hello, i'm christian fraser. you're watching the context on bbc news. the graves are now at the centre of conflicting claims between hamas and local aid workers on one side and the israel defense forces on the other. hamas claims some of the dead were executed, had their hands tied and were dumped in mass graves. the examination was carried out respectfully while maintaining the dignity of the deceased. bodies were examined which did not belong to israeli hostages, and they were returned to their place. we are horrified also - by the instruction of al nasser —— we are horrified also - by the destruction of al nasser medical complex and al shifa - medical complex and the reports of the discovery of mass graves in and around facilities. - and we call for independent, effective, transparent - investigations into the deaths.

the un's human rights chief says is "horrified" by the destruction at gaza's nasser and al—shifa hospitals — there are reports of bodies being pulled from mass graves with hands tied. what can we verify? we have a special report. also tonight, joe biden has signed a $61 billion support package for ukraine and with it has released a long list of kit that is now on its way to the front. also passing the president's desk, legislation that will ban tiktok or force its sale to an american buyer. the owner bytedance has today begun a legal challenge. and we will keep an eye on columbia university, where house speaker mikejohnson will address jewish students this hour and call on the president of the college to resign. good evening. volker turk, the un's human rights

chief has called for an independent investugation into the destruction at two of the main hospitals in gaza. palestinian officials say they have exhumed the bodies of almost 300 people at the al shifa and nasser hospitals. many of them buried in "mass graves" that were found within the medical complex. the israel defense forces described those reports as "baseless and unfounded". the bbc�*s fergal keane's has been investigating these reports. and a warning — you may find some of these scenes distressing. blasted into brokenness, a world of rubble and death. khan younis today, from above. and on the ground, and below the ground... ..the searching of the graves. forfour days, this woman has moved through the overpowering stench

of the mass graves at al nasser hospital. she is the mother of 21—year—old ahmed, who was killed injanuary. translation: i have been coming here all the time until now, - until i found the body of my son, my son ahmed, the cherished little boy, his mother's love. he lost his father when he was 12, and i raised him. the graves are now at the centre of conflicting claims between hamas and local aid workers on one side and the israel defense forces on the other. hamas claims some of the dead were executed, had their hands tied and were dumped in mass graves. the israelis describe these allegations as "baseless", saying they had opened existing graves to check for dead israeli hostages. the examination was carried out respectfully while maintaining the dignity of the deceased.

bodies were examined which did not belong to israeli hostages, and they were returned to their place. colleagues at bbc arabic and verify have confirmed the existence of graves at the hospitals before the idf began its operations at each. buried like this because staff couldn't reach cemeteries due to fighting in the area. today, the un human rights director for the palestinian territories told me there had to be an independent investigation to get to the truth. we still don't have evidence, we have information. and that information needs to be corroborated from different sources. that's exactly why we do need an independent international investigation. what we cannot allow in this current situation, where we have seen in gaza numerous grave human rights violations, many of them potentially war crimes,

and where we have raised alarm of potential atrocity crimes, that this becomes another blip. the intensity of violations have been massive. this woman retrieved her husband's body at nasser hospital, and was able to bury him with his relatives. his daughter is struggling to understand his absence. "he loved me," she says, "and used to buy things for me. "and he used to take me out." they will be searching and burying here for days. and all over gaza, the dying continues. fergal keane, bbc news, jerusalem. meanwhile, new satellite images are appearing of tented camps in southern gaza which are being prepared to receive people who are currently sheltering in and around rafah. the before and after pictures show rows of tents being set up to the west of khan younis. there's a similar scene

near rafah as well. according to israeli government sources, the defense ministry has procured 40,000 tents, each with a capacity for 10—12 people. the evacuation, expected to take roughly a month, marks the first stage of the proposed rafah offensive, according to a report from reuters. the idf is then expected to gradually move troops into rafah and target areas where it believes hamas leaders and operatives are hiding. we will get some respond to that in a second. let me show you pictures from new york. you will see that the un security council has reconvened its meetings, and i know humanitarian aid is top of the agenda tonight, so we will keep our eye on that, comment on those pictures we're getting from khan younis and the preparation being made free of further expansion of the conflict into rafah.

officers from the national crime agency say they have arrested three men here on suspicion of immigration offences. it follows the news yesterday five migrants died while trying to cross the channel to the uk. a seven—year—old girl was among the victims. they were loaded onto an overcrowded boat carrying more than 100 people. today, the home secretary went to lampedusa to see for himself the work that is being done to stop the smuggling gangs. en route, he sent this message. this is a global challenge, this is a global problem, and it demands global solutions. that is why, as well as the work we are doing in the uk, we are working with international partners to break the business model of these people smuggling gangs that are operating across the mediterranean, across europe and across the channel, and make sure we stop the boats. but concerns have been expressed in europe and within the un that the rwanda bill passed on monday breaches international law. they are calling on the uk government to reconsider its plan. among those who voted in favour

of it, the conservative mp for bournemouth east, tobias ellwood, who is here with us tonight. thank you very much for being with us. when you first came to the floor of the house, the question you asked of the house, the question you asked of the house, the question you asked of the net home secretary was, can you confirm that this bill, if received royal assent, will not breach international law, yes or no? so let me put that same question to you, yes or no? so let me put that same question to you. yes or no?— you, yes or no? good evening to you, and ou you, yes or no? good evening to you, and you just — you, yes or no? good evening to you, and you just heard james _ you, yes or no? good evening to you, and you just heard james cleverly - and you just heard james cleverly speaking, he was the person i posed the question to and his response was, it absolutely does conform to international law. and that's been a concern by many of us on the back benches throughout this entirety of the bill was up it obviously came up in the lords as well. it's been a protracted process, there's no doubt about it. a lot of other bits of scrutiny, tackling the wider migration challenges, the criminal gangs, working closer with the

french, and something james cleverly was stressing, this is a global challenge and therefore doing with a problem of that sort.— challenge and therefore doing with a problem of that sort. some would say that france is — problem of that sort. some would say that france is a _ problem of that sort. some would say that france is a safe _ problem of that sort. some would say that france is a safe country, - problem of that sort. some would say that france is a safe country, as - that france is a safe country, as are the countries that many of the people have passed through, but he is what the un high commissionerfor human rights said. i shifting responsibility... what do you make of that? the direction of _ what do you make of that? tie: direction of travel on how we should operate. 0n the practical measures, it still applies. operate. 0n the practical measures, it stillapplies. individual operate. 0n the practical measures, it still applies. individual case of having appeal process as well an individual minister or indeed attorney general will make a judgment on that post we signed a treaty in rwanda actually insisted

on the echr being applied to continue as well, there independent monitoring committee, so officers from the uk and rwanda officials will be having an oversight over the first couple of months to make sure it is complain and it doesn't work well, but i do stress that it's taken a lot of oxygen, it's been totemic in its way that it's dominated the news headlines. it's only one element of a wider package of measures that we need to focus on, and that i think is what everybody now wants to get back to, is the wider issues that we are facing here, but also the wider effort in tackling those gangs. you talked about france, and the fact it is a safe country can lead france don't look after these people, they will try and get across the channel. more asylum—seekers apply in france than in britain as well, so it shows... crosstalk

were you concerned, given we are giving 5 million to the french government, to see the pictures of the police at least not going into the police at least not going into the shallow waters of this but when it was clearly overcrowded? i the shallow waters of this but when it was clearly overcrowded ?- it was clearly overcrowded? i have not seen those _ it was clearly overcrowded? i have not seen those particular- it was clearly overcrowded? i have not seen those particular pictures. i did see some pictures from the bbc i did see some pictures from the bbc i think yesterday morning which did show the police acting in the way that they should do, preventing people from leaving the beach and other pictures showing that the french coastguard were doing their job as well, but clearly more needs to be done, and this is not going to go away, this is not going to be some utopian answer that we are going to be villas or draw this matter —— able to resolve this matter —— able to resolve this matter tub i stressed that unless we deal with the challenges at source, the poor governance, the poor security, and countries, whether it be somalia, libya, iraq, syria and afghanistan and you can add sudan to the list as well, a global effort is needed to provide support, prevent these countries from fragmenting, from falling apart and then individuals taking the toughest of

decisions of turning their back on the places they grew up in. i do want to talk _ the places they grew up in. i do want to talk defence _ the places they grew up in. i do want to talk defence with you, but i just do have one last question on this, since you were involved and you served in afghanistan. there were previous demands for this bill to include an exemption from removal for those afghan nationals who assisted british troops. in the end of that amendment was dropped. are you confident there is a robust legal pathway for those who risked their lives for us and serve alongside our troops? yes, andrew mitchell, the _ alongside our troops? yes, andrew mitchell, the deputy _ alongside our troops? yes, andrew mitchell, the deputy foreign - mitchell, the deputy foreign minister, answered this question very robustly. he was asked this for so why do we have to add this on just to confirm? the arab scheme already offers that avenue for those who have worked closely with the british armed forces you say, putting their lives in danger... you say, putting their lives in danger- - -_ you say, putting their lives in dancer... �* , ., _ danger... but it has been marred by chronic mismanagement _ danger... but it has been marred by chronic mismanagement and - danger... but it has been marred by chronic mismanagement and has - danger... but it has been marred by chronic mismanagement and has a l chronic mismanagement and has a significant backlog of applications, and some of us have told us they do live in fear of being taken off the

rwanda. we need to distinguish between those simply applying now to come to britain and those who did have a genuine connection with the british armed forces for some give and it has been a couple of years, many of the people that did have that genuine connection either have been looked after, but clearly there does need to be a process, but it does need to be a process, but it does raise a bigger question, which we don't have time for, the fact that we neglected afghanistan and a0 million people there are left behind and wonder with the international community is now doing, like greater support is not being provided. iliiuiliidi support is not being provided. which ma lead support is not being provided. which may lead to — support is not being provided. which may lead to more _ support is not being provided. which may lead to more migrants - support is not being provided. which may lead to more migrants trying to get here. let's move onto defence. i am sure you welcome the 2.5% of gdp, the spending lift to the prime minister announced on his way to germany, if defence of the realm is a key priority, as the defence ekka terry told us that it was, this morning, why is it take to 2030? ——

defence secretary? why not now to match the threat? it defence secretary? why not now to match the threat?— match the threat? it takes time to build things. _ match the threat? it takes time to build things, that's _ match the threat? it takes time to build things, that's the _ match the threat? it takes time to build things, that's the a - match the threat? it takes time to build things, that's the a direct - build things, that's the a direct answer to that. you need to understand, if you ask what the army once, they want more tax, more personnel, the navy would want more service fleet and the raf would want to have more aeroplanes. we need to understand what the threats are that are coming over the horizon. the prime minister made that really clear. this is a mindset change here. we are now recognising that the global threat picture is deteriorating, the world is more contested than in any time since 19a5, contested than in any time since i9a5, and as we face an increasingly difficult decade ahead, with adversaries pursuing competing agendas but also coming together, russia, china and iran, we have to recognise that our defence processor needs to change. how does it need to change? you take a stop check of what are the growing threats, the modern threats we face and then you

adjust your defence postures accordingly, but this is a clarion call, notjust for the defence industry to say, you need to move onto a war footing, but also to britain in general to recognise, this era of security we have enjoyed for the last three decades is over, and we have entered a bumpy era now. it needs to step forward as we've donein it needs to step forward as we've done in the past, we can only do that if we upgrade our defence posture and our hard power. it has taken a some _ posture and our hard power. it has taken a some time _ posture and our hard power. it has taken a some time to _ posture and our hard power. it has taken a some time to get - posture and our hard power. it has taken a some time to get there, i taken a some time to get there, though. since you mentioned to china, the us secretary of state is in beijing, he says he is no longer prepared to tolerate china's sale of weapon components, dual use products, chipped tooth russia and are helping vladimir putin modernise his armed factories —— ships to russia. are we doing any better? we are russia. are we doing any better? - are because we have just invested an awful lot of military hardware and equipment to ukraine, and it is worth putting out... find equipment to ukraine, and it is worth putting out... and stopping the use of dual-purpose - worth putting out... and stopping i the use of dual-purpose equipment,

the use of dual—purpose equipment, getting to russia, are we stepping that out, are we stopping that export of key components to russia that would have gone there before the war started? i that would have gone there before the war started?— the war started? i don't know, clearl , the war started? i don't know, clearly. the — the war started? i don't know, clearly, the details _ the war started? i don't know, clearly, the details for - the war started? i don't know, clearly, the details for that, i l clearly, the details for that, i just and legal stress that what the prime minister has also announced is the fact that ukraine is doing the fighting for us. putin is now the most powerful reader in europe, and he is on a mission to emulate his hero, stalin, to expand his influence in eastern europe and if we don't stop him in ukraine, he will advance further. i we don't stop him in ukraine, he will advance further.— will advance further. i get that, and we are _ will advance further. i get that, and we are spending _ will advance further. i get that, and we are spending a - will advance further. i get that, and we are spending a lot - will advance further. i get that, - and we are spending a lot of money on that, but the fact shows that while the uk exports to russia has fallen sharply, the uk exports to a range of soviet satellite states, they have gone up. in fact, they have risen at over 1100% to kyrgyzstan, exports of machinery and vehicles which can be exported onto russia, so we are spending a lot of money on the front end but we are

not doing an awful lot to stop him retooling and re—equipping his army. i have been not long ago and asked that very question, whether they are introducing some checks and balances to make sure that it is not cutting through and i hope we don't have any uk dual—purpose equipment that is actually heading that way. as you say, it would undermine our support for ukraine full tub russia is out gunning ukraine five to one from a miller sills and artillery perspective, i'm pleased the americans are now putting their money forward —— from and munitions and archly perspective is there is going to be an offensive and if they are able to have a success, it will have a knock on impact to european security and our economy here in the uk as well. that is the reason we are investing into .5%. it also requires us to have a small defence review to understand where we invest that money in, so it's wisely spent.

tobias elwood, gratefulfor your time this evening. thank you for coming on. time this evening. thank you for coming on— around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. let's look at some of the other stories making headlines today here in the uk. a teenager has been arrested and three injured after a reported stabbing incident at a south wales school forced the facility into lockdown. the school's governor has said that two of the injured were members of staff and the third was a pupil — the police have not given any updates on their condition. four people have been injured and several vehicles damaged after five runaway horses raced through london. the horses belonged to the houehold cavalry and are thought to have been spooked by building work and unseated their riders before racing through the streets of the capital. all animals were soon recovered and returned to base. the former dup leader jeffrey donaldson has appeared

in court over sexual offence charges under heavy police presence. it's the first time donaldson has appeared in court since his arrest in march. donaldson resigned as leader of the party and was suspended shortly after but remains an mp and denies all the allegations. as we arejust as we are just hearing from tobias ellwood their... after six months of delays in washington, the us senate approved the ukraine bill last night, and this afternoon it was signed into law by president biden. it releases $61 billion in funding for the war effort, a further $9 billion for humanitarian support. the first tranche of that support is already on its way. and as you can see, it is a pretty extensive list. the president was clear about what it all means for those serving on the front line. they were cheering as they watched the house vote in support for ukraine. it is not like they don't understand what we have done, it's not like they don't understand how critical this is for them.

we don't walk away from our allies, we stand with them. we don't let tyrants win, we oppose them. we don't merely watch global events unfold, we shape them. that is what it means to be the indispensable nation. the world's super power and the world's leading democracy. and there was good news from berlin today as well. the uk and german governments have pledged to support ukraine "for as long as it takes", after talks in berlin aimed at boosting europe's defence. rishi sunak and the german chancellor 0laf scholz agreed an industrial programme to develop new artillery systems. german companies have announce investments into the uk of more than £8 billion. well, that military aid can't come soon enough, if you are one of the troops defending the frontlines in ukraine. i'm joined by 0z katerji. he's a kyiv—based journalist who has just returned from the front and whose documentary on the battle of kyiv is about to premiere here in london. it is really good to have you with us. thank you for coming on the programme. tell me where you have

been and what you have seen on the front line. , ,., .,, front line. yes, so i was in the east of ukraine, _ front line. yes, so i was in the east of ukraine, towards - front line. yes, so i was in the east of ukraine, towards the l front line. yes, so i was in the i east of ukraine, towards the end front line. yes, so i was in the - east of ukraine, towards the end of march, really trying to find out what the situation was like, particularly with regards to ammunition. i was fortunate enough to be in embedded with a artillery crew somewhere in the eastern front. i won't give away the specific location for what i'm about to say. the situation therewith that was critical at the end of march. they had 90 shells for 90 artillery pieces across 20 km of front line and that was not 90 shells per day, or per week, that was 90 shells total of with nothing else expected total of with nothing else expected to arrive nothing having arrived for months. the position really was, can you hold your own positions? and he said very simple he, no, we cannot even do counter battery fire if the russians advance here, we have to retreat, because we don't have the ammunition to defend ourselves. so it was very bad at that point, so

this news cannot come soon enough for those men on the front line. trying to understand the dilemma, if you are in that position. they are instructed to hold the line, give 90 rounds left. how do you ration your rounds left. how do you ration your rounds in a situation like that when he who decides when to fire and how much of it to fire? this he who decides when to fire and how much of it to fire?— much of it to fire? this is what i was asking _ much of it to fire? this is what i was asking them, _ much of it to fire? this is what i was asking them, and _ much of it to fire? this is what i was asking them, and this - much of it to fire? this is what i was asking them, and this is, i published this in my article in foreign policy and they said very starkly, the only way of managing stabilise the front lines is through ukrainian lives, the bravery and sacrifice of those men is what held those lines and stopped the russians pushing forward in that particular area. and, look, this has had a real cost of these delays in congress, in ukrainian lives, that is the bottom line from all of this. jae line from all of this. joe biden said they _ line from all of this. joe biden said they were _ line from all of this. joe biden said they were cheering - line from all of this. joe biden said they were cheering in i said they were cheering in ukraine. i'm sure they were. i'm sure it's a

huge boost to morale. but we talked last night on the programme about the draft and i was making the point that you only come forward and offer to fight if you believe you've got a chance of surviving and making a difference. do you think that the two go together, the resupply of the ukrainians and the success or otherwise of that draft, of that mobilisation?— otherwise of that draft, of that mobilisation? ., ., �* mobilisation? yeah, look, i don't thinkthere's_ mobilisation? yeah, look, i don't think there's anything _ mobilisation? yeah, look, i don't think there's anything that - mobilisation? yeah, look, i don't| think there's anything that anyone in the west needs to concern them selves with with ukrainian will to fight. the bill to fight is there. it's as strong as it has been, but they have been taking a real battering recently because they have not had the ammunition to defend themselves. that's the worst possible situation they could be in. and the truth is, they are a smaller nation fighting against a much larger, much richer, much more powerfulfolk of the larger, much richer, much more powerful folk of the only way they could ever win this conflict or even stand a chance of not losing this conflict is with the support of allies large enough to take on the

economic and military might of a country like russia, and that has been a mixed success most of there has been wrote this difficulty kyiv has been wrote this difficulty kyiv has had in convincing allies of sending things —— there has been real difficult he. eibar systems, tanks, artillery, all of this stuff to donate took ages before it was finally released to ukraine and at certain points it's been far too late —— certain points it's been far too late -- himar certain points it's been far too late —— himar systems. as with this latest tranche of artillery shells. it has been months without artillery in ukraine. they heavily suffered as a result of it was severe defence ammunition, they have also suffered massively because they have not had the air defence ammunition to shoot down russian missiles. russia can afford to saturate the sky with cheap drones and missiles while ukraine only has a limited number of western patriots, anti—aircraft batteries to use. western patriots, anti-aircraft batteries to use.—

western patriots, anti-aircraft batteries to use. one of the things that's never— batteries to use. one of the things that's never really _ batteries to use. one of the things that's never really been _ batteries to use. one of the things that's never really been sorted i batteries to use. one of the things that's never really been sorted outi that's never really been sorted out here in the west is offensive weapons. the german chancellor talks today about, he is not prepared to send a longer range missile. how do they feel on the front lines about taking the fight to russia, at least hitting logistic bases across the border, briefly? i hitting logistic bases across the border, briefly?— hitting logistic bases across the border, briefly? i mean, look, the ukrainians— border, briefly? i mean, look, the ukrainians are _ border, briefly? i mean, look, the ukrainians are long _ border, briefly? i mean, look, the ukrainians are long beyond - border, briefly? i mean, look, the ukrainians are long beyond this i ukrainians are long beyond this question. this is a question for western capitals to worry about. the ukrainians will do what's necessary to win the war, and if that means fighting inside russia, then the 100%, they are going to fight inside russia at the time they need to. £31. russia at the time they need to. oz, i am very russia at the time they need to. oz, i am ve crateful russia at the time they need to. oz, i am very russia at the time they need to. oz, i am ve crateful for russia at the time they need to. (02, i am very -rateful for you russia at the time they need to. (02, i am very -rateful for you comin- i am very gratefulfor you coming on tonight. best of luck with the from your of your film which is about the invasion of kyiv, and we will continue to focus on ukraine through the programme tonight. the panel will be talking about these latest list of arms that have already been on its way to the front line. 0n the other side of the break we

will focus on the situation on university campuses around the united states. it's been a pretty feisty morning on those campuses. we will tell you all about it. hello. it has been another rather cold—feeling day for many parts of the uk. any sign of the temperatures lifting over the next few days? well, certainly notjust yet — staying chilly through thursday and friday. there will be some sunshine, but also some showers — some of those showers wintry over high ground in the north of the uk. a cold air mass enveloping the country right now, that cold air being drawn down from the north. also coming down from the north overnight, some areas of cloud, some bits and pieces of showery rain. i say rain, cold enough for some of the showers over high ground in scotland to be falling as snow. some snow mixing in above, say, 2—300 metres' elevation. it'll be cold enough for a frost as well, temperatures dropping perilously close to freezing, below freezing in some locations. so for thursday morning, quite a cold start. areas of cloud bringing some

showery rain across parts of england and wales, brightening up through the day across northern england. northern ireland and scotland, seeing sunny spells and showers — still some wintriness in those showers over high ground in scotland, and temperatures in a range between 8—13 celsius, so below par for this time of year. through thursday night and into friday, it looks like we'll see this weather system here just grazing the south of england and the channel islands, so that will bring some cloud, perhaps some showery rain here through the day. elsewhere, it is another sunny—spells—and—showers day. still some wintry showers in those showers over the hills and mountains of scotland, and those temperatures for most between 8—12 celsius. now, as we head into the start of the weekend, for most, it'll be a cold morning on saturday, it's another sunshine—and—showers day. but turn your eyes to the south — an area of thicker cloud and some outbreaks of rain pushing across the channel islands, into southern counties of england through saturday afternoon. with that, temperatures will start to lift a little — ia celsius in london.

and that is the story of the weekend weather, some slightly less cold air beginning to spill its way up from the south. certainly not going to be a heat wave, and it's certainly not going to be completely dry, because that slightly—less—cold air is being brought our way by this area of low pressure. looks like we will see some outbreaks of rain continuing on into sunday, particularly across england and wales. the chance of seeing something drier and brighter for northern ireland and scotland.

hello, i'm christian fraser. you're watching the context on bbc news. tiktok says it will challenge in court — a new law that could see it banned or sold in the united states. now for sport and for a full round up, from the bbc sport centre. hello from the bbc sport centre. a busy evening of football in the premier league to update you on first, with liverpool hoping to move back level on points with arsenal, who sit top of the table. they're at goodison park for the merseyside derby. that's one of four matches happening. everton i—0 liverpool, jarrad branthwaite with the goal. a crucial match forjurgen klopp's side, in the title race.