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Israel has attacked Iran, US official tells CNN
Kathleen Magramo, Sana Noor Haq, Christian Edwards, Aditi Sangal, Elise Hammond, Amir Vera, Tori B. Powell and Maureen Chowdhury, CNN
Updated 11:13 p.m. ET, April 18, 2024
What we’re covering
Israel has carried out a strike inside Iran, a US official tells CNN, in a move that threatens to push the region deeper into conflict. Iranian air defenses have been activated in several provinces, the state news agency reported Friday.
Multiple explosions were heard near a military base in Isfahan, according to reports from Iranian semi-official FARS news, where fighter jets are located in the northwest part of the city.
Reports of the explosion came hours after Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian told CNN that if Israel takes any further military action against Iran, its response would be “immediate and at a maximum level.”
On Thursday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will make its “own decisions” when responding to Iran’s unprecedented weekend airstrikes, most of which were intercepted. Iran launched the attack in retaliation for a suspected Israeli strike on its embassy compound in Syria earlier this month.
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6 min ago
Israel had told US it would be retaliating against Iran in the coming days, US official says
From CNN’s Alex Marquardt
Israel had told the US on Thursday it would be retaliating against Iran in the coming days, a senior US official said.
“We didn’t endorse the response,” the official said.
Israel had been weighing a response to Iran’s weekend airstrikes targeting the Jewish state, most of which were intercepted.
Israel has carried out a strike inside Iran, a US official tells CNN. The attack came just hours after Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian told CNN in an interview that if Israel takes any further military action against it would be “immediate and at a maximum level.”
4 min ago
Why Israel’s strike on Iran threatens to push the Middle East deeper into conflict
From CNN staff
Israel has carried out a strike inside Iran, a US official tells CNN, in a move that threatens to trigger further deadly conflict throughout the Middle East.
The attack came hours after Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian told CNN that if Israel takes any further military action against Iran, its response would be “immediate and at a maximum level.”
Israel had for days been weighing its response to Iran’s unprecedented weekend strikes on its soil, most of which were intercepted.
Iran launched the attack in retaliation for a suspected Israeli strike on its embassy compound in Syria earlier this month.
That airstrike destroyed the consulate building and killed at least seven officials, including two top commanders.
13 min ago
Nuclear facilities are safe in Isfahan province, Iranian state-aligned media says
From CNN’s Adam Pourahmadi
Iran’s state-aligned Tasnim news says nuclear facilities in Isfahan province are “completely secure,” citing a “reliable source.”
Other Iranian media outlets are reporting the same.
Israel has carried out a strike inside Iran, a US official told CNN Friday. The target of the strike was not nuclear, the official added.
4 min ago
Israel carries out strike in Iran, a US official says
From CNN’s Alex Marquardt
Flashes in the sky of Isfahan, Iran following reports of explosions.
Flashes in the sky of Isfahan, Iran following reports of explosions. IRGC
Israel has carried out a strike inside Iran, a US official tells CNN, in a move that threatens to push the region deeper into conflict.
The target is not nuclear, the official said.
Prior to the Israeli strike Friday (local time), the US expectation was that they would not target civilian or nuclear facilities, another senior US official told CNN.
CNN has previously reported that Israel told the US its response would be limited in scope. US intelligence had suggested Israel was weighing a narrow and limited strike inside Iran because they feel like they have to respond with a kinetic action of some kind given the unprecedented scale of the Iranian attack
The range of targets was “never specified in precise terms but nuclear and civilian locations were clearly not in that category,” the second official added.
The US has been urging Israel not to respond to last weekend’s Iranian attack, which President Joe Biden on Thursday called “unprecedented.” The US “didn’t green light” an Israeli response, the second official said.
This post has been updated with the latest developments.
4 min ago
Oil prices surge, Dow futures sink nearly 500 points on reports of explosions in Iran
From CNN’s Matt Egan and Laura He
Oil prices surged nearly 4% and US stock futures fell sharply Thursday evening amid reports of explosions in Iran.
In recent trading, US oil prices climbed 3.7% to $85.80 a barrel. Brent crude, the world benchmark, gained 3.4% to $90.13 a barrel.
Energy prices moved sharply higher as Iranian news agencies reported explosions heard near Iran’s Isfahan Airport.
The developments drove US stock futures steadily lower, with Dow futures down 480 points, or 1.3%. Nasdaq futures lost almost 2%.
“The market has been on edge since Iran launched a missile and drone attack on the Jewish state over the weekend,” said analysts from ANZ on Friday.
“Israel’s response could determine whether oil supplies are ultimately under threat.”
Gold futures were up 1% at $2,422.4 per ounce in morning Asian trade with investors piling into safe-haven investments.
But stock markets in Asia sank as appetite for risk weakened, according to analysts.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 slid 3.5%. South Korea’s Kospi lost 3%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index fell 1.5%. China’s Shanghai Composite inched down 0.1%.
This post has been updated with more information.
33 min ago
Multiple explosions heard near military base in Isfahan, semi-official news agency says
From CNN’s Adam Pourahmadi
Iranian semi-official FARS news is reporting that three explosions were heard near the military base where fighter jets are located in the northwest part of the city of Isfahan.
“The defense is activated in response to an object that is likely to be a drone,” sources tell FARS news.
It has been said that the army radar was one of the possible targets and the windows of several office buildings were broken in this area, FARS reports.
The cause of the blasts are not yet known.
Reports of the explosion come hours after Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian told CNN that if Israel takes any further military action against Iran, its response would be “immediate and at a maximum level.”
41 min ago
Outgoing flights from several Iranian airports canceled, Iranian state TV reports
From CNN’s Jennifer Hauser
Iranian state media Press TV is reporting outgoing flights from several Iranian airports have been canceled, citing an Iranian official.
All flights going to Tehran, Isfahan and Shiraz had already been suspended, the director of Iran’s public relations for an airport company announced in an interview with state-run Mehr TV.
45 min ago
Iran’s air defense systems have been activated in several provinces, state news reports
From CNN’s Hamdi Alkhshali
Iran’s air defense systems have been activated in several provinces of the country, state news IRNA reported in the early hours of Friday local time.
52 min ago
Iran says flights to Tehran, Isfahan and Shiraz are suspended
From CNN’s Hamdi Alkhshali and Artemis Moshtaghian
All flights heading to the cities of “Tehran, Isfahan and Shiraz, the airports of the West, North West and South West have been suspended,” the director of Iran’s public relations for an airport company announced in an interview with state-run Mehr TV.
The suspension is effective immediately, but flights have not been canceled, the director said.
“Passengers should check the flight information before departure,” he added.
58 min ago
Explosion heard near Iran’s Isfahan Airport, Iranian news agencies report
From CNN’s Hamdi Alkshali and Artemis Moshtaghian
An explosion was heard in the Iranian city of Ghahjaworstan, located northwest of the city of Isfahan, according to the Iranian semi-official FARS news agency, citing local sources.
“The city of Ghahjaworstan is located near Isfahan Airport and the eighth hunting base of the Army Air Force,” FARS news said.
Iranian Press TV also reported an explosion was heard near the central city.
The cause of this explosion is unknown.
The post was updated with a map.
1 hr 32 min ago
At least 8 flights have been diverted over Iranian airspace
From CNN’s Jennifer Hauser
Flight tracking website Flight Radar 24 shows multiple flights diverted over Iranian airspace early Friday.
CNN counted at least eight flights.
2 hr 59 min ago
S&P downgrades Israel’s sovereign rating on “heightened geopolitical risk”
From CNN’s Luciana Lopez
S&P Global Ratings cut Israel’s sovereign credit rating on Thursday to A+ from AA- on increased geopolitical risk from the war with Hamas and friction with Iran.
“In our view, the recent increase in confrontation with Iran heightens already elevated geopolitical risks for Israel,” S&P analysts wrote. “We expect a wider regional conflict will be avoided, but the Israel-Hamas war and the confrontation with Hezbollah appear set to continue throughout 2024 – versus our previous assumption of military activity not lasting more than six months.”
Israel’s rating outlook is negative, which means another downgrade could come again at some point.
Credit ratings are used by markets and investors as a guide to how creditworthy they think a borrower is. A lower credit rating means that a lender will generally ask for a higher interest rate in return for money.
Israel’s credit rating is still considered investment grade – a higher tier of ratings than the alternative, commonly referred to as junk ratings – but the S&P move underscores the financial toll on top of the humanitarian effects of the war.
2 hr 54 min ago
Iranian foreign minister: If Israel takes action, Iran’s response will be “immediate and at a maximum level”
From CNN’s Jennifer Hauser and Tara John
Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian speaks during a UN Security Council meeting in New York City on Thursday.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian speaks during a UN Security Council meeting in New York City on Thursday. Angela Weiss/AFP/Getty Images
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian warned Israel on Thursday against taking any military action against Iran.
“In case the Israeli regime embarks on adventurism again and takes action against the interests of Iran, the next response from us will be immediate and at a maximum level,” Amir-Abdollahian told CNN’s Erin Burnett in an exclusive live interview.
The foreign minister said Iran sincerely hoped Israel would not repeat “the previous egregious error,” referencing the apparent Israeli strike on Iran’s embassy complex in Damascus, Syria.
“Our response will be decisive through the Swiss embassy in Tehran,” he said. “We’ve announced to the White House, sent a message to the White House and Washington DC, the administration in which we’ve reiterated that if the Israeli regime commits the great error once again our response will be decisive, definitive and regretful for them,” Amir-Abdollahian said from the Iranian Permanent Mission to United Nations — one of the only places he is allowed to be the US given the State Department restrictions.
The missiles and drones that Iran fired against Israel on Saturday were carried out in response to the suspected Israeli strikes and “stayed within a minimum of frameworks,” he said, adding that the intent was to take “equal action,” and “to let it be known we do have the means to respond.” But he warned that if Israel chooses to retaliate, “the next response from us will be immediate and at a maximum level.”
The post was updated with more of the minister’s remarks to Erin Burnett.
3 hr 28 min ago
Hamas condemns US veto of Palestinian membership bid at the UN
From CNN’s Hamdi Alkhshali
Hamas condemned the US for using its veto power against a draft resolution that would have granted Palestine full membership in the United Nations.
The draft — presented by Algeria, representing the Arab Group — received support from 12 countries but was blocked by the US veto.
In a statement released early Friday local time, Hamas criticized the US stance as opposing the rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination and statehood, and supporting what it termed the “fascist occupation entity” of Israel.
The statement said the US is isolating itself from international consensus supporting Palestinian rights, and called on the international community to pressure the US to change its position and support Palestinian aspirations for an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.
The statement thanked Algeria, the Arab Group, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and non-aligned countries that backed the resolution.
4 hr 2 min ago
UAE and Iranian foreign ministers discuss stability in the Middle East during key diplomatic call
From CNN’s Hamdi Alkhshali
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the minister of foreign affairs of the United Arab Emirates, spoke on the phone Thursday with his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, UAE state news agency WAM reported.
The call focused on addressing the latest “dangerous developments in the region and their repercussions on the regional and international peace and security,” according to WAM.
During the discussion, Sheikh Al Nahyan urged for maximum “self-restraint and working to prevent the expansion of the circle of tension in the Middle East.”
He reiterated that diplomacy and dialogue remain the essential paths to resolving conflicts and securing the region’s stability and safety, according to the UAE state news outlet.
Remember: The conversation comes as Israel mulls its response to unprecedented airstrikes by Iran last weekend, which were themselves a response to a suspected Israeli strike on Iran’s embassy compound in Syria earlier this month.
World leaders are voicing growing concern that the strikes have heightened the risk of a wider war in the Middle East.
4 hr 50 min ago
Palestinian presidency condemns US veto on UN membership bid as “unfair, immoral and unjustified”
From CNN’s Hamdi Alkhshali
The Palestinian presidency sharply criticized the United States on Thursday for using its veto power to block Palestine’s bid for full membership in the United Nations.
In a statement, the presidency described the veto as “unfair, immoral, and unjustified, and defies the will of the international community, which strongly supports the State of Palestine obtaining full membership in the United Nations.”
The statement accused the US of promoting policies that support ongoing Israeli military actions in Palestinian territories and hinder the peace process, “which has continued to use its veto against the rights of our people.”
“This aggressive American veto reveals the contradictions of American policy, which claims, on the one hand, to support the two-state solution, while it prevents the international institution from implementing this solution through its repeated use of the veto in the Security Council against Palestine and its legitimate rights,” the statement added.
The statement said that lasting peace in the region hinges on the end of Israeli occupation and recognition of Palestinian rights, including self-determination and sovereignty over East Jerusalem.
Some background: In September 2011, the Palestinian Authority failed to win UN recognition as an independent member state. A year later, the UN decided that the PA’s “non-member observer entity” status would be changed to “non-member observer state,” similar to the Vatican.
The Palestinian Authority, which is dominated by the Fatah political party, held administrative control over Gaza until 2007, after Hamas won the 2006 legislative elections and expelled it from the enclave. Since then, Hamas ruled Gaza and the Palestinian Authority governs parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
The US favors a reformed Palestinian Authority leading both the West Bank and Gaza as part of an eventual independent state. But Israel has rejected the prospect of the Palestinian Authority returning to Gaza after the ongoing war, and has dismissed the idea of establishing a Palestinian state in the territories.
5 hr 3 min ago
US vetoes Palestinian application at the UN for statehood recognition
From CNN’s Richard Roth and Benjamin Brown
The United Nations Security Council meets at the UN headquarters in New York City on Thursday.
The United Nations Security Council meets at the UN headquarters in New York City on Thursday. Angela Weiss/AFP/Getty Images
The United States vetoed a UN Security Council application granting statehood to Palestinians on Thursday.
The vote was 12-1 — the one being the US veto — and two abstentions.
The US, Israel’s chief ally, said it believes statehood should be dependent on negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.
The US has “been very clear, consistently, that premature actions in New York, even with the best intentions, will not achieve statehood for the Palestinian people,” State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said earlier Thursday.
He also noted there was no unanimity as to whether the applicant met the criteria for membership as a state.
Ziad Abu Amr, special representative of the Palestinians, told the Security Council:
“How could granting and recognizing Palestine, the state of Palestine, how could granting the State of Palestine full membership at the United Nations, similar to other countries around the world, how could this damage the prospect of peace between Palestinians and Israelis?”
Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz commended the US for vetoing what he called a “shameful proposal.”
“The proposal to recognize a Palestinian state, more than 6 months after the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust and after the sexual crimes and other atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists was a reward for terrorism,” Katz wrote on X.
“Terrorism will not be rewarded. Israel will continue to fight until Hamas is destroyed and all 133 hostages in Gaza are released,” Katz added.
This post has been updated with the US veto and comments from representatives for Israel and the Palestinians.
5 hr 45 min ago
Biden’s national security adviser convenes meeting with Israeli counterparts on Rafah
From CNN’s Donald Judd
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan convened a meeting of the US-Israel Strategic Consultative Group “to consult on a series of issues in the wake of Iran’s unprecedented missile and drone attack against Israel.”
The meeting kicked off as a small group “to discuss the Iran attack and the collective efforts to further enhance Israel’s defense through advanced capabilities as well as cooperation with a broad coalition of military partners,” the White House said in a readout, with Sullivan later briefing the Israeli delegation – led by Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer and National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi – on today’s sanctions package on Iran.
The meeting then expanded to a larger group to discuss operations in Rafah.
“The two sides agreed on the shared objective to see Hamas defeated in Rafah,” the readout says. “U.S. participants expressed concerns with various courses of action in Rafah, and Israeli participants agreed to take these concerns into account and to have further follow up discussions between experts, overseen by the SCG. Participants will meet again soon.“
5 hr 53 min ago
CIA director expresses “deep disappointment” in Hamas rejection of ceasefire deal
From CNN’s Alex Marquardt
CIA Director Bill Burns discussed the difficulties of reaching a ceasefire deal on Thursday and talked about his recent disappointment that Hamas had turned down a proposal put forward in the recent Cairo talks.
“It’s a big rock to push up a steep hill right now,” Burns said in a conversation at The Bush Center. Burns described the proposal that was put forward by the US, Egypt and Qatar as “pretty far-reaching.”
“It was a deep disappointment to get a negative reaction from Hamas through the Qataris and the Egyptians to that proposal,” Burns said. “Right now it’s that negative reaction that really is standing in the way of innocent civilians in Gaza getting humanitarian relief in Gaza that they so desperately need.”
CNN has reported that the proposal included a potential release of some 900 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons for 40 Israeli hostages. Hamas has since told mediators they are only offering 20 women and elderly, sick or wounded male hostages for the first round of a ceasefire.
Burns said that he has met with the families of hostages and that “it breaks your heart because you can see in very human terms what’s at stake here as well.”
Burns concluded, “so we’ll keep working hard at this.”
5 hr 58 min ago
Iran warns of decisive response to Israeli military actions at UN Security Council meeting
From CNN’s Hamdi Alkhshali
Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian delivered a stern warning against Israeli military actions targeting Iranian interests during a United Nations Security Council meeting on Thursday.
Addressing the council during discussions on the Middle East situation, Amir-Abdollahian stated Iran’s recent defensive measures were complete and urged the international community to prevent further Israeli military operations against Iran.
“Iran’s legitimate defense and countermeasures have been concluded. Therefore, the Israeli regime must be compelled to stop any further military adventurism against our centers, assets and interests,” Amir-Abdollahian said.
He further cautioned that any illegal use of force by Israel would provoke a decisive Iranian response, aimed at making Israel regret its actions. The Iranian foreign minister described Iran’s stance as a necessary safeguard against continued provocations, emphasizing the need for international diplomatic intervention to de-escalate tensions and ensure regional stability.
Amir-Abdollahian called on the international community — particularly the security council — to compel Israel to cease its military activities against Iran to prevent further escalation in the region.
6 hr 27 min ago
Israeli military confirms Tuesday’s strike on Al-Maghazi refugee camp that killed 8 children
From CNN’s Abeer Salman and Jeremy Diamond in Jerusalem
Palestinian women mourn the death of loved ones following Israeli bombardment in Al-Maghazi, central Gaza, on April 16.
Palestinian women mourn the death of loved ones following Israeli bombardment in Al-Maghazi, central Gaza, on April 16. Stringer/AFP/Getty Images
The Israel Defense Forces confirmed to CNN that it carried out a strike on Al-Maghazi refugee camp in Gaza on Tuesday — which killed 14 people, including eight children.
The IDF said it is unaware of the number of casualties.
The Israeli military’s response came 48 hours after CNN first reached out for comment, following a CNN report on the strike that showed its deadly aftermath.
“The IDF struck a terror target in Maghazi,” the spokesperson said. “And we’re not aware of the BDA (battle damage assessment) that is claimed to have happened.” The spokesperson declined to provide additional details about the strike or its target, but said the strike is under review.
CNN provided the Israeli military with coordinates of the strike’s location.
Watch the CNN report here:
7 hr 2 min ago
Palestinian girl conceived from IVF is killed in strike on Al-Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza
From CNN’s Kareem Khadder, Abeer Salman, Mohammad Al Sawalhi, and Sana Noor Haq
Shahed Owdetallah
Shahed Owdetallah Obtained by CNN
The family members of Shahed Owdatallah considered her a miracle when she was born from IVF in the Al-Maghazi refugee camp, in central Gaza, on November 4, 2013. Her parents had waited more than 20 years to conceive.
But her life was cut short on Tuesday, family members told CNN, when the 10-year-old Palestinian girl was killed in an airstrike on the camp. At least 14 people were killed in the targeted attack, including eight children, according to officials at the local Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the attack was an airstrike and is under review.
For her family, Shahed was a big dream, and everyone pampered her until she grew up and entered school,” her relatives said. “She loved playing and reading a lot… everyone loved her.”
CNN footage filmed at Al-Aqsa hospital in the aftermath of the strike on Tuesday shows fathers cradling the young and lifeless bodies of children, their eyes red and swollen with disbelief. Other kids look on warily. The sound of shrill screams pierces the walls of the hospital.
Injured Palestinian children are brought to the al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital following an attack at Maghazi refugee camp in Deir al-Balah, Gaza, on April 16. CNN has added blur to this image to protect identities.
Injured Palestinian children are brought to the al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital following an attack at Maghazi refugee camp in Deir al-Balah, Gaza, on April 16. CNN has added blur to this image to protect identities. Ashraf Amra/Anadolu/Getty Images
Parents told CNN their kids had been playing foosball when the camp was struck.
“A drone strike hit them while they were playing,” said Jaber Abu Jayyab, the father of 9-year-old Lujain. “They were all children.” Israeli attacks in Gaza have killed more than 13,900 children, the Ministry of Health there reported on April 18.
In another scene from the hospital, one boy Mohamad AlNouri, 14, cowers over his younger brother’s body – 8-year-old Mahmoud Khalil AlNouri – which is shrouded in white cloth. “He is still alive,” Mohamad wails out. “Don’t leave him here.”
“Dear God. What did they all do?” one man cries. “What did they all do?”
CNN’s Jennifer Hauser and Ibrahim Dahman contributed reporting.
6 hr 48 min ago
Israeli attacks in Gaza have killed at least 71 Palestinians since Wednesday. Catch up on the latest
From CNN staff
At least 71 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since Wednesday, the Ministry of Health there reported, raising the total death toll to nearly 34,000 people.
As of April 18, at least 33,970 Palestinians have been killed and another 76,770 people injured, the ministry said.
CNN cannot independently verify these figures. The ministry does not distinguish between fighters and civilians in its daily release.
Here are the latest headlines:
Deadly airstrike in Rafah: At least 10 family members, including five children aged between 3 and 16, were killed in an overnight airstrike on a neighborhood in Rafah, in southern Gaza, the local hospital reported. The United Nations’ senior humanitarian envoy for Gaza told CNN that Palestinians in the southern city of Rafah are anxiously anticipating Israel’s next offensive. Some civilians have already started moving north to other parts of Gaza, fearing an imminent Israeli incursion into Rafah, the senior official said.
Gaza refugee camp badly damaged: Israeli forces have withdrawn from the area of the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza after several days of deadly military operations, according to the Civil Defense Directorate in the besieged enclave and geolocated videos show extensive destruction in the area.
In occupied West Bank: The Israeli military has failed to protect Palestinians from violence by settlers in the occupied West Bank and on some occasions participated in these attacks, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said.
UK sanctions Iran: The UK announced new sanctions on a number of Iranian military figures and bodies following Iran’s attack against Israel on Saturday.
US to vote “no” for Palestinian statehood: The United States will vote “no” on a UN Security Council resolution for Palestinian statehood in the UN, State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said.
Pro-Palestinian protests in US: The New York Police Department entered Columbia University on Thursday to disperse a pro-Palestine protest on campus. The protest began Wednesday as university president Nemat “Minouche” Shafik testified to a House committee over the school’s response to antisemitism.
9 hr 4 min ago
Why Qatar is unlikely to pull out of the Gaza hostage-ceasefire talks
Analysis from CNN’s Nadeen Ebrahim
The Arab nation of Qatar’s declaration this week that it is reconsidering its role as the key mediator between Israel and Hamas amounted to a public declaration of frustration at criticism of its ties to the Palestinian militant group.
Qatar’s mediation efforts are being misused for “narrow political interests” by some involved in the conflict, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said Wednesday, “which required the State of Qatar to conduct a comprehensive evaluation” of its mediation role.
“There are limits to this role, and limits to our ability to constructively participate in these negotiations,” Al Thani told a news conference in Doha, adding that his country is forced to do this despite hostage-ceasefire talks being at a “sensitive and delicate stage.”
But analysts say the Gulf state is unlikely to completely pull back from the talks.
A close ally of the United States, Qatar has been coordinating with Washington and Egypt to secure the release of the more than Israeli 100 hostages in Gaza, as well as end Israel’s war in the territory.
