Laura continues to ask Dowden about the government receiving legal advice about Israel in relation to humanitarian law, citing comments from prominent Tory MP Alicia Kearns.

"We have concerns which we have raised with Israel," Dowden says as he continues to say he will not publish legal advice as it is based on a precedent set by previous governments.

"Israel has engaged with these issues," Dowden adds as he details out the deaths of seven aid workers last Monday and getting more aid into Gaza.

Laura's next question to Dowden is if he believes Israel is acting within the law.

He replies by saying that Israel is conducting a legitimate campaign.

We're required by law to periodically review compliance with arms export controls, the deputy prime minister says, before adding that happens to all nations.

The foreign secretary takes advice and advises the business secretary, and the foreign secretary's advice has not changed, Dowden adds.

First up in this morning's political interviews we hear from deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden. Laura begins by asking Dowden if Israel is acting within humanitarian law.

He reiterates the government line that it is not publishing advice, but he explains Israel was "subject to the most appalling attack" six months ago.

"Israel is still facing this existential threat from Hamas," Dowden adds.

"Of course in the conduct of this war we are holding Israel to high standards.

"We are engaging with Israel on a number of issues - making sure they are not targeting aid workers.

"Secondly we need to get more aid into Gaza. The people of Gaza have suffered enough from Hamas and now this," Dowden says.

Laura starts off by asking Former Cabinet Secretary Lord Mark Sedwill about the security situation we are facing across the world. He says he thinks we are in the most dangerous period since the end of the Cold War.

She asks Baroness Valerie Amos about the situation in Gaza and whether our leaders are near to grappling it. It is one the “major challenges” we are facing, Amos says. She says she thinks the global leadership we are seeing right now “doesn’t really feel as if it is up to tackling” the crises the world is facing.

Laura asks comedian Ruby Wax, as a citizen watching the news day after day, if she finds it overwhelming.

She says she thinks a lot of people find it overwhelming, and refers to the “flashing horror constantly” on our televisions.

The programme starts off with the newspaper headlines.

Many of Sunday’s front pages are dedicated to the war in Gaza, six months after the start of the conflict.

Writing for the Sunday Times, Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron describes it as a "grim milestone" and says it's important to remember the attacks by Hamas on Israel which started it.

The Observer says the Royal Navy has been "ordered into action" amid warnings that people trapped in the territory are "on the brink of famine".

While, the Sunday Telegraph says two former ministers James Heappey and Ben Wallace - have delivered a "stark wake up call" to the government by warning the UK is "failing to prepare for war".

• You can read a full paper review here

And we’re live - Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg is now on air on BBC One, the BBC News Channel and BBC iPlayer.

You can press Play above to watch the show. And we’ll bring you live text updates, clips, reaction and analysis right here on this page.

Image source, EPA

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is also in the news this morning. He says the UK continues to stand by Israel's right to defend its security six months on from the start of the Israel-Gaza war.

But, the prime minister has said the nation remains "appalled" by the deaths of three British aid workers in an Israeli Defense Forces(IDF) strike this week.

He has repeated calls for a "humanitarian pause" to allow more aid into Gaza.

Separately, the UK has announced a Royal Navy ship is to be deployed to the region to help deliver aid.

The Foreign Office has pledged £9.7m for aid, equipment and expertise to help an international effort to establish a maritime aid corridor between Cyprus and Gaza.

Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron has warned that the UK's backing of Israel's right to self defence is "not unconditional".

He wrote in the Sunday Times, external that "we expect such a proud and successful democracy to abide by international humanitarian law, even when challenged in this way".

• You can read more here about what the prime minister has said

Image source, EPA

Nato's Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has been speaking to Laura Kuenssberg this week and warns that an "alliance of authoritarian powers" is working more closely together against Western democracies. Stoltenberg says Russia, Iran, China and North Korea are increasingly aligned.

Last week he also spoke at a ceremony marking the alliance's 75th anniversary. While the US provided Europe with security, he said it also needed the militaries, intelligence and diplomatic leverage of its European allies.

Also on the programme this week is the deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, who we’re expecting to be quizzed about a wide range of issues that could include growing pressure over UK arms sales to Israel, as well as Russia’s war with Ukraine and upcoming local elections.

Labour’s shadow foreign secretary David Lammy will also be speaking to Laura today. He is also likely to be asked about international security and what this year's elections mean for his party.

Image source, Reuters

Also making the headlines over the weekend is the former prime minister Boris Johnson, who has said he believes it is "shameful" to call for the UK to end arms sales to Israel.

Three Britons were among the seven aid workers killed in air strikes in Gaza, which were carried out by Israel's army on Monday.

The strikes have led the Lib Dems, SNP and some Labour and Conservative MPs to urge the UK to reassess how it supports Israel.

The Foreign Office has said it keeps advice on Israel's adherence to the law under review, and adds that this is confidential.

Writing in his Daily Mail column, Johnson has said it would be "insane" for the UK to end military support, which he says would be "willing the military defeat of Israel and the victory of Hamas".

Johnson, a former foreign secretary, wrote: "Remember that in order to win this conflict, Hamas only has to survive. All they need at the end is to hang on, rebuild, and go again."

More than 600 lawyers, including former Supreme Court justices, this week wrote to the government saying weapon exports to Israel must end because the UK risks breaking international law over a "plausible risk of genocide" in Gaza. Israel has rejected the claim of genocide as "wholly unfounded".

Read more on this story here.

Thomas Mackintosh
Live reporter

Image source, EPA

The corridors of Westminster have been much quieter than usual this week due to Parliament being in recess.

It resumes on Monday, but let’s have a look at some of the political stories which have made headlines in the last few days:

• Throughout the week there has been global condemnation after an air strike in Gaza, carried out by the Israeli army, killed seven aid workers – including three British nationals
• The UK has echoed calls by the charity World Central Kitchen for an independent inquiry into an Israeli airstrike on a convoy of aid vehicles
• Two senior Israeli military officers have been sacked, after Israel's own investigation blamed errors, failings and violations of procedure for the deaths
• The UK government has come under growing pressure to suspend arms sales to Israel following the deaths of the aid workers. More than 600 lawyers, including former Supreme Court justices, signed a letter arguing ministers risk breaching international law by continuing to allow the exports
• Elsewhere, away from the Middle East conflict, senior Tory MP William Wragg has told the Times that about a year ago he gave personal phone numbers for a number of other politicians to someone he'd met on a dating app
• Another Conservative MP Luke Evans has revealed he is one of the men to have been sent unsolicited explicit messages in a suspected honeytrap plot targeting Westminster
• Finally, Lord Cameron has spoken in Brussels at a Nato meeting where he and other leaders discussed how best they can help Ukraine with its ongoing war against Russia - the foreign secretary has ruled out Western troops on the ground in Ukraine

As always, you’ll be able to watch Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg live at 09:00 BST without leaving this page - just hit Play at the top.

If you’re on your phone and can’t see the button, simply refresh your feed and it should appear.

The programme will also be available on BBC One and iPlayer - and we’ll bring you live updates, clips, reaction and analysis right here.

Stay tuned.

Image source, Pool

As usual, we’ll have a panel of guests joining Laura in the studio to discuss this morning’s interviews and political news.

We’ll be hearing from:

• Former Cabinet Secretary Lord Mark Sedwill, who was the UK's top civil servant during the first part of the Covid-19 pandemic. He was replaced in the role by Simon Case in September 2020, amid tensions between him and senior members of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson's team
• Baroness Valerie Amos, who is a former Labour cabinet minister and UN under-secretary. In 2022 Baroness Amos became a member of the Order of the Garter, which is the most senior royal order of chivalry. She was the first black “knight or lady companion” member of the order since its foundation in 1348
• Comedian and broadcaster Ruby Wax will also be on the panel. In 2015 she was awarded an OBE for her services to mental health

Jack Burgess
Live reporter

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of today’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme.

Parliament has been on Easter recess so it’s been a quiet week in Westminster.

But there’s been plenty of news elsewhere, and it is likely our guests will be discussing events in eastern Europe, upcoming local elections here in the UK, as well as the Middle East.

This week’s political interviews are with the Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, Labour's shadow foreign secretary David Lammy and we’re also expecting to hear from Nato's chief Jens Stoltenberg.

The show kicks off at 09:00 BST, so stick with us here for regular updates, reaction and analysis.

Meanwhile, today marks six months since Hamas’s murderous attacks on Israel that has sparked a devastating war in Gaza.

For our coverage of the conflict and the events commemorating it, you can head to our live page here.