Live Blog Update| Israel's genocide in Gaza
This is an entry from: Israel's War on Gaza Live: Israel pounds Rafah in overnight strikes

Evening recap

11 April 2024 23:43 BST

Hello MEE readers. On Thursday, the fallout continued over Iran's threat to retaliate against Israel over the air strike that targeted Tehran's embassy compound in Damascus, Syria earlier this month.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called his Turkish, Chinese, and Saudi counterparts about the need to make sure there is no escalation in the Middle East as a result of Israel's war in Gaza. Iran has vowed to retaliate over the strike, which killed three senior Iranian military commanders.

Israel, meanwhile, said that if an Iranian strike takes place on Israeli territory, it will respond "appropriately", signalling that Israel could launch a direct attack on Iran.

Iran's foreign minister also said that the US bore responsibility for the strike, to which Washington has repeatedly said it had no involvement in the attack.

A day after Israel killed the children and grandchildren of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, Haniyeh said that Hamas would continue to pursue negotiations for an end to the war.

"The interests of the Palestinian people are placed ahead of everything," he said.

Here's what else you need to know from today's developments:

  • At least six people were killed in an Israeli bombing of the Firas market in Gaza City.

  • The US Central Command conducted another humanitarian aid drop, dropping around 6,000 pounds of food into northern Gaza.

  • Zaher Jabarin, a member of Hamas' political bureau, has called on Arab countries to expel Israeli ambassadors from their countries.

  • Haniyeh, Hamas' political leader, denied that his sons killed in an Israeli strike this week were fighters for the group.

  • The United States has issued a notice to its employees in Israel that they should not travel outside the greater Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Be'er Sheva areas amid Iran's threats to retaliate against Israel.

  • Over 250 rights groups and humanitarian organisations have signed their names to a statement urging countries around the world to halt the sale and transfer of arms to Israel.

  • Samantha Power, the director of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), said during a congressional hearing that in parts of northern Gaza, famine is already occurring.