Iran rejects calls not to attack Israel

Iran rejected a call Tuesday by three European countries urging it to refrain from any retaliatory attacks that would further escalate regional tensions. Iran calls it an “excessive request.”

The leaders of Britain, France and Germany in a joint statement Monday asked Iran and its allies to refrain from retaliation for the killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last month. Iran has blamed Israel.

The European leaders also endorsed the latest push by mediators from Qatar, Egypt and the United States to broker an agreement to end the Israel-Hamas war. Talks are expected to resume Thursday. And they called for the return of scores of hostages held by Hamas and the “unfettered” delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Mediators have spent months trying to get the sides to agree to a three-phase plan in which Hamas would release the remaining hostages captured in its Oct. 7 attack in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, and Israel would withdraw from Gaza.

After more than 10 months of fighting, the Palestinian death toll is nearing 40,000 in Gaza, according to the Health Ministry there.

UN Security Council members urge a cease-fire deal

Several United Nations Security Council members clamored Tuesday for a Gaza cease-fire deal to be sealed, with negotiations set to resume this week.

But the council, which voted in June to embrace a United States proposal for a cease-fire, took no further action at Tuesday’s emergency meeting on Israel’s deadly weekend airstrike on a school-turned-shelter in Gaza.

Russia argued that council has given the U.S. cease-fire plan more than enough time. Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy suggested the group consider “strengthening” its push for a cease-fire.

The U.S., Egypt and Qatar have been trying to get Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas to sign onto the three-phase plan. Talks have been expected to continue Thursday, but it’s unclear whether Hamas will participate.

U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the Security Council that her country is prepared to make “a final bridging proposal: one that resolves the remaining implementation issues in a manner that meets the expectations of all parties.” She didn’t detail it.

Israeli Ambassador Gilad Erdan, whose country isn’t a council member, excoriated the group for convening an urgent meeting about Saturday’s airstrike at the Tabeen school. Israel says it targeted militant fighters operating from the school compound.

Security Council members voiced a range of concern and condemnation about the attack. But Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour called on them to respond to Israel’s military campaign with sanctions, not just words.

“Israel does not care about your condemnations,” he said, twice.

President Biden expresses resolve at securing end to hostilities