Israel’s war on Gaza updates: Israel ‘negative’ on Hamas truce proposal
Negotiation could lead to a ‘dead end’ says Hamas official Hamdan, as US diplomat Antony Blinken arrives in Saudi to push deal.
The live page is now closed. You can continue to follow our coverage of the war in Gaza here.
The live page is now closed. You can continue to follow our coverage of the war in Gaza here.
- Hamas official Osama Hamdan says Israel responded “negatively” to the group’s truce proposal, and Doha-based ceasefire talks could lead to a “dead end”.
- More than 100 aid workers have been killed and dozens wounded over the past week in eight attacks carried out by Israeli forces, according to the Government Media Office in Gaza.
- Displaced people sheltering at al-Shifa Hospital recount details of the Israeli army’s storming and siege of the medical complex in Gaza City.
- The death toll from Israeli attacks on Nuseirat refugee camp rises to 27. Another Israeli attack on an aid distribution team in Gaza City killed at least 23.
- At least 31,923 Palestinians have been killed and 74,096 injured in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7. The revised death toll in Israel from Hamas’s October 7 attack stands at 1,139, with dozens taken captive.
Here’s what happened today
We will be closing this live page soon. Here is a recap of today’s events:
- Hamas senior official Osama Hamdan says the Israeli response to its latest Gaza ceasefire proposal was “negative”, making it likely talks in Qatar will again fail to yield an agreement.
- Palestinians displaced from al-Shifa Hospital tell Al Jazeera they were stripped naked and interrogated by the Israeli army, while some were shot and others detained.
- More than 100 aid workers have been killed and dozens wounded over the past week in eight attacks carried out by Israeli forces, according to the Government Media Office in Gaza.
- The Israeli army and internal security agency Shin Bet say in a joint statement that an Israeli jet struck two “senior Islamic Jihad operatives inside a vehicle in the area of Jenin” in the occupied West Bank.
- Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said preparations for the invasion of Rafah are under way, but an operation “will take some time”.
WATCH: South Africa’s FM confronts US criticism
South Africa’s foreign minister, Naledi Pandor, recently spoke with Al Jazeera’s Mike Hanna in Washington, DC, with the discussion revolving around a bill currently scrutinised by the US House of Representatives, which criticises South Africa’s affiliations with countries and entities considered to compromise US national security.
Pandor voiced her concerns, noting that South Africa appears to be disproportionately singled out in ways that other nations are not.
She speculated that this might be linked to South Africa’s recent move to involve the International Court of Justice regarding Israel’s conduct towards Palestine.
Watch the interview below:
Israel strikes Nur Shams refugee camp with drone during raid
Palestinian news agency Wafa reports a bombing inside al-Manshiyya neighbourhood in the occupied West Bank refugee camp.
The target of the strike is unknown at this time, says Wafa, due to a tight security cordon placed on the area by Israeli forces, who began a raid on the camp east of Tulkarem earlier.
“They deployed snipers in its vicinity and declared the camp a closed military zone, from which exit and entry are prohibited,” Wafa says, adding that Israeli forces are not allowing ambulances to respond to distress calls from a number of casualties that have resulted from the raid.
Heavy gunfire and the sounds of explosions can be heard throughout the camp.
Pro-Palestinian protesters interrupt German Chancellor Scholz at book fair
Several loud cries could be heard as Olaf Scholz began his speech at Leipzig Book Fair, Germany’s second-largest book fair.
The Leipziger Volkszeitung newspaper said the protesters appeared to be pro-Palestinian activists and one person could be heard calling, “It’s not a humanitarian disaster, it’s a genocide.”
Scholz stopped his speech to address the protesters, telling them: “Stop shouting, that’s enough.”
“The power of the word brings us all together here in Leipzig, not the power of shouting,” he added, to loud applause.
A man could later be heard calling on the audience to protest against arms deliveries to Israel.
The outbreak of the war in Gaza has roiled Germany, where Berlin’s staunch backing for Israel has prompted protests that pro-Palestinian voices were being marginalised.
Muslim-American group condemns ‘utter inability to stand up’ to Israel
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) denounced the US government’s “complicity in the starvation” of Palestinians in Gaza.
“Innocent civilians in Gaza are being starved to death as part of the Israeli government’s genocidal campaign. This atrocity has been enabled by the Biden administration’s utter inability to stand up to what it claims is our nation’s ‘greatest ally’,” said CAIR’s national executive director, Nihad Awad.
“We urge the Biden administration to immediately change course and demand an end to Israel’s siege and an immediate ceasefire.”
Gaza people mourn dozens killed in Israeli strikes
Mourners held funeral prayers outside a hospital in central Gaza for 28 people killed in three separate Israeli air strikes on urban refugee camps.
The Associated Press footage showed people praying over the bodies before they were taken away on donkey carts for burial in Deir el-Balah.
Nineteen people, including five women and nine children, were killed when a strike flattened a family home late Tuesday in the Nuseirat refugee camp. Another person was killed in a separate attack on the camp. A strike in the nearby Bureij camp killed eight people, including three women.
Nuseirat and Bureij are among several dense, built-up refugee camps in Gaza that date back to 1948, when an estimated 700,000 Palestinians fled or were driven from their homes in what is now Israel.
Hezbollah targets Israeli soldiers near border
The Lebanese armed group says it attacked Israeli soldiers stationed at a building in the Metula area on the Israel-Lebanon border.
Hezbollah said it also hit the Israeli army position in the Avivim settlement.
The armed group has engaged Israel with cross-border attacks since Israel launched its war on Gaza. More than 300 people have been killed in Lebanon, including some 240 members of Hezbollah, while about 20 Israelis have been killed.
The fighting has also forced some 90,000 people to flee southern Lebanon.
Canada confirms halting arms shipments to Israel
Canada will halt all arms shipments to Israel, Foreign Minister Melanie Joly’s office confirmed, a decision that drew the ire of Israeli leaders.
“Since January 8th, the government has not approved new arms export permits to Israel and this will continue until we can ensure full compliance with our export regime,” said a statement from Joly’s office.
“There are no open permits for exports of lethal goods to Israel,” it added.
Export permits approved prior to January 8, however, would “remain in effect,” Joly’s office said, explaining that cancelling them risked “important implications for both Canada and its allies,” including NATO and the Five Eyes intelligence alliance.
Israel has historically been a top receiver of Canadian arms exports with $15.6m worth of military materiel exported to Israel in 2022, according to government data.
Northern Gaza faces imminent famine: World Bank
Famine is imminent for Palestinians in the northern Gaza Strip and is projected to affect adults and children between now and May, according to a World Bank food security report.
“The situation in the Gaza Strip has reached catastrophic levels,” it warned.
Roughly 1.11 million people, or half of the Gaza Strip’s population, are in Phase 5 of the IPC Food Insecurity Scale – known as the “Catastrophe Phase” of extreme food shortages and unable to meet basic needs.
Virtually all households skip meals daily and a significant portion of children under two are suffering from acute malnutrition, the report states. It recommends “restoring humanitarian access, curbing hostilities, and ensuring the safe delivery of aid to the population in need”.
Blinken talks Gaza ceasefire with Saudi FM; meets MBS
Secretary of State Blinken, who landed in Jeddah earlier, met with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud before holding talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS).
Blinken and Prince Faisal “discussed the urgent need to protect all civilians in Gaza and immediately increase humanitarian assistance to those in need”, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.
“Blinken stressed the importance of continued close coordination with regional and international partners on resolving the conflict in Gaza and preparing for the post-conflict phase,” Miller said.
The kingdom marks the first stop on Blinken’s sixth Middle East tour since the Israel-Hamas war started on October 7. He is due to travel on Thursday to Egypt.
In Israel, Blinken will also “discuss the need to ensure the defeat of Hamas, including in Rafah, in a way that protects the civilian population … and advances Israel’s overall security”, said Miller.
Israeli raids across Gaza; battles at al-Shifa Hospital ongoing
Israeli military attacks on southern Gaza are ongoing. Several people have been killed in the past few hours after a home was bombarded without any prior warning. There have been dozens of casualties transported to al-Najjar Hospital in Rafah.
More attacks have occurred in the central area of Gaza. A residential building was hit in Deir el-Balah, with ambulances rushing to the site to rescue those injured and trapped under the rubble.
According to eyewitnesses in northern Gaza, the bombing has not stopped, with some describing the situation as the hardest since the beginning of the land incursion.
There is no end in sight to the Israeli operation inside al-Shifa Hospital. Israeli troops have completely encircled the facility, preventing anyone from getting out. Hundreds of people, including patients, remain inside. Battles around the hospital continue.
UNRWA chief: Hunger crisis in Gaza ‘catastrophic’
Philippe Lazzarini says on X that siege, hunger and disease will soon become the “main killer” in Gaza, as Israel’s blockade of the territory continues.
Gaza needs to be “flooded” with food and lifesaving assistance, he said.
Siege, hunger & diseases will soon become the main killer in #Gaza. This fabricated + catastrophic level of hunger can still be reversed by flooding Gaza with food & life saving assistance. More than ever Humanity requires political will. https://t.co/eoWJAYOeSp
— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) March 20, 2024
‘Someone is providing intelligence to the Israelis’
Fighting broke out at a funeral for Palestinian Islamic Jihad members, with Palestinian Authority security forces engaging in clashes. One analyst says anger was likely directed at an individual who tipped off the Israelis about their movements.
“Clearly, the Palestinian Authority is trying to keep a lid on the violence. But the kind of assassination today could not happen without ground intelligence, and I think the anger people are showing on the street is related to that,” Sultan Barakat from Hamad Bin Khalifa University told Al Jazeera.
“Someone is providing intelligence to the Israelis and clearly they are going after the senior leadership of Palestinian Islamic Jihad.”
Jordan’s FM urges opening of land crossings into Gaza
Ayman Safadi says on X that there is no alternative land routes for aid delivery into Gaza, echoing comments from UN humanitarian organs and NGOs worldwide.
Jordan has been engaging in aid airdrop operations over Gaza along with other allies, chiefly the US.
“Supplies cannot be distributed unless aggression ends. Israel is weaponizing starvation. This is another horrific war crime”, Safadi wrote.
There is no alternative to opening all land routes to even begin to address the humanitarian catastrophe Israel has created in Gaza. And supplies cannot be distributed unless aggression ends. Israel is weaponizing starvation. This is another horrific war crime.
— Ayman Safadi (@AymanHsafadi) March 20, 2024
Arab foreign ministers to meet Blinken in Cairo
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken will meet foreign ministers from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Jordan this week.
He will also have discussions with the United Arab Emirates international cooperation minister and secretary-general of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation, according to an Egyptian foreign ministry statement.
It did not give details but Egyptian security sources say Arab nations will present plans for a political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Palestine Football Association urges FIFA sanctions against Israel
A statement says “the loss of innocent lives, including no less than 99 footballers” and the “destruction of residential units … are clear violations of international laws”.
“All the football infrastructure in Gaza has been either destroyed or seriously damaged.”
The association said six other member nations endorsed its proposal and it will be on the agenda at FIFA’s upcoming congress in May.
Israel’s football association responded to the petition by saying it “always followed FIFA regulations and always will”.
FIFA has taken action against member nations over the actions by their governments before, banning Russian teams from international competition following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
US House Speaker ‘may’ invite Israeli PM to address Congress
US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson says he’s considering inviting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address Congress.
“It’s one of the things that we have in mind, and we may try to arrange for that,” Johnson told reporters. He said it’s “very important” for the United States to show solidarity and support for Israel “right now in their time of great struggle”.
Johnson said he held a “lengthy conversation this morning” with Netanyahu and reiterated House Republicans’ “strong support for Israel”.
Last week by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called for new elections in Israel and criticised Netanyahu’s leadership. Johnson said, “We think it is not only foolhardy, it’s dangerous for him to be trying to suggest how Israel should run its domestic affairs in the midst of their conflict.”
Video shows moment Israel bombs house in Deir el-Balah
Palestinian journalist Sami al-Sultan has uploaded video to his Instagram account that shows an Israeli air raid a short while ago on the city in the central Gaza Strip.
This video has been verified by Sanad, Al Jazeera’s fact-checking unit.
Casualty numbers from this attack are still unclear, but we will update you as soon as more information is available.
LISTEN: Who’s arming Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza?
Israel’s war on Gaza has relied mostly on Western weapons and technology to kill about 32,000 Palestinians. And despite growing opposition, those weapons keep flowing.
So who’s supplying Israel with the tools for genocide? And could there be legal consequences?
Israel causing ‘great oppression’: Iran’s supreme leader
In a live broadcast on state TV, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says the Middle East is in turmoil because of Israel.
“This is a very great oppression that has been going on for 10 years and this oppression must be stopped,” he said.
“Whoever enters this great jihad, humanitarian jihad, Islamic jihad, conscientious jihad, we support him and help him, and with the grace of God we will achieve our goal.”
Khamenei also said the United States’ understanding of regional issues is wrong. “Anywhere in this region – in Yemen, Syria, Lebanon – any action is taken by the fighting and brave forces of resistance, the Americans attributed it to Iran. This false analogy will definitely bring America to its knees.”
‘Starvation is stalking every doorway in Gaza’
Dr Margaret Harris from the World Health Organization called the deaths of 685 healthcare workers in Gaza “shocking”. More than 900 other medical staff have been wounded since Israel’s war began in October.
“Since we began documenting this, the numbers have risen rapidly. This was one of the first agreements around the rules of war: that healthcare must be protected because it is a basic human right,” Harris told Al Jazeera.
“The destruction is making it harder and harder for those simply trying to provide life-saving care to a large population of people.”
She noted healthcare workers are also “desperately hungry and without water”.
“Starvation is stalking every doorway in Gaza,” said Harris.
‘Alarming’ lack of food in Gaza: Red Cross
The International Committee of the Red Cross says there is not enough access to safe water and medical care in the coastal enclave, adding that more than 1.6 million people were now residing in Rafah.
“Some families receive a can of food every other day for the whole family,” the group posted on X.
A recent UN-backed report found the entire Gaza population is experiencing a food shortage as Israel is accused of provoking famine.
#Gaza | Out of a population of 2.2 million people, over 1.6 million are now living in Rafah.
People face an alarming lack of food, not enough access to safe water & a lack of medical care. The needs are immense. pic.twitter.com/9x3xO0Pl7i
— ICRC (@ICRC) March 20, 2024
Israel targets Palestinian Islamic Jihad fighters in Jenin attack
We have more information for you on today’s air strike on the occupied West Bank city by the Israeli military.
The Israeli army and internal security agency Shin Bet say in a joint statement that Israeli aircraft struck two “senior Islamic Jihad operatives inside a vehicle in the area of Jenin”.
It said the targets were Ahmed Barakat and Muhammad Shuakhin, as well as two other members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The statement accuses the men of past attacks on the Israeli army.
The Jenin unit of the Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s armed wing, confirmed the death of three fighters without naming them.
We are also getting reports of clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinian locals at the funerals of the men, currently being held.
An eyewitness to the attack said in an interview “What I have seen is a very terrible thing to look at. There was another car nearby which a man and his wife were riding. Luckily, [it] was not hit”.
“Traffic was very dense. The men were around and fire extinguishers were available. We used the extinguishers. Otherwise, it could have been worse.”
Hamas accuses Israel of intensifying civilian attacks to help truce talks
Hamas official Osama Hamdan says Israel continues to target civilian areas to strengthen its hand in ceasefire discussions.
“With every round of negotiations, it escalates its crimes against our people, thinking that with such crimes it may achieve gains at the negotiating table,” said Hamdan.
“We affirm again that what the occupation does not take in the military battle and the crime of genocide, it will not take it with the machinations of politics and the games of negotiations.”
Hamdan said “approvals” previously agreed on in talks have now been retracted by Israel, calling it a “policy of procrastination”.