conference. i out. here is a press conference.- out. here is a press conference. ., ., . ., conference. i want to echo the comments _ conference. i want to echo the comments of _ conference. i want to echo the comments of president - conference. i want to echo the | comments of president macron welcoming the safe rescue of four hostages who were returned to their families in four hostages who were returned to theirfamilies in israel. we will not stop working until all hostages come home and a ceasefire is reached. that is essential to happen. a£111" essentialto happen. our correspondent _ essentialto happen. our correspondent has - essential to happen. our correspondent has more from tel aviv. a dramatic rescue and she's free again. 25—year—old noa argamani, captured by hamas on the 7th of october, and taken to gaza, is finally back in israel. she became one of the most well—known faces of this crisis. her kidnapping recorded in this video. today, her ordeal came to an end. this is her, reunited with her dad. translation: please don't| forget that there are another 120 hostages in captivity. we must release them and make every effort in any way to bring them to israel and theirfamilies. by the way, it's my birthday, look what a gift i got. also freed, andrei kozlov, who is 27. shlomi ziv, 40, and almog meirjan, 21. eight months ago, they were in the nova music festival in southern israel when hamas gunmen attacked. more than 360 people were killed here. this morning, the israeli military carried out a raid of the nuseirat refugee camp in central gaza. there were heavy airstrikes. special forces went in. the military said this was a complex operation and based on intelligence information. the four hostages, it said, were found at two separate locations in the heart of the camp and were brought out under fire. israeli forces have been preparing for this rescue mission for weeks. they underwent intensive training. they risked their lives to save the lives of our hostages. if there was relief in israel, the operation meant yet more suffering in gaza. at the al aqsa hospital in nearby deir al—balah, you chaos and desperation. doctors struggled to treat all the wounded. many arrived already dead. translation: we were at home. a rocket hit us. my two cousins died and my other two cousins were seriously injured. they did nothing. they were sitting at home. the israeli prime minister, benjamin netanyahu, visited the freed hostages in a hospital near tel aviv. he's being urged to reach a ceasefire and hostage release deal with hamas. today's rescue could help lift some of the pressure. in the aftermath of that raid our correspondent has been speaking to palestinians in gaza. i speaking to palestinians in gaza. ~' , ., , gaza. i think the people were an: gaza. i think the people were angry about _ gaza. i think the people were angry about the _ gaza. i think the people were angry about the number - gaza. i think the people were angry about the number of i angry about the number of people killed in this rescue operation. some of them told me that hamas should have accepted the ceasefire proposal that had been on the table for a long time and instead of, going in and killing people to get the hostages they could have been released for an exchange of palestinian prisoners in israeli jails. some people are also expressing their view towards the other side, they were defending hamas and see what happened is very little compared to the period of eight months. one person told me they rescued four people after four months and this is very little achievement where they have been defeated many times and in many places and hamas was able to kill some of them. so it divides palestinians. they are always divided about the issue of hamas. many people are not supporting what hamas is doing in gaza and they keep defending them but today we noticed that many people were criticising hamas and one person lost his family in one of the airstrikes two months ago. he said why are you keeping hostages in a crowded refugee camp, in a market? and putting everybody�*s life at risk. some went further and said that those who are sitting in the higher in cutter and control our lives should go home. ., , ,., ~ ., home. earlier i spoke with a former spokesman - home. earlier i spoke with a former spokesman for - home. earlier i spoke with a former spokesman for the i former spokesman for the israeli defence forces and a senior fellow at the foundation for defence of democracy. i want to begin by getting your reaction to the news of the four hostages being released. thank you for having me. it is a glimmer of light in a sea of darkness and despair and for the first time in months is raley�*s have a moment to rejoice and happy scenes of families being reunified. happy to see it and very happy for the families who now get their loved ones back after what must be the most horrible experience of eight months. sadly, however, we still have 120 hostages. we still have a rainy and proxies all around us aiming to kill israelis and to kill the jewish people aiming to kill israelis and to kill thejewish people and we still have a lot of work to do in order to return to safety and security in israel and as important as this event is it is a drop in the ocean and there is still a lot of fighting left for us to be safe in our homeland.— in our homeland. jonathan, there is concern _ in our homeland. jonathan, there is concern about - in our homeland. jonathan, there is concern about the l there is concern about the death toll among palestinians. do you think israeli forces anticipated the level of casualties incurred? i think the whole _ casualties incurred? i think the whole civilian - casualties incurred? i think the whole civilian issue - casualties incurred? i thinkl the whole civilian issue here really needs to be analysed impartially and understood. according to the reports that i have gotten and also statements made by hamas spokes person, the israeli hostages were held and jailed by palestinian civilians in a palestinian civilians in a palestinian civilian area and as regrettable as any loss of life is i think you would have to investigate who the people who jailed these israeli civilians for eight months, why did they do it? what was the role of the surrounding community and the hundreds if not thousands of palestinians who for sure were aware of the fact that israeli hostages were being held in their midst and why were they complicit with hamas? jonathan, we do not know— complicit with hamas? jonathan, we do not know that _ complicit with hamas? jonathan, we do not know that they - complicit with hamas? jonathan, we do not know that they were . we do not know that they were necessarily complicit. all of the casualties incurred, there are reports of women, of children who are among the dead. it appears to be a high civilian death toll. would there have been a warning to those civilians to get out on time? ~ .., ., those civilians to get out on time? ., ., . time? we cannot anticipate israel to be _ time? we cannot anticipate israel to be warning - time? we cannot anticipate israel to be warning aheadl time? we cannot anticipate | israel to be warning ahead of time? we cannot anticipate i israel to be warning ahead of a raid to extract or save hostages because then what the terrorists will do is kill the hostages and that would defeat the purpose. of course we cannot expect that. yes, i agree with you that we do not know for certain that all of the people who may have died today were directly related to the efforts to jail and hold israeli civilians in gaza for eight months. there was a significant firefight according to testimony of australian —— israeli soldiers. there were rockets, grenades and heavy machine—gun fire and we cannot rule out that at least some of the alleged palestinian colours realties were a result of reckless palestinian fire. it may have been israeli fire, we do not know. of the important thing is, again, just like we saw in rafah three months ago, israeli civilians were held hostage by palestinian civilians. hamas armed gunman guiding as well but the bottom line is we have complicity of palestinian civilians who are... we have not been able are... we have not beenable able to establish that at this stage and has you have pointed out that will need to be a further investigation. i want to net further investigation. i want to get your _ further investigation. i want to get your thoughts - further investigation. i want to get your thoughts as - further investigation. i want to get your thoughts as to l to get your thoughts as to whether you are concerned about the potential for this to jeopardise a ceasefire plan and the potential to see the rest of those hostages released. i think the ceasefire is not an aim to aspire to victory is what israel aspires to. victory in order to defend israeli civilians and bring them back home. victory in order to get hostages back and a ceasefire, in my humble opinion is defeat for israel and a victory for hamas and it is not what is raley�*s aspire to do because a ceasefire would mean an existing hamas and it would mean further attacks against israel months or a year from now and that is not something i think we should aspire to. we should do everything possible in the world should help israel to get hostages back through applying pressure on hamas to release hostages, release civilians, women and children and then the soldiers who were taken unlawfully from israel and are being held in captivity in gaza. i think that should be the focus and that is what i think should be the centre of attention. think should be the centre of attention-— think should be the centre of attention. ~ ., ., ., attention. meanwhile along the border between _ attention. meanwhile along the border between israel - attention. meanwhile along the border between israel and - border between israel and lebanon there has been an exchange of fire between hezbollah and israeli forces. two people were killed in a drone attack. the israeli military said its forces launched the rate after it identified a hezbollah fighter in the area. hezbollah said its fighters retaliated by firing rockets at an israeli military command centre. i spoke earlier with a us state department official from 1978— 2003 who helped formulate the us policy on the israeli arab peace process. a release of hostages as we have been discussing and as we have been discussing and a high civilian death toll. i want to start by getting your reaction to the operation. from a military perspective i am sure it was an extraordinary... it provides a nation that is still in a collective ptsd with some momentary help. but seven hostages in almost nine months were free. all of them, i might add free from either apartment buildings or structures that were above ground, not in tunnels. so it is clear to me that israeli operating on the ground were able to develop and arrive intelligence, probably because the circle of palestinians who are aware of where these hostages were kept are not in tunnels, much larger than we originally expected. it was a wonderful day for israel is but a black day for palestinians and that points to me that the reality that nine months into this war the israelis have succeeded. i don't want to trivialise the effort. 46 are believed to be killed on october seven or died in captivity. so the only pathway to me it seems to free large numbers of hostages and prevent mass casualty events is not through successive military operations if the eight last eight or nine months is any guide, but through diplomacy and the good news here is that the biden administration has produced a practical pathway forward. i think the bad news is that the real urgency for clothing this agreement exists only with the biden administration. neitherthe government of israel nor hamas is moved to make the kind of decisions that would accept the package in its entirety. as we know the us secretary of state is in the region with the aim of reinforcing that sense of urgency. returning to the operation we had the eu top diplomat calling it a massacre according tojoseph borrell. washington gave intelligence support for this operation to go ahead. do you think the biden administration will be at ease with how this unfolded today and the high civilian death toll?— today and the high civilian death toll? they are not at ease. death toll? they are not at ease- if — death toll? they are not at ease- if you _ death toll? they are not at ease. if you look _ death toll? they are not at ease. if you look at - death toll? they are not at ease. if you look at the - ease. if you look at the statement that the president and the national security adviser put out there is no reference. i am certain, to palestinian civilian deaths. i don't think... these are humans with consciences consciences. the president, the secretary of state, the national security adviser. but in a way it is clear that almost nine months into this war the administration is pursuing what i would describe to you as a passive—aggressive policy towards israel. they have yet towards israel. they have yet to impose a single consequence that normal humans like you or i would describe as sustained pressure. the reason they have avoided an open break or breach with the israeli prime minister is precisely because i think the president and i would agree with him here, believes that the only way to de—escalate this war, the only way he has to prevent palestinian deaths and surging humanitarian assistance into gaza is a negotiated deal and that is the strategic cul—de—sac that the administration now finds itself. the israelis, you heard your previous guest talk about the notion of victory which means what? hamas having no influence in gaza? that is unrealistic. hamas is trading time tunnelling and hostages for what it wants and what it wants is the survival of the senior leadership and their families and the preservation is of the influence of hamas which means a cessation of hostilities in the withdrawal of forces from gaza. i cannot foresee right now, we are now injune, i cannot foresee in june, i cannot foresee anything injune, i cannot foresee anything other than, perhaps if lucky, a phase one implementation which would create a six—week ceasefire in exchange for a limited number of hostages and an asymmetrical number of palestinian prisoners. six weeks of calm in gaza. it is not perfect and i don't know where it would lead but it is absolutely critical both for the well—being of the hostages and the 2.3 million palestinians who have to cope with this horrific environment over the last eight or nine months. i think that is where the focus is going to remain. as we mentioned joe biden is on a two—day state visit to france following commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the d—day landings. emmanuel macron hosted him for a state in on saturday night and earlier there was a parade along the champs—elysses and a visit to the tomb of the unknown soldier and a meeting with business leaders. mr biden mr macron held a press conference on saturday and during his speech president biden spoke about the war in ukraine saying that russia's president vladimir let putin is not going to stop ukraine. fiur not going to stop ukraine. our two countries _ not going to stop ukraine. our two countries are _ not going to stop ukraine. oi" two countries are standing with ukrainian people as we spied against putin's aggression. yesterday i announced $225 million in new security assistance, that is the sixth package we have provided since we signed the national security legislation earlier this year. i wish we could have done it when we wanted to six months earlier, but we got it done. $61 billion in additional aid to ukraine and i commend france and our european allies for their leadership as well. the eu has proved and provided over 107 billion dollars in assistance to ukraine since the war began because we know what happens if putin succeeds in subjugating ukraine. and we will not stop, putin will not stop at ukraine. it is notjust ukraine, it is about much more than ukraine. all of europe will be threatened. we will not let that happen. the united states stands strong with ukraine, we stand with our allies and with france and we will not walk away. the allies and with france and we will not walk away.— allies and with france and we will not walk away. the man who assaulted the _ will not walk away. the man who assaulted the danish _ will not walk away. the man who assaulted the danish prime - assaulted the danish prime minister has been remanded in custody for 12 days. a 39—year—old polish man is said to have been drunk and under the influence of drugs at the time of the attack on friday night. the man is reported to have struck the politician on this shoulder forcing her to stumble and suffer minor whiplash injuries. the prime minister said she shaken but fine. in the uk, parties are back on the campaign trail following the seven way debate last night. conservatives are pushing for a permanent card to taxes for the first time and labour makers making economic pledges. ian watson has the latest. i'lljust try and get the sign in! rishi sunak was putting a brave face on the events of the past few days. is this taking over from those fidget spinners? he was keen to move on from his d—day apology with an announcement to make temporary tax relief for first—time homeowners permanent. but his ministers were still having to fight on the political beaches... the prime minister has made a mistake, he's apologised for it and has apologised to those who would have been particularly hurt by it. so how has the prime minister's misstep gone down on the doorstep? we have been talking to conservative candidates, some have spoken about anger and disappointment. one of them despairingly said, "whatever is going to happen next? will the prime minister's trousers fall down?" others said voters haven't raised the issue at all, and one candidate said that those who are so vexed by this have already defected to labour or reform. elections are often about political theatre, but the snp say, in this campaign, the main westminster parties are sidestepping difficult decisions. the biggest issue that's not been spoken about is the fact there are £18 billion worth of cuts agreed to by the conservatives and endorsed by the labour party, and they are coming down the track towards us. but what about raising revenue? labour say, if they form the next government, then, just like the conservatives, they won't be able to increase tax thresholds in line with inflation any time soon. we will inherit the government's spending plans. i will be candid — there are in those plans tax rises. i mean, the personal allowance, the personal allowance we all get in terms of our income tax, that is set to be frozen for several years. but the lib dems are courting voters with spending pledges, including a multibillion—pound plan to plant 60 million trees a year. this is a capital investment over the next five years. you are right — it is a significant investment. but i believe this is hugely important for our environment. it will help the fight against climate change. the main parties are preparing to launch their manifestos this week. only then will we know how well their policies will connect with the voters. iain watson, bbc news. the wife of the missing tv presenter michael mosley says his family refuses to lose hope. efforts are continuing to find the 67—year—old on the greek island of symi, where he's been missing since wednesday. joe inwood has the latest. just a few hours working on the hills of symi is enough to leave you exhausted. two hours. two hours? that is why there is such concern that michael mosley may still be