reached the centre of rafah of rafah for the first time and the hamas—run health authority says at least 21 people were killed in west rafa after an explosion in an attended zone deemed safe for palestinians which comes two days after israeli bombs swept through a refugee camp in rafah leaving 45 dead including women and children. lucy williamson has more. rafah was once gaza's refuge, the safest place in a dangerous war. today, the city's west and centre was emptying, those still sheltering here fleeing again amid air strikes and artillery fire. taking whatever they need to survive, whatever they can't leave behind. there's been no evacuation order from israel's army and for many, no sense of where to go. translation: i'm just walking in the street, l i don't know where to go, there is nowhere safe. where should we go? this is not a life, this is not a life. they were packing up, too, in the displacement camp at tal al—sultan to the west of the city, still scarred by fires triggered in an israeli air strike on sunday. dozens dead, survivors spent. there's more than one way to lose a life. israel says its operation in rafah is key to defeating hamas and that the strike on sunday on hamas commanders in the camp was carried out with precise munitions that would not, by themselves, have caused so many deaths. we'e talking about munition with 17 kilos of explosive material. this is the smallest munition that ourjets can use. following this strike, a large fire ignited for reasons that are still being investigated. our munition alone could not have ignited a fire of this size. while people fled today, gaza's health ministry said more than 20 were killed in fresh air strikes to the west, over half of them women. as far beyond these borders, three european nations officially recognise a palestinian state, and gaza's last urban centre begins to fall under israeli control. lucy williamson, bbc news, jerusalem. the us is repeating its allies suggestion it was a tragic mistake. joe biden had previously called an invasion of rafah a red line for israel but national security spokesman john kirby said the deadly strikes do not constitute a major ground operation which will be crossing the red line set byjoe biden. he also cric -- cric —— strike killed the strike killed two hamas leaders. a spokesman for the government earlier said israel was making the efforts and the blame lies with hamas for all casualties of the war.- blame lies with hamas for all casualties of the war. none of this takes _ casualties of the war. none of this takes away _ casualties of the war. none of this takes away from - casualties of the war. none of this takes away from the - casualties of the war. none of this takes away from the fact | this takes away from the fact civilians have been killed and thatis civilians have been killed and that is certainly tragic and not our intention but it is the hammer strategy. this attack took place 1.8 kilometres, more than a mile away from where the safe zone is where we are civilians to move to. separately in a blow to humanitarian efforts in gaza, the temporary peer used to deliver aid has been damaged by rough seas. a spokesperson for the us defence department said it could take over a week to be repair and would need to be re—anchored once fixed. it became operationaljust re—anchored once fixed. it became operational just two weeks ago. we spoke about the latest out of the middle east with david hale, the former us undersecretary state for political affairs. undersecretary state for politicalaffairs. do undersecretary state for political affairs. do you deem what we saw in rafah to be a crossing of the red line that president biden has described? thank you. i would preface the question by proposing that perhaps offering red lines might be a mistake. israel is clearly intending to move into rafah and there is no doubt the government will pursue its strategy of trying to diminish and eliminate hamas as a threat to them, so whether or not the american defines red lines, you will see an israeli operation there regardless. are will see an israeli operation there regardless.— there regardless. are you surprised _ there regardless. are you surprised there's - there regardless. are you surprised there's not - there regardless. are you | surprised there's not been there regardless. are you i surprised there's not been a full throated condemnation from the biden administration at the tragic strike that killed 45 people? tragic strike that killed 45 eo - le? tragic strike that killed 45 --eole? ., , . ., tragic strike that killed 45 n-eole? ., , ., ., , people? the administration is in a difficult _ people? the administration is in a difficult spot _ people? the administration is in a difficult spot and - people? the administration is in a difficult spot and they - in a difficult spot and they want to have it both ways. on the one hand they want to support israel as america always has, the right of israel to defend itself by itself but on the other hand they want to establish red lines about humanitarian lines that exist and at the end of the day you cannot have it both ways. israel is going to make its own decisions regardless of the red lines so i think we should focus on what comes after the military operation, where is their diplomacy on police —— peace operations that can come into place once israel has ended its military strategy. sticking with what's happening on the ground there's been international condemnation of the strikes in rafah where civilians have been killed and it seems the administration is unwilling to say definitively that a ground operation in rafah is under way and the pictures seem to tell a different story so why do you think we are seeing this disconnect?— think we are seeing this disconnect? ., �* , , ., , disconnect? that's the problem with the strategy _ disconnect? that's the problem with the strategy of _ disconnect? that's the problem with the strategy of having - disconnect? that's the problem with the strategy of having it i with the strategy of having it both ways, on the one hand supporting israel and say they can do whatever it takes to eliminate hamas as a threat to them that on the other hand try to define red lines about how to define red lines about how to conduct a military operation so it would be better to allow israel to continue to deal what it feels it has to do that then focus on the day after. what are we going to do to enable israel and the arabs and the palestinians to reach a peace settlement after this is over with. �* ., , ., settlement after this is over with. �* ., ., with. allowing the israeli to not allow — with. allowing the israeli to not allow the _ with. allowing the israeli to not allow the israelis - with. allowing the israeli to not allow the israelis to - with. allowing the israeli to not allow the israelis to do | with. allowing the israeli to i not allow the israelis to do to if hamas could see more scenes like we have we seen and already tens of thousands of people have been killed. that's a ureat people have been killed. that's a great tragedy _ people have been killed. that's a great tragedy and _ people have been killed. that's a great tragedy and israel - people have been killed. that's a great tragedy and israel will i a great tragedy and israel will be accountable for whatever it doesin be accountable for whatever it does in the military operation at the end of the day. who does in the military operation at the end of the day. who will hold israel— at the end of the day. who will hold israel accountable? - at the end of the day. who will hold israel accountable? the l hold israel accountable? the israeli people _ hold israel accountable? the israeli people at _ hold israel accountable? tie: israeli people at the end of the day. it's a sovereign state under democracy and has shown over time you go back to the 80s when vegan was held a council of a received —— and they were held accountable for they were held accountable for the war in southern lebanon and netanyahu will be held accountable for what is happening today.- accountable for what is happening today. you are confident _ happening today. you are confident that _ happening today. you are confident that will - happening today. you are i confident that will happen? i have great faith in israeli democracy and if it fails, then there are other means to do that. it is america the focus right now should be on how we can move israel from its conduct in the war to the conduct in the war to the conduct of the peace. we cannot tell the israelis how to defend themselves but we can tell them how to connect —— conduct a peace negotiation with our neighbours and that is where our interests lie and where efforts should live. i5 our interests lie and where efforts should live.- our interests lie and where efforts should live. is the us losin: efforts should live. is the us losing credibility _ efforts should live. is the us losing credibility with - losing credibility with neighbours in the region, with its partners in the region if its partners in the region if it has not been able to condemn the types of scenes we have seen? and continues to supply israel with weapons? fine seen? and continues to supply israel with weapons?— seen? and continues to supply israel with weapons? one of the roblems israel with weapons? one of the problems is _ israel with weapons? one of the problems is getting _ israel with weapons? one of the problems is getting a _ israel with weapons? one of the problems is getting a ceasefire i problems is getting a ceasefire and it seems to me that the two parties involved in this, hamas and the israelis do not want a ceasefire. it's the outsiders who want to, america, the europeans, the arabs want a ceasefire more than the parties. they show no interest in it, it isjust posturing. at the end of the day if we are not able to establish red lines and defend them all of our friends and allies in the middle east at the end of the day believe that the us is not able to enforce its will.- able to enforce its will. what should the — able to enforce its will. what should the red _ able to enforce its will. what should the red line _ able to enforce its will. what should the red line b - able to enforce its will. what should the red line b from i able to enforce its will. what. should the red line b from the us perspective? i should the red line b from the us perspective?— us perspective? i would focus not on the _ us perspective? i would focus not on the war— us perspective? i would focus not on the war but _ us perspective? i would focus not on the war but the - us perspective? i would focus not on the war but the piece. | not on the war but the piece. what do we do diplomatically and politically to accomplish our goals once israelis realise they cannot accomplish what they cannot accomplish what they want to do militarily. thank you is always for the conversation. really appreciate it. haiti's presidential council selected garry conille as the country's prime minister on tuesday, the council's leader said on x. reuters news agency reported the body picked mr conille in a 6—1 vote. he'll lead the caribbean country that's still struggling with the rampant gang violence and instability which forced haiti's former leader, ariel henry, to resign in april. mr conille briefly led haiti over a decade ago serving just seven months, and resigning in february 2012. he'll be tasked with leading haiti as it awaits a kenyan—led force to assist haitian police to restore order to the country. the political and social upheaval has affected millions of haitians. the un estimates more than 360,000 people have been forced from their homes, and roughly 5.5 million haitians require humanitarian assistance. it's election day in south africa, with polls in the rainbow nation opening in just a few hours' time. at stake are all 400 seats in the country's national assembly. that assembly will go on to choose the country's president. all nine provincial assemblies are also up for grabs. incumbent president cyril ramaphosa is hoping to lead his african national congress to its seventh straight victory — a winning streak unbroken since the end of apartheid 30 years ago. but opposition parties including the democratic alliance, the economic freedom fighters, and the new umkhonto we sizwe party, led by jacob zuma, mr ramaphosa's predecessor see this election as the best opportunity yet to end the anc�*s near monopoly on power. for more, i spoke to our reporter waihiga mwaura, who's covering the election from the city of ereha — formerly known as port elizabeth. you've been doing so many interviews surrounding the election. can you give us an idea of what the possible outcome might be looking at this point? if the pollsters are to be believed, south africa is closer now than ever before to a coalition. the anc has been in power for the last 30 years and over that time they've enjoyed numbers over 50% election after election and it was 58% in the 2019 election and the vote went up to 70% at this time around in the election posters predict that the anc parliamentary majority could drop below 50% and this would force the country into something never seen before. a coalition at the national level. the people we've been speaking to here, when you mention the word coalition, many of them don't look happy. coalitions in the past at lower levels of government have been associated with backbiting and backstabbing and infighting and eventually they collapsed, leaving a gap in leadership and a gap in service delivery and at such a fragile time in this country, nobody wants a disjointed government. that's the general sentiment we've been getting and we posed the question of a coalition of the possibility of one after the election should the ruling party not get a majority to the former south african deputy president, and this is what she told us. if you have a coalition, i would be worried that service delivery and the services people require would suffer. i'm not against coalition as a principle, but what i've seen in the case of south africa has not been a good picture. we really need one party that we can hold accountable for serving the people of south africa — the bbc also spoke to our representative of the democratic alliance, the second—largest party in parliament and the official opposition and they said that any chance of the da forming a coalition with the anc would be a tricky one because they do not want to be seen as propping what they call the failings of the anc in regard to governance of state institutions, land—use and ownership, just to name a few. the democratic alliance told the bbc that for them to consider any coalition with the anc they would need to be radical changes in the policies of the anc to align with what the democratic alliance is interested in, so that is what one of the parties told us in regard to the discussion. really interesting how the political landscape is changing and it is 30 years after the end of apartheid on and the election of nelson mandela. the people you've been speaking to, what do they say about his legacy and what has been achieved in south africa since then? this is how many remember nelson mandela in this country, a global icon of peace, justice, nonviolent resistance and forgiveness. some continue to compare him with the late martin luther king junior and mahatma gandhi, just to name a few people who stood out in the way they operated in the spaces that they were in and nelson mandela still remains a key talking point in this country. when it looks to how the nelson mandela effect could influence the election, it depends on who you talk to. there is an older generation, the ones during the apartheid era who remember him as the first president of a country and someone who was synonymous with the anc and to let south africans into political freedom and they are willing to vote with that familiarity because it reminds them of days gone by and they hope the promises made in the nelson mandela era can still be achieved today but there is a younger generation, born towards the tail end of mandela's presidency and might not have seen him in power at all and they are asking for economic freedom and talking aboutjobs, and two years ago he had the highest unemployment rate of the country, 35.7% that the city was ranked in the top ten worst cities to live in, the most dangerous cities to live in the world in a poll last year and for the young people here, ladies concerned about gender—based violence and some of the statistics out of the country have been worrying, saying they are looking for leadership that can tackle some of these issues so i remind you of the nelson mandela era for many of them they speak with a reverence regarding that, but they are asking for immediate solutions from the leaders available 110w. so the mandela effect is still there but for younger voters they want to see solutions. we will be watching all of your reporting going forward. thank you. you're live with bbc news. let's look at a story making news in the uk. diane abbott has been given back the labour whip after being suspended from the labour party for over a year. labour took the action against her in april 2023, over comments she made about thejewish, irish and traveller communities. the inquiry is understood to have been completed last december. it's not clear if ms abbott will run for parliament in the upcoming election. labour's leader, sir keir starmer, had this to say when speaking to a reporter. you said diane abbott was going through a disciplinary process and it is now reported that the process ended months ago, so if that is right, why are we and she still waiting to hear if she can stand as a labour mp? the process overall is a bit longer than the fact—finding exercise but in the end this is a matter that will have to be resolved by the national executive committee and they will do that in due course. ms abbott has been contacted for a comment. the full list of labour candidates is set to be endorsed next tuesday. you're live with bbc news. thejury will the jury will convene thejury will convene on the jury will convene on wednesday to begin the process of reaching a verdict on donald trump. he faces 34 counts related to falsifying business records to hide a $135,000 payment to adult film star stormy daniels. if he was found guilty he would be the first us president with a criminal conviction and the first major party candidate to run for the white house as a felon. it was the final chance _ white house as a felon. it was the final chance to _ white house as a felon. it was the final chance to win - white house as a felon. it was the final chance to win over. the final chance to win over the final chance to win over the jury, the final chance to win over thejury, the the final chance to win over the jury, the defence and prosecution deliver closing arguments. first up was trump steam, telling jurors that the case turns on michael coen. they claim the ex—president formerfixer they claim the ex—president former fixer was the human embodiment of reasonable doubt on the greatest lie of all time. the court argument was that thejury cannot time. the court argument was that the jury cannot klimowicz trump of any crime based on the word of cohen alone. —— cannot convicted trump of any crime. they also try to undermine key points in the prosecution case saying there is nothing unlawful but campaign trying to influence an election and trump was too busy running the country from the white house to pay attention to the financial records of the case. the prosecutor started by addressing cohen micro possibility head on. he said his ability to lie and cheat is precisely why he was chosen to be his fixer. they asked the jury