Israeli troops fire ‘warning shots' at foreign diplomats (VIDEOS)
The tour, organized by the Palestinian Authority, included delegates from dozens of countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Italy, Spain, China, Japan, Mexico, Egypt, and others. No injuries were reported, but video footage showed diplomats fleeing in panic as gunfire erupted around 2pm local time.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed the delegation had deviated from its pre-approved route and entered an unauthorized area, which they described as an 'active combat zone.'
Israeli forces opened fire towards an EU delegation on an approved visit to #Jenin in the #WestBank earlier today.The IDF said they were approaching an area they weren't allowed to be, so 'warning shots' were fired AT EUROPEAN DIPLOMATS. pic.twitter.com/0Y6SHxk73N
'According to an initial inquiry, the delegation deviated from the approved route and entered an area where they were not authorized to be. IDF soldiers operating in the area fired warning shots to distance them,' the IDF said, expressing regret for the 'inconvenience caused.'
Israeli occupation soldiers open fire on a diplomatic delegation during their visit to Jenin refugee camp. pic.twitter.com/yI3MAyXyZZ
The Palestinian Authority's foreign ministry described the shooting as a violation of international law, asserting that the delegation was on an official mission to assess humanitarian conditions amid growing international criticism of Israel's military operations in Gaza and the West Bank.
The israelis shoot at an int'l delegation visiting Jenin: the targeted group includes EU envoys; but.. but.. aren't they your allies @EU_Commissionpic.twitter.com/eTP3FoCUzz
International leaders swiftly condemned the incident. France and Italy summoned Israeli ambassadors for explanations. Ireland's deputy prime minister called the event 'completely unacceptable,' while Canada demanded a full investigation. European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas also labeled the act of firing near diplomats 'unacceptable' and called for accountability.
The Egyptian foreign ministry said the incident 'violates all diplomatic norms,' while Türkiye's foreign ministry 'strongly condemned' the firing of warning shots at its diplomats.
The Israeli military launched a major operation in the West Bank in January, dubbed 'Iron Wall,' with forces taking control of Jenin and installing metal gates at the entrances to the refugee camp. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated at the time that the goal was to 'eradicate terrorism' in the area, amid Israel's ongoing war with Hamas in Gaza. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant later said that IDF troops would remain in the area indefinitely, declaring that 'the Jenin refugee camp will not be what it was.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Russia Today
a day ago
- Russia Today
Mozambican president planning Russia visit
Mozambican President Daniel Chapo is planning to visit Russia, the country's foreign minister, Maria Manuela Lucas, announced during a press conference following talks with her Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, in Moscow on Tuesday. Chapo took office as leader of the southeast African nation in January. Lavrov confirmed that he would also visit Maputo in return. Lavrov's most recent visit to Mozambique took place in 2018. The two nations officially established diplomatic ties in 1975. 'Madam Minister kindly invited me to once again visit hospitable Maputo. I will certainly do so,' Lavrov said during the joint briefing. Mozambique is seeking Russian expertise in several strategic sectors. Lucas highlighted fishing and maritime development as a priority, given the country's long Indian Ocean coastline and underdeveloped fisheries sector. 'Russia has a vast experience in the field of fisheries development and development of water resources,' Lucas said. 'We would like to develop cooperation in the field of the industrialization of our country, we would like to use the support and the experience of Russia.' In recent months, Russia has supplied more than 70,000 tons of grain to Mozambique, according to Lucas. She added that her country also wants to diversify foreign partnerships in the extractives sector, particularly in natural gas. 'We asked Minister Lavrov to support large companies from Russia that are engaged in oil and gas extraction and would like to enter the Mozambican market,' she stated. Education was another focus of the talks. Lavrov said 75 Mozambican students are currently enrolled in Russian universities under a government quota – and that Moscow is prepared to offer more slots in the future. 'We are ready to give more,' Lavrov noted. The Russian diplomat also highlighted the role of alternative financial systems in Moscow's engagement with Africa, saying that mechanisms using national currencies were already in use and steadily improving. 'These mechanisms have been functioning for quite some time and continue to improve, primarily involving the broader use of national currencies – but not exclusively,' Lavrov said, describing them as part of a broader effort to shield trade from Western-controlled financial institutions.
Russia Today
a day ago
- Russia Today
Gaza reporters starving to death – journalists' association
The last remaining Palestinian collaborators for Agence France-Presse (AFP) in Gaza are starving, unable to continue working or survive under current conditions, the agency's internal journalists' association has warned. AFP has been relying on ten local freelancers since its staff withdrew from the enclave in early 2024, the Society of Journalists (SDJ) said in a statement on Monday. 'They are young, but their strength is fading. Most no longer have the physical capacity to move through the enclave to do their job,' the association wrote on X. The freelancers get paid but there's nothing to buy, the statement explained. They live in 'utter destitution,' with some suffering from untreated illnesses and severe malnutrition. With no fuel or vehicles available, the journalists travel on foot or by donkey cart to cover the conflict. Since its foundation in 1944, AFP has 'never faced the horror of watching one of our collaborators starve to death,' the association concluded. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot responded to the statement on Monday, saying the government hopes to evacuate some of the agency's collaborators in the coming weeks. He also demanded that international press be allowed to enter Gaza 'to show what is happening there and to bear witness.' Israel has banned foreign journalists from the enclave, citing security risks and the need to prevent the leaking of sensitive operational information. Only tightly escorted visits with the Israeli military have been allowed. Last month, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) described the ban as 'unprecedented' and called for it to be lifted. In May, after nearly three months of total blockade, Israel announced it would permit only a minimal flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza. Officials described the policy as necessary to prevent mass starvation while continuing to pressure Hamas. International organizations and human right groups have long issued warnings of 'catastrophic hunger' and rising fatalities from malnutrition in Gaza. The current conflict began in October 2023 after a deadly Hamas incursion into southern Israel left 1200 people dead. Since then, over 59,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Russia Today
a day ago
- Russia Today
Trump official reveals vodka drinking at negotiations in Minsk
A lunch with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko which included vodka shots helped secure the release of 14 opposition figures following rare talks between Washington and Minsk, a senior US official has revealed. In an interview with Politico published on Sunday, John Coale, a deputy to US President Donald Trump's special envoy, Keith Kellogg, offered a glimpse into high-level US-Belarus talks in Minsk last month. Shortly after the meeting, Belarus released several detained opposition activists, including prominent opposition figure Sergey Tikhanovsky, who immediately left the country for Lithuania. According to officials in Minsk, Lukashenko pardoned the prisoners at Trump's request and stressed that he acted out of 'humanitarian considerations, to reunify families.' They added that the talks also focused on US-Belarus relations and international issues. Politico claimed the release 'wouldn't have happened without Coale's efforts to forge a relationship with Lukashenko, including over a long lunch with vodka toasts.' Coale said, 'I did two shots, didn't throw up, but did not do a third one.' While the lunch was held behind closed doors, footage from the talks released by Belarusian media shows Lukashenko cordially greeting the US delegation, hugging Kellogg, and patting other American officials on the shoulder. According to Politico, Trump's special envoys are able to pursue informal diplomacy while bypassing traditional State Department channels, which provides opportunities for direct, unconventional engagement. Lukashenko later said the meeting was respectful, adding that it should not be interpreted as a concession to the West. 'We were not playing at a giveaway... There was a respectful conversation.' The talks with key Russian ally Belarus took place as the Trump administration made efforts to restore ties with Moscow while seeking to negotiate an end to the Ukraine conflict.
