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Germany denies accusations of aiding Gaza genocide

Germany and other Western nations have faced street protests, various legal cases, and accusations of hypocrisy from campaign groups who say Israel has killed too many Palestinian civilians in its six-month military assault…reports Asian Lite News

Germany denied accusations on Tuesday that it was aiding genocide in Gaza by selling Israel arms in a suit to the top U.N. court by Nicaragua reflecting mounting legal action in support of Palestinians.

Germany has been one of Israel’s staunchest allies since the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas militants and retaliatory offensive. It is one of its biggest arms suppliers, sending 326.5 million euros ($353.70 million) in military equipment and weapons in 2023, according to Economy Ministry data.

Germany and other Western nations have faced street protests, various legal cases, and accusations of hypocrisy from campaign groups who say Israel has killed too many Palestinian civilians in its six-month military assault.

But Tania von Uslar-Gleichen, legal adviser for the German Foreign Ministry, told the International Court of Justice judges that Nicaragua’s case was rushed, based on flimsy evidence and should be thrown out due to lack of jurisdiction.

German arms exports were scrutinised to ensure adherence to international law, she said.

“Germany is doing its utmost to live up to its responsibility vis-a-vis both the Israeli and the Palestinian people,” she added, with Germany the largest individual donor of humanitarian aid to Palestinians.

Von Uslar-Gleichen said Israel’s security was a priority for Germany because of the history of the Nazi decimation of Jews in the Holocaust. “Germany has learned from its past, a past that includes the responsibility for one of the most horrific crimes in human history, the Shoah,” she said, using the Hebrew word.

A lawyer for Germany, Christian Tams, told the court that since Oct. 7, 98% of arms exports to Israel were general equipment like vests, helmets and binoculars. And of four cases where war weapons exports were approved, he said, three concerned arms unsuitable for use in combat and were instead meant for use in training exercises.

On Monday, lawyers for Nicaragua had asked the ICJ, or World Court, to order Germany to halt arms sales to Israel and resume funding of U.N. Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA.

They argued Berlin has violated the 1948 Genocide Convention and international humanitarian law by continuing to supply Israel while aware there was a risk of genocide.

Israel says its war is against murderous Hamas militants, not Palestinian civilians, and that it is the victim of smear.

The Islamist group’s Oct. 7 attacks killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies. More than 33,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s Gaza offensive since then, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run enclave.

The ICJ is expected to issue provisional measures on Nicaragua’s case in weeks, but a final ruling could take years and the court has no power to enforce it.

In January, in response to an accusation from South Africa, the ICJ ruled that claims Israel violated some rights guaranteed under the genocide convention were plausible and called for a halt to halt any potential acts of genocide.

ALSO READ-Nicaragua-Germany Gaza case before ICJ

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FCA provides support to Palestinians receiving treatment in UAE

The Family Care Authority’s extensive services align with the UAE’s vision of aiding Palestinians….reports Asian Lite News

The Family Care Authority (FCA) provided its holistic family care, social, and psychological services to Palestinian patients and children flown over from Palestine with their families.

The efforts of the Family Care Authority in providing comprehensive services are based on the vision of the UAE in providing the necessary assistance to the Palestinian people, especially children and cancer patients who are hosted by the UAE to receive health care in the country. Through its services, the FCA seeks to positively impact the lives of injured children, young cancer patients, and their accompanying families by supporting them and alleviating their suffering.

HE Dr Bushra, Director General of the Family Care Authority, stated: “The children of Palestine hold a special place in our hearts, and we are privileged to extend a warm welcome to them and their families. Embracing them as our own, we are dedicated to supporting Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s initiative to provide medical care for Palestinian children and 1,000 cancer patients from the Gaza Strip. It is our responsibility to ensure that they feel at home here in Abu Dhabi as part of this noble cause. The Family Care Authority is fully committed to delivering a comprehensive range of family care services, encompassing social, psychological, and family counselling, to complement the medical care they receive.”

Her Excellency added: “We are dedicated to delivering exceptional care for children and their families in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Our comprehensive programs cater to both male and female children and adolescents, offering educational and therapeutic activities designed to enhance their skills. The Family Care Authority team comprises dedicated social workers, psychologists, and case managers who are fully equipped to offer comprehensive support to help them overcome the adverse effects of their traumatic experiences. We firmly believe in the profound healing impact of compassion, empathy, and solidarity, sentiments that we extend to our Palestinian brothers and sisters.”

ALSO READ: ‘Birds of Goodness’ delivers largest aid airdrop

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UAE supports ‘Amalthea Fund’ for Gaza with $15m

The fund was established to facilitate and coordinate the flow of aid arriving in Gaza, and ensure that aid is delivered as effectively as possible…reports Asian Lite News

Following the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE announced the allocation of US$15 million in support of the “Amalthea Fund,” which the Republic of Cyprus announced to support the maritime corridor initiative between Cyprus and the Gaza Strip.

The fund was established to facilitate and coordinate the flow of aid arriving in Gaza, and ensure that aid is delivered as effectively as possible.

The fund also aims to strengthen the capacity for the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, by providing flexible funding modalities for parties concerned with enhancing the humanitarian response to contribute to these endeavours.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) stressed in a statement that the UAE’s contribution to this fund stems from its commitment to address the worsening catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip through this multilateral cooperative approach, which achieved a historical precedent for helping the Palestinian people before the suspension of the maritime corridor between Cyprus and the Strip.

The Ministry underlined the importance of immediately mitigating the worsening catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Strip, and ensuring the immediate and widespread flow of aid, safely, unhindered, and sustainably delivered, through all available channels by land, air and sea.

The Ministry affirmed that within the historic commitment towards the brotherly Palestinian people, the UAE, under its wise leadership, continues to provide critical humanitarian aid and supplies to the Strip, and believes that the maritime corridor is part of a sustained effort to increase the urgent flow of aid and goods through all roads and mechanisms, while ensuring protection for relief workers.

ALSO READ: UAE aid plane lands in Al Arish with 4,000 Eid clothing

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Royal Navy deployed to deliver supplies to Gaza

The government said it will provide aid deliveries worth up to £9.7 million, equipment support to the corridor to maximise the levels of aid reaching those people who desperately need it…reports Asian Lite News

Amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, the government announced military and civilian support to set up a maritime aid corridor to Gaza, including the deployment of a navy ship to join the lifesaving mission in the Eastern Mediterranean.

In a press release, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said, “The UK Government is today announcing a package of military and civilian support to set up a maritime aid corridor to Gaza, including the deployment of a Royal Navy ship to join the life-saving mission in the Eastern Mediterranean.” “The ship, alongside new UK aid and British expertise, will support the establishment of an international humanitarian maritime corridor from Cyprus to Gaza, supported by many of our partner governments and the UN, and is expected to be operational in early May,” it added.

Apart from deploying navy ship, the government also committed to provide aid deliveries worth up to £9.7 million, equipment support to the corridor, like forklift trucks and storage units and expertise, to maximise the levels of aid reaching those people who desperately need it. In the press release, the government said that it is doing everything possible to get more aid into Gaza by air, land and sea. It further said that the Royal Air Force conducted five airdrops along the coastline of Gaza, safely delivering over 40 tonnes of food supplies, including water, flour and baby formula. The government said that it continues to call for an immediate humanitarian pause leading to a sustainable ceasefire as the fastest way to get hostages safely home.

According to the press release, land deliveries in Gaza will be scaled up with the opening of the Erez crossing, which the UK wants to see reopened permanently. In a press release, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said, “Supporting the Jordanian humanitarian land corridor from Amman into Gaza and in partnership with the World Food Programme, the UK’s largest delivery of aid crossed the border on 13 March which saw more than 2,000 tonnes of food aid being distributed on the ground to families in need.” Foreign Secretary David Cameron has called the situation in Gaza “dire” and the prospect of famine “real”. He said that UK remains committed to getting aid to those who desperately need it. “The situation in Gaza is dire and the prospect of famine is real. We remain committed to getting aid to those who so desperately need it. Along with the US, Cyprus and other partners, we are setting up a new temporary pier off the coast of Gaza to get aid in as quickly and securely as possible,” Cameron said in the release. He called land access crucial to delivering aid at the scale now required. He stated that the opening of Erez and the Port of Ashdod is hugely welcome and something the UK has long been calling for. Cameron noted that Israel has agreed to increase the number of aid trucks entering Gaza to a minimum of 500 a day. He further said, “We need to continue to explore all options, including by sea and air, to ease the desperate plight of some of the world’s most vulnerable people.” Meanwhile, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said, “A Royal Navy ship is now en-route to the Eastern Mediterranean to support international efforts to get life-saving aid to Gaza.” Shapps said armed forces are playing a central role in delivering aid, with the Royal Air Force conducting five airdrops of food supplies for the people of Gaza. He added, “We are now going further, working with international partners to set up a humanitarian maritime corridor from Cyprus to Gaza. A new temporary pier on the coast of Gaza will be critical to supporting these efforts, by hosting cargo ships to deliver aid by sea.” Meanwhile, the United Nations humanitarian aid chief called the war in Gaza a “betrayal of humanity” as the war between Israel and Hamas is reaching its six-month mark, CNN reported.

In a statement shared on X, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Martin Griffiths, marked the “terrible milestone.” He stated, “Rarely has there been such global outrage at the toll of conflict, with seemingly so little done to end it and instead so much impunity.” He said a moment of remembrance and mourning is “not enough,” and instead urged for a “reckoning” as the people of Gaza face “death, devastation and now the immediate prospect of a shameful man-made famine,” according to CNN report. He expressed grave concerns over the “already fragile” aid operation in Gaza, which is continually undermined by bombardments, insecurity and a lack of access, CNN reported. Griffiths said, “On this day, my heart goes out to the families of those killed, injured or taken hostage, and to those who face the particular suffering of not knowing the plight of their loved ones.” His statement comes after a week that saw the death toll in Gaza exceed 33,000 and an Israeli strike that killed seven World Central Kitchen humanitarian aid workers. The IDF termed the incident as a ‘grave mistake’.

ALSO READ-UAE delivered 4,630 tonnes of relief supplies to Gaza

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Birds of Goodness: 26th aid airdrop completed

air drop
Operation 'Birds of Goodness' representative image

The airdrop was carried out over inaccessible isolated areas in the northern Gaza Strip via four aircraft carrying 82 tonnes of food and relief aid…reports Asian Lite News

The Ministry of Defence’s Joint Operations Command has confirmed the successful conclusion of the 26th humanitarian and relief aid airdrop under the “Birds of Goodness” operation.

Two C17 aircraft belonging to the UAE Air Force and two C295 aircraft belonging to the Egyptian Air Force participated in the airdrop operation.

The airdrop was carried out over inaccessible isolated areas in the northern Gaza Strip via four aircraft carrying 82 tonnes of food and relief aid, bringing the total amount of aid airdrops to 1483 tonnes since the beginning of the operation.

The Birds of Goodness operation is part of “Operation Chivalrous Knight 3” to support Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.

ALSO READ :UAE delivered 4,630 tonnes of relief supplies to Gaza

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UAE delivered 4,630 tonnes of relief supplies to Gaza

UAE aid ship bound for Gaza arrives at Al Arish Port

The third aid ship had departed from the Port of Fujairah on 23rd March, carrying 4,218.3 tonnes of food supplies, 370.2 tonnes of shelter materials, and 41.6 tonnes of medical aid, in addition to six water tanks, two septic tanks, and one diesel storage tan….reports Asian Lite News

The UAE’s humanitarian support continues in the Gaza Strip for the affected Palestinian people. As part of Operation “Chivalrous Knight 3,” the third UAE aid ship arrived at the Port of Al Arish, carrying 4,630 tonnes of relief supplies. The shipment includes food and medical supplies, children’s formula, shelter materials, winter clothing, and other necessary items.

The ship was dispatched under the directives of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC), to support the people of Gaza and meet their needs.

Present during the ship’s arrival at the Port of Al Arish, Rashid Mubarak Al Mansouri, Secretary-General of ERC, affirmed that this humanitarian aid batch aims to boost the UAE’s humanitarian and relief efforts aimed at supporting the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, launched as part of Operation “Chivalrous Knight 3”.

Al Mansouri explained a thorough plan has been developed, in coordination with ERC teams in the Strip, to distribute the aid shipment to beneficiaries in the most affected areas, noting that the ERC is exerting tireless efforts to keep pace with the humanitarian challenges in Palestine, especially in terms of food and other necessary supplies.

The third aid ship had departed from the Port of Fujairah on 23rd March, carrying 4,218.3 tonnes of food supplies, 370.2 tonnes of shelter materials, and 41.6 tonnes of medical aid, in addition to six water tanks, two septic tanks, and one diesel storage tank.

The ship’s cargo was supplied by the Emirates Red Crescent, the Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation, and the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation.

The arrival of the third ship is a continuation of the UAE’s ongoing efforts to provide relief and humanitarian support to civilians in the Gaza Strip, as part of Operation “Chivalrous Knight 3”, to alleviate their suffering.

ALSO READ : UAE Lauds ICJ Measures on Gaza Aid

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‘Gaza war a betrayal of humanity’

The war began on October 7 with an unprecedented attack by Hamas militants resulting in the death of 1,170 people in southern Israel…reports Asian Lite News

Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza has escalated into a “betrayal of humanity,” the United Nations’ humanitarian chief said Saturday.

In a statement on the eve of the six-month anniversary of the war, Martin Griffiths, the outgoing under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief, called for a “collective determination that there be a reckoning for this betrayal of humanity.”

“Each day, this war claims more civilian victims,” said Griffiths, who will leave his post at the end of June due to health reasons.

“Every second that it continues sows the seeds of a future so deeply obscured by this relentless conflict.”

The war began on October 7 with an unprecedented attack by Hamas militants resulting in the death of 1,170 people in southern Israel, mostly civilians, Israeli figures show.

Palestinian militants also took around 250 Israeli and foreign hostages, about 130 of whom remain in Gaza, including more than 30 the army says are dead.

Vowing to destroy Hamas, Israel has relentlessly bombarded the territory by air, land and sea, killing at least 33,137 people, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.

Griffiths lamented “the unconscionable prospect of further escalation in Gaza, where no one is safe and there is nowhere safe to go.”

He added that “an already fragile aid operation continues to be undermined by bombardments, insecurity and denials of access.”

“On this day, my heart goes out to the families of those killed, injured or taken hostage, and to those who face the particular suffering of not knowing the plight of their loved ones,” he said in the statement.

Protests in Israel for Netanyahu’s removal

The anti-government protesters have once again stormed the streets in Israel, calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and demanding early elections in the country amid its ongoing war with Hamas.

The demonstrators took to the streets of Tel Aviv, Caesarea and Haifa on Saturday, according to CNN, where they called for the release of the hostages by waving Israeli flags and holding signs featuring their images.

“We are not afraid; you destroyed the country, and we will fix it. We want them (hostages) back alive and not in coffins,” the protesters in Tel Aviv were heard chanting, as per CNN.

Another banner called for the “division of religion and state,” and one stated that “Netanyahu is dangerous to Israel.”

Demonstrators in Haifa referred to the government as a failure, calling Netanyahu “guilty, guilty, guilty,” according to CNN.

“Elections now!” read another banner held by a protester.

Israelis have been expressing increasing dissatisfaction with Netanyahu’s management of the ongoing conflict, and the release of the hostages who have been held in Gaza since October 7.

In Tel Aviv, a protester was arrested for punching and injuring a police officer during an anti-government rally on Saturday, according to a statement from the Israeli Police.

The Israel Police also warned protesters not to light bonfires as demonstrators march through the streets, saying it can be “life-threatening” around the crowd.

“We will act with zero tolerance towards those who disrupt the order and behave violently towards police officers,” authorities said in a statement, according to CNN.

Earlier this week, tens of thousands of Israelis demonstrated in Jerusalem, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and more attempts to release captives held in Gaza.

After demonstrating in front of the Israeli parliament on Sunday night, where they lit fires and waved the flag, protesters closed a major municipal route.

They asserted that this was the largest demonstration since the start of the Gaza War in October. Protesters yelled Netanyahu “must go,” and police responded by using water cannons against the crowd, jostling and pushing them back.

The prime minister has been under increasing pressure as opponents of his right-wing government have united with the families of the roughly one hundred hostages that Hamas in Gaza still holds.

Months of demonstrations against Netanyahu over divisive judicial reforms had occurred even prior to Israel’s war on Gaza. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Sarwar joins calls for UK to halt arms sales to Israel

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Biden slams Netanyahu over Gaza

The White House would not specify what could change about policy, but it could include altering military sales to Israel and America’s diplomatic backup on the world stage…reports Asian Lite News

President Joe Biden issued a stark warning to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday that future U.S. support for Israel’s Gaza war depends on the swift implementation of new steps to protect civilians and aid workers.

Biden and Netanyahu ‘s roughly 30-minute call just days after Israeli airstrikes killed seven food aid workers in Gaza added a new layer of complication to the leaders’ increasingly strained relationship. Biden’s message marks a sharp change in his administration’s steadfast support for Israel’s war efforts, with the U.S. leader for the first time threatening to rethink his backing if Israel doesn’t change its tactics and allow much more humanitarian aid into Gaza.

The White House would not specify what could change about U.S. policy, but it could include altering military sales to Israel and America’s diplomatic backup on the world stage.

Netanyahu’s office said early Friday that his Security Cabinet has approved a series of “immediate steps” to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, including the reopening of a key crossing that was destroyed in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack.

Administration officials had said before that announcement that the U.S. would assess whether the Israeli moves go far enough.

Biden “made clear the need for Israel to announce and implement a series of specific, concrete, and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of aid workers,” the White House said in a statement following the leaders’ call. “He made clear that U.S. policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these steps.”

Biden also told Netanyahu that reaching an “immediate cease-fire” in exchange for the estimated 100 hostages that are still being held in Gaza was “essential” and urged Israel to reach such an accord “without delay,” according to the White House. Administration officials described the conversation as “direct” and “honest.”

Netanyahu’s office said the Erez crossing, which for years served as the only passenger terminal for people to move in and out of Gaza, would be temporarily reopened. It also said Israel would allow its Ashdod port to be used to process aid shipments bound for Gaza and allow increased Jordanian aid shipments through another land crossing. The announcement did not elaborate on quantities or types of items to be let in.

White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson welcomed the moves by Netanyahu, adding that the plan “must now be fully and rapidly implemented.”

“As the President said today on the call, U.S. policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these and other steps, including steps to protect innocent civilians and the safety of aid workers,” Watson said.

The leaders’ conversation comes as the World Central Kitchen, founded by restauranteur José Andrés to provide immediate food relief to disaster-stricken areas, called for an independent investigation into the Israeli strikes that killed seven of the group’s staff members, including an American citizen. The White House has said the U.S. has no plans to conduct its own investigation.

Separately, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters in Brussels that U.S. support would be curtailed if Israel doesn’t make significant adjustments to how it’s carrying out the war. “If we don’t see the changes that we need to see, there will be changes in our policy,” he said.

White House national security spokesman John Kirby echoed the call for “tangible” and “concrete” changes to be taken by the Israelis beyond reiterating long stated calls for allowing additional aid to get into Gaza.

“If there’s no changes to their policy in their approaches, then there’s going to have to be changes to ours,” Kirby said. “There are things that need to be done. There are too many civilians being killed.”

The demands for Israel to bring the conflict to a swift close were increasing across the political spectrum, with former President Donald Trump, the Republicans’ presumptive nominee to face Biden this fall, saying Thursday that Israel was “absolutely losing the PR war” and calling for a resolution to the bloodshed. “Get it over with and let’s get back to peace and stop killing people. And that’s a very simple statement,” Trump told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt. “They have to get it done. Get it over with and get it over with fast because we have to — you have to get back to normalcy and peace.”

ALSO READ-Trump leads Biden in 6 of 7 battleground states

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France introduces Gaza ceasefire resolution at UNSC

It condemns “sexual violence including rape used as a weapon of war, committed by Hamas and other terrorist groups,” and calls for accountability for such crimes…reports Asian Lite News

France on Monday announced that it will introduce a “comprehensive” UN Security Council draft resolution that calls for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

Nicolas de Riviere, France’s permanent representative to the UN, told reporters in New York that the new draft “deals with the most pressing matters. It calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza without a time limitation. It also demands the immediate, unconditional release of all hostages.

“It condemns the terrorist attacks by Hamas that took place on Oct. 7, and it demands immediate and full humanitarian access.”

The text, a copy of which was obtained by Arab News, calls for “an immediate ceasefire guaranteeing the protection of civilians and humanitarian personnel as well as the massive delivery of humanitarian aid to the civilian population of Gaza.”

The draft also requests that the UN secretary general develop options for a UN role to monitor the ceasefire in Gaza.

It also demands the “immediate and unconditional release” of all hostages held by “Hamas and other terrorist groups,” as well as ensuring humane treatment of, and immediate humanitarian access to, the hostages.

The French resolution condemns “in the strongest terms the heinous terrorist attacks by Hamas and other terrorist groups” on Oct. 7, 2023, and the taking of hostages.

It condemns “sexual violence including rape used as a weapon of war, committed by Hamas and other terrorist groups,” and calls for accountability for such crimes. 

It also demands “immediate, full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access to the civilian population throughout” Gaza, which is facing “alarming levels of acute food insecurity.”

It further demands the opening of all crossing points into and inside the Palestinian enclave, as well as the opening of Israel’s Ashdod port and a land route from Jordan to Gaza.

The draft resolution also addresses reconstruction, recovery and governance of Gaza. It calls for a “sustainable solution” to the situation there, stressing the importance of “the re-establishment of effective control over the Gaza Strip by the Palestinian Authority and of ensuring contiguity with Jerusalem and the West Bank.”

It also calls on the international community to support the PA “as it progressively assumes its responsibilities in the Gaza Strip.”

ALSO READ-Jaishankar Expresses Confidence in India’s UNSC Bid

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Situation in Gaza intolerable, Sunak tells Bibi

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed regret over the incident, acknowledging that the military “unintentionally struck innocent people”…reports Asian Lite News

In a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak conveyed his deep concern regarding an Israeli strike on an aid convoy in Gaza.

The attack resulted in the loss of seven aid workers from the World Central Kitchen, including three British nationals. In an official statement from Downing Street, Sunak emphasised the urgent need for a comprehensive and impartial investigation into the incident.

“The Prime Minister said far too many aid workers and ordinary civilians have lost their lives in Gaza and the situation is increasingly intolerable,” the statement said.

“The UK expects to see immediate action by Israel to end restrictions on humanitarian aid, deconflict with the UN and aid agencies, protect civilians and repair vital infrastructure like hospitals and water networks,” it added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed regret over the incident, acknowledging that the military “unintentionally struck innocent people.” The Israel Defence Forces have pledged to conduct an investigation “at the highest levels” in response to the tragic event.

Summons for Israeli envoy

Meanwhile, the government summoned the Israeli ambassador to London for a decisive discussion. British Minister for Development and Africa, Andrew Mitchell, summoned the Israel’s ambassador to set out the government’s “unequivocal condemnation of the appalling killing of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers, including three British nationals,” he said in a Foreign Office press release.

“I requested a quick and transparent investigation, shared with the international community, and full accountability,” Mitchell said, adding, “I reiterated the need for Israel to put in place an effective deconfliction mechanism immediately and urgently to scale up humanitarian access. We need to see an immediate humanitarian pause, to get aid in and the hostages out, then progress towards a sustainable ceasefire.”

Earlier reports revealed that seven members of the World Central Kitchen team were killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza, prompting the organisation to halt its operations in the region with immediate effect.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed regret over the incident, acknowledging that the military “unintentionally struck innocent people.” The Israel Defence Forces have pledged to conduct an investigation “at the highest levels” in response to the tragic event.

A US-Canadian dual citizen was among the casualties of the strike, confirmed by a US official, adding to the international outcry over the loss of life.

Experts analysing the aftermath of the airstrike have raised concerns about the nature of the attack. Chris Cobb-Smith, an explosive weapons expert, suggested that the heavy damage inflicted on the vehicles, as depicted in video and images from the scene, was consistent with the use of “highly accurate drone-fired missiles.” He emphasised the significant level of destruction witnessed and expressed scepticism about the incident being accidental.

Cobb-Smith’s observations were supported by Patrick Senft, a research coordinator at Armament Research Services (ARES), who noted that the aftermath of the strike appeared to align with the deployment of munitions by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

“Without munition fragments, I can’t say anything for certain, but the damage to the vehicles appears consistent with precision-guided munitions with a small explosive payload,” Senft said.

Herzog speaks with World Central Kitchen founder

President of Israel Isaac Herzog spoke Tuesday evening with World Central Kitchen (WCK) founder Chef Jose Andres.

President Herzog expressed his “deep sorrow and sincere apologies” over the tragic deaths of Seven WCK staff in the Gaza Strip Monday night and sent his condolences to their families and loved ones.

The President reiterated Israel’s commitment to ensuring a thorough investigation of the tragedy, which occurred amidst the ongoing war against the terrorist organisation Hamas.

He also affirmed Israel’s commitment to delivering and upgrading humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza, and said that efforts must continue to bring about the immediate release of all the hostages held by Hamas.

President Herzog thanked Chef Andres and the WCK for their commitment to the wellbeing of Israelis and Palestinians, and to the values of humanity.

IDF chief apologises

Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has apologised for the airstrike on an aid convoy in Gaza that led to the death of seven workers of World Control Kitchen (WCK).

In a statement late Tuesday, IDF chief Herzi Halevi said that seven employees of the World Central Kitchen were killed on Monday night. The mishap occurred due to “misidentification” and an investigation has been launched.

Halevi further said that WCK is an important organisation that worked in conflict areas and the IDF had worked closely with it in the past.

He also said that the IDF has already completed its preliminary probe into the strike and the findings were shared with him.

There were “no intentions” for harming the WCK aid workers, added the IDF chief.

ALSO READ-US President Calls WCK Workers’ Deaths in Gaza ‘Tragedy