The Newest | Officers at Group of Seven assembly name for brand new sanctions in opposition to Iran

Israel has vowed to reply to Iran’s unprecedented weekend assault, leaving the area bracing for additional escalation after months of combating in Gaza. Israel’s allies have been urging Israel to carry again on any response to the assault that might spiral.

Officers at a Group of Seven assembly in Italy on Thursday are calling for brand new sanctions in opposition to Iran over the assault.

The Iranian assault on Saturday marked the primary time that Tehran has launched a direct army assault on Israel. Israeli authorities stated Iran launched greater than 300 drones and missiles, 99% of which have been intercepted by air defenses in tandem with the U.S., Britain, France and Jordan. The assault happened lower than two weeks after a suspected Israeli strike in Syria killed two Iranian generals in an Iranian consulate constructing in Damascus.

Regional tensions have elevated for the reason that begin of the newest Israel-Hamas conflict on Oct. 7, when Hamas and Islamic Jihad — two militant teams backed by Iran — carried out a cross-border assault that killed 1,200 individuals in Israel and kidnapped 250 others. Israel responded with an offensive in Gaza that has prompted widespread devastation and killed greater than 33,900 individuals, based on native well being officers.

The U.N. Safety Council is scheduled to vote Friday afternoon on a decision that may give a inexperienced gentle for a Palestinian state to affix the United Nations as a full member. Arab nations are urgent for a vote on Thursday.

Israel says such steps are an try to sidestep the negotiating course of. The US, Israel’s closest ally, had promised to veto any decision endorsing Palestinian membership.

Presently:

— Officers at G7 assembly name for expanded Iran sanctions

— China and Indonesia name for a cease-fire in Gaza.

— Netanyahu brushes off requires restraint, saying Israel will resolve how to reply to Iran’s assault.

— UN company serving to Palestinians in Gaza seeks help in opposition to Israel’s calls for for its dissolution.

— Lebanon says Israeli brokers seemingly killed Hezbollah-linked forex exchanger close to Beirut.

— Israelis grapple with how you can rejoice Passover, a vacation about freedom, whereas many stay captive.

Right here is the newest:

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — The Well being Ministry within the Gaza Strip says that 71 our bodies have been taken to hospitals over the previous 24 hours.

It stated Thursday {that a} whole of a minimum of 33,970 Palestinian have been killed for the reason that Israel-Hamas conflict erupted greater than six months in the past. The ministry doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants in its tallies however has stated girls and kids make up most of these killed.

Palestinian medical officers say an Israeli airstrike in a single day on the southern city of Rafah killed eight members of a household, together with 4 youngsters and three girls, who had been displaced from northern Gaza.

Greater than half of Gaza’s inhabitants of two.3 million have sought refuge in Rafah, on the border with Egypt. Israel has vowed to develop its floor offensive to the town.

The Well being Ministry says individuals in Gaza Metropolis and different elements of the north are in the meantime residing with no “actual” medical companies. It says northern Gaza wants discipline hospitals with 200 beds that additionally embody operation rooms, intensive care items and laboratories.

CAPRI, Italy — Italian Overseas Minister Antonio Tajani opened the primary working session of the Group of Seven assembly in Italy by calling for brand new sanctions in opposition to Iran for its weekend assault on Israel.

The Israel-Hamas conflict and Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine have been taking heart stage on the assembly of international ministers from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the US. On Wednesday, EU leaders assembly in Brussels vowed to ramp up sanctions on Iran to focus on its drone and missile deliveries to proxies in Gaza, Yemen and Lebanon.

European Union international coverage chief Josep Borrell stated on the G7 assembly that the prevailing EU sanctions regime could be strengthened and expanded to punish Tehran and assist forestall future assaults on Israel. On the identical time, he stated, Israel wanted to train restraint.

“I don’t wish to exaggerate however we’re on the sting of a conflict, a regional conflict within the Center East, which might be sending shockwaves to the remainder of the world, and specifically to Europe,” he warned. “So cease it.”

KATHMANDU, Nepal — Members of the family of the Nepali man nonetheless being held captive by Hamas militants after the Oct. 7 assault in Israel have known as for his launch.

Relations of Bipin Joshi, 23, traveled from their dwelling in western Nepal to the capital, Kathmandu, to make a public attraction on Thursday.

“My life has been devastated since his kidnapping,” his father, Mahananda Joshi, stated. “He’s my solely son with out whom I can not even think about residing my life. I really like my son greater than my life.”

“I urge of you to kindly deliver my son again dwelling protected and alive,” he stated.

Joshi was kidnapped within the Oct. 7 assault during which 10 Nepalis have been killed. Six different Nepalis survived, however a lot of them sustained accidents. They’ve returned to Nepal.

There was no information of Joshi for the reason that day he was taken captive. Nepal’s authorities has given a number of assurances to the household that it was working with Israeli authorities to get him freed. However family have been interesting for extra to be executed.

The Chinese language and Indonesian international ministers known as for a right away and lasting cease-fire in Gaza after a gathering Thursday in Jakarta, condemning the humanitarian prices of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Indonesia’s international minister, Retno Marsudi, advised reporters that the 2 nations share the identical view concerning the significance of a cease-fire and of resolving the Palestinian downside by way of a two-state answer.

“I’m positive that China would use its affect to forestall escalation,” Marsudi stated, including that China and Indonesia “would additionally absolutely help Palestine’s membership within the U.N.”

Chinese language Overseas Minister Wang Yi blamed the US for holding up cease-fire resolutions on the United Nations.

The U.S. vetoed quite a lot of proposed U.N. Safety Council resolutions as a result of they didn’t tie a cease-fire on to the discharge of Israel hostages, or condemn Hamas’ assaults that prompted the conflict, earlier than permitting a decision to a move with an abstention in late March.