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The White House says Israel will “take into account” US concerns about the planned Rafah offensive. Iran’s Permanent Mission to the UN has condemned the suspected Israeli airstrike on the embassy in Damascus. All developments in the live blog.
EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell has condemned the air strike in the Gaza Strip that killed seven employees of the aid organization World Central Kitchen. He praised the employees and urged an investigation, wrote the EU foreign policy chief on the X platform (formerly Twitter).
“Despite all calls to protect civilians and humanitarian workers, there are new innocent victims.” This shows that the UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire, unrestricted humanitarian access and increased protection of the civilian population must be implemented immediately, Borrell wrote.
With the resolution, which is binding under international law, the most powerful body in the United Nations also demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas at the end of March.
Following Israel’s announcement that it would close Arabic TV channel Al Jazeera in the country, the broadcaster rejected allegations of bias and condemned the decision. The TV network based in the Gulf emirate of Qatar described Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s allegations as “dangerous, ridiculous lies.” It was “inflammatory slander against the network,” it said. The latest Israeli measures are part of a series of “systematic Israeli attacks to silence Al Jazeera.”
Netanjayu had announced that Al Jazeera would be shut down quickly after a corresponding law was passed. Israel accuses the broadcaster of biased reporting.
The pro-Iranian group “Islamic Resistance in Iraq” has claimed responsibility for an attack on US troops in southeastern Syria. The militia said it had attacked the Al-Tanf military base near the Jordanian and Iraqi borders with drones last night.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights had previously reported that the base was attacked by a drone shot down by US troops. The US military did not initially comment.
The Al-Tanf base had been attacked several times in the past. The “Islamic Resistance in Iraq” is a kind of umbrella group for pro-Iranian militias in Iraq, which have been operating together under this general name since the terrorist acts of the militant Islamist Hamas in Israel on October 7th. This includes the Iranian-backed Kataib Hezbollah. It is one of the strongest militias in Iraq and is also calling for the withdrawal of US troops from the country.
After the suspected Israeli air strike on the Iranian embassy compound in Syria, China expressed sharp criticism. “China condemns the attack on the Iranian embassy in Syria,” said Chinese Foreign Office spokesman Wang Wenbin in Beijing. The security of diplomatic facilities must not be violated and Syria’s sovereignty and independence must be respected. China rejects any action that increases tensions, Wang said.
After the deaths of several employees of the aid organization World Central Kitchen in an air strike in the Gaza Strip, Poland has demanded clarification from Israel. The information about the death of a Polish citizen is being checked with great urgency, said a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry in Warsaw. “We have asked the Israeli embassy, security forces and the Israel Defense Forces for clarification.” So far, the information has been based on the aid organization itself and on media reports. “We know that the shelling took place in the north-central part of the Gaza Strip and that a Polish citizen is mentioned among the people who died.”
The Foreign Ministry had previously expressed its condolences to the family of the killed helper without officially confirming his death.
ARD-Correspondent Christian Limpert with details on the situation in the Middle East and the attack on employees of the aid organization World Central Kitchen.
After the suspected Israeli airstrike on an Iranian embassy building in Syria, Hezbollah emphasized that the attack would not be without consequences. The pro-Iranian militia in Lebanon said: “Surely this crime will not pass without the enemy experiencing punishment and revenge.” The Israeli enemy still believes that eliminating leaders can stop the people’s determined resistance, it said.
According to Tehran, two brigadier generals and five other members of the powerful Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) were killed in the air strike in the Syrian capital Damascus.
The pro-Iranian Hezbollah militia in Lebanon threatens Israel over the attack on the Iranian embassy in Damascus.
After the attack on the Iranian embassy in Syria, new threats come from Tehran. According to the semi-official Tasnim news agency, President Ebrahim Raissi says the attack in Damascus will not go unanswered. The Iranian Foreign Ministry and the Iranian ambassador to Syria had previously announced that reactions to the attack were to be expected. How this will happen remains unclear at first.
Iran blames Israel for the attack. An Israeli military spokesman declined to comment. Israel has repeatedly targeted Iranian military facilities in Syria. There has never been an attack on the extensive embassy complex in Damascus before.
Because of the attack, the Iranian foreign ministry summoned a diplomatic representative from the Swiss embassy. Foreign Minister Hussein Amirabdollahian announced this on X (formerly Twitter). The minister also wrote that the USA’s shared responsibility as a supporter of Israel was emphasized in the conversation. The minister did not provide any specific information about the content of the “important message” to Washington. The US does not have an embassy in Iran.
The US aid organization World Central Kitchen (WCK) has announced that it will temporarily stop its work in the Gaza Strip after several of its employees were killed in a suspected Israeli attack in the Palestinian territory. WCK will “suspend our activities in the region,” the organization said.
WCK has been involved in distributing aid in the Palestinian territory since the beginning of the war between Israel and the militant Islamist Hamas in the Gaza Strip. It is one of two aid organizations that deliver aid supplies by ship from Cyprus to the Gaza Strip and was also involved in the construction of a temporary pier there.
According to the aid organization World Central Kitchen (WCK), seven employees were killed in the attack in the Gaza Strip. In addition to helpers from Australia, Great Britain and Poland, a Palestinian employee and a person with US-Canadian citizenship were also killed, according to WCK. So far there has been talk of at least five deaths.
According to the aid organization, a convoy was hit even though the vehicles had a WCK logo and the planned trips were coordinated with the Israeli military. The aid organization describes the incident as “unforgivable”. The Israeli military previously spoke of a tragic event and announced a thorough investigation at the highest level.
According to the Japanese news agency Jiji, Japan is lifting the suspension of funding for the United Nations’ Palestinian relief agency UNRWA.
Israel will “take into account” US concerns about the planned Israeli offensive in the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip, according to the White House. The US side expressed its “concerns about various approaches in Rafah” during two hours of video calls, the White House said. “The Israeli side agreed to take these concerns into account” and to hold further discussions. Washington described the talks now being held, in which US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan also took part, as “constructive”. There could be personal meetings next week.
Following the suspected Israeli airstrike on the Iranian embassy in Syria, Iran’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations described the attack as a violation of the UN Charter, international law and the fundamental principle of the inviolability of diplomatic and consular institutions. The attack poses a significant threat to peace and security in the region. The Permanent Mission of Iran is also calling on the UN Security Council to condemn the attack.
Israel has long criticized Al Jazeera’s reporting. After a parliamentary decision, action can now be taken against the TV station. Three ships carrying aid supplies are anchored off the coast of the Gaza Strip. All developments can be read in the live blog.