Israeli ministers clash over hostage deal

Ministers in Israel’s government are divided over a possible ceasefire deal with Hamas, which could see the return of Israeli hostages held in Gaza. Benny Gantz, a member of the war cabinet, said the government would have no right to exist if it prevented a deal, but far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich said a ceasefire would amount to a humiliating surrender.

Also on the programme: As South Africa marks 30 years since the end of apartheid, voters ask whether the ANC can still deliver on the promise of freedom and democracy; and Iranian authorities clamp down on the Egyptian hit TV series Assassins.

(Picture: Benny Gantz at a march by supporters of hostages in Gaza near Beit Shemesh, Israel, March 1, 2024 Credit: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun)