Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant described the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor’s request for arrest warrants against him and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as “despicable and despicable.”
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The Israeli government announces a reversal after blocking live video from the American news agency AP on Gaza. In the town of Rafah, the target of an IDF offensive since May 7, the UN refugee aid agency is suspending its food distributions. The authority says an Israeli military raid in Jenin in the West Bank killed at least seven people. Here’s what to remember from the day.
UNRWA suspends food distributions in Rafah
The UN agency responsible for Palestinian refugees announced in a message published on the social network
“Following the ongoing military operation in eastern Rafah”the Unrwa distribution center and the World Food Program warehouse “are now inaccessible”. Consequently, “Food distributions are currently suspended due to lack of supplies and insecurity” in the city.
Seven people killed following Israeli raid in West Bank, Palestinian Authority says
In a short message published on its Telegram account, the Ministry of Health of the Palestinian Authority government reports “seven dead and nine injured by bullets from the occupation [israélienne] in Jenin, including two injured in serious condition”. This military incursion takes place in Jenin, a stronghold of Palestinian armed groups located in the north of the West Bank, territory occupied by Israel since 1967.
The Israeli army announced in a press release that it was carrying out an operation, based on intelligence, “concerning terrorist activities carried out by armed men belonging to the Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorist organizations”. In the evening, the Israeli raid was still underway. Exchanges of fire between Israeli soldiers and masked and armed men, noted AFP correspondents.
Israeli Defense Minister calls ICC prosecutor’s demands ‘despicable and despicable’
“ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan’s attempt to turn the situation around will not succeed. The parallel he has drawn between the terrorist organization Hamas and the State of Israel is despicable and despicable,” Yoav Gallant said in a statement, referring to the arrest warrants.
“Prosecutor Karim Khan’s attempt to deny the State of Israel the right to defend itself and secure the release of hostages held in Gaza must be explicitly rejected”, he continued. Senior Israeli officials, including President Isaac Herzog, criticized the court magistrate’s move targeting the prime minister and defense minister.
AP news agency live video temporarily suspended by Israel
“Associated Press denounces in the strongest possible terms the action of the Israeli government to close our live broadcast” which showed the Gaza Strip. LThe American press agency attributes this decision to “misuse by the government” of a law passed at the beginning of April which makes it possible to prohibit the broadcasting of foreign media in Israel “undermining security” of State.
A White House spokesperson said Washington had asked Israeli authorities to restore the video feed. “We are in direct contact with the Israeli government to express our concern about this decision and to ask them to reverse it”declared the latter.
Israeli Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi announced Tuesday evening that Israel was revoking its decision. “Given that the Ministry of Defense wishes to examine the issue of broadcasts” carried out from the town of Sderot, “and the risk to our forces, I ordered to cancel the operation and return the equipment to the AP agency” until the Ministry of Defense decides, adds Shlomo Karhi in a press release.