Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to convene with his war cabinet to address threats of a potential Iranian retaliation against Israel. Reports from global media sources indicate a heightened state of concern within Israeli leadership, prompting proactive measures to assess and prepare for potential security risks.
The anticipated meeting will bring together key officials, including Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and opposition figure Benny Gantz.
Israeli radio reports suggest that local authorities have been instructed to ready themselves for a potential reprisal attack, with a focus on evaluating the preparedness of public shelters and emergency response protocols.
US official speaking to CBS News cautioned that Iran might deploy over 100 drones and dozens of missiles, raising concerns about the scale and severity of the potential threat.
In Gaza, Israeli forces unleashed a barrage of airstrikes, targeting the Nuseirat refugee camp among other areas. In the West Bank, an Israeli raid in the Tubas governorate killed at least two Palestinians.
Amid the continuing Israeli attacks, international attention has been drawn to the dire humanitarian crisis unfolding in northern Gaza, with USAID chief Samantha Power becoming the first US official to publicly acknowledge the presence of famine in the strip. Her statement aligns with a UN-backed assessment highlighting the levels of hunger and deprivation faced by the Palestinian population.
At least 33,634 Palestinians have been killed and 76,214 injured in Israeli attacks on Gaza.
Meanwhile, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store signalled his country’s readiness to recognise a Palestinian state during a meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. Store emphasised the importance of coordination with “like-minded countries” for such a decision. Norway has not set a definitive timetable for recognition.
Poland’s government condemned the killing of Damian Sobol, a 35-year-old aid worker who was part of the World Central Kitchen charity distributing food in Gaza. Labeling it as “murder,” Deputy Foreign Minister Władysław Teofil Bartoszewski demanded Israel’s support in Poland’s investigation and urged for the case to be brought before an independent court in Israel.
In Germany, five Palestinians residing in Gaza have lodged a legal complaint against the German government concerning its provision of weapons to Israel, according to the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR), which represents them. The complaint aims to invalidate export licenses granted by the German government for arms shipments to Israel, specifically targeting the delivery of anti-tank weapons. Plaintiffs from various locations in Gaza, including Rafah, are contesting the authorisation granted and seeking to prevent future unauthorised deliveries. The complaint places pressure on the German economy ministry, which has a two-week window to respond to the allegations.
Berlin also finds itself confronting a case in the International Court of Justice following allegations from Nicaragua that Germany is violating the UN Genocide Convention by supplying weapons to Israel.