Israel, Gaza and the ceasefire

From Our Own Correspondent

BBC

News, News Commentary

4.4 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 25 January 2025

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Kate Adie present stories from Israel and Gaza, Syria, Denmark, Spain and Poland.

After a faltering start, the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect last Sunday. Fergal Keane has been reporting on the conflict from the outset and was on Israel's border with Gaza last weekend – here he reflects on the human cost of the war and what the future might hold.

Syrians have been embracing their new found freedoms since the fall of Bashar Al-Assad’s regime last year. But, at the same time, the scale of Assad’s intelligence and surveillance operation is now coming to light. Lina Sinjab retraces her own experiences of being arrested by Syria’s secret police.

We visit the Danish town of Kalundborg – the main manufacturing centre for the weight loss drug Wegovy. Bob Howard paid a visit to find out more about life in a modern-day boom town

Climate change is posing a major challenge for wine producers across the world. Sophie Eastaugh travelled to Catalonia to find out how one of Spain’s oldest family-run wine companies is looking to the past for answers.

80 years ago, Soviet troops liberated Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi extermination camp. Events are being held this week to remember the 1.1m people, mainly Jews, who were murdered there. Amie Liebowitz, a descendant of two women held at the camp, reflects on a recent visit there.

Series Producer: Serena Tarling Editor: Richard Fenton Smith Production Coordinators: Katie Morrison & Sophie HIll

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, Podcasts.
0:04.9	Hello. Today, the scale of former President Assad's surveillance operation has recently come into focus in Syria.
0:12.9	Our correspondent returns to the prison where she was herself once interrogated.
0:18.6	In Denmark, a small town has undergone a radical transformation, thanks to the global
0:23.9	boom in weight-loss drugs.
0:26.6	We're in Spain, where the hunt for lost grape varieties has led to the rediscovery of a seemingly
0:32.7	climate-proof vine.
0:34.9	And finally, Monday marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.
0:41.7	We hear of the deep personal connections for modern-day visitors.
0:46.6	But first, after a faltering start, the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect last Sunday,
0:53.7	with three female Israeli hostages Israel and Hamas came into effect last Sunday, with three female Israeli
0:56.1	hostages released by Hamas after being held for 15 months.
1:01.7	In return, 90 Palestinians were released from Israeli jails.
1:07.0	This first phase of the ceasefire lasting six weeks should see 30 more Israeli hostages released
1:13.9	in exchange for around 1900 Palestinian prisoners and detainees from Gaza.
1:21.3	Fergal Keene has been reporting on the conflict from the outset
1:24.8	and was at the border between Israel and Gaza when the ceasefire came
1:29.5	into effect. Here he reflects on the human cost of the war. I am writing late at night here,
1:37.5	still absorbing the news of the death of a friend and inspiration. Michael Longley was 85, one of the
1:44.0	greatest poets of his generation, a winner of many
1:46.7	prizes and a voice for tolerance throughout a brutal war of identity on the island of Ireland. And he was
1:53.6	my friend. Wherever I travel, I carry a volume of Michael's work. Here in Jerusalem, after another week,
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.