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What would you do
if you were sailing on a ship far from loved ones and you didn't know when you'd be able to set foot on land again?
For the crew of the cargo ship, the Avantour,
the Covid pandemic made this nightmare scenario a reality.
What is happening?
to the people we love that are at home.
Hello, I'm Emma Vardy.
Welcome to the documentary from the BBC World Service.
In BBC OS Conversations, we bring people together to share their perspectives on global events.
The week began with a group of around 600 retired Israeli security officials calling for an end to the war in Gaza.
It ended with the Israeli cabinet approving plans for a major expansion of military operations.
The aim?
To defeat Hamas and return the hostages.
The decision has been criticised by foreign governments,
the United Nations and even the country's own military leadership.
And as we record this programme on Friday lunchtime here in London,
protesters in Israel have been taking to the streets to oppose the decision.
Israel launched its military assault on Gaza following the Hamas attack in October 2023,
in which some 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.