Live Updates: Palestine reignites its quest for full UN seat amid Israel's war

Wednesday, April 3, 2024

2130 GMT — Palestine reignites its quest for full UN seat amid

Palestine has officially revived its application to become a full member state in the United Nations, according to a letter from their UN envoy.

"Upon instructions of the Palestinian leadership, I have the honor to request that renewed consideration be given to this application by the Security Council during April 2024," UN envoy Riyad Mansour wrote in the letter to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, which has been transmitted to the council.

The Palestinians, who have had observer status at the world body since 2012, have lobbied for years to gain full membership, which would amount to recognition of Palestinian statehood, already recognised by most of the UN member states.

0106 GMT — Israel says strike killing aid workers was 'grave mistake'

Israel's defence chief has said that a strike that killed seven aid workers in Gaza was a "grave mistake", after the incident prompted a chorus of international condemnation.

"This incident was a grave mistake," Israeli military chief Herzi Halevi said in a video message on the strike that hit a World Central Kitchen (WCK) convoy on Monday.

"It shouldn't have happened," Halevi said, as he blamed the strike on a "misidentification -— at night during a war in very complex conditions".

0042 GMT — Biden says Israel 'has not done enough to protect aid workers'

US President Joe Biden has said he is "outraged" and "heartbroken" over an Israeli air strike in Gaza that killed seven aid workers, highlighting that Israel "has not done enough to protect aid workers."

"They were providing food to hungry civilians in the middle of a war. They were brave and selfless. Their deaths are a tragedy," Biden said in a statement.

Noting that Israel has pledged to conduct a thorough investigation into the killings, he said "that investigation must be swift, it must bring accountability, and its findings must be made public."

2100 GMT — Missile attack from Lebanon targets northern Israel: reports

At least 14 missiles have been launched from Lebanon toward the city of Nahariyya and illegal settlements in western Galilee in northern Israel, Israeli media reported.

Two missiles were intercepted, and seven fell in open areas, Yedioth Ahronoth daily said without specifying the fate of the remaining rockets.

For the first time since last November, sirens sounded in the cit y of Nahariya earlier in the night, according to the newspaper. There have been no reported injuries as of yet.

For our live updates from Tuesday, April 2, click here.