Israel pounds Gaza as UN Security Council calls for more aid

Israel's bombardment of the Gaza Strip continued late into the night on Friday, with reports of sustained air strikes and bombardments. Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates says that the impending famine in Gaza was the driving force behind its determination to secure the UN Security Council resolution on the conflict, which was finally adopted on Friday. The UAE's envoy, Lana Nusseibeh, told the BBC that the document was robust in setting up mechanisms to increase aid for trapped Palestinians, though she said a ceasefire -- not mentioned in the wording -- was also needed.

Also in the programme: We speak to former Egyptian diplomat about negotiations to reach a new truce; and we hear from a survivor from the 1972 Andes plane crash.

Joining Shaun Ley on the programme are: Hugh Lovatt, a senior policy fellow with the Middle East and North Africa Programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations, and Nataliya Vasilyeva, Middle East correspondent for The Telegraph.

Photo: Palestinians mourn their dead as Israel continues to strike on Gaza, Khan Yunis, December 22 2023 (Credits: HAITHAM IMAD/EPA)