Several metres deep. In the north of the territory, the un says a convoy of its staff carrying out polio vaccinations was held at gunpoint for eight hours by the israeli army on monday. The staff have now been released, but the un says it's not sure whether it can continue the vaccination campaign as planned. Meanwhile, syria says at least 18 people have been killed and dozens injured in a series of israeli air strikes. Syrian state media says multiple sites were targeted including scientific research centres. Monitoring organisations say that one of the sites, in the city of masyaf, was housing proiranian weapons experts. Iran rejected reports that iranian sites were hit. Israel says it will not comment on reports of the strikes. Israel has previously acknowledged carrying out hundreds of strikes in recent years on targets in syria that it says are linked to iran. Joining me is frank lowenstein, who served as united states special envoy for middle east peace under president barack obama. We are getting news of this attack on the camp at al mawasi and the idf saying it targeted and the idf saying it targeted a hamas control centre using precision weaponry, but given that people on the ground are reporting 20 tents were hit, thatis reporting 20 tents were hit, that is a massacre. Can that be described as a targeted strike, or what do you think the strategy is? i or what do you think the strategy is? or what do you think the strategy is? i think it really underscores _ strategy is? i think it really underscores the _ strategy is? i think it really underscores the bottom. Strategy is? i think it reallyl underscores the bottom line strategy is? i think it really. Underscores the bottom line is that there are no safe areas in gaza. There is no place where civilians can go not be at risk of being killed by israeli air strikes. It's hard to know without knowing the details how targeted the strike was and it is clear that hamas had been using civilians in human shields when they have an opportunity. There is no end in sight to this and we are far away from a ceasefire. It seems neither side really wants one, so the us is in a very difficult position here. What is our difficult position here. What is your reading _ difficult position here. What is your reading of _ difficult position here. What is your reading of where difficult position here. What is your reading of where things should go next? to your point, we keep hearing from the biden administration that a deal is imminent which is not what we are hearing from minister netanyahu. I are hearing from minister netanyahu. are hearing from minister netanyahu. Are hearing from minister netan ahu. . * ~.. netanyahu. I don't think a deal is imminent netanyahu. I don't think a deal is imminent right _ netanyahu. I don't think a deal is imminent right now netanyahu. I don't think a deal is imminent right now and netanyahu. I don't think a deal is imminent right now and i is imminent right now and i think if you listen carefully you will see the white house is walking that back a bit. Hamas came out with a new set of demands with respect to the prisoners they wanted to have released which will not be acceptable to the israelis and benjamin netanyahu came out with a hard line that hamas will not accept. So it seems to me that the issues are small enough to be resolved if both parties want to and it really feels like neither side wants a deal. And when the united states wants it more than either of the parties that had this experience as secretary kerry did in 2014, there is no way to get them there or leveraged hamas and we are not willing to put the pressure on israel to make the kind of succession is concessions necessary. We are in a bit of an impasse at the moment. When ou sa an impasse at the moment. When you say the _ an impasse at the moment. When you say the west _ an impasse at the moment. When you say the west is _ an impasse at the moment. When you say the west is not _ an impasse at the moment. When you say the west is not ready you say the west is not ready to do that kind of pressure, would it get to a point where you think it would be ready for that level of pressure? i really don't think so. Not during the presidential campaign. Even now the white house is reluctant to put any responsibility for the failure of the ceasefire on netanyahu and that's a reflection of the fact that this is a very delicate time politically in the us, so i wouldn't expect any pressure on the israelis, during the election. You would not anticipate _ during the election. You would not anticipate any _ during the election. You would not anticipate any change during the election. You would not anticipate any change to i not anticipate any change to the arms policy or restrictions being attached which some people in the us have called for. * ,... people in the us have called for. *,... , for. There's a lot of people callin: for. There's a lot of people calling for _ for. There's a lot of people calling for that _ for. There's a lot of people calling for that and for. There's a lot of people calling for that and i for. There's a lot of people calling for that and i just i calling for that and i just don't think the biden administration will seriously consider that val, not before the election and i'd be surprised if they want to do anything to put pressure on the israelis for the rest of the term of president biden. He cares an enormous amount as a matter of his legacy is being seen as a great supporter of israel and i do not think he will do anything to undermine that. ~. V. Will do anything to undermine that. ~. *,... that. What's that mean for the eo le that. What's that mean for the peeple who that. What's that mean for the peeple who are _ that. What's that mean for the people who are living that. What's that mean for the people who are living in that. What's that mean for the people who are living in gaza, | people who are living in gaza, the innocent civilians in a dire humanitarian situation? we saw the polio vaccine pauses which have been going so well come to a halt with the un team being held at gunpoint, they said and they don't know if they will be able to continue with the vaccine campaign, said the ceasefire talks are going anywhere and the us is not prepared to do more, what does it mean for those folks? the? it mean for those folks? they are in an _ it mean for those folks? they are in an impossible it mean for those folks? iie: are in an impossible situation and it is heartbreaking for the hostages on the civilians in gaza who are stuck in the middle of a very stubborn israeli leader and very stubborn hamas leader. Hamas doesn't care about civilian casualties in gaza and netanyahu doesn't care about the hostages so you have 2 million civilians caught in the middle of this terrible situation and there doesn't look like there is any easy way out. Is look like there is any easy way out.. look like there is any easy way out.. ,.. out. Is there anything at all the international _ out. Is there anything at all| the international community out. Is there anything at all the international community can do, as you see it? the the international community can do, as you see it? do, as you see it? the one wild card is an _ do, as you see it? the one wild card is iran. If do, as you see it? the one wild card is iran. If iran _ do, as you see it? the one wild card is iran. If iran were do, as you see it? the one wild card is iran. If iran were to card is iran. If iran were to put a lot of pressure on hamas, that could have an impact on the calculus of sinwar but when the calculus of sinwar but when the israelis are attacking uranian sites in syria it suggest where heading in the opposite direction and towards a regional war and that is yet another reason why we are working so hard to achieve a ceasefire. Working so hard to achieve a ceasefire ceasefire. And that is something _ ceasefire. And that is something that ceasefire. And that is something that president ceasefire. And that is _ something that president biden and his officials have been very eager to avoid since october the 7th, so is there anything else that can be done in that direction to try and take away the risk of that? i think the hope is that perhaps macro his brother don't want a big war here and iran have done the same. And so maybe there is a change in the dynamic that will bring in a new government that isn't quite so intense and intent on causing more wars. Netanyahu i think would like to fight a warforever netanyahu i think would like to fight a war forever because it's good for his politics or if there was a change in the israeli leadership you might find a different way, but if the government continues to pray in lebanon with elders trying to pray up there and light a match on the war, the situation could get a lot worse before it has a chance of getting better. before it has a chance of getting better. Before it has a chance of caettin better. .. getting better. Some green food for thought _ getting better. Some green food for thought there. _ getting better. Some green food for thought there. Sorry getting better. Some green food for thought there. Sorry about i for thought there. Sorry about that some grim food. It's a reality of light. Frank lowenstein, thank you for joining us on bbc news. Ukraine's foreign ministry has expressed deep concern regarding the possible transfer of iranian ballistic missiles to russia. The ministry stressed to diplomatic officials in kyiv that the transfer could have devastating and irreparable consequences for bilateral relations. Iran has denied reports that such transfers have taken place, with a senior military commander calling them *psychological warfare'. I spoke about the reported missiles with retired brigadier general mark kimmitt, the former us assistant secretary of state for politicalmilitary affairs. I think the types of metals being sent can only be knocked down by american patriots and other advanced air defence system so the plea is for additional air defence assets because the russians have shown no scruples about using these ballistic missiles not only against military targets but against civilian targets as well and that's why zelensky wants to have these to protect his people and cities. Meanwhile, ukraine 5 surprise incursion into russia 5 kursk region last month may have boosted national morale, but in the past week, the kremlin has retaliated with a series of devastating missile attacks ? and the ukrainian army also finds itself on the back foot in key parts of the battlefield at home. In the east of the country, troops are digging in to hold onto the strategically important city of pokrovsk but the frontline of fighting is nowjust 8km away ? prompting thousands of civilians to flee. If it falls, russian forces will cut off one of the main supply routs in the region. 0ur reporter abdujalil abdurasulov has been filming with soldiers in the area and sent this exclusive report. 0n the battlefield, speed is crucial. These ukrainian soldiers have just received the coordinates of a possible russian target. The same type of gun american made m101 howitzer was used in world war ii. Eight years on, ukrainian gunners near a small frontline town in eastern ukraine, rely on it to push back russian forces. And over the past few weeks, attacks on dmitry*s unit have been relentless. The fighting is very intense. We fire up to 200 rounds a day. The enemy continues their attacks in small groups, sometimes up to 60 people. They're trying to break through our defence lines, so we provide cover to our infantry. This is the city that russian troops are trying to reach. Pokrovsk is a major transportation hub in eastern ukraine, essential to get supplies of food, weapons and soldiers to the front line. But the fighting now is just eight kilometres away. Pokrovsk is turning into another ghost town on the front line. Banks, shops and other businesses are closed and the sound of explosions is getting louder and louder each day. And this city is already within the range of russian artillery. About half of pokrovsk*s population has left since the war began. Those who still remain are being told to get out while they still can. 69yearold maria goncharenko heeds that advice and signs up for evacuation. She takes just one bag and her two kittens. Volunteers help her to get to an assembly point and aboard the bus. Trains no longer run here. We lived peacefully, worked until retirement. And look at what russians did to us. I curse putin. Do you know where you're going to?, i ask her. No, she replies, but the most important thing is to get out of this city. This tank unit has just returned from another mission to stop any attempts of a russian breakthrough. Today, this soldier says, it was very loud. They load ammunition to prepare for tomorrow's shift. Another day of trying to hold their positions on a front line where so much is at stake. Abduljalil abdurasulov, bbc news, pokrovsk. Around the world and across the uk. Let's look at some other stories making news mps will vote today on the government's plan to end winter fuel payments for all but the poorest pensioners. More than nine million pensioners will no longer be eligible for up to 300 this winter after ms reeves announced the introduction of meanstesting following labour's election win. The decision has been met with strong opposition by some labour mps and union leaders. Thousands of prisoners in england and wales are set to be released early from jail including 1,750 on tuesday. The government insists it's a temporary measure that's needed to free up space. Ministers say serious violent criminals, terrorists if and perpetrators of domestic abuse will not be released as part of the scheme. Some of the healthcare workers, patients and bereaved families affected by covid19 told an inquiry the nhs was creaking at the seams when the pandemic hit? and this undermined the care given to both coronavirus patients and those needing treatment for other conditions. You're live with bbc news. Republicans in the us house of representatives issued a sharply critical report on monday into the biden administration's handling of the us withdrawal from afghanistan, three years ago. Democrats called the report biased, noting that it was former president donald trump who negotiated the withdrawal. The report claims several failures including that administration chose to evacuate noncombatants far too late. It had too few personnel and supplies to carry out an effective evacuation. It created the conditions for terrorist groups such as the taliban to operate in. And the administration spread bad information as part of a coverup. And white house national security advisorjohn kirby says the report had falsehoods. This comes, of course, two years after their first report on this one says nothing new. We've already issued comment about the onesided partisan nature of this report, so i won't belabour that right now but i believe a brief rundown of actual facts is but i believe a brief rundown of actualfacts is important. Mr kirby says there was an evacuation plan in place and they did not think