Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida held a phone call with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu earlier in the day. “Prime Minster Kishida stated continued growth in the number of civilian casualties should be avoided, and that it is important to calm the situation swiftly, minimize civilian casualties and observe international law including international humanitarian law,” a Japanese foreign ministry announcement said. In response, Netanyahu set out Israel’s position on the military operation in Gaza, the announcement said, without elaborating.
