US President Joe Biden said Tuesday that a ceasefire deal in Gaza could deter Iran from attacking Israel in retaliation for the killing of a Hamas leader that sent regional tensions soaring. His remarks came after Iran rejected Western calls to "stand down" its threat of reprisals. Read our liveblog to see how all the day's events unfolded.
Summary:
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The US has approved $20 billion in arms sales to Israel, including scores of fighter jets and advanced air-to-air missiles, the State Department announced Tuesday. The sale comes as Biden presses Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire after 10 months of bloodshed, although the weapons could take years to reach Israel.
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Iran on Tuesday rejected Western calls to "stand down its ongoing threats" to retaliate against Israel for the killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last month. Senior Iranian officials told Reuters that only a ceasefire deal in Gaza stemming from hoped-for talks this week would stop Iran from retaliating.
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The United Nations, the EU and France condemned Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's visit to the flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound on Tuesday, saying it violated the historical status quo of holy places in Jerusalem.
- At least 39,897 Palestinians have been killed and 92,002 injured in Israel's war in Gaza, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run enclave. The Hamas-led October 7 attacks resulted in the deaths of more than 1,190 people, mostly civilians, according to official Israeli figures. Some 250 people were taken hostage, with about 120 remaining in Gaza. Many have been declared dead by Israeli authorities.
Yesterday's key developments:
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US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered an aircraft carrier to hasten its arrival in the Middle East and a guided-missile submarine to deploy in the region amid fears that Iran is planning a "significant" attack against Israel in the coming days.
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The leaders of France, Germany and Britain said in a joint statement that "there can be no further delay" in negotiating a ceasefire in Gaza, warning Iran and its allies against any "further escalation" of the conflict.
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Gaza officials said they had identified 75 of 93 Palestinians killed in an Israeli air strike on a school building, while Israel's military said the weekend raid had "eliminated" 31 militants.
Gaza’s health ministry collects data from the enclave’s hospitals and the Palestinian Red Crescent. For more on the health ministry’s casualty figures, click here.
(France 24 with AFP, AP, Reuters)
