Capitals: Agencies - Europe and the Arabs
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken denied "double standards" in applying US law regarding allegations of violations committed by the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip.
Blinken said, according to Al-Hurra satellite channel, on Tuesday that Washington applies the same standard to everyone, indicating that “this does not change whether the country in question is an adversary, competitor, friend or ally,” in looking at human rights and their situation around the world.
The US Secretary of State added that Israel's accusations of committing violations in Gaza are under review.
The State Department's annual report on human rights stated that the war between Israel and Hamas, which claimed the lives of tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza, had a "significant negative impact" on the human rights situation in Israel.
Important human rights issues include credible reports of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, torture, unjustified arrests of journalists and a number of other matters, the 2023 report said.
The United Nations expressed its deep concern over reports that a mass grave had been found in the Gaza Strip, and called for a credible investigation into the site of the incident, according to what the Palestinian Wafa Agency reported.
The Civil Defense Service in the Gaza Strip stated, in a statement, that the number of bodies discovered had risen to 283 in a mass grave in Nasser Hospital in the city of Khan Yunis, south of the Strip. This comes after the Israeli army withdrew from this site following a series of widespread violations, according to Palestinian reports.
In a press conference, a spokesman for the United Nations Secretary-General, Stephane Dujarric, indicated the need to conduct a comprehensive investigation into all cemetery sites in a reliable and independent manner, in response to a question about the discovery of at least 283 bodies.
Dujarric pointed out the necessity of a ceasefire to end this conflict in the Gaza Strip.
The UN official stressed the importance of enabling humanitarian workers to increase their access to Gaza, the necessity of protecting hospitals, and releasing detainees.
The official found reports of the discovery of a mass grave in the Gaza Strip deeply disturbing.
It is likely that the fate of about 2,000 citizens who were in Nasser Hospital in the city of Khan Yunis, when the Israeli occupation forces stormed it in February, is still unknown.
On the ground, at dawn on Tuesday, Israeli gunboats targeted the beaches of Al-Zawaida, Deir Al-Balah and Al-Nuseirat, while the areas of the northern Gaza Strip witnessed a series of violent raids. It resulted in dozens of martyrs and wounded, and the destruction of homes and property.
On the 200th day of the war on the Gaza Strip, occupation artillery targeted north of the Nuseirat camp in the center of the Strip, while warplanes raided Al-Thalatheini Street. The areas of northern Gaza and the city of Khan Yunis in the south of the Strip witnessed a series of violent raids by occupation aircraft.
Yesterday evening, the Israeli occupation forces bombed several areas in the Gaza Strip, and entered the town of Beit Hanoun, north of the Strip, from several directions amidst gunfire, while its artillery bombed the vicinity of the shelter centers on Zamo Street in the town.
The occupation artillery targeted Al-Shaimaa Street in Beit Lahia, north of Gaza, while military vehicles and drones opened fire towards Al-Mughraqa and Al-Zahraa in the central Gaza Strip.
The Civil Defense Service in the Gaza Strip announced in a statement that the number of bodies discovered had risen to 283, in a mass grave discovered on Saturday in Nasser Hospital in the city of Khan Yunis, south of the Strip, from which the Israeli army withdrew after widespread violations.
The death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 34,151 martyrs and 77,084 wounded, the majority of whom are children and women, since the start of the war on October 7th.
During a phone call with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, Bahraini Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa discussed developments on the regional and international arenas, and the events taking place in the Middle East, including the situation in the Gaza Strip.
During the call, the Bahraini Crown Prince affirmed, according to what was reported by the Bahraini News Agency, his country’s firm and supportive position for the Palestinian issue, and its support for all endeavors and efforts aimed at reaching a peaceful, just and lasting solution to the issue, by supporting the brotherly Palestinian people and their legitimate rights to establish their independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital, stressing the importance of Protecting civilians, stopping escalation, and avoiding violence that threatens regional security and stability.
The call also witnessed the Bahraini Crown Prince emphasizing the depth of the strategic relations that bind the two countries, and the importance of continuing to work to advance the paths of action and joint coordination towards broader spaces in order to achieve common goals and interests.