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Gaza war: Israeli 'warning' fire at foreign diplomats sparks outcry
The Israeli military said the delegation deviated from the approved route, prompting troops to fire to keep them away from an area where they were not authorised to be
- PUBLISHED: Wed 21 May 2025, 8:35 PM
- By:
- AFP
Israeli troops fired warning shots during a visit by foreign diplomats to the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, the military said, drawing condemnation as pressure mounted on Israel to allow aid into war-battered Gaza.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas urged Israel to hold to account those responsible for the shooting near Jenin, a stronghold of Palestinian armed groups and a frequent target of Israeli raids.
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The Palestinian foreign ministry accused Israel of having "deliberately targeted by live fire an accredited diplomatic delegation". A European diplomat said the group had gone to the area "to see the destruction" caused by months of Israeli operations.
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The Israeli military said "the delegation deviated from the approved route", prompting troops to fire "warning shots" to keep them away from "an area where they were not authorised to be".
In said it "regrets the inconvenience caused" by the shooting, which resulted in no injuries.
The incident came as international pressure intensified over the war in Gaza, where Palestinians were desperate for supplies after a two-month aid blockade was eased.
Rescue teams in the Palestinian territory said overnight Israeli strikes killed at least 19 people, including a week-old baby.
Israel said 93 trucks had entered Gaza on Tuesday but faced accusations the amount fell far short of what was required. The United Nations said the aid had been held up.
The world body on Monday said it had been cleared to send in aid for the first time since Israel imposed a total blockade on March 2 in a move leading to critical shortages of food and medicine.
Pope Leo XIV described the situation in Gaza as "worrying and painful" and called for "the entry of sufficient humanitarian aid".
After the warning shots were fired at diplomats, Belgium demanded a "convincing explanation" from Israel, while Spain said it was "in contact with other affected countries to jointly coordinate a response to what happened, which we strongly condemn".
Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani summoned the Israeli ambassador to Rome and said that "threats against diplomats are unacceptable".
A European diplomat present during the visit said he heard "repeated shots" coming from inside Jenin refugee camp, which has been largely emptied of its inhabitants since the Israeli operation began in January.