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RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel’s assault in Gaza has killed more than 29,000 Palestinians since Oct. 7, the territory’s Health Ministry said Monday, marking another grim milestone in one of the deadliest and most destructive military campaigns in recent history.
What we knowIsrael has threatened to invade Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah by the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which begins March 10, if the remaining hostages are not released by Hamas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to ''finish the job'' in Gaza as cease-fire talks stalled, with Netanyahu instead saying a hostage release "can be achieved through strong military action and tough negotiations." Yemen's Houthi rebels claim to have shot down a U.S. drone, and announced a cargo ship they targeted in the Red Sea is at risk of sinking this morning. The crew of the Rubymar have abandoned the ship, authorities said. The U.S. military targeted an underwater drone used by the Houthis as part of five self-defense strikes yesterday against the Iran-backed militants.The International Court of Justice has begun hearings on Israeli occupation of lands sought for a Palestinian state in a case that will get to the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. An unprecedented number of countries will participate in the six days of hearings, which come after Israel's government formalized its opposition to the "unilateral recognition" of an independent Palestinian state.More than 29,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the war began, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. More than 69,000 have been injured , and thousands more are missing and presumed dead. Israeli military officials said at least 233 soldiers have been killed during the ground invasion of Gaza.
What we knowNegotiations in Cairo are at an impasse as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Hamas' demands "delusional," in a statement yesterday and said there was no point in further negotiations without a change in their position. Hamas is seeking a permanent cease-fire and the release of 1500 prisoners in exchange for hostages. Netanyahu also said yesterday that the military remains intent on continuing its offensive into Rafah, on the border with Egypt, where about 1.4 million Palestinians are seeking refuge.Israel's plans are in defiance of the international community and the United States. President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, have publicly stated that the U.S. cannot support a ground invasion into Rafah without a credible and implementable plan for ensuring the safety of the people sheltering there.The International Court of Justice will begin historic hearings tomorrow about the legality of Israel's 57-year occupation of the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem. The siege of Nasser Hospital by Israeli forces in Khan Younis enters its fourth day. More than 100 people have been detained, including staff members. About 10,000 people are sheltering at the hospital complex, which is struggling under heavy fire and dwindling supplies. Heavy construction on the Egyptian side of the border with Gaza are stoking Palestinians' fears of expulsion. Israel denies plans to do so, and the Egyptian president rejected the displacement of Palestinians, but its foreign minister said: “it is not our intention to provide any safe areas or facilities, but … we will provide the support to the innocent civilians, if that was to take place.”
What we knowIsraeli forces remained in Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis after raiding it early Thursday. The Gaza Health Ministry said it is struggling under heavy fire and dwindling supplies, including food and water, and that the electricy had been shut off, leading to the deaths of five intensive care patients. Israel's defense minister Yoav Gallant said the country is "thoroughly planning" its promised ground invasion of Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah, after President Joe Biden warned that Israel must have a "credible and executable plan" to protect the roughly 1.4 million Palestinians sheltering there. French President Emmanuel Macron said his country could assist efforts for the recognition of a Palestinian state if efforts for a two-state solution stalls due to Israeli opposition. "The recognition of a Palestinian state is not a taboo for France," Macron said in Paris yesterday, alongside Jordan's King Abdullah II. On-going negotiations in Cairo for a cease-fire remain tense as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushed back hard yesterday against the U.S. vision for the region after the war — chaffing at "international dictates regarding a permanent settlement with the Palestinians." Satellite images show extensive construction and a wall being built in Egypt along its border with Gaza. Dozens of bulldozers and earth movers can be seen clearing the land in the Sinai Desert, and construction equipment is also visible. Egyptian officials have denied they are building an enclosure to house displaced Palestinians.
What we knowSatellite images show extensive construction and a wall being built in Egypt along its border with Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah. Dozens of bulldozers and earth movers can be seen clearing the land in the Sinai Desert and construction equipment is also visible. Across the border the shelters and tents can be seen in Rafah where more than 1 million people have sought refuge since Israel launched its ground invasion in the enclave. Egyptian officials have denied they are building an enclosure to house displaced Palestinians.A senior U.S. official told NBC News last night that high-level talks about a cease-fire and securing the release of the remaining hostages in Hamas captivity are ongoing, despite an apparent veto on them by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Disagreement remains over Hamas' demand that 1,500 Palestinian prisoners, including some convicted of murder, be released in exchange for those held in captivity, the source said. President Joe Biden spoke with Netanyahu last night where he "reiterated his view that a military operation should not proceed without a credible and executable plan for ensuring the safety of and support for the civilians in Rafah," according to a White House readout of the call. At least five patients have died during Israel's raid on Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza's main medical facility. Palestinian health authorities said the deaths were caused by lack of oxygen and power outages during the raid. Doctors, displaced civilians and critically ill patients were also forced to evacuate the complex, although some patients were left behind because they were too weak to move. Israel has accused Hamas of holding hostages at the facility, a claim denied
What we knowIsraeli special forces have entered the main hospital in southern Gaza, raiding a site where thousands of Palestinians had sought shelter. The Israeli military said that the operation was based on “credible intelligence” that Hamas held captives taken in the Oct. 7 attacks at the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis and that bodies of Israeli hostages may be at the site. Gaza’s health ministry confirmed the site had been stormed after the IDF forced the evacuation of civilians.The operation comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed last night to push forward with his planned invasion of Rafah, saying his army will undertake “powerful action” once civilians have been allowed to flee Gaza’s southernmost city. His comments came amid mounting international concern about the offensive. A trio of key U.S. allies today warned against a “catastrophic” assault.Elsewhere, on a visit to the country’s north, Israel’s military chief said yesterday that his forces will be “ready for war” and “push back all the capabilities” the Hezbollah militant group has across the country’s border with Lebanon. His comments came after IDF strikes killed at least 12 people in Lebanon after a deadly rocket attack inside Israel.Israel also said that Hamas has not put forward any new suggestions for a hostage release and temporary cease-fire deal during discussions in the Egyptian capital, Cairo. Earlier demands from the militant group were dismissed by Netanyahu as “delusional.”More than 28,500 people have been killed in Gaza since the war began, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. More than 68,200 have been injured, and thousands more are missing and presumed dead.Israeli military officials said at least 232 soldiers
What we knowAn Israeli assault on Rafah could lead to a "slaughter," United Nations aid chief Martin Griffiths warned yesterday as some Palestinians began to flee Gaza's southernmost city. The U.N. also said it will not assist in the evacuation if Israel does go ahead with a ground offensive on the city, which is now home to around 1.4 million people, many of whom have fled from other parts of the enclave. The State Department said last night that it was reviewing reports that Israel has harmed civilians in its Gaza offensive, as part of a set of guidelines ensuring recipients of U.S. arms follow international law. The review comes as President Joe Biden has become increasingly vocal in his frustration with Israel's conduct during the offensive. Israeli survivors of the Oct. 7 attacks and relatives of victims are stepping up efforts to get International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Asad Ahmad Khan to investigate Hamas' crimes, as part of his investigation into the attack and Israel's response in Gaza. They want the court to target Hamas leaders with arrest warrants. Talks in Cairo to reach a new cease-fire and hostage deal ended inconclusively yesterday. CIA Director William Burns took part in the negotiations with Israeli, Qatari and Egyptian officials for a temporary pause in the fighting, but no deal was reached.More than 28,400 people have been killed in Gaza since the war began, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. More than 68,100 have been injured , and thousands more are missing and presumed dead. Israeli military officials said at least 232 soldiers have been killed during the ground invasion of Gaza.
