(VOVWORLD) - The leaders of the US, the UK, France, Germany, and Italy issued a joint statement on Monday expressing their “support for ongoing efforts to de-escalate tensions” in the Middle East and secure a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict.
 A truck loaded with medical aid delivered by the World Health Organization is seen at Nasser Hospital in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, on Aug 7, 2024. (Photo by Xinhua) |
They endorsed the latest push by the US, Qatar, and Egypt to broker a truce agreement to end the 10-month-long conflict and stressed the need to increase humanitarian aid in Gaza.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday condemned a weekend airstrike on a school shelter in Gaza City that killed at least 100 displaced people.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the deployment of a guided missile submarine to the Middle East, and ordered the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, which is equipped with F-35C fighter jets, to accelerate its transit to the area.
Several airlines announced the cancellation of all upcoming flights to Israel, Iran, and Lebanon due to growing insecurity in the region.