A Dutch baby of less than a year old was killed in an attack committed by Iran on Iraq, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday. Outgoing Minister Hanke Bruins Slot of Foreign Affairs summoned the Iranian ambassador for an explanation, she said on X.
The Netherlands abstained from voting on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. According to outgoing Minister Hanke Bruins Slot of Foreign Affairs, the resolution’s wording was not clear enough “on the temporary nature of the ceasefire.” An overwhelming majority adopted the resolution calling for a ceasefire during an emergency session of the General Assembly of the United Nations.
There was a Cabinet reshuffle on Thursday. State Secretary Gunay Uslu of Culture and Media announced her immediate departure to head Corendon. Later that day, the caretaker Cabinet announced that Geoffrey van Leeuwen, a senior advisor to Rutte, will replace Liesje Schreinemacher as the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation during her maternity leave, starting on Monday.
Dutch Minister Hanke Bruins Slot of Foreign Affairs urged Israel to use restraint in its attacks on the Gaza Strip, she said on X following a meeting with her Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen. The Dutch government is still pushing for “pauses” to provide humanitarian aid to the Palestinians under siege, not a ceasefire.
Several human rights and aid organizations are suing the Dutch state over the Netherlands' stance towards Israel and the war in Gaza, Oxfam Novib reported on Tuesday. The organizations argue that the Netherlands is “partly responsible for violations of the laws of war and collective punishment of the Gazan civilian population,” particularly due to its continued weapons exports to Israel.