Muthomi Ireri
On Tuesday, Iran dismissed a request from Britain, France, and Germany to avoid retaliatory actions that could heighten regional tensions, labeling it an “excessive request.” The three European nations had jointly urged Iran and its allies to refrain from responding to the recent killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, which Iran has attributed to Israel.
The European leaders also backed ongoing mediation efforts by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States to end the Israel-Hamas conflict. They emphasized the importance of releasing hostages held by Hamas and ensuring unrestricted humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Negotiations have been ongoing for months to implement a three-phase plan in which Hamas would release hostages captured during the October 7 attack in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners by Israel, followed by Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza.
After more than 10 months of conflict, the death toll in Gaza has reached nearly 40,000, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
At the United Nations, several Security Council members called for a cease-fire during an emergency meeting on Tuesday, following a deadly Israeli airstrike on a school-turned-shelter in Gaza. Although the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar have been working to secure an agreement, it remains uncertain whether Hamas will participate in the upcoming talks.
U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield expressed readiness to propose a final compromise to address outstanding issues and meet the expectations of all parties involved. Meanwhile, Israeli Ambassador Gilad Erdan criticized the Security Council for convening over the airstrike, which Israel claims targeted militants operating from the school compound.
Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour urged the Security Council to impose sanctions on Israel rather than issuing condemnations, stating that Israel is indifferent to verbal rebukes.
President Biden has reiterated his commitment to securing an end to hostilities in the region.
Dj Vnyash
