over the weekend about humza yousaf� s future as first minister, he has been the first minister of scotland for 13 months now, but he has now announced that he will step down and a successor will be found. How did we get to this point . Really, the key moment came last week, when humza yousaf took the decision to end what is known as the bute house agreement, that is the agreement between the snp, the Largest Party here at holyrood, and the scottish greens, and essentially that gave them, as the government, the numbers that they needed to get legislation through. But there had been increasing tensions between the scottish greens and the snp, not least over the decision to ditch climate targets, and we reach this point whereby humza yousaf took this decision to end the bute house agreement. Any days earlier, he had said the agreement was worth its weight in gold, but he changed that, the greens did not take that role, and ultimately they said they could not support him in a vote of No Confidence due to be held in the parliament this week, and with that, he had really run out of road, he had Nowhere To Go. On friday, he was still insisting he would fight on and lead the snp into the Holyrood Elections of 2026, but he said he had taken time to reflect over the weekend and that is what led to the decision today. Coloured very briefly, could there still be a vote of No Confidence in the scottish well, we wait to see what happens tomorrow when parliament resumes, those votes are still scheduled to go ahead, as far as we know. The big question is, who comes next . Two my name is coming to the fore, john swinney, a former leader and deputy first minister, and the other is kate forbes, who was his rival in the contest to succeed Nicola Sturgeon as first minister. So already a lot of speculation about where that might go, we will wait and see in the coming days. Joining me now is stuart nicolson, former adviser to Nicola Sturgeon. Thank you very much forjoining us on bbc news. Alex salmond, leader of the Pro Independence alba party, says that humza yousaf did want to do a deal with his party but forces within the snp were stopping him, suggesting that mr yousaf did want to try and stay as first minister, what are you hearing . To try and stay as first minister, what are you hearing . Well, i have no particular what are you hearing . Well, i have no particular insight what are you hearing . Well, i have no particular insight into what are you hearing . Well, i have no particular insight into what what are you hearing . Well, i have no particular insight into what alex j no particular insight into what alex salmond was saying there. I think it is a fact that had humza yousaf sought to do a deal with alba, relying on ash regans vote, there would certainly be a substantial number of people within his own ranks, within the snp, it would be deeply uncomfortable with that, given the history of relations between the parties. So i think, in essence, humza yousaf found himself pretty much boxed in with nowhere to 90, pretty much boxed in with Nowhere To Go, and obviously, as he said himself, he spent the weekend reflecting, essentially trying to see if there was a way out of this. But there was no obvious way out, as soon as the green party, the scottish greens made clear that they were going to vote in favour of this motion of No Confidence in him personally, i think it became increasingly clear that there was Nowhere To Go on the game was up. For so many years, the snp has been a dominant force, seemingly unassailable dominant force in scottish politics, but then came Power Sharing with the greens, and now this. Is the dominant era over . I think people should be quite cautious