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s america. s u.s. state department report criticizes israel's conduct in gaza but stopped short of recommending the u.s. holt weapon supplies. russian forces launch a surprise attack on ukrainian territory. in a bid to tackle immigration at the southern u.s. border, the biden administration introduces new rules to speed up certain deportations. ♪ welcome to world news america. we begin with breaking news. the u.s. has released a report to congress finding israel may have used american supplied weapons in breach of international humanitarian law

in some instances during the war in gaza. the document says the u.s. government does not have complete information to verify its assessment. it also says this by israel not fully cooperating with u.s. efforts to get humanitarian aid into gaza, it does not currently assess israel is prohibiting or restricting the transport of aid supplies. the report culminates a difficult week for u.s. israel relations. president biden saying the u.s. could suspend certain arms shipments to israel if it launches a full-scale invasion in rafa, a densely populated area where one million civilians are sheltering and in dire need of humanitarian assistance. for more on the report, let's go to our state department correspondent who is standing by for us. good to see you. let's -- tell us more about what the report says. >> this has been a long-awaited report by the state department. it was ordered by president

biden in february under increasing pressure over the allegations israel had breached international humanitarian law in gaza or the administration has missed its oh deadline by three days this -- has missed its own deadline. what the document says is it makes a reasonable assessment israel may have breached humanitarian law in some instances in gaza but it caveats that. it says it does not have complete information. it believes israel does have mechanisms to bring accountability to mediate all of these instances. the bottom line is this report is critical of israel's actions in gaza albeit in a broad and nonspecific way and fundamentally stops short of going to the full extent of the power the president has on this particular issue which is to withhold weapons shipments.

if the assessment is there is a clear case humanitarian law has been breached. it does not say there should be any further holding of u.s. weapons to israel coming in a week where the president confirmed one arms shipment has been halted to the israelis. >> what impact do you think this report has? >> i think it is significant there is criticism in this report given the nature of the u.s. israel relationship, given president biden says u.s. support for israel defense is ironclad. the pressure had become so great that we saw back in february the

president introduce this new mechanism under pressure from -- the fine is in there. that will be leapt upon by men rights organizations and those calling for more accountability over israel's actions. on the other hand, it does feel there is a softening around the edges, not wanting to come to a full conclusion. the state department would say this is a first of its kind process and they are still looking at the available information. they are looking at whether israel has done enough accountability and remediation in these cases. it will not be enough to satisfy some of the critics of israel's actions in gaza. >> our state department correspondent. thank you for that latest news. joining me now is u.s. diplomat and former special envoy for middle east humanitarian issues david satterfield. good to have you back on the program should i want to ask you

about what this report says that it is reasonable to assess u.s. supplied weapons have been used by the israeli military in instances inconsistent with its international humanitarian law obligations but it also says the u.s. government does not have complete information to verify this assessment. we heard from our correspondent this might be seen as a softening of a conclusion to what this report means. what do you think of that? >> there is no softening. this report is comprehensive. it is as was noted by your correspondent the first of its kind. we will keep under review under consideration is rarely actions as time goes by. the report frankly notes those areas where there were difficulties, obstructions in the delivery of assistance where question marks had been raised with respect to international humanitarian law.

report notes as it has two the context in this review took place. what information is available. what information cannot be confirmed. and the overall context of the conflict with a terrorist group deeply embedded in, under, around civilian and humanitarian infrastructure. this is a conflict quite unlike any the world has seen. we have tried to take account of all those factors in coming up with a very frank but also credible judgment. >> i follow up with a few questions. you say it is a comprehensive report but how can you become prince of if it says the u.s. does not have complete information to verify its findings? >> it is comprehensive in noting where we have information, where what we believe are credible allegations had been made even if they cannot be confirmed. we do not omit them.

it was included in the report. that is the comprehensive character. we cannot make up facts or confirmation of assertions where none exist but we are obliged to know them and we have. >> it also says it does not currently assess israel is riveting or restricting the transport of aid supplies. that is something we talked on the show but that does not line up with what we have heard from aid organizations on the ground including the u.n., unicef and other organizations have told us they are seeing aid shipments are not getting through and that is because israel has been restricting the flow. > we have made a judgment as the u.s. government based on the totality of the information available to us including information from u.n. and other humanitarian actors with direct knowledge of circumstances on the ground. the report makes reference to and is based upon those

assessments and we stand by it. >> ambassador, the agency responsible for palestinian refugees has said it only has three days of food left. i want to ask how that assessment lines up with the reality on the ground where aid is running short especially with the rafah crossing the enclosed? >> we are very much concerned about -- the situation in which for logistics reasons, for reasons related to the status of the road leading from corona shalom crossing up to rafah distribution points and warehouses. there of been difficulties moving aid in but there are significant difficulties in moving aid and fuel into gaza not because of is rarely actions but because of constraints imposed by other parties. >> how does the u.s. and sure

these rules are not violated again? >> we continue to monitor other humanitarian implementers on the ground on a continuing basis. we will continue to formulate a judgment based on the totality of that information, what is asserted, what we find credible, and what we can confirm. >> do you at this point think the netanyahu government is listening to and working with the u.s.? >> that is a question you should as to the government of industry -- of israel. >> we heard the president of the usa earlier this week he would suspend offensive arms shipments to israel if they carried forward with an offensive operation in rafa. which the israeli minister said they would go in regardless of what it takes and alone if need be. that raises the question, does this report stand up to that conflict? >> we will base what we do, the

president will base his decisions on what we see. not what we hear. >> we will have to leave it there but thank you again so much for joining us on bbc news. >> thank you. >> meanwhile, at the united nations in new york, the general assembly voted in favor of a palestinian bid to become a full u.n. member. in largely symbolic move, within 140 countries voted in support with nine voting against including the u.s. and israel. in heated debate the israeli ambassador called the vote a travesty producing a mini shredder into which he fed a pocket-sized u.n. charter. the mr.'s office said the vote is a prize for hamas the palestinian representative can fully take part in debates and propose agenda items. it still will not have voting rights. something only the un security council has the power to confer. following the council's vote, the palestinian president said the territory continue its endeavor to obtain full membership.

>> today you are about to grant privileges and rights to the future terror state of hamas. you have opened up the united nations to modern-day nazis. >> after having been confined in an observer status for 50 years now, we wish from all those who invoke the charter to abide by the right of the palestinian people to self-determination. >> moving on to another top story, russian forces have launched a surprise new ground offensive in ukraine crossing the border into the northeastern kharkiv region. for months fighting has been focused in the east where russia occupies large areas. today's attack may be an attempt to open a new front and intensify pressure on the country's second-largest city. it comes as president biden authorized more aid for ukraine.

small groups of russian troops with armored vehicles pushed through the front line. sources say they advanced a kilometer before being pushed back amid reports of sustained rushing shelling. here is president zelenskyy. >> russia started a new wave of offensive actions in the kharkiv region. ukraine forces met them there with brigades and artillery fire . it is important to understand they can increase and bring more forces in these directions. it is a fact. > our defense is in kharkiv with more analysis on the attacks. >> there is no doubt these are dangerous and difficult times for ukraine. remember since the start of this year, russia has taken about 300 square miles of ukrainian territory. the focus of its efforts have been in the east where it has been making slow but significant progress. at the same time, russia has

been messing forces, tens of thousands of troops across the border from here about 20 miles from the city of kharkiv where i'm speaking to you from. in the early hours of this morning, some of those troops crossed the border followed by what we are told from ukraine massive air and artillery strikes. and that they now have a foothold in the kharkiv region could president zelenskyy says they have repelled those initial attacks but there are concerns there will be another wave in the coming days. there is no doubt president putin believes he has a window of opportunity here not just because ukraine is outgunned and outmanned but also because of the delay in u.s. military support. a delay of six months and that aid is only slowly coming to the front lines. these are going to be difficult dangerous months for ukraine. already they are being stretched right across this 800 mile front.

>> note to donald trump's criminal trial in new york. his former white house assisting kicked off this week's final they of testimony she described a complex system to get mail including checks from trump tower to the white house where he allegedly signed checks without reviewing them. earlier this week the adult film actress stormy daniels testified clashing with mr. trump's defense team. trump's former lawyer and longtime fixer michael cohen is expected to take the stand on monday. with me is chief cbs election campaign bob costa who has been following the trial from day one. i want to start with stormy daniels testimony. that was the headline testimony this week. after listening to two days of her on the stand, where you think this leaves this case for the prosecution and the defense? >> we are at a moment in the case where the prosecution is going to call its key witness, michael cohen, the longtime lawyer who facilitated these

payments to make sure stormy daniels story ever came out in 2016. . he is the one everyone has been waiting for. the prosecution has been circling michael cohen for a long time filling in different parts of the story. sometimes almost tangential details about how checks were filed, how different papers are coursing through the organization but his testimony is going to matter about whether trump falsify business records or not. >> he has been talking a lot about this case. what you think we can expect from see michael cohen on the stand? >> i have covered him for many years. probably over a decade. this is someone who has a contentious relationship with former president trump but was once so close to trump was present. for all the behind-the-scenes discussions in 2015. he was a -- you will be a prism into what was going on though the judge did say to the prosecutors did not issue a gag order but was something similar. he said keep michael cohen quiet. tell him to stop talking publicly about this case.

he is a central witness because michael cohen has not entered the court, he could not be present for an actual gag order but he has been out there on social media talking about this case for a long time. he spoke at length with me about it last year. he says he is ready to testify. >> what about donald trump? you have been watching this trial closely. how has he been over these last few weeks in court? how have you seen him reacting to the testimony especially this week with stormy daniels on the stand? >> the judge has noted mr. trump as he sees it has been audibly cursing in the courtroom. that tells you a lot about his state of mind. talking to his allies, he is very frustrated. he does not like sitting there. he wants to be on the campaign trail. sometimes he will go through his papers. he will lean toward his lawyer and he will talk to them. this is someone who sees this as a political bird and even though he does not take it seriously on a legal level. >> has actually been a burden for him? we have seen him still fundraising off of these appearances and speaking to the media when he comes out of court

during recess's the end of the day. >> the trump campaign advisors tell me this is a hindrance on his time but there are democratic strategists who tell me behind the scenes they believe trump will pay a political cost for these issues being revived -- being revived. it will not help in certain parts of the country. may supporters of former ambassador nikki haley to hear about hush payments to an adult film actress while trump was married. all of these could hover over the character question. >> michael cohen's testimony and what comes out of that but what will you be looking for next week that would be perhaps decisive in this case? >> the one thing everyone wants to know. i have been standing outside the court. inside the court as well. whether trump decides to testify. i was at mar-a-lago a month ago and i said to former president trump are you going to testify. he said i'm happy to testify. i'm willing to do it. will trump's lawyers allow him to take the stand? it is a risk. it is a gamble.

trump might not see this just as a legal endeavor but as a political one and he might want to have his version of events, his statements out there as this case comes to a close. this is a criminal case. he would be under oath and have to tell the whole truth. >> it is going to be interesting to see if that happens. thank you so much. the biden administration announced a new immigration ruled this week that would allow officials to deport some migrants earlier in the asylum process. once the guidance passes public comment, immigration officers could deem migrants with criminal records or who would not otherwise fit asylum criteria ineligible earlier in the screening process. republican mark green who chairs the house homeland security committee meeting called the rule a quote on serious politically motivated attempt to address a significant problem the biden administration created. some in the by the budget administration are calling for tougher action.

in letter this week a group of house democrats called on the president to take executive action on immigration and border policy. immigration is said to be one of the most contentious issues in the run-up to the 2024 election. joining me now is one of the democrats who signed on that letter. congresswoman susan wild who represents pennsylvania. really good to have you on the show. i want to ask you about this new immigration rule we just talked about making it easier for officials to deport migrants ineligible for asylum. what do you think of this measure? >> it is a start but quite honestly, i don't think it addresses the main problem we have witches we need a complete system of making sure we are moving people across the southern border or returning them more quickly. it is a start but it leads right into what our letter was about, which is asking the president to take executive action. there are other things we think he needs to do.

>> other other things -- are you frustrated the president has not taken executive action? >> i will tell you, the president has assumed congress was going to do what it should have done and gotten something done. but has been every indication all year long. we had the senate working on a comprehensive immigration deal that was completely bipartisan. and it came over -- by the way, it certainly was not anything loose. it was probably harsher than many democrats would have been comfortable with but we would have voted for it. the house speaker said it was dead on arrival. the president is taking executive action because he is frustrated as am i and many of my colleagues we are not getting it done in congress which is where it belongs. did appropriate almost $20 billion in appropriations -- not in aid but in funding to make sure we are increasing border patrol, make sure we are

investing and increasing our devices that can detect illegal drugs and that kind of thing. apparently we are not going to figure out how to spend it so the president needs to do that. >> it was clear months ago that congress was not going to move forward with this bill as you mentioned. it was dead on arrival in the house peered since that time, we have not seen the president take the sweeping executive action that had been anticipated. why do you think he has not done so? >> i cannot get into his head. i will tell you a number of us have been working hard on alternative proposals in congress. i am part of a group of bipartisan members who crafted the nt act which is -- the dignity act which is bipartisan. it is another version of what the senate sent over but with much different proposals including something most of the gop very much wants and that is for people to be kept in their country until -- people applying

for asylum until there asylum is determined. we would build u.s. facilities to house those people but in their own country peered that is one thing -- their own country. that is one thing. greater border patrol presents this is another gop talking point. it requires e-verify for employers to verify -- >> i want to ask you about your letter you reference you sent with your colleagues. it says quote all of our constituents no matter our congressional district have felt the impacts of the current border situation. you represent a district in pennsylvania that is not at the border. it is in battleground state. is this somewhat about winning over voters in a state that is key to democrats and president biden in november? >> let me say this. i do believe the crisis at the southern border affects every state with you are a border state or not.

the people at the border come of the border have even more tremendous challenges than we do but i will tell you the fentanyl and opioid crisis is out of control chair that includes in my district as well as many others. a lot of that is coming from the southern border. every district is being affected. this is not a political issue. i'm tired of everyone just talking about it. let's get something done. that is why i keep coming back to the dignity act which has real live proposals that nobody is taking a look at. there is a big group of us pushing it forward. > i went to ask you before we went of time one question on the report we saw come out of the state department saying they may have been instances inconsistent with international humanitarian law by israel but there is not enough information to verify the assessment. what do you make of that? >> i would say if there is not enough information, i'm certainly not going to second-guess them at this point. is a memory of house foreign affairs, we will be getting a classified briefing and i would

be prepared to comment on that once we have had a briefing. >> thank you for joining us on bbc news. >> thank you. >> before we go, 25 years ago today, the bbc. news theme was born after introducing the world, the tune has gone viral on social media. ♪ you see this footage found on twitter of a dancer famously dancing in london's leicester square. here is the composer of the iconic tune explaining how he created it. >> i did it with the sound. this is the beat. sense of accuracy and reliability because it is a clock ticking. i added this, the baseline. gives a sense of strength and solidity and depth. i added more drums to enhance that. base jump, kick. and some hi hat.

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amna: good evening. i'm amna nawaz. geoff bennett is on assignment. on the "newshour" tonight, a

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