WEB DESK: The latest violence in Gaza has reportedly raised the death toll to at least 436 Palestinians, including 183 children, following Israel’s resumption of military operations on Tuesday after a ceasefire was broken.
Palestine’s Mission to the United Nations called on the “international community to act with urgency” to put an end to Israel’s renewed assault on Gaza, which has killed at least 436 Palestinians since Tuesday, including 183 children.
“This ruthless, unlawful use of force against a defenceless civilian population must be halted immediately,” it said in a statement.
It added that “failure to act” against Israel’s “blatant war crimes, crimes against humanity and acts of genocide will further undermine any shred of credibility the Security Council might still have”.
Hamas has denounced Israel’s recent attack on a building in Deir el-Balah that housed foreign workers affiliated with UN agencies, which led to the death of one international employee and injuries to five others.
In a statement, Hamas described the incident as “a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law” and an extension of Israel’s ongoing practice of targeting civilians and humanitarian workers. They asserted that these actions serve to instill fear and obstruct humanitarian efforts, further exacerbating the dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
The group urged the international community, including the United Nations and its affiliated organizations, to take a firm stance against what they termed a “heinous crime.” They called for condemnation of the actions of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government and emphasized the need for accountability for alleged crimes against humanity.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Wednesday discussed the latest situation in Gaza in a phone call with an official from Palestinian group Hamas, Khalil al-Hayya, a Turkish foreign ministry source said.
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday he spoke with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and that the two leaders condemned the resumption of Israeli strikes on Gaza.
Macron said they will co-chair a conference on a two-state solution, aimed at “helping revive a political perspective for both Israelis and Palestinians.”
Macron also said he welcomed the crown prince’s Jeddah initiative, which enabled the start of peace negotiations in Ukraine.
