TheUnited Nations (UN)said on Wednesday it had “dispatched” about 90 trucks carrying aid intoGaza, as international pressure intensified over Israel’s renewed offensive and blockade of the war-ravagedPalestinianterritory.
The first aid distribution in Gaza since early March came asIsraeliprime ministerBenjamin Netanyahusaid he was open to a “temporary ceasefire”, but reaffirmed the military aimed to bring the entire territory under its control.
Three days after Israel announced it would allow in limited aid, the UN “collected around 90 truckloads of goods from the Kerem Shalom crossing and dispatched them into Gaza“, saidStéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN secretary generalAntónio Guterres, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The development came hours after Israeli troops fired what the military called “warning shots” near a delegation of foreign diplomats visiting theoccupied West Bank, triggering global condemnation.
In Gaza, theHamasgovernment media office reported the arrival of 87 aid trucks, which it said were allocated to international and local organisations to meet “urgent humanitarian needs”.
Netanyahu said it was necessary to “avoid a humanitarian crisis in order to preserve our freedom of operational action” in Gaza.
Palestinians have been scrambling for basic supplies after weeks of near-total isolation, with Israel’s blockade leading to critical food and medicine shortages.
Israel has meanwhile kept up its bombardment, with Gaza’s health ministry reporting Wednesday that the bodies of 82 people were taken to hospitals across the territory over the previous 24 hours.
More on this in a moment, but first here are some other key updates:
Two staff members of the Israeli embassy in Washington were fatally shot while leaving an event at a Jewish museum.The suspect yelling, “Free, free Palestine” after he was arrested, according to Washington police and federal authorities.
Netanyahu said Israeli forces had “probably” killed Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar, the younger brother of the former Hamas leader in Gaza,Yahya Sinwar.He said Israel has achieved “a lot” in its “clear and justified” goal of defeating Hamas, but he adds that “our work isn’t over yet”.
The Israeli leader said the entire of the Gaza Strip will be under Israeli security control by the end of its new offensive.Netanyahu said he is “prepared” to end the war “under clear conditions that ensure Israel’s security”, which would include the Palestinian territory being “completely disarmed” and Israel “making the most of the Trump plan”.
International criminal court (ICC) prosecutors have urged judges to reject a request by Israel to scrap arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former defence minister while the court reconsiders its jurisdiction over Gaza and the West Bank.In a 10-page written submission posted on the ICC website late Wednesday, prosecutors argue there is “no basis to withdraw or vacate” the pending warrants for Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant.
Ireland’s deputy premier has accused the Israeli government of “genocidal activity” in Gaza.Tánaiste Simon Harris said it was “clear” that Israel wants to remove Palestinians from the Gaza Strip as part of what he said was “a consistent pattern of war crimes”.
The UN secretary general condemned Israel’s firing at diplomats which he said was “unacceptable”.Countries including the Netherlands, Turkey, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Ireland and France all condemned the incident. The British, French and other European ministers summoned the Israeli ambassadors in their respective capitals to explain the “unacceptable” incident.
Here is the Guardian’s report on the fatal shooting nearWashington DC Jewish museumthat Irish deputy premierSimon Harriscommented on:
A suspect is in custody after shooting dead twoIsraeli embassystaff outside a Jewish museum in Washington on Wednesday night.
The gunman, named by police asElias Rodriguez, 30, ofChicago, approached a group of four people leaving an event at theCapital Jewish Museumand opened fire, killing a man and woman.
Metropolitan police chiefPamela Smithsaid the shooter had been pacing outside the museum, which is steps away from theFBI’s field office, before the shooting.
After killing the pair, he walked inside, where event security detained him. The suspect yelled: “Free, free Palestine,” after he was arrested, police said.
He was not on any security watchlists and there were no heightened security threats before the shooting, officials said. The firearm was retrieved as well, officials said.
The two victims of the shooting have been named asYaron LischinskyandSarah Milgrim. They were both Israeli embassy employees, and, according to the Israeli ambassador,Yechiel Leiter, they were a young couple who were about to become engaged.
“Yaron and Sarah were our friends and colleagues,” the embassy said on X. “They were in the prime of their lives. This evening, a terrorist shot and killed them as they exited an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in DC.”
TánaisteSimon Harrisalso condemned shots fired near anEUdelegation in theWest Bankon Wednesday. TwoIrishofficials were among those present when what theIsraelimilitary called “warning shots” were fired near delegates.
“This is an utterly, utterly inappropriate and indeed illegal action,” Ireland’s deputy premier said, adding:
Asked about the Israeli authorities’ explanation that shots were fired because diplomats had deviated from the agreed route, Harris said:
Harris also condemned the shooting of two Israeli embassy officials at an event at theCapital Jewish MuseuminWashington DCas a “vile antisemitic murder”.
He said a young woman from theIrish embassywas also at the event at the museum. Harris said:
Ireland’s deputy premier has accused theIsraeligovernment of “genocidal activity” inGaza, reports the PA news agency.
TánaisteSimon Harrissaid it was “clear” that Israel wants to removePalestiniansfrom theGaza Stripas part of what he said was “a consistent pattern of war crimes”.
He said the world had “not done enough” to put pressure on Israel to change course, and said he would look to draft a bill that would ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land.
Asked on Newstalk radio whether what was happening in Gaza was ethnic cleansing, Harris said:
The foreign affairs minister also said that the Israeli government’s “convoluted” scheme “to pretend” to provide the most basic level of aid to thousands of starving Palestinians was “despicable”. Harris said:
He said that a two-state solution seemed “further away than ever before” and that theEU-Israel association agreementshould be suspended as it is being reviewed.
TheUnited Nations (UN)said on Wednesday it had “dispatched” about 90 trucks carrying aid intoGaza, as international pressure intensified over Israel’s renewed offensive and blockade of the war-ravagedPalestinianterritory.
The first aid distribution in Gaza since early March came asIsraeliprime ministerBenjamin Netanyahusaid he was open to a “temporary ceasefire”, but reaffirmed the military aimed to bring the entire territory under its control.
Three days after Israel announced it would allow in limited aid, the UN “collected around 90 truckloads of goods from the Kerem Shalom crossing and dispatched them into Gaza“, saidStéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN secretary generalAntónio Guterres, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The development came hours after Israeli troops fired what the military called “warning shots” near a delegation of foreign diplomats visiting theoccupied West Bank, triggering global condemnation.
In Gaza, theHamasgovernment media office reported the arrival of 87 aid trucks, which it said were allocated to international and local organisations to meet “urgent humanitarian needs”.
Netanyahu said it was necessary to “avoid a humanitarian crisis in order to preserve our freedom of operational action” in Gaza.
Palestinians have been scrambling for basic supplies after weeks of near-total isolation, with Israel’s blockade leading to critical food and medicine shortages.
Israel has meanwhile kept up its bombardment, with Gaza’s health ministry reporting Wednesday that the bodies of 82 people were taken to hospitals across the territory over the previous 24 hours.
More on this in a moment, but first here are some other key updates:
Two staff members of the Israeli embassy in Washington were fatally shot while leaving an event at a Jewish museum.The suspect yelling, “Free, free Palestine” after he was arrested, according to Washington police and federal authorities.
Netanyahu said Israeli forces had “probably” killed Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar, the younger brother of the former Hamas leader in Gaza,Yahya Sinwar.He said Israel has achieved “a lot” in its “clear and justified” goal of defeating Hamas, but he adds that “our work isn’t over yet”.
The Israeli leader said the entire of the Gaza Strip will be under Israeli security control by the end of its new offensive.Netanyahu said he is “prepared” to end the war “under clear conditions that ensure Israel’s security”, which would include the Palestinian territory being “completely disarmed” and Israel “making the most of the Trump plan”.
International criminal court (ICC) prosecutors have urged judges to reject a request by Israel to scrap arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former defence minister while the court reconsiders its jurisdiction over Gaza and the West Bank.In a 10-page written submission posted on the ICC website late Wednesday, prosecutors argue there is “no basis to withdraw or vacate” the pending warrants for Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant.
Ireland’s deputy premier has accused the Israeli government of “genocidal activity” in Gaza.Tánaiste Simon Harris said it was “clear” that Israel wants to remove Palestinians from the Gaza Strip as part of what he said was “a consistent pattern of war crimes”.
The UN secretary general condemned Israel’s firing at diplomats which he said was “unacceptable”.Countries including the Netherlands, Turkey, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Ireland and France all condemned the incident. The British, French and other European ministers summoned the Israeli ambassadors in their respective capitals to explain the “unacceptable” incident.