Iran has turned down a request from three European nations asking it to avoid retaliatory actions that could heighten regional tensions. The Iranian government termed this request an “excessive demand.”
The leaders of Britain, France, and Germany, in a joint statement, urged Iran and its allies to refrain from retaliating against the killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last month, attributing responsibility to Israel.
The European leaders also supported ongoing diplomatic efforts by Australia, Qatar, Egypt, and the United States aimed at ceasing hostilities in the Israel-Hamas conflict, with discussions anticipated to resume on Thursday. They also called for the release of numerous hostages held by Hamas and unrestricted humanitarian assistance to Gaza.
Negotiators have been working for months to establish a three-phase agreement, where Hamas would release remaining hostages from its October 7 assault in exchange for Palestinians detained by Israel, alongside Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza.
According to the Health Ministry in Gaza, the Palestinian death toll has approached 40,000 following over ten months of conflict.
In further developments:
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, expressing Russia’s profound concern regarding the ongoing humanitarian disaster in the region. Putin remarked on the assistance Russia has provided, including approximately 700 tons of various supplies.
In Israel, military officials disclosed that Khan Younis had been identified as the launch site for rockets aimed at Tel Aviv. The Israeli military resumed its operations in Khan Younis last week, conducting air and ground offensives which led to another wave of Palestinian evacuations from the area.
Israeli authorities reported two rockets fired from Gaza, with one landing in the sea off central Israel and the other not entering Israeli airspace. The frequency of rocket attacks has decreased during Israel’s prolonged military campaign, which commenced after Hamas’s October 7 incursion.
In Lebanon, officials have relocated around 220 inmates from police stations in Beirut’s southern suburbs and southern regions to various locations across the nation, aiming to mitigate risks of a potential war with Israel amid ongoing cross-border exchanges of fire involving Hezbollah militants.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is attempting to allay anxieties following a downgrade from Fitch Ratings, which adjusted Israel’s credit rating from “A+” to “A.” Netanyahu attributed the downgrade to Israel’s response to a war it was forced into, asserting that the rating would improve upon Israel’s eventual victory.
In Jerusalem, Netanyahu criticized a far-right minister’s encouragement of prayer at a sensitive holy site, acknowledging it as a deviation from existing agreements that govern religious practices there. The Temple Mount, a pivotal location for both Muslims and Jews, has historically been a flashpoint for violence, and Netanyahu’s comments came amidst fears of retaliation from Iran and Hezbollah.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian asserted in a conversation with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer that Tehran views retaliation against Israel as a legitimate right following Haniyeh’s killing. Pezeshkian condemned the West’s silence on what he termed “inhumane crimes” in Gaza, while Starmer expressed grave concern over the region’s situation, urging all parties to de-escalate.
In Gaza, Israeli airstrikes resulted in the deaths of at least 16 Palestinians, including several women and children. Medical officials indicated that recent strikes targeted residential areas, claiming Israel aimed to counteract Palestinian militant activities. The Israeli military maintains that it endeavors to minimize civilian casualties, attributing such losses to Hamas’s operational tactics.