The latest developments from the war in Gaza.
ADVERTISEMENTThe Israeli military announced on Friday that it has dismissed two officers and reprimanded three others for their roles in drone strikes in Gaza that killed seven aid workers on a food-delivery mission.
According to investigators, the service members had mishandled critical information and violated the army’s rules of engagement.
The findings of a retired general's investigation into the Monday killings came as Israel faces growing accusations from key allies, including the US, that it is not doing enough to protect Gaza's civilians from its war with Hamas.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday that the US has received Israel's report on the killing of World Central Kitchen aid workers in Gaza in an airstrike.
"It’s very important that Israel is taking full responsibility for this incident. It’s also important that it appears to be taking steps to hold those responsible accountable.”
“Even more important is making sure that steps are taken going forward to ensure that something like this can never happen again,” Blinken added.
Two new aid routes to be opened
As the fallout from the aid convoy killings continues, Tel Aviv said it is taking steps to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, including reopening a key border crossing into hard-hit northern Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced the plans early on Friday – just hours after President Joe Biden told him that future US support for the war in Gaza depends on Israel taking more action to protect civilians and aid workers.
Netanyahu’s office said the Erez crossing, which for years served as the only passenger terminal for people to move in and out of Gaza, would be temporarily reopened. It also said Israel would allow its Ashdod port to be used to process aid shipments bound for Gaza and allow increased Jordanian aid shipments through another land crossing.
The announcement did not specify the quantities or types of items to be let in.
White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson welcomed the moves by Netanyahu, adding that the plan “must now be fully and rapidly implemented”.
UN human rights body calls for halt to Israel weapons sales
The UN’s top human rights body called on countries to stop selling or shipping weapons to Israel in a resolution passed Friday that aims to help prevent rights violations against Palestinians amid Israel’s blistering military campaign in Gaza.
The 47-member-country Human Rights Council voted 28-6 in favour of the resolution, with 13 abstentions.
The sweeping measure, which takes aim at an array of Israeli actions such as impeding access to water and limiting shipments of humanitarian aid into Palestinian areas, also calls on UN-backed independent investigators to report on shipments of weapons, munitions and “dual use” items – for both civilian and military purposes – that could be used by Israel against Palestinians. It is not binding.
Western countries were divided, with the US, Germany and others opposing the resolution, several abstaining and some European countries voting in favour.
Israel – at times joined by the US – has regularly and roundly criticised the council for its alleged anti-Israel bias. The council has approved far more resolutions against Israel for its actions toward Palestinians over the years than against any other country.