Live blog: Israel doing what US asked on Gaza aid, Biden claims

Friday, April 5, 2024

1711 GMT — US President Joe Biden has claimed that Israel was doing what he had asked to let aid into Gaza, a day after he warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of a sharp shift in policy.

Asked whether he had threatened to stop military aid to Israel in the call with Netanyahu, Biden replied as he left the White House: "I asked them to do what they're doing."

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1822 GMT — Two Hezbollah members among five killed in Israeli strikes

The Israeli army has killed five people affiliated with the Hezbollah group and its allied Amal Movement in southern Lebanon, according to separate statements.

In a statement, Hezbollah said two members were killed "on the road to Jerusalem," in reference to the Hezbollah fight in support of the Palestinian resistance facing the Israeli devastating onslaught in Gaza.

The death toll of the Hezbollah fighters killed by the Israeli forces since Oct. 8 has risen to 267, according to previous statements by the group.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah’s ally Amal Movement, in a statement, mourned three of its members who were killed in an Israeli air strike on the Jdaideh town in the Marjaayoun district in southern Lebanon.

1647 GMT — CIA chief expected in Cairo for Gaza hostage talks

CIA Director Bill Burns is expected in Cairo for talks on freeing hostages held in Gaza, which the White House has confirmed would take place this weekend with US representation.

US media reported that Burns would meet in the Egyptian capital with Mossad chief David Barnea, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Egypt's intelligence chief Abbas Kamel.

National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby declined to say if Burns would be involved but told journalists that "the United States will be present for those talks."

Kirby also said one of US President Joe Biden requests to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a call the day before was "getting back at the table in negotiations in Cairo and getting a hostage deal done, empowering his negotiators to come to (a) conclusion on this."

1617 GMT — UK govt says reviewing Israel probe into Gaza aid strike

The British government has called for "utmost transparency" and a "wholly independent review" into the killings of seven aid workers in Gaza, as well as lessons to be learned to prevent a reoccurrence.

"We are carefully reviewing the initial findings of Israel's investigations into the killing of WCK aid workers and welcome the suspension of two officers as a first step," Foreign Secretary David Cameron said.

"These findings must be published in full and followed up with a wholly independent review to ensure the utmost transparency and accountability," he wrote on the social media platform X.

1604 GMT — No plans to conduct independent probe into aid workers' killings: US

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby has said there are no plans by the United States to conduct an independent investigation into the killings of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers.

Kirby told reporters that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had briefed President Joe Biden in their phone call on Thursday on the general findings of Israel's inquiry into the incident.

1449 GMT — Hezbollah has weapons not yet used against Israel: Nasrallah

The head of Lebanon's powerful armed group Hezbollah Hassan Nasrallah has said that the group still has weapons and forces it has not yet used against Israel.

In a televised speech marking Al-Quds Day, Nasrallah also said that an Israeli strike on Iran's consulate in the Syrian capital this week marked a "turning point" since Oct. 7, when Palestinian group Hamas waged a cross-border attack on Israel.

1435 GMT — Israel's Gaza aid openings 'not enough': EU chief

European Council President Charles Michel has said that Israel's announcement to temporarily open aid routes into Gaza was "not enough" given the scale of the humanitarian crisis there.

"Gazan children and infants are dying of malnutrition. Substantial and urgent efforts are required to immediately end hunger as an instrument of war in Gaza," Michel wrote on X.

"Israel's announcement to reopen temporarily the Erez crossing point as well as to allow aid to enter through the Ashdod port is not enough."

1431 GMT — Israeli fire 'most likely' killed woman hostage on Oct 7: army

An Israeli investigation found that an Israeli woman who had been seized during the October 7 attack was "most likely" killed when a combat helicopter fired on her kidnappers' vehicle.

Efrat Katz and most of the Hamas members in the vehicle were killed when the Israeli aircraft fired on them on October 7, the army investigation said.

The helicopter "fired at a vehicle that had terrorists in it, and which, in retrospect, based on the testimonies, also had hostages in it," the army said in a statement. "As a result of the fire, most of the terrorists manning the vehicle were killed, and most likely, Efrat Katz ... was killed as well."

1408 GMT — Israeli police arrest 11 Palestinians in vicinity of Al-Aqsa Mosque

Israeli police have arrested 11 Palestinians in the vicinity of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem.

Police said three Palestinians were held in the vicinity of Al-Aqsa Mosque after the end of Friday prayers. In a separate statement, police said "8 individuals were arrested following their participation in incendiary chants" after Fajr, the early morning prayer.

1340 GMT — UN 'deeply troubled' over Israeli use of AI to identify targets

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed serious concern over reports that Israel was using artificial intelligence to identify targets in Gaza.

Guterres said that he was "deeply troubled by reports that the Israeli military's bombing campaign includes Artificial Intelligence as a tool in the identification of targets, particularly in densely populated residential areas, resulting in a high level of civilian casualties."

"No part of life and death decisions which impact entire families should be delegated to the cold calculation of algorithms," he said.

1320 GMT — US carefully reviewing Israel's inquiry: Blinken

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the US is carefully reviewing Israel's inquiry into the strike that killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers this week, adding that Washington will be looking very carefully at what steps Israel is taking.

"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 that steps are being taken going forward to ensure that something like this can never happen again," Blinken told reporters in Brussels.

1249 GMT — EU's Michel urges end to use hunger as means of war in Gaza

The President of the European Council Charles Michel has urged an end to the use of hunger as a means of war in Gaza.

"Gazan children and infants are dying of malnutrition. Substantial and urgent efforts are required to immediately end hunger as an instrument of war in Gaza," he said on X.

Noting that the international community has repeatedly called for more humanitarian aid to enter into Gaza notably to prevent, he added: "Israel’s announcement to reopen temporarily the Erez crossing point as well as to allow aid to enter through the Ashdod port is not enough."

1234 GMT — Israeli minister defends soldiers who killed WCK workers

Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has defended soldiers who killed World Central Kitchen crew, saying "even if there were mistakes they should not be tried in field court".

1207 GMT — WCK demands independent commission, says Israel cannot investigate its own 'failure'

Aid charity World Central Kitchen has demanded an independent commission to investigate the killings of its staff in an Israeli air strike in Gaza, saying the Israeli military could not credibly investigate its own "failure".

"Without systemic change, there will be more military failures, more apologies and more grieving families," according to a statement published by WCK.

1116 GMT — Poland demands 'criminal inquiry' by Israel for 'murder' of Gaza aid worker

Poland said that it had demanded a "criminal inquiry" by Israel after what it called the "murder" of seven food charity workers, including a Polish citizen, in a Gaza air strike this week.

"We want [Polish] prosecutors to be added and implicated in the explanations and in the entire criminal and disciplinary procedure for the soldiers responsible for this... murder," Deputy Foreign Minister Andrzej Szejna added after Israel's Warsaw envoy was summoned and issued a formal protest over the strike on the World Central Kitchen workers.

1112 GMT — Israel admits series of 'grave mistakes' in killing of WCK staff

Israel admitted a series of "grave mistakes" and violations of its own rules of engagement when it killed foreign aid workers of World Central Kitchen in Gaza this week.

The victims - an Australian, Britons, a North American, a Palestinian and a Pole - were killed in three air strikes over four minutes by an Israeli drone as they ran for their lives between their three vehicles, the military said.

Poland's Foreign Ministry said it still cannot understand how such an incident could have occurred. It demanded a "criminal inquiry" into Monday's events.

1036 GMT — Israel announces 'temporary' opening of aid routes into Gaza

Israel has announced that it would allow "temporary" aid deliveries into famine-threatened northern Gaza, hours after the United States warned of a sharp shift in its policy over Israel's war on the enclave.

"Israel will allow the temporary delivery of humanitarian aid" through the Ashdod Port and the Erez land crossing, as well as increased deliveries from neighbouring Jordan at the Kerem Shalom crossing, Netanyahu's office said.

1026 GMT — Attacks against humanitarian workers may be war crimes: UN

The UN Human Rights Office has said that attacks against people involved in humanitarian assistance may amount to war crimes, following a deadly strike by Israel against aid workers in Gaza.

"Attacking people or objects involved in humanitarian assistance may amount to a war crime," UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Jeremy Laurence said. "As the High Commissioner has repeatedly stated, impunity must end."

"The Israeli air strikes that killed World Central Kitchen personnel underline the horrific conditions under which humanitarian workers are operating in Gaza," Laurence said.

"International law requires all parties to respect and protect humanitarian relief personnel and ensure their safety, security, and freedom of movement."

0841 GMT — UN rights council calls for halt to arms sales to Israel

The UN Human Rights Council demanded a halt to all arms sales to Israel, highlighting warnings of "genocide" in its war in Gaza, which has killed more than 33,000 people, mostly women and children.

The resolution, which passed with 28 of the council's 47 member states voting in favour, six opposed and 13 abstaining, marked the first time the United Nations top rights body has taken a position on the bloodiest-ever war to beset the besieged Palestinian enclave.

0730 GMT — Video reveals Israeli army deliberately shooting at Palestinians rushing to collect aid in Gaza

An international news broadcaster released a video showing the Israeli army intentionally targeting Palestinians rushing to collect humanitarian airdrop aid in Gaza.

The new footage obtained by Al Jazeera begins with a warplane dropping aid near the northern border fence of Gaza.

In the video, a group of young Palestinians can be seen running to reach a spot to collect humanitarian aid.

Despite no apparent threat, young Palestinians are seen approaching to collect aid, but the Israeli army suddenly fires intermittently at them.

0720 GMT — Colombia expresses solidarity with family of aid workers killed in Gaza

Colombia has expressed solidarity with the families and members of the World Central Kitchen (WCK) whose seven aid workers were killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza earlier this week.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry stressed Israel's responsibility to uphold its international commitments in ensuring the protection of non-governmental organisations.

It called for adherence to International Humanitarian Law and called for a thorough and independent investigation into the killing.

0330 GMT — Muslim Americans hold Iftar event outside White House in solidarity with Gaza

Muslim Americans gathered outside the White House for an Iftar event in solidarity with Gaza, expressing their dissatisfaction with the US's unconditional support for Israel.

Over 100 people congregated in Lafayette Park, just across from the presidential residence.

Attendees broke their fast seated on the ground, sharing the food they had brought. Organizers also provided water and dates to assist in breaking the fast with the evening adhan, or call to prayer.

0149 GMT — Israel promises to open Gaza aid routes after US arm-twisting

Israel has said it will allow "temporary" aid deliveries via its fence with northern Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced, hours after a warning from US President Joe Biden.

"Israel will allow the temporary delivery of humanitarian aid through Ashdod and the Erez checkpoint [Beit Hanoun crossing]," the statement from the prime minister's office said, referring to a port about 40 kilometres north of Gaza and a land crossing.

"This increased aid will prevent a humanitarian crisis and is necessary to ensure the continuation of the fighting and to achieve the goal s of the war," it added.

The announcement comes as international pressure mounts on Israel after it took responsibility for a strike that killed seven employees of US-based charity World Central Kitchen.

In a tense, 30-minute call with Netanyahu on Thursday, Biden described the Israeli strike as "unacceptable and called for an "immediate ceasefire".

2245 GMT — Israel sacks army commanders over killing of WCK staff in Gaza

The Israeli army's chief of general staff has sacked two top army commanders who were linked to a deadly strike on a convoy of World Central Kitchen aid workers in Gaza.

Herzi Halevi dismissed the commander of the tainted Nahal Brigade — one of the army's main infantry brigades — and another senior commander within the same brigade, according to Israel's Channel 14.

Halevi issued an apology on Wednesday for the Israeli strike. He said the incident occurred as a result of a "misidentification" that happened "during a war in very complex conditions."

Many countries condemned the killing of the aid workers, including the US, which said it was "deeply troubled" by the strike that killed the nationals of Australia, Poland, the UK and Palestine as well as a US-Canadian dual citizen.

Despite coordinating movements with the Israeli army, the humanitarian organisation said the convoy was hit "car by car" as it was leaving a warehouse in the city of Deir al Balah in central Gaza, where the team had unloaded more than 100 tonnes of humanitarian food aid brought to Gaza on a maritime route.

2230 GMT — US looking at reports that Israel used AI to mass kill Palestinians

The United States was looking into a media report that Israeli military has designated tens of thousands of people in Gaza as assassination targets, relying on an AI targeting system — Lavender — with minimal human oversight and a lenient approach to casualties, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told CNN in an interview.

The report in +972 Magazine and Local Call was published on Wednesday.

Separately, Kirby was also asked in the interview about an Axios report that Israel will allow "temporary" Gaza aid through Beit Hanoun crossing or Erez crossing point as global pressure mounts on hawkish Netanyahu following the killing of seven WCK aid workers in Israeli "car to car" strikes.

He said if true, the report was welcome news.

For our live updates from Thursday, April 4, click here.