CHRIS MASON:
00:00:03
Thank you both. Chris Mason, BBC News Mr. President, the UK is expected to recognize a Palestinian state in the coming days as the killing in Gaza continues. It often seems that you're the only person that Israel will listen to. What more can you say to them to tell them to stop, and why is the UK's position on a Palestinian state, in your view, wrong? And, Prime Minister, what will the recognition of a Palestinian state actually achieve? Is it not just gesture politics to appease people in your own party? Thank you both. Well, Chris, let me just start with that because we discussed this, amongst other things. We had the best part of an hour, I think, upstairs earlier today just one to one going through a number of affairs, world affairs, in private. And we absolutely agree on the need for peace and a roadmap because the situation in Gaza is intolerable. The hostages have been held for a very, very long time, and they must be freed, and we need aid to get into Gaza at speed. And so it's within that context of a plan for peace, which we're working hard on-- which not only did we discuss this morning but our two teams have been working together on-- that the question of recognition needs to be seen. And so it's part of that overall package, which, hopefully, takes us from the appalling situation we're in now to the outcome of a safe and secure Israel, which we do not have, and a viable Palestinian state. Thank you. Well, simply, I want the hostages released now, right now, not one, two. We'll give you three more tomorrow, like it's been. But we're the ones that got all the hostages released. We got many, many. They came. Many came to the Oval Office, and I've heard stories like I've never thought even possible. There was no humanity, no anything. I said to them-- I said, was there any warmth shown during this stay, like they offered you a little extra meal, they gave you a little smile and they said, don't worry, you'll be OK? And every one of them said, not even a little bit. Amazing to think that during this stay, long stay, in some cases-- we had a man the other day, 451 days he was there. I always ask that question. And was there any warmth shown, just a little word of encouragement? And the answer is, every time, absolutely not. I'm shocked to hear it because in the worst cases, there's always somebody that comes through. We have to remember October 7, one of the worst, most violent days in the history of the world, not just there, the history of the world. And I got to see the tapes, and I wish I didn't see them, actually, but I got to see them. And I want an end. I want the hostages released. And I think it's going to be OK, but it has been a brutal period of time. But this has been going on for a long time. This is not something that's over the last year, two years, but this has been for decades and decades. But we want it to end. We have to have the hostages back immediately. That's what the people of Israel want. They want them back. And we want the fighting to stop, and it's going to stop. But a lot of bad things-- Hamas said that they're going to put the hostages up as bait. They're going to put the hostages in front of any attack, and that's pretty brutal. We haven't heard that one in a long time. So we have to remember that. So I have a disagreement with the prime minister on that score. One of our few disagreements, actually.
