Arab foreign ministers called for an immediate cease-fire Wednesday in the conflict between Israel and Palestinian militant groups in Gaza. The ministers’ call came in a statement released after their meeting at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, which was called by the Palestinians to discuss the latest developments in the Israel-Hamas war, as reported by The Associated Press:
Arab FMs call for immediate cease-fire in Israel-Hamas war
Newslooks- (AP)
ARAB FOREIGN MINISTERS CALL FOR IMMEDIATE CEASE-FIRE
CAIRO — Arab foreign ministers called for an immediate cease-fire Wednesday in the conflict between Israel and Palestinian militant groups in Gaza.
The ministers’ call came in a statement released after their meeting at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, which was called by the Palestinians to discuss the latest developments in the Israel-Hamas war.
The communique condemned the killing of civilians on both sides and called for the release of all detainees held either by Israel or the Palestinians.
The ministers also called for Israel to end its siege on Gaza, and to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid, food and fuel to Palestinians in the enclave.
ARAB LEAGUE CHIEF CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE CEASE-FIRE IN ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN WAR
CAIRO — The Arab League chief on Wednesday called for an immediate cease-fire in the war between Israel and the Palestinian militants in Gaza.
Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the secretary general of the Cairo-based organization, warned about “serious possibilities” of further escalation and an expansion of fighting, in an apparent reference to the Lebanese Hezbollah militant groups.
“No one wanted such kind of escalation … I completely refuse any violence against civilians without equivocation,” he said.
Aboul Gheit’s comments came at the opening of an emergency meeting an emergency meeting of the Arab foreign ministers in the Egyptian capital on the Israel-Gaza war.
THE DEATH TOLL OF US CITIZENS RISES TO 22 AFTER HAMAS ATTACK
WASHINGTON — The number of U.S. citizens who have died in the Israel-Palestinian war has risen to 22, a White House official said Wednesday.
White House National Security Spokesman John Kirby said he did not have details on where exactly the Americans were killed. He said there are at least 17 missing, and of those a handful are believed to be held hostage.
NO CLEAR SIGN THAT IRAN WAS BEHIND HAMAS ATTACK, WHITE HOUSE SAYS
WASHINGTON — White House National Security spokesman John Kirby reiterated Wednesday that there is no clear sign that Iran was behind the Hamas attack on Israel.
“We haven’t seen anything that tells they have specifically cut checks to support this set of attacks, or that they were involved in the training,” Kirby said. “And obviously, this required quite a bit of training by these terrorists.”
Kirby said officials are going to continue to review the intelligence to see “if that leads us to a different conclusion.”
VIOLENCE PERSISTS IN WEST BANK, WITH DEATH TOLL AT 29
JERUSALEM — Violence in the West Bank continued to flare Wednesday, with Palestinian health officials reporting that 29 Palestinians had been killed in the Israeli-occupied territory since the start of the Hamas invasion.
At least six Palestinians were killed Wednesday, including three in an attack by Jewish settlers on a Palestinian village near the city of Nablus, according to Palestinian health officials.
All checkpoints and crossings into the territory have been closed since the start of the war.
WHITE HOUSE SAYS US WORKING TO ALLOW SAFE PASSAGE OUT OF GAZA FOR CIVILIANS
WASHINGTON — The U.S. is in active conversations to allow for safe passage out of Gaza for civilians, White House National Security spokesman John Kirby said Wednesday.
Kirby noted that Israel and Egypt are the two most significant players in the efforts.
“We are having active conversations about trying to allow for that safe passage,” Kirby said. “It’s the civilians who did nothing wrong so we want to make sure they have a way out.”
BRITAIN’S FOREIGN MINISTER TOOK SHELTER FROM ROCKET FIRE DURING VISIT TO ISRAEL
LONDON — Britain’s foreign minister said he has experienced “a glimpse of what millions experience every day” after he had to take shelter from Hamas rocket fire during a visit to southern Israel.
Israel’s foreign ministry released video footage of U.K. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and officials hurrying indoors as sirens sounded during a visit to Ofakim. Cleverly and his Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen met survivors of the weekend attack by Hamas militants.
Cleverly wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: “The threat of Hamas rockets lingers over every Israeli man, woman and child. This is why we are standing shoulder to shoulder with Israel.”
Cleverly arrived in Israel on Wednesday to show Britain’s solidarity with Israel, the Foreign Office said.
BIDEN CALLS ATTACKS IN ISRAEL ‘BEYOND THE PALE’ AFTER LATEST CALL WITH NETANYAHU
WASHINGTON — U.S. President Joe Biden said that he and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke by phone on Wednesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Biden, who is set to meet with Jewish leaders later in the day, sought to connect the weekend attacks by Hamas militants that have left hundreds dead directly to decades of antisemitism and violence endured by Jews around the world.
“This attack has brought to the surface the painful memories and scars left by a millennium antisemitism and genocide against the Jewish people. And this moment we have to be crystal clear: There is no justification for terrorism, no excuse and the type of terrorism that was exhibited here is just beyond the pale. Beyond the pale,” he said.
It was at least the fourth call between Biden and Netanyahu since Saturday’s attack.
PROTESTERS RALLY AT THE US CONSULATE IN JOHANNESBURG
JOHANNESBURG — A few hundred pro-Palestinian protesters on Wednesday staged demonstrations at the U.S. Consulate in Johannesburg and the Israeli embassy in Cape Town amid the latest Israel-Hamas war that has already claimed more than 2,200 lives on both sides.
Draped in Palestinian flags and holding posters criticizing Israel in front of the U.S Consulate building, the protesters also called for the Israel ambassador to South Africa to be expelled.
The Palestinian territories have significant support from many in South Africa, including from the ruling African National Congress party and its political allies, the South African Communist Party and the Congress of South African Trade Unions. The ruling ANC party has describing Israel as an apartheid state comparable to apartheid in South Africa, which was abolished in 1994.
SEVERAL CHILDREN HAVE LIKELY BEEN KIDNAPPED FROM ISRAEL, FRENCH PRIME MINISTER SAYS
PARIS — French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said Wednesday that ‘’several children’’ from France have probably been kidnapped from Israel. Speaking to the French Senate, she said the government is in touch with the families of the children concerned. She did not elaborate.
Among those believed kidnapped is a 12-year-old boy named Eitan who had been living in the Nir Oz kibbutz, according to family members who have spoken to French media.
France has said that 11 French citizens are confirmed dead in the fighting and 20 are unaccounted for, including several believed held hostage.
COLOMBIAN NATIONAL WITH DUAL-CITIZENSHIP HAS DIED, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS SAY
BOGOTA, Colombia — The Colombian government reported the first death of one of its citizens in Israel — a woman with dual Colombian and Israeli citizenship. The Foreign Ministry said in a press release that Ivonne Rubio was with her boyfriend at the music festival in Southern Israel that was attacked by Hamas militants. Rubio’s boyfriend, identified as Antonio Macías and also a Colombian citizen, is still missing.
Authorities are sending two Boeing 737 from the Colombian Air Force to Israel to repatriate their citizens who want to leave the area.
BRITISH AIRWAYS SUSPENDS ALL FLIGHTS TO ISRAEL AFTER DIVERTING A TEL AVIV FLIGHT BACK TO HEATHROW
LONDON — British Airways said it has suspended all flights to Israel after a Tel Aviv flight was diverted back to London due to security concerns.
“Safety is always our highest priority and we’ve taken the decision to return our Tel Aviv flight to Heathrow,” a spokesperson from the carrier said Wednesday.
Other airlines — including budget carriers EasyJet and Wizz Air — have cancelled or suspended flights on the route in light of the latest Gaza war. Virgin Atlantic and Israeli flag carrier El Al also still run flights, but availability is low.
DEATH TOLL OF UN STAFFERS IN GAZA RISES TO 11
BEIRUT — The deputy director of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees says 11 staffers have been killed in Gaza since Saturday.
Jenifer Austin said in a statement Wednesday that the dead include five teachers at UNRWA schools, one gynecologist, one engineer, one psychological counselor and three support staff.
She said some of the victims were killed in their homes with their families.
“UNRWA mourns this loss and is grieving with our colleagues and the families,” she said. “We call for the fighting to come to an end to spare more civilian lives lost.”
The agency told The Associated Press earlier Wednesday that nine staffers had died since the attacks began.
