Today: 1 June 2025
16 May 2021
3 mins read

Gaza violence: Biden concerned for journalists

Biden remarks came amid report that an airstrike carried out by the Israeli military earlier in the day that destroyed a building housing international news organizations in Gaza…reports Asian Lite News

US President Joe Biden expressed concerns about the escalating conflict in the Gaza Strip in separate phone calls with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

During his call with Netanyahu, Biden on Saturday voiced concerns about violent confrontations in the West Bank and “shared his grave concern about the intercommunal violence across Israel”, Xinhua news agency quoted a White House readout of the conversation.

He also raised concerns about “the safety and security of journalists and reinforced the need to ensure their protection”, likely referring to an airstrike carried out by the Israeli military earlier in the day that destroyed a building housing international news organizations in Gaza.

Meanwhile, Biden “reaffirmed his strong support for Israel’s right to defend itself against rocket attacks from Hamas and other terrorist groups in Gaza”, said the readout.

Biden also held his first phone conversation with Abbas since he took office in January, in which he conveyed Washington’s “commitment to strengthening the US-Palestinian partnership”.

The two leaders discussed current tensions in Jerusalem and the West Bank and expressed their shared concern about the loss of civilian life in the ongoing violence, the White House said in a separate readout.

Biden emphasized to Abbas the need for Hamas to halt firing rockets into Israel.

ALSO READ:UNSC to hold open meeting on Israel-Palestine conflict

He voiced his support for the two-state solution in speaking with both leaders.

The phone calls came amid escalating violence between the Israeli security forces and Palestinian militants.

Israeli fighter jets on Saturday bombed and demolished Jala Tower, a high-rise building in Gaza City housing Al-Jazeera TV and Associated Press (AP) offices, as well as residential apartments.

The building “contained military assets belonging to the intelligence offices of Hamas”, said an Israeli military spokesperson in a statement.

AP President and CEO Gary Pruitt said ithat “we are shocked and horrified that the Israeli military would target and destroy the building housing AP’s bureau and other news organizations in Gaza”.

ALSO READ: Israel-Gaza conflict could further spiral into ‘full-scale war’

“We narrowly avoided a terrible loss of life,” he said.

“A dozen AP journalists and freelancers were inside the building and thankfully we were able to evacuate them in time.”

The ongoing conflict was the worst violence between Israel and the besieged Palestinian enclave since 2014.

Palestinian Territories, Gaza city: Fire billows from a building hit by an Israeli airstrike on the Gaza Strip, amid the escalating flare-up of Israeli-Palestinian violence(Photo: Mahmoud Khattab/Quds Net News via ZUMA Wire/dpa/IANS)

Militant groups in Gaza continued firing barrages of rockets targeting cities in northern, central and southern Israel.

A spokesperson of the Israeli army said that more than 200 rockets were fired from Gaza at Israel in the last 12 hours, while the overall number since Monday increased to over 1,800.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry in Gaza said that since Monday more than 140 Palestinians have been killed, including 40 children and 20 women, and about 1,000 others injured.

The rocket attacks have also killed at least nine Israelis and wounded 200 others so far.

ALSO READ: US report slams Pak’s blasphemy laws

Previous Story

Tibetan diaspora donate to PM CARES Fund

Next Story

Qureshi reaffirms Pak support for Afghan peace process

Latest from -Top News

UAE aid for Gaza in global focus

Titled Hope Remains, the documentary brings to light the UAE’s leading role in providing vital aid and support to the people of Gaza. The International Humanitarian and Philanthropic Council has released a

Syria, Israel begin quiet talks

The announcement came just hours after Israeli warplanes reportedly carried out new airstrikes in Syria’s coastal provinces of Tartus and Latakia, hitting a range of military targets. Syria has confirmed the commencement

Gaza truce deal hits new snag

US says Hamas’ reply to the ceasefire plan was “totally unacceptable” and accused the Palestinian group of dragging the negotiations backward. The latest attempt to broker a ceasefire in Gaza has hit

IAEA flags Iran enrichment spike

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in two separate but related reports, said Iran has boosted its uranium stockpile enriched up to 60% purity by nearly 50% since February. Iran has vehemently

World needs Dubai’s ambition: Morgan

Piers Morgan has hailed Dubai’s transformation as an example of what visionary leadership can achieve. British broadcaster Piers Morgan has praised the extraordinary ambition and vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Blinken Set To Visit Middle East In Latest Attempt For Truce

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Egypt, Israel,

UN warns against increasing famine risk in Gaza

OCHA also said that the spread of diseases in Gaza