Israel retaliates against Rafah following Hamas’ admission of responsibility for deadly rocket attack: Latest developments

On Sunday, Palestinian health officials reported that at least 19 people were killed by Israeli fire in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah. Additionally, three Israeli soldiers lost their lives in a rocket attack, which was claimed by the Hamas armed wing.

Israel’s military has reported that a total of 10 projectiles were fired from Rafah in southern Gaza towards the vicinity of the crossing. As a result, the crossing has been closed off to aid trucks that were scheduled to enter the coastal enclave. However, it is worth noting that other crossings have been unaffected and are currently open for operation.

According to Reuters, Hamas’ armed wing has claimed responsibility for firing rockets at an Israeli army base near the crossing. However, they clarified that the commercial crossing was not their intended target. The Times of Israel reported that Palestinian medics have confirmed that 16 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes in Rafah shortly after the Hamas attack.

On Sunday, there was an attack, which occurred during the ongoing Gaza cease-fire talks. According to Palestinian officials, Hamas negotiators continued to insist on the cessation of the war. However, Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, made it clear in his speech for the country’s annual Holocaust Memorial Day that no international pressure would prevent Israel from defending itself.

Netanyahu emphasized that if Israel is compelled to face the challenges alone, it will resiliently stand its ground without any external support.

Israel initiated its military campaign in retaliation to the Hamas incursion on October 7th. The Israeli authorities claim that approximately 1,200 individuals lost their lives in the attack, with an additional 252 individuals being held hostage. As per the Gaza health ministry, over 34,600 Palestinians have been killed and more than 77,000 have sustained injuries.

Gaza Struggling with Severe Famine, Warns World Food Program Director Cindy McCain

The dire situation in parts of Gaza has escalated to a full-blown famine, according to Cindy McCain, the director of the World Food Program. The crisis in the region has been worsening, leaving thousands of people without access to sufficient food and basic necessities. McCain’s remarks shed light on the urgent need for immediate action to address the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Developments:

There have been significant advancements in recent times.

Hamas strongly criticized Israel’s decision regarding Al Jazeera, labeling it as a “blatant violation of press freedom” and a retaliatory action against the important role that Al Jazeera plays in exposing the crimes committed by the occupation.

Pro-Palestinian rallies and protests have been sweeping across the U.S., resulting in numerous arrests and occasional violent clashes with counterdemonstrators.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrations continue despite arrests and increased police enforcement: Latest developments

Israel orders shut down of Al Jazeera’s offices in the country

Al Jazeera, the Arab media giant, has announced that it will take all necessary legal measures to ensure its continued operations in Israel. This statement comes in response to the recent decision by Netanyahu’s Cabinet to close down Al Jazeera’s offices in Israel until the end of the conflict in Gaza.

According to Prime Minister Netanyahu, Al Jazeera has been consistently biased towards Hamas. The Israeli cabinet has now officially declared the news outlet to be a threat to national security. This development comes at a time when there are concerns about the failure of cease-fire talks and the possibility of an Israeli invasion of the southern Gaza city of Rafah in the near future.

Israeli authorities have conducted a raid on a hotel room in East Jerusalem that was being used as an office by Al Jazeera. In a video that has been widely shared online, plainclothes officers can be seen dismantling camera equipment. Furthermore, Israeli satellite and cable television providers have temporarily suspended the broadcast of Al Jazeera.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused Al Jazeera correspondents of compromising Israel’s security and inciting violence against Israeli soldiers. He firmly stated that it is high time to remove Hamas’s mouthpiece from the country.

Al Jazeera vehemently denied these accusations, labeling them as a “dangerous and absurd falsehood” that endangers the lives of its journalists. Being funded by the Qatari government, which has played a crucial role in cease-fire negotiations, the network has been critical of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, much like numerous media organizations worldwide.

Al Jazeera reporter Hani Mahmoud revealed that the Israeli PM and his military had a strong desire for complete secrecy regarding their actions. They aimed for everything to occur without any form of reporting or discussion taking place.

Talks ‘near collapse,’ Rafah invasion likely ‘in the near future’

CIA chief William Burns is making an urgent trip from Cairo to Doha to meet with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed Al-Thani in an effort to address the stalled negotiations for a hostage release and a temporary truce deal. Various media outlets have reported this development, citing sources who are familiar with the ongoing discussions. The objective of this meeting is to apply “maximum pressure” on Israel and Hamas to encourage them to persist with the negotiations, even though there are signs that the talks are on the verge of falling apart. This information was disclosed by an official who is well-informed about the progress of the talks, as reported by Reuters.

Hamas restated its request for the war to cease as a condition for the release of hostages. Netanyahu, on the other hand, cautioned against any deal that would trade the freedom of hostages for ending the war. He expressed concerns that such an agreement would only serve to empower Hamas and pose a threat to Israel. Israel, however, is open to temporarily suspending hostilities in Gaza if it means securing the release of the remaining hostages held by Hamas-affiliated militants.

Netanyahu, Hamas leader Haniyeh blame each other as talks falter

Israel has expressed its readiness to engage in peace talks, while Hamas continues to maintain its rigid stance. Hamas has demanded that Israel withdraw all its forces from the Gaza Strip, bring an end to the conflict, and allow Hamas to remain in power. Prime Minister Netanyahu firmly stated that Israel cannot agree to these conditions.

Hamas Chief Ismail Haniyeh emphasized that the militants are still dedicated to a “comprehensive” cease-fire. However, he insisted that the cease-fire should ensure Israel’s complete withdrawal from Gaza. Haniyeh held Netanyahu responsible for the ongoing aggression, the escalation of the conflict, and the disruption of mediation efforts by various parties.

Israel calls for global support on eve of Holocaust Rememberance Day

Israel has halted the delivery of humanitarian aid via the Karem Abu Salem border crossing following a rocket attack that caused injuries to multiple individuals. Hamas has claimed responsibility for the assault. Foreign Minister Israel Katz has criticized Hamas for launching the attack from a civilian-populated area. He emphasized that this incident, which occurred on Holocaust Remembrance Day, serves as a stark reminder of the brutal tactics employed by the terrorist organization Hamas.

“The world needs to rally behind Israel and lend its support in the crucial mission of eliminating Hamas,” Katz emphasized in a social media post.

Cindy McCain says Gaza now dealing with famine

Gaza, a place that has already suffered from the loss of tens of thousands of lives and significant damage to its infrastructure due to war, is now facing the devastating reality of a “full blown famine,” according to Cindy McCain, director of the World Food Program. Although her statements do not officially declare a famine, which is a technical term determined by the United Nations, the U.N. has been warning of an impending famine in Gaza since mid-March. Joining Samantha Power, director of the U.S. Agency for International Development, McCain emphasized this dire situation in an interview that aired on NBC’s “Meet The Press” on Sunday. Power had initially made this claim during congressional testimony last month.

Turkey has decided to reduce its trade with Israel by $7 billion due to what it perceives as an “uncompromising attitude” during the Gaza war.

According to McCain, famine is spreading from the north to the south, causing immense horror and devastation. The situation is heart-wrenching to witness and even more difficult to comprehend.