Germany ‘temporarily’ suspends £108million of aid from Palestinian territories

Germany said Monday it was temporarily halting development aid to the Palestinian territories as it carries out a thorough review of the financial help after Hamas militants’ surprise attack on Israel.

‘It is being examined, that is, temporarily suspended,’ said a spokeswoman from the ministry for economic cooperation and development.

The aid included help for desalination projects, food security and job creation, and amounted to 125 million euros (£108 million).

Four Israeli captives killed in strikes by the Jewish nation on Palestine

Hamas said on Monday that four Israeli captives and their Hamas captors had been killed in strikes by the Jewish nation on the Palestinian enclave since Sunday.

‘The bombardment overnight and today on the Gaza Strip led to the killing of four of the enemy’s captives and their captors,’ said Abu Ubaida, spokesman of the Hamas armed wing.

Moscow and the Arab League will work to ‘stop the bloodshed’ as it condemns violence ‘from all sides’

Moscow and the Arab League will work to ‘stop the bloodshed’ in Israel and Gaza, Russian foreign minister said as he met the group’s chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit in Russia.

‘I am sure that Russia and the Arab League (will cooperate) above all else to stop the bloodshed,’ Lavrov said. Aboul Gheit said the Arab League ‘condemns violence, but from all sides.’

Rishi Sunak: ‘With regard to Iran, I’m not going to speculate on the origins of all of this’

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he would not speculate on the suggestion that Iran may be linked to attacks in Israel.

Speaking on a visit to a business in Nottinghamshire, Mr Sunak was asked if he now supports proscribing Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Mr Sunak said: ‘With regard to Iran, I’m not going to speculate on the origins of all of this. There will be time for that in due course.

I have said previously that Iran and its actions poses a real threat to the security and safety of all of you, the British people, and that’s why we’ve already taken quite strong action against the Iranian regime, not least sanctioning over 300 people, including the IRGC in its entirety.’

He added: ‘With regards to the proscription, it’s not something that routinely governments have ever commented on. But I can remind you that Hamas, who is claiming responsibility for the attacks in Israel, is a proscribed terrorist organisation under UK law.

He went on: ‘We will stand steadfast with Israel in supporting them to defend themselves against these appalling acts of terrorism.’

Rishi Sunak says situation in Israel is ‘complex’ as he confirms UK is working with Israelis to establish status of British nationals

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, when asked if any British citizens have been killed or taken hostage in Israel, said the situation is ‘complex’ and the UK is working with Israeli authorities to establish the status of any British nationals who may be affected.

Speaking on a visit to a business in Nottinghamshire and asked if any British citizens have been killed or taken hostage in Israel, Mr Sunak said: ‘I know it will be an anxious time for many families who have loved ones in the region.

It’s a quite complex situation on the ground, so we are working very closely with our Israeli counterparts to establish the status of any British nationals on the ground.

That work is under way as we speak.’

He said people should follow the advice of the Foreign Office and the ‘Israeli home command on the ground in particular area’, and that anyone concerned should contact the Foreign Office.

Iran rejects allegations it had a role in Hamas assault – saying accusations are ‘political’

Iran has rejected allegations it had a role in the massive assault on Israel as unfounded.

‘The accusations linked to an Iranian role… are based on political reasons,’ foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani told reporters.

The Islamic republic, he said, does not intervene ‘in the decision-making of other countries, including Palestine’.

Iran, which does not recognise Israel and has made support for the Palestinian cause a centrepiece of its foreign policy since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, was one of the first countries to hail the Hamas assault.

The Palestinians had ‘the necessary capacity and will to defend their nation and recover their rights’ without any help from Tehran, Kanani said.

‘Talking about an Iranian role aims at turning public opinion (away from the facts) and at justifying the potential future actions’ of Israel, the spokesman added.

Iran’s permanent mission to the United Nations also denied allegations the Islamic republic had any role in the Hamas attack, in a statement issued overnight.

It came after the Wall Street Journal reported that ‘ranian security officials helped plan Hamas’s Saturday surprise attack on Israel and gave the green light for the assault at a meeting in Beirut last Monday’, citing senior members of Hamas and Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah movement.

On Sunday President Ebrahim Raisi said Iran supported the Palestinians’ right to self-defence and warned Israel must be held accountable for endangering the region.

Raisi – who has spoken with the leaders of Hamas and the Gaza-based Islamic Jihad group since the Hamas attack – also urged Muslim governments to ‘support the Palestinian nation’.

A US official said Sunday it was too soon to say if Iran was ‘directly’ involved in the Hamas attack, adding however that there was little doubt that Hamas was ‘financed, equipped and armed’ by countries including Iran.

Israel’s failure to prepare for Hamas’ attack was a ‘colossal collapse’ of information gathering

Israel’s failure to prepare for Hamas’ attack was a ‘colossal collapse’ of information gathering, an associate fellow at Chatham House has said.

Professor Yossi Mekelberg said: ‘This is a colossal collapse, not only of information gathering, but the concepts of when Hamas would attack, and with what motivations or capabilities.’

How were they able to train despite the blockade, how did they train paragliders?’.

He said that questions would have to be asked about how Hamas’ fighters were able to enter Israel.

‘Despite (Israel) investing billions and billions of dollars on blocking tunnels and building a sophisticated fence, (Hamas) still managed in a matter of hours to enter into Israel.’

He added that Israel’s intelligence ‘definitely wasn’t good enough’.

Israel instals ‘total blockade’ on Gaza Strip – including food and fuel

Israel is escalating measures against the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip to a ‘total blockade’ including a ban on admitting food and fuel, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said on Monday, describing this as part of a battle against ‘beastly people’.

David Lammy says Labour will ‘not surrender the hope of two states living side-by-side in peace’ as he condemns ‘indiscriminate’ attacks

Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy said Labour would ‘not surrender the hope of two states living side-by-side in peace’ as he warned both Israelis and Palestinians are paying a ‘terrible price’ after Hamas’s ‘indiscriminate’ attacks.

Speaking at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, Mr Lammy said: ‘Labour utterly condemns Hamas’s appalling attack on Israel.

‘There is never a justification for terrorism. Labour stands firmly in support of Israel’s right to defend itself, rescue hostages and protect its citizens.

The hostages so cruelly taken, including children, should be released immediately and Hamas’s indiscriminate attacks set back the cause of peace – both Israelis and Palestinians paying a terrible price.

‘There will not be a just and lasting peace until Israel is secure, Palestine is a sovereign state and both Israelis and Palestinians enjoy security, dignity and human rights.’

He added: ‘Though it may never have felt more distant, we will not surrender the hope of two states living side-by-side in peace.’

Rishi Sunak to chair Cobra emergency response meeting on Israel later today

Rishi Sunak said that he will hold a Cobra meeting later today, amid ongoing clashes between Israel and Hamas.

Speaking to businesses in Nottinghamshire, the Prime Minister said: ‘We already have a very longstanding relationship with Israel, we’re one of their strongest allies.’

‘We’ve provided in the past the kinds of equipment that they’ve used to defend themselves over the past couple of days.’

‘And as I said to the Prime Minister (Benjamin Netanyahu), we will continue to provide – whether that’s diplomatic, intelligence or security support – as they need.’

‘I’m chairing a Cobra with my ministerial colleagues this afternoon, when we’ll continue to discuss…’

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