The British government will suspend some of its arms exports to Israel If the hostilities continue, said the Business Secretary on Wednesday, reports The Guardian.
Citing a recent business department review of UK exports to Israel, Vince Cable said,
Little is known about progress made in the peace talks mediated by Egypt. A senior Hamas official on Wednesday, said,
The Executive Committee of the organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), called on the international community to press Israel to lift the blockade on the Gaza strip and open crossing borders, reports the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).
The committee’s statement urged the UN Security Council to take action against Israel adding,
An unexploded Israeli missile in Gaza exploded as experts attempted to defuse it, leaving 5 dead, including an Associated Press journalist, reports the Guardian.
Simone Camilli, 35, a translator working with the AP was accompanying the ordnance team when the explosion occurred.
Citing a recent business department review of UK exports to Israel, Vince Cable said,
“We welcome the current ceasefire in Gaza and hope it will lead to a peaceful resolution. However, the UK government has not been able to clarify if the export licence criteria are being met. In light of that uncertainty we have taken the decision to suspend these existing export licences in the event of a resumption of significant hostilities.”The announcement, made on the last day of the Israel Hamas truce, came after the Prime Minister, had been resisting calls from his Deputy, foreign Secretary and Vince cable to immediately suspend arms exports to Israel.
Little is known about progress made in the peace talks mediated by Egypt. A senior Hamas official on Wednesday, said,
“This time at least ti is negotiation. There is talking and discussion about all our points and hopefully we will have an agreement. I’m optimistic there will be something.”An Israeli military source told the Guardian, that Israel’s stance was firm on the demilitarisation of Hamas.
“We cannot come to Cairo and not ask for demilitarisation. Right now our stance is firm: we want to see Gaza demilitarised. Israel is ready to live with Hamas in Gaza, but we are not ready to live with a Hamas with the ability to rearm again, to rebuild its military infrastructure."OIC calls for international pressure on Israel to lift blockade on Gaza
The Executive Committee of the organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), called on the international community to press Israel to lift the blockade on the Gaza strip and open crossing borders, reports the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).
The committee’s statement urged the UN Security Council to take action against Israel adding,
“the inability of international community to bear its responsibility to hold Israel to account for its crimes against Palestinians helped it continue its offensive and prevented Palestinian people from exercising their right of self-determination.”AP journalist dies in Gaza
An unexploded Israeli missile in Gaza exploded as experts attempted to defuse it, leaving 5 dead, including an Associated Press journalist, reports the Guardian.
Simone Camilli, 35, a translator working with the AP was accompanying the ordnance team when the explosion occurred.