The leaders of the US, UK, France, Canada, Germany and Italy have called on Israel to adhere to international law and protect civilians, while also reiterating Israel’s right to defend itself against terrorism.
In a statement put out after a phone call, on Monday, the leaders’ offices said: “The leaders reiterated their support for Israel and its right to defend itself against terrorism and called for adherence to international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians.
“They welcomed the release of two hostages and called for the immediate release of all remaining hostages. They committed to close coordination to support their nationals in the region, in particular those wishing to leave Gaza.”
Meanwhile, Washington has advised Israel to delay its expected ground invasion of Gaza in order to buy time to negotiate the release of hostages held by Hamas and allow more aid in to Palestinian civilians, the New York Times reported, citing several US officials.
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American officials also want more time to prepare for attacks on US interests in the region from Iran-backed groups, which officials said are likely to intensify once Israel moves its forces fully into Gaza.
A White House spokesman has said it is up to the Israeli military to make its own decisions.
On his part, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly says the quicker Israel can be “assured of its self-defence and its security”, the quicker the suffering of the people of Gaza can be brought to a halt.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, he said the United Kingdom is “trying to alleviate the plight of the Palestinian people in Gaza”.
He said his country has informed Israel that it should be conscious of the plight of civilians, but ultimately, “that’s a decision for them to make”.
Biden warns Iran not to use Israel-Hamas conflict to attack US forces
The Biden administration is warning Iran and other nations seeking to use the Israel-Hamas conflict as a conduit for attacks on US forces and personnel in the Middle East: “Don’t do it”.
Speaking after what he said was a weekend “uptick in rocket and drone attacks by Iranian-backed proxy groups against military bases housing US personnel in Iraq and Syria,” John Kirby, strategic communications coordinator for the National Security Council, gave the blunt warning at a lunchtime briefing to reporters on Monday.
Kirby alluded to a build up of US military capability in the region, including the deployment of two aircraft carrier strike groups to the Middle East, and the repelling of drone and missile attacks.
Casualties, hostages surge in Palestine & Israel respectively
Citing the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, UK’s tabloid The Guardian reported that at least 5,087 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes since 7 October. It said the dead included 2,055 children. Additionally, it said 15,273 people had been wounded.
The ministry put the death toll in the past 24 hours at 436, including 182 children. It said most of the fatalities had occurred in the southern Gaza Strip, where Israel’s military has ordered Palestinians to evacuate. The claims have not been independently verified.
A spokesman for the Palestinian interior ministry, Eyad al-Bazam, said there are “massacres of unprecedented proportion” taking place in Gaza.
“On day 17, we beseech the world to pressure the occupation [Israel] into stopping these massacres,” he told Al Jazeera.
Al-Bazam said that in addition to the thousands dead, there are at least 1,500 Palestinians missing, including 830 children.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Daniel Hagari said the number of confirmed hostages held by Hamas in Gaza after it captured them in southern Israel on 7 October has risen to 222.
He added that the total included a not insignificant number of foreign nationals, and it had taken time to contact their families, “We are working in all ways to free the hostages and bring them home,” adding that the raids inside Gaza had sought to gather information on them.’’
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